Why I Serve: Soldier Extends to Stay in Iraq With New Unit

By Sgt. Annette B. Andrews, USA

Special to American Forces Press Service

ASAD, Iraq, Feb. 17, 2005 - What's a police officer from Marietta, Ga., doing in the dusty desert regions of the Middle East? Extending her tour.

Army Sgt. Beth A. Bedore, serving with the 561st Corps Support Group in northwestern Iraq, extended her tour to stay with the unit that took her in so she could serve in Iraq. "I just know what we are doing over here is making a difference," she said. Photo by Sgt. Annette B. Andrews, USA

(Click photo for screen-resolution image); high-resolution image available.

"I wanted to be in the thick of it," said Army Sgt. Beth A. Bedore, a native of Saginaw, Mich., where her family still resides. "I just know what we are doing over here is making a difference."

The all-wheeled vehicle mechanic originally was deployed with the 175th Maintenance Company to Kuwait and was attached 11 months later to the 561st Corps Support Group here, in northwestern Iraq.

"I'm not married. I don't have kids. My family is very supportive, and my nieces and nephews are proud of me," she said.

As a mechanic, she not only repaired vehicles, she assisted in up-armoring vehicles. "There is personal pride in what I do, and if someone said the up- armor I put on their vehicle saved their life, that would make it all worth it," she said.

She originally volunteered for service in Iraq, but her unit was sent to Camp Arifjan, Kuwait. Late in her first deployment, her battalion commander and company commander helped her find a unit that was looking for volunteers to extend for an incoming unit.

"The 561st CSG was very welcoming, and that's made the transfer a lot easier," she said.

She is filling a required slot for the group. The person originally slotted for the maintenance group had a heart attack in Kuwait and was sent back. Working as a support operations maintenance noncommissioned officer, Bedore has gone from being under the vehicles to cutting steel to up-armor vehicles and now writes reports on the equipment she used to repair.

When a soldier volunteers for extended service in a combat zone, it becomes a win-win situation. The military does not spend extra resources getting replacement troops or training those people. The gaining unit receives an experienced soldier who can add to their existing resources and information about current conditions.

"Instead of going to school (for it), I'm getting on-the-job experience," she said. "In the long run, this saves the Army a lot of money. Besides, I'm here for the experience."

Soldiers profit too, and not only by receiving bonuses, something she never mentioned.

"I'm the only one in my family with military experience. It's helped me with self-discipline and exercise; that, in return, helps me with my job back home," she said. "I know there are others out there who are like me. I want to be here and do my job the best I can."

Like so many deployed soldiers, Bedore has a bed among 42 bunk beds and limited space. Living in a tent provides no real personal space, with 18 inches to two feet between bunks. Personal items spill over from beneath beds or from the tops of footlockers. It is nearly impossible to personalize their space, but these soldiers do their best with small items they brought with them.

Every occupant must learn to get along or it becomes a very long year. Everyone lives together and works together, so they must pull together, the soldiers say. The tent leaks on rainy days, and the elements do not discriminate -- from the lieutenant colonel to the private, everyone gets drenched.

"Others who don't know you will cover your property and move things to protect you (in a downpour)," Bedore said about living with the 561st CSG. "It's a camaraderie you'll never have in the civilian world -- ever."

Bedore's loyalty comes from being among individuals who barely knew her. On station for one week, she underwent minor surgery with a two-day hospital stay. The unit first sergeant and other soldiers went to the hospital with a get-well card signed by almost everyone.

"I felt they went above and beyond what was expected," she said. "I won't go home until they go home."

The 561st CSG from Omaha, Neb., arrived in October and is in the process of building Asad into a general supply hub providing supplies to the surrounding areas of operations.

(Army Sgt. Annette B. Andrews is a member of the 28th Public Affairs Detachment from Fort Lewis, Wash., and is deployed to Iraq in support of units at Logistics Support Area Anaconda.)

http://www.dod.mil/news/Feb2005/n02172005_...2005021712.html

(Marion's note: This topic was split off from another. We felt that it deserved it's own spot.)

Hey people. We are not all dead yet. Stop trying to bury us yet already. Makes us feel bad. Sure we like to talk about some things. Other things go into our "selective memory" and get forgotten, usually. Ask us anything, like conditions, food, equiptment, morale, uniforms, different outfits we liked and disliked, discharge point system ETC.

In fact, I still am in E mail with 2 other guys from my old 7th Inf Reg. 3rd Inf Div. from ww 2 and we sure have some B.S. sessions about the "old days" and how we are doing now. Surprisingly, most of us returned to civilian life with one thing in mind. Going to work and getting ahead and continueing our life. And Marion, I am afraid to put too many things on this forum as you may advance me in my PFC rank which I would not like. I was, still am, just a PFC Infantry rifleman in my mind.

The US Military began occupying and taking control of Japanese military installations shortly after the surrender in August 1945. The initial American units -- including General MacArthur and his staff -- landed at Atsugi Air Base near Tokyo in forty five C-47 cargo aircraft on 28 August 1945. The officially designated US occupation of Japan lasted until 1954, although the dominant US Military presence lasted many years longer.

In 1960-1964 I was in charge (NCOIC/Chief Range Officer) of the small arms firing training program and range at Yokota Air Base (Tama Army Airfield) some twenty five miles north of Tokyo (later occupation). My staff consisted of five GIs -- four instructors and one gunsmith -- and five Japanese contract civilians -- four range maintenance/laborers and one gunsmith/supplies assistant.

The Japanese contract civilians, being in their 60s, had not served in the Japanese armed forces in WW2. The Japanese civilians spoke little English and my GIs spoke limited "GI Japanese" -- but as time progessed the GIs became more proficient in Japanese (I became quite proficient) and we communicated in a mixture of English and Japanese.

The back stop of the firing range was one of the Japanese Air Force hardened "Zero" fighter aircraft shelters that were adjacent to the main runway. They were reinforced concrete "clam-shells" covered with a thick layer of earth. The range proper featured covered firing points with cement walkways that had been constructed by the first cadre of US troops that had taken possession of the base from the Japanese after the surrender in 1945. This same group of GIs also constructed the range house, gunsmith room, storage rooms, classroom and maintenance shop (and using Japanese laborers). There were 25 yard turning targets and stationary 1000" & 50 yard targets. It was used for USAF small arms familiarization, training and qualification with the standard (at that time) M1911A1 .45 cal semi-automatic pistol (Officers, aircrews and Air Police) and M1 cal 30 Carbines (enlisted personnel). We also conducted periodic inter-service competitive pistol matches. We used the 1000" firing line for range instructor fully automatic fire familiarization and training (BAR and M2 carbine) in order to accommodate their tendency to climb during sustained fire. We trained and maintained base competitive pistol and high powered rifle (Garand) teams.

The cooperating inter-service US Military small arms training units/firing range facilities in the central Honshu (main island of Japan) area were: Yokota AB (USAF), Tachikawa AB (USAF), Camp Zama (the wartime Japanese Imperial Army Academy now US Army Headquarters), Atsugi Naval Air Station (US Navy), Yokosuka Naval Base (US Navy/US Marine Corps). Firing range usage within this structure was: Yokota AB -- competitive Pistol shooting; Camp Zama: primary high power rifle (Garand) training and competitive firing (pit operated 200 yds, 300 yds, 600 yds) with back-up at Yokosuka Naval Base (US Marine Corps - 200yds and 300 yds only).

I signed for and took custody of the small arms assigned to the Base (approximate numbers for I cannot remember exactly) -- fifty .45 cal M1911A1 pistols; one hundred cal .30 M1 Carbines (M1 & M2); four cal.30 Browning Automatic Rifles (BAR); seventy five cal .30 M1 Rifles (Garands) -- service & competition -- plus accoutrements, spare parts, supplies, ammunition and the physical buildings.

All Japanese military weapons had been confiscated, inspected, categorized and transmitted to US Military Headquarters at the time of the initial occupation. A Japanese tripod mounted 7.7 mm model 92 machine gun had been painted and retained as a war trophy/decoration and installed at the entrance to the Yokota AB small arms firing range main office.

Received this from Denis Toomey

Marion :: hullo ... I have been researching my own father's war service and

came across your site ... My dad served in the third division and was a

photographer for the third signal corps.

Some of the bridge photos on your site, in fact, may have been taken by him.

I have a collection of over 700 photos he took from southern france to

salzburg austria ...

In the collection are several pictures of bridges over the rhine ... At

worms and bobbenheim ... Including the alexander patch bridge ....

A couple photos show some of the engineers working on the bridge ... I am

curious as to where you acquired the rhine bridge photos and on in

particular of patch and devers in the snow ??

Receieved this email from Dave regarding his father.

Do you know of any emails for members of the 48th?

My father-in-law was a member of the 48th and I have his book about the 48th in WWII

Lenny Graves was his name and unfortunately he passed away a couple years ago. Great guy and he told me some of his ‘stories’

Thanks

Dave Brobst