Jessica Lynch is my hero.  Not because of the falsified story of her rescue that was orchestrated by the military to create her hero persona, although I applaud her unwillingness to perpetuate that charade.  Instead, her true heroism lies in her refusal to violate the friendships she forged with Army Specialist Shoshana Johnson and Army Private First Class Lori Piestewa.  

            Private Piestewa and Private Lynch came from different worlds -- one a 23-year-old Native American and divorced mother of two from Tuba City, Arizona; the other a 19-year-old, recent high school graduate from Palestine, West Virginia.   Their fellow soldier and mutual friend, Specialist Johnson, is a 30-year-old African American single mother from El Paso, Texas.  These members of the 507th Maintenance Company were brought together by the military, and their bond was strengthened by their deployment to Iraq.  The ambush of their convoy on the night of March 23rd, 2003 left one dead, one injured in a gun battle, and the other a trumped up media celebrity.  Although the military's pretentiousness elevated Jessica in American hearts and minds, she has refused to betray her friends by helping to perpetuate the deception. 

       The family of Private Piestewa received a $6,000 direct death benefit, half of which is taxable, and an additional $1,750 for burial costs. Her children will each receive a payment of $211 per month until they turn 18.  To put this in perspective, families of victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks received compensation ranging from $250,000 up to $4.7 million based on the victim's stated income on their 2000 tax return and the number of dependants.

            Johnson reportedly received 30% disability from the Army for being shot in both legs in a gun battle with her Iraqi captors.   Private Lynch will get 80% disability for her vehicle crash-related injuries.  The monetary difference is roughly $600-$700 per month.  But their future benefits are likely to be just as disparate.  

            I have learned from trying to help military veterans navigate the bureaucratic maze that benefits levels are usually tied to their military job description or Military Occupation Specialty (MOS).  Specialist Johnson's and Private Piestewa's MOS's were to cook for their unit.  Private Lynch's MOS was Logistical Supply Clerk.  They were not assigned to a combat unit. 

            A soldier with an MOS as a cook is not considered to be serving in a high-risk combat role.  Because Specialist Johnson injuries were sustained while performing duties outside her MOS, never mind serving in a combat zone and being pressed to help out where she was needed, under present policies she will have to fight diligently for service-related disability should problems occur in the future.  In today's world, all soldiers in a combat zone are in harms way regardless of their MOS.  

            As the nature of war changes, I believe the Defense Department and Congress need to review the benefits we allocate for our soldiers.  By and large, we eagerly supported the generous payments to 9-11 victims, because there was a national outcry.  I am hearing similar outcries from military families on behalf of their loved ones.  But the reaction from this Administration and the Republican-controlled Congress is that the money isn't available. They seem comfortable with the military's embellishment of Private Lynch's story.  They have turned their backs on Specialist Johnson, the family of Private Prevista, and many other rank-and-file soldiers, leaving their financial and emotional futures in shambles.  But Private Lynch has refused to back down in her loyalty to and support of her friends and fellow soldiers.  To me, that it is the true mark of a heroine. 
 

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