Private First Class Aaron Friese joined the Army during his senior year of high school, passing tests that earned him a promotion even before he left for boot camp on July 30, 2002. Graduation from Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri was November 15 and Aaron was told to report to Fort Carson, Colorado on Thanksgiving Day. His company returned to U.S. soil in March 2004, and Aaron is now stationed in Colorado.
Aaron now serves the Army is as a Combat Engineer, 4th Engineering Battalion, C Company. Within his first five months in Colorado he received a promotion to PFC (Private First Class). The first rumor of deployment to Iraq or that area came in February 2003, and his Company actually left U.S. soil on April 7. Aaron was assigned a vehicle to drive, a track (looks like a tank but instead of a cannon it has a 50 cal gun) which met the troops in Kuwait. Aaron turned 19 years old in Iraq as he drove his track through Samara, Baghdad, etc. north to Kirkuk. They remained in the Kirkuk area for many months, forging good relationships with area townspeople, training their police force and even attending their Chamber of Commerce meetings every Wednesday! On these trips, they also made time to stop by the schools that they reopened to visit the children and take gifts (candy, U.S. flags, etc.).
Aaron's diverse duties in Kirkuk gave him a well-rounded experience. He has served as the First Sergeant's HumVee driver, a radio operator at his company Headquarters, and a Command Vehicle driver--this unit is akin to a "traveling radio." Because their compound was routinely attacked by mortars and rocket grenades nearly every day, they conducted raids in the neighboring communities to search for weapons. They also make weekly mail runs to the airfield. On some trips, Aaron drove the HumVee, while on others he was the gunner (rear guard on the vehicle with a 50 caliber gun).
Aaron's favorite job was when he got to actually do his combat engineer duties. When they find any weapons, artillery, or explosives he is part of the team that destroys them. There are other daily duties which aren't as "glamorous" like cleaning the latrines, etc. Since he is the driver of two vehicles, he has to maintain these vehicles and keep them clean. Aaron and his Company cleaned everything in order to make a move to Kuwait, where they tore everything apart, cleaned again, performed needed maintenance, put everything back together, and shipped the vehicles home.
Although Aaron is safely in our country once again, many of our other sons and daughters are still serving in very dangeorous territory. We ask you to keep Aaron and all our soldiers and country in your thoughts and prayers.