Ben Buck
Staff Reporter

Ken Gauley, a soldier of the 1133rd Transportation Co. and a current NIACC student, has learned life lessons in Iraq that can't be duplicated in a classroom.

Gauley, who was called to serve in Iraq from January 2003 to April 2004, has returned to NIACC for the fall semester. He previously attended NIACC in 2002 and was employed at the American Legion in Rockwell.

Gauley said he wasn't surprised he was called for duty.

"I kind of knew it was coming," Gauley said. "Especially after the September 11 attacks." With only a semester left before graduating, Gauley had "mixed feelings" about leaving for war.

"I didn't want to go because I was almost done with college," Gauley said. "But that's what I signed up for and I'm glad I got the opportunity to broaden my horizon."

After arriving in Iraq, the duties of the 1133rd consisted of maintenance of trucks, loading of materials and transportation of those materials.

"We woke up about 5 or 6 a.m. and did preventive maintenance on the trucks," Gauley said. "Then about 9 a.m. we left for our missions which usually took about seven days."

On a mission, the transportation company would pull into a camp site and find out what equipment needed to be moved. They would then load it up and transport until nightfall. Gauley said the roads were very difficult to navigate for several reasons.

"Trying to find places were tough at times," he said. "The road maps weren't too great and neither were the road networks."

The campsite where the 1133rd resided was only about a mile from the city of Abu Ghraib that has been in the news due to the incidents at the prison located there.

Gauley said that the 1133rd encountered dangers including mortar and improvised explosive device attacks.

One of the mortar attacks took the life of Gauley's cousin, Spc. Josh Knowles, also a former NIACC student.

"After all the stuff we went through, we only suffered one causality," he said. "That, in itself, is a miracle."

With war, came love when Gauley met his girlfriend Jenni Gisch, also a member of the 1133rd. Gauley said the relationship between the two is helping him emotionally cope with the experience of war and death.

"She was around the mortar attacks," Gauley said. "I really don't have to explain because she understands what they're all about."

Gisch described their relationship as something out of the ordinary.

"Where else can you find somebody like that?" she said. "It's great to have somebody to be with who knows what war is all about."

Small things like stormy weather may not bother most, but Gauley said that was one of the difficult things he had to adapt to when he returned home.

"When I first came back we had a thunder storm," Gauley said. "It took a while to get use to after constantly hearing mortars and gun shots go off."

After living in the desert for 13 months, he said he had a "little more responsibility" at home. "Over there you just have to worry about not getting shot and not doing anything stupid," he said. "Coming back to school and having bills to pay takes a while to get use to again." As so many horrific scenes of war fill the television set each night, Gauley and Gisch both said they wish the media would report the positive.

"There are a lot of good things that are going on," Gisch said. "I remember driving though a town and seeing a little girl with a backpack on going to school."

Bob Link, a reporter from the Globe Gazette and Arian Schuessler, a photographer from the Globe Gazette gained much praise from Gauley for their assignment in Iraq.

"It's the little things that don't make the news," he said. "When Bob and Arian were there, they did a superb job covering our personal stories."

When a country is at war, soldiers are called up and often leave spouses and kids behind. For Gauley, the hard part was leaving the family of soldiers he grew especially close to in Iraq. "You grow close to people you thought you never would," he said. "When you are in a group of a little less then 150 people, live with them day in and day out, and in one moment they're gone; it's really difficult to adjust to something like that."

Gauley said he learned a lot from his experiences in Iraq.

According to Gauley, things people may complain about such as a car payment or house payment are something that doesn't bother him anymore.

"We take so much for granted here in America," Gauley said. "People over there are living in Biblical times where farmers don't even have machinery to plow their fields."

After experiencing so many different situations, environments and emotions, Gauley simply said the war made him a better person.

"Life is too short," Gauley said. "You see things in a different light after going through war. You never realize the little things until they are taken away from you."

Ben Buck
Staff Reporter

When Val Arnett, a student at NIACC, walks into group discussion class and the topic involves war, she's not afraid to voice her opinion. It's more than "just a war" to her - its family. Arnett's two step-brothers, Spc. Travis Stangel and Spc. Jason Stangel, along with 23 other soldiers of the 1133rd Transportation Co., were called up to fill the ranks of the 2168th Transportation Co. of Sheldon, IA on August 25, 2004. None of the 25 soldiers served with the 1133rd from January of 2003 to April of 2004 in the Middle East.

Arnett said it's a tough situation to handle with two step-brothers in the war, but it's a job they have to do.

"It's what they signed up for," Arnett said. "I don't know if they thought they would be going to war but when you get called up, you have to go."

Darla Winter, mother of Travis and Jason, said it was an emotional moment when her and her husband, Dale Winter, had to say goodbye.

"As a mom, it was the hardest thing I ever had to do," Winter said. "Our boys have come a long way and we think the world of them."

Travis was the leader of the pact and Arnett said it was a great choice he made.

"Travis was the first one to sign up," Arnett said. "He wanted to be successful in life and he knew the military was going to do that."

Rob Stangel, the oldest brother, is going to school to be a military officer and was not called to serve with his brothers. Winter said that it has been tough on him not being with his brothers.

"Rob has taken it the worst," Winter said. "It was very hard for him to let his brothers go without him."

Arnett said she is constantly concerned with the safety of Travis and Jason even though they are just in a transportation company.

"My concern is always there," Arnett said. "Just because they're not on the front lines doesn't mean they're not in any danger."

Two members of the 1133rd have died during the theater of operations in Iraq. Spc. Josh Knowles was killed in a mortar attack in Iraq on February 5, 2004 and Spc. Dustin Colby was killed on August 27, 2004 when his semi rolled over near Camp Dodge in Des Moines.

Rob Stangel Sr., father of Travis and Jason, said he is constantly thinking about his boys but will support them all the way through.

"Everyday I worry about them," Rob Stangel Sr. said. "But this is something they really wanted to do and I have to stand by them."

U.S. Senator Tom Harkin, from Iowa, offered his regards to the soldiers serving in the war. "I have been a long time supporter of our troops," Harkin said. "I will continue to work in the Senate to do all I can to ensure that they are adequately prepared and equipped for their duties."

Lt. Col. Greg Hapgood of the 1133rd said the families of these soldiers should be "justifiably proud" for the job they are doing.

"They are protecting the freedoms that we all enjoy," Hapgood said. "They represent us as a state and as a nation very well."

Megan Baldwin
Staff Reporter

Many soldiers have experienced the horrifying sights and sounds of war after being sent to Iraq. Some of those soldiers are now returning after serving a first tour of duty there. One current NIACC student knows just what those troops are going through. Spc. Matt Blickenderfer of Nora Springs, Iowa has recently returned after serving his country in Iraq. Blickenderfer served in the 389th Army Reserve B Company out of Decorah, Iowa.

He was called to duty in May 2003.

Overwhelmed by the news, Blickenderfer, who was only 19 years of age at the time, said he was terrified and nervous about coming back alive.

"I feared the challenges I was going to be faced with (in Iraq), hearing about the Iraqi community of beggers and thieves," Blickenderfer said about the conditions he expected in Iraq.

Blickenderfer said he was a Combat Engineer in the war Operation Iraqi Freedom.

His duties included building roads for travel, setting up perimeter walls within base, pouring concrete for helicopter pads and at times guard duties.

He said his duties often could be long and stressful due to the circumstances.

One project he took part in building was the Iraqi Civil Defense Corp. which is now used to train Iraqi soldiers as the country tries to get back on its own feet.

Since returning in May of 2004, Blickenderfer said he has spent his time at home with friends and family, relaxing and having fun.

"I'm very glad to be home," Blickenderfer said. This fall Blickenderfer is enrolled in classes at NIACC and sits in class with fellow students. Most would not know of his recent experiences in Iraq.

"I'm glad to be going to NIACC," Blickenderfer said. "It's hard to readjust, but everything is going well so far."

After serving in Iraq, Blickenderfer said he would rather not return for future duty there. However, since Blickenderfer has five years remaining in the reserve, he said that doesn't look promising and the likelihood of returning is possible. He did say he would be in favor of a draft.