Interview with CW2 James Cambron

James included these pictures when he sent back the interview. Included is the tent and space that he shares with 70 other soldiers. Also included pictures of remnant of the Iraqi invasion 20 years ago. James was in the service during Desert Storm in an airborne division, but popped both ankles on his last jump before the deployment and ending up supporting the troops at home. This is his first at war deployment in his career, but he served in Bosnia in 2001.

History interview with James Cambron from Kuwait.

1. How long have you been in the service? What is your rank?

a. I have been in the service a little over 14 years total; I am a Chief Warrant Officer 2

2. Walk us through the preparation you and your unit has gone through.

a. We began by going through a Soldier Readiness Process which evaluates your individual physical capability for deployment, as well as meeting military personnel documentation qualifications. After that, the unit is required to go through training that is relevant to the type of mission that they are expected to perform. Also, the unit must ensure they have the right personnel to fill the positions of the mission. Sometimes that means sending soldiers to learn new job skills at various military schools prior to the deployment. Then the unit is mobilized and goes through an evaluation process prior to actually deploying into the mission to ensure their capability to perform at an acceptable level of proficiency.

3. How long is your tour?

a. A little over a year total.

4. What was the schedule from the time you learned of the deployment until you were actually deployed?

a. Well, the unit was informed 2 years prior to mobilization. This is actually very unusual to have that much lead time. This allowed the unit to build the team they wanted without time pressure. It allowed for the first year to be spent on individual soldier schools to meet the anticipated mission requirement, and the second year to focus on the unit training requirements with maximum participation of fully qualified soldiers.

5. What is the waiting like in between places?

a. The waiting is probably worse than the actual mission. Waiting allows soldiers more time to think about other things, and time feels like it is being wasted because you are not able to affect anything during that time. The training aspect keeps your mind busy and focused for a time, but when there is a lull and you are just waiting to go do your job it becomes monotonous.

6. What is the weather like in the different cities you have been so far?

a. The weather in Camp Macgregor, Ft Bliss, El Paso, Texas was mixed. We had a rainy but not too cold period; then a sunny and moderate temperature period; then sunny and warm days with drastic 30-40 degree temperature drops toward evening. Then we came to Kuwait where the first few days were very dreary with rain and cold and fog. Today was the first time we saw the sun since arriving here. I think it lifted everyone’s spirit a little bit.

7. What is it like to be away from your family?

a. It is a challenge to be away because you know that their life is going on and you will not be a part of that time in their life. Your family will face challenges that you will know nothing about that will bring them closer together without you. I as the soldier am also challenged by the fact that I cannot possibly share with my family all the experience of that time in my own life. During deployment there are many emotional ups and downs and difficulties that arise that are shared among the deployed soldier, which creates its own sort of family. The soldiers here sleep on a cot in a tent with no heat, walk outside 50 yards away in 30 something degree weather in the rain to go take a shower that may or may not have hot water, and your only toilet for the foreseeable future is an outside port-o-can that is further away than the shower in the same weather conditions, which you hope they empty today, and yet we worry more about our families at home than we do ourselves most of the time. I was sooo happy they fixed the heater in the tent today by the way. I don’t think any soldier could begin to describe all the things they miss while being away from their families, which is why I also know how much soldiers truly love their families and their country to do what they do.

8. Do you feel nervous or anxious?

a. When I get ready to go out on a mission I do get a bit anxious about what is about to happen, and I think about how I will react in a given situation. I try to think through what I would do if a bad situation was to arise, and that helps me to feel more confident. I also pray.

9. What is the moral like in your unit

a. I think moral is still high, but I think people are really ready to get on with the mission. They have spent so long preparing for this deployment that they just want to get it started so that they can focus on that to make the time go by faster.

10. How many hours will you have to put in while you are there?

a. The thing about deployment is that your day will never truly end. There will always be meetings, there will always be a weapon attached to you, you will always be in the required uniform, and if the alarm sounds for incoming rounds well… so much for the day off. I know that they intend to have shifts, but until we get there we really don’t have a clear picture as to
what our daily routines will be.

Interview with CW2 James Cambron

My husband James Cambron is currently deployed heading to Bahgdad Iraq. He is in Kuwait awaiting to reach his destination. He left on September 8, 2009 to El Paso Texas to begin the train up. Truthfully though they have been training for the last 2 years. We have 4 children. Our oldest is Cody 15, then Austin 13, Elizabeth 7, and Robert 6. Elizabeth is James's daughter from a previous marriage and resides with her mother in Wimington Delaware. This deployment will have it's ups and downs I'm sure. Our oldest is suppose to be learning to drive this year, hopefully it will happen. We all are keeping busy and hoping the time is going to go by fast. This is also the reason I decided to start my first semester of college. Robert perhaps is effected the most. He asks a lot about when his dad is coming home. At that age it is hard to describe time. I interview James as to the thought and feelings of the deployment and I am going to include some pictures from his deployment.

Palmetto State Park Camping Trip

Saturday Nov 27th 2009

We were all tired this morning. Last night was probably the warmest night of all so Robert(my youngest) and I slept until about 8. My mom cooked breakfast of eggs, sausage, hashbrowns, biscuits(in a cast iron over the fire), we also had muffins I made at home and brought with us. After breakfast the kids rented a paddle boat and Mike(Julies husband) paddled different groups of children around the lake. The other children continued to fish and play while Julie and I started packing it in. I was tired and longed for my bed. We had originally stated we would stay until Sunday, but boy was I glad Saturday had come. It was also the warmest day of all, it had to be somewhere in the seventies. As with the packing I realized right away James is usually the one to tear down the camp. We were getting food put away in coolers, trash in bags and all the dirty clothes put away in bags. The bees started to come around once it warmed up and everything they were attracted to everything that was sweet. Two of Julie's daughters were stung at least no one was allergic. Around 2 we heated up all the left overs and ate lunch with hopes that would take us until we reached the house. We had talked about leaving around 8 pm, but with the two hours drive ahead of us and not much sleep after the last thing was loaded we gave in to leaving at 6. It was an awesome time but we sure were glad to be home in our beds.

Palmetto State Park Camping Trip

Friday Nov 27th, 2009

We have made 2 nights, both were chilly. My family was up a little earlier than the Mallete's we decided to take a little drive to the Village Ottine. It is a neat little old town. We visited the cemetary, my children were a little creeped out by this, but they were happy to be in the care warming up. We headed back to camp and the fire awaited us. Breakfast was started and everyone was fed. Some with cereal, and some with egg and sausage breakfast tacos. As soon as they were finished the children went to fishing. Lots of cleaning has to happen while you camp. We did have some visitors at night looking for food. On the first night something was able to get into the trash. After that we did not keep the trash at the camp sites. It seems after we got the breakfast cleaned up that it was lunch time. Julie and I took a few minutes and went on a hike to the river. There is usually a bridge across the San Marcos river to the other side of the park. This time the river is running over the bridge. The San Marcos looked to be fuller than normal maybe because of the extra rain we have had. After some picture taking and conversation we headed back to camp. Mom and Chuck had finally made it. Chuck's two brothers(Corky and Mike) and Corky's son were going to also come out for the evening. We decided to cook pork fajitas at one camp, hotdogs at mom's and Julie would cook up some hamburgers. The kids fished almost all day and played. Dinner time was great, going from one site to another. There was plenty of food and good times. Tonight we would roast marshmallows. The weather had also gotten a little warmer as well. The fire was hot and the kids got started burner marshmallows. We had some chocolate and graham crackers so some started making smores. It was a good night. Everyone headed to bed around 9 tomorrow would be the day to pack up.

Thursday Nov 26th 2009 Evening

Dinner is on. It will take about 30 minutes. It will probably take us that long to get everything together. In 30 minutes we check the chicken. Some of them are leaking we obviously are not use to cooking outside. Mike tries to double wrap some, and some are getting a little cooked. The chicken is done, maybe a little too done, but we manage to get it out of the packets and on to plates. Everyone eats. It is a little dark now, but the kids want to continue walking around and playing. We let them, but truthfully us adults are exhausted. Julie thinks she is coming down with a cold. It also looks like it is going to be another chilly night. Around 8 we get the little ones and head off to bed. Hopefully tomorrow will prove to be a warmer evening. Mom and Chuck will also be out!

Palmetto State Park Camping Trip

Thursday Nov. 26 2009 afternoon hike

Julie and I decided we woud take the little ones on the Palmetto trail. It is a really pretty hike. Chloe who is 6 told me at the beginning of the hike that "we are going to touch nature real hard". We did not get lost and everyone had a fun time. Lots of nature to see and the weather was perfect. Palmetto's are dwarf palms that grow in the swamps. They seemed to be thriving this time. We let the kids take some pictures, and we even met some other hikers along the way.

We headed back to camp to put dinner on and check on the rest of the group.

Palmetto State Park

Thursday Nov. 26 2009

Today is Thanksgiving. Everyone was out of bed by around 7 am. It is very cold this morning as it was last night. It might have even got down to freezing. We were not prepared for this weather. It has been decided that we will drive into town. The closest town is Gonzales we are hoping that Walmart is going to be open. We need extra blankets, warmer clothes, and bait for fishing. It is decided that Julie, Cody(15), Chloe(6) and I will be the ones to make the journey. We pile into Julie's 15 passanger van, leaving Mike(Julie's husband) to be in charge of breakfast. My mother and Chuck are going to be driving some firewood out to us this morning before going on to their Thanksgiving dinner. We make it Walmart and retrieve the things we need and some we don't and head back to camp(resisting the urge for McDonalds). Arriving back to camp we find that we have missed breakfast. There is an attempt made at pancakes but the cast iron proves to be sticky so that is a no go. All the kids are excited about fishing though. This will be a first time for the Mallette kids. My oldest Cody begins to prepare the poles, there is only 8 poles and 10 children so there will have to be some sharing. Robert catches the first fish of the day. It is very tiny as you can see in the picture. All the children catch fish and continue through the day. Lunch consists of sandwiches. There is something to be said about the outdoors and appeptite. It sure brings it out in people. About 2 o'clock Julie and start preparing dinner. Tonight we have chicken, carrots, potatoes, and corn in aluminum foil packets thrown on the fire. We won't put them on until later, but we need them to be ready.