Last fall Babson student and Army Reservist Rachel Wilson was called to active duty. At that time I offered her space on the Babson College Archives website. Last night I heard from Rachel who wanted to know if I was still interested in doing this. My answer is an emphatic "Yes." We haven't worked out the details yet but once we do she will have unedited access to this page.
Thank you for writing me back and thank you for setting up the website. I don't mind at all if you edit anything I send you. I have gotten emails already since the email you sent out. It also might help me if you think of any questions to ask me because I have been here so long everything seems normal to me. Well we have been in country for five months and there are rumors that we may leave for home in December which would be great. The heat is up to a 120 or so during the day and 90 at night.We drive gun trucks and escort trucks carrying supplies or fuel all over Iraq. I met someone at the very beginning of this deployment which was last October and we have been together ever since. He is the one in all of my pictures on webshots. That webshots can be put on the website and I don't mind if anyone has it. The bugs are horrible and the bites that you get from them stay for weeks. The sun is odd, if you burn it will turn into a tan the next day and then around two weeks later you peel. I miss having a cell phone and a bathroom at my disposal. Porta Potties do no make great bathrooms! The little Iraqi kids run to the road like its a parade and they have been taught american hand symbols by other soldiers. They give us the hang loose or the peace sign and they all ask for food. So we throw out food and candy and water. I can't really think of what else to add but if you think of questions that might help. Thank you again
also if you would like to add my address on the site you can.
[This is an e-mail from a friend of Rachel's, Brittany Payn, who forwarded the following.]
Hi Everyone,
Again, so sorry for the lack of frequency in these updates… summer has gone by so quickly! I wanted to send a quick update on Rachel. First and foremost… I know you all have heard through the new recently of the reservists from PA which were tragically killed in Iraq, none of these soldiers were from Rachel’s unit. Fortunately, She has yet to see any major violence during missions. It’s been really hot in Iraq (there have been days of 140 degree weather!), but Rachel is doing well and focuses on remaining hydrated. If anyone is sending over any packages soon, she is in need of more wet naps.
Rachel got to go on R&R leave to Qatar last week and she had a great time. She went to a five-story mall where she got lots of clothes for her leave to Italy with her boyfriend in September. Her favorite part of the leave? Getting to have three beers a day – yep she is finally legal! She also got to eat at Chili’s, Applebee’s and McDonald’s (it’s amazing what you crave when you can’t have it anymore) J She also played hero for a day… I copied the story from her email below.
So on the third day we went on the
safari. They are toyota Four runners. There were six soldiers and one stunt
driver. We went out on these huge sand dunes and went on the sides and up
and down and it was by far the best thrill ride I had ever been on. So we
kept going and the first truck went up over a dune, i was in the fifth and
last truck, the other trucks went around the dune and stopped instead of
going over the dune. The first truck had gone over the dune and flipped and
rolled. It was upside down. We all jumped out and ran to the truck, we
couldnt get the doors open because they jammed on the sand so we tipped the
truck on its side and pulled the doors open. We pulled all six people out of
the truck. I went to training a month ago and became a qualified CLS, combat
life saver, I was also cpr qaulified. There was one other person that was a
cls. So I started evaluating the six soldiers, i checked out four of the
six. The other two were girls and werent seriously injured they stayed with
the other cls. I had the four men that were hurt pretty bad. One had a lower
back injury, one had a huge knot on his head and had a serious concusion,
the seat belt had bruised him immediatly all the way across his stomach, he
had trouble breathing. The other man had been hurt by the seat belt across
his chest, he had back problems, exterior bleeding, and trouble breathing,
the last one had broken teeth and was in severe shock. So I treated all four
and put them in the vehicles. we drove them out of the sand dunes and met
the ambulances. I had to talk to the Sgt in charge at the base on the
drivers cell phone because he didnt speak english so well. I had to explain
what happened and get the names ranks and injuries and where they were
taking them. I loaded them all into the ambulances and did my best to
explain the injuries to the medics because they didnt speak very much
english. After I loaded them I rode in the ambulance with the guy in shock.
I just talked to him and rubbed his shoulder the whole way to the hospital.
He calmed down by the time we got there but at first he was crying and
asking if everyone was ok and where his camera was. The american military
guy in charge met me at the hospital and got me a ride back to the base.
Meanwhile everyone else sat out in the blazing sun for two hours getting
sand blasted because the wind is so strong. They were all taken back to the
base and wrote statements on what happened. The people I treated were all
two or three ranks higher than me and the other soldiers in the cars were
officers and I was a dinky specialist that took charge, haha. I was freaked
out because I was so concerned for the people but they are all ok and out of
the hospital. We were all in civilians which is why no one really knew
anyones rank. So anyway, that was my first experience and it happened to be
in a nonviolent situation.
She does have an internet connection in her trailer now so for those of you who have AIM you will see her online more frequently.
Rachel is focusing on the Army’s timeline to send her home this winter, the unit replacing Rach is due to land in Kuwait in November. If this happens she will be released in December, or it could be as late as February. In addition she is up for a promotion to the rank of Sergeant… she is hoping to find out soon if it was approved!
September 1, 2005
[military bloggers]
September 8, 2005
Dear ....,
Sorry it has been so long since you have heard from me. Things are busy as usual in Iraq. I am actually on my two week leave right now. I am visiting Italy with my boyfriend who is in the same unit as me. The heat was up to 130 when we left but August is said to be the hottest month there so hopefully when we get back it will start to cool down. We still are not sure when we will leaving country, so far it is sometime from the end of december and the beginning of February. There are so many details about what I do and what goes on in Iraq I am not sure what to put in an email to you. Any suggestions? If you email at hotmail I can reply quicker because i rarely check this email. The internet we have in Iraq is so slow the Babson email takes forever to load and when it does our internet usually shuts off. My hotmail account is
wilsonr89@hotmail.com. I will talk to you soon, i promise.
Rachel Wilson
September 11, 2005
Well I found out in Sept 2005 that I was going to be deployed. I was required to report to the unit in Bristol PA on Oct 26. I had already taken out loans filled for financial aid bought my school books and started classes. So I went to talk to my Dean,(Reza) and explained my situation. He researched what the school did in these circumstances, seeing as they don't happen often to Babson students because most of them are not in the military. He let me know that the school would let me out of all of my classes and hold my position at the school as long as neccessary. The financial aid office was also very helpful and they refunded my tuition in whole sending all necessary monies to the loan companies. the only thing I was going to be required to pay was Room and Board. At the time I had worked in the Office of Campus Life during the summer and during the first semester. When they heard about my deployment Fred Grant made sure I was refunded the room and board, they also gave me a going away party, I will have to finish this email another time I am on a timed card and it is about to run out and shut me off, if you want to hold off putting this up until I finish it you can or you can post this and then i will send the rest. Thank you Rachel Wilson
September 20, 2005
Hello,
I have no idea where I left off. I am just going to start somewhere and you can cut off the beginning if it is something I was saying last time. So The school fully refunded my tuition and room and board. The office of campus life gave me a wonderful going away party. The school newspaper ran a story on my being deployed. The school also set up a going away party in where the teachers and faculty could come and say goodbye. My sisters in KKG wrote to every chapter of KKG across the US and asked if they would like to support me. They presented me with over two hundred letters from Kappa sisters all over the US. They sent flowers and presents and care packages and everything I could think of to take with me to Iraq. Since then my sisters Yvette Kammerling and Daniel Young have been keeping a schedule with hundreds of Kappa's giving them the dates they are alloted to write to me. I have recieved letters and boxes everyday I have been in Iraq from women I have never even heard of. Writing them all back has kept me busy but I keep an ongoing correspondence with quite a few of them. My sisters and the school arranged a going away party at the pub, the same night as the Red Sox won the Pennant, and there was a very large turn out. So I packed up all of my belongings and my good friend Lindsay Miller is keeping them at her house near the school for me. I reported to my Unit in Bristol, PA on Oct 26th. I will continue another time.
September 16, 2005
Hi,
I spoke to Rachel this afternoon, finally. We had missed each other a few times. They are having a great time. Today they rested as yesterday they rode scooters for about 5 hours to Tuscany. Tomorrow is Rome. They leave on the 19th to return to Iraq via Kuwait. Italy is very beautiful and interesting and she is taking it all in. They sound great. I am sorry the trip will end soon. She has no word about coming home. Sometime between Dec and Feb. Her brother is getting married in late Feb and she hopes to be back for that.
All is well in Tennessee. Hope all is well for each of you.
Regards,
Aunt Debby
[From Rachel's Aunt Debby]
September 21, 2005
Hi,
Received an email from Rachel and she wrote:
Well we are in Kuwait and are supposed to go back today, probably not until
late tonight. We wanted to mail our huge bags back to the states because not
only is it stuff we don't need but it is also to big to hassel with. So the
morning before we fly to Germany we go to the Italian Post office, the lady
doesn't speak english and she also says they have no boxes. So Adam runs to
UPS down the street and they want 270 euro's just for one bag. So we take
the bags to Germany with us. The Base put us in a nice room together. The
post office on the base was closed by the time we got there but there was
someone who said he would open up the office for us at 8. We had to report
by 7 and then wouldn't be able to go anywhere. So we called and got
permission to be able to leave and mail the stuff the next day. We went to
the food store on base and went crazy. We bought all the food we have been
craving that is non perishable, I will write down what it is so that people
know what to send. Then we put it all in a bag with some of our clothes we
were mailing to Iraq. If you mail stuff from one base to another it is free.
So that huge bag weighed 69 lbs full of food was free. The other two large
suitcases only cost 43 dollars with insurance. So far it has been a smooth
trip home. We just have one more flight. Miss you and Love you
Rachel
[From Rachel's Aunt October 5, 2005]
Hi,
I just received an email from Rachel. She wrote:
Hello,
Things are great here. Just wanted to check in, we hae been busy....There isn't
anything new. I think my wisdom tooth is growing in. They now think my back
problem is from my left leg being much longer than the right and it jamming
my si joint in my hip and a lower vertebrea because my body is trying to
compensate for the difference and it has been a long time coming. So I have
a heel lift and then he will pop those joints and then I will work on the
muscle strength and slowly but surely it should get better. That's all. Love
you and good to hear from you. I could use some more tea. Love you talk to
you soon
Love Rachel
[Received from Rachel's Aunt October 10, 2005]
Hi,
Rachel just checked in. She got up to go on a mission and it got delayed. But only after she drank her coffee for the day. Needless to say, she is wide awake. So I got to talk to her on the Internet via IM. Adam is doing well and so is she. Counting to days to be back stateside. I think the days are dragging now. Hopefully the end is in a few months.
Nothing else new.
[Received from Rachel's Aunt November 5, 2005]
Hi,
I heard from Rachel this week. I apologize for the short delay in reporting. She is doing well. They had a few days off. But I suspect they are busy again. She is making plans for her return. She thinks she may be returning at the end of the year, but nothing is a given. She is working on her budget and trying to figure out what she will need. It is keeping her busy. Hope all is well with all of you. Thanks again for your continued support. We are approaching the end of a very long year.
Regards,
[Received from Rachel's Aunt November 16, 2005]
Hi,
Heard from Rachel. They think their troop will return by January 1st. They will arrive in Ft Dix and stay about a week. She is getting very excited about returning and is making plans for an apartment in Boston and getting back in school by the summer session. She and Adam will visit around for about three months. She is car shopping and spending time on-line looking at things for an apartment. Helps to pass the time as well.
I cannot believe we are approaching a year. Seems like yesterday. I am sure not for her, though.
She asked me to let everyone know not to send any more mail after the end of November. She will most likely not get it. The mail backs up over there and they are hoping for a return around the end of December. If you have Christmas cards to send, please do so now. Or wait until they return and give it to her directly. Same with any presents for Christmas. My family will have a "After Christmas Christmas" in January and we will exchange gifts then. I think Adam's family is doing the same. She will visit Pennington, Babson, Florida, Utah, Tennessee and Pennsylvania which should give everyone a chance to see her when she returns.
I will keep you posted about the return date. If you are in the area of Ft Dix and would like to have a return party for them let me know. I will organize it.
Have a great holiday.
[Received from Rachel through her Aunt November 26, 2005]
Hello,
Happy late thanksgiving. We had a wonderful thanksgiving, they had all the
food we have at home and guess what they even had some turkish version of
egg nog, the food even tasted good. It was a wonderful dinner for being what
it was. I can't wait to come home I am getting so excited. I didn't win at
texas hold em but it is always fun. Thank you for the family messages that
was wonderful. I miss you all and I will talk to you soon. Love you and see you in a MONTH
Love Rachel
[Received from Rachel's Aunt Debby December 19, 2005]
Hi everyone,
Hard to believe it has been almost a year since Rachel left for Iraq. Rachel's platoon is scheduled to leave Camp Anaconda on December 29th in route to Kuwait. They have a flight scheduled for the 31st from Kuwait to Ft. Dix. The flight is 20 hours, but they will be traveling west so the difference in time is approximately 8 hours. Hopefully she will be at the base before the end of 2005.
My sister and I am planning to meet her plane. As the time grows closer, I may have a more definite time of arrival. I will supply the information as I get it. She has to complete her assignment from Jan 2 - Jan 6. We are planning a welcome home party on Jan 8th. The details will be forthcoming. I am hoping for a location near Red Bank/Middletown area on Jan 8 around 1:00 p.m. I should have a reservation confirmed by December 21st. If you think you would be free to come, please let me know as soon as possible so I can plan properly. The party will be casual and we will serve lunch.
Rachel is no longer having to drive maneuvers so her risk of danger is greatly reduced. She will be starting school again at Babson College on Jan 24th. Prior to that, she will visit Tennessee and Florida. She bought a new car, Toyota Scion, 2006. I will pick it up for her on December 30th so she will have it when she arrives. I know she will do her best to see all of you as soon as she can. Hope to see you all at the Welcome Home party.
Wishing all of you the happiest of holidays. Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers and all the support you offered Rachel while she served our country.
Regards,
Aunt Debby
[From Rachel's Aunt Debby January 1, 2006]
Hi everyone,
RACHEL IS HOME! She arrived this morning around 10:00 a.m. to McGuire Air Force Base/Ft Dix. She looks great. Lost a little weight. The value of the absence of a #9 with a strawberry shake at McDonalds. Hard way to lose weight though.
She bought a 2006 Toyota Scion and picked it up this afternoon. She has wheels. She is not supposed to drive for about a week, but she will use it this weekend to celebrate New Year's Eve in NYC.
Thanks to all of you for your support. She is indeed grateful to be back on U.S. soil.
She is looking forward to catching up on the past year with each of you. This reporter is signing off.
Happy New Year.
Aunt Debby
[Received from Rachel's Aunt Debby March 19, 2007]
Hi Guys,
After a year in school attending monthly sessions for the Army, Rachel has been deployed once again. This time, she is in a training unit and is probably staying stateside. Please pray for her continued safety as she protects the country we all enjoy.
Regards,
Aunt Debby
