Like many University students, Jason Washburn spent a little more than a year abroad, ultimately delaying his graduation. Unlike those students, Washburn spent his time serving in Iraq.
Washburn, who is in the National Guard, was deployed in February 2003, just half a term from graduating. His time was split between Kuwait and Iraq; he was stationed about a 30-minute drive south of Baghdad.
“I was nervous, it being my first deployment,” Washburn said. “I knew when I signed that it could happen anytime.”
Washburn said that going to Iraq was calmer for him than for other soldiers who had to leave wives, kids and permanent jobs.
“Anytime, it’s difficult to leave family, especially when you’re going into a situation you don’t know much about, but the Army helped in letting us know what to do before we left,” Washburn said.
Master Sgt. Daniel Kramer, a senior military science instructor at the University, said that because Washburn was a senior at the time he did have the option to stay and finish his studies rather than go to Iraq.
“He thought it would be more honorable to serve with his unit,” Kramer said. “He has a lot of character, he chose to do the hard right, rather then the easy wrong.”
Washburn said it is difficult for those who are not veterans to comprehend the meaning of Veterans Day.
“Many soldiers don’t see it as a sacrifice, they see it as their job,” Washburn said. “You don’t realize what life fear is until you go oversees.”
Kramer, who has been in the Army for more than 20 years, said he hopes the community recognizes the importance of Veterans Day.
“(For community members) hopefully it means a day in remembrance of those who have served their country,” Kramer said. He said for him it is a day of honor for the soldiers, airmen and everyone else who has served.
Washburn said that he didn’t understand until now why his dad, a Vietnam War veteran, didn’t often speak of his experience.
“I’ve lost three or four buddies since the war started,” Washburn said. “Now I know why he didn’t talk about it much.”
While in Iraq, Washburn spent a lot of time doing patrols and maintaining peace and order.
“We were on the front line, and hot, cold, hungry Joes working eight to 10 hours under the wire,” Washburn said.
He said the accommodations were difficult because the soldiers had to build their own showers, had access to a phone that could only be used every four days and didn’t have air conditioning.
“I didn’t expect it to be so hot; the sun is so bright,” Washburn said. “It’s much brighter and the temperature is hotter, so the climate was unexpected.”
Washburn had some close calls while in Iraq; he said that the mortar attacks provided some of the scariest experiences.
“You hear a boom and 25 seconds later you hope it doesn’t land on you,” Washburn said.
On the other hand, Washburn said there was a lot of camaraderie while he was in Iraq and that the locals really appreciated having the soldiers there.
“A lot of people will shake your hand, and they’re so thankful that you’re saving them from that totalitarian regime,” Washburn said. “Eighty-five percent love you and the other 15 percent want to kill you, and you don’t know who is who.”
Washburn emphasized his dissatisfaction with the media’s coverage of the war. He said that four out of five articles are negative, and if things were being portrayed accurately only one out of five would be negative.
“We’ll walk by farms that have fertilizer and rice that have been dropped off by our military for them to use,” Washburn said. “We’re also trying to restore water treatment plants. The media only sees oil, but we’re trying to improve their water too.”
Washburn said his decision to join the armed forces was driven by family tradition.
“Every generation of my family has served in a war; it’s a fifth-generation military tradition,” Washburn said.
Since returning from Iraq just in time to spent the Easter holiday with his family, Washburn has been able to continue his studies at the University. He is an economics major and will graduate in the spring. He will remain a member of the National Guard until early 2006, and his future goals include transferring to active duty in the Army.
“Eventually I might like to be an officer, but that’s a ways away,” Washburn said.

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