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The Battalion
Page 3A • Thursday, April 10, 2003
When duty calls
Activated for military duty students leave classes, families and friends
SHENA BAUSCH • THE BATTALION
(From left): Corporal Howard Wood (junior animal science major),Corporal Mark Wester and Lance
Corporal Steve Valdez train for military duty at a Marine Corps base in Camp Pendleton, California.
By Erica York
THE BATTALION
After weeks of waiting in a California mili
tary camp. Marine Cpl. Howard Wood, a Texas
A&M student, is anxious to join in combat in
the Iraqi theatre.
Speaking from his Camp Pendleton, Calif.
Marine Corps base. Wood said his camp’s morale
has remained high as the war in Iraq enters its third
week.
“The majority of us feel bad that the Marines
are over there and we're not,” he
said. “We think we should be
over there fighting next to our
brothers in arms.”
Wood, a junior animal science
major, has already been told once
that he would be deployed, but
nothing happened and the waiting
game began again.
“We could be told tomorrow
that we’re leaving, but in the mean
time we’re doing our jobs and fill
ing in other jobs," he said.
Being away from family and
friends is difficult, but worth the
cause, he said. His father, a
Vietnam veteran, and his mother
both support their son and his fel
low troops, but Wood said his
mother is unhappy at the prospect of seeing her
son head overseas.
For Wood, being stationed in California means
he is untold miles away from his family as well as
his fiancee, a senior journalism major at A&M.
“We were supposed to be married in July, but
that was put on hold,” he said. “After 1 get back,
our plan is to get married and for me to finish
school.”
Wood’s uncertain schedule means he and his
fiancee must postpone their initial plans.
“She will pretty much have to wait until I get
back to begin a career so that we can decide where
we will live and start a life as newlyweds,” he said.
“So really, both of our lives are on hold until either
the war is over, or until they send me home, what
ever comes first.”
Other troops have suffered distance gaps
between their families. A Marine activated with
Wood’s unit had to leave his newborn baby and
wife when he was activated for duty.
“We’ve been trained for (situations like that),”
he said. “We signed up for this, and we’re willing
and ready. Whatever happens, we’re ready for it.”
The streets of Camp Pendleton, the largest
Marine base, have gradually emp
tied of soldiers, tanks and vehicles,
Wood said. The base typically has
45.000 troops, but that number has
rapidly fallen, he said.
When he was deployed, Wood
was forced to withdraw from
A&M! but the University has been
supportive of his recent call to duty.
Wood said he will resume classes
when he returns from military duty.
“The school has been great about
it,” he said. “I got full reimburse
ment except for parking tickets.”
Joining Wood at Camp
Pendleton is fellow Aggie Arthur
Solomon, a senior recreation
parks and tourism science major,
who says he is enjoying his time
in California.
“Of course 1 miss my friends and family, but it’s
like a paid vacation from school, I guess,” said
Solomon, a sergeant in the Marine Corps. “Out
here in California it’s beautiful just doing what we
signed up to do. I love it.”
Solomon said he is prepared to go overseas,
though he doesn’t know when or if he will be
deployed.
“Yesterday, our commanding officer told us to
keep our bags packed because we never know
when we’re going to be called over there,” he said.
As Solomon waits for possible deployment, he
said he is busy repairing small arms as a technician.
“I repair pistols, rifles, everything besides the
big cannons, for the infantry,” he said. “A lot of the
weapons we’re repairing may be sent overseas, so
that’s motivation to do a good job.”
Other students, such as Chris Abshier, are
forced to wait and wonder if a loved one will be
deployed. Abshier’s girlfriend, a flight medic in the
Army Reserves, has seen most of her unit deployed
and is waiting to find out if she will join them.
“(Her unit) will be gone for six months to two
years,” said Abshier, a senior journalism major.
“We don’t know if she’s going to end up having to
go or not. It’s kind of a day-by-day thing.”
Abshier said communication with the para
medics who have already been deployed is very
limited.
“We usually get an e-mail or a call once a
month but they don’t really say anything,”
Abshier said. “They can’t tell us any numbers,
and they can’t tell us any specifics on what
they’re doing on a daily basis.”
Kris Anderson, a junior history major in the
Army Reserves, said it would be several
months before he will be sent overseas if he is
called to duty.
“The war could be over by the time I got sent
over there because I would have to go through sev
eral months of training to prepare,” Anderson said.
“I know some people who got activated but they
just had to go and provide things like extra security
for bases and airports.”
Anderson said his chances of being deployed
are slim, but he would be up to the challenge.
“I would have no problems with being
deployed,” Anderson said. “I really don’t have to
worry about it. But, if I got deployed it wouldn’t
upset me too much. I think it would be a good
adventure.”
.V- \ ; ''
We were
supposed to be
married in July, but
that was put on
hold. After I get
back, our plan is to
get married and for
me to finish school
— Corporal Howard Wood
junior animal science major
President and Mrs. Robert M. Gates
and
Vice President for Student Affairs Malon Southerland '65
invite you and your family
to drop by their campus homes
from 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Saturday, April 12,2003
The President's home is located on Throckmorton Street
across from Duncan Drill Field.
The Gilchrist-Southerland residence is located at
100 Throckmorton Street
across from the Sanders Corps of Cadets Center.
Light refreshments will be served at both homes
ISfET O 979-822-2222
S Agaric IWi vid
S
£
a>
I
♦ “Three Fingers Tequila ” and
“Three Day Weekend”
♦ All tickets $8 at the door
♦ $1.00 U-call-its and $1.50 longnecks
til 10 p.m.
♦ $1.50 CHUGGERS AND $2.50 PITCH
ERS!
♦ With special guest: Aaron Holt
s
£
u
♦ 75<j: Bar Drinks and $1.50 longnecks til 10p.m.
♦ $1.50 CHUGGERS AND $2.50 PITCHERS ALL NIGHT!
The Texas Hall of Fame encourages you to drink responsibly and always
designate a driver. Free soft drinks to designated drivers over 21.