On a one-page form volunteering for the Ukrainian army in its fight against Russian aggression, James McCall of rural northeastern Oklahoma writes that he is 31 years old and has served in the US Army for eight years.
In the question about “military/combat” experience, he reports that he deployed to Afghanistan in 2011 as a personal security team specialist and combat vehicle driver for a caravan. team leader.
He signed the last part of the Foreign Legion Interview Questionnaire of the Territorial Defense Forces of Ukraine, confirming that he would serve “on a voluntary basis” and “is advised to arm himself full uniform and personal protection (helmet, armor, optics, night vision goggles, medical kit, etc.). ”
He further asserted “that I am not authorized to travel to and from Ukraine with personal weapons and ammunition, and must have a valid passport to travel abroad.”
Ukrainians attend a basic military training course in Ivano-Frankivsk. It established an international legion to encourage foreigners to join the war against Russia.
Alexey Furman / Getty
He then scanned the document and emailed it next Monday DEFENDERS.UKR@gmail.com.
“Further instructions will be provided after form review and face-to-face interview,” the instructions form.
McCall told The Daily Beast he served in the Army alongside a Ukrainian immigrant who enlisted as a step toward securing US citizenship.
“She was part of my unit,” he said. “A really good individual, a great soldier, just a great human being.”
But she’s not why the married father of 4 kids aged 2 to 11 is now one of the American vets volunteering to participate in Ukraine’s response to Vladimir Putin’s invasion.
“Would I still go if I didn’t know her or know any Ukrainians? Totally possible,” he said. “It’s an attack on democracy,” he said. “It is an attack on freedom, not only for the people of Ukraine, but all over the world. And I feel that it is my duty as a free man and a free American to help in any way I can. ”
He didn’t say as some imagine it would be Rambo.
“Not necessarily fighting, but helping,” he told The Daily Beast. “I have no problem fighting. I will fight, you know, if that’s what happens, but in the end I just want to help the Ukrainian people whatever I can. ”
He will prepare for war in Ukraine as he continues his life as a self-described businessman and “all-trades” and “stay-at-home dad”.
“In the meantime, I will continue to work out and stay in shape here,” he reports. “Like, run, push up, sit up — until it’s time.”
And he is getting his devices together.
“Body armor, knee pads, elbow pads, night helmet, sight compass, binoculars,” he said. “You know, just the basics.”
Civilians practice throwing Molotov cocktails to protect Zhytomyr, Ukraine.
Viacheslav Ratynskyi / Reuters
The desire to serve has been with him since 9/11.
“I was 11, in fifth grade,” he recalls. “I remember at school and they filmed TV and told us we were being attacked. And, I remember teachers and principals trying to lobby people to get everyone home in case things got worse. Within 72 hours of that day, I knew I was going to join the armed forces. “
“I always joked as a kid, ‘Oh, I’ll join the army whenever I get older,’” he recalls. “Well, from that day on, I don’t joke anymore. I mean business and when I was 17, I went and enlisted.”
He was in the Army Reserve when he volunteered to Afghanistan in 2011. Brig. Then General Kelly Thomas wrote a letter to McCall’s file.
“SPC McCall is responsible for my team moving through Afghanistan by land and by air,” Thomas’s letter read. “For ground operations, I only trust SPC McCall to steer our team through Afghanistan’s complex and dangerous urban street system. A combat-proven soldier, SPC MCCall has demonstrated expertise with multiple weapon systems, combat driving and personal security team operations. ”
Kelly added, “His integrity and loyalty are beyond reproach.”
McCall has a copy of the letter that he can present at his supposed interview as the next step in joining the Ukrainian Foreign Legion.
He wasn’t sure when that might happen, and he had no luck as he repeatedly called the Ukrainian Embassy in Washington, DC, or the consulates in Chicago and San Diego. He didn’t get a busy signal several times, and as soon as the phone rang, it rang.
“I just assume it’s because people are trying to catch them,” McCall said. “Worst case scenario if I don’t get in touch with anyone from the Territorial Defense Force or whatever, I think I’ll go from Oklahoma to DC and try to get in touch at the embassy itself. Live, boot on the ground in DC and see what kind of information can be gathered from there. “
A car destroyed by shelling in Kyiv.
Genya Savilov / AFP via Getty
But he hesitated to spend the money he might need on self-deployment to Ukraine.
“That cost me money,” he noted.
He said he hopes to get some information on Wednesday from a well-connected retired Marine sergeant who is on a team of vets also looking to volunteer at the hospital. Ukraine.
“Two of us Army, three of them Marines, one of them Navy,” he said. “We are all different affiliates, but we all serve each other in some form, manner or form, whether it is operating overseas or militarily here, except for apart from. We all talked. We are linked together. ”
He hopes they will be able to go out together. He didn’t want to follow other American vets talking online about just flying to Poland and heading to the Ukrainian border.
“Right now, for me, the hardest part is getting in touch with the right people and doing this in the right way,” he said. “I don’t want to be a half-hearted cowboy. We have to do this, right. “
He is mindful of the danger involved.
“I want to live,” he said. “I have no wish to die and I don’t want to fight anyone if I don’t, but I will defend myself and I will protect the innocent.”
He reported that his wife, Krystin, supported his decision “100%”. He said she also believes the situation in Ukraine is a “nightmare” and that the Russians “need to be stopped.”
“She didn’t want to see me go, but she thought it was the right thing to do and she supported me and my decision to go just because I wanted to go to help,” he said.
The Daily Beast was also unable to reach the Ukrainian Embassy and there was no reply regarding the Foreign Legion and the number of volunteers. McCall is delaying preparations a bit until he learns he will be leaving rural Oklahoma for Ukraine.
“An international phone plan,” he said.
