Hawks man looks back on six-month stay in Iraq

Wayne Saile of Hawks, who has just completed a six-month stint in Iraq as a contractor, has been home for a couple of weeks to spend some time with his family. He didn’t make it home for Christmas because of some unusually bad weather in Baghdad, but he’ll continue to enjoy his stay in cool northern Michigan before returning January 13. He is expected to be back working, after spending 24 hours on airplanes, January 15.

Saile works for Kellogg, Brown, and Root (KBR), an Army contractor that provides food, logistical transportation, and is involved in construction projects. Saile arrived June 26, working in Baghdad for three weeks in sweltering heat, until transferring to a camp north of the Iraqi capital.

The experience has been one that has brought discomfort and dangers. “The rock throwers, the heat, and the roadside bombs are the biggest concerns over there,” said Saile, who serves as a convoy commander.

THERE HAVE been some close calls on the convoy trips with some powerful roadside bombs going off, and while nobody from his company has lost his or her life in convoys that he has been a part of, two military personnel have been killed in attacks on trips he has been on. Saile said it’s not a job for everybody, as KBR has a high turnover rate. “It’s higher than the national average here (United States),” he said. “Either you are going to quit in the first two or three months, or you are pretty much going to stick to it.”

About 95 percent of the time is boredom, but it’s the five percent that one has to be ready. The only injury Saile suffered came when someone threw a rock through his windshield. KBR goes through a lot of windshields, so many that clear tape is used to patch holes if a driver’s view is not blocked. Saile has been told to drive with his hands low on the steering wheel, but someone got in a lucky shot through his front window and broke his finger.

“We’ve had some hits and some small ambushes, but the roadside bombs are our biggest threat over there,” said Saile.

SAILE REALIZES family and friends and members of the community are concerned about him when news reports are broadcast home of a contractor getting killed, kidnapped, or severely injured in attacks from insurgents, and he appreciates that. He also knows how difficult at times it has been for his wife Shannon, but he believes she has handled the situation exceptionally well. “Is it worth it?” he was asked of leaving his wife and four children behind for long periods of time.

“When we first decided to do this, if she would have said ‘no you’re not going,’ or ‘no, I don’t think it’s safe,’ I wouldn’t have gone,” Saile said. “I don’t consider it that big of a risk. I think my saving grace is that I seem to handle it well.” Saile believes the benefits now will make a difference for his family in the long run. Iraq is a country where one has to be on his or her guard at all times, because half of the people seem to want the Americans there, while the rest are not happy about the presence and are being pressured by insurgents to attack the foreigners. Threats are made against citizens if they don’t make life miserable for the Americans, Saile said.

NOT MUCH help is needed in that area, as temperatures routinely were more than 100 degrees during the past half year. “The first day there it was 122 degrees an

d they said it wasn’t that bad,” said Saile. Even air conditioners in his tent couldn’t keep the heat below 100. “It was horrible,” said Saile. “When I first got there I couldn’t take it.” The hottest Saile saw on a thermometer was 132 degrees. “If you’ve never been in heat that hot, you have no idea how hot that is,” said Saile. There have been some moments that have given him satisfaction and that has been delivering the mail to troops. Again, he ended up in dangerous areas such as Fallujah and Mosul, but it was a job where he was appreciated.

“I like getting my mail and so do other soldiers,” he said. “I remember when I was a soldier, 18-to 20-years-old, I loved getting mail. It gives you something to look forward to.” He doesn’t look forward to the national elections in a couple of weeks, as the violence is expected to escalate, but he plans to follow procedures and to stay out of harm’s way. God speed, Wayne.

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