Troops Stay Positive Despite Road Ahead
by Jon Swedien
Issue date: 2/15/07
Section: National and World News
As President George W. Bush plans to increase the number of troops in Iraq, his "Surge" of arms faces great opposition from Congress.
But how do troops really feel about the president's plan?
Minnesota State student Jamie Eagan, 19, leaves April 9 for Oklahoma where she will train for four months and then deploy to Iraq to serve in the National Guard for 12 months. Prior to Eagan, former students Sgt. Steve Tuma and Travis Quinlan were also deployed for service in the Middle East as well.
As Congress debates, these servicemen and servicewoman will be directly affected by President Bush's plan to use 21,500 additional troops in the Iraq war.
Tuma and Quinlan are having their tours extended. On the other side of the spectrum, Eagan said she thought her tour would be about making it possible to "pull out as soon as possible" and now she expects it to be about going "full force."
Eagan, a Forest Lake native, said she always knew she would be in the military. As a mechanic, Eagan will be working on Black Hawk helicopters and will not leave the military base often. The one scenario where she would leave the base would be if she went out to repair a Black Hawk in the field.
"Like a live version of Black Hawk Down," Eagan said.
About the troop surge she isn't overly concerned if her tour was extended.
"At this point the difference between a year and a year and four months now all seems the same," Eagan said.
She did say that it is difficult to be deployed mid-semester.
"It's hard to think you have to put your life on hold for a year." Eagan said. "Everyone else goes to college and I sit in a sand box."
Eagan said after her tour she plans on coming back to MSU and finishing up her degree.
Steve Tuma, 24, is a sergeant in the National Guard. Tuma e-mailed a response from Iraq concerning the troop surge. Tuma said he did not want his words to be "used politically" or to be "pro or con" for the war.
"It is true, I have been extended along with other Minnesotan 'Red Bull' soldiers," Tuma said. "We were to return home in March, but now it sounds like July-ish. I don't know our new date and honestly don't care right now. I feel I have other worries to deal with, like my job. As a sergeant, I have a responsibility to my soldiers."
Tuma also said his mission is to convoy semi trucks through Iraq.
"We deal with roadside bombs, small arms fire, and even vehicle breakdowns. It can get intense, and missions can get real long." Tuma said. "As for my mission, picture driving from Kato to Duluth one night and back the next, twice a week, doing 50 miles per hour. Dodging blocked roads, blown up roads, traffic, sand storms, and the insurgent with a bomb or a rifle. This is funny, but we hit two roadside bombs on our way home today. No damage either time. Most of the time it blows out a tire or does little damage. Sometimes it can be worse."
Tuma said he would just have to wait to pursue his "dream of owning a house and buying a car." He said he'll also wait to see his family and friends and "good old 'K' Town again."
Travis Quinlan of Faribault spent one year at MSU before he went to infantry school. He was mobilized October 2005 and stationed in Al Asad, Iraq.
In an e-mail Quinlan said:
"What my job is here, is being part of convoy security operations," he said. "I am a gunner. We escort convoys around western Iraq and provide security for them in order to prevent destruction or disruption of supplies. We were originally slated to come home sometime around March. As everyone knows by now, we were extended and the word is we will come home early August 2007, but we don't know for sure.
"The extension for everyone, I'm sure as everyone knows, wasn't taken too well at first. We found out a couple of months ago. At this point, we just joke about it and take one day at a time. None of us are too down over it and we just do our jobs everyday. The "Surge" is a tactic the president hopes will work. I hope that we will train more Iraqi police and army as soon as possible and yes, more troops will possibly help. We'll just see though."
Locally, Rep. Tim Walz and Sen. Amy Klobuchar oppose the troop increase while Sen. Norm Coleman crosses party lines as a republican to oppose it as well.
Jon Swedien is a Reporter staff writer
But how do troops really feel about the president's plan?
Minnesota State student Jamie Eagan, 19, leaves April 9 for Oklahoma where she will train for four months and then deploy to Iraq to serve in the National Guard for 12 months. Prior to Eagan, former students Sgt. Steve Tuma and Travis Quinlan were also deployed for service in the Middle East as well.
As Congress debates, these servicemen and servicewoman will be directly affected by President Bush's plan to use 21,500 additional troops in the Iraq war.
Tuma and Quinlan are having their tours extended. On the other side of the spectrum, Eagan said she thought her tour would be about making it possible to "pull out as soon as possible" and now she expects it to be about going "full force."
Eagan, a Forest Lake native, said she always knew she would be in the military. As a mechanic, Eagan will be working on Black Hawk helicopters and will not leave the military base often. The one scenario where she would leave the base would be if she went out to repair a Black Hawk in the field.
"Like a live version of Black Hawk Down," Eagan said.
About the troop surge she isn't overly concerned if her tour was extended.
"At this point the difference between a year and a year and four months now all seems the same," Eagan said.
She did say that it is difficult to be deployed mid-semester.
"It's hard to think you have to put your life on hold for a year." Eagan said. "Everyone else goes to college and I sit in a sand box."
Eagan said after her tour she plans on coming back to MSU and finishing up her degree.
Steve Tuma, 24, is a sergeant in the National Guard. Tuma e-mailed a response from Iraq concerning the troop surge. Tuma said he did not want his words to be "used politically" or to be "pro or con" for the war.
"It is true, I have been extended along with other Minnesotan 'Red Bull' soldiers," Tuma said. "We were to return home in March, but now it sounds like July-ish. I don't know our new date and honestly don't care right now. I feel I have other worries to deal with, like my job. As a sergeant, I have a responsibility to my soldiers."
Tuma also said his mission is to convoy semi trucks through Iraq.
"We deal with roadside bombs, small arms fire, and even vehicle breakdowns. It can get intense, and missions can get real long." Tuma said. "As for my mission, picture driving from Kato to Duluth one night and back the next, twice a week, doing 50 miles per hour. Dodging blocked roads, blown up roads, traffic, sand storms, and the insurgent with a bomb or a rifle. This is funny, but we hit two roadside bombs on our way home today. No damage either time. Most of the time it blows out a tire or does little damage. Sometimes it can be worse."
Tuma said he would just have to wait to pursue his "dream of owning a house and buying a car." He said he'll also wait to see his family and friends and "good old 'K' Town again."
Travis Quinlan of Faribault spent one year at MSU before he went to infantry school. He was mobilized October 2005 and stationed in Al Asad, Iraq.
In an e-mail Quinlan said:
"What my job is here, is being part of convoy security operations," he said. "I am a gunner. We escort convoys around western Iraq and provide security for them in order to prevent destruction or disruption of supplies. We were originally slated to come home sometime around March. As everyone knows by now, we were extended and the word is we will come home early August 2007, but we don't know for sure.
"The extension for everyone, I'm sure as everyone knows, wasn't taken too well at first. We found out a couple of months ago. At this point, we just joke about it and take one day at a time. None of us are too down over it and we just do our jobs everyday. The "Surge" is a tactic the president hopes will work. I hope that we will train more Iraqi police and army as soon as possible and yes, more troops will possibly help. We'll just see though."
Locally, Rep. Tim Walz and Sen. Amy Klobuchar oppose the troop increase while Sen. Norm Coleman crosses party lines as a republican to oppose it as well.
Jon Swedien is a Reporter staff writer
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