Washington Week: Student Voices (O)

Former soldier tells Washington State U. students about time in Iraq
By Jacob Jones
Daily Evergreen (Washington State U.)
01/29/2007

(U-WIRE) PULLMAN, Wash. — Former soldier Mike Petlovany turned around in his chair to watch a video clip at his presentation Friday afternoon.

"Anything can happen in a war," Petlovany said.

The large screen showed the interior of a U.S. Army Humvee as it passed down a street in Iraq. Almost 50 students and volunteers at the Washington State University International Center watched the clip in silence.

Soldiers chatted while they passed a mosque in the video. Through the windshield, the camera captured the movement of another vehicle ahead. Then the vehicle turned down a new street.

The right side of the vehicle shuttered, a soldier swore and the screen went black. An improvised explosive device had struck the vehicle. The picture returned seconds later as the Humvee continued down the street.

"My patrol personally has probably been blown up six times on this road," Petlovany said.

Petlovany works as the assistant director of adventure programs for University Recreation. But from August 2004 to January 2006, the U.S. Army called him away from WSU to fight in Iraq.

He brought photos and videos of destroyed vehicles, dead animals and average meals to the International Center's weekly Coffee Hour program. He said he also hoped to bring a new perspective on the conflict in Iraq.

"This presentation's for you guys," he told the group.

Petlovany has spoken at several events since his return from Iraq. He asked the students to pick from folders on culture, conditions and people.

Their first choice was "Soldier life." Petlovany said he joined the Army in 1997 and was recalled in 2004. He was given 45 days to report to base. His photos showed lines of Humvees and soldiers. He said soldiers in his unit ranged from 19 years old to nearly 40.

He had pictures of Thanksgiving dinners, non-alcoholic beer and a picture of actor Dean Cain, who visited the troops. Some pictures showed Iraqi children helping move barricades and playing soccer with the soldiers.

"If you want to send things to Iraq, send soccer balls," he said.

Other pictures captured dead animals and 12,000-pound vehicles that had been thrown off the road by bombs. Toward the end of his presentation, Petlovany switched to showing videos of explosive attacks, footage of machine gun fire on residential streets.

"They say things are getting better and better," he said. "There was one day my unit was not attacked in Iraq." He said there were times when he had to sleep in 70 pounds of body armor. Sometimes he feared not waking up.

Soldiers returning home need at least two months to recover from that lifestyle, he said. After that, working eight hours a day is not a big deal. Most things are not big deals.

Center coordinator Jodi Simek said veterans have taken a new interest in the International Center. Returning soldiers seem to have a better appreciation for the global community.

It is also important for Americans to understand former soldiers' perspectives, Simek said.

"It's a population that we're going to see a lot of in the future," she said. "They have certain needs and experiences." Center historian Wonjoon Choi, who has spent time on military bases in Korea, said several aspects of the presentation surprised him. He enjoyed seeing more than what television can offer on the nightly news.

Petlovany said he hoped international students gained a better appreciation of what life is like for Iraqi people.

"The only difference between us and them is we were born here and they were born there," he said.

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