A letter from the commander...

Families and Friends of A. Company, Task Force Wasatch,

We are in the final months of this deployment. It has been difficult for all of us, and there is no doubt that we have had divine providence and protection from the enemy. I am sure you will hear many tales of success and hardship when your soldiers come home. However, we have not completed our mission and it is not yet time to relax or let our guard down. We are in a time when it would be easy for us to send and receive messages home that would, in effect, lower our physical, emotional and spiritual vigilance.

Over the last few months we have earnestly strived to focus our attention on strengthening the Government of Afghanistan by weakening Taliban and terrorist threat. As you are aware, our soldiers are arrayed throughout the country performing their missions with extreme success. I am very proud of our soldiers as I am sure you are. There are two things I need from you to keep us all focused and sharp these last few months.

The first request is that you continue to encourage and love your soldier. Nothing strengthens out resolve and spirit like letters, emails and packages from home. Some of my Operating Bases do not have easy access to internet or phones, but packages and letters arrive (albeit weeks late). Secondly, I cannot express more earnestly the importance of you keeping faith with us, praying for us and being that beacon at the end of a long and tough road. I hear from several soldiers that their communities and families constantly pray for us and that is a relief to me as their Commander. I sincerely thank you for your thoughts on behalf of our soldiers and I truly respect your sacrifice. Just so you know, the miracles we have experienced have little to do with out innate grit or tough training regime. Our fortune is rooted in our individual and collective strength-of-character, our honorable service and our personal integrity and the favor that affords us with the Almighty. I appreciate all your efforts to keep that favor, to raise our spirits and to ensure our hearts are comforted. I am very fortunate to lead these soldiers and I thank you for teaching them the values that make them the people they are.

Respectfully,
MAJ Richard A. Montoya
A Company, Task Force Wasatch
Commanding