Active Duty: A look at UW-Whitewater students in Iraq
Alumni & Friends, Summer/Fall 2004
Spec. Brian Bell is a current UW‑Whitewater student whose college career was interrupted for a stint of active duty. The Sun Prairie native’s National Guard unit was originally activated in March 2003 in anticipation of deploying to Turkey as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. Those orders were never cut because Turkey refused to allow coalition forces to enter Iraq from Turkey.
Bell is a trained combat engineer. His specialty includes creating and breaching land mines, explosives, fences and other obstacles. After nearly three months of waiting, the unit’s traveling orders were changed to Fort Hood, Texas. Instead of defusing bombs, Bell spent a year in charge of deployment and redeployment operations for U.S. military operations.
Bell says compared to working 18-hour days loading cargo planes, sitting in a classroom is on the opposite end of the spectrum.
“It was a very eye-opening, real-world experience that put life into perspective on what is important,” said Bell. “I am now much more focused on the people close to me and my life in general.”
He admits his point of view regarding the war has changed quite a bit since his return from active duty.
“As a political science major, I went from hearing someone theorize about issues in class to being part of the overall military policy. Living it everyday is quite an adjustment,” Bell said. “I now have a greater appreciation for college life.”
Since returning from active duty in March 2004, Bell made the decision to enroll in the ROTC program at UW-Whitewater. Upon graduation, he will be commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. – Tom Pattison