Elizabeth and Jason Okon
912 Island Street
La Crosse, WI. 54603
Dear Governor Palin,
My name is Elizabeth O’kon. I am the proud wife of SPC. Jason O’kon. I have a story I would like to share with you. My husband served in Iraq in 2005 with the 73rd Engineers, in the Stryker Brigade. I remember him coming home on R and R and telling me how terrified and afraid he was that he believed he was coming home in a box. That he wouldn’t survive.
We renewed our marriage vows and I got on an airplane with our 6 month old daughter the same day Jason was going back to Iraq. I remember looking into his eyes telling him how much I loved him not knowing whether we would see each other again. He was in uniform ready to go fight. He held me close trying to tell me everything will be okay.
I went through security with the baby and sat next to a glass wall. My husband put his hand against the glass pane and held up a sign that said I will come back 4 you. Love always and forever Miller. (Miller is his nickname) A lot of people in the airport had tears in their eyes they saw firsthand how hard it was for us to part, not knowing the outcome of our future whether we will be reunited again. I know that you can relate to letting a loved one go since your son serves his country also.
I boarded the flight to Fort Lewis Washington and a friend picked me up. I stayed with her until I was able to get into on post housing. It was completely different than being back home in Wisconsin. I had no one’s shoulder to cry on and no close relatives for support. Just me.
I lived every day waiting to hear my computer messenger buzz or my phone to ring, knowing it was my husband and he was okay.
There was a time when he was in Rawah Iraq and we had no contact for more than 30 days. I was in a car wreck and the military FRG sent a Red Cross message to my husband’s squad.
Lt. Pitney had a satellite phone and allowed my husband to call me. I cried so hard knowing he was alive, hearing his voice it was like angels sang to me that day. I told him I was alright that I injured my back but I’m going to be okay. He was relieved and able to tell me how much he loved me one more time. Then he had to say see you soon and go back to duty.
I cried so hard when I hung up the phone, it was so great to hear from him yet so painfully hard to let go. Not knowing if I would hear from him again.
I got into housing and had our home setup for his homecoming. I received a cal stating my husband was hurt, I dropped to the ground thinking the worst. Staff Sgt. Nye said “mama your husband is injured but he will be fine. An IED (improvised explosive device) exploded and he suffered a concussion and lost his hearing which he should regain within 24 hours.” It was bad but good news it could have been worse.
Everyday on Fort Lewis I prayed no one in class as would knock on my door to tell me of my husband’s
fate. I lived each moment to hear his voice, see an email, or talk online to him, because at least I knew he was alive and one day closer to coming home.
During my husband’s tour he received numerous awards. He participated as an M240 gunner and sapper for over 500stryker sweep missions for a total of over 15,000 miles of route clearance operations. He has provided dismount and rear hatch security for his squad in support of numerous explosive ordinance disposal response missions. And facilitated the reduction of six caches and seven improvised explosive devices. Jason O’kon also manned at least 50 flash traffic check points on main supply routes Tampa and many other roads in and around Mosul Iraq.
He has been involved in multiple ambushes, Improvised Explosive Device Strikes, and numerous dismounted operations. During an ambush on December 16, 2004 without hesitation identified, suppressed and took out several Anti Iraqi Forces positions. He provided suppressive fire while the platoon moved out of the kill zone along route Tampa. He positively identified Anti Iraqi Forces targets and allowed his squad not to sustain any additional casualties. He assisted his squad in accomplishing special missions in support of the January 30th Iraqi National Elections. He provided excellent security while manning the rear air guard hatch with the M240B during “Operation Founding Fathers” as his platoon emplaced over 300 security barriers in support of the Iraqi elections. He also helped find and spot possible vehicle borne improvised explosive devices around the polling sites during “Task Force Repo.” He has been an asset to his platoon throughout Operation Iraqi Freedom III. Has supported his unit during all missions including two long deployments to Tal Afar. There he assisted in the clearance of 35 alternate supply routes, 1 main supply route, and 9 possible Improvised Explosive Devices. He has been a valuable asset to his squad as an M240B Gunner, Air Guard and a member of dismount teams when called upon. For these accomplishments he was recommended to receive the Arcom Award.
Also while under relentless enemy fire he identified Insurgent Forces trying to ambush our element conducting key positions which did not allow the enemy to mass fire upon any of his platoon vehicles. His actions as the rear sentry guard was crucial in preventing a rear attack from Insurgent Forces.
For these accomplishments he received the bronze star with valor. He has other medals that are in the form of coins for numerous other achievements.
My husband came home in September of 2005 and we as a family were reunited. He served in Iraq with Deuce Four ( I-24) he was in the 1st brigade 25th ID.
When he came home our daughter Storm was 1 year and 3 months old. A year later in June of 2006 our new baby Phoenix came into our lives. My husband ETS out of active duty, he was honorably discharged. He had enough accrued leave time we left Fort Lewis in mid October to come to Phoenix, Arizona.
I was hesitant on coming to Arizona because I have 2 other children in Wisconsin, and I missed my family. But he talked me into coming to Arizona saying it will be okay. He told me he had a job lined up, it is a place where we will have great opportunities for school and it’s always warm so the kids can play outside a lot.
I assumed everything would be okay. We arrived in Arizona and our home which we were already committed to renting was a slum, the landlord Thomas Kokezas never sent us photos or did a walk through of the property with us. We did not have an operating stove or oven, and our heat went out in December. We all kept getting ill.
My husband put in numerous applications for jobs because the man with the construction job he had lined up never returned our calls about eh job like he promised to Jason at Fort Lewis. He never got an interview except at Wal-Mart, he started working there part time hoping he would hear back from the man with the construction job that he could work full time there but this never came to be.
I was hospitalized twice for epileptic seizures and my husband was hospitalized for post traumatic stress disorder over Christmas. Our savings dwindled and my husband enrolled in Glendale Community College and enlisted into the 336 HC active reservists in Arizona trying to make ends meet. Our car became repossessed, he dropped out of school because we had no transportation, we went to numerous agencies for help and we could not even get a food basked when we needed it because of not having one child’s birth certificate. We paid half of our January rent then USA Cares paid the remainder amount which my landlord was still holding onto the check claiming he did not receive it.
In the end of January we got a 5 day notice to evict we were supposed to be out of our home on February 3rd. Our landlord was upset we turned him into the city for six housing code violations and was retaliating against us.
There is an Arizona Statute that states a landlord may not accept partial rent payment and pursue eviction in the same month.
We had plans of leaving on Feb. 3rd because we had no other choice, during that week we put all of our belongings out on the driveway and posted a FREE ad on Craigslist. We could not afford to move all of our things home so we were just giving them away. Through the evening people came and took our belongings one lady knocked on our door at 6 am. to tell me how much of a blessing this was to her family.
We got rid of everything we had except clothes for us to wear in Wisconsin “warm clothes.” We could not get Section 8 housing, shelters had wait lists, or an application process and we needed emergency assistance immediately, or we only had the choice to go to Wisconsin and stay with family.
On February 2nd we were doing yard work and house cleaning. My husband just returned from work putting in his transfer for a Wisconsin store once we got there. He came in the house got ready to do his yard work, and I noticed a Hispanic man was standing leaning on our brick wall that surrounds our yard.
I have gone outside numerous other occasions and asked other men to go on their way, no yard work today. I saw no harm in myself or my husband going outside this time. My husband and my 2 year old daughter Storm went outside. My husband asked the man if he needed help or wanted
something. The man approached our gate holding a knife, my husband shouted “hey dude don’t come in my yard with a knife!” The man came through the gate, my husband shoved our 2 year old in the house when he turned after closing the front door this man ran up to him and stabbed him one time said something in Spanish then ran down the street. I saw this all happen so did our 2 year old.
My husband turned to me and said “babe some guy just stabbed me!” I said “come inside in case he comes back” My husband came through the house to the back yard where I had the phone from doing yard work to dial 911. He was bleeding so heavily it was like pouring out a gallon of milk. I was in panic hysteria mode; I believed I was seeing my husband die in front of my eyes. Paul and Terry our neighbors came to help apply pressure, and help keep us calm till the ambulance arrived. My husband was going into shock, getting cold; he was taken to Good Samaritan Medical Center.
My husband suffered severe liver damage; the surgeon was astonished he was alive. He had blood transfusions the first 2 days in the hospital and was on a ventilator for 16 days, he developed a hernia, battled infections in his lungs, high fevers, and had an abscess they had to drain in his abdomen. His liver was still leaking bile and they had to put a shunt to drain to his large intestine, he also developed pneumal thorax and had
a chest tube inserted on two occasions. The man who did this was being held on a 650 thousand dollar bond, he was facing aggravated assault with use of a dangerous weapon, and also 3 more assault charges for assaulting 3 officers at the police station on videotape.
Detective Bryan Korus states this is a hate crime against a U.S. Soldier performed by an illegal alien.
Armando Martinez Lozano was not under the influence when he viciously attacked my husband. He definitely targeted my husband. This is terrorism in its rawest form. My husband fought hard for this country coming home from the war unscathed only to be treated this way.
After the attack my neighbors and friends Albert Fernandez, and Stacey Sikes took myself and our two children into their home while my husband was hospitalized. Many people in the community such as Bruce Jacobs from KFYI radio, Stephanie C. Harris, Gayla Franks, Senator Russell Pearce, and others were supportive and made donations, whether it was food or clothing for my children. The American Legion helped, as well as too many others to name. But one person that did not help even when I went to his office and pleaded for him to do something was John McCain. I have attached a copy of the picture and a letter I wrote to Mr. McCain while my husband lay in his hospital bed possibly taking his last breath. I included my email, and my phone number of where I could be reached at any time. Mr. John McCain did nothing. He did not even send a get well card to a veteran that he supposedly is so supportive of.
My husband and your son is what HEROS are made of. When my husband was released from the hospital he had to use a walker having to learn to walk again. He also had a nurse come every other day to change the bandage on his wound in his abdomen. There was a machine attached with a sponge that would clean this wound daily. It was big enough that my entire hand could fit inside. My husband Jason after fighting in the war came home with post traumatic stress disorder. He continued to live a normal life, being a father, and a husband. After this attack he became a hermit. He was afraid to go outside. We went to the capital in Arizona and spoke with Senator Russell Pierce. I spoke in front of the House of Representatives and helped get bill 133 passed.
After my husband became well enough to travel we decided to come back to the state of Wisconsin. I have 2 other children here and my entire family resides here. It feels good to be back home yet who is fighting the fight in Arizona? Who is going to protect our Veterans? I became a real spokesperson out there, and people respected me, they understood the heart I have and I speak nothing but the truth.
It came to be election time for the Presidency. Mr. John McCain was running. I saw this on the news and I could not believe my eyes. He would not even help a veteran that was literally in his backyard, when the grieving wife came to his office asking for support. Did you know that when I went there Mr. McCain was there but he would not even take the time whether it is a minute of his day to speak with me. I was outraged when I saw him running for the presidency. As the election grew on, I received a call from Albert Fernandez. He had stated to me that Mr. John McCain wanted to use my husband as a type of spokesman or “poster child” for his campaign running for the presidency. This really upset me. What nerve he has to have not being supportive of us when we needed him. Would he be supportive of his country when his country needs him? He just wanted to use us as a pawn to get what he wanted and really did not give a rat’s ass about us.
Well I have one thing to say. Mr. McCain I will meet you again, I don’t know when but I do know my voice will be heard, my concerns for Americans and Veterans will be answered, With God Speed, and My entire heart I promise you that you will never get the Presidency. America has the right to know what kind of man you really are.
I am above name calling, and I am above being a demagogue, but I am not above telling the complete honest truth. So Mrs. Sarah Palin I hope you understand where I am coming from in this letter. Mr. McCain needs to be stopped, and better yet out of office. He is not the man he is portraying to be. Would you want your son to possibly suffer the way my husband did only to get a cold shoulder by this man?
Respectfully,
Elizabeth Okon
