Dezwaan Family Defense Fund

On April 7, while on deployment in Syria, my son-in-law Tech Sgt. David Dezwaan sustained "brain injuries and other physical wounds" from an explosion on his base. David was nearing the end of his deployment and looking forward to returning home to his wife of 11 years, who he had just spent time messaging on the night of the attack. His injuries included a moderate concussion resulting in short-term memory loss, partial hearing loss, and significant lacerations to his arms and legs. This was David's 4th deployment and not the first time he had sustained injuries during a US Military operation.

Two months later, David and my daughter Crystal's whole world imploded when David was falsely accused of being responsible for the base attack - in which he was injured! David, an Explosive Ordinance Disposal Tech, is being charged with an attack in which HE was blown up!

David has never had a single disciplinary action during his time in the Air Force and has been decorated numerous times. In his nearly 15 years of service, David has received the AIR FORCE ACHIEVEMENT MEDAL, AIR FORCE COMMENDATION MEDAL for OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT (TWICE), AIR FORCE COMMENDATION MEDAL (FIRST OAK LEAF CLUSTER) for MERITORIOUS SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY ARMY COMMENDATION MEDAL, DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY NAVY AND MARINE CORPS ACHIEVEMENT MEDAL, DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY NAVY AND MARINE CORPS ACHIEVEMENT MEDAL (GOLD STAR IN LIEU OF SECOND AWARD) while serving on Operations: NEW DAWN, INHERENT RESOLVE, FREEDOM'S SENTINEL, and ENDURING FREEDOM, and United States Secret Service missions aiding in the protection of the President, Vice President and Secretary of State.

This is not a man who would ever harm another American soldier or himself. He has proudly served our country for nearly a decade and a half. And now, he is being driven into debt to protect himself from false accusations from his own government. David has been in jail for nearly two months without charges even being formally filed yet, while legal expenses continue to grow. 

Our entire family is confident that David will be found innocent, but I hope you will please consider contributing to our efforts to prevent a terrible injustice. David and Crystal should not have to spend years paying off tens of thousands in legal fees to ensure David isn’t incarcerated unjustly for decades. Our defense fund doesn’t have the budget the military lawyers have at their disposal, and it would be cruel beyond belief for David and Crystal to suffer instead of having an excellent legal team!

Thanks so much for reading and, I hope, your support!

Family Mom Representative, Jen