Student serves country with National Guard in Iraq

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Student serves country with National Guard in Iraq

Marian College junior Ross Oestreich plans to return to Marian in August after one year away from the college.

That year away, serving with the Wisconsin Army National Guard in Iraq, has left Oestreich an unquestionably changed man.

“You learn in deployment what’s really important to you,” says Oestreich, a Specialist with the Army National Guard’s 2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry (2–127th), based in Appleton with units in Waupun, Ripon, Green Bay, Fond du Lac and Marinette. The 2–127th was mobilized June 6, spent much of last summer in training at Camp Shelby, Miss., and then went to the Middle East in August.

Oestreich, 20, an Administration of Justice major, is in the middle of a six-year contract with the National Guard, signed while he was a senior at Waupaca High School. He spent the summers of 2003 and 2004 in, respectively, basic training and specialized airborne and infantry training in Camp Benning, Ga. He now is in the U.S. on a 15-day leave, which ends April 1.

During his leave, Oestreich, the son of Jeff and Beth Oestreich of Waupaca, spoke to two classes at Waupaca High School, and heard questions and opinions that, to him, show a lack of understanding of the situation in Iraq.

“It’s pretty emotional for me, but I try to hold myself back and realize that they just don’t know,” he says. “I’ve always been a really, really open person — sometimes too open for my own good. Right now, this is my vacation; I’m all smiles.”

Oestreich’s unit, which is based in northern Kuwait, is attached to an Army transportation company to provide security for military and civilian convoys throughout Iraq. He is a member of the 2–127th’s Charlie Company.

“Wherever the convoy’s supposed to go, we’re supposed to supply security for it,” he says.

As a result, Oestreich’s unit has one of the more hazardous jobs in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Military convoys are attacked by insurgents using small arms, Rocket Propelled Grenades, and what are called Improvised Explosive Devices (“They’ve gotten more advanced with their bombs,” he says), and civilian convoys have been hijacked. While some areas of Iraq are quite friendly to the U.S.-coalition forces, others are not.

“There really is no typical day,” he says. Escorting a convoy can take eight or more hours “if nothing happens,” and that time can double in the event of insurgent attacks or vehicle crashes, which are commonplace due to the poor skills of Iraqi drivers.

The worst day of Oestreich’s deployment was Sept. 26, 2005, when two soldiers in the 2–127th, Andrew Wallace of Ripon and Michael Wendling of Mayville, were killed by a roadside bomb. Wallace’s and Wendling’s funerals were marred by the appearance of protestors from the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan., who believe that God is punishing the U.S. for condoning human rights for homosexuals.

“Our morale couldn’t have been any lower for us,” said Oestreich about learning of the protests.

On another day, Oestreich provided emergency medical care for an injured soldier from another unit before the soldier died.

Going through such traumatic experiences hasn’t changed his perspective about why he wanted to join the military. Being in the military has been Oestreich’s ambition since he was five years old. Ross’ father, Jeff, served in the National Guard for 27 years, including a deployment in Germany during Operation Desert Storm in the early 1990s, and “really got me into it,” says Ross. “The benefits are great — they basically pay for everything when I come back for school.” His interest in serving was cemented after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. He chose the infantry because “that’s where I’m most utilized — I picked the infantry because I wanted to do the most I possibly could.”

The one theme that comes through even a brief conversation with Oestreich is his loyalty to his fellow soldiers.

“They’ve seen more of me than my brothers in real life have,” he says. “I’m kind of sad that the experiences I’ve had with these guys wasn’t with my own blood. Veterans do get a new respect and realize how fragile life is.”

Oestreich has seen “almost all” of Iraq as part of his Guard duties. He describes the weather as similar to Las Vegas or Arizona, with high temperatures in the 80s and 90s now and as high as the low 130s in summer, but with no humidity. Lows drop as low as the high 30s. Clouds appear during the rainy season, and “it was pretty weird because otherwise it’s sun, sky, sand — there’s nothing else.”

Oestreich’s leave has been a transition for him, particularly seeing the family and friends one ordinarily might see only at holidays. “You see change very, very slowly — things are what I perceived them to be before I left,” he says. He claims to have been “more nervous about coming back here [to Marian] on leave than on the first day of classes. My palms were sweating when I was driving here.”

Oestreich expects to remain in Iraq until August, the end of the standard overseas deployment period. He wants to enter the Reserve Officers Training Corps when he returns to Marian this fall, and get a teaching certification. He is considering making the military his career.

“I figure the only way officers can be officers is to be in it with the guys,” he says. “You know what the guys have gone through so you can lead them better. This experience, no matter what I do, is going to help my military career.”

[Paul R]

A very good article! Thank you for sharing it with us!

Paul

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Sgt. Andrew P. Wallace, 25, of Oshkosh, Wis.

Wednesday, September 28 2005 @ 08:17 AM EST

Contributed by: tomw Oshkosh Northwestern -- An Oshkosh soldier killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom is being remembered for his love of family and country and for his dedication as a teacher and wrestling coach.

Sgt. Andrew Wallace, 25, was killed by a roadside bomb, while he helped escort a convoy of supply trucks in Iraq, his father, Pete Wallace, said Tuesday.

Wallace said his son joined the Army National Guard in part to help pay for college costs, but he also had a deep and lasting patriotism for his country.

“He was proud to serve his country and he knew the risks that came with it,” said Wallace, who lives in the Dodge County community of Fox Lake. “Everything he did, he did with enthusiasm. He enjoyed sports with enthusiasm and he loved his country with enthusiasm.”

He said his son was in good spirits when he last talked to him via cell phone about a week ago.

“He called me at work,” Wallace said. “He preferred being out on the missions instead of being back in the base.”

Wallace served with the Wisconsin Army National Guard 2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry Regiment based in Appleton.

Also killed by the roadside bomb in Shaibah, Iraq, was Spc. Michael Wendling, 20, of Mayville, who was driving the Humvee that he, Wallace and another soldier were riding in near Basra at the time of the explosion, Wendling’s father, Randy Wendling, said Tuesday. Wallace was the team leader who normally sits in the front passenger seat. The third soldier, who was injured, served as a gunner.

Major Gen. Albert H. Wilkening of the Wisconsin National Guard said he has ordered flags of all Wisconsin National Guard armories, air bases and other facilities lowered to half-staff in memory of Wallace and Wendling.

Wallace, a physical education teacher since 2003 who taught at Oshkosh North High School and Emmeline Cook Elementary School, was deployed to Kuwait and Iraq in June. His father said Wallace was a member of the National Guard for about six years.

Pete Wallace recalled the last time he saw his son, which was June 9 for a sendoff at Volk Field at Camp Douglas in western Wisconsin. He said family members gave him hugs, plenty of love and told him to stay safe before he departed.

“He wanted to come home as a veteran,” Wallace said.

Wallace’s father said funeral arrangements are pending.

Overall, 46 Wisconsin military members have died during the war in Iraq and so have more than 1,900 U.S. troops nationwide. Local soldiers who died include Pfc. Brent Vroman of Omro, who was a member of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve and Army Reserve Capt. Benjamin Jansky of Oshkosh.

Wallace’s death was a shock to those who knew him, including wrestlers at North, where he was an assistant wrestling coach.

“He was there for us all of the time and whenever we had a problem we could go to him. He was easy going and fun to be around,” said senior Nick Wolff, a member of the North wrestling team. “He taught us to respect everybody no matter what happened to us.”

Wallace was a 1998 graduate of Ripon High School where he played football, baseball and wrestled. His father said Wallace also was a WIAA football official and had been an avid fan of the Green Bay Packers.

Lucas Seelow, a senior at North and a member of the wrestling team, said Wallace put a smile on the faces of wrestlers.

“He liked the sport and enjoyed being out there with us,” Seelow said. “He was at school at 6:30 each morning to help anyone who wanted to lift weights and to give his support.”

Gary Westerman, former head wrestling coach at North, said Wallace’s enthusiasm was contagious.

“Andrew was the ultimate kid at heart. He was never in a bad mood and always smiling and had positive things to say,” said Westerman, who is a physical education teacher at a Kimberly Middle School. “He was an all-around great guy and a great friend.”

Westerman said Wallace was proud to be in the military and often talked about it. He said Wallace and his wife had just purchased a house in Oshkosh.

“He was real excited about that,” Westerman said. “He couldn’t wait to have me over.”

Phil Marshall, principal at Emmeline Cook, said Wallace kept in contact with school staff via a Web site.

“He would take pictures of all the missions he was on and would post them on the Web site so we could get a look at what was going on,” Marshall said. “He sent e-mails to staff updating what was happening in Iraq. It was really a comfort to us to have contact with him on a regular basis.”

Marshall said Wallace was an extraordinary person.

“He made an impact on everyone in school from students to staff and parents,” Marshall said. “He always had a smile on his face and a positive attitude. The lack of that energy has left a big hole here.”

http://www.legacy.com/AZCENTRAL/Soldiers.a...rsonID=15235097

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Spc. Michael J. Wendling, 20, of Mayville, Wis.

Wednesday, September 28 2005 @ 08:13 AM EST

Contributed by: tomw

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel -- The news passed through the stands Monday evening at the Mayville High School JV football game - Michael Wendling, who played on the football, basketball and golf teams and joined the military while still a student, had been killed in Iraq.

Among the words murmured by stunned people as the football game unfolded before them: explosion, Iraq, Humvee, Mayville.

"In typical small-town fashion, it had drifted through the town," said Mayville High School Principal Lee Zarnott. "Unfortunately, bad news travels fast."

Wendling, 20, a specialist, was killed Monday with Sgt. Andrew P. Wallace, 25, of Oshkosh when a roadside bomb exploded as they drove past it in Iraq. They were members of Fond du Lac-based Charlie Company of the Wisconsin National Guard 2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry Regiment. Their deaths bring to 47 the number of Wisconsin service members killed in Iraq since March 2003.

A high school friend of Wendling's, Spc. Jeremy Roskopf of Brownsville, suffered shrapnel wounds to his legs.

Roskopf and Wendling signed up for the National Guard together while they were in high school. They played on the Mayville golf team, which won the conference championship their senior year.

Wendling, who was on the dean's list at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee when his unit was activated, frequently kept in touch with his family via e-mail and talked about what it was like to drive the large, heavy Humvees in Kuwait and Iraq, said his father, Randy Wendling.

"He said they don't go very fast, but he seemed pretty excited about what he was doing," Randy Wendling said in a phone interview Tuesday.

The Appleton-based 2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry Regiment was activated in June and trained at Camp Shelby, Miss. The unit moved to Kuwait in mid-August and has been based in northern Kuwait, providing security to convoys traveling from Kuwait into Iraq, said Wisconsin National Guard Lt. Col. Tim Donovan.

Wendling's father said the roadside bomb hit his son's Humvee near Basra, in southern Iraq. Wendling was the driver, Roskopf was the gunner who stands in the middle of the vehicle and Wallace was the team leader, who normally sits in the front passenger seat.

Randy Wendling said he saw his son shortly before the unit deployed overseas last month. He spent his home leave going to Brewers games, visiting with family and friends and golfing.

His son was upbeat in his e-mails and enjoyed serving in the Wisconsin National Guard, the elder Wendling said.

"He talked about where they were based and what it was like, what they were going to be doing, how hot it was there," said Randy Wendling.

In his last e-mail, received a couple of days before he died, Wendling asked about a care package his family sent him that included bedsheets and beef jerky and told his folks that his company was very busy.

Stu Strook coached Wendling in junior varsity football and golf and remembered a guy who wasn't the most talented athlete but someone who worked hard to improve himself. It was common to see Wendling hitting buckets of golf balls, even after matches, until dark.

"I would call him a grinder. He worked hard. He had a good heart," said Strook.

Wendling also liked to eat. He wasn't fat, so sometimes his teammates wondered where he put all the food. Strook recalled returning from a golf match one day when the team stopped at Burger King. Wendling ordered a Whopper Value Meal with fries and a drink. Nothing unusual about that, except that Wendling went back for four more Whoppers - quarter-pound burgers - and ate them all, to the astonishment of everyone watching him, Strook said.

"Mike was a personality, I guess you would say. He had a great sense of humor. He was a kid who liked to have fun, and kids liked to be around Mike because he was so much fun," said Strook.

Wendling had not declared a major at UWM, but his father said he was leaning toward getting a degree in the sciences. His high school marketing teacher, Rod McSorley, said he thought Wendling would have become an engineer.

A couple of dozen marketing students from Mayville organized a trip to New York their senior year. The group took in the sights, visited Madison Square Garden and saw "The Lion King" on Broadway. A photo of the group taken on the Staten Island Ferry is pinned to a bulletin board in McSorley's office. McSorley said he was looking at the picture of Wendling and his classmates mugging for the camera as he talked to a reporter Tuesday about his former student.

"When we visited New York, we visited ground zero, and that was important to him. He was close enough to 9-11 to embrace its importance," said McSorley. "He had very good family values. That wouldn't surprise me (that) he had the feeling of giving back."

http://www.legacy.com/PE/Soldiers.asp?Page...rsonID=15240017

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Leaders from Wisconsin infantry battalion prepare for mission with Iraq visit

by Capt. Benjamin Buchholz

2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry

CAMP SHELBY, Miss. — Five senior leaders from 2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry flew to Iraq in late June to meet the unit they will replace, clarify mission details and see firsthand the living conditions the unit’s 600-plus soldiers should expect.

The unit will serve as an armed escort for civilian and military convoys traveling from Kuwait north through the entire country of Iraq, protecting supplies that allow security operations and the transition to peace to succeed. The unit will conduct operations in Iraq from a Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Kuwait that has many of the same amenities as an Army post or a small town in the United States: a post exchange, shoppette, weight room, dining facility, internet cafe, theater, pizza parlor, coffee shop, and even a volleyball court — sand, of course. The soldiers will live in air-conditioned tents rather than barracks.

Lt. Col. Todd Taves, the unit’s commander, along with Maj. John Oakley, Maj. David Aponte, Capt. Frank Iovine, and Command Sgt. Maj. Rafael Conde participated in actual convoys, received updates on the activities of anti-Iraqi forces in the area, and coordinated a smooth in-processing for the unit’s personnel and equipment when they arrive in August.

The visit provided the battalion with information to help tailor training to the unit’s specific mission. The unit will now devote more time to driving up-armored HMMWVs with convoys and less time to room-to-room searches, FOB defense, check-point operations and the many other tasks the unit might otherwise have been assigned.

As the battalion’s command sergeant major and senior noncommissioned officer, Conde’s primary task on the visit was to assess the FOB’s living accommodations for the troops. He was pleased with what he saw.

“Other than the heat, which was like hitting a wall when we got off the plane, my biggest concern is the food,” said Conde, “and not because it’s bad. Just the opposite: it’s too good. The FOB serves four meals a day, buffet-style, and if we don’t have a good physical fitness program we’ll return to Wisconsin a little too healthy.”

The other amenities all met Conde’s standard.

Because so many local groups, schools, families, and communities have asked what they can do to make the deployment a better experience, the battalion will identify a local charity in Iraq and organize donations to that charity on behalf of the battalion’s supporters. Contributions to these efforts will indirectly improve the quality of life for the battalion soldiers because they will help win the hearts and minds of the Iraqis among whom the Wisconsin soldiers will live for the next year.

For information on donating to the 2-127th’s local Iraqi charity, email Capt. Benjamin Buchholz, battalion civil affairs officer: benjamin.buchholz@us.army.mil.

# # # #

Note to Editors: The Wisconsin Army National Guard’s 2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry is headquartered in Appleton with units in Waupun, Ripon, Green Bay, Fond du Lac and Marinette. The battalion was mobilized June 6 and departed Wisconsin June 9 for several months additional training at Camp Shelby, near Hattiesburg, Miss.

The infantry battalion was augmented by soldiers from the Onalaska-based 32nd Engineer Company and from Troop E, 105th Cavalry of Antigo and Merrill.

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Current News Releases are available at: http://dma.wi.gov/news.asp

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Photos to accompany this story: http://dma.wi.gov/MediaPublicAffairs/docview.asp?docid=2352

CUTLINES (photo credits: Wisconsin National Guard photos)

1. Demonstration: A reaction force of soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry secures the entry control point at a mock-up Forward Operating Base at Camp Shelby, Miss. The soldiers are training at Camp Shelby as they prepare for their deployment to Southwest Asia in August.

2. Convoy Training: Soldiers from Company A of the Wisconsin National Guard's 2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry prepare for convoy security training at Camp Shelby, Miss., July 15. The battalion's mission will include security for military and civilian convoys traveling from Kuwait to destinations throughout Iraq.

3. Insurgent: Wisconsin National Guard soldiers apprehend a suspected "insurgent" who breached perimeter defenses at a mock-up Forward Operating Base (FOB) at Camp Shelby, Miss. The soldiers are from Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry. They are about midway through training at Camp Shelby as they prepare for their deployment to Southwest Asia in August.

4. Briefing: Senior Wisconsin National Guard officers get a briefing on the status of training for 2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry soldiers at Camp Shelby, Miss. The battalion is commanded by Lt. Col. Todd Taves, second from right in desert camouflage vest.

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MEDIA ADVISORY

Ceremony to honor 127th Infantry soldiers

Three soldiers of the Appleton-based 2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry will receive Purple Heart medals Friday [sept. 8], 2 p.m. at the Appleton National Guard armory, 2801 W. Second St., for wounds received while serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom. A fourth soldier will also be honored for his service.

The soldiers mobilized in June 2005 and after several weeks of mobilization training, deployed to Kuwait in August 2005 where they escorted civilian and military convoys throughout Iraq. The unit completed their mission and returned to the U.S. last month.

Receiving Purple Heart medals are:

Sgt. Luke Luther, Green Bay, and Spc. Andrew Neumeyer, Neenah, who were wounded by an improvised explosive device on Jan. 31; and

Spc. Rueben Macias, Menasha, who was wounded by an IED on March 9. Spc. Eric Neumeyer, Neenah, will receive the Army Commendation Medal for the duties he performed as a gun truck driver.

Medals will be presented by Brig. Gen. Kerry Denson, deputy adjutant general and commander of the Wisconsin Army National Guard — himself a Purple Heart recipient from a combat tour as helicopter pilot in Vietnam

From above post........

"A high school friend of Wendling's, Spc. Jeremy Roskopf of Brownsville, suffered shrapnel wounds to his legs."...........I wonder why Roskopf didn`t get a Purple Heart?

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Statement by Maj. Gen. Albert H. Wilkening on the death of Wisconsin Army National Guard Sergeant Ryan D. Jopek

Words fail to convey the depth of my sorrow following the death of Sergeant Ryan Jopek in Iraq early Wednesday. Ryan was one of Wisconsin’s very finest and served his nation with bravery, distinction and valor. He was on his final convoy security mission in Iraq after serving overseas for the past 50 weeks with his unit, 2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry.

My deepest sympathy goes to Ryan’s entire family and especially to his father, Staff Sergeant Brian Jopek, who served a year in Iraq with a different Wisconsin Army National Guard unit in 2004. I want the Jopek family to know just how proud Wisconsin is of Ryan, how grateful we are for his service, and how saddened all of us are for his tragic loss. I pledge to the Jopek family all the support of the Wisconsin National Guard we can provide them during the difficult days ahead.

In tribute to Sergeant Ryan D. Jopek I am ordering the flags at all Wisconsin National Guard armories, air bases and other facilities lowered to half-staff beginning Sunday morning and continuing until after his funeral service.

On behalf of all 9,900 of Sergeant Jopek’s fellow soldiers and airmen of Wisconsin’s National Guard, I salute this fallen hero and pray for the safe and speedy return of 2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry, and the continued safety of all 2,500 soldiers and airmen of the Wisconsin National Guard who are still serving overseas in harm’s way.

Major General Albert H. Wilkening

The Adjutant General of Wisconsin

Sgt. Ryan D. Jopek

Hometown: Merrill, Wisconsin, U.S.

Age: 20 years old

Died: August 2, 2006 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Unit: Army National Guard, 2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry Regiment, Army National Guard, Waupun, Wis.

Incident: Died from injuries suffered when a makeshift bomb exploded near his convoy in Tikrit.

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MEDIA ADVISORY

Ceremony to honor 127th Infantry soldiers

Three soldiers of the Appleton-based 2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry will receive Purple Heart medals Friday [sept. 8], 2 p.m. at the Appleton National Guard armory, 2801 W. Second St., for wounds received while serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom. A fourth soldier will also be honored for his service.

The soldiers mobilized in June 2005 and after several weeks of mobilization training, deployed to Kuwait in August 2005 where they escorted civilian and military convoys throughout Iraq. The unit completed their mission and returned to the U.S. last month.

Receiving Purple Heart medals are:

Sgt. Luke Luther, Green Bay, and Spc. Andrew Neumeyer, Neenah, who were wounded by an improvised explosive device on Jan. 31; and

Spc. Rueben Macias, Menasha, who was wounded by an IED on March 9. Spc. Eric Neumeyer, Neenah, will receive the Army Commendation Medal for the duties he performed as a gun truck driver.

Medals will be presented by Brig. Gen. Kerry Denson, deputy adjutant general and commander of the Wisconsin Army National Guard — himself a Purple Heart recipient from a combat tour as helicopter pilot in Vietnam

From above post........

"A high school friend of Wendling's, Spc. Jeremy Roskopf of Brownsville, suffered shrapnel wounds to his legs."...........I wonder why Roskopf didn`t get a Purple Heart?

I recieved this reply to my enquiry from an American Lt Col...........

The reason these soldiers are mentioned in the news release is that this particular ceremony involved only these three. The Purple Heart Medals for SGT Wallace and SPC Wendling were presented posthumously at their funerals. The other soldiers you mention have either already received their awards or haven't yet got them.

Lt. Col. Tim Donovan

Director, Public Affairs

Wisconsin Army and Air National Guard

608-242-3050

DSN 724-3050

Cell: 608-516-1777

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Appleton Guard Unit Returning From Iraq

(AP) A unit of the Wisconsin Army National Guard that has had three soldiers killed in action is due home this week after more than a year in the Middle East.

The Guard said about 600 members of the Second Battalion, 127th Infantry are scheduled to return to Volk Field in two plane-loads, one tomorrow evening and the other Saturday afternoon.

The unit was based in Kuwait, and its convoy security mission took the troops throughout Iraq as they escorted military and civilian convoys in armed and armored Humvee "gun trucks."

The soldiers who died were 20-year-old Specialist Michael Wendling of Mayville ... 25-year-old Sergeant Andrew Wallace of Oshkosh ... and 20-year-old Sergeant Ryan Jopek of Merrill.

The Guard says members of the unit will stay at Fort McCoy for several days before heading home.

The 2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry is headquartered in Appleton.

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The Wisconsin National Guard light infantry battalion was called to active duty in summer of 2005. National Guard officials said the call-up of the entire Battalion included the Headquarters Company, four other companies, and one detachment, for a year and a half, with as much as a year overseas. The 2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry Regiment, part of the 32nd Infantry Brigade, includes Headquarters And Headquarters Company, Appleton; Company A, Waupun; Company A Detachment, Ripon; Company B, Green Bay; Company C, Fond du Lac; and Company D, Marinette.

Lt. Col. Tim Donovan, Public Affairs Officer, said that more than 600 soldiers were affected by the mobilization order.

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Memorial Ceremony

In Honor Of

SGT Andrew Wallace

SPC Michael Wendling

2-127th Infantry Battalion (L)

0800 Hrs

30 September 2005

Camp Navistar, Kuwait

37th Transportation Group

2-127th Infantry Battalion

In Honor Of

SGT Andrew Wallace and SPC Michael Wendling

C Co. 2-127th Infantry

IN MEMORIUM

SERGEANT ANDREW WALLACE

MAY 26, 1980 - SEPTEMBER 26, 2005

*********************

Sergeant Wallace was born on May 26, 1980 in West Union, Iowa to Peter R. and Janie A. Wallace. He graduated with honors from Ripon High School in May of 1998.

SGT Wallace joined the Wisconsin Army National Guard on October 7, 1999. He initially served with Detachment 1, Company C, 173rd Engineer Battalion, located in Ripon, WI. SGT Wallace attended Basic Training and Combat Engineer Advanced Individual Training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. SGT Wallace graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh with a degree in physical education and a minor in adaptive physical education. He was a teacher with the Oshkosh school district where he worked with physically and mentally challenged students. He was an avid sportsman but his true passion was his family and numerous close friends. SGT Wallace attended Grace Lutheran Church where he was a Sunday school teacher. SGT Wallace later transferred to Company A, 2-127th Infantry Battalion where he accepted a position as a fire team leader and reclassified as an infantryman.

Sergeant Wallace’s awards and decorations include The Bronze Star, The Purple Heart, The Good Conduct Medal, The Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal, The National Defense Service Medal, The Iraqi Campaign Medal, The Army Service Ribbon, The Combat Infantry Badge The Air Assault Badge, and five awards of the Wisconsin Wright Medal.

Sergeant Wallace is survived by his wife Angela Wallace; his Parents, Peter Wallace and Janie Brockman; and his brothers, Matt and Tim.

SPC MICHAEL WENDLING

January 3, 1985 – September 26, 2005

IN MEMORIUM

SPECIALIST MICHAEL WENDLING

JANUARY 3, 1985 – SEPTEMBER 26, 2005

*********************

Specialist Michael Wendling was born on January 3, 1985 in Mayville, WI. SPC Wendling enlisted in the Wisconsin Army National Guard on February 12, 2002 and initially served as a rifleman for Company A, 2-127th Infantry Battalion in Waupun, WI. SPC Wendling graduated from Mayville High School in the summer of 2003 and was currently attending the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee majoring in Biology. He graduated Basic Training and Infantry AITat Fort Benning, GA. SPC Wendling was later transferred to Company C, 2-127th Infantry Battalion when the unit was mobilized to participate in Operation Iraqi Freedom. He recently deployed to the Kuwaiti Theater of Operations where he served as a crew member providing security for the vital logistics convoys traveling throughout Iraq

Specialist Wendling’s awards include The Bronze Star, The Purple Heart Medal, The National Defense Service Medal, The Iraqi Campaign Medal, The Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, The Army Service Ribbon The Combat Infantry Badge and two awards of the Wisconsin Wright Medal.

Specialist Wendling is survived by his parents, Randall and Carrie Wendling; and his three siblings, Jennifer, Angela and Mark.

http://66.249.93.104/search?q=cache:VwLnjq...t=clnk&cd=1

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Teacher, coach, husband, son, soldier, hero laid to rest

Hometown honors young soldier who touched their lives

Andrew P. Wallace was many things to many people.

To his students, he was Mr. Wallace.

To his soldiers, he was Sgt. Wallace.

To his wrestlers, he was Coach Wallace.

To his wife and family, he was Andy.

To the citizens of Ripon who turned out Thursday to honor his memory, he was a hero.

Before Wallace, 25, was killed in Iraq Sept. 26, he was a student, a teacher, a wrestling coach, a soldier, a son, a husband.

Last week, after news of Wallace's death spread through the Oshkosh school district, where he was a physical education teacher, his pupils at Emmeline Cook Elementary School were encouraged to write poems about him, and his colleagues got together to laugh and cry while recounting their memories, said school Principal Phil Marshal.

"I realized that in two short years this young man had touched every person's heart in some way," Marshal told an overflow crowd of several hundred mourners at Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church in Ripon.

In addition to teaching physical education at Emmeline, Wallace also taught special needs students and was an assistant wrestling coach at Oshkosh North High School.

After graduating from Ripon High School, Wallace earned a degree from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and applied to teach in Oshkosh two years ago.

School officials learned late in the summer about an opening at Emmeline and pulled out Wallace's r?sum? from a stack of applicants. Wallace made a good impression during his interview, but when offered a position, he told officials he already had a job offer in another school district, said Marshal. Despite that offer, Wallace ultimately decided to stay in Oshkosh.

"Having the chance to work close to home to be close to his family was very important to him," said Marshal.

Wallace was known for his energy and his love of teaching; he wasn't content to let his students go through agility and strength drills on their own - he would usually join them.

The principal noted that Wallace coordinated a jump rope event to raise money for the American Heart Association, and students were proud to raise more than $6,000, and "it was Mr. Wallace who sparked their interest."

Next to a portrait of Wallace and his flag-draped casket in the church was a fallen soldier monument of tan combat boots, upturned rifle and desert camouflage helmet with goggles. Military officials presented several commendations, including a Bronze Star and Purple Heart, to Wallace's wife, Angie. The couple celebrated their first anniversary in July.

Wallace and Spc. Michael Wendling, 20, of Mayville were killed when their Humvee was hit by a roadside bomb while traveling in Shaibah, near Basra in southern Iraq. Injured in the blast was Spc. Jeremy Roskopf of Brownsville, Wendling's Mayville High School classmate, who suffered shrapnel wounds to his legs. Roskopf attended Wallace's funeral Thursday.

They were members of Fond du Lac-based Charlie Company of the Wisconsin Army National Guard 2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry Regiment. The unit, which arrived overseas in August, is based in Kuwait and provides security for convoys traveling on the main supply route in Iraq.

Tim Wallace told mourners how much he misses his brother and said that if he could have three seconds with him, he would spend the time saying how much he loved his brother.

"I never thought I'd go through life without Andrew. I never thought when I said goodbye to Andrew at Volk Field it would be the last time I would see him," said Tim Wallace.

"My brother was a hero. Always keep him in your hearts and in your minds."

Wallace was buried at a cemetery on the outskirts of his hometown. Traffic backed up as the long line of cars snaked through the community from the church to the burial ground. A military honor guard stood at attention at an intersection.

As the black hearse carrying Wallace's casket traveled the tree-lined streets Thursday afternoon, townsfolk walked out of their homes and businesses and schools. They stood on the sidewalks and held small American flags. Some waved, some saluted, some held their hands over their hearts as they watched a soldier travel to his final resting place.

Mourning, interrupted

Officials hope to block protests at soldiers' funerals

Not everyone who came to Sgt. Andrew P. Wallace's visitation in Ripon was welcome.

Among those who stopped by were four adults and three children from the Kansas-based Westboro Baptist Church who hailed the soldier's death, saying it was God's revenge on a country that accepts homosexuality.

They dragged a U.S. flag on the ground while carrying signs that said "Thank God for dead soldiers" and "Thank God for IEDs," a reference to the improvised explosive device that killed Wallace.

"My son died for their right to protest, I guess," said Pete Wallace of Fox Lake. "(But) I can't emphasize enough that it's the wrong forum for them to be in."

Westboro church members have protested at ceremonies for two other Wisconsin National Guard soldiers who died in Iraq, according to the group.

The 75-member church, made up primarily of members of Rev. Fred Phelps' extended family, believes God is punishing America for its sinful ways. This week, the group celebrated the deaths of 12 West Virginia miners.

On Thursday, the Wisconsin National Guard's top lawyer, Staff Judge Advocate Julio Barron, alerted Gov. Jim Doyle's office to the issue, saying the National Guard wanted to "maintain dignity at funerals of fallen service members."

The letter notes that there is little that police, legislators and local officials can do because of free speech rights.

Sen. Ron Brown (R-Eau Claire), the chairman of the Senate's veterans committee, said he planned to meet with the National Guard to discuss the matter. He said lawmakers might be able to draft a bill that would require protesters to be a set distance from funerals or find ways to otherwise protect families, but he stressed that it would be difficult.

"There's a time and a place for this stuff, and a funeral is not the time or place," Brown said. "I don't want to step on anybody's constitutional rights here. . . . It would be hard to stop them."

A Doyle spokesman said the governor would support legislative action.

"The Legislature will have to figure out what they can do constitutionally, but anything that can ease the family's suffering and get these kooks out of the way of these intimate family moments, he's in support of," aide Dan Leistikow said.

The letter to Doyle said the National Guard and Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager are monitoring the church's activities at funerals.

It says other states are contemplating making disorderly conduct at soldiers' funerals a felony, but Lt. Col. Tim Donovan said the National Guard was not advocating passing such a law here.

Lautenschlager sent a letter to Monroe County officials in November warning them that the church planned to protest at the funeral of Pfc. Alex Gaunky of Sparta. The group never showed up, however.

Lautenschlager said in her letter that protesters could be arrested for disorderly conduct in certain situations, and she encouraged law enforcement officers to videotape any protests.

Governor troubled by protests

Doyle saw the protesters when he attended the Oct. 5 funeral of Spc. Michael Wendling in Theresa, near his hometown of Mayville.

Doyle "finds it totally abhorrent they would try to disrupt and cause pain to these tremendous families," Leistikow said.

The same day, the group protested at Wallace's visitation in Ripon. On Nov. 10, they demonstrated in Hudson at Spc. Benjamin A. Smith's funeral.

Video taken by the group outside Wendling's funeral shows Dodge County Sheriff Todd Nehls telling them not to carry signs that said "Thank God for dead soldiers" and "Your pastor is a whore" and ordering them not to desecrate a flag. Church member Shirley Phelps-Roper said that Nehls hit her sister-in law, Paulette Phelps, during the altercation; what transpired is not clear from the video footage posted on the church's Web site, http://www.godhatesfags.com/.

Nehls tells them on the tape they must hide two of their signs for their protection.

"I think some people may read some of your signs and be so offended that they may storm from across the street and cause you harm," he says on the tape. No one is visible on the other side of the road in the video.

Nehls could not be reached for comment.

"He was violating the Constitution with every breath he took and every word he spoke," said Phelps-Roper.

Her group will not take legal action against the county. "There's nothing we could do to Nehls that the Lord couldn't do better than us," she said.

The group has protested outside about 80 funerals and visitations nationwide, said Phelps-Roper, a lawyer and daughter of Fred Phelps, who over the years has protested around the country bearing a "God hates fags" sign.

Phelps-Roper said her group chose to protest at soldiers' funerals because God was sending a message to Americans by killing troops with the improvised explosive devices.

"His weapon of choice is the IED, so our forum of choice must be these soldiers' funerals," she said.

She said all troops were complicit in America's sinfulness because they had agreed to serve their country's government.

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More than 600 soldiers from National Guard infantry battalion returning from Iraq mission

Gov. Doyle, senior National Guard officials, families and military band to welcome troops back to Wisconsin Thursday, Saturday

The Wisconsin Army National Guard’s 2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry is scheduled to begin returning home to Wisconsin this week. The battalion is expected to return to Volk Field aboard two aircraft, one scheduled to arrive Thursday evening and the other on Saturday afternoon.

The first group of about 300 soldiers is scheduled to arrive at Volk Field at approximately 9:00 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 17.

Soldiers will be greeted by Gov. Jim Doyle, senior Wisconsin National Guard officials and a military band — and also by up to 2,000 cheering family members who have been waiting for their return for more than a year.

The first flight will return soldiers assigned to the battalion’s Company A, Waupun and Ripon, and most of the soldiers assigned to Company B in Green Bay. The returning Company A soldiers had been previously assigned to Troop E, 105th Cavalry in Merrill and Antigo, and the Onalaska-based 32nd Engineer Company. Soldiers who had been assigned to Company A before the mobilization were moved into Fond du Lac’s Company C, which will return Saturday. Company B soldiers returning Thursday include soldiers who had been assigned to the battalion’s Company D in Marinette.

The approximately 300 soldiers returning on the Saturday flight will include the balance of Company B’s soldiers, soldiers from the battalion’s headquarters in Appleton and the soldiers from Company C in Fond du Lac, which was augmented by soldiers from the armories in Waupun and Ripon. The Saturday flight is expected to arrive at Volk Field in the early afternoon and a separate news release with additional details will be issued on Thursday.

2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry left Wisconsin June 9, 2005 and deployed to Kuwait in August 2005 following several months training at Camp Shelby, Miss. The battalion was based in Kuwait, but the unit’s convoy security mission took them throughout Iraq as they escorted military and civilian convoys in armed and armored Humvee “gun trucks.”

Three battalion soldiers were killed in action. Spc. Michael Wendling, 20, and Sgt. Andrew Wallace, 25, of Company C both died Sept. 26, 2005, after a roadside bomb exploded near their Humvee and they were attacked by small arms fire. Sgt. Ryan Jopek, 20, was killed just two weeks ago, on Aug. 2, 2006, while on his final convoy security mission. Jopek was transferred into Company A from his hometown unit, Merrill-based Troop E, 105th Cavalry.

Following an initial reunion with their families and a brief official “welcome home,” the returning soldiers will travel to nearby Fort McCoy to begin several days of demobilization processing.

Following the redeployment of 2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry, the Wisconsin National Guard will have about 1,950 soldiers and airmen serving on active duty. Of those, approximately 1,200 are deployed overseas and an additional 260 are bound for eventual overseas service in either Iraq or Kosovo.

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A former Merrill High School basketball player looking forward to the end of his tour of duty in Iraq has become the second soldier from that northern Wisconsin community and the 59th Wisconsin service member to die there.

Spc. Ryan Jopek, 20, of the National Guard's Appleton-based 2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry, was called "Kansas" by his teammates on the Merrill High School Blue Jays basketball team because that's where he lived before his family came to Merrill in 2002, coach Thomas Andreska said Wednesday, shortly after hearing the news of Jopek's death.

"One of the neat things about him was even though he wasn't a starter, he came to practice every night and worked hard," Andreska said, adding that Jopek played guard on both the junior varsity and varsity teams.

"He knew his role on the team and was happy with that."

Jopek's father, Bryan Jopek, also of Merrill, declined to comment when reached by telephone Wednesday night but confirmed his son's death.

WAOW-TV (Channel 9) in Wausau reported that Jopek was killed by a roadside bomb. His father had just returned from a tour of duty in Iraq in January 2005 and Ryan was his oldest son, the station reported.

On May 15, Army Pfc. Grant A. Dampier, 25, of Merrill was killed in Baghdad when an explosive device detonated near the vehicle he was riding in. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, Fort Carson, Colo.

Jopek is at least the third member of the 127th's 2nd Battalion to be killed in the Iraq conflict since it was deployed overseas in August 2005.

Michael Wendling, 20, of Ripon, a specialist, was killed Sept. 26 with Sgt. Andrew P. Wallace, 25, of Oshkosh by a roadside bomb.

The unit, which was activated last year and began training in June 2005 at Camp Shelby, Miss., was to serve as an armed escort for civilian and military convoys traveling from Kuwait north through all of Iraq, protecting supplies that allow security operations, the Wisconsin National Guard Web site says.

According to a prior statement from Lt. Col Tim Donavan, a spokesman for the National Guard in Wisconsin, the 2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry was training members of the Milwaukee-based 1st Battalion, 121st Field Artillery when a roadside bomb killed Stephen W. Castner of Cedarburg on July 24. Three other guardsmen were hurt, one seriously, including a member of the 2nd Battalion.

Jopek's basketball coach said he talked to Jopek in June. "He was excited about going back to school this fall," Andreska said, recalling Jopek's plans for college.

Jopek's death was sure to hit the small community of 10,000 especially hard, Andreska said.

"We have other high school students also (in Iraq) now and you just pray for them to come home safe and sound," he said.

Bob Purvis of the Journal Sentinel staff contributed to this report.

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Honours & Awards to the 2/127th For Op Iraqi Freedom 2005-06

Sgt. Luke Luther, Green Bay, and Spc. Andrew Neumeyer, Neenah, who were wounded by an improvised explosive device on Jan. 31; and

Spc. Rueben Macias, Menasha, who was wounded by an IED on March 9. Spc. Eric Neumeyer, Neenah, will receive the Army Commendation Medal for the duties he performed as a gun truck driver.

Specialist Wendling’s awards include The Bronze Star, The Purple Heart Medal, The National Defense Service Medal, The Iraqi Campaign Medal, The Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, The Army Service Ribbon The Combat Infantry Badge and two awards of the Wisconsin Wright Medal.

Sergeant Wallace’s awards and decorations include The Bronze Star, The Purple Heart, The Good Conduct Medal, The Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal, The National Defense Service Medal, The Iraqi Campaign Medal, The Army Service Ribbon, The Combat Infantry Badge The Air Assault Badge, and five awards of the Wisconsin Wright Medal.

Sgt. Ryan D. Jopek, I can find nothing on the internet to confirm this , but I assume that Sgt Jopek would have been awarded the Bronze Star & the Purple heart also.

Spc. Jeremy Roskopf of Brownsville Purple Heart.

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In his nearly 20 years of working with the Wisconsin National Guard, Sgt. 1st Class Todd Tilkens has held a variety of positions within the community and abroad. He served in Operation Iraqi Freedom, escorting convoys in Kuwait. He worked the local airport with security teams and patrols neighborhood streets on Halloween, making streets safer for children.

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Private Soldiers: A Year in Iraq with a Wisconsin National Guard Unit

by Benjamin Buchholz (Author), Joseph Streeter (Photographer), Nathan Olson (Photographer)

Book Description

In April 2005 they received the official alert: The Wisconsin Army National Guard’s 2-127th Infantry Battalion was being mobilized. After training at Camp Shelby, Mississippi, the 620 soldiers of the Gator Battalion would serve in Operation Iraqi Freedom, providing armed convoy escort and route security throughout all of Iraq, from Umm Qasr in the south to Mosul in the far north. Their mission would take them into the most dangerous regions of Iraq, and during the next year the battalion would withstand hundreds of attacks, see dozens wounded, and lose three members killed in action.

Private Soldiers chronicles the 2-127th’s year-long deployment from the unique perspective of the soldiers themselves. Written and photographed by three battalion members, the book provides a rare first-hand account of war and life in Iraq. Fascinating soldier interviews reveal the effects of deployment on the troops and on their families back home, and interviews with Iraqi civilians describe the Iraqis’ perceptions of life, war, and working alongside Wisconsin troops. Brilliant photography illuminates the 2-127th’s year, from training to “boots on the ground” to their return home. And candid photos taken by battalion members capture the soldiers’ day-to-day lives and camaraderie.

An extremely timely and relevant account of soldiers’ lives, Private Soldiers honors Wisconsin’s participants in the Iraq war and helps readers understand the war’s human side.

All royalties from sales of Private Soldiers will go to the 2-127th’s family support groups and to funds established in memoriam of the battalion members who gave their lives in the Iraq war.

About the Author

CAPTAIN BENJAMIN BUCHHOLZ was the 2-127th Infantry Battalion’s civil affairs officer during deployment. He works full time for the Wisconsin National Guard as the 2-127th's training officer. A widely published writer of fiction and nonfiction, Ben lives in Brandon, Wisconsin, with his wife, Angie, and sons Wesley and Jack.

STAFF SERGEANT JOSEPH STREETER has been a member of the Wisconsin Army National Guard for over twelve years. While deployed in Iraq he served as a squad leader in the 2-127th’s C Company. He also works as the system administrator at the Wisconsin Joint Force Headquarters and runs a sports photography business. He lives in Madison.

LIEUTENANT NATHAN OLSON has been a member of the Wisconsin National Guard for more than sixteen years. During his time in Iraq he served as a platoon leader in C Company, 2-127th Infantry. He also works for the Wisconsin National Guard as the environmental assessment and reports manager for the state. Nathan and his wife, Ann, own an event and portrait photography business in Columbus, Wisconsin.

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http://www.thehighground.org/ourpromise.html

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Two Wisconsin soldiers were killed and a third was injured by shrapnel when a roadside bomb exploded as they drove past in Iraq.

Killed were Michael Wendling, 20, of Mayville, and Andy Wallace 25, of Oshkosh, who were members of Fond du Lac-based Charlie Co. of the Wisconsin National Guard 2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry. Injured in the explosion was a high school friend of Wendling - Jeremy Roskopf, who suffered shrapnel wounds in his legs.

Roskopf and Wendling signed up for the National Guard together while they were still in high school.

Families were notified Monday. Wendling's father, Randy, was at work at Michaels Corp. when two military members showed up to tell him of his son's death.

Wendling, who was a student on the Dean's List at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee when his unit was activated, frequently kept in touch with his family via e-mail and talked about what it was like to drive the large, heavy Humvees in Kuwait and Iraq.

"He said they don't go very fast but he seemed pretty excited about what he was doing," Randy Wendling said in a phone interview this morning.

Wallace taught physical education at Cook Elementary School in Oshkosh and at Oshkosh North High School, where he was an assistant wrestling coach and part-time physical education teacher for cognitively disabled students.

Staff members at Cook gasped in shock after being notified of Wallace's death at a Monday meeting called by the principal.

"He was a kind, wonderful, positive man," said third-grade teacher Tracy Zangl. "He wanted students to be healthy in every sense of the word, physically, mentally and in attitude."

The U.S. Department of Defense had not confirmed the deaths Tuesday.

The 2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry is based in Appleton and spent a couple of months training at Camp Shelby, Miss. The unit moved to Kuwait in mid-August and has been based in northern Kuwait to provide security to convoys traveling from Kuwait into Iraq, said Wisconsin National Guard Lt. Col. Tim Donovan.

Wendling's father said the roadside bomb hit his son's Humvee near Basra. Wendling was the driver, Roskopf was the gunner who stands up in the middle of the vehicle and Wallace was the team leader who normally sits in the front passenger seat.

Randy Wendling said he saw his son shortly before the unit deployed in August. He spent his home leave going to Brewers games, visiting with family and friends and golfing. Wendling was a member of Mayville High School's golf team.

Randy Wendling said his son was upbeat about going to Iraq and enjoyed serving in the Wisconsin National Guard.

In his e-mails, Wendling sent photos and wrote about missions and what the countryside looked like.

"He talked about where they were based and what it was like, what they were going to be doing, how hot it was there," said Randy Wendling.

Wallace was described as "an exceptional teacher and an outstanding young man" by Oshkosh North Principal Jim Hoffman.

Wallace maintained contact through e-mails with his Oshkosh North colleagues, and he recently requested athletic jerseys and copies of the school's newspaper, The North Star, Hoffman said.

Wallace's wife, Angie, is a child-care provider for a number of staff members in the district who were notified that they should pick up their children early on Monday once the news of his death spread, said Superintendent Ronald Heilmann. The superintendent said Wallace made an impact on many students during his short career and that his death sent "ripples" throughout the district.

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Wisconsin's "Private Soldiers" discuss their tour in Iraq

They can sum up their year in Iraq in one word: Hot.

In their new book, "Private Soldiers: A Year in Iraq with a Wisconsin National Guard Unit," writer Benjamin Buchholz and photographers Joseph Streeter and Nathan Olson provide a coffee-table yearbook from their experiences as soldiers of the 2-127th Gator Battalion.

Buchholz, Streeter and Olson began their on-the-job training as soon as they reached Kuwait in August 2005.

In the book, one soldier described stepping off the plane in Kuwait. "Imagine opening an oven when you're making pizza. Stick your head inside, and then have someone turn on a sandblaster so you get the feeling of hot sand pummeling you."

During the first weeks of training in Kuwait, the soldiers' main concerns were hydration and acclimatization, getting their bodies used 130 degree temperatures.

The nature of their mission, convoy escort, made travel through the most dangerous regions of Iraq unavoidable. The soldiers faced hostile action daily. But mostly it was dull, the men said.

"People get the impression from the movies that combat is like a nonstop adrenaline rush, that you are constantly engaged with the enemy and fighting. That's not what it's like," said Buchholz, who was the 2-127's infantry battalion's civil affairs officer during deployment. He works full-time for the Wisconsin Army National Guard as the 2-127's training officer and lives in Brandon, Wis.

"It's long periods of pure boredom punctuated by short periods of sheer terror," added Streeter, who's been a member of the Wisconsin Army National Guard for more than 12 years. While deployed in Iraq he served as a squad leader in the 2-127's C Company. He lives in Madison.

Buchholz said that he spent eight hours one night getting EOD, or explosive ordinance disposal, to bring a robot in to blow up a concrete block.

"Most everything is a dud but it kind of keeps you on your toes all the time. And the trick as a leader is to keep your soldiers on their toes through all that down time when nothing is happening," he said.

After training at Camp Shelby, Miss., the 620 soldiers of the Gator Battalion served in Iraq, providing armed convoy escort and route security throughout the country, from Umm Qasr in the South to Mosul in the far north, a distance that men estimated was equivalent from driving from Southern Illinois to Northern Wisconsin.

Their missions took them into the most dangerous regions of Iraq. The battalion saw dozens wounded and three killed in action.

All royalties from sales of "Private Soldiers" will go to 2-127's family support groups and to funds established in the memory of the battalion members who gave their lives in the Iraq war: Andrew Wallace, Michael Wendling and Ryan Jopek.

"We are very honored to be able to publish this book, one of the only books I know of that is about the guys themselves. It's not about the politics of the war. It's about Wisconsin men doing their job," said Kathy Borkowski, editorial director of the Wisconsin Historical Society Press, which published the book.

"Because it's done by the men themselves, a captain in the unit, and photographed by two other members of the unit, it tells the story from the inside," she said.

In their year-long deployment — from August 18, 2005 until August 18, 2006 — the battalion completed 5,232 combat missions, traveling more than 5.7 million miles in a single year.

During that time, the battalion came into contact with the enemy 321 times, including 138 attacks by improvised explosive devices (IEDs), 124 small arms attacks (automatic rifle fire), eight attacks by indirect fire, seven complex attacks (combination of IEDs, small arms or mortars) and 46 attempts to steal trucks from convoys.

Olson, one of the two photographers for the project, said the whole experience was eye opening for someone who had not really traveled outside Wisconsin before.

"It was jumping into a completely different culture and understanding it so you can get along there without offending anyone," said Olson, a member of the Wisconsin National Guard for more than 18 years and a platoon leader in C Company, 2-127's infantry. He works for the Wisconsin National Guard as the environmental assessment and reports manager for the state. Olson lives in Columbus, Wis.

Todd Taves was the battalion's commander during deployment. He attended a book launch event Tuesday night at the Wisconsin Veterans Museum.

"It was just a great opportunity to be able to lead some of the best soldiers in the Army," he said after a talk and slide show attended by about 75 people.

Taves called the book a tremendous collection of experiences from the deployment that pays tribute to the soldiers that served with the 2-127.

"It's almost like reliving it when you page through it. Looking at the pictures is like being there again," he said.

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Sisters in arms decline return to war

Torn between family and a call to duty, two Wisconsin soldiers whose sister was killed in Iraq have decided not to return to their combat units there.

After "a profoundly difficult and complex" decision, Rachel and Charity Witmer said in a statement that they had accepted the advice of Major-General Al Wilkening, of the Wisconsin National Guard, and would take new non-combat assignments outside Iraq.

"Although he said he could not 'order' us to request reassignment, he was very clear to point out that a decision to return to Iraq might expose our fellow soldiers to increased danger. This we will not do," they said in a statement.

General Wilkening was not only concerned about the Witmer family but the potential hazard the sisters' return might have posed to their units because of the notoriety of their case. A spokesman for the Wisconsin Army and Air National Guard said the Witmers' high profile had attracted attention that "they neither asked for nor wanted".

Michelle, 20, a member of a Wisconsin National Guard military police unit, was killed in an ambush in Baghdad on April 9.

Edited October 6, 2007 by mariner