Texas Tech University - La Ventana Yearbook (Lubbock, TX)

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Living on tine Edge T, . he war is over, but it ' s memory is still very real to the soldiers from Tech who served in the Persian Gulf. Brian Sanchez, a senior history and Spanish major from Carrizozo. N.M., went to Saudi Arabia on New Year ' s Day. 1991. The ground war started on Feb. 24, 1991, just two days after Sanchez ' s birthday. It wasn ' t really scary until two days before the ground war, Sanchez said. It was a test of my character. You train all the time for war. and when it comes around, you really want to see if you have what it takes to carry it out. I was more scared of failing than I was of dying. Kerry Dowlin, a senior exercise and sports sciences major from Portales, went to war as an Army reservist ser- geant. She was involved with helping the Iraqi refugees who wanted to defect, or those who were wandering around the desert starving. Dowlin said the Iraqis did not take care of their soldiers, and many didn ' t even believe in what they were doing. Brian Sanchez stands in front of a tank in Saudi Arabia. (Photo courtesy of Brian Sanchez) On the right. Sergeant Kerry Dowlin guards two Iraqui prisoners as they dig a pit for trash. (Photo courtesy of Kerry Dowlin) I felt really good about what we did, she said. The people (of Kuwait) wanted to thank us. I am really proud of what I accomplished over there. Dowlin said a lot of the Iraqis were astounded to find out she was a woman when she took off her sunglasses and hat. Middle Eastern culture demands that women be submissive, but Dowlin said if she remained in uniform, she didn ' t have any trouble. I tried to respect their culture, she said. Ijust wanted them to think of me as a good soldier. Both veterans said coming back to Tech was difficult because they felt that they had grown in a figurative sense while they were overseas. They came back having changed so much, they said, but everything here at home had remained the same. Sanchez, for example, ran into prob- lems because he had to leave in the middle of the semester. He received three incompletes in his classes, and just finished making them up last fall. Dowlin was fortunate in that she got to finish the semester before her orders sent her overseas. DowlLn said the experience was what you made of it. She said she slept on cots for two and a half months and ate dehydrated food out of bags, but she said she felt fortunate to have had the experience. The best part of the whole experi- ence, Sanchez said, was the camarade- rie among the soldiers. He said the troops got to know each other well and learned to trust each other. As a member of the Texas Tech women ' s golf team. Dowlin was the only athlete in any sport in the Southwest Conference to be sent to the war. She said the Tech athletic department was wonderful in helping her get her golf scholarship re-instated upon her re- turn. Sanchez wrote a farewell letter to his famUy in the event that he died fighting for his country. 1 was very aware of my mortality. Sanchez said. by Lynda Reinarz 26 - Soldiers

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L % - w ' r — i f j: K l l 7 ' » . ' t, f I H .f , m - m . ? f % 2 A line up of soldiers, post and present, during a halftime special at o Tech game. (Photo by Sam Martinez) Cadet Victor Kock, Master Sergeant Doll, and Cadet Thomas Smith fire and adjust rounds. (Photo by Sam Martinez) A proud Marine walks with his head held high. (Photo by Sam Martinez) Designed by Amy Komatz Student Soldier - 25

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Designed by Amy Komatz Soldiers - 27