DeBary soldier serves, protects and helps orphans in Iraq

By Pat Hatfield
BEACON STAFF WRITER

posted Jan 11, 2009 - 9:22:16am

How does an Army man get involved in helping orphans in Iraq?

U.S. Army Specialist Jonathon Kissam of DeBary is doing just that.

In Iraq since July, the Pine Ridge High School graduate is a chaplain's assistant in Ninewah Province in northern Iraq, responsible for the safety of his chaplain, Capt. Steven Dunn.

"My job involves protecting Capt. Dunn wherever he goes, because he doesn't carry a weapon," 23-year-old Kissam said.

He spoke from his base in Iraq via a computer telephone Jan. 6. It was early afternoon in West Volusia, but evening in Iraq.

One of the first things Kissam noticed in Iraq was the children, and the number of schools and orphanages.

"Our command wanted us to get involved in something to show we care. Me and Capt. Dunn are very outgoing," Kissam said.

They wanted to do something for the children.

Kissam linked with Spirit of America, a nonprofit corporation that helps American service people and civilians supply needed items to people in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Horn of Africa. Learn more about the organization online at http://spiritofamerica.net/.

"We just got supplies in, just after Christmas," Kissam said.

They received shoes, blankets, quilts, school supplies, clothing and personal-hygiene items.

Kissam, his captain and members of the air-reconnaissance and helicopter unit they work with will convoy to the orphanage with the supplies, as soon as they can.

Kissam is the son of Sharon and Michael Kissam of DeBary, who are as proud as they can be of their youngest son.

"He's a good kid," his dad said.

The DeBary couple are always glad to hear from him, though for security reasons, they don't get a lot of information.

"When he talks to us from over there, he can't say very much," Michael Kissam said.

The phone calls come usually about once a week.

Kissam is a 2003 graduate of Pine Ridge in Deltona. He was in the school's Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps, and joined the Army right after graduation. He also participated in Civil Air Patrol.

"He's my youngest son. I'm very proud of him. He's always wanted to be in the military. Both our fathers and all my brothers were in the military," Sharon Kissam said.

This is Kissam's second tour in Iraq. His permanent duty station is Fort Wainwright in Alaska.

"I spend my whole life in Central Florida, and ended up in Alaska," Jonathon Kissam said. His wife, Ashley, and their children are still in Alaska, waiting for dad's Iraqi tour to end, in August, they hope.

The couple's two children are Jacob, who turned 2 years old in September, and Sean, who was born in February 2008.

Jonathon has a brother, Michael J. Kissam, who lives in Orange City, and a sister, Stacy Thompson, who lives in Lake County.

Jonathon Kissam said, "I am glad to see the community where I'm from is getting the news about what we're doing."

He wants everyone to remember, "There's still guys over here. We can't lose sight of what we're still fighting for, freedom for the Iraqi people, and to protect the United States."

— pat@beacononlinenews.com

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