|
Back from Iraq
Sgt. Major Jeffery Vance proud to serve his country
By Laurie Knowles Callanan
Lititz Record Express
Published: May 22, 2008 10:19 AM EST
Lititz -
Just returned from Iraq after his second deployment, U.S. Army Reserves
Command Sergeant Major Jeffery Vance doesn't mind the cool spring
weather.
While he was in Iraq, temperatures got as hot as 147
degrees Fahrenheit. Yet, the hardy Lititz Army reservist insists that,
"Your body acclimates to the heat."
In fact, while he was
there, the base where he was stationed in nearby Kuwait often held 5K runs
for soldiers as a exercise activity and morale booster. Temperatures of a
mere 95 degrees were considered downright refreshing.
Vance, 40, is
home on leave with his family in Lititz until June, and may or may not be
returning to Iraq. First, he will be having surgery for a torn rotator cuff
in his shoulder at Fort Bragg. He was injured while unloading a supply
vehicle in Iraq.
His family includes his wife Julie, who is a nurse
with the National Guard, both stationed out of Fort Indiantown Gap. They
have five children, including Jordan, 18; Cydney, 15; Noah, 10; Abigail, 8;
and Luke, 6. All of the children, except Cydney, attend Lititz Christian
School, where Jordan will be graduating in June. Cydney is a freshman at
Warwick High School.
With both parents in the military, the family
is keenly aware that Vance could be deployed again and their mother might
also be sent to Iraq. They have a family care plan, in case both parents
would be called to serve, which involves having children live with
relatives or have a relative live with them.
"Julie does have
potential to go to Iraq. So far, it hasn't happened yet," says
Vance.
He, however, has been in Iraq twice. The first time was from
2004 to 2005, when Vance was in Bagdad at LSA Anaconda, the life support
and logistics company that was part of Operation Iraq Freedom. Vance helped
in transporting supplies and logistics relating to the life support of
soldiers stationed in Iraq.
His time there ended after he was
injured in a vehicle accident, in which the transport vehicle hit a dip in
the road and Vance suffered a neck injury with compressed vertebrae. While
he was recovering, he was promoted to Sergeant Major.
Two years
later, and recovered, Vance was sent to Iraq once again, from 2007 to 2008.
He had been preparing for a new mission in Southern Iraq, when in February
2007 he received news in Newport News, Va. that the mission had changed. He
headed to Kuwait where he learned the details of the mission.
He
would be part of a command team of a sustainment brigade supporting the
entire theater of operations in Iraq. That meant that his unit would be
responsible for all the essential needs of overseeing transportation,
setting up camp, medical care, feeding, equipment, laundry and
more.
.800"Basically, everything needed for 150,000 soldiers,
as well as contractors," says Vance.
During that time the
number of soldiers was reduced to 130,000 and the sustainment brigade was
responsible for 14 locations in Kuwait, Qatar, Iraq and counties in Africa,
including Djibouti.
With the difficult conditions — such as
147 degree temperatures — it was a monumental and vital task. They
were fortunate in that there was only one fatality during the mission, and
that was a non-combat vehicle accident in which the vehicle rolled
over.
"It may sound strange, but we were safer than the being
on the U.S. highways," says Vance.
While in Iraq, he became
keenly aware of the people, who he believes, just want to live their normal
lives with their families and work. The complexities of Sunni and Shiite
Muslims, combined with insurgents who have entered Iraq, make the situation
very challenging.
"The area was once known as Mesopotamia, and
has been in a state of unrest for many thousands of years," he
added.
Serving in Iraq requires an understanding of the history of
the Islam religion, which was founded by Mohammed in the seventh century.
Two branches of the religion evolved, with the Sunni branch believing that
the first four caliphs, which were Mohammed's successors, rightfully
took his place as the leaders of Muslims. They recognize the heirs of the
four caliphs as legitimate religious leaders.
In contrast, the
Shiites believe that only the heirs of the fourth caliph, Ali, are the
legitimate successors of Mohammed.
Even within the two branches of
Muslims, there are conservative and radical groups, notes
Vance.
Then there is the challenge of the land and weather
conditions in the ancient country. Vance describes the soil to be much more
like dusty dirt with a powdery quality. Unlike the gritty sand of the
seashore, the powdery sand is more like the dust of a baseball field after
a long dry summer. When it does rain — which is rarely — the
dust turns into a mucky mud. When it's dry, the slightest wind can stir
up swirling tan colored dust storms that fill the eyes, ears and mouth with
dusty dirt.
Temperatures can get quite hot, often as high at 120
degrees or more. Yet, Vance has observed a once-in-a-lifetime phenomenon in
which it actually snowed in Bagdad! He had been outdoors the day before the
history-making snow, and felt that familiar chill in the air that reminded
him of snow on the way. He commented to a colleague, and sure enough, the
next day it snowed in Bagdad, much to the delight of children who had never
seen snow.
Vance is convinced that the mission of fighting terrorism
is crucial not only to Iraq, but to the entire world.
"The
people of Iraq just want to live and to work," says Vance.
Even
when the mission of helping Iraq gain its independence is realized, Vance
believes that the United States will continue to have a presence in Iraq.
He compares that to having a presence in countries like Kuwait and the
Philippines.
Still, he admits that when he joined the Army Reserves,
he never expected to be deployed to a country at war. Originally from
Cincinnati, Ohio, he joined the Army to help fund his education. He met his
wife, Julie, from Toledo, while both were stationed in Texas. He was
working in x-ray, while she was studying pharmacy.
Later, Vance went
to Ohio State, receiving a degree in economics, then got his MBA from
Lebanon Valley College. Julie Vance went to York College for nursing and is
currently pursuing her degree as a nurse practitioner from Millersville
University. The Vances moved to Lititz when he was transferred with the
company he worked for, Monsanto. He is now employed as a sales
representative with Forest Pharmaceuticals.
The Vances and their
children attend Grace Brethren Church, right near their
home.
"Before we had all of our children, we were foster
parents," says Vance.
When he is away, Julie Vance, runs the
family operations, making sure children get to school and activities, the
bills are paid, the house is cleaned and maintained. As Vance explained,
"Julie is a very independent woman, really quite amazing the way she
does it all."
For now, the Vance family is reunited, preparing
for Jordan's high school graduation. They don't know if their
father and husband will be returning to Iraq, or if Julie might be deployed
as well.
When you are in the Army Reserves or the National Guard,
life can be uncertain.
"But it is something that is so
important, to serve your country," says Vance.
|
