On The Ground In The Midst Of Strife: Eyewitness Experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan

Our August 5th event will examine Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom from the viewpoint of those who have seen it with their own eyes. Join us to hear the stories and opinions of those who know what it's like to be "On The Ground In The Midst Of Strife".

We are all inundated daily with media reports about the conflict in these areas, but we are rarely allowed to hear from the people who know the most about it – those who have been there and lived through it. The troops and veterans are seldom given a public voice, despite the fact that the men and women who were on the front lines are uniquely qualified to speak about the realities of war, its implications for the health of the US military and for the health of the United States. On Saturday August 5th, DC International Connection will give some of these brave men and women an opportunity to share their experiences with our members and with the public.

Join us on Saturday August 5th for this honest, no-spin look at the realities of war. Doors will open around 7pm. If you plan to attend, please reply to the Evite or buy your tickets in advance from this page. Those who want to get free admission by contributing to the potluck dinner must reply to the Evite stating what type of dish they will bring, and must arrive no later than 7.30pm. Members who want to receive free admission in return for working one of the volunteer shifts must also reply to the Evite, and must arrange the volunteer shift in advance by emailing Tony at tony@dcinternational.org or calling 703-475-8328.

Jon Powers

(from his staff bio at VVAF.org)

Captain Jonathan Powers spent 14 months serving in Iraq throughout 2003 and 2004 with the Army's 1st Armored Division. Capt. Powers' experiences while serving there were at best heartbreaking, as he patrolled neighborhoods in Baghdad and witnessed firsthand the devastation that war brings to a country. In particular, Powers recalled visiting St. Hannah's Orphanage in late 2003 when a nun took him aside and requested that he and other soldiers not return to the orphanage which his unit supported in previous months. The insurgents threatened that caretaker that further visits would lead to the likely massacre of the children.

This and many other horrific moments inspired Powers to conceive a program that provides aid and assistance to Iraq's war children with the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation (VVAF). He joined VVAF in July 2005 as Program Manager for a project that would eventually launch under the name "War Kids Relief" in November 2005.

Read Jon Powers' article on Traumatic Stress at the Veterans for America site.

See Videos of interviews with Jon Powers

The Veterans For America War Kids Relief program Jon founded.

Upon returning to the United States from Iraq in July 2004 and completing the active duty component of his military obligation, Powers took up teaching in Buffalo, N.Y. He was soon prompted by his experiences to join a six-week publicity tour for the documentary film "Gunner Palace" - a film in which he appeared that explored the day-to-day lives and experiences of those in his battalion. By January 2005, Powers traveled with director and producer Michael Tucker to introduce the film in markets across the country, where the film was screened and followed by a Q&A with Tucker and Powers. While on the Gunner Palace tour, Powers also had the opportunity to assist in hosting a screening on Capitol Hill in February, where he briefed members of the House and Senate (including Sens. John Kerry, Max Cleland and Jim Jeffords, and Rep. Jim McDermott) about his experiences.

Powers has served as a media spokesperson for the documentary, appearing on CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, and MTV, as well as in the Washington Post, New York Times, USA Today and the Los Angeles Times.

Powers is currently in the first phase of this project, raising money and developing partnerships in order to develop a program that will reach thousands of children who are casualties of the war in Iraq. He is quickly becoming a leading expert in this field and has presented at numerous conferences on youth development.

Powers is a 2000 graduate of John Carroll University with a bachelor's degree in Education.

Jared Jalbert

(from his staff bio at DFI International)

I was hired by DFI in February of 2005 to work on-site at the Air Force Office of Lessons Learned (AF/XOL). As an analyst, I researched Air Force operations during the Global War on Terrorism and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Since working at (AF/XOL) I have worked on a bombing prevention project for the Department of Homeland Security and studies for the Air Force Directorate of Strategic Planning. I am currently working on-site at the Air Force Directorate of Future Total Force where I am assisting the Air Force to develop its future force construct.

"On a day-to-day basis, people are not quite as tuned in as they could be. They're like, 'My boy's not over there.' . . . I mean, everyone's real helpful when it comes to wounded vets. But on a day-to-day basis, it's like, 'It's not my kid.' "

-- Jared Jalbert, quoted in the Washington Post, May 14, 2006

DFI allows its employees to gain exposure and knowledge of many different organizations and missions within the defense industry by working on diverse and interesting projects. The corporate culture at DFI is also second to none. The company truly takes care of its employees by creating a positive work environment, which I believe has attracted a top-notch staff from the research analyst level up to the senior levels.

Before joining DFI, I was a rifleman in the United States Marine Corps. I graduated from Western Michigan University’s College of Aviation. After college I deployed to Iraq to help train and manage Iraq’s Oil Security Forces.

Andrew Duck

Bio from Andrew Duck's official website.

Andrew J. Duck is the fifteenth of seventeen children. Born and raised in Maryland, Andrew graduated from Middletown High School in 1979 and later earned a Bachelor's Degree in Public Administration from Southwest Texas State University. Andrew served 20+ years in the United States Army, serving three tours in Bosnia and a tour in Iraq in 2003. Andrew and his wife Whitney have been married for 25 years and have three children.

Andrew's Army career began as a Private First Class, working as a Company Clerk. He worked his way up to Administrative Non-Commissioned Officer, was trained as a Korean Linguist, and was commissioned as a Military Intelligence Officer. His assignments have included:

Platoon Leader, Joint STARS Platoon, Mostar, Bosnia
Assistant S3 and Chief, Counter-Intelligence Operations Cell, 103d Military Intelligence Battalion, Multi-National Division (North), Bosnia
Commander, D Company, 103d Military Intelligence Battalion, 3d Infantry Division
Intelligence Liaison Officer to 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, Iraq
Intelligence Staff Officer, Combined Forces Land Component Command, Kuwait.

Read a piece written by Andrew Duck on July 4th 2006 for the Patriot Project

Watch video of Andrew Duck at a Band of Brothers event in February 2006.

Andrew has also worked as a Stockbroker for Merrill Lynch, in Frederick, Maryland. He currently works for Northrop Grumman as an advisor to the Pentagon on Army Intelligence issues.

Andrew's community involvement includes employment as a paid staff member of the Carter/Mondale Presidential Committee (1980); member of Citizens for Responsible Growth, New Market, MD (1990), and Co-Founder, Frederick For Kerry, Frederick, MD (2004).