Redstate

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From the diaries...

These were the words I and some of my fellow Patriot Guard riders heard from Capt. James A. Funkhouser's 2 year old daughter just after his Full Military Honors Funeral Service on Friday 9 June 2006 at Ft. Sam Houston National Cemetary.  These simple words from a very young little girl ran through me, and welled my eyes up with tears; of sadness for his loss, and hope for her future.Capt. James "Alex" Funkhouser, 35, of Katy Texas was killed by a VBIED (vehicle-borne improvised explosive device) on 29 May, 2006 in Baghdad.  From 4th Infantry News , written by Staff Sgt. Brent Williams, 4th BCT PAO, 4th Inf. Div. , I share the Military News version of the events on the day Jennifer and their 2 daughters, aged 4 and 2, lost their Daddy in Iraq.

Warrior Soldiers save lives while leaders down

Staff Sgt. Brent Williams    

4th BCT PAO, 4th Inf. Div.

June 8, 2006

BAGHDAD - As small-arms fire could be heard nearby the burning vehicle, Spc. Izzy Flores, combat medic, 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, said he thought to himself, "Please don't shoot me now; I've got to finish this."

The explosion of the vehicle-borne improvised-explosive device sent a wave of searing heat, a heart-rattling concussion and a hail of shrapnel whipping through the air, leaving two Soldiers from the 4th BCT faced with the harsh realities of battle May 29.  Quickly assessing the situation, Sgt. Daniel Mootoosamy, squad leader, scout platoon, 1st Bn., 12th Inf. Regt., dismounted from his gunner's turret to find 11 casualties, many seriously wounded, on the ground and in their vehicles.   Within moments, the noncommissioned officer from Las Vegas, Nev., realized that he was the senior ranking Soldier and the commander on the ground.

According to Mootoosammy, his first thoughts were for the security of the survivors, and once he realized that his Soldiers were hurt, his instincts took control.  "As NCOs, as Soldiers, we apply the training," Mootoosamy said of the situation.  "As a person, not necessarily as an NCO, I knew people were hurt.  I had seen them thrown on the ground, and I knew I needed to develop the situation."

Upon order from Mootoosamy, Spc. Michael Potter, cavalry scout, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Bn., 12th Inf. Regt., badly burned and in great pain, manned the M2 .50-caliber machine gun, providing cover for the wounded from the turret of the M1114 Up-Armored Humvee.

On the street, the NCO went through a checklist of priorities in his mind and began checking the blocks.  Mootoosamy looked to the combat medic, Flores, a 20-year-old from Monterey Park, Calif., also uninjured in the blast.  "When it first happened, the disbelief, I didn't want to accept it," Flores said.  "Then I saw Spc. Kenneth Snipes bleeding from his face, and I knew it was happening."

The medic began the triage for the casualties almost immediately, assessing the most visibly injured from the explosion, pausing only to apply tourniquets and bandages for the severely wounded.  "It was tough to see leaders down," Flores said, "and being on the site first, I assumed duties as senior medic."

Once bandaged by his "doc", Snipes, a driver for the platoon, began to work on the vehicle radios disrupted by the blast.

Meanwhile, Sgt. Ezequiel Hernandez, Jr., despite moderate injuries, worked with Mootoosamy to pull the wounded from a burning vehicle and to safety.  Mootoosamy quickly made the decision, based upon the applied risk assessment combined with enemy threat levels, to wait for support.  The sergeant then secured a humvee to provide cover for his medic.

Flores was working on a critically-injured Soldier when he heard small-arms fire.  Lowering his head, the medic continued the work at hand, "applying tourniquets and plugging holes," while other Soldiers tightened security.  Only later was he made aware that the rounds he heard were from the burning Humvee, which was "cooking off" rounds.

Since the first day of his military training nearly two years ago, Flores has prepared for the worst possible scenario - mass casualties.  As the supplies in his aid bag were running out, the medic continued to work, looking desperately for assistance.  "Just in my mind there were so many people down.  I didn't have the time," he explained.  "In a perfect world, I would have had the time to sit down and perform a full scope of work on them; I didn't have that time."

The support teams arrived, and the additional personnel began to assist in securing the site and treating the wounded.

Flores wouldn't leave the scene of the attack until all the patients were evacuated; the Soldier stayed behind on site pulling security until his team had left.

It is hard for Flores to accept the magnitude of his actions as he remains thankful that some of his leaders, Soldiers and friends will live to fight another day.  "To be honest, everyone comes up to me telling me that I did a good job," he explained.  "In my mind, I was just doing my job.  I don't want to accept the depth of what happened, because that is my job."

The actions of the Soldiers from the scout platoon, when challenged with mental and physical adversity, saved many lives that day and prevented a dreadful situation from worsening.

Spc. Flores' actions saved two American Soldiers' lives and one U.S. reporter's life, said 1st Lt. Mark Schmidt, executive officer and acting commander, HHC, 1st Bn., 12th Inf. Regt.  Six Soldiers were critically wounded when the VBIED detonated; one will return to duty.  "In the situation they were in, those guys performed to the best of their ability," said Schmidt, a West Point graduate from Chadron, Neb.  "They were all trained correctly.  Sgt. Mootoosamy saw that he was the highest ranking guy on the ground and he knew what he needed to get done.  Spc. Flores, he knew his job.  He jumped up and treated his casualties."

The events that day turned out to be the biggest test faced by Mootoosamy, who said he looks forward to a successful career in the U.S. Army.  "In my eyes, I passed it," he said.  "I did what I had to do to the best of my ability.  It is one of those things that you have to pass; you don't dwell on it."

Mootoosammy credits his NCOs and leaders who instilled the Warrior Ethos and raised him according to The Soldier's Creed, making him the leader he is today.  For Soldiers who might and will someday face the same situation, Mootoosamy, who has lost good friends in combat, wants his Soldiers to keep hope.  "Keep your head up.  Keep focused on what we are doing.  Stay strong and persevere," he said.

"Basically, if we give up now, we get tired and relax and basically are just doing our time; then we have lost," Mootoosammy said.  "Hold that fight; fight that reason to its fullest and hand it off, or basically they died for nothing."

Capt. James A. Funkhouser, commander, 1st Bn., 12th Inf. Regt., and CBS cameraman Paul Douglas and soundman James Brolan, were killed in the VBIED attack.

Much has been written about Capt. Funkhouser.   My article at Redstate, and the original article written by CJ, from A Soldier's Perspective, were only 2 of MANY; a simple Google of Capt. Funkhouser will bear this out.  I became attached to this story, motivated in part by my frustration with the media accounting of Kimberly Dozier's injuries, and the anonymity with which they reported the other casualties.  While I continue to suffer angst and frustration over the way our Soldiers are treated by the media, my focus has become personal.

I "adopted" the Texas Military Family Foundation recently(though Julie might argue that she adopted me), and a few months prior to that I had joined the Patriot Guard Riders.  By the grace of God, my first ride (they call them "Missions") was to support the Funkhousers through their final trip with the man they called "Alex" to his last resting place at Ft. Sam Houston National Cemetary.  Riding with the Patriot Guard is the most awe inspiring, humble, solemn experience I have ever had.  Attending a funeral with Full Military Honors; from the flag-draped casket on the 2-horse drawn caisson, to the 21-gun salute, to the rendition of taps by a Marine bugler, and especially the riderless horse, I can say it is an experience I will never forget.  The respect the Military pays to its fallen, and the honor and dignity with which they treat the families and friends of these Heroes is deeply moving.  

The Texas Military Family Foundation (Julie) and I supported the PatriotGuard by bringing pick-up trucks laden with ice chests and bottled water to refresh the riders and the support team.  In all this day, 67 members were present and we were each given a 10 foot long metal pole with an American Flag attached.  We walked in "formation" to the pavillion where Capt. Funkhouser's body would be brought by caisson to be viewed by the attending family, friends, and Soldiers there to pay their last respects.  As we stood shoulder to shoulder with our flags held proudly and solemnly in front of us, some of Capt. Funkhouser's family and many of the Soldiers who were present walked down the line and personally thanked US for what we do for Soldiers' families in such difficult times.  That, among so many other things I witnessed, probably amazed me the most; that we are there to thank and honor THEM, yet they offer such grace and appreciation at such a difficult time should serve to remind the rest of America what patriotism, sacrifice, honor and duty actually means to those that fight for us every day.

An especially moving moment came when, prior to the beginning of the service, one of Capt. Funkhouser's fellow soldiers who was injured in this explosion and had suffered severe burns, was brought to sit by Jennifer's side and pay his last respects.  He is still recovering at Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC) but insisted he be there.  He was brought by hospital staff, still in his hospital attire, and sat next to her and the children; everyone applauded him as he was seated.  While there were no protesters, thanks to new laws preventing them, the media was present and they took every opportunity to capture that moment on film, something I am glad they did for it will forever symbolize for me the closeness of our Soldiers, to each other and to their respective families, and the honor they bestow upon each other for their service and their sacrifice.

When the service was over, Mrs. Funkhouser had requested that only she accompany her husband to his final resting place.  We stood guard until Capt. Funkhouser's body had been placed in the hearse, and she had been escorted into the family car to take the Capt. "home".  As this was going on, their 2 little daughters were brought over near us to await the next cars that would take them to the reception afterwards, designated to take place on base at Ft. Sam Houston.  They were standing about 5 feet away from me, everyone telling the girls how pretty they looked in their matching dresses; they pirhouetting about showing off their dresses and shoes.  The youngest was then picked up and hugged and kissed, and she said to another family member "Daddy's with God now", as matter of factly as any 2 year old I have ever been around.  My wife started to cry, my eyes welled up with these same tears, and I thought this was perhaps the most telling moment of the entire service.  This little girl had lost her Father, her sister and her mother and all the relatives and soldiers had suffered this loss, but they stood proud, showed grace and dignity, held their heads up high, said goodbye to a wonderful Father and Son and Husband, and began the business of picking up the pieces and moving forward; with the grace of God.

May Capt. James A. Funkhouser rest in peace, his duty done.  May his family be safe and well, and may his daughters grow to understand that their Daddy was a true American hero, having given his life for his country, for her citizens, and for the future of the Iraqi people.

crossed at NEBV