Mr. Michael Corriveault, an Iraq War Veteran
Mr. Frank Gibbons, an Iraq War Veteran
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Interviewers: Mr. Michael Corriveault
Dr. Frank Gibbons Interviewees: Jennifer Salvadore Talia Carcieri Dates: 5/27/16 6/13/16 Jennifer Salvadore with Mr. Michael Corrivealt
Jennifer Salvadore and Talia Carcieri with Mr. Frank Gibbons
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A Brief Overview of Iraq War
The American invasion of Iraq in March 2003 toppled the brutal authoritarian government of Saddam Hussein, but unleashed a massive sectarian civil war that involved the United States until 2011. The purpose of the war was to remove Hussein from power, due to the possibility that he had acquired chemical, biological, or nuclear weapons.
As you can see in the map above, the Iraq War took place in the country of Iraq, located in the Middle East. Although the majority of the war was fought in Iraq, the Iraq war also sometimes took place in the bordering states, such as Iran and Saudi Arabia.
Participation of Women in Iraq and Afghanistan War
Talia Carcieri
The Iraq and Afghanistan war started on October 7th 2001 and was triggered by the terrorists attacks that occurred on 9/11. The country of Afghanistan was controlled by the Taliban which was a group of extremists. The motivation behind the U.S fighting the war was to end the Taliban control in the Middle East. The U.S and NATO formally ended their combat mission in Afghanistan and the war officially ended on December 28th 2014. This was a war that was not just fought by American men. Many women were highly involved the the participation of the war and had a strong contribution. A numerous number of people today are not aware about women’s efforts in the war and how they also fought for their country just as men had done so. These women are not as recognized or acknowledged for their participation as much as men are. The United States needed this extra hand from American women. American women contributed strongly to the Iraq and Afghanistan war through participation in Cultural Support Teams and fighting in combat positions along side men, despite the ongoing debate concerning women’s participation which arose from the Department of Defense’s combat exclusion policy.
Women still fought strongly in the Iraq and Afghanistan war despite the policy that prohibited women from participating in combat positions. In 1994 the policy of Direct Ground Combat Definition and Assignment Rule was passed that prohibited women from being assigned to direct combat units and participating in direct combat. The policy defines the definition of direct combat as, “engaging an enemy on the ground with individual or crew served weapons, while being exposed to hostile fire and to a high probability of direct physical contact with the hostile forces personnel.” The rule that the policy enforces is that women will be excluded from being assigned to units that participate in direct combat that follows the definition given. Since during the war it was very difficult to allow women to engage in direct ground combat because of the policy; women were heavily involved in different positions. The American army and Marine corps assigned female soldiers to search Iraqi women for weapons, patrol in door-to-door operations, and participate in escort missions. The largest area that women were involved in was the convoy escort missions where they were involved in special operations forces in Cultural Support Teams. These American women helped combat units deal with the Afghani women while the units were operating in certain Afghan villages. They reached out to Iraqi and Afghani women and children in, “medical outreach programs, civil-military operations, key leader engagements, and searches and seizures. Even without engaging in combat, many women still strongly contributed to the war effort in Iraq and Afghanistan. Female soldiers strongly contributed in this area because they were very useful to the Iraqi and Afghani women. The women of Iraq and Afghanistan as well as the children, felt more comfortable talking to, being searched by, and protected by female soldiers rather than male. Women did not just shine in these positions as they completed other missions alongside men, despite the policy holding them back.
Despite the Department of Defense’s combat exclusion policy, women soldiers still participated in tasks in combat that contributed to successfully fighting the war. Women were not allowed to be assigned to a combat unit but instead they were attached to them. Genevieve Chase, a veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom and founder of American Women Veterans said, “women have stepped up to serve in leadership roles when necessary, including acting as a commander of an all-male unit”. Chase is an example of this as she was a female soldier that was in a position where she had step up and act as a commander to save her fellow soldiers. Certain times the reason why soldiers made it home was because of a woman soldier who was brave enough to place herself in a position to save her unit. Monica Lin Brown was an example of a brave female soldier. Brown and her unit were in a convoy on their way to complete a task when they came under ambush. Many men on the convoy were injured from this which allowed Brown to aid the wounded soldiers. While she was applying medical aid, mortar strikes landed around her and the men. If it was not for her then the men in her unit would not have survived. She was the first woman to earn the Silver Star in Afghanistan and due to the combat ban on women she was pulled from the unit she was assigned to. Rebecca Turpin did the same as she stepped up to a leadership role in order to save the soldier's part of her unit. The convoy of vehicles she was part of left for a mission and ran into unexpected trouble. Her convoy came under heavy fire several times during the trip which made Turpin act in action. Rebecca Turpin was responsible for directing the machine gunners, and Cobra helicopters, to complete the mission and allow her convoy to escape safety. As for Turpin too, it was very unlucky that without her, the convoy of soldiers would not have escaped successfully without many casualties. Chase, Brown,Turpin and many other female soldiers contributed strongly to the Iraq and Afghanistan by stepping up to a higher position during combat to save and protect all the soldiers on their unit.
As women became more involved in the Iraq and Afghanistan war, there was another side of people that argued against this and defended the policy that banned women from combat. From this policy and women’s contribution in the war, the debate on women’s involvement and participation arose. People argued that women are more prone to receive stress and are more likely than men to have post-traumatic stress disorder after war. They argued that women would need to receive more intensive treatment which would place women in a disadvantage during war with men. People also argued for the combat ban on women soldiers because of the fear of interactions between men and women. They felt that a sexual or romantic feeling from either a female soldier or a male soldier would distract both soldiers from focusing on a mission. Others argued that men are physically stronger than women. This is one of the reasons why women were not always allowed to participate in fighting in wars because people believed men were the stronger sex. Although, another reason why American women were never allowed to join the army was because the nation wanted to protect their women. This now affects how people feel today as they worry if the American public is able to handle having female casualties or women as prisoners of war. Chase, female veteran that was mentioned previously, shuts down these arguments made and claimed that, “I served with men that were so macho and overprotective, then when it really actually got sticky, they weren’t worried about me, the training kicked in, everybody did what they were supposed to do. We were professionals”. In a study women and men reported on their struggles upon returning from military service in the Iraq and Afghanistan war. About an equal amount of female and males reported to having a tough readjustment to civilian life after war. 43% of females said they had a tough time readjusting to life after the war and 45% in males. According to this study, the percentage of women soldiers having post-traumatic stress disorder was relatively the same compared with the percentage of men who suffered from it. Women were completely capable of fighting in the Iraq and Afghanistan war alongside men and their accomplishments in the war demonstrate it.
American women contributed strongly to the Iraq and Afghanistan war through participation in Cultural Support Teams and fighting in combat positions along side men, despite the ongoing debate concerning women’s participation which arose from the Department of Defense’s combat exclusion policy. From women’s successful and strong participation in combat, the policy was repealed after the war ended. In 2014, the ban was lifted allowing on female soldiers to fight in frontline combat. Women today in 2016 are more involved in ground combat because of the lifted ban. Female soldiers are becoming a part of more combat that includes infantry, armor and special forces. If it was not for the large motivation from women to be a part of the American military during the Iraq and Afghanistan war, then the ban might have never been repealed. Women have realized their capability from their participation in the war and have realized they should have a right to be able to fight for their country just as men are able to.
Bibliography
Michael, Smith L. "6 Women Who Fought In Direct Combat In Iraq And Afghanistan." Task and Purpose, August 26, 2015
http://taskandpurpose.com/6-women-who-fought-in-direct-combat-in-iraq-and-afghanistan/.
Namarck, Kristy N. Women in Combat: Issues for Congress. N.p.: Congressional Research Service, 2015.
https://fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/R42075.pdf.
Patten, Eileen, and Kim Parker. Women in the U.S Military. N.p.: Pew Social and Democratic Trends, 2011.
http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/files/2011/12/women-in-the-military.pdf.
Special Operations Recruiting Battalion. "Cultural Support Teams."
http://sorbrecruiting.com/sorb_cst.html.
The Secretary of Defense. "Direct Ground Combat Definition and Assignment Rule."
http://www.govexec.com/pdfs/031910d1.pdf.
Wong, Kristina. "Women Fighting and Dying in War, Despite Combat Exclusion Policy." ABC News, May 30, 2011.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/women-fight-iraq-afghanistan-preclusion-ground-combat/story?id=13716419.
Women still fought strongly in the Iraq and Afghanistan war despite the policy that prohibited women from participating in combat positions. In 1994 the policy of Direct Ground Combat Definition and Assignment Rule was passed that prohibited women from being assigned to direct combat units and participating in direct combat. The policy defines the definition of direct combat as, “engaging an enemy on the ground with individual or crew served weapons, while being exposed to hostile fire and to a high probability of direct physical contact with the hostile forces personnel.” The rule that the policy enforces is that women will be excluded from being assigned to units that participate in direct combat that follows the definition given. Since during the war it was very difficult to allow women to engage in direct ground combat because of the policy; women were heavily involved in different positions. The American army and Marine corps assigned female soldiers to search Iraqi women for weapons, patrol in door-to-door operations, and participate in escort missions. The largest area that women were involved in was the convoy escort missions where they were involved in special operations forces in Cultural Support Teams. These American women helped combat units deal with the Afghani women while the units were operating in certain Afghan villages. They reached out to Iraqi and Afghani women and children in, “medical outreach programs, civil-military operations, key leader engagements, and searches and seizures. Even without engaging in combat, many women still strongly contributed to the war effort in Iraq and Afghanistan. Female soldiers strongly contributed in this area because they were very useful to the Iraqi and Afghani women. The women of Iraq and Afghanistan as well as the children, felt more comfortable talking to, being searched by, and protected by female soldiers rather than male. Women did not just shine in these positions as they completed other missions alongside men, despite the policy holding them back.
Despite the Department of Defense’s combat exclusion policy, women soldiers still participated in tasks in combat that contributed to successfully fighting the war. Women were not allowed to be assigned to a combat unit but instead they were attached to them. Genevieve Chase, a veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom and founder of American Women Veterans said, “women have stepped up to serve in leadership roles when necessary, including acting as a commander of an all-male unit”. Chase is an example of this as she was a female soldier that was in a position where she had step up and act as a commander to save her fellow soldiers. Certain times the reason why soldiers made it home was because of a woman soldier who was brave enough to place herself in a position to save her unit. Monica Lin Brown was an example of a brave female soldier. Brown and her unit were in a convoy on their way to complete a task when they came under ambush. Many men on the convoy were injured from this which allowed Brown to aid the wounded soldiers. While she was applying medical aid, mortar strikes landed around her and the men. If it was not for her then the men in her unit would not have survived. She was the first woman to earn the Silver Star in Afghanistan and due to the combat ban on women she was pulled from the unit she was assigned to. Rebecca Turpin did the same as she stepped up to a leadership role in order to save the soldier's part of her unit. The convoy of vehicles she was part of left for a mission and ran into unexpected trouble. Her convoy came under heavy fire several times during the trip which made Turpin act in action. Rebecca Turpin was responsible for directing the machine gunners, and Cobra helicopters, to complete the mission and allow her convoy to escape safety. As for Turpin too, it was very unlucky that without her, the convoy of soldiers would not have escaped successfully without many casualties. Chase, Brown,Turpin and many other female soldiers contributed strongly to the Iraq and Afghanistan by stepping up to a higher position during combat to save and protect all the soldiers on their unit.
As women became more involved in the Iraq and Afghanistan war, there was another side of people that argued against this and defended the policy that banned women from combat. From this policy and women’s contribution in the war, the debate on women’s involvement and participation arose. People argued that women are more prone to receive stress and are more likely than men to have post-traumatic stress disorder after war. They argued that women would need to receive more intensive treatment which would place women in a disadvantage during war with men. People also argued for the combat ban on women soldiers because of the fear of interactions between men and women. They felt that a sexual or romantic feeling from either a female soldier or a male soldier would distract both soldiers from focusing on a mission. Others argued that men are physically stronger than women. This is one of the reasons why women were not always allowed to participate in fighting in wars because people believed men were the stronger sex. Although, another reason why American women were never allowed to join the army was because the nation wanted to protect their women. This now affects how people feel today as they worry if the American public is able to handle having female casualties or women as prisoners of war. Chase, female veteran that was mentioned previously, shuts down these arguments made and claimed that, “I served with men that were so macho and overprotective, then when it really actually got sticky, they weren’t worried about me, the training kicked in, everybody did what they were supposed to do. We were professionals”. In a study women and men reported on their struggles upon returning from military service in the Iraq and Afghanistan war. About an equal amount of female and males reported to having a tough readjustment to civilian life after war. 43% of females said they had a tough time readjusting to life after the war and 45% in males. According to this study, the percentage of women soldiers having post-traumatic stress disorder was relatively the same compared with the percentage of men who suffered from it. Women were completely capable of fighting in the Iraq and Afghanistan war alongside men and their accomplishments in the war demonstrate it.
American women contributed strongly to the Iraq and Afghanistan war through participation in Cultural Support Teams and fighting in combat positions along side men, despite the ongoing debate concerning women’s participation which arose from the Department of Defense’s combat exclusion policy. From women’s successful and strong participation in combat, the policy was repealed after the war ended. In 2014, the ban was lifted allowing on female soldiers to fight in frontline combat. Women today in 2016 are more involved in ground combat because of the lifted ban. Female soldiers are becoming a part of more combat that includes infantry, armor and special forces. If it was not for the large motivation from women to be a part of the American military during the Iraq and Afghanistan war, then the ban might have never been repealed. Women have realized their capability from their participation in the war and have realized they should have a right to be able to fight for their country just as men are able to.
Bibliography
Michael, Smith L. "6 Women Who Fought In Direct Combat In Iraq And Afghanistan." Task and Purpose, August 26, 2015
http://taskandpurpose.com/6-women-who-fought-in-direct-combat-in-iraq-and-afghanistan/.
Namarck, Kristy N. Women in Combat: Issues for Congress. N.p.: Congressional Research Service, 2015.
https://fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/R42075.pdf.
Patten, Eileen, and Kim Parker. Women in the U.S Military. N.p.: Pew Social and Democratic Trends, 2011.
http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/files/2011/12/women-in-the-military.pdf.
Special Operations Recruiting Battalion. "Cultural Support Teams."
http://sorbrecruiting.com/sorb_cst.html.
The Secretary of Defense. "Direct Ground Combat Definition and Assignment Rule."
http://www.govexec.com/pdfs/031910d1.pdf.
Wong, Kristina. "Women Fighting and Dying in War, Despite Combat Exclusion Policy." ABC News, May 30, 2011.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/women-fight-iraq-afghanistan-preclusion-ground-combat/story?id=13716419.
Transcript of Interview with Michael Corriveault
Jennifer: Hi. I am here with an army veteran who served during the Iraq War. His name is Mr. Michael Corriveault.
Mr. Corriveault: Thank you for having me.
Jennifer: So, tell me a little bit about yourself. When and where were you born?
Mr. Corriveault: I was born March 16th, 1962 in a small town called Whitinsville, Massachusetts, which is located in the Blackstone Valley.
Jennifer: What did your parents do for a living?
Mr. Corriveault: My mom was a stay at home mom and my dad worked at Tupperware.
Jennifer: Did anyone in your family serve in the military?
Mr. Corriveault: Not direct family, but I had two uncles – one in the army and one in the air force.
Jennifer: Did they influence your participation?
Mr. Corriveault: No, not really. They pretty much did the basic tour and then they got out. They did not make a career out of it.
Jennifer: What were you doing before you entered the service?
Mr. Corriveault: Actually, I went in the service right out of high school. So, before that, I was just a student.
Jennifer: So did you know during high school that you were going to go into the military?
Mr. Corriveault: I did not.
Jennifer: Were you drafted?
Mr. Corriveault: I was not drafted. The thought just came to my mind. You know, I figured I would do the minimum six years and, then, by then, I would know what I want to do.
Jennifer: What year did you enter the war?
Mr. Corriveault: I entered in September of 2004.
Jennifer: In which branch of the military did you serve?
Mr. Corriveault: The army.
Jennifer: How old were you?
Mr. Corriveault: When I went to this war, I was like 42.
Jennifer: What was your motivation for participating in the war?
Mr. Corriveault: I was hand picked because of my specialty. I was a logistics person and they had a need for that and there wasn’t many.
Jennifer: Do you recall your first days of service?
Mr. Corriveault: In the war?
Jennifer: Yes.
Mr. Corriveault: Yes, very lonely. Dropped off in the middle of the desert and found out where I was supposed to be and worked from there.
Jennifer: You had boot camp before that, right?
Mr. Corriveault: No, boot camp when I first went in, but, before the war, we had a two week training in Texas.
Jennifer: Only two weeks? So you didn’t feel prepared?
Mr. Corriveault: I was prepared, but it would have been nice to have a few more weeks.
Jennifer: What happened when you departed for training camp/during the early days of training camp?
Mr. Corriveault: Just trying to get acclimated, there were all new people I was working with. We didn’t go as a unit, we went as bits and pieces, so I had to get to know everybody from the first time and that was difficult.
Jennifer: Did you think the war would last as long as it did or did you expect an early and less complicated victory?
Mr. Corriveault: I would say I was hoping for it quicker, but I’m not surprised that it continued on.
Jennifer: Where did you serve and what was your job or assignment?
Mr. Corriveault: I served in a base called Taji, it was the largest Iraqi base in Iraq, and I was the deputy commander. We lived with the Iraqis, and my main focus was training them that they could maintain the base on their own without any participation from the U.S. So, I had a person that was the deputy on the Iraqi side that I worked with to teach them to take over so we could leave.
Jennifer: Do you have a most memorable experience during the time in which you served?
Mr. Corriveault: The most memorable experience I had was finding out the Iraqis could now vote for a president or leader and, after they voted, they had to dip their finger in purple dye to record that they voted. And seeing them all in their vehicles leaving with purple fingers meant a lot to us that they were finally able to vote, so that was crucial.
Jennifer: Did you suffer any injuries?
Mr. Corriveault: I have hearing loss, a little bit of skin discoloration, and some acid reflex.
Jennifer: Did you know anybody in your unit that had severe casualties?
Mr. Corriveault: No; we did lose two soldiers that I was with but, other than that, nothing significant.
Jennifer: Were you close with them?
Mr. Corriveault: No, they were at other bases. I knew who they were, but they were not close to me, so I can’t say I really knew them.
Jennifer: Were you a prisoner of war or did you know anyone that was captured?
Mr. Corriveault: No, in my era there was none.
Jennifer: What kinds of friendships did you form or did you form any?
Mr. Corriveault: It’s a family. Like at home, these are the people you live with everyday and you depend on them.
Jennifer: Did you keep in contact with them?
Mr. Corriveault: Yes, as a matter of fact, you know, I came back 2005, which was ten years ago, and I still am in contact with some of my soldiers from that era. Once you’re in, it’s a group that never goes away.
Jennifer: How did you stay in touch with your family while abroad?
Mr. Corriveault: Back in that time, it was by satellite phone and it was not often.
Jennifer: Did you ever write to each other?
Mr. Corriveault: Yes, but the mail was not always dependable. Maybe once a month you could make a call home on the satellite phone.
Jennifer: What did you do for recreation or when you were off duty?
Mr. Corriveault: For recreation, soccer because that was a big sport there, used the gym, and did some walking.
Jennifer: Where were you when the war ended?
Mr. Corriveault: Well, the war to me has not really ended, but I stayed at that base the whole time until we left and another group replaced us.
Jennifer: How did you return home?
Mr. Corriveault: Well, we all returned home in a group. I returned to Providence and, getting off the plane, there were hundreds of people waiting. That was a pretty good thing.
Jennifer: Did you easily readjust to civilian life?
Mr. Corriveault: Not easily. It took some time but I adjusted pretty good. I didn’t go right back to work, but I’d say I did pretty well.
Jennifer: What have you done since separating from the military?
Mr. Corriveault: Since separating, I currently work at the VA, in Providence, Rhode Island. I do lease contracts and I’m involved a lot with the veterans and I have a close bond with them and I think that’s what lets me continue on with not many problems.
Jennifer: How did your wartime experiences affect your life?
Mr. Corriveault: Well, I think the most important thing is that I appreciate everything that I have here now because when I was there I didn’t have those things and simple things like a shower everyday here, I appreciate more now because, back then, we were lucky if there was water to take a shower. Appreciate everything you have here because not everyone has that
Jennifer: How has your military experience impacted your feelings about war and the military in general?
Mr. Corriveault: Well, I was in the military for 33 years, and I think that, if it had a negative affect of me then I would’ve done the minimum and got out, but I feel like it was my calling to do it. My family was affected because I wasn’t home, but, overall, I did enjoy it.
Jennifer: In your opinion, which president – Bush or Obama – did a better job in commanding the army during wartime?
Mr. Corriveault: Well, I can really speak to Bush because that’s who it was when I served, but Bush was doing a great job.
Jennifer: If you could choose to go back in time and fight in the war again, would you?
Mr. Corriveault: Absolutely.
Jennifer: What message would you like to leave for future generations who are viewing this interview?
Mr. Corriveault: I would say that the military is not for everyone. You have to give yourself to it 100%. You can’t expect many “thank yous”; you’re doing it because you want to and because it’s the right thing. Serving to me is why we all can do what we do back here in the states.
Jennifer: Is there anything that you feel we haven’t discussed or should be added to this interview? If so, what?
Mr. Corriveault: I’ve been to more than one war and I have to say that the communication home and the way their treated and how they take care of you is better than when I went the first time, so they’re making improvements. They make the tours shorter, which is key. So, the other war was operation enduring freedom, which was after operation Iraqi freedom and, for that mission, I went to Saudi Arabia. It was with the department of state, who was sponsoring us. I was a military person, but working for the department of state and, what we were doing was helping the Saudi Arabians do better and forced protection of their critical sights, like water and oil. We were doing assessments of vulnerabilities and what we could do to improve it. During that time, the living quarters were better, we had skype, and it was better overall. It was not as long. And, again, for that one, it was all the same. I did logistics; working with the locals. I retired as a full bird colonel. I was hoping to get picked up for general, but I didn’t get that far. I originally went in as an unlisted soldier, so I did the basic training and everything, and only became an officer like 4 or 5 years later. So, I think, between the two of them, that was the reason why I was able to stay in as long as I did. I received the bronze star while I was in Iraq, which is bravery and valor. It’s one level about the purple heart and it was because I pushed a general out of the way of incoming fire.
Jennifer: Thank you so much for spending time with us and telling us about your experiences during the Iraq War. We appreciate it.
Mr. Corriveault: Thank you for having me.
Mr. Corriveault: Thank you for having me.
Jennifer: So, tell me a little bit about yourself. When and where were you born?
Mr. Corriveault: I was born March 16th, 1962 in a small town called Whitinsville, Massachusetts, which is located in the Blackstone Valley.
Jennifer: What did your parents do for a living?
Mr. Corriveault: My mom was a stay at home mom and my dad worked at Tupperware.
Jennifer: Did anyone in your family serve in the military?
Mr. Corriveault: Not direct family, but I had two uncles – one in the army and one in the air force.
Jennifer: Did they influence your participation?
Mr. Corriveault: No, not really. They pretty much did the basic tour and then they got out. They did not make a career out of it.
Jennifer: What were you doing before you entered the service?
Mr. Corriveault: Actually, I went in the service right out of high school. So, before that, I was just a student.
Jennifer: So did you know during high school that you were going to go into the military?
Mr. Corriveault: I did not.
Jennifer: Were you drafted?
Mr. Corriveault: I was not drafted. The thought just came to my mind. You know, I figured I would do the minimum six years and, then, by then, I would know what I want to do.
Jennifer: What year did you enter the war?
Mr. Corriveault: I entered in September of 2004.
Jennifer: In which branch of the military did you serve?
Mr. Corriveault: The army.
Jennifer: How old were you?
Mr. Corriveault: When I went to this war, I was like 42.
Jennifer: What was your motivation for participating in the war?
Mr. Corriveault: I was hand picked because of my specialty. I was a logistics person and they had a need for that and there wasn’t many.
Jennifer: Do you recall your first days of service?
Mr. Corriveault: In the war?
Jennifer: Yes.
Mr. Corriveault: Yes, very lonely. Dropped off in the middle of the desert and found out where I was supposed to be and worked from there.
Jennifer: You had boot camp before that, right?
Mr. Corriveault: No, boot camp when I first went in, but, before the war, we had a two week training in Texas.
Jennifer: Only two weeks? So you didn’t feel prepared?
Mr. Corriveault: I was prepared, but it would have been nice to have a few more weeks.
Jennifer: What happened when you departed for training camp/during the early days of training camp?
Mr. Corriveault: Just trying to get acclimated, there were all new people I was working with. We didn’t go as a unit, we went as bits and pieces, so I had to get to know everybody from the first time and that was difficult.
Jennifer: Did you think the war would last as long as it did or did you expect an early and less complicated victory?
Mr. Corriveault: I would say I was hoping for it quicker, but I’m not surprised that it continued on.
Jennifer: Where did you serve and what was your job or assignment?
Mr. Corriveault: I served in a base called Taji, it was the largest Iraqi base in Iraq, and I was the deputy commander. We lived with the Iraqis, and my main focus was training them that they could maintain the base on their own without any participation from the U.S. So, I had a person that was the deputy on the Iraqi side that I worked with to teach them to take over so we could leave.
Jennifer: Do you have a most memorable experience during the time in which you served?
Mr. Corriveault: The most memorable experience I had was finding out the Iraqis could now vote for a president or leader and, after they voted, they had to dip their finger in purple dye to record that they voted. And seeing them all in their vehicles leaving with purple fingers meant a lot to us that they were finally able to vote, so that was crucial.
Jennifer: Did you suffer any injuries?
Mr. Corriveault: I have hearing loss, a little bit of skin discoloration, and some acid reflex.
Jennifer: Did you know anybody in your unit that had severe casualties?
Mr. Corriveault: No; we did lose two soldiers that I was with but, other than that, nothing significant.
Jennifer: Were you close with them?
Mr. Corriveault: No, they were at other bases. I knew who they were, but they were not close to me, so I can’t say I really knew them.
Jennifer: Were you a prisoner of war or did you know anyone that was captured?
Mr. Corriveault: No, in my era there was none.
Jennifer: What kinds of friendships did you form or did you form any?
Mr. Corriveault: It’s a family. Like at home, these are the people you live with everyday and you depend on them.
Jennifer: Did you keep in contact with them?
Mr. Corriveault: Yes, as a matter of fact, you know, I came back 2005, which was ten years ago, and I still am in contact with some of my soldiers from that era. Once you’re in, it’s a group that never goes away.
Jennifer: How did you stay in touch with your family while abroad?
Mr. Corriveault: Back in that time, it was by satellite phone and it was not often.
Jennifer: Did you ever write to each other?
Mr. Corriveault: Yes, but the mail was not always dependable. Maybe once a month you could make a call home on the satellite phone.
Jennifer: What did you do for recreation or when you were off duty?
Mr. Corriveault: For recreation, soccer because that was a big sport there, used the gym, and did some walking.
Jennifer: Where were you when the war ended?
Mr. Corriveault: Well, the war to me has not really ended, but I stayed at that base the whole time until we left and another group replaced us.
Jennifer: How did you return home?
Mr. Corriveault: Well, we all returned home in a group. I returned to Providence and, getting off the plane, there were hundreds of people waiting. That was a pretty good thing.
Jennifer: Did you easily readjust to civilian life?
Mr. Corriveault: Not easily. It took some time but I adjusted pretty good. I didn’t go right back to work, but I’d say I did pretty well.
Jennifer: What have you done since separating from the military?
Mr. Corriveault: Since separating, I currently work at the VA, in Providence, Rhode Island. I do lease contracts and I’m involved a lot with the veterans and I have a close bond with them and I think that’s what lets me continue on with not many problems.
Jennifer: How did your wartime experiences affect your life?
Mr. Corriveault: Well, I think the most important thing is that I appreciate everything that I have here now because when I was there I didn’t have those things and simple things like a shower everyday here, I appreciate more now because, back then, we were lucky if there was water to take a shower. Appreciate everything you have here because not everyone has that
Jennifer: How has your military experience impacted your feelings about war and the military in general?
Mr. Corriveault: Well, I was in the military for 33 years, and I think that, if it had a negative affect of me then I would’ve done the minimum and got out, but I feel like it was my calling to do it. My family was affected because I wasn’t home, but, overall, I did enjoy it.
Jennifer: In your opinion, which president – Bush or Obama – did a better job in commanding the army during wartime?
Mr. Corriveault: Well, I can really speak to Bush because that’s who it was when I served, but Bush was doing a great job.
Jennifer: If you could choose to go back in time and fight in the war again, would you?
Mr. Corriveault: Absolutely.
Jennifer: What message would you like to leave for future generations who are viewing this interview?
Mr. Corriveault: I would say that the military is not for everyone. You have to give yourself to it 100%. You can’t expect many “thank yous”; you’re doing it because you want to and because it’s the right thing. Serving to me is why we all can do what we do back here in the states.
Jennifer: Is there anything that you feel we haven’t discussed or should be added to this interview? If so, what?
Mr. Corriveault: I’ve been to more than one war and I have to say that the communication home and the way their treated and how they take care of you is better than when I went the first time, so they’re making improvements. They make the tours shorter, which is key. So, the other war was operation enduring freedom, which was after operation Iraqi freedom and, for that mission, I went to Saudi Arabia. It was with the department of state, who was sponsoring us. I was a military person, but working for the department of state and, what we were doing was helping the Saudi Arabians do better and forced protection of their critical sights, like water and oil. We were doing assessments of vulnerabilities and what we could do to improve it. During that time, the living quarters were better, we had skype, and it was better overall. It was not as long. And, again, for that one, it was all the same. I did logistics; working with the locals. I retired as a full bird colonel. I was hoping to get picked up for general, but I didn’t get that far. I originally went in as an unlisted soldier, so I did the basic training and everything, and only became an officer like 4 or 5 years later. So, I think, between the two of them, that was the reason why I was able to stay in as long as I did. I received the bronze star while I was in Iraq, which is bravery and valor. It’s one level about the purple heart and it was because I pushed a general out of the way of incoming fire.
Jennifer: Thank you so much for spending time with us and telling us about your experiences during the Iraq War. We appreciate it.
Mr. Corriveault: Thank you for having me.