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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2009
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A Colonel's Toughest Duty: the Condolence Letter

US commanders continue 18th-century custom

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(Newser) – American warfare has changed over hundreds of years, but one tradition that remains is a commander’s condolence letter to the family of a fallen soldier. The Wall Street Journal spends time with a lieutenant colonel in Iraq who writes his letters by hand whenever one of his men dies. "I wait to find the words," he says, "and they will come." 

An Army manual provides antiseptic guidelines, but they do little to ease the wrenching task. "Jesus, this is hard," said Lt. Col. Michael Fenzel as he made a first draft. For the families, the effort matters. “They’re in a war,” said one mother whose son was killed, “and he takes the time to write a hand-written letter to us.”

Lt. Col. Fenzel, the 40-year-old son of a suburban Chicago car dealer, has already notched tours of Iraq and Afghanistan. On previous deployments, he was the No. 2 in his unit. This time he's in command. His 800-strong battalion has lost 12 men since it arrived last May. The U....
Lt. Col. Fenzel, the 40-year-old son of a suburban Chicago car dealer, has already notched tours of Iraq and Afghanistan. On previous deployments, he was the No. 2 in his unit. This time he's in command....   (Getty Images)
The letters began as a common courtesy among militiamen fighting for independence from England in the 18th Century, the Wall Street Journal says. Shortly after World War II, the task became obligatory. After the next of kin is notified, via telegram or a knock on the door, the dead soldier's...
The letters began as a common courtesy among militiamen fighting for independence from England in the 18th Century, the Wall Street Journal says. Shortly after World War II, the task became obligatory....   (Index Stock)
  (Index Stock)
Lt. Col. Fenzel, the 40-year-old son of a suburban Chicago car dealer, has already notched tours of Iraq and Afghanistan. On previous deployments, he was the No. 2 in his unit. This time he's in command. His 800-strong battalion has lost 12 men since it arrived last May. The U....
Lt. Col. Fenzel, the 40-year-old son of a suburban Chicago car dealer, has already notched tours of Iraq and Afghanistan. On previous deployments, he was the No. 2 in his unit. This time he's in command....   (Index Stock)
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