thedrifter
03-11-06, 07:47 AM
Former resident always wanted to be a Marine
By Adam Tobias of the Daily Times staff
When 21-year-old former Johnson Creek resident Tom Wright was a little child, he always knew he wanted to join the Marines. That dream became a reality nine days after his high school graduation when he was sent off to Marine boot camp.
Wright, who is now stationed at the 29 Palms Marine Corps Base in California, just finished up a 30-day vacation with his family in Johnson Creek after recently being deployed to Iraq on two separate occasions.
He was first deployed to Iraq as part of the 1st Marines Division - 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines in February 2004. He spent his days at the Al Asad Air Base in northern Iraq with a main objective of securing various roads until September 2004.
“Our job was not to let improvised explosive devices happen on the roads so people could get back and forth safely,” he said. Wright said he also searched for enemies in towns and homes in the area.
His second tour was in Fallujah from August 2005 to October 2005, as part of the Fox Company, which is a line company where everything is done on foot. He was transferred to a smaller town just south of Fallujah from October 2005 to January 2006.
There his main objectives were to search towns and train the Iraqi army and police.
Although Wright said it was hard for him to leave his family, he was still able to keep in touch with them by using the phone and the Internet.
To help him feel more at home, Wright said his platoon got a big surprise around Christmastime last year when it received a bunch of care packages from his mother. The care packages were part of Operation Santa, a program in which military mothers collect items to send to the soldiers during the holiday.
The care packages included items such as hand warmers, socks, soup, DVDs, hats, candy and CDs. He said the cost to ship the packages alone was about $400.
Wright said the best thing for people to do to help those overseas is to send them care packages, reading material and canned goods. He added last December he got about 150 Christmas cards from people in his hometown area.
“That was a big deal just knowing that all these people cared for us,” Wright said. “I couldn't respond to all of them because there were so many, but I hung them on the wall and just to have them all was a big deal.”
“Honestly just knowing that we have support back here is pretty much a big deal,” he said. “Over there we hear a lot of people that are here saying they want us to pull out, but that is not our decision. We are just trying to do our job so we don't need people coming down on guys like me. I have no say in that. Just support us.”
While on his vacation, Wright said he has spoken to many schools and veteran organizations in the area about his experiences in Iraq and the progress that is being made.
“I believe that since we have gone over there we need to finish it for all of the people who have died,” Wright said. “All you can ask for is to support everybody over there. They just need it so much.”
“It was our choice to join the military, most of us after 9-11, so we knew we were going to go over there,” he added. “It is a big thing for me to be supported and I hate when people say ‘get us out of there now' because I don't feel like we are being supported.”
“From what I see through my eyes I think we are doing great things over there,” Wright said.
Wright, a 2003 graduate of Jefferson High School, is the son of Alan and Julie Wright, of Johnson Creek. He married his high school sweetheart, Christine Pagel, in Las Vegas, Nev., on Nov. 19, 2004.
The couple has an 8-month-old son, Bryan, who was born right before Wright was deployed for the second time.
Wright has received various medals for his service overseas. He holds a National Defense Medal, a Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, a Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and two Navy Overseas Deployment Medals. He added in the near future he will be getting an Iraqi Campaign Medal and a Combat Action Ribbon.
(Full story appears in Saturday's edition of the Daily Times)
Ellie
By Adam Tobias of the Daily Times staff
When 21-year-old former Johnson Creek resident Tom Wright was a little child, he always knew he wanted to join the Marines. That dream became a reality nine days after his high school graduation when he was sent off to Marine boot camp.
Wright, who is now stationed at the 29 Palms Marine Corps Base in California, just finished up a 30-day vacation with his family in Johnson Creek after recently being deployed to Iraq on two separate occasions.
He was first deployed to Iraq as part of the 1st Marines Division - 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines in February 2004. He spent his days at the Al Asad Air Base in northern Iraq with a main objective of securing various roads until September 2004.
“Our job was not to let improvised explosive devices happen on the roads so people could get back and forth safely,” he said. Wright said he also searched for enemies in towns and homes in the area.
His second tour was in Fallujah from August 2005 to October 2005, as part of the Fox Company, which is a line company where everything is done on foot. He was transferred to a smaller town just south of Fallujah from October 2005 to January 2006.
There his main objectives were to search towns and train the Iraqi army and police.
Although Wright said it was hard for him to leave his family, he was still able to keep in touch with them by using the phone and the Internet.
To help him feel more at home, Wright said his platoon got a big surprise around Christmastime last year when it received a bunch of care packages from his mother. The care packages were part of Operation Santa, a program in which military mothers collect items to send to the soldiers during the holiday.
The care packages included items such as hand warmers, socks, soup, DVDs, hats, candy and CDs. He said the cost to ship the packages alone was about $400.
Wright said the best thing for people to do to help those overseas is to send them care packages, reading material and canned goods. He added last December he got about 150 Christmas cards from people in his hometown area.
“That was a big deal just knowing that all these people cared for us,” Wright said. “I couldn't respond to all of them because there were so many, but I hung them on the wall and just to have them all was a big deal.”
“Honestly just knowing that we have support back here is pretty much a big deal,” he said. “Over there we hear a lot of people that are here saying they want us to pull out, but that is not our decision. We are just trying to do our job so we don't need people coming down on guys like me. I have no say in that. Just support us.”
While on his vacation, Wright said he has spoken to many schools and veteran organizations in the area about his experiences in Iraq and the progress that is being made.
“I believe that since we have gone over there we need to finish it for all of the people who have died,” Wright said. “All you can ask for is to support everybody over there. They just need it so much.”
“It was our choice to join the military, most of us after 9-11, so we knew we were going to go over there,” he added. “It is a big thing for me to be supported and I hate when people say ‘get us out of there now' because I don't feel like we are being supported.”
“From what I see through my eyes I think we are doing great things over there,” Wright said.
Wright, a 2003 graduate of Jefferson High School, is the son of Alan and Julie Wright, of Johnson Creek. He married his high school sweetheart, Christine Pagel, in Las Vegas, Nev., on Nov. 19, 2004.
The couple has an 8-month-old son, Bryan, who was born right before Wright was deployed for the second time.
Wright has received various medals for his service overseas. He holds a National Defense Medal, a Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, a Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and two Navy Overseas Deployment Medals. He added in the near future he will be getting an Iraqi Campaign Medal and a Combat Action Ribbon.
(Full story appears in Saturday's edition of the Daily Times)
Ellie