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Great Lakes 'Sea Warriors' Head to Operation Iraqi Freedom Ships

Navy NewStand

Story Number: NNS030404-13
Release Date: 4/4/2003 2:08:00 PM

By Journalist 2nd Class Jessica Pearce, Naval Training Center Great Lakes, Ill.

NAVAL STATION GREAT LAKES, Ill. (NNS) -- As the U.S. military geared up for Operation Iraqi Freedom, newscasts and periodicals abounded with images of Army divisions, Marine expeditionary forces and Navy ships leaving their home ports and bases for the Middle East.

Often overlooked among such mass deployments is the steady and significant contribution of Training Support Center Great Lakes, Ill., which sends more than 43,000 Sailors to the fleet each year after training them in rates ranging from information systems technician to machinist's mate.

As graduation for many "A" school students approaches, the war looms larger for students holding orders to ships already in the Middle East or preparing to deploy in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Fireman Apprentice Corey Lewis, who graduates from electrician's mate "A" school April 7 before heading to USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), says he wants to get out to the Middle East with his ship.

"It bothers me that the ship is already out there," he said. "I feel like I want to be out there doing my part."

Seaman Apprentice Justin Brown, a student at gunner's mate "A" school, agrees. Once he graduates April 14, he will head to USS Princeton (CG 59). He and the other students in his class have been watching the war coverage as often as they can. He said he joined the Navy knowing that a war was looming, but it's just part of his job.

"Nobody likes war, but it's one of those things that just kind of happens," he said. "It makes everybody nervous, but you've just got to do your job. I'm going to go and do my job, and then I'm going to come home and spend time with my family, and then I'm going to go and do it again."

Lewis was sworn into the delayed entry program a week before the events of Sept. 11, 2001. After the terrorist strike on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, Lewis was even more determined.

"I'm in the military now and I can fight back," he said. "That was a strike to the heart."

All the students said the training they've received at Great Lakes has helped them to feel more prepared. Seaman Apprentice Robert Myjak, a gunner's mate student heading to USS Tarawa (LHA 1), said he's confident that he knows his job.

"I'm not worried," he said. "I feel confident. The training I've gotten has helped me feel better prepared. In this time of war, it's better to be well-prepared so that we can get out there and just do our job. I'm actually kind of excited - I'm going from sitting in a classroom all day to out in the Middle East."

Fireman Apprentice Peter Ganze, an interior communications "A" school student who graduates April 1, agrees the training he's gotten at Great Lakes will help him once he gets to his ship.

"I'll know what I'm doing when I get out there," he said. "I'll be able to fix what I need to fix."

Ganze has been paying attention to the news since the war began, especially the anti-war protesters. He disagrees with the protesters, but he said they represent one of the fundamental differences between Iraq and the United States.

"We're free, and we can protest," he said. "Over there, they can't protest anything - good or bad."