Serving together overseas

Five Guardsmen in Iraq share Western connection

Editor's note: The following story and photo were provided by Lt. Col. James McCabe '84, sent from Camp Echo Iraq, Feb. 10, 2008

Members of an Illinois National Guard unit stationed in central Iraq have experienced mortar attacks. They've missed holidays and kids' birthdays.

Yet despite the hardships they have encountered, the group has a source of comfort in camaraderie—as nearly 30 percent of the group shares an alma mater.

WIU Alumni Serving in IraqFive WIU alumni—Lt. Col. Curt Ashby ‘98, Col. David Leckrone ‘85, Lt. Col. James McCabe ‘84, Maj. Matthew Voyles ‘97, and Maj. Ronald Zessin ‘90— have been on the ground in Iraq since May 1, 2007. Theirs is the fifth rotation of Illinois Guardsmen to serve with the Polish forces in Iraq.

“Col. Leckrone and I were commissioned together in May 1982,” said McCabe, who serves as the Illinois Guard's command historian and works as a commercial truck license examiner for the Illinois Secretary of State. “Looking back, I never thought we would be serving in a combat zone together, 25 years later.”

“This is my first time in a combat zone since joining the military nearly 20 years ago,” said Zessin, who at home works for the Illinois Department of Corrections in Springfield, Ill. “The low point of my tour has got to be scrambling for cover during a mortar attack. I have served as a mortar platoon leader, and now I know what it is like to be on the wrong side of the deal.”

And yet, Zessin says the experience has been positive. “Where else could I work with and get to know soldiers from eight other nations at the same time?” he said.

Each alumnus perform duties as an embedded staff officer in a critical position on the multi-national division staff alongside soldiers from Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Latvia, Lithuania, Mongolia, Poland and the Ukraine. The Illinois team has played a decisive role in the on-going development of the Iraqi Security Forces, humanitarian support, and re-construction efforts, McCabe said.

Leckrone, Ashby and Voyles are full-time National Guardsmen. McCabe and Zessin are traditional Guardsmen, drilling one weekend each month in Springfield.

McCabe, an operational planner who develops orders for kinetic, or combat operations, echoed Zessin's assessment.

“For the most part, our tour hasn't been too bad, except for my 45th birthday. We were in the bunkers three times during separate mortar and rocket attacks,” he said. “But it's been interesting working with coalition forces. Writing a combat operations order that everyone can understand easily was difficult. Conversing with soldiers from four different countries, in my office alone, has been an experience in itself.“

“This tour has provided the opportunity to support the soldiers and civilians who are here making a difference and improving the lives and security of the Iraqi people,” Ashby said.

McCabe experienced an off-base patrol to accompany coalition and U.S. soldiers during a fertilizer distribution for local farmers. “It was nice to meet sheiks and farmers and know they are just trying to make an honest living,” he said. Reflecting on a similar mission, Voyles said, “For the most part, [the Iraqi people] are amazingly generous and truly appreciative of what we're doing for them.”

Leckrone, who serves as the deputy division commander for support, is the senior U.S. officer on the base.

“This tour has provided the opportunity to support the soldiers and civilians who are here making a difference and improving the lives and security of the Iraqi people. What a great experience to be here with four fellow alumni from Western. Success for me will be ensuring every soldier and civilian located on Camp Echo has been supported to the fullest extent and that me and my fellow soldiers return home safely to our family and friends.”

Missing their families is a common thread for the group.

“Having a wife and four children at home is hard,” said Voyles. “We speak almost every day via webcam, but it's just not the same as being there.” In fact, all five graduates are married and have children or other family members back home. All agreed the holidays were especially trying. Missing birthdays, anniversaries and their children's sporting events also made the list.

According to McCabe, however, the alumni are scheduled to arrive back in Illinois the first week of April.

For the five alumni, working together in Iraq has been a great opportunity to relive time spent on campus. Voyles summed it up well when he said, “Having the same background and memories of our college times has made for some interesting discussions during our down-time. We all remember little things about Macomb and the campus that bring us together.”

Photo caption: (L-r) Maj. Ronald Zessin '90, Lt. Col. Curt Ashby '98, Col. David Leckrone '85, Maj. Mathew Voyles '97, Lt. Col. James McCabe '84, are Illinois Guardsmen stationed at Camp Echo near Ad Diwaniyah in central Iraq.

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