OMAHA - While the U.S. celebrated its independence, a Nebraska State Senator was getting a closer look at a country fighting to retain that status.

Since June 26, State Sen. Tom Brewer has been in Ukraine on a mission trip where he has observed military actions. His first mission to Ukraine was purely for humanitarian assistance, but his second trip was intended to be about fielding equipment but was diverted.

“Unfortunately, the equipment did not arrive in the Ukraine which causes (them) to divert to a third mission, which has been essentially trying to get the ground truth on what’s happening here,” he told 6 News on Wednesday.

Brewer, a veteran who earned two Purple Hearts, said the destruction he has seen in Ukraine is unlike anything he saw during his six deployments in Afghanistan, where he was seriously wounded.

Brewer noted that Ukrainians are fighting Russians with weapons they haven't been trained to use after seeing U.S.-provided weapons on the ground there. Despite the U.S. assistance, Brewer hasn't been satisfied with the U.S. government.

“I have been totally disappointed in the United States government and the State Department,” he said. “They have referenced me to a website where I did a form. I attempted to visit the embassy no one was available except a security guy who said we shouldn’t travel in Ukraine. So as far as I’m concerned, the United States State Department is useless to people traveling in the Ukraine.”

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