Marines, sailors tell middle-school students about life in Afghanistan, Iraq

The camp in Afghanistan that housed Chief Hospital Corpsman David Strickland and about 100 other Marines, sailors and civilians last spring was not much bigger than the cafeteria at Robert Smalls Middle School, Strickland told students Monday.

"It was dusty and it was dirty," he said as he showed pictures of his tiny sleeping quarters. "These are the conditions we get."

Strickland and six other Navy corpsmen and Marines from Combat Logistics Company 23 at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort visited Robert Smalls Middle School on Monday to help students celebrate Veterans Day. The men recently served in either Iraq or Afghanistan.

"We wanted to be able to give back to the school," said Strickland, whose son is an eighth-grader at Robert Smalls. "When we're gone, they help our kids."

The servicemen answered questions about conditions during war, encounters with Taliban fighters and military weapons. Questions included:

• Have you ever been scared to go to war?

Strickland said yes, he was scared to go to Afghanistan: "I know bombs are going off. I know people are dying. I've got a wife and kids and I want to go home to them."

• What's your favorite weapon?

Answers included the M4 assault rifle, the .50-caliber machine gun and a Mark-19 grenade launcher.

• What's the youngest person you've seen with a weapon?

Strickland said he saw 13- and 14-year-old girls with machine guns in Israel. He reminded students they are lucky for the opportunity to attend school, instead of working to support or defend their families like many children in Iraq and Afghanistan.

• Why do you serve in the military?

"We don't do this because of the pay," Strickland said. "We don't do this because of the locations they send us to. We don't do this because we enjoy being away from our families. We do this because we enjoy serving our country. We do this so you guys have the freedom to go to school."

Sixth-grader Destiny Moultrie said after the question-and-answer session that she hopes to serve in the military someday.

"I want to help the country," she said. "I'm very helpful."

Seventh-grader Aaron Jacobs said hearing directly from men who have fought overseas helped him understand the luxuries they sacrifice when serving.

"They have to use paper bags as a toilet," he said.