STORIES
Kenneth Anderson
A.J. Ball
Bill Briggs
Regis Carr
James E. Carter
Gregg F. Corcoran
Larry Davenport
Mary DeAngelis
Mae Green
Roger A. Gregg
Bobby G. Grider
Josh J. Grider
Joseph Gross
Charles W. Hackett
Tom Haupt
Charles C. Hinson
Jay Luster
C.E. Moyer
Dennis M. Murton
Dennis Murton, Jr.
Chuck Newton
Bobby Onuska
Jerome Parson
William F. Perdue
Terry A. Roe
Sandra S. Simpson
Connie Rubin Smith
Jutta Spencer
Dale Stevens
Stephan Stocker
Clint Summers
Timothy Tuohy
Jack Zist
Chuck Newton
Information Technology
Atlanta
I joined Norfolk Southern in June 1998 as an employee in the Information Technology department in Atlanta. Working in the distributed systems group, I am responsible for EDI and data communications.
I was mobilized for Operation Iraqi Freedom January 2005, and am scheduled to be in Iraq until May 2006. Currently, I operate out of Camp Striker on Baghdad International Airport (BIAP) serving as 2nd Lt. A CO 148th Support Battalion. I am the support platoon leader, responsible for fuel, water, and ammunition for the 48th Brigade. I also lead the logistic convoys for the GA National Guard's 48th Brigade.
It was a summer night in Iraq, and we are preparing for a supply run to Mahmadiya and Lutafiya. These two cities are part of the dangerous Sunni triangle. As I go over the final convoy checks and the NCOs perform pre combat inspections, battalion calls to give me the latest intelligence on the route I would be taking. I am informed there were no attacks over the last 24 hours. I tell myself this most likely means there would be insurgent attacks over the next 24 hours so added caution should be taken. The vehicles are now lined up and ready to go.
I radio the total number of vehicles and personnel to battalion and depart. It is a moonlit night and as we go down a narrow roadway, I am scanning the sides of the road for IEDs, Improvised Explosive Devices, or anything that looks out of the ordinary. Everything is going well and within the hour we arrive safely at our first destination - Mahmadiya. We drop off personnel, supplies, and equipment and prepare to continue the mission south to Lutafiya.
As we reach the gate and begin to depart, we are stopped and told an IED was found along the route. No convoys could move in that direction until an EOD team had cleared the IED. As the soldiers in the convoy gather around, I pass along the information to them and assess their mental state. I am faced with a dilemma never experienced before in my life. I have never been in a situation knowing that a threat to life is ahead, and know I have to press through in order to complete the mission. The soldiers seem confident in their training and equipment, and that puts me at ease momentarily.
Several hours later, I am told the IED has been cleared and that we may continue with the mission. We leave out and come to the city market in Mahmadiya. Knowing the streets are extremely narrow, I decide to go around the market. We safely navigate around the market and continue south. I look at my GPS (Global Positioning System) and notice that we are approaching the area where the IED was found. My gunner and driver ask me if I can smell smoke or something burning. I take a breath and come to the conclusion the IED was blown in place. I notice a crater in the median where it was most likely detonated.
We speed through the area and come to an Iraqi Guard checkpoint. The Iraqi soldiers smile and wave their AK47s as we go through. Moments later, my driver asks did I see sparks coming from the right. As I glance to the right I see tracer rounds and hear small arms fire. The volley was intense to the point that I decided to speed through the attack rather than stay in the kill zone.
We speed about a mile down the road and get accountability. No one is hurt, no major damage to any vehicles. We press on to the second destination, Lutafiya, and drop off supplies. Once again we are faced with having to go through a danger area on the return back to Camp Striker. We leave the gate and assume a tight convoy, prepared for another attack. This time, there is no attack. I am relieved; however I know the next attack may be minutes away. Fortunately, we reach Camp Striker safe and unharmed.
I never thought I would be in this situation when I was commissioned August 2004. It is a league different from working in the NS Information Technology department. I went from a safe corporate environment, to a hostile land where I have to lead supply convoys down unsecured roadways. I have the utmost respect for the citizen soldiers who have been called to duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. We have performed admirably, putting our life on the line for the security of the United States.