A Culture of War

By Benjamin Hatfield

The “Sand Box” in the Middle East may be thousands of miles away from Tulsa’s Route 66, but for a United States Marine and newly qualified member of the Marine Special Operations Committee, who asked not to be named for reasons of confidentiality, the realities of war are still fresh in his mind.

The uniform of the unnamed United States Marine

The 22-year-old from N.C. attended high school at the Marine Military Academy in Harlingen, Texas. He graduated in 2009 and his experience pushed him to enlist in the military. He began basic training in Paris Island, N.C., shortly after. “At the time, it was the hardest thing I’d ever done, physically and mentally,” he said. “Basic training instilled discipline, and self-confidence in terms of my abilities. The military teaches you there is nothing you can’t do.”

He completed basic training in the summer of 2009 and then spent 6 months at the Calif. School of Infantry. After he completed infantry school in 2010, he was immediately deployed to Afghanistan. “I was nervous to be deployed, not knowing what to expect,” he said. “However, I had completed several months of training and was ready to do my job.” 

However, within a few weeks his convoy was hit with an IED(Improvised Explosive Device) in Afghanistan’s Helmand Province and his unit took casualties. This is when reality set in and emotions ran high. As time went on, he began to have a constant fear and suspicion of local people, making the experience even more stressful.

During his deployment a large amount of boredom was broken up by tedious patrols and sporadic firefights. At the base, or “in the wire,” he downloaded movies, played video games, and worked out. When I asked him about the “Sand Box,” he said, “There’s no brief way to explain Afghanistan, but it shaped who I am as a person. Afghanistan hasn’t changed in decades, it’s a culture of war.” 

Here is a video of a firefight in Afghanistan. The marine featured in this story was actually part of this intense few minutes as his unit is pinned down and taking fire.

Although it was difficult for him to retell some of his defining moments in action, he was able to gather his thoughts and recall something he has had to live with after returning home.

“As far as something I’ve had to live with, it is the first time I had to use my rifle,” he said. “We were flanking this town and our job was to cover the guys in front. A man in black was running through a poppy field, an old man, but military age. We told him to stop, but he didn’t. I fired three shots and he went down. He added later, “I broke down and cried. It was hard. He died on the way back to base in the medevac.”

Another duty his unit performed was clearing houses in local villages. He said this was by far the most terrifying experience, especially when taking point.  Taking point entails being the first one in when securing an area.  The door is kicked down and from then on you are vulnerable to a wide variety of threats; gunfire, explosives, or men wearing bomb vests. One experience in particular stood out.

“I was taking point clearing houses. I didn’t want to give the responsibility to anyone else. My fire team leader decided to take my place…and the next house we entered there was a man with a vest.” His fire team leader would not survive. Holding back tears, he added, “He saved my life.”

He left Afghanistan after 8 months and returned to N.C. He then qualified for educational leave and came to the University of Tulsa while still remaining on the Individual Ready Reserve. After attending TU for 2 years he was called to deploy to Afghanistan again; back to the Helmand Province where many of his comrades lost their lives.

This time he was part of the VSP(Village Security Platform) to protect local villages and served attached to a reconnaissance unit as a ground liaison. For most of his second deployment, his unit was constantly under attack by an enemy they could not see until they went on the offensive.

In the 12 months he was deployed, there were six casualties in his unit. However, he received a metal for saving the lives of multiple others.

His convoy was in a tight spot amongst some buildings and he spotted men down a street peeking around a corner investigating his unit. He warned his comrades to fall back and took out the potential threats. Later, upon further investigation, the men had an RPG(Rocket Propelled Grenade) and intended to fire upon the marines.  He would receive the Navy and Marine Corp metal for Combat Valor.

The Navy and Marine Corp metal for Combat Valor

Working alongside a reconnaissance unit made him very interested in reconnaissance work, and while he was still in Afghanistan he applied for reconnaissance school.  He would be accepted and upon his return to the states he immediately went to Coronado, Calif., to begin reconnaissance training. His 3 months in reconnaissance school were very intense. “It showed me that it was an exercise of will power, pushing yourself every day,” he said. “I woke up and went to sleep wondering why I was there. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in that it is a big deal to make it through.”

Following reconnaissance training, he went to Fort Benning, Ga., for jump school and received his jump certification. Then he attended combat divers school in Va. and received his divers certification. At that point, he had completed all the qualifications needed to serve on a reconnaissance team.

He recently came back to Tulsa to visit friends. However, he will deploy to an undisclosed location on May 12. This will be a tactical deployment lasting 3 to 4 months. He was recently promoted to Cpl. and now leads his own firing team. 

In a year and a half his service obligation will be completed and he will either reenlist or return to the Individual Ready Reserve. He has also been working on an online degree and may pursue officer candidate school after he returns from the “Sand Box” later this year.