In Their Own Words – 10 Thurston County Veterans Talk about Military Service

U.S. Army, Chief Warrant Officer 3, Engineer

Deployments: Bosnia Herzegovina, South America (Multiple), Afghanistan (twice), Iraq

Most fulfilling part of your service: “As an engineer you get to leave your mark. You build something and leave it behind. We improve things and leave it better than how we found it.

Most difficult part of your service: “Being away from the family during my last deployment when my kids were old enough to know I was gone.”

Best way to show our appreciation for those service men and women who are no longer with us: “Look for opportunities to serve in the community, government or military, as a way to give back to the community.”

U.S. Navy, Ensign, Organizational Development Consultant, Alcohol and Drug Counselor, Weapons Officer

Deployment: USS Independence

Most fulfilling part of your service: “The fine quality of people I met. I’ve always been a compassionate, caring person and some of the most compassionate, caring people I have ever met were in the military. Also the ability to get my master’s degree and doctorate with the GI Bill. I wouldn’t be a professor of 27 years if it wasn’t for the military.”

Most difficult part of your service: “Being away from my wife during war time and the attitude of civilians. This was the Vietnam era and we were not looked at with ‘thank you for your service’ we were looked at as ‘baby killers’ and there was a really bad attitude toward the military back then.”

Best way to show our appreciation for those service men and women who are no longer with us: “Love the people you love and realize that those serving are away from those that they love. Be thankful and appreciative of those who have served.”

U.S. Air Force, Staff Sergeant, Traffic Management, Cargo

Deployments: UAE, Iraq

Most fulfilling part of your service: “I did what I wanted to do. I joined to serve and was able to serve my country in a way that was enjoyable to me.”

Most difficult part of your service: “The politics of the military. When I was in Arizona I was cursed at a lot when in my uniform without them recognizing that I didn’t join and decide to go to war. I joined and said I would go in support of my country and there’s nothing I can do about the choices made by the people above me. They tell you to go and you go.”

Best way to show our appreciation for those service men and women who are no longer with us: “Never forget their memory. I lost a very good friend due to a roadside bomb 10 years ago. Make it a big deal to remember them. These people died for our country whether you agree with the politics or not. The military isn’t easy. We have to be away from friends, family, and some even miss the birth of their kids. So remember that which can be as simple as saying ‘thank you for your service.’”

U.S. Air Force, Captain, Force Support

Deployments: Iraq

Most fulfilling part of your service: “Serving other people. When I was working as a Mental Health Technician, making a change in people’s lives. Working in the drug and alcohol counseling program and helping people deal with those types of issues.”

Best way to show our appreciation for those service men and women who are no longer with us: “It’s easy to think of a member of the military as a warrior but that’s not what it is. They are kids who are scared. They are doing it for their friends back home, their girlfriend, wife, mom, dad. That’s how we normalize it all but we are frightened and lonely when we deploy. For me, the best way is to recognize that we are serving the people we love back home that support us.”

Army Nurse Corps, Lieutenant Colonel

Deployments: Iraq

Most fulfilling part of your service: “I was an Army nurse but I was taking care of our soldiers and we also took care of POWs, women and children. What I learned was the universality between all of them. We are all one. The POWs had the same fears and concerns that we did as American soldiers.”

Most difficult part of your service: “Learning the work ethic. You’re on until the job is done. If that means 24 hours a day, seven days a week well that’s just what it took. I have a lot of respect for our active duty folks who have that work ethic and they do the job no matter what.”

Best way to show our appreciation for those service men and women who are no longer with us: “The ones who don’t come back are in the minds of everyone they served with. The way to keep their memory alive is to repeat the stories. Keep telling others about their heroic acts. Everyone over there were heroes. If they weren’t fighting combatants they were fighting the elements. That took incredible strength and stamina. The way to celebrate them is just to acknowledge them and their sacrifice.”

U.S. Army, Sergeant, Infantry

Deployments: Vietnam

Most fulfilling part of your service: “I was in the Airborne and I enjoyed jumping out of planes. That was a good deal.”

Most difficult part of your service: “I was in combat for a year. You meet a lot of people and lose a lot of friends. That was the most difficult part.”

Best way to show our appreciation for those service men and women who are no longer with us: “It (Memorial Day) is a day of celebration, of remembrance. Just like having a funeral for a friend. What you might do is go to a parade or talk to some veterans who are at the capital building on that weekend and thank them for their service.”

U.S. Army, Sergeant First Class, Mechanic

Deployments: Saudi Arabia, Bosnia, Iraq, Afghanistan

Most fulfilling part of your service: “The learning I experienced everywhere I went.”

Most difficult part of your service: “Always being away from my wife and children.”

Best way to show our appreciation for those service men and women who are no longer with us: “To stop and think about our fallen comrades that didn’t make it back. Stop and think about their families because they didn’t come back to their families. Be thankful for the sacrifices they made. Take a moment to say a prayer for them and their families.”

U.S. Army, Command Sergeant Major, Combat Engineer, Instructor, little bit of everything

Deployments: Vietnam

Most fulfilling part of your service: “I was stationed in Germany with a bridge unit. We got sent over (to Africa) to build a 60-ton raft. I had a platoon of 40 people that went over there. This was a raft that you put together and it was designed to cross tanks but they were bringing 100-ton truckloads of grain and the pontoons of the raft were barely above water. We saved over 20,000 lives by doing that program. That was the highlight of my career. It was a good thing to do.”

Most difficult part of your service: “Vietnam, I guess. Just being away from family was the biggest thing. I think the biggest thing was being a Drill Sergeant when my kids were little. I would leave at 4:00 a.m. and come home at 11:00 p.m. I would not see my kids for months at a time and I lived in the same house as them.

Best way to show our appreciation for those service men and women who are no longer with us: “Take the time to sit down and remember. It’s not a day to just BBQ. At least take a moment to remember why we have this holiday.

U.S. Navy, Seaman Apprentice, Sailor

Deployments: North Vietnam

Most fulfilling part of your service: “Working on the flight deck. One day on the deck there were two 10-foot long missiles on a heavy cart that were being pushed around by two guys who were blown aside by the afterburner of an RA-5 Vigilante. The two missiles started rolling directly toward an elevator. I know that there is an F-4 Phantom on the elevator and a plane captain inside. I go diving under the jet blast and make it just before the cart would have tipped over and killed that plane captain. That’s the one thing that I really did in the Navy that I’m really proud of.

Most difficult part of your service: “I was having blackouts on the flight deck and then all of a sudden I had a seizure. Next thing I know I’m in a mail plane going over to a mental ward. I didn’t know why I was there and I wanted to get back to my ship. I spent two weeks there and they said ‘you’re good to go.’”

Best way to show our appreciation for those service men and women who are no longer with us: “Get active and appreciate the fact that you still have a voice and a say so in the government. Go to precinct meetings. Become involved in your community. Do something for your community and for crying out loud, VOTE!”

U.S. Navy, Petty Officer 1^st Class, Gunner’s Mate, Electrician, Various    

Deployments: USS Idaho (Battle of Okinawa), Multiple (WWII, Korea & Vietnam)

Most fulfilling part of your service: “I enjoyed it all really because the entire time I was a petty officer. When I was an electrician I enjoyed it the most. When I came aboard I let everyone know that I knew exactly what needed to be done and if they didn’t get their stuff checked off their (butt) was mine.”

Most difficult part of your service: “When I was on the USS Idaho I was doing a shell job and one slipped off my glove and burnt my whole face.”

Best way to show our appreciation for those service men and women who are no longer with us: “They all put their best foot forward and it’s a shame that a lot of things happened and they were in harm’s way. They were doing their job the way they were supposed to and just didn’t come out of it right. It’s nobody’s fault because everybody was in the same predicament, everybody. All we can say is ‘thank you very much.’”

*All photos by Joe Saladino.