Local vet wants to take war on terror into his own hands

Sean Rowe headed to the middle east to help fight ISIS

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A local Army veteran is rallying others to take the worldwide war on terror into their own hands and fight ISIS in the Middle East.

Sean Rowe organized a group of 23 military veterans who in the next few weeks are heading to Iraq to take on enemy forces. They call themselves Veterans Against ISIS. They've come up with the money on their own to fly there and take part in the mission to end the terrorism.

"Yeah, it's crazy, I know. But it needs done. We can't let fear stop us," Rowe said.

Rowe has a pretty good life now. He's been out of the Army for five years and lives in Jacksonville but he's willing to give it all up to fight for what he thinks is right.

"I am just one guy who is basically issuing a rally cry to go over there and help out," Rowe said. "So every day we allow them to exist increases the chance of an attack not just on our soil, but other soils around the world."

Rowe is spending his final weeks in Jacksonville before he takes a one way flight to the Middle East to fight ISIS with the 23 American military veterans who have volunteered to go with him, on their own dime, to fight enemy forces.

"I am surprised that I found so many people that are willing to go," Rowe said.

Rowe doesn't want to go into too many details about the mission for security reasons, but he said the group will work with locals on the front lines in both Iraq and Syria.

"Our main goal is to provide security, medical aid, supplies and training, if necessary, for the locals against ISIS," Rowe said.

When asked why Rowe wanted to head back overseas and put himself at risk again he said that something needed to be done.

"There's a lot of evil in the world today, unfortunately, but ISIS is a group we can do something about. I would say the number one thing is the fact that they are running around, slaughtering, raping and torturing women and children," Rowe said.

Rowe said that he and the other veterans are well aware it's a dangerous mission that could cost them their lives, but they feel it's the right thing to do.

"I believe God is going to take care of me," Rowe said.
Rowe is paying for his trip and the supplies they'll need, but the group is accepting donations for people who want to support their cause.

Rowe said he's just taking a duffle bag and a backpack and hoping to get the rest of the supplies they need, like weapons, from the locals fighting against ISIS.

He said it's going to be rough, and this is no vacation, Rowe and the other volunteers will likely be sleeping in the sand on the front lines.

Anyone interested in learning more about, or to donate to, Rowe and the other men heading back to Iraq and Syria can head to their website at veteransagainstisis.org or head to their Facebook page here.