Her
mom died when she was just a little girl, just six or seven years
old. She wanted to go to West Point and made it happen. She served in Iraq and then served in Afghanistan twice, where she was killed by
enemy fire Saturday, June 8, 2013. Maj. Jaimie Oberst Leonard was 39.
Those who knew her say she was loyal, dedicated, and a “shining
example” to those served with her.
The
news came to me from her uncle, my first cousin, Tommy Oberst. My
dad and Jaimie's grandmother were sister and brother. So I'm linked
to Jaimie by childhood memories of hanging out with her mom and
our generation of cousins in the Bronx at my Grandmother's house, and
our weekends in the country at the Oberst house in Scarsdale, New
York. The Breen sisters, Patsy, (Jaimie's mom) Muffet (Alice), Bobby,
Tommy and Laurie.
My
heart breaks for her siblings, her aunts and uncles, her cousins and
her incredible life-long West Point family of soldiers and officers.
We will all honor her at West Point next week where she will be
buried.
I've
been watching the news, and from what I've seen, only News 12
Westchester has covered Jaimie's story the attack in treacherous
Paktika. There have
been short print articles in The Times, The News and a few local
newspapers, but our network news shows seem to shy away from the
disturbing reality of our country's war in Afghanistan.
Interestingly, I've talked with family and friends in the past about
the fact that the only TV news show announcing the names of soldiers
killed each week is Sunday Morning's “This Week” with George
Stephanopoulis.
Yes,
every week soldiers are killed in this war. As a society, we
continue to be shielded from the news of our best and brightest
falling in a war we've been talking about ending for a long time. We
only become acutely aware of what's going on when it touches us
personally, and then we experience the blow, the terrible shock, the
monumental grief and the rage.
Over
the last Memorial Day, a debate erupted about the meaning of the
holiday. It seems to have morphed and blended a little with
Veteran's Day since it has become politically correct to thank our
soldiers for their service when we meet them here in the US. I used
to think this was a good thing, that every time we can honor a
soldier we should. But.... I've changed my mind--I agree that Veteran's Day and Memorial Day are two very different holidays. I will make sure
next Memorial Day I honor Maj. Jaimie Leonard and all the officers
and soldiers who have made the ultimate sacrifice, and keep the
meaning of the day close to my heart.
I'll
repeat what a friend posted for Jaimie on the FaceBook page West
Point Women, “Be thou at Peace
Ma'am”.
*******************************************************************
"I'm
going to go in and do my best." I believe when you do that,
people recognize your talent.
– General
Ann E. Dunwoody
Four-star
general, U.S. Army
(First Woman Four-Star General)
(First Woman Four-Star General)
