Local men serve on the front line and borders of Iraq

Service men and women from Presque Isle County continue to serve our country around the globe. Some members of the military are in locales that are quieter than others, while others are stationed in the planet’s “hot spots” — and one doesn’t have to watch the evening news very long to know where they are. Ever since “Operation Iraqi Freedom” started in March 2003, Iraq has been a difficult place to be stationed. And with the national elections scheduled to take place at the end of the month, insurgent violence against U.S. troops and Iraqi citizens has started to increase. It’s a time of great concern for family and friends of those serving in the volatile country.

CURRENTLY IN one of the country’s most dangerous areas is P.F.C. David Quaine of Rogers City, son of Matt and Jackie Quaine. He was shipped to the Middle East at the end of November, and after serving a few weeks in Kuwait, is now stationed at Camp Victory in Baghdad. Quaine has sent letters and emails home, encouraging family members not to worry about him. In late December, Quaine sent a thick stack of photos and dinars he purchased. The dinars have a picture of Saddam Hussein and “250” printed on some of them, but they are worth about a penny.

Quaine visited one of Saddam’s palaces along with the former dictator’s parade field, where two huge arms with swords crossing each other are located. Quaine emailed his family December 11 and allowed The Advance to print some excerpts from the correspondence.

“We were traveling down a road called RPG Alley just because it is that,” stated Quaine. “Right now it is the most dangerous road in Iraq. They don’t let civilians take it anymore. Only armored vehicles are allowed to take it. It’s only four miles but it’s a damn long four.”

HE SAID many of the Iraqis are glad to have the U.S. presence in the country and in an email dated December 30, Quaine described the poor living conditions of a family he had encountered there. Quaine told of a five-year-old girl who was playing with a flat basketball and a tire. “She was so cute, I really felt bad for her,” he stated. “You could tell that she was so undernourished cuz she was so skinny.

“The little girl and I played with that tire for 20 minutes and it seemed like she was having a really good time. Then when I was sitting down we tried to talk to each other for a while, but you know how that goes, it was actually pretty funny, cuz we couldn’t understand each other, so it was a pretty good time.”

Quaine had hoped to come home in mid-March but his stay was extended until August. His address is: P.F.C. Quaine , HHSC, 319th MI BN , 525 MI BDE III Corp , Camp Victory, APO, 09342.

* LCPL CODY RHODE of Rogers City, the son of Larry and Jean Rhode, is stationed with the Marines at the Iraq-Syrian border. He has been in the country since mid-September and was supposed to shoot heavy artillery but was chosen to assist in the training of the Iraqi police force, according to his

father Larry. Rhode traveled to the states for four weeks of training and then returned to Iraq.

He told his fiancee Ashley Dehring of Rogers City that living in the country has been an unpleasant experience at times, not only from the standpoint of personal hygiene, but to even write a letter is difficult because there is no electricity where he’s located. Cody and Ashley were going to get married in August but moved the date to April 16 when Rhode learned he would be shipped to Okinawa, Japan in September. Rhode’s address is:

LCPL Rhode, Cody G., SBTRY 5-10, Unit 73405, FPOAE 09509-3405

Any information provided to The Advance about or from those serving in the military would be greatly appreciated. It doesn’t matter if he or she is stationed in Afghanistan, Texas, or Sri Lanka. Drop off the information at The Advance or email it to Advancepete@speednetllc.com.

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