thedrifter
03-10-07, 10:20 AM
Posted on Sat, Mar. 10, 2007
Wounded alumnus visits school
ANTIOCH: Marine who graduated two years ago comes home while recuperating from sniper attack two months ago
By Andrew Becker
CONTRA COSTA TIMES
A wounded Marine went back to school Friday, looking for familiar faces.
His name wasn't familiar to all the teachers, and few students remembered him. A sniper's bullet, inches from ending his life, had changed his own face. But he was looking for something that seemed the same, even if he wasn't.
Shy and soft-spoken but standing straight, Lance Cpl. Brian Vargas visited Antioch High School, his first time back since he'd gone to war -- nearly two months after he was injured while on patrol in Iraq, and nearly two years since he graduated.
The visit fell on his birthday. He'd finally reached his 20s. In his pocket he kept his Purple Heart. He had to remember where he'd put his car keys. A 3-inch scar curled across his right cheek.
A big smile spread across his face when he saw someone he knew. Those who did recognize Vargas, dressed in his crisp uniform, said he looked thin. They joked with him that he needed to put on some weight. He said that his injuries had made it difficult to eat.
Assigned to limited duty and stationed at the Wounded Warrior Center at Camp Pendleton north of San Diego, Vargas was on leave for the weekend. He's anxious to return to Iraq.
"It's my job," he said. "It's what I know how to do."
Although he still has family in the area, his parents don't live here anymore. They moved away shortly after he arrived in Iraq. In search of a piece of home, Vargas toured the school with Principal Louie Rocha. They visited classrooms, saw former teachers and walked the school's long halls. Students applauded Vargas, and teachers hugged and thanked him, saying how proud they are of him.
"I want to do what I can to make a memorable visit for him," Rocha said.
Prompted by Rocha to show students that he'd been honored, Vargas removed from his front pants pocket again and again the Purple Heart he was awarded for his injuries suffered Jan. 17 in Hit, in central Iraq. A member of the 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines, Vargas was on a rooftop searching for insurgents when a sniper's bullet tore through his left hand and hit his right cheek.
"It's not a good place to be in Iraq," he said.
On the roof
In the country for five and half months, Vargas and the other Marines in his squad had recently learned that their tour had been extended beyond March to late spring when they received orders. Starting near the Syrian border in December, the squad arrived in the Sunni-dominated city of Hit the week before Christmas.
Working with the Army, the squad conducted patrols at night as it was too dangerous to be out during the day. The troops set up 24-, 36- or 72-hour observational posts where they would use a house with or without a family living in it.
"The whole city was against us," Vargas said. "They knew where we were within hours."
On the morning of Jan. 17 -- his mother's birthday -- Vargas and four others stood post on the roof of the three-level house. He had stayed up through the night on a 24-hour post. When they started taking sniper fire, they sent their medic down and shot back.
While his friends took cover, Vargas stood looking for the insurgent. He scanned buildings, windows and other possible hiding spots from left to right. He was facing straight forward when the bullet struck him.
"It took a few seconds to process what happened," he said. "I couldn't hear anything but I could see people yelling."
Covered in blood and not wanting to get shot again, Vargas ran down to the first floor. There was shrapnel in his eye, tongue, cheek and jaw. An Army tank was called to evacuate Vargas while the others went back to the roof to look for the sniper.
As Vargas slipped in and out of consciousness, he recalled, his thought was, "I don't want to die here.
"The only people who came to my mind were my mom, dad and an ex-girl of mine, Monica," he said.
Vargas was evacuated to a base north of Baghdad before he was flown to Germany, where he underwent surgery. Vargas said he has trouble speaking, memory loss and attention-span problems. Although doctors removed the shrapnel from his hand, some remains in his face.
Vargas, who has two more years in a four-year stint, said he feels guilty about being in the United States.
"Some parts of me, I'd like to be back in Iraq, with my boys, my friends," he said. "I've lost a bunch of my friends. Some have died."
Back to school
As word got back to Antioch teachers and administrators of Vargas' condition, students and teachers decided to put together a care package. They made banners wishing him well.
Two weeks before he visited the school, Vargas returned to Antioch, where Rocha gave him the gifts.
A large sign made by the school's student government welcomed Vargas, one of few if any alumni wounded while serving in Iraq or Afghanistan to visit the campus.
After visiting a few classes, Rocha led Vargas to a music room, where the Music Masters sang three songs in his honor, including "Happy Birthday."
"There's comfort in coming back to a place that's consistent, constant, to get re-established," Rocha said.
The shy Marine said he was nervous before coming to campus but was happy to be back.
When one student asked if he'd been in the war, he replied, "Something like that." When another familiar face asked Vargas how he was doing, he said, "I'm living."
Reach Andrew Becker at 925-779-7116 or abecker@cctimes.com.
Ellie
Wounded alumnus visits school
ANTIOCH: Marine who graduated two years ago comes home while recuperating from sniper attack two months ago
By Andrew Becker
CONTRA COSTA TIMES
A wounded Marine went back to school Friday, looking for familiar faces.
His name wasn't familiar to all the teachers, and few students remembered him. A sniper's bullet, inches from ending his life, had changed his own face. But he was looking for something that seemed the same, even if he wasn't.
Shy and soft-spoken but standing straight, Lance Cpl. Brian Vargas visited Antioch High School, his first time back since he'd gone to war -- nearly two months after he was injured while on patrol in Iraq, and nearly two years since he graduated.
The visit fell on his birthday. He'd finally reached his 20s. In his pocket he kept his Purple Heart. He had to remember where he'd put his car keys. A 3-inch scar curled across his right cheek.
A big smile spread across his face when he saw someone he knew. Those who did recognize Vargas, dressed in his crisp uniform, said he looked thin. They joked with him that he needed to put on some weight. He said that his injuries had made it difficult to eat.
Assigned to limited duty and stationed at the Wounded Warrior Center at Camp Pendleton north of San Diego, Vargas was on leave for the weekend. He's anxious to return to Iraq.
"It's my job," he said. "It's what I know how to do."
Although he still has family in the area, his parents don't live here anymore. They moved away shortly after he arrived in Iraq. In search of a piece of home, Vargas toured the school with Principal Louie Rocha. They visited classrooms, saw former teachers and walked the school's long halls. Students applauded Vargas, and teachers hugged and thanked him, saying how proud they are of him.
"I want to do what I can to make a memorable visit for him," Rocha said.
Prompted by Rocha to show students that he'd been honored, Vargas removed from his front pants pocket again and again the Purple Heart he was awarded for his injuries suffered Jan. 17 in Hit, in central Iraq. A member of the 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines, Vargas was on a rooftop searching for insurgents when a sniper's bullet tore through his left hand and hit his right cheek.
"It's not a good place to be in Iraq," he said.
On the roof
In the country for five and half months, Vargas and the other Marines in his squad had recently learned that their tour had been extended beyond March to late spring when they received orders. Starting near the Syrian border in December, the squad arrived in the Sunni-dominated city of Hit the week before Christmas.
Working with the Army, the squad conducted patrols at night as it was too dangerous to be out during the day. The troops set up 24-, 36- or 72-hour observational posts where they would use a house with or without a family living in it.
"The whole city was against us," Vargas said. "They knew where we were within hours."
On the morning of Jan. 17 -- his mother's birthday -- Vargas and four others stood post on the roof of the three-level house. He had stayed up through the night on a 24-hour post. When they started taking sniper fire, they sent their medic down and shot back.
While his friends took cover, Vargas stood looking for the insurgent. He scanned buildings, windows and other possible hiding spots from left to right. He was facing straight forward when the bullet struck him.
"It took a few seconds to process what happened," he said. "I couldn't hear anything but I could see people yelling."
Covered in blood and not wanting to get shot again, Vargas ran down to the first floor. There was shrapnel in his eye, tongue, cheek and jaw. An Army tank was called to evacuate Vargas while the others went back to the roof to look for the sniper.
As Vargas slipped in and out of consciousness, he recalled, his thought was, "I don't want to die here.
"The only people who came to my mind were my mom, dad and an ex-girl of mine, Monica," he said.
Vargas was evacuated to a base north of Baghdad before he was flown to Germany, where he underwent surgery. Vargas said he has trouble speaking, memory loss and attention-span problems. Although doctors removed the shrapnel from his hand, some remains in his face.
Vargas, who has two more years in a four-year stint, said he feels guilty about being in the United States.
"Some parts of me, I'd like to be back in Iraq, with my boys, my friends," he said. "I've lost a bunch of my friends. Some have died."
Back to school
As word got back to Antioch teachers and administrators of Vargas' condition, students and teachers decided to put together a care package. They made banners wishing him well.
Two weeks before he visited the school, Vargas returned to Antioch, where Rocha gave him the gifts.
A large sign made by the school's student government welcomed Vargas, one of few if any alumni wounded while serving in Iraq or Afghanistan to visit the campus.
After visiting a few classes, Rocha led Vargas to a music room, where the Music Masters sang three songs in his honor, including "Happy Birthday."
"There's comfort in coming back to a place that's consistent, constant, to get re-established," Rocha said.
The shy Marine said he was nervous before coming to campus but was happy to be back.
When one student asked if he'd been in the war, he replied, "Something like that." When another familiar face asked Vargas how he was doing, he said, "I'm living."
Reach Andrew Becker at 925-779-7116 or abecker@cctimes.com.
Ellie