| experience does give some glimpse of the rugged conditions that the U.S. troops fight in. Harrison admits that she didn't join the Army for patriotic reasons back in the late 1980s. She was looking at a way to finance her college education and see the world. She lived in Madison and graduated from LaFollette High School. After her first year of college, she realized she was going to need help to pay her college expenses. "When you're on a college campus, they talk about how the military will help you," Harrison recalled. "They'll pay for your tuition." Harrison entered the military as a reserve and went through basic training before returning to college. She kept in contact with some of the people she went through basic with. She missed the army life. "A lot of my friends had moved on to Germany, Korea and all of these places overseas," Harrison said. "So I thought about going back active. After finishing another year of college, I decided to go ahead and sign up for active duty." While Harrison dreamed of going to the same places that her friends had gone and see the world, the unexpected happened in 1990. Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait and the United States began a military build-up in Saudi Arabia to repulse the Iraqis out of Kuwait. The first Gulf War was about to begin. "I went active duty in October 1989," Harrison recalled. "And we left for the Gulf War in December 1990. But our post started to transition to the Gulf in July 1990. I was there the end of November and didn't get back until April 1991." Harrison's unit, the 92nd Engineering Unit stayed close to, but not on the front lines. "We were creating bridges and helicopter landing pads," Harrison said. "We repaired some bridges and rebuilt some schools after the fighting was over. A lot of our units stayed after we came back. When we first came there, our job was to set up the camp areas for the other units to come in. We would set up the camp and then move on to the next site. We had to make sure they had running water for showers and ensure they had adequate lighting and their radio system was hooked up. We set up for other units to come in as they moved forward." Harrison never stayed in an urban area -- or even near one while she served in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. She was in the desert, period. In essence, Harrison lived in a tent city. "The tents were big," Harrison said. "You had a senior communications team. You had the desk for the colonel. That's where we had a lot of the generals there. All of the communications were under there. Supply was a part of that. The tent we lived in was the size of a one-family home. You stay in pup tents when you are in the field for 30 days." While Harrison wasn't engaged in any of the direct fighting, there were constant reminders that a war was going on. "Even though the days seemed long, my unit didn't come upon a lot of action," Harrison said. "We were close enough where we could hear the bombs being set off. We were close enough where some of the other soldiers did run across bodies and things like that. I was fortunate enough not to because I was medical supply, working in a medical tent doing the engineer equipment supplies, the materials supplies plus the medical supplies." Harrison's role hearkens back to the character Corporal Radar in the old MASH television show. "I supplied the medical and engineering part," Harrison said. "I had to make sure everyone had what they needed. Usually when your reorder point came up, you had to make sure you didn't run out of anything, especially out in the desert. In Saudi, I was the go-to person because everyone counted on you and they knew I could get them things. You're everyone's best friend. We helped supply the foods." There were times when she had to negotiate and trade items with other units to get the things that her unit needed. While some military bases in the Mideast have fast food restaurants and other conveniences on them, Harrison's unit existed in some very stark conditions. She gives the Army credit for trying to ameliorate some of the conditions. Harrison was sent to Saudi Arabia right before the start of the American holiday season. Harrison missed her family gatherings immediately. "We got boxes from home with the Christmas cookies and your presents from everyone," Harrison recalled warmly. "But it wasn't the same as being at home where you are surrounded by your family. I have to give it to my unit because they did try to make it seem more like the holidays with Christmas trees and lights." However, it was hard for Harrison to imagine it was the holidays in the middle of the desert in Saudi Arabia. "It was 120 degrees during the day and it's 30 degrees at night," Harrison said. "So you're taking your clothes off during the day and my mom had to send me sweats for the nights. It's freezing in the desert during the night." Harrison';s unit also tried to get them some of the conveniences of home. "My colonel decided to put up a store," Harrison said. "They would order supplies like hair care products and chips, things we would get back home." After a while, Harrison learned to just get used to it. "I tell a lot of my friends that we take so many things for granted," Harrison said. "I can remember going through female things and you don't even think about it because at that time, there's nothing you can do. You take showers next to someone of the opposite sex. It's called survival. And in the military, we don't make a big deal out of things like we do here." One of the hardest things for Harrison was the uncertainty. They were never sure what was going to happen. "I felt a lot of depression like a lot of my fellow soldiers," Harrison confided. "There were men who had just gotten married or their babies were born while they were there. A lot of units left 4-5 months before us and they still didn't come back with us. Some of our units were gone for a whole year. When you leave, it's like hurry up and wait. You get there and they say you are only going to be there for 30-60 days. Then on the 55th day, they would extend us for 30 more days. You never know when you're going to leave. That kind of gets you going after a while. Your personal life still continues back home even though it continues on without you." Next issue: Sandstorms, personal lives, and the decision to leave the military. |
| An interview with GHC's Narrissia Harrison Army life in the desert Part 1 of 2 by Jonathan Gramling |
 |
 |
 |
| Almost the first words that Narrissia Harrison, a health advocate at GHC, said as we sat down to speak was that she didn't have it as bad as the soldiers who are now fighting in Iraq. The first Gulf War back in 1990-1991 and the current conflict the U.S. is engaged in in Iraq are totally different engagements. Harrison served with the 92nd Engineering Unit in Saudi Arabia and later Kuwait. Nonetheless, Harrison's |
 |
| Homepage July 26, 2006 Archives |