When I am asked about my year with the 34th Infantry Division in Iraq, it will be an honor to say that I had the privilege of serving in somewhat austere conditions with a group of proud, hard-working, can-do, never-say-quit Citizen-Soldiers who brought their best skills to Iraq and made mission no matter what was asked of them.
I will never be able to explain the challenging conditions we found at Contingency Operating Base Basra, or the expanse of our operating environment, the extreme poverty we witnessed, the unbelievable humidity, the sandblasting dust storms or the difficulty of travel. I won’t be able to describe the gut-wrenching grief we felt at the loss of our soldiers or the incredible joy of cheering on our Vikings, the tears that come from receiving a care package from a stranger, or the lift that comes from a cup of joe at Holy Joes coffee shop on base. I won’t even try to share what it is like to hear the big voice boom “Incoming! Incoming! Incoming!” and know your life is on the line or the ecstasy of hearing “all clear” and know that you’ve been given the gift of another day.
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