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thedrifter
03-16-08, 09:18 AM
War veterans from Springfield say U.S. took on a tough task in Iraq
Deployments put stress on their families, but both say U.S. shouldn't pull out too soon.

By Samantha Sommer

Staff Writer

Sunday, March 16, 2008

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio — It doesn't surprise retired Sgt. 1st Class Rick Ferguson that the war in Iraq continues five years after it started.

He also served in the first Gulf War, in which fighting lasted about two months.

But for the latest war, U.S. troops attacked Iraq on March 19, 2003, and continue to fight there now.

"This time we knew we were going in there to get rid of Saddam and just knew it wasn't going to be such a quick fix," Ferguson said.

The Springfield resident went to Iraq in March 2003. He spent a year there driving a fuel truck and often commanded convoys.

Before retiring, he had 21 years of active Army and Army Reserve duty experience.

Retired 1st Sgt. Kevin Jewett grew up in Springfield. He also served in Iraq in 2004 for about seven months as part of a 26-month tour that included a stop in the Horn of Africa.

He had about 25 years of active and reserve services with the Marines before retiring.

Jewett, who now lives in Madison County, didn't expect the war to last this long.

But having been in Iraq training police officers and doing other jobs for a while, he saw a vacuum created by Saddam Hussein's fall.

"It left it wide open for anyone ... for the insurgents to come in to intimidate and take over," Jewett said. "But from what I see now, a lot of good is being done."

Both Jewett and Ferguson believe the surge in troops last year is working and don't want to see troops pulled out too soon.

Ferguson believes it would show weakness to terrorists if U.S. troops leave, while Jewett said it would create mass chaos.

"The insurgency will move in, and it will be just like Saddam was still there," Jewett said.

The long deployments proved stressful for families of both men.

Ferguson's unit entered Iraq at the beginning of the war and faced rough conditions at first until supply lines improved. They ran short on food and water, and had no showers and no phones.

He went about a month without being able to call his family.

"I know the wife was really stressed out about it, and she lost a lot of weight and her health went down," he said.

For Jewett, the stress on his family played a part in his decision to retire, especially the impact on his then-6-year-old son.

"When I got back, I found out he would just bust out in tears in class because I was gone so long," he said.

The troops' morale overall was high, both men said, and they did good work. The Iraqi locals were friendly and hard-working, they said.

In addition to training three police academy classes, Jewett's unit also provided police equipment and installed playgrounds.

Ferguson drove about 32,000 miles all over the country and formed strong bonds with the other members of his unit.

"I miss the military quite a bit now just because of being with those guys and the experience we shared," he said.

Ferguson also had a few close calls. In a convoy once, the truck behind him was hit by an improvised explosive device.

At another time, mortars fell all around a sports complex where he had gone for a physical fitness test.

"That day, I actually could hear the whistle of them passing overhead and exploding all around," he said.

While the duration of the conflict isn't a surprise, Ferguson wonders if the war could have been better planned.

"I kind of wish before it started that maybe they should have listened a little more to the generals telling them we needed more manpower over there and put a little more thought into how to get out," he said.


Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0363 or ssommer@coxohio.com.

Ellie