Within weeks, the United States may be at war with Iraq. As
tensions have mounted between Washington and Baghdad, millions have
protested against military action, while millions of others support
President Bush.
If war breaks out, its repercussions will transcend politics and
could change the lives of many at UCLA.
The crisis’ effects are already being felt at home. Rising
oil prices and heightened fears of terrorist attacks have already
impacted average Americans. But as can be expected, a war would
have its most profound effects on those with military ties.
“War always hits closer to home if you’ve grown up
in the army or know and care about people who have been sent …
For (others), it’s just another news event,” said
Melissa McClenning, a second-year history and Army Reserve Officers
Training Corps student.
McClenning, a self-described “army brat” whose
father was in the army, does not expect to take part if conflict
erupts in Iraq but is concerned for a childhood friend already in
Kuwait.
“I’m worried for his sake, but I know it’s his
job and we all know the risks when we sign up. None of us wants to
go, but it’s part of the job,” she said.
McClenning is but one of many members, called
“cadets,” in UCLA’s ROTC program. As students in
the organization are often seen in uniform, they represent the most
visible connection between UCLA and the armed forces.
Like McClenning, other cadets have friends already in staging
areas. Since many in the military anticipate any war in Iraq would
be short, ROTC students do not expect to join their friends in any
fighting.
Among these students are Merrie Elkelund, a second-year biology
and Navy ROTC student who was active in the Navy before attending
UCLA. Elkelund misses friends still on active duty.
“I’m grateful that I’m in school, but I would
love to be there right now. It’s what I’ve been
training for. It’s history in the making,” she
said.
First-year biology and Air Force ROTC student Christine
Cabal’s first boyfriend is in the reserves.
“I think he’s going to be okay. I think
there’s a good chance we’ll win this war,” she
said.
At UCLA, students in the reserves are much more likely to be
called up than those in ROTC, said Lt. Col. Phillip Barnette,
professor of military science and Vietnam veteran.
The chances of cadets being deployed to Iraq before graduation
range from “nil to none,” he said.
But reservists can be called to duty at any time.
“We’re told to always be ready,” said Belaney
Minas, a fifth-year political science student and corporal in the
Marine Corps Reserves.
Reservists have a 50-50 chance of being called up, Barnette
said.
Students are not the only reservists connected to the campus.
Phil Butch, a recruiter for UCLA’s extended ROTC program at
Cal State University, Northridge, has served in the Army National
Guard for 24 years.
If sent to the Gulf, his family “would probably be pretty
ripped-up, but they’re well prepared,” he said.
Student reservists would leave both family and their friends at
UCLA. Fourth-year philosophy student David Turpin remembered how he
and his friends threw a party for fourth-year cognitive science
student Andrew Han when Han was ordered to report to Camp Pendleton
last week.
“It wasn’t really a sad occasion, probably because
it’s doubtful that he’ll be in immediate danger, and
he’s so excited about going,” Turpin said.
Though the military is charged with following orders rather than
setting policy, those in service are not isolated from public
debate over the Bush Administration’s stance on Iraq.
Sometimes, even military families are divided on how the country
should deal with Saddam Hussein’s regime.
Minas said that her family supports her decision to serve in the
Marines, but she had to convince her mother not to join in anti-war
demonstrations.
“I pleaded with her not to go, and she has not,”
Minas said.
For her part, Minas, whose family immigrate to the United States
from Iran before she was born, believes force is justified to
remove Hussein from power.
“I’m highly involved in Middle-East politics because
I’m from the region … Any type of monster like (Hussein)
has to be put down,” she said.
While she has some reservations on Bush acting without a broad
coalition, she said the United States should take a lead role in
international affairs.
“As the only country that provides so much humanitarian
aid … I believe we have the right to police
internationally,” she said.
Military experience does not always equate to agreement with
Washington’s policies.
J.D. Henderson, a law student who finished an 11-year career in
army infantry as a captain in 1997, said he personally does not
believe war with Iraq is justified.
But he does not fear for the safety of about 20 of his friends
deployed near the gulf.
“Our deployment to Iraq doesn’t worry me; I worry
about (Iraqi) civilians,” he said.
People in uniform can have a wide variety of political opinions
but are expected to obey orders, whether or not they agree with a
policy as individuals.
“They’ll carry out the mission that they’re
given. Some are for it, some against, it doesn’t
matter,” Henderson said.
With reports from Nicolas Taborek, Daily Bruin Contributor.