About
Dacker
Thanks for stopping by. Who am I? I’m yet another veteran of the conflict in Iraq. A former Soldier.
My “tale” is maybe a little unique, not because of what I did in the military but how I got there. After the attacks on the World Trade Center on 9/11/2001 I, along with many other Americans, wanted…needed…to do something in response. I was in my 30s at the time and, frankly, not in the best shape of my life.
“What to do…what to do…I know, I’ll give blood!” It seemed patriotic at the time.
After the cheery (and dizzy) feeling of giving blood had worn off I realized I had a choice: continue business as usual or make a life-altering change. I chose the latter. Quit smoking, started running (nearly died the first time my legs took me faster than a trot), and planned to join the Army.
I had graduated from college 10 years prior, was self-employed in a well-paying profession, owned a home, and was married with two children. When I broke the news to family and friends that I was applying for Army Officer Candidate School (which would require a trip to Basic Training at Ft. Benning, first) I thought for sure they’d involuntarily commit me to the psychiatric ward.
It took a bit, but eventually the Army let me in, with an age waiver of course. Basic Training in the summer for a man in his 30s was very painful; not because of the physical requirements, which I had trained for, but because of the age of the other trainees. I made it through, however – entered and graduated from OCS, attended additional commissioned training, and was eventually sent to a unit to be deployed to Iraq. Served over a year there in a combat arms unit and, upon my return back to the US, transferred to a nice job in the middle of nowhere while my resignation papers worked their way through.
I never intended to stay in – just serve and then return to my old profession. I figured I’d rack up some memories and move on with life. Unfortunately, it hasn’t exactly worked out like that. There are lingering and undeveloped issues that still plague me. That wasn’t something I considered back when I made the decision to join. I just assumed that because I was relatively old going in the same person would come out. Not quite.
I created this blog because I don’t like the ones regarding OIF and OEF veterans already in existence. My intent is to make this a place to find information relevant to our unique situations. Let me know how I’m doing.
I hope you stick around.
-Dacker
