“All I wanted to do was shout out, ‘It’s-two f—ing-thirty, a–hole!’” That was the anguished voice of a grief-stricken father saying what he wanted to say to Joe Biden two years ago this month as he watched Biden check his watch during the dignified transfer ceremony at Dover Air Force Base for 13 American servicemen and women killed in the August 26, 2021 Abbey Gate terrorist bombing at the Kabul Airport during Biden’s chaotic withdrawal from from Afghanistan. The bombing also killed over 150 Afghans seeking to flee the conquering Taliban regime.
Gold Star father Mark Schmitz, father of U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Jared Schmitz, appeared at a roundtable meeting of the families of the fallen hosted by the House Foreign Affairs Committee at the Capitol on Tuesday. NBC News reported Schmitz said, “I identify as a father, a husband, a pissed-off, fed-up American patriot and now, thanks to this administration, a Gold Star dad — a title no one ever wants to have.”
Lance Corporal Jared Schmitz.
Mark Schmitz: “Not a single general slapped down their stars, which should have happened two years ago when Biden ignored his reliable intelligence. Not a single person has been held accountable. Our so-called leader can’t seem to even utter their names in public, not even once. Mr. Biden has run his entire political campaign for 50 years as the “family man.” Well I’ve got news for you, sir. The curtain has been lifting, and that campaign slogan will never work again. We have seen what’s going on in your family and even worse, we’ve seen how you’ve been treating us as Gold Star families. And there couldn’t be anything more disgusting and cowardly than the way you have treated us. You are a disgrace to this nation. You have no business having ultimate command over our military. And I regret not saying that to your face when I had the opportunity in Dover. I felt it more like, more important to bite my tongue but I also had more important things on my mind at that time like receiving my son’s lifeless body stateside.
While I stood there on the tarmac, watching you check your watch, over and over again, all I wanted to do was shout out, “It’s two f—ing thirty, a—–e!” But out of respect of the other grieving families I bit my tongue once again. Well as you can probably tell by now, I’m done biting my tongue. You sir stole their lives, their futures, their dreams and have ripped apart thirteen families. You cannot even man up and admit that. You sir gave us all the title Gold Star Family. You sir discredit honor and integrity. Two years later there are things I find myself thinking about, “Where and what was Biden’s logic sneaking out of Bagram in the middle of the night before ever getting a single Afghan partner or American civilian out?” This is the purest definition of intel, intentional negligence. This is just one of many irresponsible and negligent decisions coming from the White House.”
Transcribed by TGP.
Mark Schmitz spoke to NPR in 2021 shortly after Jared was killed (excerpt):
When a suicide bomber attacked the Kabul airport last week, the lives the 170 Afghans and 13 U.S. service members were cut short.
One of them was Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Jared M. Schmitz of Wentzville, Mo. He was just 20 years old. Schmitz was only 6 months old when 9/11 happened and the U.S. went to war in Afghanistan.
…Jared wanted to be a Marine from his sophomore year of high school. His father says he was fearful of his son getting into a dangerous type of work, but he knew that being a Marine fit Jared “like a glove.” Jared was never studious, Mark says, but once he set his mind on it, he was laser focused on learning everything he could about the Marines. He had to have his parents’ permission when he signed up at age 17.
Afghanistan was Jared’s first deployment. Earlier, he was at Camp Pendleton in California, then was sent to Jordan. Then he got his orders to go to Kabul.
Link to audio interview with NPR.
Schmitz told NPR he initially turned down meeting Biden at Dover but changed his mind. He said when Biden came in to meet his family he said he kept a hard silence as Biden spoke to the family. Schmitz said he broke his silence to tell Biden as he looked at a photo of Jared taken the morning of the attack, “That’s Jared. That’s Jared Schmitz. Don’t ever forget that name and don’t forget the names of the twelve others. And you need to spend some time learning their stories, who they were.”
Schmitz said Biden replied, “I know their stories” and mentioned his son again. Schmitz said Biden pulled out a card with the number of KIA in Afghanistan with a “plus 13” on it, telling Schmitz he carried the card with him daily. Even though he was upset with Biden, Schmitz says he gave Biden credit for showing up to face the families.
Schmitz appeared on Fox & Friends Weekend on Saturday: