Pfc. Eddy Szymoniak on R&R leave from Iraq

Eddy Szymoniak looked fit as a fiddle in his camouflage desert gear addressing the Onaway VFW last Friday. He is glad to be back from Iraq, even if it’s only for a few days. Szymoniak is home on a 10-day leave and returns to duty in Iraq on May 29.

Kenny and Alice Szymoniak, of Millersburg, were on hand to see their son up in front of the crowd. Also in attendance was Eddy’s fianc? Katie Yaklin of Huron Beach.

Szymoniak admitted he was more nervous in front of the crowd than when he is on patrol in the desert. He gave a short overview of his unit’s operations and the conditions in the remote part of the country where he is stationed. He is stationed near Fallujah, a hotbed of insurgent activity and a regular source of violence.

“I am looking forward to coming home for good this September, but with the stop loss orders in effect it may be a few more months before I actually get out,” he said.

Szymoniak described the daily routines in Iraq and the life in their base. His unit is based in a remote part of the country and the soldiers have limited outlets for passing the time when they are not on patrol.

Unlike other assignments in Europe and elsewhere where military personnel have a chance to go into towns and cities on their time off, Iraq affords very little in the way of recreation.

“Most of the time we stay around the base shooting baskets or playing cards,” he explained. Due to the nature of the insurgency threats, contact with the local population is limited.

“Somebody you are talking to one minute could be the same guy sticking a wire into an IED (Improvised Explosive Device) the next,” he said.

Former Iraqi soldiers, many of who are now insurgents, gained substantial experience in the use of these simple but deadly types of weapons.

Because of the eight-year Iran/Iraq war and the first Gulf War, Iraq is one of the most heavily mined and booby-trapped countries in the world.

Another problem is that local people who appear friendly to the American troops are targeted by insurgents for reprisals.

His job consists of guarding convoys, patrolling back streets, and enforcing curfews. He is no stranger to danger, having seen action on a daily basis. Eddy has been awarded two Purple Hearts for injuries sustained in combat.

Szymoniak stays in touch with family and friends over the Internet and receives mail on a regular basis. The Internet is a vital aspect to moder

n warfare, one that his dad, Kenny, finds comforting.

“We won’t hear from him for a while and get worried. Then he will write to us and say he is okay, just busy or out in the field,” he explains.

The stress of war and the threat of snipers keep everyone on their toes. “We are on duty 24/7 over there, you can never let your guard down,” he said. “I want to come back and go into business with my dad,” he said.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.