The Eagle-Tribune talked with local people about how the war has affected them. They include a Marine who served in Iraq and a veteran who has been protesting the war.
The Marine
Benjamin McCann, 24, is a Marine Corporal from Methuen. He returned to the United States last month after serving 13 months in Iraq, stationed in Fallujah. He is currently at Camp LeJeune, N.C. The 2002 Methuen High School graduate expects to return to Methuen April 15, completing his four years of active duty service. He plans to get a job as an iron worker and aspires to become a firefighter.
"I was a gunner for my whole unit. You have to stand up in the turret (mostly in a Humvee). You're pretty much the eyes of that convoy. (Insurgents attacked his unit with guns and improvised explosive devices).
We got our fair share of the war.
What we were doing over there was a lot of training with the Iraqi police and letting them take over their own country. All sorts of military aspects and police aspects, clearing houses and doing convoys and foot patrols. So that way, they can take over. And hopefully, hopefully, in quick time we can all pull out. They were willing to learn and train with us.
The Iraqi civilians... welcomed us. They knew we were there to do good. We'd be giving out candy to little kids. Soccer balls were the big thing. It was great to deal with little kids because this is the generation we had the most effect on.
The way the war's going, it's going good ... I'm expecting we're going to bring it home soon. The Iraqi population over there needs to take it over. That's their country, they need to do what they do.
The way I view things now — the stuff I've taken for granted, as far as being back home and having a beer and sitting down and drinking with the guys, Internet access... just talking on the phone with my friends, things you take for granted. You realize these things you miss. It's matured me a lot. I have no regrets, absolutely none whatsoever."
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The waiting father
Andrew Colliton, 58, of Methuen has a 25-year-old son, Adam, who is a member of the Army's elite Special Forces in Baghdad. His other son, Andrew Jr., 30, of Haverhill served in the Middle East with the Marine Corps. His younger son is due home from his third tour of duty this spring. By that time, he will have spent a total of two years at war.
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"There's a pride, but it's time for the war to end.
The one in Afghanistan, yes (the U.S. belonged there), when we went into Iraq I questioned.
It's time to bring them home. It's good we support them, there's no question about it, but it's bankrupting this country. It's taking money from education, elderly, low-income and everything else, and it's destroying (the U.S.) economically. Morale wise, it's taking from the troops."
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The veteran turned protester
Pat Scanlon, 51, is an Andover resident who served in the Army during Vietnam and is now a member of the Veterans For Peace organization.
"I'm a Vietnam veteran and when this war started, I just got images of the past and I started working against what we've been doing for five years. Myself and a lot of other veterans are working as hard as we can. Every free moment I have, I'm working to stop their insanity.
I do what I do because I've seen death and destruction.
War does not solve a problem and what's happening in Iraq — you can't win an occupation. You can win a war, you can't win an occupation. Our troops are acting as police on the street. The only way that can be resolved is politically, not militarily, and we have to remove our young men and women from this meat grinder.
I understood Afghanistan. Al Qaida and the Taliban were responsible for those towers coming down in New York City. We had to respond in kind to that. That was, in my mind, it was justified and a justifiable response to what took place in New York City."
The troop supporter
James Wareing, 49, of Methuen is founder of New England Caring for Our Military, a group which has sent more than 25,000 care packages to troops. Wareing has also gained notoriety for hanging banners on highway overpasses to honor the troops.
" 9/11 changed who I was. I've always been patriot, but 9/11 enhanced it.
When I went to the World Trade Center, I was astonished... the strict security was incredible. Battery Park had all the National Guard tents set up... they were stopping every cab going down the main street heading to the World Trade Center.
To see what they do... it changed me when I came back. I was not totally changed, I've always been patriot, but it enhanced it. I was so proud to be an American. People take our freedom here for granted and they don't realize what that freedom costs.
And now that I'm so involved with the (veterans') families, I know more what that costs. I've seen what it did to them and what it does to them every day. If people ever realized what the cost of freedom really is they would appreciate every military member, what they do, and every veteran, what they did."
Staff Writer Yadira Betances contributed to this report.
