"Deploying Home: A Paratroopers Journey back to Iraq"

Photo By Sgt. Vincent Levelev | Almuntafeky, hailing from Bagdad, Iraq, made a powerful journey from an early life at war to deploying back to his home nation while serving in the Army.  

IRAQ

07.19.2024

Story by Sgt. Vincent Levelev 

82nd Combat Aviation Brigade

AL ASAD AIRBASE, Iraq- “They told him it would be best for you to move to a new country in the Middle East or even move out of the continent,” said Pfc. Hussein Almuntafeky. “It was getting hectic and serious. My father immediately told us we had to go to the United States. I can't let you guys live here forever because it will get bad.”

Almuntafeky, hailing from Bagdad, Iraq, made a powerful journey from an early life at war to deploying back to his home nation while serving in the Army.

That was over 10 years ago now, and Almuntafeky, an Automated Logistical Specialist assigned to the 307th Brigade Support Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division Sustainment Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division, began hearing rumors of potential deployment opportunities to either Syria or Iraq from his Paratroopers in his unit in the fall of 2023.

“You guys trying to go to Iraq?” his first sergeant asked Almuntafeky while at the motor pool. “I’m trying to give you the opportunity to go.”

“I was like, ‘count me in.’ Almuntafeky told his first sergeant. “For me, it wasn’t a free visit to go back to my country. It was to expand and get out of my comfort zone.”

Almuntafeky thought about it thoroughly and decided he needed to go. “I have to go; it’s a must,” he said.

However, Almuntafeky’s deployment to Iraq wouldn’t be his first experience in the Middle East. He was born amid an emerging bloody invasion that would unfold before him on the streets of Baghdad, his home.

“Growing up, it was like an adventure,” explained Almuntafeky. “It was pretty crazy. As a kid, you don't really know much. I just saw a bunch of tanks, helicopters, and Soldiers roaming the streets everywhere, every single day.”

Almuntafeky, who was born in 2002, one year before Operation Iraqi Freedom, described himself as being born into war. In April 2003, The Battle of Baghdad would ensue, and young Almuntafeky’s father would enter one of America’s and Iraq’s most complex wars, leaving the young boy to tend to his mother and siblings. Almuntafeky’s father spent the following years fighting alongside American and coalition forces as the rise of extremist insurgencies would plague his community and country after the toppling of Saddam Hussein’s Regime.

“It was really tough because he missed us as kids,” said Almuntafeky. “Growing up, he was gone for three-quarters of the year.”

Despite Almuntafeky’s upbringing in austere conflict and violence, he had positive relationships with the growing American military presence throughout his youth.

“I admire those people for doing that; they treated us really nicely with respect and everything,” said Almuntafeky. “We were outside just playing, and then all you see is just tanks coming, and you hear everybody say, ‘oh, get inside, get inside. This is dangerous.’

At the time, Almuntafeky was puzzled about the community's fear of militaries pouring through his streets. Almuntafeky recounts memories of Soldiers and Marines entering streets and bringing candy and sports drinks for him and the other children.

“I was like, ‘What is this right here? Is this lemonade? No, what is this?’” he recounted, “So I drank it, and I was just like, ‘Whoa, this is heaven right here.’”

What impressed Almuntafeky about the Americans was their respect for their religious practices. Something he described as the “brotherly love.”

“Whenever it was prayer time, they knew,” said Almuntafeky. “It was really nice,” he said. “ It felt like they were like older brothers to us. They were really kind.”

The reality of war never ceased to fade away, however. Almuntafeky described the emergence of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria and the horrors they inflicted upon his community. ISIS leadership and the community members were aware of Almuntafeky’s father's work with Americans, which put a massive target on the young family, and that ISIS operatives would kidnap family members as retribution.

“They knew he was in the Army. They used to kidnap kids and stuff like that,” said Almuntafeky. “In our neighborhood, they used to have kids missing because of that scenario. It was pretty scary growing up. It wasn't all fun and games.” he said. “In our neighborhood, they used to have kids missing because of that scenario sadly. I had two friends who got kidnapped in 2011. I still remember to this day. It’s heartbreaking.”

Almuntafeky and his family lived in these conditions for a couple more years until 2013, when they emigrated to the U.S. and ended up in Orlando, Florida. There, they faced different challenges as new immigrants and young people.

With the guidance of his older brother and brother-in-law, who served as father figures to the family while Almuntafeky’s father remained in Iraq, He struggled to fit into the American dream. Feeling isolated socially and bearing no kinship to academics, five years would pass before Almuntafeky reunited with his father. The moment proved pivotal to the high school teenager and sent him towards a path that would have him jumping out of planes and deploying to combat zones.

“I wish he could’ve delayed coming here for another year,” Almuntafeky said, explaining his thoughts on his father's move to the U.S. then. “I was a troublemaker. I wanted another year so I could become better for my dad. He sent us to the U.S. to get an education– get smarter--get better jobs.”

That delay wouldn’t come to fruition as he had hoped, but the conversations had sent him on the better path. His father recommended he consider the Army. Almuntafeky, who already enrolled in his high school Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps, was convinced he wanted to enlist in the Marine Corps.

After speaking with a friend who was also enlisting in the Army simultaneously, Almuntafeky had a change of heart and talked with an Army recruiter.

“The Army is just so much more of my lifestyle,” said Almuntafeky. “It just fits me better.”

Almuntafeky enlisted in the Army as an automated logistical specialist, where his journey back home would begin. Like many Soldiers, Almuntafeky's introduction to the Army began at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. He would meet an inspiring figure in one of his drill sergeants who recognized Almuntafeky's unique story and potential in the Army. Foreshadowing what would become Almuntafeky's future, his drill sergeant spoke of his deployments to Iraq and how they molded him into becoming a formidable and experienced leader.

At Advanced Individual Training at Fort Gregg-Adams, Virginia, Almuntafeky volunteered for airborne training however, what that meant exactly didn’t register with him.

“I'm about to get paid 150 extra; this is easy, light work,” Almuntafeky boasted. The hype and confidence would soon cease following research on Airborne School. Almuntafeky confided in his father, who said, “You’re jumping out of airplanes. It is what it is now.”

“I couldn’t stop thinking about it,” Almuntafeky said. “My biggest fear is heights.”

When he came to the final week of his Airborne training, Almuntafeky donned his chute, took to the skies, and rode his canopy to the ground, completing the five parachute jumps all Paratrooper candidates must make at the Basic Airborne Course in Fort Moore, Georgia. So early in his career, Almuntafeky had risen above fear, became Airborne qualified, and would have orders cut for the prestigious 82nd Airborne Division, where he would get a free ride home in due time.

It wouldn’t take much time and convincing before Almuntafeky was properly indoctrinated into the Airborne community.
“I realized there is nowhere outside of the 82nd, which, in my opinion, is near us when it comes to work ethic and training,” Almuntafeky proudly stated. “The 82nd may sound really brutal, but it’s the Army. I need to stay at 82nd because I like the feistiness. I like the crazy people. It matches my energy.”

Just one year after arriving at the 307th BSB, 82nd ADSB, Almuntafeky would deploy with Echo Company of the 3-82 General Support Aviation Battalion, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade, heading straight to his home country of Iraq, where he would serve in support of Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR). Terrorized by ISIS as a youth, Almuntafeky, now years later, served in a Combined Joint Task Force Operation with its sole purpose being the defeat of ISIS with regional partners to increase regional stability in his home country.

“It was very emotional when I touched down,” said Almuntafeky. “I'm really back here on a mission, and I'm really proud of that. As a Middle Eastern man and an American, I take pride in everything I do. I felt like it was a gift from God, all the praises to Him, and I felt like he put me in this position.”

During Almuntafeky’s time in theater, Ramadan was observed worldwide. “Doing Ramadan here was like an honor. It was a blessing. It made me grow a lot as a person. It brought me closer to my beliefs, and I respect the 3-82 GSAB for all the support they gave me.”

Once Almuntafeky redeploys to the U.S., he will return to the 307th BSB and await an automatic promotion for time in grade to the rank of specialist. Almuntafeky’s goals include earning the coveted Air Assault Badge, mastering the Creed of the Non-Commisioned Officer, and pursuing a promotion to sergeant.

“I want to thank 3-82 GSAB for giving me the opportunity to come out here and deploy with them,” said Almuntafeky. “To experience deployment itself and to meet a lot of new people. The leadership here is the best you could have. I just love all of them. I never imagined I would be in this position, walking around with a bunch of proud Soldiers holding themselves up with pride and representing the United States. I’m a Paratrooper.”

• Date Taken: 07.19.2024
• Date Posted: 07.19.2024 01:07
• Story ID: 476584
• Location: IQ