The War in Iraq: A Firsthand Account

Travis Loveday fought side by side with other soldiers, helped the sick and wounded, and served his country with honor during his time in Iraq. I have gotten to know Travis from talking with him on the Accentuate Writers Forum, and feel that his experiences and insight should be shared with others. He has graciously agreed to do this interview with me, so that we may learn a little more about what it's like to serve on the front lines during wartime.

First, I would like to thank you, Travis, for your service. I really appreciate all you, and the other soldiers, do for the country. Your sacrifices and pain make our way of life possible.

Now for the questions:

Angel: When did you serve in Iraq?

Travis: I served in Iraq for the first year the U.S. was there, from March '03 to March '04.

Angel: What branch of the military were you in?

Travis: I was in the Oklahoma Army National Guard.

Angel: What was your MOS, or job, in the military?

Travis: I was an 88m, or a truck driver. I spent almost every day on the roads of Iraq.

Angel: What were the living conditions like when you were there?

Travis: There are a couple different answers to this question. The living conditions changed drastically in the year that I was there. Early on, we lived in big tents, but for the first six months, most of us lived off our trucks, and we spent most days on the road. So during that time, most nights I just threw my sleeping bag on top of my truck and went to sleep. During the last half of the year, we actually moved in to some old Iraqi barracks, but we still spent most of our time on the road, and during this time, we lived on our trucks or wherever we could find that was warm.

Angel: Did the people of Iraq seem to resent the presence of US soldiers?

Travis: This is something that was in the forefront of my mind when I got to Iraq. I wondered if the Iraqi people actually wanted our help, but after spending a year there, I can safely say that most Iraqi's were grateful for what the U.S. was doing, and in most areas, our soldiers were assaulted by hordes of Iraqi's just wanting to come out and say hi or thank us.

Angel: Did you get to know some of the locals well?

Travis: I actually did get to know many Iraqi's very well. About the last half of my time in Iraq, we were in charge of a fleet of Iraqi trucking contractors. We spent most days on the road side by side with them, and when we were attacked, they were attacked along with us. I had many Iraqi's that I called friends.

Angel: Did you engage in much fighting, personally, while there?

Travis: Most of the combat we faced in Iraq was indirect combat. We were constantly hit with I.E.D.'s (Improvised Explosive Device) along the road we traveled, and most of the small arms fire was from a distance that made it hard to pinpoint. Our policy was to keep moving through the areas and not get caught in an ambush.

Angel: Do you think we have helped the country enough yet? Do you think they are fully prepared to run the country on their own now?

Travis: I think we have done a lot of good in Iraq, but I think we could stay and help them some more. If we pull out before they are able to take care of themselves, we are just asking for another dictator to come in and take Saddam's place, and it gives the terrorists that plague Iraq, room to run wild in the country.

Angel: Did you sustain any injuries while in Iraq?

Travis: During most of my time in Iraq, I rode on the gun trucks for convoys. During this time, I had to stand up running the machine gun, and on one of my missions, I sustained a back injury.

Angel: How would you rate the medical treatment you received while still in Iraq?

Travis: I got minimal treatment while in Iraq. Most major medical treatment is done in either Germany or back in the U.S. I was diagnosed at sick call with five different problems, but none of them was actually correct. I never found out what was wrong with my back until I visited my civilian doctor and had an M.R.I.

Angel: And how would you rate the treatment you received from the VA afterwards?

Travis: I have had an awful time trying to get medical treatment through the VA. I am currently still working on getting my benefits, and to this point, all of my medical care has been taken care of by civilian doctors not covered by the VA.

Angel: What else would you like to tell everyone about your experiences in Iraq?

Travis: I believe most people who have never been to Iraq have a jaded view of what is truly going on. The media loves to spin the truth, and they are great at showing how much we are hated in Iraq, but the truth is, the Iraqi's that hate us are confined to a small area of the country. A lot of the attacks in Iraq are actually by terrorist who are not even citizens of Iraq. Many may not support the war in Iraq, but what we have done there has made the whole world a better place. Support our troops.

The soldiers in Iraq face daily struggles and adversity. They do it with honor and courage, striving to help their fellow man. Every soldier deserves our respect for the sacrifices they make. Before you go to sleep tonight, say an extra prayer for the soldiers fighting in Iraq and other war-torn areas of the world, for all the children who have lost their parents to battles, and for peace for us all.

If you would like to talk with Travis, you can find him on the Accentuate Writers Forum.