Editor’s Note: The following Op-Ed offering advice to American veterans considering volunteering to fight for Ukraine was penned by a former Navy SEAL turned CIA officer who writes for us under the penname Frumentarius. This advice is meant for those seriously considering the option, but neither Frumentarius nor the Sandboxx Editorial team encourage veterans to do so. It is a personal decision with potentially deadly implications that should be weighed realistically and individually.
As we neared the end of the first week of fighting after Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine, Russian forces looked to be slowly but nevertheless determinedly encircling Ukraine’s main cities, setting the stage for a possible prolonged series of siege operations across the beleaguered country.
Concerned citizens of the West—and beyond—have expressed outrage at the invasion, with some calling on social media for the establishment of No-Fly Zones over Ukraine, and/or the deployment of NATO ground forces into the country. Various European countries, additionally, as well as the United States, have been delivering lethal aid to the Ukrainians, in the form of shoulder-fired anti-tank and surface-to-air missiles, air defense rockets, small arms, and artillery rounds.
On various social media platforms in the United States, posts have begun to show up depicting Americans traveling or intending to travel to Ukraine to take up arms to defend the country against Russia. This concept is also being embraced by the Ukrainian government, as on February 28, 2022, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the formation of the International Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine, to be made up of foreigners who want to volunteer to take part in the war effort against the Russian invasion.
Related: What foreign volunteers need to know to fight for Ukraine
The British Foreign Secretary went so far as to state to the BBC that she supported Britons going to fight for Ukraine against the Russians. No such proclamation has been made by any high-ranking American officials to date, but that will likely not prevent some Americans from going to fight. The question is, should you? And if you do go, how should you go about it?
In answer to the first question, that is for you and your family to decide, after sober reflection on what it means, and could mean—should the worst happen. Everyone must make that choice on their own, and this author understands the urge to go, as well as the reluctance. It is inarguable that the Ukrainians need the help. As far as the “how” to go about it, Military Times editor Howard Altman wrote an article recently addressing that issue, with step-by-step instructions provided by a Ukrainian government official on how to apply.
I would add to Mr. Altman’s article some additional guidance, which will hopefully assist any volunteer contemplating going to both most effectively help the Ukrainian forces, and to keep yourself safe in the journey and follow-on operations.
Related: Europeans to send Ukraine fighter jets. Here’s what we know
Notify the State Department
First, if it were me going, I would inform the U.S. Department of State of my intentions. It is not that you would be asking their permission to go, so much as making them aware that you (an American citizen) will be there fighting.
The State Department will likely try to dissuade you from going, and that is fine, just simply be polite and say you will consider their counsel, and carry on. Just make sure they know that you are informing them so that in case you need help later, they can verify who you are. That speeds things up quite a bit. Also, let them know who your contact is in Ukraine, and/or what Ukrainian military unit you will be serving with. This again might help you if you need assistance down the road.
Related: Famed Ukrainian fighter pilot ‘Grey Wolf’ killed over Kyiv
This isn’t about you
Secondly, if you are determined to go, be professional, responsible, and realistic in your expectations. Follow the Ukrainian government’s advice about how to officially register, and do not go there telling them where and how you want to participate in the fighting.
They will place you in whatever capacity they need you, and wherever they need you most. You are not Rambo, there to single-handedly slay Russians and post your selfies. You will be part of a military machine that is under extreme stress, and you need to seamlessly integrate into that system to be an effective part of it.
Now, if you do not take the official Ukrainian-provided route via registering with the Ukrainian embassy, and you choose to go in on your own, then you are exposing yourself to much more risk and need to therefore exercise much more caution. I do not advise you take this route unless you have significant training and/or experience in working with foreign governments and militaries, intelligence liaison work, or on-the-ground covert action.
Related: 5-Minute Summary: What’s going on in Ukraine?
Have a plan
That warning notwithstanding, if you do go that route and fly yourself into Poland, for example, with the idea of crossing the border with Ukraine into Lviv, then making your way to the front, you will need to have a plan.
You need to pack up your own gear and clothing for the duration, make your way to the border, and link up with the right Ukrainians. Preferably, you will have arranged this before arriving. This will ensure you have someone guiding you into the country who speaks the language and knows the territory. They are also preferably military or intelligence trained and can get you to the front safely, through Russian lines, and without being killed by either enemy or friendly fire.
Related: On the sharp edge of empire: Russia, Ukraine, and the world
You likely won’t be able to bring weapons
Furthermore, it is unlikely (though not impossible) that you will get your own weapons into Europe, so you will also need the contact to supply you with a weapon, preferably with whatever the Ukrainian forces are using. This is to both blend in and also to ensure adequate supplies of ammunition are available.
If it were me, I would want that weapon the moment I departed Lviv to head to the fighting, as well as a Ukrainian uniform. The key is to blend in and not draw attention to yourself from Russian forces.
Related: The origin of America’s security obligations to Ukraine
Be humble and respect Ukrainian authority
When you arrive in your assigned theatre of operations, either with an official Ukrainian escort, or after you have made your own way in, it is very important that you do what the Ukrainians need you to do, and fall under their operational control. If they need you to work supply lines, then do it. If they need you to help with combat medicine, then do it. If they need you to carry a Javelin and target Russian armor, then do it.
Do not go there with the idea that you are an independent operator, seeking glory and to kill Russians. You should be going there to defend Ukraine, to help the Ukrainians, and yes, in service of that goal, to possibly kill Russians. Stay humble and level-headed. Take the Ukrainian lead on what they need from you. You are a volunteer, in their country, helping in their war. Act like it. That all said, fight like hell and make America proud.
Related: The Fall of Crimea: One Ukrainian Marine’s story
Rely on your training
Finally, it would be irresponsible of me not to raise this point: if you are captured by the Russians, and you have SERE training, or some other POW training, remember it and use it. If you do not have such training, I suggest you study up online before you go, and see what is expected of captured Americans.
You can also follow the lead of someone who does have the training if they happen to be captured with you. Keep in mind that you may be treated as an illegal combatant, and the Russians will likely hold you as a pawn, to be exploited and made into a propaganda tool. Do not dishonor yourself or the country, and hold tight until we can get you out.
God speed if you choose to go, and God be with Ukraine.
Gm, I am prior air force reserve x-2, and army guard artillery
Also am a private pilot willing to fly assigned missions by UA chain of command
No military flight, just private pilot not afraid to get supplies wherever assigned
Jerry Lee
Prior 315th air wing Joint Charleston afb as ground crew chief air force reserve
I am an American, Fighting on behalf of Russia, because the West has become a Gender- Bender, Globalist Antichrist Backward Sold Out Society.
I’m also considering joining the people of the world to finally put Putin and those Russian pussys in their place. This political crap and nuclear threats by them has gone to far. In my opinion so have the Chinese and North Koreans. I spent 12 years in the infantry and 5+ years of that overseas..last tour was for 14 months in Eastern Afghanistan. I’m with all of you that wants to make a difference other than an 8-5pm job for nominal pay. Hell, I’ll join you and work for free. I have nothing else. Take care brothers, I hope to be seeing you soon.
U.S. NAVY VETERAN
MA2 SW/EXW
Naval expeditionary combat command (intel)
I’m leaving for Poland in 4 days. Wish me luck! I have already spoken with my contact and I will be with a reconnaissance/sniper unit. I specialize in counter sniper tactics and that is where I’ll be placed. HOOYAH!!!!
Learn Ukrainian
I would add the following:
1. You will want to know how Ukraine views the desertion of volunteer/conscripted foreign fighters. You do not want to get over there, have your baptism of firefight or being shot at for your first time and then realize it’s not something you want to be involved with and decide you want to leave. I have seen people change completely when they get a round that wizes over their heads or by their feet – most change, in fact. How, you carry on after that baptism is what can define your success or failure.
2. You will be subjected to real inadequate and unrealistic troop maneuvering or operations by a nation who is financially and very poorly trained to take on a nation like Russia (however the media spins it, Ukraine is and will struggle in the weeks to come). Be prepared to have extremely difficult experience as you struggle to understand the language and struggle to work with people who are not trained as you were in the military.
I will be going. The US Army illegally separated me from a training program in 2006. I was prior enlisted Air Force and commissioned into the Army on January 19, 2006. They drained all our family’s money when we took it to court where we prove the TAC lied on her report which started the separation. ABCMR refused to do anything. I have two Masters Degrees and I had one when I commissioned. I feel glad to finally be working with ground forces that don’t leave their men behind or lie about them just to cover their butts. Remember Pat Tillman.
and none of this Rules of engagement nonsense, no need to get permission from the whole chain of command before engaging an enemy combatant, All i wanna know is if Ukraine is planning to reimburse volunteers before i pack my gear and make travel plans
🙏Be safe, stay well & send those Putin devils to hell …..For Freedom⚔️🛡& Justice for 🇺🇦Ukraine💔.
Ps I think Putin’s Chechen fighters are the most violent & evil on civilians on the ground.
Their leader/ his guy is a maniac.
May God Bless you and your guardians angels protect you.
You make us proud to be an American
I am a prior svcs u.s. army Airborne combat medic considered going over in the defense of Ukraine….sounds like too much of a cluster fk to me to be of any good. So I do a salute and an about face…
is Ukraine paying ( off the books ) volunteers with specialized military training..former U.S. Army Paratrooper combat engineer / Hvy const. equip. operator
0507 SERVICE IN MILITARY FORCE OF NEWLY DEMOCRATIC NATIONS 050701. Background
A. The Congress has consented to a retired member of the Uniformed Services accepting employment by, or holding an office or position in, the military forces of a newly democratic nation and accepting compensation associated with such employment, office, or position.
5-17
DoD Financial Management Regulation Volume 7B, Chapter 5
+ September 1999 B. The Secretary concerned and the Secretary of State jointly shall determine
whether a nation is a newly democratic nation.
050702. Approval Required
The consent provided for a member of the Uniformed Services to accept employment or hold an office or position shall apply to a retired member only if the Secretary concerned and the Secretary of State jointly approve the employment or the holding of such office or position
Erik Prince’s idea of private militaries sponsored by our government is the best idea. Save money, would be unconventional, and would help the Ukrainians or any of our allies without sending in conventional troops.
Ukraine is one of the top corrupt countries in the world from money laundering to child sex trafficing. I suggest searching out information provided on different platforms from the people who live there. I have seen many where they claim their own government has been shelling them since 2014 when the United States (john McCain, Lindsey Graham) supported a coup against an elected government. Everything we receive “news wise” is a lie and the last 2 years will verify that. If you really feel the need to fight then stay in America and start getting active in your state to take back control of this country, then and only then can we help other legitimate nations.
P.sS. I served in the Army during the Vietnam Bullshit so I am aware how OUR government LIES
McCain is a traitor!
If you haven’t been to Ukraine, Lived in Ukraine, worked in Ukraine and made friends…keep you misinformed opinions to yourself…most of the corruption has been rooted out and the BS you are reading is 8-12 years old….
M)cCain WAS a traitor
Ukraine Crisis – What you’re Not being Told (bitchute.com)
Mr. Ted is right 💯% Right✅,
It seems some uninformed Putin admirers are scared of people helping Ukrainians against Putin.
Attn🇺🇸:
Vote DeSantis 2024🇺🇸….to Save 🇺🇸 from all who are corrupt here.
Well said, bombings in dombass needs answered for, sick people on both sides
Can we get someone looking at this dude? He smells like sour Russian ass, or just a putinista traitor. Either way, he’s one of those enemies, foreign and/or domestic trying to trip us up with Bullshit.
Probably a nasty ass civi to boot, talking shit.
Can we get someone looking at this dude? He smells like sour Russian ass, or just a putinista traitor. Either way, he’s one of those enemies, foreign and/or domestic trying to trip us up with Bullshit.
Probably a nasty ass civi to boot, talking shit.
*fattydog* that is
sad, so much hate jn this world but TL I will say prayers for you that you find the Truth of this world and that would be OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST may you find him while you still can
Too many moving parts and no one will be coddling you from one zone to the next. Consider, do you understand their rules of engagement? Could you recognize a Russian combatant? I also agree with a few points being highlighted. Getting on the State Department’s list will not fair well for anyone. If you are in anyway retired or receiving benefits, you open yourself up to forfeiture and restitution. Consider joining a foreign country’s military puts you in the cross-hairs of losing your citizenship.
You can send aid. Speak out against this atrocious invasion. Travel to Poland and work toward relief efforts. And so much more…
The ego comment is so accurate, this isn’t about you getting something out of your system or off your consciousness. There are real people in real danger, in need of real support. Everything isn’t a boots on ground solution. Think from a macro prospective.
One last point, stop being d-bags to one another in the comments. Your just making military folks look like arrogant a-holes with chips on their shoulders.
Yeah I wouldn’t want to engage in anything where I have to fill out paperwork or interact with the State Department. Remember, this is a government who hates white males and you will end of on some kind of “extremist” list.
i would tell the state department i am volunteering as a non combatant humanitarian to help evacuate, provide medical care, and distribute food and water to civilians, even if i plan to punch holes in some russians with Dragunuv svd rifle
I do not have any military experience I’m 50 years old and I got nothing to lose I’m going to go be a volunteer Where do I send my application where do I apply
Why go help a county whom bombs there own
it is more about stopping russia in it’s tracks than defending ukraine, if russia succeeds here they will not stop, poland , Germany, and eventually the U.S. Main land will be next, russia needs to get bogged down here and take heavy losses of troops and equipment
Actually, IMO, more than about stopping Russia, it’s actually about stopping China! How the United States responds and the outcome of this conflict will have an immense influence on how China behaves in the future! We need to get this right. Ukraine cannot fail!
REMEBER! If your are retired or in active reserve, you can forfeit your retirement pay and/or be charged by the military. I tried to join the French Foreign Legion and was told that since I’m retied and on inactive reserve till my 65th birthday that if I joined, I would lose all my US Military benefits pay medical etc.. Direct reg quote “A member retains military status with the attendant obligation to conform to prescribed rules and regulations and to remain subject to recall to active duty. ”
So be mindful!
Well, you left out a critical part. Since America isn’t at war and American taxpayers foot the bill for their veteran benefits, they should be signing away those benefits the second they step foot in Ukraine to fight for another country. Go back and play Call of Duty instead of feeding your egos and needing to be relevant. Absolutely maddening our government is allowing this and not
Forcing them to sign away their AMERICAN PAID FOR BY OTHERS benefits. Do it on your own dimes. And also—go become a citizen of that country.
Zoom out and look at the big picture. By the sounds of your thought processes, can’t imagine you contribute much to our tax system. You sound like a doofus with a neck beard.
TRUUUUUUU
Wow sound like you could use a different country yourself. Serving 9.5 yrs in two active war zones multiple times I might add. Is how I answered the call when my country sent me to the sand box. I. Doing so and being injured I unfortunately have a disability rating. But I’m not helpless and can use lessons learned over 6 deployments to assist others who didn’t ask to be oppressed. If I were to go,.. thinking about it but wife might kill me before any Russians would. If I would be injured how would that cause you as a tax payer any more hardship! My issues haven’t disappeared because I would help. But I certainly wold be on my own for any and all injuries I received while there. Unlike you I am very aware how severe those injuries could be.
I’m very curious after reading your harsh criticism, ARE YOU VETERAN?
Thank you Fru.
Hello everyone, Are you looking for a professional trader, forex and binary manager who will help you trade and manager your account with good and massive amount of profit in return. you can contact Mr. Anderson for your investment plan, for he helped me earned $8,600usd with little investment funds. Mr Anderson you’re the best trader I can recommend for anyone who wants to invest and trade with a genuine trader, he also helps in recovery of loss funds..you can contact him on his whatsapp: (+447883246472) Email:(tdameritrade077@gmail.com)
I advice you shouldn’t hesitate He’s great.
####
Kiss my gazooch and get your stupid ads off this forum you damned vulture!
Wagner loves the cock
Hello everyone, Are you looking for a professional trader, forex and binary manager who will help you trade and manager your account with good and massive amount of profit in return. you can contact Mr. Anderson for your investment plan, for he helped me earned $8,600usd with little investment funds. Mr Anderson you’re the best trader I can recommend for anyone who wants to invest and trade with a genuine trader, he also helps in recovery of loss funds..you can contact him on his whatsapp: (+447883246472) Email:(tdameritrade077@gmail.com)
I advice you shouldn’t hesitate He’s great.
Fru,
this is likely one of the best information-specific articles I have read. As for registering with the State Department, I believe I would suck it up and do it, then spend the rest of my time in Ukraine avoiding them.
My compliments,
geo sends
IMO, It’s largely a bad idea to head over their, and for many it will likely not will not pan out as they had hoped.
Checking in with the State Department is probably the last thing I would do as a private citizen going to fight a foreign war that the US is not directly involved with. I will chalk that piece of advice up to the authors official US government backed work. US private citizens that travel to these areas must follow a different set of rules and State Department involvement usually complicates things and your “assistance” is rarely appreciated.
Good article though, waiting to see how this thing pans out.
Great article, a friend of mine and I were discussing providing BRM instructions outside of Ukraine. I’m not sure this is even needed. We have experience in police and military advanced marksmanship training. I’m a grandpa, but still a rifle coach and competitor, with military experience, but a long time ago.
email me please.
ptwo1221@gmail.com
Email Me as well please. I’m in Ukraine now working on some projects and could use all the advice I can get.