Page 22 - mcdanielfreepress2005-06
P. 22
SEPTEMBER 30, 2005 - Page 6 CENTER SPREAD "No News Is Good News:" The Story of a Soldier's Girl could tell by her voice she was "Dad ..." I got his attention. to the outside railing of the a broken femur, a three inch jANELIDERT holding back tears. 1 immedi- Suddenly I lost control. I bridge; a tripwire ran across piece of shrapnel to his right ately began to shake and cry, began crying hysterically, try- the ground. In the dark, eye, shrapnel wounds covered STAFF WRITER My heart felt like it expecting the worst. "He ing to yell out the words as I nobody could see it. The blast his body, and his entire right had stopped beating when I should live...but it is bad." I fell to the floor in tears. went through the front pas- calf was blown away. He was answered the phone that night trembled as I uttered "What is In a small . farming senger side, killing Sergeant so swollen I could hardly rec- in May. My boyfriend, Terry it?" She asked me if my dad town in southern Iraq, Terry Mark Maida, Terry's best ognize him. He had lost a had been in Iraq for the past could drive me to their house; guarded his patrol base with friend. It severely injured great deal of blood because a six months. His sister and I she didn't want me driving fellow soldiers the night of Terry and the driver. major artery in his leg was spoke often, but never this alone. She would tell me May 26. He was called out to The night of severed. At the time he was late. Why was she calling me? everything when I got there. r accompany a small convoy of Memorial Day, a bus arrived heavily sedated and unre- While I hoped for the best, got off the phone and slowly three humvees to assist a unit at Walter Reed Army Medical sponsive to any of his loved part of me knew right away got up from my chair. I was out on patrol. Terry was the Center in Washington, D.C. ones as we gathered around that I was about to hear the dizzy and sick to my stomach, gunner in the first humvee: it We waited hours to see Terry him. It wasn't until a few days worst. fighting the urge to collapse. I rolled over a bridge along the and finally, we were escorted later that he actually opened "1 have some news," went into my living room way. An Improvised Explosive into the surgical intensive care his eyes or acknowledged our she said calmly, though' I where my dad was sitting. Device (LE.D.) was strapped unit. He suffered a broken jaw, (See "Love" all Page 8) McDaniel Students Rally for Peace In' Washington COLLEEN LEARY OPINION vlding protestors with flyers, STAFF WRITER stickers, pins, t-shirts, signs, cross generational affect that and other ways to get their "Blish lies, who dies?" this war has had. message across. "War is no/ healthy for As we stepped off the The march, which our children" metro and approached the began late due to the massive "Build up New Ellipse to begin the march, the number of people filling the Orleans! Shut down the war!" magnitude of the rally hit me. streets and backing up the "No //lore blood for oil" There were just so many peo- subway system, started at the "WJlen tile power of love ple, such an outpouring of Ellipse and moved down overcomes the love of power, then humanity. For me, it was Pennsylvania Avenue until we shall have peace" inspiring and encouraging, thousands were shouting out- "OI.lr problem isn't civil but when I asked some of the side of the Wh.ite House. disobedience, if's civil obedience" students I was with if they Many protestors played drum These are just a few of thought it would really make beats on plastic barrels the signs that filled streets as an impact or change anything, encouraging the group to an estimated 250,000 poured they replied "No." It saddens chant along to statements like into DCon Saturday to protest me to see that our generation "whet do we want? Peace! the war in Iraq. Among them doesn't really believe they When do we want it? Now!" was a group of nearly forty have the power to make a dif- and "One: We are the people! students, faculty, and commu- ference, even though history Two: A little bit louder! Three: nity members from McDaniel. has shown that co!1ege-age We want to stop this war It was an exciting turnout adults are always among the now!" given the usual sense of apa- forefront of change in Separated from the thy many students exhibit. America. protestors by a barricade of "A bunch of people Before the actual showed up that I would have march, speakers such as police officers were a group of advocates for the war, mostly never thought I'd see at ~ Cindy Sheehan, a mother rally," says student. junior whose son died in Iraq, family members of soldiers in Maaret Kleber. "This is the inspired the crowd with pow- Iraq and the occasional reli- War protesters march from the Ellipse, down first time that something like erful messages such as "How gious fundamentalist pr'> claiming Bush is a Christian Pennsylvania, and past the White House during a this has gone on at McDanie! many more lives are going to and he is doing the godly peace rally on September 24. The moo~ was and it really shows the poten- be lost?" and "Shame on you thing. For these people I had a mobilization tial for future somber and, as pictured above, festive. efforts on this campus." The Bush." Political, human rights, few words: First of all, I think environmental, and religious group, ranging from freshman organizations lined the streets (See "Peace" on page 8) to retirees, also illustrated the with informational tents pro- Opportunities Abound: A Personal View of ROTC's Changing Role in the War, America ers. In fact, ROTC is consid- , dents to be better citizens. The rions Iraqi citizens are living LTC MARK MARTIN ered one of the world's best leadership skills a student under now, but also the condi- follow the lawful orders of our FACULTY CONTRTBUTOR leadership programs. It has learns will help him or her tions under which they lived civilian and military leader- Many of the Army among its graduates people lead in a corporate boardroom while Sad dam Hussein was ship. It Would dearly be inap- leaders fighting for our coun- like retired general and former just as easily as in the Army. their dictator. propriate for us to attempt to try overseas are graduates of Secretary of State Colin Our success is evi- So it is no surprise second-guess them. ROTC. It was in programs like Powell, wal-Mart founder dent. This fall, our class ros- that anyone in the McDaniel That said, we encour- those here at McDaniel Sam Walton and astronaut ters, which include students Army ROTC Department age those looking to better College that those men and Col. Nancy Currie. from McDaniel College, would be asked our opinions the,mselves or those who want to know more about what we women learned arguably their Not everyone who Mount Saint Mary's about the war on terrorism. are all about, to visit us on the most valuable trait: leader- participates in ROTC makes University, Hood College and After all, the ROTC students second floor of the Gill ship. the military a career. And Carroll Community College, and instructors are perhaps ROTC does not train that's all right. Our classes are are the largest this program the only contacts students and Physical Education Center or cadets for combat, something open to any student on cam- has seen in the last 30 years. faculty have with the military. calj us at (410) 857-2727 and that has long been a miscon- pus, regardless of their goals. The military science While we welcome see what ROTC has to offer. It can make a world of differ- ception in the civilian world. The mission of the department's four instructors members of our campus com- .ence in their lives. What ROTC does is build a Department of Military are veterans of the war in Iraq munity asking us about our foundation, one which teaches Science is to offer the best and, through our varied expe- experiences, Our opinions on (LTC Martin is all people how to lead and get the leadership training in the riences serving there, have the war are irrelevant. As pro- assistant Professor of Military SCiel1ce/Recruiting and most of themselves and oth- world and motivate our stu- observed not only the condi- fessional soldiers, our job is to OperationOjficer)
   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27