thedrifter
08-16-08, 07:34 AM
On Foreign Soil
Area residents talk about their time in the war zone
By Quentin Young
Longmont Times-Call
Most of us will never see Iraq. But some of our neighbors have.
The Times-Call wanted to hear directly from area residents who have been to Iraq. Three people — a Navy corpsman attached to the Marines, a Marine and a dentist in the Army Reserve — agreed to answer questions about what they saw overseas and how they felt about it.
David “Doc” Anderson, the corpsman, deployed for Iraq on July 26, 2006 — his 27th birthday. Tyson Lopez, the Marine, said learning to read the body language of Iraqis was a matter of survival. John Bauman, the dentist, was 57 years old when he signed up for the Army Reserve.
We continue the three-day series today with Lopez. Anderson was featured in the Friday Times-Call and Bauman will be featured Sunday. The articles are accompanied by a multimedia presentation at www.times
call.com.
1. Describe the part of Iraq you got to know.
The part of Iraq I got to know best was the people. I learned not only about the culture but how to read their body language to stay alive.
They’re not all terrorists, but I learned not to trust anyone but your fellow Marines.
2. Did you become friends with any Iraqis, or were there even opportunities for you to interact with Iraqis? Do you keep in touch with anyone from Iraq?
I interacted with Iraqis 24/7 the seven months I was there. The schedule we had was too hectic to establish friendships with Iraqi police.
I do keep in touch with friends there now, and they say it’s a whole different world there now. They say it’s quiet and turned around.
3. What, if anything, do you miss about being in Iraq?
The No. 1 thing I miss most, without a doubt, is my friends.
I became so close with them it was like true family. You get back home from Iraq, and everyone goes their own ways.
4. What did you miss most about being home?
The thing I missed most from home was my friends and family. But to be honest, you really don’t have a lot of time to think about it.
5. Did your time in Iraq change you in any lasting ways?
The time in Iraq changed me, because you realize how important the little things are. You see how everyone back home worries about the littlest thing and don’t realize how lucky they are.
6. How did spending time in Iraq change or reinforce your views on America’s mission there?
It didn’t change my views at all.
I was told we needed to be there, and when we got there, we were shot at all day every day. The people who are not terrorists want us there to protect them and uphold peace so they can one day have the freedom we live every day.
7. Is there anything concerning Iraq you believe Americans who have never been there are most misinformed about?
The people that complain and cry the most about us not needing to be there and saying “Bring our troops home” need to understand that’s what we signed up for. There was no draft — we chose to because we believe we should be there.
Quentin Young can be reached at 303-684-5319 or qyoung@times-call.com.
Ellie
Area residents talk about their time in the war zone
By Quentin Young
Longmont Times-Call
Most of us will never see Iraq. But some of our neighbors have.
The Times-Call wanted to hear directly from area residents who have been to Iraq. Three people — a Navy corpsman attached to the Marines, a Marine and a dentist in the Army Reserve — agreed to answer questions about what they saw overseas and how they felt about it.
David “Doc” Anderson, the corpsman, deployed for Iraq on July 26, 2006 — his 27th birthday. Tyson Lopez, the Marine, said learning to read the body language of Iraqis was a matter of survival. John Bauman, the dentist, was 57 years old when he signed up for the Army Reserve.
We continue the three-day series today with Lopez. Anderson was featured in the Friday Times-Call and Bauman will be featured Sunday. The articles are accompanied by a multimedia presentation at www.times
call.com.
1. Describe the part of Iraq you got to know.
The part of Iraq I got to know best was the people. I learned not only about the culture but how to read their body language to stay alive.
They’re not all terrorists, but I learned not to trust anyone but your fellow Marines.
2. Did you become friends with any Iraqis, or were there even opportunities for you to interact with Iraqis? Do you keep in touch with anyone from Iraq?
I interacted with Iraqis 24/7 the seven months I was there. The schedule we had was too hectic to establish friendships with Iraqi police.
I do keep in touch with friends there now, and they say it’s a whole different world there now. They say it’s quiet and turned around.
3. What, if anything, do you miss about being in Iraq?
The No. 1 thing I miss most, without a doubt, is my friends.
I became so close with them it was like true family. You get back home from Iraq, and everyone goes their own ways.
4. What did you miss most about being home?
The thing I missed most from home was my friends and family. But to be honest, you really don’t have a lot of time to think about it.
5. Did your time in Iraq change you in any lasting ways?
The time in Iraq changed me, because you realize how important the little things are. You see how everyone back home worries about the littlest thing and don’t realize how lucky they are.
6. How did spending time in Iraq change or reinforce your views on America’s mission there?
It didn’t change my views at all.
I was told we needed to be there, and when we got there, we were shot at all day every day. The people who are not terrorists want us there to protect them and uphold peace so they can one day have the freedom we live every day.
7. Is there anything concerning Iraq you believe Americans who have never been there are most misinformed about?
The people that complain and cry the most about us not needing to be there and saying “Bring our troops home” need to understand that’s what we signed up for. There was no draft — we chose to because we believe we should be there.
Quentin Young can be reached at 303-684-5319 or qyoung@times-call.com.
Ellie