The highest-ranking military officer in the United States has apologized to a bereaved military mom after saying the Iraqi city where he died is 'not symbolic in any way ' . General Martin Dempsey , Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff , sent a letter saying he regretted that he 'added to the grief ' of Debbie Lee , whose son Marc was killed in Ramadi on August 2 , 2006 . The 28-year-old , the first Navy SEAL to die in Iraq , was fatally wounded while providing covering fire from a building in the heavily-contested city . He was awarded the Purple Heart and Silver Star for his bravery . Humbled : General Martin Dempsey , Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff , apologized to a military mother for belittling the sacrifice of her slain son . Fallen hero : Marc Lee , right , was killed in Ramadi in August 2006 . His mother Debbie , left , was outraged when Dempsey wrote off the city as 'not symbolic in any way ' while discussing operations against ISIS . Dempsey had spoken dismissively of the city last week at a briefing when asked how damaging to U.S. and Iraq 's military efforts it would be were the city to fall into the hands of ISIS . Responding to a journalist 's question , he said : 'The city itself is not symbolic in any way . It hasn ’ t been declared the caliphate or central to Iraq . 'The issue isn ’ t brick and mortar . It is about defeating ISIS . I would much rather that Ramadi not fall , but it will not be the end of a campaign . ' The remarks outraged Lee , who said she was shaking and reduced to tears to hear the general trivialize the city for which her son had died . In response Lee , from Surprise , Arizona , posted an angry open letter on the website for America 's Mighty Warriors , a charity she set up to help servicemen and honor her son . She said : ' I am shaking and tears are flowing down my cheeks as I watch the news and listen to the insensitive , pain-inflicting comments made by you in regards to the fall of Ramadi . ' Ramadi was a center of Al-Qaeda operations in 2006 , when Petty officer Lee and his comrades were sent in to recapture the city , an effort which ultimately took months and saw some 80 U.S. casualties . Valor : Lee , who was the first Navy SEAL to die in Iraq , was posthumously awarded the Silver Star and Purple Heart . Lee continued : 'My son Marc Lee was the first Navy SEAL who sacrificed his life in Ramadi Iraq Aug 2 , 2006 . His blood is still in that soil and forever will be . Remember that was when so many of our loved ones were taken from us . ' Rounding on Dempsey later in the letter , she wrote : 'You , sir , owe an apology to the families whose loved ones blood was shed in Ramadi . Ramadi matters to us and is very symbolic to us . 'You need to apologize to our troops whose bodies were blown to pieces from IEDs and bullet holes leaving parts and pieces behind , Ramadi matters to them ... . You and this administration have minimized that Ramadi could fall , now you are minimizing that it is falling , but you , sir , WILL NOT minimize the sacrifice my son Marc Lee made or any of our brave warriors ! ' Battle : Lee fell while providing covering fire for his allies in Ramadi . Pictured about are three Iraqi soldiers and a Marine fighting in the city in 2006 . Lee 's message was shared widely enough that Dempsey read it , prompting him to send an apology . Dempsey 's reply , published Tuesday by Fox News , attempted to justify his remarks by saying he was explaining how the U.S. is engaged with a 'different enemy ' . He wrote : ' I 've read your letter , and I do apologize if I 've added to your grief . 'Marc and so many others died fighting to provide a better future for Iraq . He and those with whom he served did all that their nation asked . 'They won their fight , and nothing will ever diminish their accomplishments nor the honor in which we hold their service . 'We are in a different fight now , with a different enemy , and with a different relationship with the Government of Iraq . 'They must determine the path and pace of this fight . That 's what I intended to convey . ' Discussing the apology with Fox , Lee termed it 'soft ' , but said that she does accept it . She was also expecting a phone call from him at some point today . Response : Debbie Lee was sent the above letter from Dempsey after he found her angry open letter to him .
General Martin Dempsey sent apology to Debbie Lee , whose son died in Iraq . Petty Officer Marc Lee , 28 , was killed in 2006 in battle over Ramadi . Dempsey had belittled importance of Ramadi at a news conference last week . Lee said hearing Dempsey trivialize son 's sacrifice brought her to tears . Castigated general in open letter online , to which he has now responded .