Pocono Marine re-enlists after serving in Iraq

BETH BRELJE
Pocono Record Writer
February 26, 2007

Bravery is often defined as being afraid but doing something anyway. It is safe to say Marine Cpl. Steven Geiger is brave.

A 2002 graduate of Delaware Valley High school near Milford, Geiger grew up in a family with strong military connections. His mother, father and grandfather all served in the military and he wanted to as well. After a Marine recruiter gave Geiger a sticker in the 11th grade, he did some research and decided to set his sights on that branch of the military.

Geiger says his parents' response to his decision was: "Awesome! When are you leaving?"

On Sept. 10, 2001, Geiger traveled to the Military Entrance Processing Station in Mechanicsburg in preparation for swearing-in the following day. On Sept. 11, Geiger had passed all of his tests and was waiting to be fingerprinted and sworn in when a voice over the intercom said, "Everybody stop." Recruits stood in the lobby and watched history unfold on the television. "When the towers fell, everyone was like, we're going to war," Geiger said. "I started to have doubts, but this is what I wanted to do." So he continued to the swearing in, became a Marine, and finished his senior year of high school knowing he would likely go to war after graduation. In a matter-of-fact tone he explained, "I was scared. Everybody gets scared, if they say they are not, they are lying. But it's my job. I promised."

He entered boot camp at Parris Island South Carolina in August 2002. "I loved it." Geiger said the challenge of the 54-hour Crucible, which is the final test a recruit must pass before becoming a Marine, inspired him to work toward becoming a drill instructor one day. From there he moved on to Marine Combat Training where he learned all the weapon systems. The first time he fired a 240 medium machine gun he was captivated by the non-stop recoil. "It was an amazing feeling to have that many bullets going downrange," he said. After he learned his trade, combat engineer, Geiger was called up for duty. An intense 10 weeks of training over, he was off to war.

Families came to say goodbye before his battalion left for Kuwait. "You could feel the emotion in the air around you," he said. His parents told him "be careful, we love you," then he stresses, they said, "We'll see you when you get back." The battalion left on Valentine's Day.

Geiger's first impression of Kuwait City was "hot!" A four- day drive past Baghdad and through Fallujah and Ramadi brought the battalion to Camp Al Asad, one of the biggest bases in Iraq. On the drive, people would sometimes line the streets to watch the Americans go by. Geiger said it was obvious from the hand gestures whether the people supported the Americans or not. There was a mixed reaction. Some children would ask for chocolate, soda and CD players. Sometimes a 3-year-old would flip you off.

As a combat engineer, Geiger's job was to set up new camps. From finding and disarming bombs to construction, he was part of the advance crew when camps were built. He notes that the camps have McDonald's, Subway, Baskin Robins and Pizza Hut which serve as reminders of home. He missed Mountain Dew and cigarettes because they tasted different. By his second tour in Iraq, he had more to miss, a new wife Lindsey. "I knew what I was getting myself into," says Lindsey. They were married three days before his second deployment. "It has been rough, but I am willing to go through anything to be with him."

She says the deployment was the hardest thing, but the support of her family, friends and other military wives helped. While he was away, she didn't watch the news at all. The couple kept in touch by phone and e-mail when possible, and also through letters. Now those letters are stored in a special box.

Geiger knew it would be tough but, he said, "You don't know until you are there." His roughest moment came at the news of the death of friend Brandon Schuck, 21, of Scottsdale, Ariz. He was the same rank as Geiger, and had the same job, running missions helping the bomb squad with explosive ordnance disposal. Schuck was killed when his Humvee hit a mine. "Feb. 6, 2006, the same day his son turned 1," Geiger said. "The platoon was really tight," he said. They were awakened in the night to hear the news.

Geiger has been home for a while, and has had a chance to reconnect with his wife. Just last week he made the decision to reenlist in the Marines.

"I begged him to get out. I wanted us to experience something different," says Lindsey. She realized they had been through deployment already, and that if he were not a Marine, he would be miserable, so she ultimately supports his reenlistment.

Today the couple waits for Geiger's orders and a baby in October. "We had to get through the rough times to get to the good," says Lindsey.

Ellie