The Iraq War and Occupation:

A Struggle For Democracy

Page #

Troy Torgerson

Troy Torgerson joined the National Guard in 1987. He participated in

Operation Iraqi Freedom as a 21 Bravo Combat Engineer and a Logistics
Officer.

What conflicts did you participate in?

I was deployed to Iraq for Operation Iraqi Freedom 2 with the 1st Infantry Division of the US Army. My
National Guard unit was on alert for OIF 1, but we were held up due to the reluctance of the Turkish government to allow US troops to go through Turkey. I was also mobilized for Operation Iraqi Freedom 4 and 5 to
backfill for Wisconsin Army National Guard Units that were deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan.
What branch of the military were you in?
I was in the 264th Engineer Group in the Wisconsin Army National Guard with the 1st Infantry Division with
the US Army in North Central Iraq during my deployment.
What kind of pre-war training did you receive?
I spent sixteen years in the National Guard prior to my deployment in 2004, which is one weekend a month
and two weeks of annual training per year. Our unit had been training for this conflict the entire time after
September 11, 2001. Upon our mobilization, my National Guard unit spent December 7, 2003 until February
8, 2004 at Fort McCoy doing training in preparation for the job that we were going to be doing while we were
overseas.
What was an average day in the military like?
The days were really long. My day usually started anywhere from four in the morning and ended, not every
day, at two or three in the morning the next day. My job was the logistics officer for the Engineer Group as
part of the division, so the availability of construction materials both for force protection and quality of life for
the division was part of my mission.
Where were you deployed in your service?
I was deployed near Tikrit, Iraq, which is about 100 miles north of Baghdad, and our area of responsibility was
the northeastern section of Iraq, that ranges from Tikrit down to Samarra, the Sunni Triangle, and all the way
to the Iranian border, including the cities of Baquabah and Kirkuk.
When was it that you were deployed?
I arrived in Iraq in February of 2004, and came home in February of 2005. The second time I was just mobilized here in the States to backfill for a unit that was mobilized, and that was from July 2005 through October
2006.
What did you do at your duty station?
When I was deployed, I was the logistics officer for the 264th Engineer Group. We had three primary mis2010 D.C. Everest Area Schools Publications

TORGERSON, TROY

Page #

The Iraq War and Occupation:

A Struggle For Democracy

sions; the first was to clear roadside bombs from the highways, like IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices); the
second was to improve force protection measures. If youve seen those concrete barriers for road construction,
we placed those barriers at the entrances of the FOBs to redirect traffic upon entry to defeat attempts at car
bombs attempting to kill soldiers that were manning the entrance to the base. So, part of my job was making
sure we fortified all 22 bases within our AO (area of operation) from car bombs, IEDs and incoming mortar
shells. Our third mission was to improve the quality of life for US soldiers in the 1st Infantry Division. When
we arrived in Iraq, soldiers were living in tents, and didnt have bathrooms. They used burn latrines; basically
outdoor toilets that once full were filled with diesel fuel
and burned. We ended up building small cities all over
the countryside. This was a huge improvement of living
The ironic part of the
quarters; if you can imagine what it is like in a tent in the
middle of the summer when it is 90 degrees outside, then
training is the fact that we
imagine what it is like for soldiers to live in tents when
the temperatures are 120 plus degrees outside.

were at Fort McCoy, WI, in

What kind of preparations did you make prior to your

the middle of December
deployment?
Prior to the mobilization, I took 3 weeks of vacation to
and January...
wrap up my personal affairs and spend time with my son
Evan and my daughter Kayla. During the 3 weeks, I
spent time getting my will together, getting my employer
up to speed on what I was working on, and taking care of personal affairs that I wouldnt be able to do while I
was deployed. It worked out that it was over Thanksgiving, so I got to see my extended family and do a little
deer hunting as well.
What kind of training did you receive in preparation for the mission?
Basic combat skills, combat lifesaving techniques. Everyone in the unit got trained to be a combat lifesaver,
which is above CPR but not quite EMT level. I also had combat patrol
tactics, basic rifle marksmanship, cultural training, intelligence briefings, and mission planning. We already knew how to do our job as construction and combat engineers. We knew demolitions, construction of
both vertical (buildings) and horizontal (airport runways, roads and
bridges), but we needed to brush up on our basic combat skills,
because we were going to be actively engaged in combat patrols on a
daily basis.
How did that training differ from your normal training?
It was more intense. The weekend for the National Guard, although
youre training, theres a different feeling than when you are preparing
to go to war. Theres a lot more attention to detail, its a lot more on
edge. Leadership and trainers alike scrutinize the training much more.
The ironic part of the training is the fact we were at Fort McCoy, WI,
in the middle of December and January training to go to the desert,
roughly a 70 plus degree temperature difference on a daily basis.
What was life like at your duty station?
TORGERSON, TROY

2010 D.C. Everest Area Schools Publications

Page #

The Iraq War and Occupation:

A Struggle For Democracy

We were pretty fortunate because we fell in behind another engineer unit who had things pretty well set up for
us. We had just under 1,200 guys that deployed with the 264th Engineers. I lived in something smaller than the
size of a dorm room. I was fortunate due to the fact I was out of tent living within 60 days of arriving. Our
Forward Operating Base took incoming mortar and rocket fire approximately 250 out of 300 nights that we
were in country. It was hard to get to sleep; after a while you get so used to it, you dont even roll out of bed
anymore. You just listen for the explosions to hit, and you just kind of go: Im still here; I guess I can keep
sleeping.
What was the hardest thing about being there?
It was time away from my son and my daughter. That
definitely was the hardest thing I had the chance to talk
to my kids once or twice a week. We had technology
over there where we were able to keep communication
through webcams, and we were able to talk through computers, e-mail and phones. When we would take casualties it was both military and civilian contractors. That
was very hard as well.

You worry about being

alive or being dead, so

there really isnt anything

that you can compare back

in civilian life to combat.

Did you see a lot of combat while you were there?

Incoming artillery came pretty much three quarters of the
nights we were there. I was on combat patrols anywhere
from two to three days a week. Sometimes you could go two to three weeks and you wouldnt take fire, then
other weeks you would take fire on a daily basis. I was indirectly involved every day, just because I was working with civilian contractors. We ended up losing 70 that worked for us, killed in action, so I was exposed to it
enough. Every time you got out of your base, you were suspect to IEDs going off. There were no front lines
up there, you were just in amongst the population, and you didnt know.
What kind of stress did you endure while deployed, and how was it different from everyday stress as a soldier?
Some things were actually more simplified, because you just worry about being alive at the time. You can take
away the everyday stresses, because you dont have any when youre in combat. You dont have to worry
about paying bills or anything like that; somebody else is handling that back in the United States. You worry
about being alive or being dead, so there really isnt anything that you can compare back in civilian life to
combat. Its really different, two totally different scenarios.
What kind of equipment did you have when you were at your station?
As an Engineer Unit, we had the standard issue of Humvees with the additional homemade armor to them
early in the deployment. We worked a lot with bulldozers, road graders, and scrapers, because we were building roads and clearing roads of IEDs. Later in our deployment, we worked with some specialized mining
equipment called the Husky, the Meerkat and the Buffalo. We blew up a lot of roadside IEDs. One of the cooler things that some of these guys came up with was when they took remote control cars with C4 (plastic explosive) on them, and they would rig that and they would go up to the IED. Instead of just risking a persons life,
they would just wheel it up with a digital camera to find the IED, then remote control the car back to their
location. They would then remove and view the camera, pinpoint the location of the IED, load the remote control car with C4, send it back to the IED and detonate it. Other units we deployed with were equipped with
different types of equipment, everything in the US Army arsenal.
TORGERSON, TROY

2010 D.C. Everest Area Schools Publications

Page #

The Iraq War and Occupation:

A Struggle For Democracy

When you had free time, what did you do?

I spent the majority of my deployment time working or out on combat patrols on the missions that we were
engaged in. Free time that I did get was spent either working out to stay in shape or taking time to talk to
someone back home via email or phone conversations.
How long did you usually stay up during the day?
On average my days were eighteen to twenty hours long.
Are there any real memorable moments that you would
There was no other place I
like to share from over there?
My best memory is getting off the plane coming home,
would rather have been in
and seeing Evan and Kayla, my son and daughter for the
first time in almost sixteen months. I have tried to keep
the time of war when my
the bad memories out and focus on the good memories
and experiences. There are a lot of memories that arent
country needed me, and I
really good; we lost a lot of guys. But overall, our mission was a success. I was in Iraq for the first free Iraqi
would have gone back...
election, which was really, really incredible. If you think
about it, we get a 50% turnout in our voting, if were
lucky, here for the presidential election, and they had,
somewhere over 90%. These folks knew that they had a chance of being killed those nights, so thats a really
cool experience right there. Some of the fun stuff, the band Puddle of Mudd came over and played a concert
for us, WWE came over, and we got to see that, and a couple different experiences to unwind right at the base.
You mentioned that a memorable moment was coming home, what kind of reception did you get when you
returned home?
It was pretty awesome. We landed at Volk Field, near Camp
Douglas, WI. There were probably two to three hundred people
waiting for us on the runway. My dad, a couple of friends, and
my mom were down there; my son and my daughter, my sister,
my brother-in-law. It was just amazing. The support that we
received coming home was just incredible because we flew
through Bangor, Maine and anybody that didnt have a cell
phone, they were handing out cell phones so you could call
your family and let them know that you reached U.S. soil for
the first time. There was really a lot of support from everybody,
the United States citizens, civilian and military alike.
What did serving your country mean to you while on active
duty?
Its probably the single biggest defining moment in my life outside of the birth of my two children. Looking back, I was serving my country in its time of need. There have been a lot of
conflicts in the past. You go all the way back from the
Revolutionary War to the Civil War to World War I, World War
TORGERSON, TROY

2010 D.C. Everest Area Schools Publications

Page #

The Iraq War and Occupation:

A Struggle For Democracy

II to Korea, Vietnam, and I was really proud to serve during my career. There was no other place I would
rather have been in the time of war when my country needed me. I would have gone back in a heartbeat. It is
a great sense of honor, a great sense of pride.

When Operation Legion leaves the Middle East, what state do you think the Middle East will be in?
When I was coming home, somebody asked me how long we thought wed be there. I came home in 2005
and I thought anywhere from five to seven years, and were coming home in about that timeframe according to
the new administration. We did take a dictator of a country and replace their whole government with a democracy. Weve had to take and rebuild that (their military). I
With any luck, I think that
think that before we leave, there will be stability in the
region. I dont know if well ever really completely
everybody wants to see
leave, so that we can maintain that stability. US forces
didnt leave Kuwait after the First Persian Gulf War. I
some of our soldiers come
believe the Middle East is going to remain a conflicted
place, but I think that putting in a more democratic type
home, I just dont know
government that in time, well start to see some stabilization in Iraq and the Middle East.
when...
What do you think that will mean for the U.S.?
Thats a good question. Im really proud that weve actually stayed the course and we havent pulled out.
Theres going to be a commitment to that area. I think that we end up with some strategic allies over in that
part of the world, both economically and militarily to help maintain a balance of peace. With any luck, I think
that everybody wants to see our soldiers come home, I just dont know when, or if, theyre all going to come
home, or if its going to be more of a Korean scenario, where you see some of the soldiers there 50-60 years
after the conflict.
Do you think some things should have been done differently with the conflict?
I think, in all honesty that there were some intelligence things that were missed. The U.S. military asked to
come in with a much higher number than what we did go in with. We went in with about 150,000 troops, but
there was a lack of a plan from the administration standpoint of a follow on force. There was some chaos, and
a vacuum left there, because we werent planning on having to stay so long. We needed a bigger force for follow-on occupation to maintain the peace right after it happened. When President Bush announced the end of
major combat operations, we saw more attacks, and we saw a lot more insurgency operations than would have
been expected. So if I was going to say anything, I would say that we should have had a bigger follow on force
going in there right away instead of having the number of troops that we did. But, all in all, I think that it
forced the Iraqi government to step up and build their army faster, so there are some pros and cons both ways.
You had mentioned you worked with the civilian contractors, what exactly were they?
My job was the Division Engineer Logistics Officer, I did everything from providing plywood to plumbing
supplies, to build up bases and everything. So, we would work with the local contractors from Kuwait, Iraq
and all over the Middle East actually to bring in construction supplies. That was one part; the other part was
when we were moving the concrete barriers around. We contracted a Turkish construction company to make
the barriers and they used local Iraqi drivers to transport them where we wanted the barriers placed. Thats
where we sustained numerous civilian casualties because they would go out unarmed and unescorted and they
would get ambushed with IEDs. The contractors knew they were working for our Engineer Group and I was
TORGERSON, TROY

2010 D.C. Everest Area Schools Publications

Page #

The Iraq War and Occupation:

A Struggle For Democracy

the officer in charge, so a lot of nights I would get dragged out of bed at two or three in the morning and Id
have to go identify truck drivers either by name or by picture. We would have a special card that they knew
could get on this base that I was on. The checkpoints would not let them in to receive medical treatment
unless I showed up to verify their identity at our main gate to identify the drivers or the bodies of the dead
civilian contractors as they were coming in, or treat wounded. IEDs are a very lethal weapon, even if they
dont catch you with a full blast, what you can end up with is a lot of shrapnel from glass and flying debris.
They really do an awful lot of damage thats permanently debilitating to soldiers and civilians alike.

Could you explain what an IED is?

An I.E.D. is an Improvised Explosive Device, and it can
My experience with the
be everything from a coffee can filled with C4 Plastic
Explosive and nails to more complex using mortar
Iraqi people was wonderful,
rounds. While we were there, the insurgents had developed techniques to take the turrets off of the M1 Tanks
it was such a small fraction
with copper explosive rounds. Some of the IEDs I saw
would take an entire Humvee and obliterate it and everyof the population that didbody inside, even when they were up-armored.
Literally, they could be placed on concrete curbs. They
nt want us there...
would put explosives in a dog carcass or an animal such
as a donkey or goat on the side of the road. Eventually
they started taking mannequins and placing plastic explosives and shrapnel inside of them using mortar rounds or rockets, or what have you. As the convoy went by the
insurgents would trigger the explosives. One of the things we used over there were Motorolas that you use for
deer hunting or whatever. U.S. forces used those for communication on combat patrols because we were short
communications in certain instances, and that would trigger these IEDs. If you and I were sitting like we are
right now, they would be aimed from one side of the road to the other, to directionalize right at the passenger
window, which in most cases was bulletproof. The explosives that they put in there would be enough to blow
right through that and the up-armored doors, and take out the gunner. There was always a gunner up on top of
the Humvees, and they would be able to take out those guys as well.
What effect did the new technology at the time have on your experience, and what exactly is your opinion of
the technology?
Some of the new equipment that we got was incredible. It
was developed by the South Africans to de-mine minefields because theyve been fighting over there for so long.
The new technology made it a lot safer for our soldiers;
the problem was it wasnt being procured and fielded fast
enough for us to get it out there. This is back in 20042005, so we were still improvising. I think weve seen the
number of casualties decrease in Iraq, and thats directly
related to how we use that up-armor equipment. Its ever
changing, as soon as we would change something, they
would do something, and we would have to keep continually adapting.
So overall would you say that your experience there, was
TORGERSON, TROY

2010 D.C. Everest Area Schools Publications

Page #

The Iraq War and Occupation:

A Struggle For Democracy

it safe? Was it dangerous? Was it an average scenario for Iraq?

I dont know if it was safer or more dangerous where I was. I was up in Tikrit, the Sunni Triangle, which was
a hot spot; it was where the Sunni Party was headquartered under Saddam Hussein. Saddam had most of his
support there, so tensions ran high as did insurgent led I.E.D. and mortar attacks. In many cities such as
Samara and Baquabah, every day we were engaged with indirect mortar and rocket fire. At some bases you
could tell the time of day by what part of the operating base was being shelled. My experience with the Iraqi
people was wonderful; it was such a small insurgency led fraction of the population that didnt want us there. I
worked with some wonderful contractors, and they really
wanted us there. A far as danger goes, on some days it
was at the high end. When it was really bad, it was horri Its a wonderful privilege
ble, and there was no getting around it. Other days it
was business as usual, minor skirmishes or sporadic
to be so lucky to be born
rocket or mortar fire.

in the United States where

Other than your contractors, did you encounter any

youre not in the middle of
other Iraqi civilians?
Yes, we had a lot of groups that helped from the United
a fight...
States, such as Rotary groups or the Optimists. We
worked giving out backpacks and shoes and school supplies, and we did a lot of humanitarian aid efforts. Some
of the Iraqi civilians did not have water wells or anything, and it was the first time they ever had running
water. Part of our job as well was to get out there and create that for them, with the US Army Engineers and
Iraqi Contractors as well. During the election, for the most part, the Iraqi civilians just wanted to live their
lives, and get everything back to normal as soon as possible. There are a very small percentage of insurgents
coming in from outside sources that were causing the IEDs and things like that.
What lessons did you learn from your experiences?
I think that you can never take anything for granted. Lifes a gift, and youve got to live everyday. I dont
want to say like its going to be your last, but every day when we went out, you didnt know if you were going
to come back alive or not, and just not take things for granted. There are so many things back here in the States
that we take as rights that are really privileges. I remember sometimes not taking a shower for five or six days
and using baby wipes just to clean up, and to see some of the things here, where we take just a normal shower.
You know the biggest thing that I was excited for when I came home on leave was getting a cold glass of real
milk, because they had to give us milk treated so it could last in the desert in extreme heat conditions. I
learned that the simple things like sitting down here in the basement, and not having to worry about an incoming rocket hitting us was really quite a privilege that we enjoy, and a lot of our freedom. Freedom isnt free thats a coined phrase, but a lot of people have given up their lives so you and I can sit here and appreciate
what weve got. I think thats the biggest lesson I took, to never take anything for granted.
So is that your message that you would like people to think about, to not take anything for granted?
Yes, thats one of them. I think in many cases the American media had some negative portrayals of the Iraqi
War. I think that people, if they really want to know the war, need to take the time to talk to the people that
were there. The Iraqi people were just a wonderful experience for the most part, except for the insurgents that
were trying to kill US forces. Dont take anything for granted. Its a wonderful privilege to be so lucky to be
born in the United States where youre not in the middle of a fight, like some countries in the world are for
your entire life.
TORGERSON, TROY

2010 D.C. Everest Area Schools Publications

Page #

The Iraq War and Occupation:

A Struggle For Democracy

Is there anything else you would like to add? Any other details?
One of the toughest missions I did was during my mobilization in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom 4 and 5.
My assignment was the Casualty Assistance Officer for a soldier from Merrill that got killed, SGT Ryan Jopek.
This was in early August of 2006, shortly before his National Guard unit was to return home to the United
States. This assignment was very difficult in the aspect that while I was in Iraq on my deployment, I expected
to be exposed to the deaths of fellow soldiers and civilians. I had been performing the Rear Detachment
Operations mission for just over a year located here in Wausau, removed from Iraq, so in many ways my body
was still adjusting to being home and out of harms way. This brought the war home for me. The Casualty
Assistance officer guides the family through whats going to happen from a military standpoint. The duties
include the funeral arrangements, and the military benefits to the family. My mission began with a phone call
early one morning, notifying me of the assignment, and included escorting SGT Jopek from the airport in
Milwaukee and back up to Merrill. Thats my lasting impression of the war, and if I was going to say anything
it was my hardest mission because I was out of the combat zone, and somewhat removed from it living back
here. You know, its pretty safe back here. Youve got some stuff but all of a sudden there it was, the war was
brought right back to me, and on a personal side, not on a combat side where you can really focus your energy
to just doing your job, and the emotional side of that young soldiers family. He was 20 years old, going to be
21, and I think he was about a week away from coming home, and it was his last mission. That one will stick
out in my mind for a long time as the toughest thing I ever had to do.
Are there any friends from overseas that you are still in contact with?
Yes, I just retired in June of 2008 at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel after 21 years of service. Many of the
members of the 264th Engineer Group retired after we returned home from our deployment. Those that
remained in the service are on their second deployments currently. Ill talk pretty much on a weekly basis
with at least three or four of them. A couple of my active duty friends still keep in touch via e-mail, and there
will be an occasional phone call here and there. The guys from my old unit are right around here, so on occasion I get to see them as well.

Today, Troy is retired from the military, and he has a job

at The Samuels Group Construction. He currently lives in
Kronenwetter and has a wife and two children. Some of
his hobbies include hunting, riding his motorcycle, and
coaching his kids sports activities.

Interviewed by Jordan Hagenbucher and Bryan Hall

TORGERSON, TROY

2010 D.C. Everest Area Schools Publications