It is the 3-year anniversary of my brother's tragic death in Iraq.  He was performing site security for the Iraq
Survey Group (ISG).  Their mission was to find the elusive Weapons of Mass Destruction.  Merely 7 weeks
after Sgt. Sherwood R. Baker was deployed to Iraq, he was killed in an explosion while the ISG searched a
warehouse which was said to house chemical munitions.  It was later found that there were none in the
building and it was just another building in Baghdad, Iraq that was booby trapped.  On that day, the explosion
caused massive head trauma and my brother's heart stopped beating two hours later while in a medic tent.  
On that Monday, April 26, 2004, I remember coming home and I saw my father standing in the doorway.  The
night before he said he had some shoes for me so I thought he was just there to drop them off.  Then I saw
my mother with tears streaming down her face.  Right away, I knew something was wrong.  I looked at her and
the moment held terrible suspense.  She then told me, "the Army guy came by."  I tried to tell me myself, "no,
Sher is only hurt, he is only hurt..."  I knew what the Army guy told my mother before she even said it, though.  
The man told my mother that Sherwood Baker was the 720th American soldier to be killed in this war.  When
he said that to her, about an hour or so prior to when I returned home, she began to cry.  She began to
scream.  She fell to the ground in horror and disbelief.  I still cry thinking of that night, tears come to my eyes
and it is unbearable even to this day.
Sher wanted to do nothing but help people.  He was a caseworker for the mentally handicapped. He went to
war only to protect his buddies. He initially joined the PA National Guard to supplement his income but also
because he believed the in the ideals of this country. He was told that they would pay off his student loans.
The man is dead and they never paid a dime.  He was lied to.  It is because of these things that he joined the
Guard.
Sher joined during “peacetime” and did not expect to be sent to war but he was.  He kept saying, “no
Pennsylvania National Guardsman has died in combat since 1945.”  Unfortunately, he was the first to loose
his life since then.
I have felt this pain during every day since my Sherwood was killed.  Every day since I heard the worst news of
my life, since my greatest fear came true, since my life was destroyed, I have felt this pain.  Every day since the
start of this war, March 19, 2003, I have been opposed to it.  Those who believed in the reasons were simply
duped.  Lies were told not only to my brother but to the American people.  The multiple reasons/goals of this
war have all been proven false.  Because of this, only more lives are being lost because this war continues
with no foreseeable end.  It is indeed a travesty.  For anyone who initially voted for this war, and for those who
still support it, I demand either you or your children enlist in the military.  Otherwise, halt the funding and halt
the senseless killings.  President Bush has dug a hole that there is no way out of unless he is no longer in
Office.  You may say that I hold anger towards those who authorized this war but it is out of extreme and
overwhelming frustration.  For my Brother to be killed in this false war is just unconscionable.  Until a family
member of yours has had their life stolen from them in a war, think about it and know damn well that you do
not understand.  Make no mistake about it, you do NOT understand and I hope you never will.  However, until
your child/sibling/spouse has lost their life in a war, step away and do not even entertain the thought of
sending volunteers over to country for no reason.
I demand accountability.  Those who authorized and orchestrated this war should either insist on our
immediate withdraw or resign from Office.  Otherwise, this is nothing but a dictatorship and not a democracy.  
We may feel we have free speech and are in control but, guess what… we are not.  Until things are changed,
we are shackled to those “leading” this country and it is up to us to make a change.  I beg of you to do that.
Thank you and may Peace and Love be with you

Raphael

Brother of Sgt. Sherwood R. Baker

KIA 4/26/04 in Baghdad, Iraq
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GOLD STAR OPINION- Tomorrow- Raph Zappala