Goodrich-Letters from school children, an e-mail from mom, the green countryside of rural Genesee County.
For local soldier Alec MacDougall those simple reminders of home made his six month stint in Iraq a little more palatable.
On Tuesday afternoon more than 50 friends, relatives and community members gathered at the Goodrich Park to welcome home MacDougall following his first tour of duty. .
‘We had a lot of support from families, that’s the most important thing for Americans to do is support their troops because they are in our hearts when we’re over there’that’s why we are there. We just want to be in their hearts too,? said MacDougall, 19.
A 2003 graduate of Goodrich High School, MacDougall enlisted early in his senior year of high school and following graduation completed basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.
‘I hadn’t decided what to do for college and I wanted the experience,? he said.
Trained as a combat engineer, a job which includes working with demolitions and land mines, he was attached to the 2nd Army Armored Cavalry Regiment, 84th Engineers.
Then in January, Private First Class MacDougall flew from the United States to Kuwait then to Baghdad International Airport, where he was stationed at Camp Marlboro, a converted cigarette factory.
Toward the end of January, MacDougall was moved to Camp Dragoon in Baghdad where he was stationed until April.
MacDougall said they guarded the United Nations building, performed bomb disposal and gathered unused munitions from around war-torn Baghdad.
‘The war is going good for us,? said MacDougall. ‘It’s changing over there, they’re handing power over to the Iraqis just like they said they would.?
He also stayed in both Najuf and Al Kut where he participated in several fire-fights with insurgents.
‘We went out on a lot of policing missions,? he said. ‘They would attack everyday, they’d fight with bayonet after running out of ammunition-we cleaned up the city. When the shooting starts you get scared; it’s dark and all you see are tracers, you never want to be shot at, but you become accustomed to it and it’s a daily routine.?
MacDougall completed his stint in Najuf and returned to the United States in July before heading home to Goodrich on Aug. 2.
After months of fighting in the desert, MacDougall said he’s just glad to see some green grass and trees plus realizes just how safe from harm we are in the United States compared to those in Iraq. He added that while in Iraq messages from home were vital.
‘We’d have teachers send letters from their students. When you have a little third-grader telling you he wants to be just like you when he gets older and that he fears for you and he prays for you–it makes you feel like you’re doing your job.?
MacDougall’s mother Becky Walker was among the group that planned the Goodrich homecoming party.
‘I’m going to support him in what ever he wants to do,? said Walker. He has a very good heart, this town has been very good to Alec-they all kept in touch with him. We’re very proud of him.?
Since the regular mail would take five to seven weeks, said Walker, she would receive e-mail from her son several times each week.
‘Sometimes it would be a short message (an e-mail) saying ‘I’m OK Mom, I love you.??
While uncertain of possible re-deployment, MacDougall said he’s ready to head back to Iraq if necessary.
‘I’m glad I had the opportunity to go out there. A lot of Americans don’t realize just how lucky we are to take advantage of the freedoms we have. I got to see a lot of just what the Iraqis had to overcome.?