A Florida veteran has put together a combat team to fight terrorists in the Middle East. Now, the group says it is getting ready to deploy in a few months.
Action News first reported on this story last month on the day Veterans Against ISIS: Offensive Wing was formed.
Founder and Army veteran Sean Rowe’s goal was to find several veterans willing to fight the terror group, and he found more than a dozen veterans willing to fight.
Almost half of them are from Florida. Rowe said a lot of people reached out to him after the first story aired. He said all the team members have a military background and are ready to return to the battle field to fight ISIS.
Rowe said he was looking for a few good men to join his group Veterans Against ISIS: Offensive Wing and he's found them. Just don't call them mercenaries.
“I hate that term. We’re not doing this for money; we’re volunteering our time,” Rowe said.
Rowe said this new team of combat veterans is less than 90 days from taking the fight to ISIS on their turf.
“Every single guy I talk to, they are burdened by what is going on with ISIS and they want to help,” Rowe said.
Rowe said he has 17 men ready to go. Eight are from Florida, five from the Jacksonville area, and they have seven spots still to fill.
“Our mission is to support the locals against ISIS,” Rowe said.
Each of the vets on the team has served, Rowe said. He said some are decorated.
But few team members show their face or name. Instead, they have code names like Cowboy, H-Money and Scuba Steve.
“Each veteran goes through a lengthy process,” Rowe said.
Veterans Against ISIS: Offensive Wing will train as a group in May, Rowe said, but for security reasons he won’t say exactly when they’ll leave for their mission.
The group hopes to collect donations from people who support their mission. So far, they’ve raised $1,000 and received equipment for training and medical supplies, Rowe said.
Rowe said the team is paying its own way to the Middle East and won't be compsated -- although they do expect to receive weapons, food and shelter from local forces.
