Ethan McCord, the soldier featured in the now infamous Wikileaks video leaked by Bradley (now Chelsea) Manning, known as “Collateral Murder” who has been the subject of several films, including the Oscar nominated “Incident in New Baghdad” is running for Lt. Governor of the state of Kansas, alongside Jennifer Winn.
The Winn/McCord campaign will be challenging Governor Sam Brownback in the Kansas Republican Primary and announced Ethan as the running mate on February 11th at the Hyde Park Recreational Center located at 201 South Greenwood, Wichita, Kansas, 67211.
Candidate for Lieutenant Governor of the State of Kansas
Ethan McCord is a veteran of both the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Army. As a member of Bravo Company 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Rangers, the ground troops involved in the now infamous “Collateral Murder” video released by Wikileaks in April of 2009. Ethan can be seen in that video carrying the wounded children from a bullet riddled van, saving their lives. Ethan, along with fellow company members, have come forward since the video’s release, sharing their experiences from that day, and the realities of war.
Ethan has been the subject of several films, including the Oscar-nominated “Incident in New Baghdad” and has traveled the nation speaking to high school students about his experiences. Ethan came home after being wounded in Iraq in 2007 and now resides in Wichita, Kansas with his wife Tammy, and their children, Aspen, Mikayla, Christian, Zane and Chloe.
Commenting on Bowe Bergdahl, soldier and US Prisoner of War, thought to be held by Haqqani network in Pakistan, Ethan said, “peaceful negotiations is how we bring Bowe back home. Bring all the troops home”…
Wellwishers left the following messages showing their support:-
Jessica Nichole Patterson
When we vote for a representative we are choosing to have someone lead us in decisions we can trust. Often times we base these choices on religion although I think we can agree religion has no place in politics. I want you to know who Ethan McCord and Jennifer Winn are so you can decide if you want them to lead us. I first met Ethan when he gave a speech at a church about saving 2 children in Iraq against an order to leave them. Had he left them they would have died. He did not know that there was a video of him doing this and that later a person named Chelsea (Bradley) Manning would release it. What Chelsea did was put transparency where it belongs, in the hands of Americans.
Ethan made a moral decision and saved those lives. That’s the kind of man we want to lead us. The kind of man who has held and cared for a suffering child against an order to let them die.
Jennifer is equally a good leader and I’ll tell you why. This is a woman who has faced the same obstacles in her life that we have in ours. A strong woman who wants to put options in the hands of Kansas. She is not career politics so you can trust that she is running solely to seek change in Kansas, not to profit as we often see. Ask yourself, in an election that can change our history do you choose to support these people rather than ignore issues? Do you choose to be a voice? Brownback will not save kansas. He will not help. And he will not help poor and struggling families. Trust someone who knows what its like to make tough choices. Choose a hero.
Deb Bendele
Ethan, I can’t tell you how much hope your announcement of your campaign with Jennifer Winn gives me. I will be sharing the information and encouraging people to vote in Kansas. If only we had candidates like you and Jennifer here in Floriduh…
My very best wishes and luck to you both.
Tania Khalid
Pls show your support to Ethan McCord. He is running for governor and Lt. Governor of Kansas…This guy is a true hero.
Jeff Bellamar
He is someone who will speak the truth about the occupations, which most people mistakenly think of as wars.
Sherrie England Mitchell
I admire your courage, passion, and persistence. You are asking to serve your country once again. Ethan, I can’t think of a greater blessing for Kansas than to have you represent that great state, Best wishes always.
Kim-Ha Albert
American hero and brother Ethan McCord, who rescued two seriously wounded children from a burning vehicle, against orders, in Baghdad, Iraq as seen in the monumental documentary Collateral Murder and featured in Incident in New Baghdad, is running for the office of Lt Governor of Kansas, and I stand 100% with him on this EXTRAORDINARY DECISION!! He is truly a GREAT MAN, A GREAT AMERICAN!!
Carol Anne Grayson is an independent writer/researcher on global health/human rights and is Executive Producer of the Oscar nominated, Incident in New Baghdad. She is a Registered Mental Nurse with a Masters in Gender Culture and Development. Carol was awarded the ESRC, Michael Young Prize for Research 2009, and the COTT ‘Action = Life’ Human Rights Award’ for “upholding truth and justice”. She is also a survivor of US “collateral damage”.
Carol Anne Grayson (Radical Sister) blog 
Please re-edit the first paragraph of the statement from Jessica Nichole Patterson, it has several repeated sentence errors.
Best of luck to the candidates and to the voters of Kansas who get a chance to revamp the image of the Republican Party. This could give our democracy a real fighting chance!
Thanks very much for pointing that out. I wish both candidates all the best…
If I were living in Kansas, I definitely would be voting for Winn/McCord – time for some new leaders to take Kansas out of the 19th century!
Great news. I’m sure Ethan will add a great deal to the ticket. His love for humanity is clear from his rescuing the Iraqi children in the Collateral Murder video. Let’s work for Jennifer Winn and Ethan McCord to win.
Hes a fraud! It seems that the time has come to set the record straight. There has been countless sensationalized, over exploited, publicized and even delusions of grandiose heroism with regards to the events that occurred on 12 July 2007. Wikileaks shared the incident that occurred on this date in Baghdad, Iraq as “Collateral Murder,” reported by Julian Assange, revealed by Bradley Manning (Chelsea Manning) actions and capitalized on by Ethan McCord, into the lives of most news watchers during that period.
Now once again Ethan McCord attempts to subjugate those brave men of Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment to relive the horrors of a war, something we all care to forget, by running for Kansas’ Lt. Governor office. None of the men that day committed any action with ill intent to harm any human being, but rather out of preservation of life of their buddies and duty called upon them by their nation. The situation which occurred that July day, while regrettable in the fact that life was lost, but saved the lives of our American Soldiers who were consistently being fired upon throughout the day. As chaotic and uncontrollable as war is, it is a shame that now a man running for state office used this incident to “brag” about and state untruths about what truly occurred.
Ethan McCord, an E4 specialist (at the time) was on scene during this unfortunate incident, however, he is no hero. Following the orders of his leadership, McCord assisted in the evacuation of two children injured in hostile fire by the Apache helicopter, but did not single-handedly save these two children. His embellished portrayal of the situation makes the other men of Bravo Company, 2-16 IN seem like cold-heartless killing machines and is completely misleading. Ethan McCord, a substandard Soldier, fueled by anger and jealously behind not being promoted to sergeant as quickly as he thought he should have been, having served in tour with the US Navy, left midway through his tour in Iraq after claiming mental stress from home life distractions kept him from fulfilling his military obligations. Ethan McCord never was wounded and is not authorized a Purple Heart nor is he or ever was a US Army Ranger or Ranger qualified.
Thank-you for your comment. Anyone running for such a position Kansas Lt Gov office must have the ability to critically question and not just blindly go along with others. In the time that I have known Ethan he has stood up time and time again to highlight issues of injustice. I am aware of many incidents that happened in Iraq from Ethan, Iraqis and former soldiers and the people there continue to pay the price day after day with even greater divisions rocking the country now.
I am shocked at some of the orders Ethan received whilst serving and applaud that he found a way not to go along with mindless killing (I refer to other events separate to the Apache helicopter incident). Iraq is a war that was built on false information from politicians and should never have been fought in the first place.
If you are still struggling with your own role in the Iraq War you may care to talk to someone who can help you.
Ethan works very hard educating schools and colleges on the reality of war. He is very honest regarding his own situation and has the ability to triumph over adversity, including death threats from jealous and vindictive people. He may not have a Purple Heart but he has the love and support of many people. He also has a personal thank-you from the children and family that he helped to save… Knowing Ethan that is far more valuable and precious to him than any glorified war medal!