Lt. Cote and children near Dahuk, Iraq, 2004. They are outside a school
that the 133rd helped to rebuild.
by Ramona du
Houx
Without
warning, a blast engulfed the mess tent. As the smoke cleared, dead and wounded soldiers
of the 133rd Battalion of the Maine Army National Guard could be seen. Immediately
guardsmen took action, helping those in need. Lt. Adam Cote managed to escape physical
harm, though the memory will be with him the rest of his life. When the suicide bombing
took place, he had just stepped in front of a refrigerator, which protected him from the
blast.
The 133rd was
responsible for rebuilding schools, hospitals, and other infrastructure in the Northern
Iraq.
Cote is a
lawyer at Pierce Atwood, where his primary focus has been on real estate and energy
related matters. As a United States Army reservist in the military police, Adam served
from 1997 to 1998 as a member of the Operation Joint Guard/NATO peacekeeping mission in
Bosnia-Herzegovina, where he helped apprehend several war criminals wanted by the
International Criminal Tribunal in The Hague (Netherlands).
He later
returned to Bosnia-Herzegovina as an energy advisor. "You could see that our presence
had a tangible effect," said Cote. "People were interacting with the military,
business was thriving and the marketplace was full with people and goods. I don’t see
the same future for Iraq. In Bosnia-Herzegovina we helped implement a brokered peace. In
Iraq we invaded."
Cote was a
platoon leader with the 133rd Engineer Battalion, and served with the Maine Army National
Guard in Mosul, Iraq, from March 2004 through March 2005. Proud of the work his unit
accomplished, Cote believes in serving your country and has come to the understanding that
it is time for U.S. troops to be pulled out in a balanced fashion from Iraq.
"Iraq is
in the middle of a civil war. We were successful in Bosnia-Herzegovina because we helped
implement the Dayton Peace Accords. Something along those lines is needed in Iraq,"
said Cote. "Staying the course is not an option."
Cote has always
worked with youth when an opportunity arose. In Bosnia-Herzegovina he volunteered,
teaching English at a Bosnian-Serb high school. In Iraq, after the 133rd worked on
rebuilding a house or school, the structures were empty. Schoolchildren had to sit on
floor. The basic necessities to run a school or simple items for households didn’t
exist. Troubled by what he saw, worried about the future of Iraq’s youth, Cote
created the Adopt an Iraqi Village program, where he coordinated the distribution of
donated clothing, school supplies, toys and, household necessities to local villages.
"The
Portland Press Herald had a reporter in Iraq when we just started the program and he wrote
about it," said Cote. "The response from people in Maine was amazing. Boxes kept
on arriving from people who cleaned out the attic; schoolchildren, various clubs ... from
everyone," said Cote. "At first we would meet with all the parents and children
of a village in advance to discover which items were needed most. Then after a woman wrote
in that she thought we needed to give the goods directly to the parents to give them the
satisfaction of being able to give their children something, that’s what we did and
are still doing."
Cote received
two Army Commendation Medals for his service in Iraq. He is still a member of the Maine
Army National Guard, serving as an officer in the Judge Advocate General Corps.
Cote frequently
speaks at high schools about his experiences and how to become civically involved in the
community.
"Getting
youth involved in their towns and schools really shows them the value of their
democracy," said Cote. "It gives them a foundation that they can take with
them."
In February
Cote formed the Young Democrats of Maine — ages 18 to 35.
This age group
represents the majority of our military who have served in Iraq. In the last election at
least 10 million young voters cast ballots on November 7, 2006 — up four percent from
the last midterm elections in 2002.
Rock the Vote,
a youth group, said young voters favored Democrats by a 22-point margin, enough to decide
tight races. In the 435-member U.S. House of Representatives, 22 seats were won by less
than two percent of the vote and 18 seats were won by just 5,000 votes or less.
The group will
become involved in getting out the vote and other political activities when the time
comes. First Cote wants the group to become involved in food drives and community
activities.
"You
don’t have to be a Democrat. The focus is to get youth involved in their communities,
so they can see they can make a difference. What they do with the experience will be up to
them," said Cote. "It’s important for youth to understand that their voices
are heard, that voting counts, and that America cares about their futures."
Last month Cote announced he
will be running for U.S. Congress.
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