Recent events inject a dose of reality
into scheduled deployments
By Rick Scavetta,
Stars and Stripes
Despite the brave faces of patriotism displayed by many in the U.S. military, nothing
shakes up deploying troops more than the threat of war.
As V Corps troops head to Poland this week for Victory Strike II, it’s OK if
soldiers are "really pissed off," about terrorist attacks on their homeland, Lt.
Gen William Wallace said during a recent interview.
V Corps troops begin the largest training exercise in Europe on Monday, just two weeks
after terrorists crashed hijacked planes into the Pentagon and World Trade Center. With
U.S. retaliation looming, Wallace said his troops ought to "stand a little taller, be
a little prouder, and be able to look anyone in the eye and say, ‘You sonofabitch,
I’m an American soldier.’"
For many V Corps soldiers, Victory Strike II is their main field exercise this year and
they intend to make good use of their time in Poland.
"The attacks haven’t changed anything," said Pfc. Tasha Jones, a
21-year-old Ohio native who ships out this week with Company C, 440th Signal Battalion.
"Everybody was ready for Poland before the attacks," Jones said. "Only
now, reality has set in."
Some troops in Jones’ unit talked about going to war while pulling guard duty last
week on bases and housing areas in Darmstadt, she said. But Jones said she’s not as
worried about combat as she is about being separated from her family during a national
crisis.
Soldiers know that upcoming travel plans, such as visits home during the holidays, may
be canceled, Jones said. She hoped to visit her family at Christmas.
"That’s just not possible now," Jones said.
While Wallace said V Corps is currently "standing by for orders," he would
not speculate if soldiers under his command were part of any planned operation to fight
the U.S. war against terrorism.
And if soldiers heading to the field are fighting off stomach-knots of emotion as they
train for war, Wallace is no exception. Stiff-lipped and glary-eyed, Wallace said he just
hopes soldiers put their energy toward their jobs.
"It’s OK to be a little pissed off that your family and mine have been put on
the front lines," Wallace said, as if addressing his troops. "And it’s also
OK to focus on your military duty. The American people expect the very best of us."
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