Citizen Soldier Page #2

For me,

one thing that I always felt

like I got in for was

to deploy at some point in time.

So then to have an opportunity

to get on this one

with the Guard seemed like

another natural thing.

I don't think

it still really hit me,

you know... we're actually

going on deployment,

going to Afghanistan,

gonna be in some tough stuff.

And even up to Shelby...

my impression of Shelby

when we got there was just,

like, you gotta be kidding me.

You know?

"This is gonna

get us ready for war?"

Yeah... "This is gonna

get us ready for war?"

Harrill:
Hattiesburg

is just a tad bit different

from Afghanistan

- and Laghman Province.

- Soldier:
Poquito.

- ( Soldiers laughing )

- Soldier:
Just a little.

Take away the mountains,

it was the same.

Take away the mountains,

it was the exact same thing.

Soldier over radio:

All right, fire, boys,

and engage your target.

Engage your target.

Colt Floyd:
Camp Shelby

sucked for the terrain aspect.

But we had a lot of time

to really build

that platoon relationship,

you know,

amongst ourselves.

( All laughing )

That's where the whole bond

starts... right there.

You know, Shelby...

that's where it really

all started.

Soldier:

Set him down, set him down!

Harrill:
I remember one day,

Sergeant Wolff

had everybody grab

LT Leehan

and dunk him in the mud

as an introductory

to being first platoon's

platoon leader.

Cameraman:

Leehan, still smiling.

No, get him!

Get him!

( All laughing )

- Aw, man!

- All right, everybody down.

Harrill:
Just the way

that LT Leehan handled that

really personified

the camaraderie we would have

and the brotherhood

that would be necessary

to get to the deployment.

Cameraman:

Smile for the camera!

Welcome

to First Platoon, sir.

All:
Oooh!

- All right.

- ( All applauding )

Yeah, I'd say Leehan

helped me the most

because I felt kind of lost

first coming in.

My first drill with you guys

was in January

right before we left.

The next thing I remember

is us being told,

"Hey, we're only taking

two platoons to Najil."

And we ended up going in

way under-manned.

Harrill:
This being

my first deployment,

I definitely looked up

to several individuals

for leadership

and guidance.

LT Leehan was one of them.

Sergeant Erik Wolff

and Sergeant Colson.

Sergeant Colson

wasn't your typical leader.

Tons of experience

and the most absurd appetite.

He'd always have food.

Jared Colson:
15 years

I've been doing this.

I've been through a lot

of f***ing life experiences

that shape the way

I look at things,

that change my outlook,

my views, my perspectives,

the way I problem solve.

That's one thing

that the Guard is able

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