USA Weekend - March 12-14, 2004
NAME/RANK/AGE: Spc. Joe Kashnow, 25
HOMETOWN: Baltimore
IN IRAQ: Rifle at his side, he donned his prayer shawl.
Being an Orthodox Jew in the military has presented some complications. There are only an estimated 1,500 Jewish soldiers in the Army, which has nearly 500,000 active members. (That's 1,500 who identify themselves as such to the Army; there are those who choose not to.) Serving with the 4th Infantry Division, based out of Fort Carson, Colo., I was deployed with members of my division on April 3, 2003. When we got to Kuwait, I realized the kosher MREs ("meals ready to eat") I had packed were missing. It took six weeks to have replacement meals sent over.
Then one time, I wouldn't exercise on a Friday night and got some grief -- granted, from just one guy -- but it was the start of the Sabbath. I also need to pray three times a day, and that could be difficult. Still, I did it when I could, getting up early many days to put on my prayer shawl and other traditional items and do what I needed to do. Sometimes I had my rifle next to me, which seemed strange. I even did my prayers in Saddam's second wife's house -- I'll bet he'd be less than thrilled about that! But it was important to me to honor my traditions.
Before long, we were assisting as troops took control of Baghdad. We'd set up in an observation post and look out for anyone who intended to harm our troops. We'd also go out in a light vehicle, in advance of a convoy, to scout out the area to make sure it was clear.
That's what I was doing on Sept. 17, when I was wounded. I was driving north of Baghdad when a bomb exploded near our Humvee. I broke both bones in my calf, and two of my arteries were severely damaged. But I kept control of the vehicle. I had to. Everyone was depending on me.
Although the bleeding was bad, I am expected to make a reasonable recovery. I'll be grateful to be able to walk without assistance. I never believed I would die. I felt God had decided it wasn't my time. Everything I went through to maintain my traditions and faith, and the miracle of surviving something that was intended to kill me, has deepened my commitment to God. While recovering, I met a guy who told me that he was wounded driving his truck over an anti-tank mine. An anti-tank mine? And he was still alive? That isn't something you see every day. He was meant to stay alive for a reason.
Today, while focused on getting better, I've started my own non-profit group, the Jewish Soldier Foundation (jewishsoldier.org), to help others dealing with the same situations. With donations, we work to get shipments of kosher foods to Iraq for holidays such as Passover. And we're lobbying Congress so we can get the bare minimum of accommodations for Jewish men and women serving their country, like allowing them to have the Sabbath off while based at home. That's what it's all about: serving your God and your country.
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Posted by: SPC KASHNOW on Apr 03, 06 | 3:21 pm
