Guest Blogger Lt. Nunn Answers Pollard Questions

(Jason Nunn, a Northwood High School and Greensboro College graduate, will be a guest blogger in honor of Veterans Day.  He is a First Lieutenant in the United States Army and is currently stationed in Iraq.  We've asked him to give our Hot Topics Blog readers a first-hand account of his experience as the American Armed Forces wind down their mission in Iraq.  We encouraged social studies classes to participate by asking him questions to help them make a real-life connection to history and current events.  This set of questions is from students of Dawn Streets at Margaret B. Pollard Middle School.)

 What do you enjoy most about being in the service?  (Kaitlyn)
I enjoy all of the traveling, meeting new people, and interacting with new cultures.

What do you do for entertainment? (Cameron)
Over here in Iraq I like to go to the gym, watch movies, and play dodgeball.

Have you ever been in immediate danger?  If so, describe the situation.  (Thomas)
When we are doing missions we are always in a higher state of alertness.  I personally have not been involved in an IED, but my unit has.  My job here as an Intelligence Officer is to keep the soldiers as safe as possible when they are on mission.  I have been closer than I would like to be to rocket attacks.


What kind of weapons do you handle or use?  (Gabriel)
Every soldier here has a personal weapon, either an M4, M16, or M9 pistol.  When we are on missions we carry machine guns like the 240B, 249SAW, or .50cal and non lethal shotguns with bean bag rounds.  We all have to do a lot of training before we are allowed to use each weapon and rehearse safety procedures always.

Do you ever regret you decision to join the military?  (Becca)
No I have never regretted it.  It has been a very good experience and allowed me to see the other side of things to appreciate them more.  It is hard being away from your family, but I joined to give back to my country and serve you guys so it’s part of the job. 

Do you like the cultures of Iraq?  Are you learning much about the culture?  (Lilly)
The culture of Iraq is very different and I am learning a lot about it every day.  Civilians here are always very polite and will always offer food no matter how tough their situation.  There are a lot of Islamic holidays that people follow that are different than ours.  Their diet is also different; their favorite foods are rice with raisins, dates, lamb with lemon, chicken, flat bread, and chi tea.

Are you ever worried about your family?  (Destinee)
I do worry that something could happen, and I would not be able to get home as quickly as I would like.

How is life in war similar to life in your hometown? 
I grew up in Pittsboro where everybody knows everyone else.  Iraq is kind of like that because I am really close to my unit.  Daily life is better than it used to be during the early years of the war.  We have sleeping units, showers, gyms, dining facilities, coffee shops, and even concerts or special support the troops events.

Do you feel safe?  (Scotty)
Yes, I think that the US military has trained the Iraqi security forces to be able to handle security for themselves.  Many attacks that are occurring are not against US Forces, but against the local civilians.

Have you been in combat?  If so, what was it like?  (Preston)
All soldiers here are in combat, but we all have different jobs or aspects that we do during combat.  The war in Iraq was a lot different than a WWI, WWII, or Vietnam.  We are fighting an insurgency whereas prior wars were force on force.

What type of scenery do you see in Iraq?  (Matt)
Sand and very few trees.  The cities are often located near rivers and have brick houses covered with mortar/mud to keep the heat out.

How much fighting is going on in Iraq now? (Eric)
Right now under an agreement between the US and Iraq we are in an advise and assist role to train there security forces.  Any bad guys we find we have to do a joint mission with the Iraqis in the lead and those accused of crimes are subject to the Iraqi court system.

In your time in service, what have you learned about war?  (Aiden)
I’ve learned that it is different then I imagined.  I was like many of you and expected a lot of fighting, but instead we are doing a lot of training with the Iraqis.  I’ve also learned that being at war for almost a decade that many soldiers have spent much of their time away from their families, so when you are deployed everyone that you work with becomes very close.

What is the most memorable moment you’ve had in the war?  (Logan)
My most memorable moment is the summer.  The whole summer was very hot.  It was 130° F almost every day.

Have you ever been really scared while serving?  Has your heart ever pounded so hard you could hear it?  If so, describe the situation.  (Cerina)
No, not yet.  It is very uneasy when you hear the incoming alert.

How is life in Iraq similar and/or different than life here?  (Tiffany)
Similarities are the food and Internet, but the differences are carrying a weapon with you at all times and the heat.

What food do you eat?  (Cameron)
I eat the same kinds of food you guys eat except when I visit Iraqis, and then I will eat their traditional foods.

What was your family’s response after you told them you had enlisted?  (Melanie)
At first my mom was very scared but now she knows that it makes me happy to be in and is proud of me. 

How does “boot camp” work?  (Leonard)
First they will break you down as an individual and then build you up through teamwork and relying on the other soldiers you are with.  That is the basic concept.  You also learn all your basic soldier skills such as safe weapons procedures, land navigation, etc.  It was a really humbling experience.

We hear stories about what is going on in Iraq – but what really goes on out there – from your perspective?  (Bailey)
The biggest thing that I realize everyday is that we are packing up and leaving.  We are now currently down to a little less than 50,000 soldiers and are closing down a lot of bases.  Attacks still happen but they are less frequent then before.

Do you feel that the living quarters and the supplies that the military gives you are reasonable?  Describe them.  (Peyton)
The good thing about being in the Army is that you get used to living in any condition.  Luckily, we have sleeping CHUs which are like small trailers split into 3 different rooms with a bed and Internet. 
We have similar trailers for bathrooms and showers.  The military definitely gives you enough stuff to wear.

Why did you decide to join the military?  (Teagan)
I decided to join to serve my country and give back.  I also wanted to see the country and the world so it was a good choice.

What do you plan to do after your required service time ends?  (Alyanna)
After 20 years right now I would like to retire to Belize with my wife and sit on the beach all day.

What is your daily life like as a soldier in Iraq?  (Francis)
As a soldier in Iraq you are never truly off of work.  You have to be prepared at anytime to go on mission or help out.  I get used to a lot of things here like the heat, but we stay in good spirits and act as professionals.