Letters From Iraq

Several UNH alums are serving or have served in the war in Iraq. Over the last year, the UNH Alumni Association has been featuring their letters on its Web site. Excerpts from some of their letters are printed here. To read all of the letters, visit http://www.alumni.unh.edu/info/letters.html.

Army Lt. Col. Fred H. Brennan Jr., ’87
U.S. Army Medical Corps, Baghdad, Iraq

Army Lt. Col. Fred H. Brennan Jr.

I was eating lunch in the dining facility at Camp Doha, Kuwait on March 20th. Suddenly the roar of a rocket soared over me. A Patriot missile overhead intercepted an Iraqi Scud Missile and exploded a mile away. The chemical warning alarms began to sound and the hundred soldiers in the dining facility quickly donned their protective chemical masks. Tables, chairs, and lunch trays flew everywhere as soldiers scrambled to get on their gear. Fortunately the Scud Missile did not contain any chemical agents. All night long we were terrorized with Scud Missile alarms. None of us got a minute of sleep for the next 24 hours.

More than anything this experience has taught me to cherish every moment of life. Cherish your family and the freedoms we have been blessed with. It comes with a price. A price that most Americans may never truly realize. Just spend a day in the emergency room of a combat support hospital in the heart of Iraq and you will appreciate the courage and bravery of the soldiers that have volunteered to serve our country.

Army Capt. Ian S. Bennett, ’95
4th Infantry Division, Taji, Iraq

Army Capt. Ian S. Bennett

Most of the area surrounding Taji is agricultural. There are canals that meander the countryside, fed by the Tigris River. Most of the houses are single or double story structures made out of mud or brick. Most of the people are farmers and, by our standards, with very little. Our reception has been pretty positive for the most part. While there are a few people who treat us with skepticism, the majority of the population has been receptive to our presence. They welcome the downfall of Saddam but they want to see change and improvements sooner and us gone. The children almost always wave and run alongside our patrols waving, smiling, shaking our hands, and asking for candy.

I know I will be here for a year. A year is plenty of opportunity to see quite a bit of Iraq and get a better sense of what this experience will mean to me. But I suspect that most of my thoughts will come after we get back home and have a chance to think about what we have accomplished, gained, and lost. We continue to run patrols, convoys, provide as much for the Iraqis as we can. We rebuild schools, assist medical centers, and help form democratic town councils. And throughout, I’ll be a part of it. Hopefully I will be able to flip through my collection of pictures and notes and remember this adventure and describe my small part in this bit of history.

Army First Lt. Jason Legro, ’01
Headquarters Company, 1st Armored Division, Baghdad, Iraq

Army First Lt. Jason Legro

Legro’s photograph was seen all over the world on Thanksgiving Day after he was pictured with President George W. Bush. Below are his thoughts on meeting the president.

It was great! It was like magic. I have never seen anything like it before and will never again. He lifted the morale of the soldiers to new heights. My morale increased significantly. This is what the soldiers truly needed.

On how he managed to get his picture taken with the president:
It was pure luck. I was patient and waited, and hoped he would come to where I was. He did. I shook his hand, and said, “Thank you for coming.” He said, “This is what Thanksgiving is all about,” and picked up the turkey platter. It just happened to be next to me. I was afraid it would fall to the floor, so I reached out to steady the platter. I didn’t even notice the photographer. I guess maybe there is some truth to that old saying about good things coming to those who wait.