My Deployment Operation Iraqi Freedom
By SFC Donjuan L. Williams


     On February 7, 2003, I will never forget that day.  It was a Friday evening around 7:00pm when I received the “The Call” It was the 1SG calling me to tell me that we had to report to the reserve center on Monday morning because our unit was called up to active duty for Operation Enduring Freedom!

     At that time I had spent 19 years in the military and had been able to get out of being deployed on two separate occasions.  Well, my time had come I had to go.   What was so disturbing about the hold thing is that it was almost impossible to do what one needed to do in order to get one’s personal affairs together over a weekend because a lot of the businesses were closed and my supervisor at my job was not working.  The good thing about the situation was that the commander David Hartwell III was very understanding and gave the soldiers time off during the week before we went to the mobilization station to handle our business.

     The 5 days that we spent at home station was filled with uncertainty.   The unknown was killing me.  Our actual orders did not get to us until the second day that we were on active duty.  We did not know where we were going to be mobilized or how long.  We did not know where we were going overseas, it was panic time.  What I believe would be in the best interest of the soldiers and the army would to be more organized before any mobilization order is issued.  It is a stressful time for family, friends and for the soldier to get orders to go to war, at the minimum all should be well informed.

     The mobilization station was not so bad at Aberdeen Proving Ground, in Aberdeen, Maryland (APG).  We were on lockdown for a month.  The truth of the matter is that we were suppose to be at the mob station for only 2 weeks and then to be shipped to where ever.  However, we were stationed at APG for 2 ½ months.  It was hurry up and wait, (typical army) the entire time that we were there.  I remember doing tasks over and over because we had to find things to do to keep busy.  I remember sleeping in a room with 5 other soldiers nightly, I would be up because one or two soldiers continued with deep snoring.   I did not get much sleep at APG.  That would be my most memorable moment.

     I was responsible for training, and ways to make training more interesting.  It was hard; however I managed the mission and there were good training from land navigation to the obstacle course.  We had repetitive training on Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical (NBC) related task due to the real threat that we would be in an NBC environment.

     On April 27, 2003 we left the states to go to Kuwait and this experience has changed my life.  The reasons are many I will mention just a few.  Kuwait is a desert country that is run by Muslims.  The people of the country do not work for the most part; they bring in “Third Country Nationals” (TCN’s) to do most of their labor work.   The temperature of the country was the hottest that I had ever been in.  The temperature got up to 150 degrees.  I lost weight however, one thing I hated was that we had to drink a lot of water, which caused me to have to use the bathroom a lot.  It was always a long walk to the bathroom; I mean a 50 to 60 yard walk.

     I remember working long 12 hours days, everyday of the week for 3 months!  It was tough.  I did not like the idea of us living in a warehouse with 150 other people in close quarters.  The best thing about our deployment was that the last 3 months we were over there Lt. Proctor saw that we were put in trailers and my life changed for the better.   I was able to get sleep and watch cable TV, I was in hog heaven.

     Our mission was vital and I learned a lot about my MOS.  I became a very knowledgeable person on transportation movements.  As I look back on my deployment I can say now that it was not that bad considering where we could have been.  I do not look forward to returning there however, I would do so if ordered to.  I believe that my commanders took care of the soldiers that were in their charge.  We all came back alive and with all of our body parts; a lot of bothers and sisters did not.

     Lesson learned would be that our policy makers and my President think real hard before committing to war.  Tell the truth to the soldiers and the country for the reasons to go to war.  Also no commander or policy maker should make any policy that they are not willing or have to endure.  The sex and drinking policy caused a lot of issues, sneaking around and created moral issues.  The policy in the Central Command is that there be no sex, no drinking, or fraternizing with local nationals.  Now the Commanders expect every solider to do that for an entire year!  However, those who make that policy do not have to do it!  They come in and out of the war zone!  Just something for you all to think about!

My Second Tour of Duty

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