Courtesy Photo | Pvt. William Gentry, a native of Austin, Texas, who is assigned to Company B, 1st...... read more read more
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By Staff Sgt. J.B. Jaso, III
2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division
CAMP TAJI, Iraq – The deployment to Iraq marks the first time Pvt. William Gentry has been out of the United States.
The Austin, Texas, native, said he was nervous and anxious to see what Iraq was like when he received his deployment notice.
"My heart was beating so fast that I thought it was going to come out of my chest," he said.
Gentry, an infantryman with Company B, 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment "Wolfhounds," 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team "Warrior," 25th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad, has been on more than 25 patrols, where he assisted in identifying and seizing enemy cache sites. His efforts, along with those of his fellow Soldiers, is helping to secure the area in order to provide the government of Iraq the opportunity to provide essential services to the people of Iraq.
Now that Gentry has more than 25 patrols under his belt, he said he feels more at ease, which he says allows him to conduct his missions more thoroughly.
Sixty miles of walking per week takes it toll on the body, but despite his aching back and feet, Gentry said he sees his pain as a necessity to life.
"The way I see it," he said "life without suffering is impossible; those who live running from pain live no life at all. This job may seem easy to some but, for most, it is a test to find out how strong of a person we really are."
The quest to find his strength, and the desire to travel, he said, motivated him to join the Army in October, 2006. Prior to joining the Army, Gentry had never been out of the state of Texas.
He currently lives with U.S. Soldiers and Iraqi army soldiers on a joint security station, which provides Gentry and his unit the ability to rapidly respond to activities that occur in their area. Although he lives on a smaller compound, he said he is thankful he can still communicate with those most important to him – his mom and four siblings.
When he returns to Hawaii in approximately 13 months, Gentry said he plans to go skydiving and explore more of the Hawaiian Island's snorkeling. In the meantime however, he will learn all he can from the deployment and strives to stay positive and continue to help make life better for Iraqis.
| Date Taken: | 02.20.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 02.20.2008 13:52 |
| Story ID: | 16515 |
| Location: | TAJI, IQ |
| Web Views: | 1,019 |
| Downloads: | 999 |
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