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Trees a welcome relief...

Apr-27-2004 » Filed Under: 3/2 SBCT

Here is a local paper's article about a soldier with the SBCT home on R&R.
[Link to Full Article]
Above link will open main page. From there, click on the Trees... story link. (I could not get the page to load directly)

Trees a welcome relief for 1997 Straughn graduate
By Esther Taylor, Star News

"It's nice to see trees again," said William Grimes, a sergeant in the U.S. Army. Grimes has just returned home for two weeks R and R from serving time in Iraq with his platoon as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Grimes said he took his shoes off and walked around the yard barefoot.

"The smell of the pines just hit me," he said with a smile.

Grimes, a 1997 graduate of Straughn High School said he worked for two years on oil rigs before deciding to join the army in August 2000.

He left for basic training and AIT in Fort Knox, Ky., and then went on to Camp Casey in South Korea where his scout platoon worked reconnaissance.

He said the 19 Delta Cavalry Scout Platoon stayed in South Korea for one year before being stationed in Fort Lewis, Wash. for two years.

Grimes said his platoon went to train at Fort Irwin, Calif. and then to classification training at Ft. Polk, La.

Grimes said he was deployed on November 15 to Iraq to begin mount urban warfare training, which trains the platoon learn how to take over a building.

He said this training has "played a big part in Iraq."

Grimes is the reconnaissance team leader for his platoon and he has spent the past five and a half months in Iraq.

He said they will "possibly be there for a year plus," but he's enjoying the two weeks of R & R that the government has given all the soldiers.

Grimes said he goes back on May 6 and when his time is up he will return back to Ft. Lewis.

He said the 1st squadron, 14th cavalry regiment is the only squadron that is "as much technologically advanced unit in the world," has seen a lot of action in Tellfar and other places in Iraq.

Grimes said most of his family has been in the army and so it "seemed like the only thing to do."

Grimes said he was patriotic throughout high school.

"I wanted to do my part," he said. "Especially right now in these times."

He said the troops have to "fight it (terrorism) head on."

"It's a different kind of war," said Grimes. "You have to stay on your toes."

"Ask everybody to pray for us," said Grimes.


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