Press Conference Statement by MFSO Member Elizabeth Frederick

Good afternoon. My name is Elizabeth Frederick and I am a member of Military Families Speak Out, a group of over 2,200 families nationwide who oppose the war in Iraq and have loved ones who are serving in Iraq, have served, will soon deploy, or have died as a result of the war.

I joined MFSO shortly after my boyfriend of 3 ½ years, Sgt. Michael Bernabe, was deployed to Iraq in January 2005. I was happy to find a group of people who strongly supported their soldiers, but who also recognized this war was wrong. They understand the frustration of things like stop-loss, and the worry that someone they love may be hurt or killed in a war based on lies.

Mike’s military contract ended in April 2005, but because of stop-loss, he is still in Iraq and will not return until later this year. I’m not exactly sure when he’s coming home. In July alone, they were given three different return dates. The amount of chaos and disorganization over there regarding not only return dates, but also supplies, and armor issues, just to name a few is simply appalling.

Nearly every conversation I have with Mike reinforces the fact that this war was based on lies. There are no clear goals, nor reasons for continuing the occupation. I cannot tell you how many times he has told me, “We have no idea what we’re doing here.” In an email he sent to me in May, he described an incident where he and some other were handing out extra toiletries to civilians. He said:

“It has been the first time that I felt like we did something good around here…I can’t get those kids outta my head…No shoes, dirty as can be, beat up clothes and stuff like that. I could pretty much tell they hated us by the way they looked at us. I guess I would take that stuff too even if it were given by someone I hated. But it felt good. I think they probably gave some of the stuff we gave them to insurgents for all I know but it still felt good. I have just been feeling like crap for so long that it was nice to do something for anyone.”

This administration lied to the people of this country and has continued to generate excuses rather than admit their mistakes and admit they mislead the public. They have chosen to continue a game of deception rather than come up with a plan to bring the troops home safely and quickly.

Mike is a good solider, committed to doing his job and doing it honorably. But he has also said of all of his deployments, this one is by far the hardest, and the days are beginning to wear on him. He is a good solider, but he will not reenlist, because he knows he will be sent back to Iraq. I know is that this war is wrong and our troops need to come home immediately. Their patriotism and service to this nation is being wasted, and this waste needs to stop.

This war has no good purpose and it needs to end. There needs to be a plan for immediate withdrawal, and adequate services in place to care for and support the troops when they return. Every day that goes by is a day I have missed out on with someone I love, and every day is filled with the pain of missing him and wondering if he’s ok.

Just last night, 4 more soldiers were killed in the area where he is currently stationed. They were from Task Force Liberty, which Mike is attached to. Until I hear from him, I’m going to sit here and wonder if he was one of the four, and hope and pray he wasn’t. That’s what it’s like, every day, and I’m tired of feeling that way and I don’t want anyone else to have to feel this.

So I am thrilled that this rally and concert will be galvanizing support for bring our troops home now. As military families, we say: End the occupation, bring our troops home now, and take care of them when they get here.