SGT Santos Cordona
Let me clear a few things up.......
First off I served with Santos in Germany, Iraq, and Afghan. He is an outstanding soldier, father and friend. He was with me when I lost my partner and friend Donja in Kuwait. He was right there blood on his face helping me get her to the vet to try and save her, right there with me on the Helo pad when the vet looked at me and shook his head no telling me that she didnt make it and right there with me as I cried like a school girl. He is a true friend one that most of us only come across once in a while.
He was put in a situation he could not win. The brass was covering their own butts on this one. These are people that would cut your head off if given a chance and all he did was let his dog bark at them. We did much worse in Afghan I promise you that.
Santos was on his THIRD deployment all back to back. He had been gone for over three years at the time of this incident. As a handler we where always asked by M.I. to help out with the "interviews" of the detainees. We would use the dogs as a tool to get people to talk. Fear is an awesome motivator and we would use this to our advantage. It worked we got and still get a lot of good Intel this way and if you think this is wrong or barbaric welcome to the real world and the ugly face of war. Now most of the stuff we did I really cant get into but I can say this. As a MWD Handler your ROE (Rules of engagement) are set by the task force commander and or kennel master. We had a pretty open ROE. We could release if we felt threatened, to protect person or property, to displace crowds, and to protect the innocent in the area. Now this is loose version of it but it pretty much sums it up. Of course all bites and/or release would have to be reported to your KM, and on up the chain. When you are a SGT and an officer tells you to do something you do it and ask questions later that is life in the military you may not like it but you do it.
Santos was a very proactive handler a real go getter. He was an infantry man that reclassed into the Military Police Corp and then to K-9. He loved his job and did it well. I was with him in Afghan when things got real hairy and let me tell you when the bullets start flying I cant think of a better person to have next to me. He was fearless in that aspect. Always put the Army and the mission first. Unlike some now a days. He got screwed nothing more nothing less, he was a scape goat a sacrificial lamb for the head shed. I get a lot of emails from tree hugging hippies that dont think I should have his picture on the main page of my website, they dont think I should support a monster like him; it could be bad for business. Well if you think this way then I dont want your business anyway. Santos and Smith are the very reasons we can write and say the things we want, they stand up for and protect our very freedom to speak what is on our minds. So not to support them weather you agree or disagree to me is un-American.
The 90 days hard labor was just the militarys way of saying hey we cant prove anything and dont have crap on you but since this made national media we need to do something. I was and still am against the decision to embed the media with units during the war. The general public does not need to know what happens in war, they cant handle it. They cant and dont realize that sometimes you have to do ugly things to people. I have seen this first hand and let me tell you not a night goes by that I dont see the faces in my sleep. It sucks but that is what I signed up for. To protect our country and our way of life. The people that are complaining the most are the same people that are complaining about the immigration problem and how we should do something about it but dont like the way we do it. The same people that will fly a American flag upside down at a high school in southern California and have the balls to question the Vietnam Vet that busts through the crowd to take it down and put it back up right. To these people I have this to say. If you dont like it here you can always leave nothing is stopping you. At least John Walker had the balls to leave when he got fed up with the government. In this whole Rant about this I guess what I am trying to say is this Santos was convicted of something that happens all the time, it goes un said and un noticed UNTIL the liberal media gets a hold of it and blows it out of proportion. I am pissed at the way the Army shit on ones of its Heroes, a decorated veteran doing the things that most are afraid to do. I will say this about Santos as you can see in the picture you will never get him to hang his head or feel sorry for himself.
Santos if you read this keep your head up, you did nothing wrong . You walk proud knowing that you did what you where told, and I know you would do it again if you had to. No regrets!!
Weather you agree with me our not one thing is certain a great injustice was done and now Santoss little girl will have to be with out her daddy for a while.
Matt Hammond
Quality K-9 Concepts
