Posted on 05/06/2006 1:48:16 PM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
Three years after her capture and dramatic nighttime rescue in the early days of the Iraq war made her an instant celebrity, Jessica Lynch yearns for the ordinary.
She's just finished her first year at West Virginia University, where she's become an anonymous college student on a campus of thousands.
"I think people recognize who I am; they just don't make it obvious," Lynch, 23, said in a recent interview with The Associated Press.
"That's good for me because it gives me the opportunity to blend in and not stick out and really experience the college life just like they are."
Lynch, who joined the Army at 18 to see the world and earn money for college, attends WVU on a state scholarship. She grew up wanting to be a kindergarten teacher, but abandoned that idea after taking one education class.
"I haven't really found my direction of where I'm headed right now with everything I've been through," she said.
She changed her major to journalism because of her experience with the media and spends Wednesdays working at the campus radio station. Still, she's not sure if journalism is in her future.
"I enjoy broadcasting and I know I want to do something with children," she said. "I'd really like to start a kids TV program here in West Virginia. Something for kids who are in the hospital or have cancer."
Lynch's 507th Army Maintenance Company convoy was in Nasiriyah on March 23, 2003, when it took a wrong turn and was attacked. Eleven American soldiers were killed and six were captured, including Lynch.
The former supply clerk suffered extensive injuries when her Humvee crashed during the firefight. Her videotaped rescue from Saddam Hospital by U.S. special forces nine days later transformed the soft-spoken woman into a hero.
She still has no feeling in her left leg and has to wear a brace to support her foot because of nerve damage. And Lynch says she still can't remember the events that filled the two hours after her convoy was hit.
"Right now, I have sort of this image of what could have happened," she said. "If I actually knew and it came back, I probably would have nightmares for the rest of my life."
Though she was once engaged to former Army Sgt. Ruben Contreras, she now has a new boyfriend in Parkersburg. She protects details about her private life, saying only she met him through family.
Lynch spends most of the week on campus, but often leaves town on weekends to visit her boyfriend or her parents.
"I want people to remember me as being a soldier who went over there and did my job fighting for our country, our freedom. Nothing special. ... I'm just a country girl at heart."
No surprise there!
Good for her ... she has plenty of time to decide what she wants to do after college.
LOL! My first thought, too! :)
"This was probably the first incident in U.S. military history in which an American soldier was awarded our country's fourth-highest ground-fighting award for being conked out and off the air throughout a fight." Col. David Hackworth
She openly admits she never fired her weapon, and that she simply cried, and screamed into her commanding NCOs ear while everyone else on the Humvee was fighting or driving.
This girl should have been brought up on charges of cowardice in the face of the enemy, while wearing the uniform of an American soldier.
We could've predicted someone with your thoughts was going to show up. And your experience on the battlefield while under fire is...?
And before you get all "jiggy with me" I just want you to know that I'm a Desert Storm Vet, so you can probably figure out exactly where I'm coming from. :)
actually, girls do not belong in combat.
She wants to major journalism, after being a poster child for bad journalism? Not that its her FAULT -- God knows it isn't! -- but what news organization, solid lefty scum that they are, would hire her?
What am I saying? She's an attractive blonde... there's always Foxy news.
Even in WWII it is estimated that as much as 50% of our troops did not fire their weapons during combat.
Yeah, that's in line with what I've read.
Especially in a first combat, the VAST majority of troops, even ones that have received decent training, essentially "freeze."
Something you don't see in the movies.
Well said, Brave One.
When I read the Army report and watched a long interview with her, it seems she may have been responsible for the deaths of the Humvee occupants.
While the two males they picked up instantly grabbed the SAW and got it going, she says she continued screaming and distracting her NCO passenger until the female driver crashed the vehicle and they were all killed, except for Jessica.
BS...
A huge portion of the troops are in support position supporting the war fighters.
Sounds like a wonderful person.
Pretty, too.
"Well said, Brave One."
Thanks, something tells me the normal rules of military discussion don't apply when it involves a female.
Do you think it was her fault she was put in that postition or could the Army have recognized that she was not combat soldier material? Blaming her is pointless.
Having served 3 tours in Vietnam, two as an infantryman, the complaint from the chain of command was normally that we were burning up too much ammo. I never had a problem firing my weapon. The only times I did see guys raising their weapons without aiming was when we were pinned down and raising your head could result in a very bad day. They just wanted to send some fire back to keep the enemy off of them until the enemy could be flanked or taken out with indirect fire.
I am glad she is doing well and wish her all the best.
A lot leftist anti-war bunk out there that gets spouted as facts.
Don't even mention this girls name to active duty military, they go off. I'm not kidding. Every person whom I've come in contact in the military which is alot since my husband is active duty) can't stand the mention of her name!
Everyone has their breaking point. If you don't think so, I suggest you do some research.
See" The Red Badge of Courage" a movie with Audi Murphy as the star. Or "To Hell and Back: The Audie Murphy Story". Audi Murphy had great eyes, and could often pick out the enemy in a distant concealed position, which gave him great advantages. He was literally without fear, but he did have the usual recurring nightmares, and other aspects of "Post Tramatic Stress Disorder".
It is well known that the first time in battle, reactions differ. After the first battle, units, and the soldiers in them, get more reliable. They develop an ability to assess the risk associated with various courses of action. That ability to assess risk, and to trust their assessment, often permits experienced soldiers to act when rookies would freeze, still looking for more information. Alas, sometimes the assessment is wrong, because every battle situation is different.
After some time in continuous action, soldiers get tired, and their performance drops. They take short cuts. Some soldiers have the greatest stress when they come out from enemy contact, and then, after a rest, are recommitted.
The bravest man can be stopped by a bullet. The opportunity to fight back gives you something to do, and the directed action takes your mind off the negitive aspects of the battle. The Driver, Gunner, and NCO/Commander all had tasks on which to focus their attention. She was cargo, and had nothing (aside from a good book, perhaps) to contribute. Pretty soon the jeep got into a severe accident, and there wasn't anything else you could do.
Medals are not given as a reward for service, but rather, to encourage appropriate behavior in serving soldiers. Napoleon said "If I had enough ribbon, I could conquer the world." There is nothing we can do to reward a soldier who is killed in action. He is above our praise, and free from all worries and cares. Still, medals given to those wounded, killed, or successful, can be awarded as an indication that the Service finds their example useful.
When Jessica said to the Rangers, "I am an American Soldier too" that was a wonderful example, to my way of thinking. Your mileage may differ.
"Do you think it was her fault she was put in that postition or could the Army have recognized that she was not combat soldier material? Blaming her is pointless."
Yes it was U.S.Army PFC. Lynch's fault,
furthermore like I say, so, when I meet a female Marine I'm supposed to accept her as a 100% Marine, if so, then that standard is adequate for the men as well, so we can eliminate dual standards.
For her the war is over, a lot of people in the service
either didn't get what they deserved or got what they didn't deserve. IT DOESN'T MATTER, what matters is that
she is gettin on with life, those moments she went though
will be with her always, let her deal with it.
You go Jess!
I am not sure what you are saying here. Can you clarify this statement?
As for Lynch, she should not have been in combat. She clearly didn't belong and she didn't order herself into a combat zone - the Army did.
"Don't even mention this girls name to active duty military, they go off. I'm not kidding. Every person whom I've come in contact in the military which is alot since my husband is active duty) can't stand the mention of her name!'
I know, there are a lot of threads here about Bronze star awardees and I have to bite my tongue from making a sarcastic remark about Lynch's Bronze star.
We all know Jessica is an OK American girl.
What her defenders forget is that we only know her as being a soldier, and that is what we and everyone else should criticize or least not honor her for, she was a great disgrace.
If it wasn't for that bronze star she pinned on her chest, and her willingness to accept celebrity and honors, it would be easier to let sleeping dogs lie.
We are still fighting that war, and there is nothing wrong with siding with the soldiers, concerning their embarrassment over PFC Lynch.
I have not been in combat -- although I drove a cab for 6 years and have thus been put in the hospital and put people there too. That permits me to say that you never know how you're going to react when you are in a life-or-death situation until it happens. And it's different each time.
Furthermore, we will never know what actually happened that day, so I am more than reluctant to praise or condemn someone who was in a support company, found herself under fire, lost most of her buddies, was raped while injured, etc.
I wish her the best.
Hackworth was criticising. He was wrong.
Hack was a very good commander, but after his third tour in Vietnam, had trouble with stress, and took to alcohol. After his retirement, he eventually became kind of like the "Hijab police", but rather than guarding against people who don't cover their hair quite enough, he started a crusade against people who were not brave enough for his medals.
Hack was a leader of a Division "provisional Ranger" platoon in Korea. Based on that, he pasted ranger tabs on his web site. Army rules were "Ranger Tabs are for people who complete Ranger School".
After that, he went after the first Navy Chief of Naval Operations who had previously served as enlisted. Hack found an ambiguity in the Navy Regulations on whether a small "V" should be worn on his ribbons and medals. The CNO had, in recognition of the ambiguity, stopped wearing the V, but some prior official photographs showed him wearing it. The CNO was so embarassed, that he committed suicide.
Full Disclosure: I attended US Army Ranger school in 1977, and did not complete the course, due to catching pneumonia.
What is more important, the act, or the medal which commerates the act? What is more holy, the Altar, or the Gift on the Altar?
Could you elaborate. I always felt she was a nice person, not particularly bright, who was in a support position and got into a combat situation and didn't handle it to well.
She seemed to handle her captivity fine. No anti-American nonsense from her.
I thought the parade was hokey, but other than that, she had a long rehabilitation. What bothers active duty military about her.
"I am not sure what you are saying here. Can you clarify this statement? "
When we meet a female soldier or marine, we are all supposed to see them as 100% soldiers or marines, just like the men are.
The reality is that when women were brought in, the military knew they couldn't pass the standards, so it was necessary to find out what they could do, then make that the standard for women.
Once women pass that standard, they are good to go, fully qualified in their chosen soldier or marine duties, what I'm saying is, if they are fully qualified, then whatever standard they passed should be all that is needed for men or women.
To have a different standard for the men is to put the lie to the claim the women are capable of doing the job.
A follow up question is if you were forced to choose between three options,
Should the Marine Corps be 100% male 50% female, or 100% female what would you choose?
There are reports and accounts, exactly what happened and why, will always be a matter of contention. You may be correct and still be wrong. When action is called for, sometimes it is better not to act precipitously.
In combat such as this, I suspect, that most people are just not mentally prepared to act physically.
For the most part, you are correct about what you said. What tends to annoy the active duty folks, however, is how over-inflated her self-importance afterwards. What really upset my husband was how she refused to meet the Iraqi doctor who saved her life. He risked his life and family for hers and she didn't care. I think she went back later and met him, but that was more to public pressure than something she wanted to do.
There were many who fought and many who died during the war. However, the media opted to place focus on one person who was in the wrong place at the wrong time, but was, fortunately for her, rescued in the end. Yet, after the rescue, she essentially turned her back on all who sacrificed to help her. That's what annoys the active duty.
Thanks for the info. That makes sense. She seemed ungrateful. I think she wasn't too bright, but the Iraqis who held her seemed to like her.
She didn't get the guidance she needed after she was released.
Did she show gratitude to the special ops who rescued her. Thanks again for the info.
Well, she's just an ignorant girl then. Maybe college will help her.
What bothers me is that we have some real heroes in this war, some people who should be highlighted. The media always picks the most undeserving.
Oh, well.
Well, she's just an ignorant girl then. Maybe college will help her.
What bothers me is that we have some real heroes in this war, some people who should be highlighted. The media always picks the most undeserving.
Oh, well.
Those who talk the most...do the least...
It was actually higher than that. For regular army, it was around 67%. It was much lower for Ranger and Airborne forces but still over 30%. Marines, IIRC, were around 40% early in the war and it rose to over 50% as more and more poorly trained replacements (the "three week wonders") entered the ranks.
As a veteran, the only embarrassment I feel is for you. Taking cheap shots at Jessica Lynch is easy. What a big man you are.
Read posting 37 and 39.
That girl should have never been sent there. WOMEN SHOULD NOT BE IN COMBAT.
Thank you.
Yeah, no woman in the military either...
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