b'U . S .M i l i t a r yAfter more than 20 years of war in the Middle East, thousands of our veterans continue to struggle to receive the services they need. One Coastal Bend hero and his wife are determined to help.To almost any American you ask, including just about every military veteran you meet,most for the privilege of protecting us, the 99% of the population who elected not to our countrys last truly justified war was World War II, with the possible exception of theserve in the military.first Gulf War to remove Saddam Hussein from Kuwait. Those would also be consideredDad was a badass, said Doug Gresenz of his 24-year, career-Air Force father who was the only two wars America actually won over the past centuryKorea was lost half tohis personal hero and role model growing up. Wisconsin natives, Gresenz has always the commies and in total in Vietnamand the George W. Bush wars following 9/11 canconsidered Texas home, raised in San Antonio where his dad was stationed at Camp only be considered the countrys most costly, protracted, and unproductive use of ourBullis. Doug joined the United States Marine Corps right out of high school in 2006, the military power, resulting in the massive waste and loss of our very best compatriots. most difficult and deadly year of the Iraq War, and was trained as a lead turret gunner The greatest pain is how we allowed the most capable among us to be torn aparton armored Humvees. Gresenz was assigned to the 1st Marine Division stationed at physically and psychologically for two decades, all for their effort and sacrifice to resultCamp Pendleton, California, and deployed to Haqlaniyah, Iraq, not far from Haditha, in the surrender of two Middle East countries, Iraq and Afghanistan (and Syria for thatwhere Marines had infamously killed two dozen civilians, two years earlier.matter), falling back in control of the varying factions of radical Islam that attacked usDuring the very worst period of combat for Marines since Vietnam, infantrymen were to begin with. From a long-term military perspective, Osama Bin Ladens 9/11 attackbeing blown apart regularly with Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) deployed by Al has been a resounding success. The only greater national embarrassment is howQueda in Iraq and other rebel groups whose calculation was that the American public poorly we, as a country, have treated those brave fellow Americans who suffered thewould not endure such losses for long. While medical assets in-theater were rightfully 82THECOASTALBENDMAGAZINE TheCoastalBend.com'