The holidays. For many of us, this time of year is synonymous with family, friends, traditions. We think of leisurely meals with our loved ones, maybe a few extra days off from work…and sure, there are stresses ~ shopping, guests who overstay their welcome, fighting off the holiday pounds ~ but the overall spirit of the season is one of peace and togetherness. And just like we can count on crazy Aunt Joyce to give us the ugliest sweater known to mankind year after year, so too can we count on the company of our loved ones, the creature comforts of home, and the way of life to which we’re accustomed.

Not so for the men and women serving overseas.

Loved ones are continents away.

Creature comforts are a distant memory.

Their way of life is now dictated by others.

Regardless of our opinion of the war that rages on in Iraq, none of us can deny that our brothers, sisters, husbands, wives, boyfriends and girlfriends are putting their lives at risk by fighting in it. And we could speculate how ~ or if ~ serving overseas is a life-altering experience, but what better way ~ or better time of year ~ to get a glimpse into just what kind of impact these experiences are having on our peers ~ and on their families ~ than by asking them to share their stories with us.

We at Pulse thank all the troops and families who were willing to share with us and our readers their insights and experiences ~ and we wish all of them, and all of you, a very happy…and very safe…holiday season.

Eamonn McDonough
By Christine R. Walsh

Eamonn McDonough, 24, stands at 6’4”. His hair, worn closely shaved to his head, is reddish. His smile rarely leaves his face. He majored in Visual and Performing Arts at Worcester’s Clark University. McDonough, a lover of Stephen King novels and J.K. Rowling’s Harry, can come across as a mature and masculine gentleman but confesses to being a big kid at heart. He loves his mom’s chocolate chip cookies and craves a movie with an intelligent plot. He is the best friend everyone wishes he had.

At this time, this best all-around guy is far from home and his mother’s cooking. McDonough, a Specialist, is stationed in Iraq. He agreed to be interviewed by Pulse Magazine via Instant Messaging, as cell phones are not a reliable means of communication.

CRW: How long were you enlisted before you were sent to Iraq?
Eamonn McDonough: I joined the Army in January of 2006, went through basic training, graduated basic in July of 2006, spent a few months in the Reserves. I decided active duty was the way to go, switched over, was stationed in Baumholder, Germany starting in January 2007, volunteered to be deployed to Iraq in February, and got here at the end of September.

CRW: When you told your parents you were going to Iraq, how did they react?
EM: I think they knew it was a possibility since the day I joined. But they told me they knew I was smart enough to take care of myself and those around me.

CRW: What prompted you to join the Army?
EM: I was one of those kids who loved being outdoors playing Army when I was little. After I graduated college, I still felt like that little kid, but at the same time I knew [joining the Army] would be a way to travel, to keep myself in the best shape possible, and do some good for myself and my country.

CRW: Do you still feel like a little kid… or do you feel older now?
EM: Definitely older. Some of the kids in my squad are only 19, so I feel I have to step up and act my age, even if I still want to be a kid.

CRW: What is life like over there?
EM: I had an idea what it would be like when I came over here, but it’s different from what I expected. I live in a 3 room trailer with 5 other people, surrounded by concrete walls (they like to lob mortars over the walls at us), but it’s a pretty good routine. When we’re not on missions, we do PT (physical training), take classes, and even have the occasional barbeque.

CRW: Can you please tell me what mortars are?
EM: Rockets and explosives that hit the camp every now and then.

CRW: Who throws them?
EM: A lot of the times you won’t really know… kind of like a drive-by kind of thing. They’re most likely insurgents who still have an agenda against US and coalition forces.

CRW: What’s it like sleeping over there? Are you ever scared?
EM: Well, there’s always the chance you’ll be woken up to the sweet sound of BOOM BOOM BOOM…so that’s always something that keeps us on our toes…but you find any and every chance to sleep you can get.

CRW: What’s it like not being able to call your family? Your friends?
EM: I keep in pretty good touch with everyone back at home through email and have actually mastered my webcam so I can talk through that…the phones aren’t too much of an issue.

CRW: What do you miss about home?
EM: Food!! My mom’s chocolate chip cookies, being able to play baseball with a team.

CRW: What do you like receiving in the mail in terms of care packages?
EM: Snack food is always good, letters and pictures from home are great too.

CRW: What does your family send you?
EM: I got a Patriots t-shirt from my mom the other day…it’s proudly displayed in my room and she sent her chocolate chip cookies. They got crushed, but [were] still delicious.

CRW: How many siblings do you have?
EM: 3 sibs ~ 2 brothers (16 and 21) and a sister (23).

CRW: Do you want a family some day?
EM: Someday, not ready for it yet though.

CRW: What if you had a son or a daughter who wanted to join the military… what would you say?
EM: As long as they’d shown themselves to be a smart and well-balanced decision maker, I would leave it up to them… I know it would be hard for any parent, especially in a time of war, to give their blessing for one of their children to make the conscious decision to get thrown in the middle of conflict, so I guess I’d have to wait until the moment came up to react.

CRW: Is your squad doing anything for a holiday celebration?
EM: Not a clue, haven’t really thought that far ahead yet.

CRW: What can Santa bring you this year that will give you a little extra cheer?
EM: The adult in me says peace on earth and goodwill towards men….the kid says Legos and video games. But I’m happy just being able to know that we’re appreciated for what we’re doing over here.

CRW: It sounds like you’ve formed some great friendships over there.
EM: The squad is tight because we’ve trained together for months, so you can’t help but form bonds when you’ve been dragged through the mud together.

CRW: Thank you so very much for doing this interview. Any messages to your supporters back at home?
EM: Hmmm… HI MOM!!!

______________________________________

Andrew Bellizzi
By Melissa Pingeton

When Andrew Bellizzi, 21, joined the National Guard when he was 19, he didn’t expect to go to Iraq. Joining the National Guard because “…since I was a kid I wanted to do it,” Bellizzi left for basic combat training in October ‘05. He spent his last night at home with his friends, playing card games, video games, and then basketball at 2:30am at a nearby school.

Before his arrival at basic in Indiana, Bellizzi put together a list of items to bring including a sleeping bag, tools, even Whiffle balls and bats. He also took along items like his laptop, mp3 player, pictures, and a teddy bear. “I got crapped on quite a bit for it,” he laughs.

He trained at Camp Atterbury in Indiana from June until September 4, ’06, when he arrived in Kuwait. Finally, around Sept. 24, Bellizzi arrived in Iraq. In Indiana, Bellizzi had been given items including his uniform, helmet, and weapon. In Iraq, he was given his ammo.

“I was kind of scared,” says Bellizzi. “I just got out of training ~ one weekend drill ~ and went to Iraq. I kind of didn’t do the whole National Guard thing.”

Not only was he going to Iraq, but Bellizzi was also the new kid. “I was the really quiet kid because I didn’t want to be there,” he explains. Bellizzi wasn’t dressed like the others, donning the newer uniform while the others wore older ones. “I stood out like a sore thumb,” he says. Soon he began making friends with some of the other troops, participating in a game called “Who/What.”

He recalls the moment that he realized that he was in Iraq: “The first night I was in Iraq was when it hit me,” he says. “It was actually when the first mortar round came in over the gate. So after that for the most part during the beginning I was scared out of my mind, having no idea what might go on.”

Bellizzi was stationed at a base called Al Taji, once run by “Chemical Ali,” the cousin of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. Bellizzi describes the base as “…a bunch of busted-up buildings, some warehouses and concrete buildings.” Of course there was plenty of sand and dirt, but Bellizzi says it isn’t like the desert that typically comes to mind.

Even though the rooms were already put together when he arrived, Bellizzi and the other troops did some remodeling, converting the space into two floors.

“Everyone had their own 8-foot room,” explains Bellizzi. His room had a bed, television, Play Station, and refrigerator.

While in Iraq, Bellizzi drove a palletized loading system, moving supplies like food and water from base to base as well as hauling concrete barriers throughout the Baghdad area to be placed in the market areas. His shift would begin late at night and end around noon. Since he worked at night, he never had contact with Iraqis or encountered anti-American sentiment.

Fortunately, Bellizzi never had to fire his weapon ~ but he says he certainly heard gunfire while he was driving around. “You always hear it going on.” The troops rarely discussed firing their weapons because “…you were there so you knew it was happening.”

In his down time, Bellizzi participated in plenty of activities on base such as flag football and softball. He was able to contact friends and family through the Internet, web cameras and telephones.

Because he had his computer and Internet access, Bellizzi spoke to family and friends almost daily. He also used a prepaid cell phone to call home. However, being able to contact people didn’t mean he could discuss everything ~ Operation Security prevented Bellizzi from disclosing important information.

His friends and family would also send him care packages. “It felt good to get a package of junk food and all that good stuff,” he says.

“Probably my most favorite thing to do though was after every mission in front of our building we had a table, few chairs and a couple of benches, we’d all go out front, grab a soda, the smokers smoked and we’d just sit there and crack jokes, talk about stupid stuff, talk about things we’d do when we’re going home all that,” Bellizzi recalls. “It was a good time; then we’d go to sleep or sit up and watch TV and just wait for breakfast, and do it all over again the next night.”

The base also had the Armed Forces Network (AFN) which is “…worse than basic cable,” jokes Bellizzi. But it did however have ESPN and showed some of his favorite shows, including “Family Guy” and “The Simpsons.”

He notes that often times the media would only show the negative side of war ~ something he noticed when he was home on leave in late 2006. “It wouldn’t show any of the good stuff,” he explains.

Bellizzi’s tour was supposed to end around December ~ 18 months after he’d arrived in Iraq ~ but after almost a full year, he learned that his company, the 1060th Transportation Company, 2nd Platoon out of Framingham, would return home early. When he learned that he was going home, he was allowed to tell family and friends back here even though there was no set date. Bellizzi returned to Indiana on August 26.

In Indiana, Bellizzi and the other troops were debriefed on what to expect when they return home. “Just like stuff to watch out for… precautionary stuff,” he explains, such as depression or guilt. They were also warned not to expect things to pick up where they left off because things changed over the period of a year.

When Bellizzi first returned home to Spencer at the end of August, the feeling of being home didn’t immediately kick in. “When I came home it never really hit me ‘til about a month later,” he explains. “I was used to coming home for two weeks then just leaving again so I was just waiting for that all to happen and leave again.”

Bellizzi remains in contact with a few friends still serving in Iraq. In early November, he said goodbye to his neighbor Matt, a Marine, who left for Iraq.

When asked if there’s a chance he will have to return to Iraq or opt to do another tour of duty, Bellizzi says, “It’s a big possibility of both.” He notes that if he has children he would not necessarily encourage them to join the National Guard, but he would remain supportive of their decision.

Bellizzi says the experience has matured him but he is quick to add that he “…still acts stupid.” My attitude towards stuff has totally been different.” Even though he spent a year in Iraq, Bellizzi remains humble about what he did. “I don’t think I did anything outstanding or big,” he says. “There’s people who have done more than me. I don’t like to highlight myself.”

Bellizzi missed the holiday season last year by just a few days ~ returning home after Thanksgiving and leaving before Christmas ~ so he looks forward to spending the holidays with his family this year.

“It’ll mean a lot of me… not just holidays though, any day with my family,” he says.

More About Andrew

Food you missed the most while you were in Iraq? Applebees, McDonalds Crispy chicken wrap, Chuck E Cheese Pizza

Favorite music? Whitesnake, The Temptations, Queen, Styx, The Darkness, Dropkick Murphys, Marvin Gaye, Vanessa Carlton, Ozzy, System of a Down. I listen to everything so it’s all good to me.

Favorite movies? Con-Air, Talladega Nights, Anchorman, Old School, Blades of Glory, A Christmas Story, Black Hawk Down, SWAT, Shooter, 4 Brothers, Invincible, Space Jam, Grind, Be Cool, Dodgeball, all of the Police Academy movies

Favorite TV shows? Rescue Me, Family Guy, The Simpsons, House

Favorite sports team? Patriots, Celtics, & Red Sox

Did you have a nickname overseas? B-Dizzle, Dizzle, Vin Dizzle

Two words to describe your experience: Different, exciting

_______________________________________

Forest Wilber
By Alison Zawadski

Sitting across from him at the Bean Counter in Worcester, it’s hard to tell that 28 year old Forest Wilber of Barre is a combat veteran. He is composed and polite. He jokes with his Worcester State College cross-country teammate about his experience in Iraq and his plans to watch the Pats game the next day. Overall, he appears to be an average college student athlete who enjoys spending time with his friends on the weekends. However, when answering my questions about his time in Iraq he becomes somber and takes his time to properly formulate his thoughts and feelings into shareable answers. Wilber has been through experiences that are unimaginable for most of us and his story is best told in his own words.

First, what made you sign up for the Army to begin with?
I did poorly at Framingham State and wanted to find a way to get myself back to school, plus I lacked responsibility and hoped that the Army would help with that and fill that void. Also, I signed up in 2000, before our current president was elected.

Can you describe what your daily life was like during your tour of duty?

Basically I would go to sleep in the jail cells of Abu Ghraib detainment facility with my three roommates. We lived in the cells because of the “Abu Ghraib Scandal” that had taken place before our arrival. The sentiment was if the detainees were out in the open then soldiers’ “degenerative activities” would subside. We would wake up about 1am to go to work outside where the detainees were. When we arrived, they’d be sleeping, but they’d wake up relatively early to begin their very tedious daily prayer schedule. It would still be dark at that time. The second half of our day with the detainees was spent in the scorching sun while they retreated to their tents. The detainees were moved outside into 30 or more person tents that were individually surrounded with fencing, razor wire and barbed wire. The tents were set up in zones and there were 5 tents to a zone. There was one zone representative soldier for each zone. That zone representative would communicate with one detainee in the tent called the chief. The chief would lobby on behalf of the detainees for items or services they felt their tent needed. While I was a zone representative, my experience was that some of the detainees would try to exhaust unassuming soldiers with excessive requests at intermittent times in order to keep the soldier on the run throughout the day. This “game” was actually hard to avoid even if you were aware of what they were doing because you didn’t want to instigate riots plus we were undermanned. After running around for detainees in the sizzling sun all day I would be drenched. To close out the long day, following our shift I would work out in the gym and then go read or watch part of a DVD or write home. Usually we would get about 5 hours of sleep. I’m sure we could have gotten more sleep but in order to keep sane I thought it was important for me to exercise, read books and write home.

Were you able to communicate with friends and family back home while you were away?

Where I was at communication was good, and by the second half of my time there they were starting to get better access. By the end most of the guys had MySpace…that was the big thing.”

Is there one specific memory that stands out?

Yes. The worst thing I came in contact with was a detainee who was the video tape man for one of the disgusting executions of an American by insurgent forces. He was the chief of his tent because he spoke English very well and could communicate with us. It was almost impossible to interact with him because I was filled with rage when I found out information about him. I consciously attempted not to find out information about other detainees because I didn’t want to cultivate, in myself, a general hatred for detainees, but I still found out things I didn’t want to all the time. I am positive there were many detainees who were wrongfully imprisoned and deserved to be treated with the utmost dignity and respect. Despite that, I can still see the faces and remember identification numbers of detainees who were particularly hateful toward American soldiers.

Did anything positive come out of these difficult encounters?

At night when we had down time…we’d talk about how we’d change ourselves when we got home.

And when you did come back home, what was the assimilation process?

My one year anniversary of being “home” just passed this October and I am still coming to grasps with my deployment, although I must say things obviously took a turn for the better with me. Some of my friends commented that I seemed “off” when I first came home, that I wasn’t the happy-go-lucky joker I once was. I still don’t think I am there, I don’t know if I ever will be there again. I think I’ve changed for the better though because I am more conscious of other people. I want myself and others to find productive ways to live our lives that aren’t at the expense of less fortunate people.

And now that you are back at Worcester State College, how are things going?

There’s some similarities actually, to how things were overseas. The camaraderie that I feel with the Cross Country/Track team reminds me of the camaraderie I felt with my platoon in Iraq. The team has been instrumental in giving me a positive social scene and now I can pursue my interests in nutrition. The big difference is that at the end of the day I can go home and relax while I watch the Red Sox, Patriots or the Celtics. I am not a sitting duck, constantly on edge waiting for the next rocket to come whizzing in, pretending I’m not scared sh*tless so the detainees don’t see that I have weaknesses.

You mentioned that you and other members of your platoon would discuss things you’d change about yourselves once you were back home. Do you now see any of those changes?

Yes, now I’m really grateful to be alive, and I feel the need to accomplish something with my life.

What does the holiday season ~ a time that celebrates peace, love, family and togetherness ~ mean to you now that you’ve gone through such intense experiences?

For me, before I joined the military I never even thought about how much people sacrifice. People here need to get along, that’s what the fighting between the Sunnis and the Shiites has shown me. Acts like invading Iran are short sighted and selfish. It’s a way of relating to the world only in our lifetime. It’s a way of letting the soldiers who sacrifice so much down. It’s a way of letting our children down. I know it’s not realistic to expect military forces to just dissipate into thin air, but it is realistic to support diplomacy and diplomatic missions Also, I love seeing my family. We get together and really celebrate together…it’s brought us closer as a family.

Photo, L-R: Justin, Forest, Adam, & Andrew

_____________________________________________

Dominick King
By Alison Zawadski

Twenty-four year old Worcester native and Iraq veteran Dominick King is busy with work and life as a full time student at Assumption College, but he still tries to have a good time when he can, spending any free moments “…either watching sports or going to McFadden’s,” his favorite bar in Worcester.

Putting fun second is nothing new for King. While most of his friends were basking in the excitement of having graduated from high school and preparing to go to college, King was preparing to go to war. Before most of the class of 2009 has turned 21, King has served two tours of duty in the Marine Corps. From those two tours and 14 months of duty, King has many stories and memories and has learned significant life lessons that few others his age have.

His worst memory of the war comes from his second tour:

“We went around picking up all of the dead bodies of the insurgence,” King said. “When we got back there were four little girls between three and six [years old] begging for food…I’m thinking [that] we could have just dropped off their father. What kind of future will these kids have?”

But King also brought home good memories, one of the best of which ~ from his first tour, when his “…responsibility was driving supplies to the front line” ~ is of teaching some American culture to the Iraqi children.

“I would be trying to teach the Iraqi kids football…they’d be trying to play soccer with the football,” said King. “They got real confused.”

Another fond memory comes from when he got to take a break from the driving. “We’d pull over on the side of the road and kids would come up and want to play soccer with us,” said King. He recalls that many of the Iraqis of all ages were glad to have the Marines in the area and that the people of the region were really supportive of what they were doing.

King’s second tour, however, was different from and more difficult than the first. “I was in Ar-Ramadi basically just doing supply runs to different parts of the city,” King said. “[Then] I was in Fallujah for part of the Battle of Fallujah.”

But why did a smart young man sign up for the Marines to begin with?

”I signed the papers four days before September 11. For the first time it was exciting,” said King, who will never forget what it felt like awaiting deployment for the first time. “I felt like I was in the movies or something.” But the novelty didn’t last. “The second time was more of an, ‘Alright, here we go again’ type of feeling,” he said.

Assimilating back into society after the first tour took time, but it was much easier than after his second tour. “It was much tougher the second time because the work that I did the second time wasn’t as pleasant as the first tour,” explained King. “It was tough, especially since I came back here [to Assumption]…the difference between the streets of Fallujah and Worcester Hall are indescribable.”

Upon his return, King found himself 21 years old and living in a freshman dorm with students up to four years younger than he was ~ and still suffering from severe back problems. So in addition to adjusting to Assumption College, new room and pod mates and classes, King also had to deal with his medical problems, a process that did not go smoothly. Despite his best efforts, King could not get the care he needed for his persistent back problems. Eventually, he called in favors that got the problem taken care of, but the situation left a bad taste in his mouth.

“The VA is very difficult to get into their system and receive the care the veterans need…then veterans give up,” King said. “It’s too much of a hassle…”

Although his injury has prevented him from a career in the Marines (“I wanted to make a career in the Marine Corps…that got cut short because of the medical problem from Fallujah.”), it has not stopped him from being involved. King is now the Executive Director of the War Kids Relief foundation.

“It started off as a service organization…now it’s moving towards an advocacy based group,” explained King. The organization “…cares for the children of war-torn nations, combating recruitment by terrorists and extremist groups through education, training, employment and other programs.” (warkidsrelief.org). Although King does not see a future with this organization because of geographical issues, he does hope to get into politics and make a difference any way he can.

_______________________________________________

Justin Snair
By Alison Zawadski

Although it might not seem to most people that going to war could be a good experience, what came out of former Marine Corps Corporal Justin Snair’s experience was overwhelmingly positive.

“I wasn’t very nice before I left,” said 25 year old Snair, a native of Worcester. However, he believes that since his return he’s been more inclined to make time for those people about he cares most.

Also a result of his time overseas is a new perspective. “I used to take things too seriously,” Snair explained. “[But] it’s tough for me to take things seriously anymore. I’m a bit more laid back.” This laid back attitude is a result of his year-long tour in Iraq where he “…worked with explosives and [on] minefield, base fortification and perimeter development.” But overall, life was monotonous for the good part of his tour. So if the only two options seem to be monotony or horrifying combat, why join the Marine Corps during a war? “I don’t know…I grew up thinking it was a great idea,” Snair said. He grew up in a military family with his father and grandfather both serving in their time.

Another factor was that he signed up before 9/11, expecting for his time in the Marine Corps Reserve to be about career, not necessarily combat. He quickly realized that his immature way of looking at the military was not going to sustain him through a war. “Before you go you have a childish view, the movie version,” said Snair. “Four of us from this area were very military…we all went in and now we’re all out.”

But 18 months after returning home his new laid back personality is evident. He even joked about his first two months of deployment with “I was on a Forward Operating base named Al Qa’im…it was sort of like camping, I guess. Porta-johns for bathrooms, cold water for showers and laundry in a bucket.”

However, not everything was a joke. During his time at Al Qa’im, Snair lost touch with his family and friends at home.

“For the first two months it was touch and go,” explained Snair. “We’d have [contact] for half a day and then it would be out for three days…I told my mom I couldn’t call, it was easier that way.” Because Snair lost touch with his loved ones at home, he was really able to appreciate the friends that he was making in the Marine Corps.

“I had some good friends before the war,” said Snair. “But those eight guys I was with at Al Qa’im were with you all the time…through hardship you bond.”

But once those friends were gone and Snair had returned to Worcester, he realized that a difficult time was in front of him.

“I came home and I had lost contact with friends from before the war,” said Snair. “I was partying a lot and drinking a lot. I had a lot of habits when I got home…[But eventually] I went to the VA and started talking to a counselor…My girlfriend Nancy, her family and my mom were helpful.” He feels now that his assimilation is complete and that his life is as close to normal as it will ever be. He’s also very outspoken about activism, voting and the current threat of invading Iran.

“I see a lot of people, especially in college, and they have a lot of opinions but they don’t do anything, compared to Vietnam,” said Snair. As far as voting is concerned, Snair said, “I wish people would take a little more interest…there’s a miscommunication among college students that their voice doesn’t matter.” But it does, and Snair knows that all too well. When he was in Iraq he was denied his right to vote because he never received an absentee ballot. Now he votes for everything he can. He also does all he can to get his friends, classmates and teammates to vote. “I would have voting parties,” Snair said. He would give his friends beer for the opportunity to help them register to vote and to explain to them why it is so important that they do so.

Snair has grown a lot since through his time in Iraq and assimilation into American culture and he has found new appreciation for things such as Veterans Day, which was just a day off before. “I lost a few friends, one probably six months ago…before I thought it was a cool holiday,” said Snair. “I wish more people would take it a little more seriously.”

When I asked how the holidays affect him now, Justin shared that, although his girlfriend’s family planned an all-out celebration because they want him to enjoy this special time of year as much as they do, he wasn’t all that enthusiastic about it. “I’d been away for a long time before…I hadn’t had a birthday at home in five years.” He confesses that having gone so long without celebrating the holidays has made them a non-event in his eyes.

More about Justin

Year of graduation: 2008
School: Worcester State College
Favorite bar: “The Boynton, before I got away from drinking.”
Favorite bands: Pearl Jam and Bush
Favorite movie: Star Wars
Favorite song: “Come Down” by Bush
Missed most while overseas: “I missed just doing things on my own terms.”

Photos: Justin with girlfriend Nancy Fellows, whosebrother-in-law Steve Gluth is a Captain in the Army (currently deployed to Afghanistan) and whose father, Dr. Douglas Fellows, is a retired Colonel with 32 years in the Army.

____________________________________________

Jess Andersen
By Linnea Sheldon

Jess Andersen grew up in West Boylston before moving to Worcester and making it her home. At 25 years old, she has already completed two tours of duty as an Army Sergeant in Iraq, spending a total of 2 1/2 years overseas. Jess talked to us about life during and since her time there.

Where did you serve?
I was stationed in both Baghdad and Balad, Iraq

Which part of the Armed Forces were you in?
I was in the Army.

What was your title?
Sergeant Andersen

And your position in Iraq?
I was a Mental Health NCO and a Medic.

How did your family/friends feel about your going?
They were nervous.

When did you get back home?
October 2006

What were the conditions like over there?
The food was surprisingly good, but the environment was not the safest and the atmosphere was intense.

What were your responsibilities?
I would counsel people about their issues, concerns, etc. I’d also assist at the Aid Station doing medical work.

What was your best experience over there?
Helping to save a person’s life.

What did you miss the most about home?
My family, being on my own, not having to answer to anyone.

What did you miss that you didn’t think you would?
PRIVACY!

What is your best memory of your time overseas?
It would have to be the day we found out we were going home!

Now that you’re back home, do you miss anything from over there?
Having a purpose…you felt important over there, like you were doing something for a bigger reason.

Do you feel as if people here don’t understand what you went through?
Sometimes, when certain people express their opinions without really knowing anything.

Where are your favorite places to go now? Are they different from before you left?
My favorite place remains the same ~ the reservoir in my home town. Being there helps me relax.

What is your favorite part about the holidays?
My favorite part about the holidays is being around my family.

What did you miss most when spending the holidays in Iraq?
I missed my family, it got lonely, but we all did the best we could.

Do you have different views of the world than you used to?
Definitely. I have a much greater appreciation for life.

What are you doing now?
I am an Office Manager.