Michigan native extends life of service to battlefield

Marine Corps News ^ | Dec 11, 2005 | Cpl. John E. Lawson, Jr.

[SandRat]

AL ASAD, Iraq (Dec.11, 2005) -- The life of Alton R. Gehringer is one of service.

At home in Dolton, Mich., the 34-year-old would listen to the radio and hear the news of the war in Iraq while running radar in his police cruiser.

Before coming to Iraq, he worked for the Plainwell Department of Public Safety in Michigan. Technically, he still works there in a firefighter, police and Emergency Medical Services job. His employers gave him a leave of absence to enlist in the United States Navy and serve his country.

“It just didn’t seem right for me to be sitting in my air-conditioned squad car while people were fighting and dying,” he said. “Able-bodied young men should fight for their country. I felt like I had a responsibility here [in Iraq].”

So Gehringer enlisted under the National Call to Service program, placing him on active duty for 15 months after the completion of his training. He packed his things and left his girlfriend and five-year-old son, Patrick, behind to become a corpsman. He then volunteered for Field Medical School to be a part of what corpsman call the Navy’s “green-side”– one who serves alongside Marines. Shortly after he finished his training, Gehringer deployed to Iraq. He is now a seaman in the Navy.

Originally volunteering to serve in an infantry unit because of his experience with emergent and hospital-type care in the civilian world, Gehringer wanted to be “in the stuff.” He was assigned to Company C, 8th Engineer Support Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group (Forward), based at Al Asad, Iraq.

Gehringer said he has found the deployment to be a personally gratifying experience. “I’m doing everything I can be doing [for my country]. It’s both a patriotic duty and just fighting for the guy next to you.”

Gehringer departed Camp Lejeune, N.C., for Iraq on the same day his son started school for the first time. But he says the camaraderie and cohesion of his unit has heightened his experiences and helped him deal with the separation from his son.

“The best part of serving with Marines is feeling their need for me and their trust in me,” he said, comparing the relationship to that of being a father. “The feeling you get from these guys calling you ‘doc’ and relying on you is amazing.”

As an older member of the armed forces, Gehringer has also found a renewed faith in America’s youth.

“People a lot younger than me have been here two or three times,” he said. “I don’t think of them as young, buy as experienced or ‘salty,’ and then they start talking about prom or high school.”

But the professionalism and eagerness of the younger Marines has been impressive and inspirational, he said.

“I might try to stay in Iraq or volunteer to come back, he said. “I don’t want to spend too much time away from my boy though.”

[SandRat]

MARINE PING!

[Calpernia]

“It just didn’t seem right for me to be sitting in my air-conditioned squad car while people were fighting and dying,” he said. “Able-bodied young men should fight for their country. I felt like I had a responsibility here [in Iraq].”

So Gehringer enlisted under the National Call to Service program, placing him on active duty for 15 months after the completion of his training. He packed his things and left his girlfriend and five-year-old son, Patrick, behind to become a corpsman. He then volunteered for Field Medical School to be a part of what corpsman call the Navy’s “green-side”– one who serves alongside Marines. Shortly after he finished his training, Gehringer deployed to Iraq. He is now a seaman in the Navy.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[Rocky]

Great report. Thanks for posting it.

[E.G.C.]

BTTT