Awarded the Purple Heart, the brave 22-year-old was finally able to return to his anxiously waiting family and friends on the northshore in late September. I recently had the honor of visiting with him at his family home in Abita Springs.

What first influenced your decision to join the military?

I had considered joining for some time, and, since college wasn’t working out that well, I decided to join the Army in 2000.

Why did you choose the Cavalry?

I knew that I didn’t want to sit behind a desk; for me, that would defeat the purpose of joining the military. As the recruiter explained it, the Cavalry would put me in the forefront of combat operations– scouting, securing perimeters, etc. I grew up in the woods, so the skills required were second nature to me.

How did the events of 9/11 impact you personally?

That’s exactly what it was– personal. I remember that day so vividly. I was sitting in the chow hall at Fort Polk watching the television that morning. When the second plane hit the tower, we knew that something was terribly wrong. The Post got crazy after that; we immediately went to high-alert, Threat Con Delta status.

When you arrived in Iraq, was the reality of the war what you anticipated?

Somewhat. I knew we had a job to do, even though I wasn’t completely sure of what it would entail. In a country like Iraq, you never know what’s going to happen.

How many men were in your regiment?

About 3,000. We actually occupied a cigarette factory in Baghdad as our base camp. Conditions were, of course, less than ideal; the electricity would cut off and on a lot, and many of the civilians were angry because of that. We had to eventually guard the Iraqis who were running the electric plant.

How often were you engaged in combat operations?

It was fairly sporadic. When we first arrived, we encountered several small firefights. It calmed down substantially for a couple of months until the use of terrorist tactics began increasing. I think that once they realized they couldn’t defeat us militarily, they resorted to terrorism.

What were the circumstances surrounding the attack in which you were injured?

Two trucks from our platoon were positioned as front and back security for an eight-truck convoy outside of Baghdad; I was at the gunner position in the lead vehicle. It was around 5:30 a.m., and I remember thinking that we usually saw more cars on the road at that time of morning. I had an eerie feeling that there could be an IED (Improvised Explosive Device) out there, and that feeling became a reality when we were hit by a remote-controlled mortar round.

In light of your experience, does the familiar world look different to you now?

It definitely makes you see things differently. I’m just trying to keep it normal. When I first got back to the northshore, I was just happy. I’m still happy!

What is the prevailing attitude among U.S. soldiers about fighting the war in Iraq, Afghanistan or other parts of the region?

If you talk to any soldier, you will hear the same response. We believe in what we’re doing. I respect President Bush for taking the fight to them–that was the right thing to do. Terrorists could be plotting another attack against the United States, but now they have to worry about their own homeland. We completely support the decisions of our Commander-in-Chief, and we’re determined to see it through.

Copyright 2003, M&L Publishing, all rights reserved.