Vietnam Vets Serve Again in Iraq
(February 25, 2009) |
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Army Staff Sgt.
Louis J. Swift
takes a break
from performing
pre-flight
inspections on a
UH-60 Black Hawk
helicopter at
Camp Striker,
Iraq. Courtesy
photo |
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CAMP STRIKER, Iraq, Feb. 19, 2009 – Two
deployed soldiers who served in the Vietnam War are serving
again -- this time in Iraq.
Army Staff Sgt. Louis J. Swift and Army Chief Warrant
Officer Steven M. Derry serve here with the 3-142nd Assault
Helicopter Battalion, a National Guard unit from Ronkonkoma,
N.Y.
“I enlisted for Vietnam from 1967 to 1973,” Swift, a Detroit
native, said. “Then, I enlisted for a one-year term for
Desert Storm in 1991.”
Swift serves as a crew chief and door gunner, jobs he has
performed for the past 24 years. He is responsible for
ensuring his assigned aircraft is safe by performing routine
inspections prior to takeoff.
This is Derry's second tour in Iraq. He serves as the
officer in charge of the battalion's air movement request
section. His job includes viewing flight schedules for
battalion soldiers and ensuring they have adequate fuel and
time to execute missions.
The soldiers are quick to note the differences between
serving in Iraq and Vietnam. |
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“Vietnam was a lot more active,” Swift
said. “We got rocketed more often, and this time it is
definitely safer. Where we were once flying in T-shirts, we
are now wearing 40 pounds of body armor.” |
“It is definitely a lot
calmer,” Derry agreed. “There are not as many
improvised explosive devices, and our aircraft
are not under attack as much.”
Swift pointed out the changes he has seen in the
force throughout the years.
“The attitudes have changed in
the past years,” Swift said. “At one point,
soldiers were forced to deploy through the
draft, but now that it is an all-volunteer Army,
there is more pride and dedication from the men
and women who wear the uniform.”
Although it was a different era, the Vietnam
experience instilled values pertinent to today's
American soldier, Swift said. “I gained respect for fellow
humans,” he said. “I also gained pride in my
country and in the military.” |
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Army Chief
Warrant Officer Steven M. Derry
reviews flight schedules in his
office at Camp Striker, Iraq.
U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Jasmine
N. Walthall |
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This will be the last tour for Swift and
Derry, and while they are sad to see their careers come to
an end, they said, they are proud to have served their
country.
“I am proud that I am still a soldier,”
Swift said. “I am glad that they had me back. And while I
will be retiring at the end of this tour, it has been a good
and rewarding career.”
“I set out to make a career in the
military, and that is what I did,” Derry said. “The military
allowed me to set up a retirement for my wife and children,
and it will be missed.” |
By Army Pfc. Jasmine N. Walthall
Task Force 449
Special to American Forces Press Service
Copyright 2009 |
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Reprinted
from American
Forces Press Service / DoD
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