War turn heightens fears of LV families

Jace Radke

Thursday, July 24, 2003 | 11:20 a.m.

When her 22-year-old son was deployed to Iraq, Connie Graham knew that he might see combat, but recent ambush-style attacks against U.S. forces have reawakened her fears.

"You hear stories about a kid who is killed when he goes to buy a soda or a CD, and you just hope that they are staying alert over there," said Graham, a northwest Las Vegas resident whose son, Spc. Jimmy Armstrong, is in Iraq with about 50 other local soldiers as part of the Nevada Army Guard's 777th Engineer Utilities Team.

"I guess this is just the evolution of this kind of war, but it makes for some sleepless nights," Graham said.

Relief may be a long time coming for the friends and relatives of Southern Nevada soldiers as military officials have installed a rotation system that allows deployments to last as long as a year.

Gen. John Abizaid, commander of allied forces in Iraq, has said that new deployments of soldiers and redeployment of returned units may be needed to complete the mission of pacifying Iraq and putting down the guerilla attacks.

Deployment demands are likely to remain great in Iraq, as well as Afghanistan, Korea, the Balkans, and possibly Liberia, according to Michael O'Hanlon, a foreign policy expert with the Brookings Institution, a nonpartisan public policy research organization.

"A typical soldier spending 2003 in Iraq may come home this winter only to be deployed again in late 2004 or 2005," O'Hanlon wrote in a recent column. "The typical reservist might be deployed for another 12 months over the next few years."

Three U.S. soldiers were killed in attacks today when they came under fire from rocket-propelled grenades in northern Iraq. Earlier this week two soldiers were killed when two separate convoys were attacked, and another soldier was killed when the truck he was riding in was hit during an ambush. There have been 157 U.S. troops killed in action since the March 20 start of the war -- 10 more than during the 1991 Gulf War.

The total number of U.S. military deaths in Iraq during Operation Enduring Freedom through Wednesday -- including accidents and other non-combat deaths -- was 238, with 100 of those deaths occurring since President Bush's May 1 announcement that major combat operations had ended.

Abizaid said at a press conference last week that just because the war has changed doesn't mean the danger has passed for U.S. troops.

"It's low-intensity conflict, in our doctrinal terms, but it's war however you describe it," Abizaid said.

With major resistance already quelled, Graham had hoped that Armstrong and the rest of the 777th wouldn't face as much danger as they had when they reached Kuwait in late May. The number of ambushes has increased, however, as the unit has moved into Baghdad to help with construction projects.

"I was glad a lot of the major fighting was over when they were leaving, but it seems to be getting bad again," Graham said. "It's like you're on a roller coaster, and you don't know what's coming next."

Pamela Goodwill, a southeast Las Vegas resident, has a 21-year-old son, Adam Powers, who is a specialist in the 1st Infantry Division in Germany. That division is scheduled to be deployed to Iraq by the end of the year.

Goodwill, who corresponds over the Internet with a network of mothers of deployed soldiers, says it's worse for soldiers' relatives now than it was when the war started.

"There isn't as much coverage now," Goodwill said. "You used to be able to tune in the TV and see where every unit was, but now the media has pulled out and the soldiers are still there getting more tired and more battle-weary."

Stories about living conditions and the chances of being caught in a guerilla attack have increased Goodwill's fears as her son gets closer to going to Iraq.

"It just seems like every day one of our soldiers is getting picked off," Goodwill said. "It sounds like it's just horrendous over there in some places. Depending on where you are stationed, you may not be able to call home or e-mail for long periods of time."

Graham carries her cell phone with her at all times so she doesn't miss what are becoming rare calls from her son.

"When he was in Kuwait it was easier, but even there he said there were lines out the door to use the Internet for e-mail," Graham said. "In letters he tells me that he asks himself every day why they have to be there."

Armstrong, who had just returned from a two-year Mormon mission when he was called to active duty in March, will have had his life on hold for at least three years when he returns home.

"He just wants to do his job and go home," said Graham, whose son was sent to the region in May. "I just feel like he is missing out on things he could be doinghere. I'm sure he'd like to go on a date."

Armstrong has written his family and says that while he doesn't like being in Iraq, he understands why he's there.

"I know that we're not just fighting for our God, religion, peace and children, but also for our brothers and sisters here," Armstrong wrote in a letter. It's like you're on a roller coaster."