Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Conditions horrible for soldiers in Iraq

Fun is not a word used in Iraq by American soldiers.

Sgt. Aqueelah Hall, with the 980th Engineering Battalion attached to the First Armored Division, was on leave from Iraq recently and talked about the conditions soldiers face there. Her company works 12 hours a day, seven days a week. When not working, she said, they try and sleep.

She has been deployed to Iraq for seven months and could spend up to 24 months there.

"It's rough," she said. "Americans don't know how good they have it till they go some place like Iraq. We take our privileges and rights for granted."

However, Hall said, conditions in Iraq are getting better, but for now, the soldiers live in tents. Sometime they have access to air conditioning, but most of the time they don't. Temperatures, she said, range from 115-120 degrees now, but will be 150-160 degrees by the end of August. To make it harder on the soldiers, they must wear full uniforms at all time, including body armor.

Because of the intense heat, Hall said, all of the soldiers have lost weight.

June 14, she said, was the first time in a while she's seen a real bathroom. This is because running water is a luxury in Iraq. "Sometimes we have running water to bathe with, but others we have to bathe with bottled water."

As it is portrayed in the movies, mail call is an exciting time for the soldiers. "Everybody gets excited. Mail and care packages are the best things we can get. Soldiers appreciate everything.

"They've been coming up with events for the soldiers. We get to tour Saddam' s mansions and there have been concerts. This boosts morale, because it gets pretty depressing there. My tour can't end fast enough."

This, Hall said, is because the living conditions are low, while the danger level is high at all times.

Along with the full uniform and body armor, soldiers are required to carry at least two full clips of ammunition with them. "The most dangerous part is convoys on the road. We've got to watch for bombs and suicide bombers. We're shocked they have no respect for human life. They'll send children with bombs to kill us."

According to Hall, 30 percent of Iraqis are in favor of Americans being there. "In my opinion," she said, "the rest are trying to kill us, but that's just my opinion."

The soldiers, she said, know what they have to do in order to get back home. Hearing from friends and families helps keep their morale up and keeps them going.

Hall is a chemical specialist. Her job is to prepare soldiers on what to do in the event of a biological, chemical or nuclear attack. She teaches them what the proper protective gear is and how to use it, giving classes on how to react and respond.

During her initial tour Hall has been to Kuwait and in Iraq she's been to Baghdad and Taji. "We move a lot as engineers," she said. "The engineering company rebuilds and there's a lot to be done. We're working close with some in the Iraqi government."

One of the bad parts of working with some Iraqis is they will turn on anyone and get with a mob. This has been shown on news reports where bombs were set off in crowded places and public buildings.

But, Hall said, the Iraqis are good workers, and some appreciate America trying to create jobs and help rebuild the nation. Creating jobs, she added, helps earn their trust.

One of the things Hall wasn't prepared for is how religious the nation is as a whole. Soldiers, she said, can go to the church of their choice, and there are a lot of different denominations for the soldiers.

"We try to have a chaplain with each battalion," Hall said. "It helps the soldiers keep going."

The soldiers, she said, have a lot of rules to learn about dealing with the Iraqi people. The thumb and forefinger sign for OK in the US has an sinister meaning in Iraq. "It means I'll kill you later," she said.

A supreme insult to the Iraqi people is showing the sole of the foot. And, she added, it's a sign of disrespect for a male soldier to speak to an Iraqi female. The soldier must speak to the oldest Iraqi male present. Female soldiers tend to be ignored by Iraqi men in most circumstances.

When asked the worst part of being in Iraq, Hall said it's the mortar rounds. "With the living arrangements, no running water or electricity, the mortar rounds have been the worst part. As engineers we put electricity together. You get accustomed to hearing the mortar rounds and can tell how close they are by the sound. You can even tell if they're incoming or outgoing."

Hall, to date, hasn't had to fire her weapon and considers it a blessing. Additionally, no one in her company has been killed. But, she was at Taji with her company when the soldier from Chidester was killed. "I saw an Arkansas flag just down the street," Hall said. "I thought about going down there, but didn't."

The Army leaders in Iraq, she said, are making decisions with the soldiers' safety in mind. "I hope we can get everyone back safely and get this wrapped up soon."

The military, she said, is doing what it can to protect the soldiers, and civilian contractors' vehicles are armored for protection from attack. Bradley tanks are stationed at each bridge for extra security, and all convoys are equipped with artillery.

Hall is looking forward to ending her tour of duty and returning home to her two children, Khalil Smith, 2, and Keona Hall, 6. Her children are currently staying with her parents, Shelia and Harrell Hayes in Prescott.

Hall is a 1996 graduate of Prescott High School. She joined the Army Reserve her senior year at PHS because of the opportunities the military presented. "The opportunities are endless career-wise, with advancement and college money."

Still, she'd rather be back in the states stationed at Dallas with her company.