Preserving The Oral HistorIES of Combat Veterans

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Josh Waite

Operation Iraqi Freedom | 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion

The second deployment to Iraq was spent in the town of Rawa. Josh Waite describes how the previous unit was lax in it's stewardship of the area and what the Marines did to correct that. They moved right into the center of town and began a door to door census, rounding up insurgents. (4:38)
It had been determined that the insurgents were moving stuff around at night on the river. As Marines fanned out in a search of the area, Josh Waite's squad made a find on an island that was eye opening. It probably stopped a suicide attack on their base. (Caution: strong language) (7:55)
Returning home the second time was even more difficult. Josh Waite's wife had been undergoing a difficult pregnancy and he did not make it home in time to help her make it through. It made him think twice about reenlisting. (6:04)
Josh Waite wants people to know that we were not in Iraq for oil. The people had a genuine need and were suffering in a manner that meant something had to be done about it. Now that it's all over, he enjoys getting back together with all his buddies from the 2nd LAR. (4:12)
Joshua Rodriguez

Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan) | Multiple Units

Josh Rodriguez was strongly influenced by his grandfather, who joined the Army in poverty and retired as a Sgt. Major. Inspired by this, he, too, decided on an Army career and not in a small way. He applied to West Point. (5:08)
It was armor training at Fort Knox and new lieutenant Josh Rodriguez was on the lighter vehicle reconnaissance track. A year after he graduated from West Point, he deployed to Afghanistan. As he traveled to his remote forward operating base, he was struck by the natural beauty of the place. (3:34)
The first helicopter ride he had in Afghanistan was the scariest. What was going to happen when they landed? Lt Josh Rodriguez was part of an advance team tasked with scouting and then planning his brigade's deployment. Immediately, they were dealing with mortar attacks and firefights. (5:34)
The first firefight was the most memorable. Platoon leader Josh Rodriguez was asleep, dreaming of popcorn. It wasn't popcorn that woke him, though, it was bullets coming through the thin walls. As he scrambled for his equipment, he made an embarrassing discovery that would soon have him running like a movie star with bullets hitting around his feet. (9:35)
His memories from Afghanistan that stand out are either funny or learning experiences. Josh Rodriguez had just pulled up to a security assignment when an explosion rocked the ground. That attack was short lived but suddenly two SUV's raced at high speed right through their position. The chase was on! (5:35)
The fighting was getting intense in his area and it was really evident when Josh Rodriguez responded to a Taliban attack on a small convoy of American contractors and Afghan workers. If only they'd asked for an escort. (4:45)