By Air Force Tech. Sgt. Mike Andriacco
CAMP MIKE SPANN, Afghanistan – Everyone needs a hero, someone to look up to, to emulate and to inspire them to give their best effort in all endeavors. Military service members have been thanked by citizens in airports and on the street. They have been called “hero’s.”
But who do the heroes look up to? Who stands out for them as an example to follow, an inspiration to continue to the fight for the freedoms of those whom have none? For the coalition servicemen and women at Camp Mike Spann, near Mazar-e-Sharif in northern Afghanistan, that hero is the man for whom the camp is named, Johnny Michael “Mike” Spann.
Spann, a CIA agent, was the first American casualty in Afghanistan and was posthumously awarded the Intelligence Star and Exceptional Service Medallion. The Intelligence Star is the second highest award for valor in the CIA. In honor of Spann’s service and sacrifice, Northern Alliance General Abdul Rashid Dostum built a memorial to Spann at the site of his death at Qala-i-Jangi, a 19th century and Northern Alliance fortress.
In the decade since the battle that took Spann’s life, the memorial has suffered in the harsh Afghan environment. High winds and temperature extremes have dimmed the bright metal dome and warped the wooden-faced supports.
To honor the fallen hero, several Camp Spann residents joined forces once again to restore the memorial in a way honoring a true American hero, culminating in a ceremony where one Airman recognized Spann’s sacrifice by dedicating another four years of her life to service in the U.S. Air Force.
“I wanted this re-enlistment to be special,” said Air Force Staff Sgt. Sasha Navarro, non-commissioned officer-in-charge of the Mobile Public Affairs Advisory Team-1, based at Camp Spann. “After visiting the memorial, it’s hard not to get caught up in the history of the location. I’m thrilled I got the chance to honor Mike Spann today and of course, honored that I was able to re-enlist here.”
During the re-enlistment ceremony, Army Maj. Karla Porch, the re-enlistment officer and Regional Support Command – North operations officer, read an excerpt from a letter Spann’s father, Johnny Spann, wrote in 2003 about his trip to see the monument. He wrote of the people he met; the witnesses of his son’s last moments.
“Hearing these accounts was emotionally wrenching for my family and I,” Porch read. “But we are so very proud of our son, brother, husband… of Mike… that, when put in that position, he had the guts to try and hold his position and fight at all cost. That his supreme bravery and selflessness allowed several others to save their lives, even at the expense of his own.”
Porch had her own words to add about the significance of the day, Spann’s sacrifice, and the poignancy of the occasion.
“On this Memorial Day, we pay tribute to not just the thousands of men and women that have lost their lives here in Afghanistan, Iraq and previous wars but at this very spot we have the chance to honor Mike Spann,” she said. “He dedicated his life to service. He began his service to our country in the Marine Corps and decided to continue to serve in the CIA. It is fitting that Sergeant Navarro chose this spot, on this day to dedicate four more years of her life to serve her country.”
Over the course of three days, U.S. and German service members, with the support of Afghan National Army soldiers, pulled weeds, trimmed vines, washed and painted the memorial. All of the paint and materials were purchased with money donated by the volunteers. The work brought a new awareness and appreciation among the volunteers for what international security forces are trying to accomplish here and why.
“I think we should all know where the memorial is and see it at least once,” said Air Force Master Sgt. Pamela Krill, NCOIC of the mentor team for the 4th Forward Support Depot. “We live on a facility named in remembrance of the first American killed in combat in Afghanistan and not everyone knows who he is.”
Krill said there is still much to be done and the environment will continue to be a challenge. A long-term plan for upkeep at the memorial will need to be developed.
“The wind, sand and birds that have made the memorial their home will continue to do damage,” she said. “It will probably need a fresh coat at least a couple of times a year and require quarterly maintenance.”
She said the ideal situation would be if an organization or business back home were to “adopt” the memorial and help send painting supplies and equipment, items that are sometimes difficult to get locally.
The ANA soldiers stationed at Qala-i-Jangi have agreed to take care of any plants donated to the memorial. A grape vine already flourishes on a trellis next to the “Pink House,” where the Taliban prisoners were held before the battle, not 15 feet from where Spann was killed.
After Navarro’s re-enlistment, a collection of American, German and Afghan soldiers, and civilians gathered to render honors to Spann as she laid a bouquet of flowers on the cool marble of the monument. Colonel Paul Calbos, RSC – North commander, spoke about the significance of standing there, where an American gave his life without hesitation so that doctors and friendly forces could escape death 10 years before.
“This is where it all began,” said Calbos. “It’s been almost 10 years since Mike Spann was killed. He made a difference that day. I can think of nothing more important than to recognize our heritage and those who’ve made the ultimate sacrifice. The work on this memorial keeps us connected to our past and reminds us of the importance of our mission.”
Coalition soldiers continue to honor Spann’s memory and the nearly 2,500 NATO service members killed in Afghanistan since operations began by standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the Afghan National Security Forces as they become more confident and capable of protecting their national sovereignty.
Camp Spann, Camp Eggers in Kabul, Camp Cunningham at Bagram Airfield, and Combat Outpost Restrepo are just some of the operating locations named after fallen Americans. They all died fighting for something greater than themselves. They were all heroes.