thedrifter
11-11-08, 11:47 AM
Veterans Day spotlight: One of Uinta County’s active duty marines recently promoted, serving third tour in Iraq
Posted: Tuesday, Nov 11th, 2008
BY: BECKY CRUM, Herald Reporter
Rusty Wall graduated from Evanston High School in 1998. He joined the United States Marine Corp about two years after graduation. At 28 years old, he is presently serving his third tour of duty in Iraq.
After basic training, he had his first assignment in Hawaii. He is an avid player of the computer game, “Worlds of War Craft.” While playing the game on a computer in a game room, he met his wife, Ali. They married in 2002 and have three daughters, Arabelle, 10, Tristelle, 5 and Mirielle, 4.
Wall is an only child. His mother, Patty Wall, said she isn’t surprised that he became a Marine. She said as a child he always said he wanted to fly jets.
During his high school years at Evanston High School, Wall was a Boy Scout and played baseball. He liked to help his uncle, Roy Wall, set up camp at the Mountain Main fest in Fort Bridger. He enjoyed rock climbing with his friend, Steve, and learned to read the hieroglyphics on the rocks in the mountains. He played soccer and was instrumental in helping to get a soccer team started at Evanston High School in 1999.
Wall is a communications specialist in Iraq and teaches classes to help train soldiers on technical equipment.
“He’s always been interested in computers and technical things,” Patty said. “In high school he worked in the theatre setting up the lighting and sounds for their plays.”
His cousin, Delores Wagner, said that he was always a quiet child, very mellow and well-mannered. She remembered a story that she heard from Wall about an incident that happened in Iraq.
“While he was stationed in Fallujah, he and his men came across a kitten that was stuck in a hole. They rescued the kitten and made him their mascot. They kept the kitten hidden from the base commanders because they didn’t know if they would be allowed to keep it,” Wagner said and smiled.
This is Wall’s third assignment to Iraq. The first time, he was there for seven months, and the second tour was one year. Wall was recently promoted to the rank of Staff Sergeant.
He said it is a tradition for higher ranks to hand down their “bars” to a lower rank when they are promoted. Wall was very excited when his Lieutenant handed him her bars when she was promoted.
He plans to attend officer candidate school to live up to that honor.
“He is a dedicated Marine. He says that it is his job and what he is trained to do,” his mom said.
His wife and daughters are living in Ohio to be near her family while Wall is deployed to Iraq. The girls take karate classes with their mom.
His wife, Ali, is taking college classes to become an x-ray technician. Wall says when he gets back to the states in 2009, he wants to be stationed in Virginia.
That way he can be close to Ohio and his wife can continue her studies. Wall’s family — grandmother Patricia Wall; mother, Patty Wall; uncle, Roy Wall; aunt, Sue Wall; and cousins Delores Wagner and Jennifer Costello, all of Evanston are extremely proud of his achievements and military service.
Ellie
Posted: Tuesday, Nov 11th, 2008
BY: BECKY CRUM, Herald Reporter
Rusty Wall graduated from Evanston High School in 1998. He joined the United States Marine Corp about two years after graduation. At 28 years old, he is presently serving his third tour of duty in Iraq.
After basic training, he had his first assignment in Hawaii. He is an avid player of the computer game, “Worlds of War Craft.” While playing the game on a computer in a game room, he met his wife, Ali. They married in 2002 and have three daughters, Arabelle, 10, Tristelle, 5 and Mirielle, 4.
Wall is an only child. His mother, Patty Wall, said she isn’t surprised that he became a Marine. She said as a child he always said he wanted to fly jets.
During his high school years at Evanston High School, Wall was a Boy Scout and played baseball. He liked to help his uncle, Roy Wall, set up camp at the Mountain Main fest in Fort Bridger. He enjoyed rock climbing with his friend, Steve, and learned to read the hieroglyphics on the rocks in the mountains. He played soccer and was instrumental in helping to get a soccer team started at Evanston High School in 1999.
Wall is a communications specialist in Iraq and teaches classes to help train soldiers on technical equipment.
“He’s always been interested in computers and technical things,” Patty said. “In high school he worked in the theatre setting up the lighting and sounds for their plays.”
His cousin, Delores Wagner, said that he was always a quiet child, very mellow and well-mannered. She remembered a story that she heard from Wall about an incident that happened in Iraq.
“While he was stationed in Fallujah, he and his men came across a kitten that was stuck in a hole. They rescued the kitten and made him their mascot. They kept the kitten hidden from the base commanders because they didn’t know if they would be allowed to keep it,” Wagner said and smiled.
This is Wall’s third assignment to Iraq. The first time, he was there for seven months, and the second tour was one year. Wall was recently promoted to the rank of Staff Sergeant.
He said it is a tradition for higher ranks to hand down their “bars” to a lower rank when they are promoted. Wall was very excited when his Lieutenant handed him her bars when she was promoted.
He plans to attend officer candidate school to live up to that honor.
“He is a dedicated Marine. He says that it is his job and what he is trained to do,” his mom said.
His wife and daughters are living in Ohio to be near her family while Wall is deployed to Iraq. The girls take karate classes with their mom.
His wife, Ali, is taking college classes to become an x-ray technician. Wall says when he gets back to the states in 2009, he wants to be stationed in Virginia.
That way he can be close to Ohio and his wife can continue her studies. Wall’s family — grandmother Patricia Wall; mother, Patty Wall; uncle, Roy Wall; aunt, Sue Wall; and cousins Delores Wagner and Jennifer Costello, all of Evanston are extremely proud of his achievements and military service.
Ellie