thedrifter
11-15-05, 10:38 PM
U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Nicholas M. Zallis
Marine Volunteers for Operation Steel Curtain
By Sgt. Josh H. Hauser
2nd Force Services Support Group
CAMP GANNON, Iraq, Nov. 15, 2005 — Most Marines will proudly tell you, if asked, one of the greatest and most selfless moments of their lives is when they raised their right hand and swore to serve and protect the country they love.
Lance Cpl. Nicholas M. Zallis, assigned to Combat Logistics Battalion-2, 2nd Marine Logistics Group (Forward) serves aboard Camp Gannon alongside his fellow brothers-in-arms.
Normally a motor transportation operator, Zallis is now on a different kind of mission. He is standing guard as part of the camp's perimeter security. Wedged into a precarious corner of the globe, the native of Chicago scans his new environment for signs of danger.
To his left a sign, “Welcome to Syria,” while to his right the sights and sounds of combat ring out relentlessly as Operation Steel Curtain sweeps through the city of Husaybah, ridding its citizens of their unwelcome insurgent neighbors.
A little over a year ago, Zallis was nearing the end of his sophomore year at Columbia Art Institute of Chicago. Majoring in photography, he was certain he knew what he wanted to do in his life. But after losing two cousins during Operation Iraqi Freedom I and two more during the invasion of Fallujah, his sense of service became more prominent.
After two more cousins were wounded during the same improvised explosive attack on their convoy from Camp Fallujah to Baghdad, Zallis announced to his family that he was joining the military.
Fearful for their son's safety, Zallis said his parents did not immediately approve.
“They didn't want me to join the Marines,” Zallis said. “I was going to join the Coast Guard as sort of a compromise, but then I really started noticing the Marine Corps commercials and you had to pass their recruiting office to get to the Coast Guard's so I stuck with my decision.”
With a background in photography Zallis' recruiter asked him about becoming a combat photographer, but Zallis wasn't sure if that would get him as close to the front lines as he wanted so he opted for motor transportation instead.
Upon completing recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, Zallis said he was certain he had made the right decision and was even surer of his family's acceptance.
“After boot camp I saw my Dad cry because he was so proud. I've never seen him cry. I bet he cried when the White Sox won the World Series too though,” Zallis joked.
Zallis was deployed to Iraq within the year where he would serve as an ambulance driver with Al Asad's Surgical/Shock Trauma Platoon in the country's volatile Al Anbar province.
But still, he wasn't as close to the fighting as he expected to be. When his unit asked for volunteers for an upcoming operation, Zallis jumped at the chance.
“I like being out here more than the hospital. I wish I could be out there driving around but everybody has their place,” he
said staring off as smoke billowed from an air strike on the city's horizon.
Like so many servicemembers here, he told his parents before he left that he wouldn't be able to contact them for awhile.
“I told them the phone and internet lines would be down for awhile,” he said of his white lie to protect his family from worry. “They wouldn't want me to be out here, but I'll tell them later.”
Although his parents and family are understandably worried they support him 100 percent and tell him they can see the difference in their son's life since he joined.
“They say I've grown up a lot,” Zallis said.
Zallis' family has a long history of military service. His grandfather served in Vietnam and a number of his great-uncles were Navy corpsmen.
Zallis said he plans on completing his four-year enlistment and possibly pursuing a career in the Drug Enforcement Agency, continuing his path to serve.
”My grandfather used to tell me that the hard times make good stories so I look forward to telling my kids about my time here someday,” he said. “I've seen my family and fellow Marines juggle family and military service and I just don't think I could do it, but I'm proud of the time I've spent in and always will be.”
And others are proud of Zallis and those who serve as well.
Zallis said when he was home on recruiter's assistance last year around Christmas, he stopped to buy some new clothes at the local mall. Not wanting to look clumsy in the Marine uniform he was wearing, he left a number of items with the cashier to hold until he was through shopping. When he returned, the cashier explained that a woman came by and paid for all of his items, leaving only a note thanking him for his service.
Ellie
Marine Volunteers for Operation Steel Curtain
By Sgt. Josh H. Hauser
2nd Force Services Support Group
CAMP GANNON, Iraq, Nov. 15, 2005 — Most Marines will proudly tell you, if asked, one of the greatest and most selfless moments of their lives is when they raised their right hand and swore to serve and protect the country they love.
Lance Cpl. Nicholas M. Zallis, assigned to Combat Logistics Battalion-2, 2nd Marine Logistics Group (Forward) serves aboard Camp Gannon alongside his fellow brothers-in-arms.
Normally a motor transportation operator, Zallis is now on a different kind of mission. He is standing guard as part of the camp's perimeter security. Wedged into a precarious corner of the globe, the native of Chicago scans his new environment for signs of danger.
To his left a sign, “Welcome to Syria,” while to his right the sights and sounds of combat ring out relentlessly as Operation Steel Curtain sweeps through the city of Husaybah, ridding its citizens of their unwelcome insurgent neighbors.
A little over a year ago, Zallis was nearing the end of his sophomore year at Columbia Art Institute of Chicago. Majoring in photography, he was certain he knew what he wanted to do in his life. But after losing two cousins during Operation Iraqi Freedom I and two more during the invasion of Fallujah, his sense of service became more prominent.
After two more cousins were wounded during the same improvised explosive attack on their convoy from Camp Fallujah to Baghdad, Zallis announced to his family that he was joining the military.
Fearful for their son's safety, Zallis said his parents did not immediately approve.
“They didn't want me to join the Marines,” Zallis said. “I was going to join the Coast Guard as sort of a compromise, but then I really started noticing the Marine Corps commercials and you had to pass their recruiting office to get to the Coast Guard's so I stuck with my decision.”
With a background in photography Zallis' recruiter asked him about becoming a combat photographer, but Zallis wasn't sure if that would get him as close to the front lines as he wanted so he opted for motor transportation instead.
Upon completing recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, Zallis said he was certain he had made the right decision and was even surer of his family's acceptance.
“After boot camp I saw my Dad cry because he was so proud. I've never seen him cry. I bet he cried when the White Sox won the World Series too though,” Zallis joked.
Zallis was deployed to Iraq within the year where he would serve as an ambulance driver with Al Asad's Surgical/Shock Trauma Platoon in the country's volatile Al Anbar province.
But still, he wasn't as close to the fighting as he expected to be. When his unit asked for volunteers for an upcoming operation, Zallis jumped at the chance.
“I like being out here more than the hospital. I wish I could be out there driving around but everybody has their place,” he
said staring off as smoke billowed from an air strike on the city's horizon.
Like so many servicemembers here, he told his parents before he left that he wouldn't be able to contact them for awhile.
“I told them the phone and internet lines would be down for awhile,” he said of his white lie to protect his family from worry. “They wouldn't want me to be out here, but I'll tell them later.”
Although his parents and family are understandably worried they support him 100 percent and tell him they can see the difference in their son's life since he joined.
“They say I've grown up a lot,” Zallis said.
Zallis' family has a long history of military service. His grandfather served in Vietnam and a number of his great-uncles were Navy corpsmen.
Zallis said he plans on completing his four-year enlistment and possibly pursuing a career in the Drug Enforcement Agency, continuing his path to serve.
”My grandfather used to tell me that the hard times make good stories so I look forward to telling my kids about my time here someday,” he said. “I've seen my family and fellow Marines juggle family and military service and I just don't think I could do it, but I'm proud of the time I've spent in and always will be.”
And others are proud of Zallis and those who serve as well.
Zallis said when he was home on recruiter's assistance last year around Christmas, he stopped to buy some new clothes at the local mall. Not wanting to look clumsy in the Marine uniform he was wearing, he left a number of items with the cashier to hold until he was through shopping. When he returned, the cashier explained that a woman came by and paid for all of his items, leaving only a note thanking him for his service.
Ellie