Christina Hammett

The Advocate

Mt. Hood Community College freshman and former Marine Jeff Greiling knows what it’s like to be on the front lines. To constantly have your life on the chopping block and to “fight for the guy next to you” because that’s all you have left.

Three weeks of combat in An Nasiriyah, Iraq, from March 23 to the second week of April, were both his blessing and his curse as his entire view of the world changed when a war of two different worlds collided in early 2003.

“It was scary but it was quite an experience,” he said. “It was also kind of exciting, but I wouldn’t want to wish it upon anybody.”

Greiling joined the Marine Corps. two weeks after graduating from Centennial High School in 2000. He was stationed at the Marine barracks in Washington, D.C., following boot camp and later moved to Camp Lejeune, N.C., where he stayed for two years.

Greiling was able to meet President George W. Bush, Secretary of State Colin Powell, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice and Oregon senators Ron Wyden and Gordon Smith when he worked as a doorman at a White House event while he was stationed in Washington, D.C. He considers this to be one of the most interesting experiences he had while being in the military and said that Bush was a “pretty nice guy” in person.

Life Changed on 9/11

On Sept. 11, 2001, however, Greiling’s world was rocked when he awoke in the barracks in D.C. to news of a plane hitting one of the World Trade Center towers.

“I thought it was just a little Cessna plane that hit the tower, but we were put on alert so I knew it was bad,” he said.

When the Pentagon was hit, Greiling could see the smoke through the window outside. “It was our job to protect the capital that day,” he said.

Two and a half years later, he was called to protect his country with the Third Battalion, Second Marines Regiment as the president of the United States declared war on Saddam Hussein’s middle-eastern country of Iraq.

“It was pretty hot and terrible in Iraq, almost unbearable,” he said. “If you could imagine hell, that’s where it was.”

Released by the military in July, the 22 year-old veteran has a new appreciation for the United States holiday Veterans Day, held Nov. 11 of each year.

“It gives it a new meaning. I’ll celebrate it differently and keep it closer to my heart now,” he said.

Greiling is grateful for the Veterans Committee, a new club being created by theCareer Planning Center.

“It will probably give people a greater appreciation for veterans on campus and will also raise awareness. Civilians have their freedoms because veterans fought for them and I’m not trying to say that they are owed anything, because they already get V.A. benefits, but they just deserve some recognition,” he said.

Greiling, a rock and heavy metal music fan, said he has changed as a person because of his military experience. “My view of the world has changed a lot because I can see the broader picture now. I can deal with stress a lot better but I’ve also noticed that I’m a more callous person than I was before.”

War going “downhill”

Even though he agrees with and understands President Bush’s initial decision to go to war, Greiling thinks that the war in Iraq has recently gone “downhill.”

“I think that measures need to be taken to get soldiers their appropriate equipment because they should have had it by now. When we were over there we didn’t have armor for the Humvees and we started running out of ammo but we just attributed that to the beginning of the war. There are no set goals in Iraq and that is causing problems,” he said.

However, despite all of this, Greiling still recommends the military to anyone who is looking to join. “It’s a good experience and you make new friends that you continue to keep in touch with. There is nothing I wouldn’t do for any of those guys. After you get out of the military, you have the G.I. Bill and all of the veterans benefits too,” he said.

“The negative things are that you have to deal with pressure and strain, learn how to follow orders, and get used to somebody yelling at you all the time,” he added.

Appreciating Life

Greiling is glad he is home and finally going back to school. This is his first term as a college student and he is seeking an associate of science Oregon transfer degree. He is still trying to get used to the whole community college atmosphere, but he learned many things in the military that he wants to take with him as he maps out his future.

“I’ve seen the bigger picture of what the world has to offer. There is so much more than just the United States. There’s a big world out there,” he said. “Because I was in the military, I now have a greater appreciation of life."