STAFF WRITER
NICOLE REITZ

What do a sports management major, a nursing and an applied information technology major have in common? Their hearts are in, or are about to leave for Iraq.

Testing his wings

Brittanie Gage is a junior sport management commuter. Her older brother, Ricky Gage, has been a part of the Air Force since high school and will be deployed to Iraq in the next few months.

Job titles on Ricky’s extensive resume include CPR instructor, lifeguard, track and swim coach, and firefighter. He also has a talent for bobsledding, missing the Olympic team by one second.“When I told him to test his wings out, I didn’t mean he had to do it all,” mother Heather Arnold said.

  Moments after terrorists hit the World Trade Center in 2001, he made phone calls to find transportation to Ground Zero.

“He was frustrated that he couldn’t get there to help the other firefighters and medics,” Brittanie said.

Brittanie does not share her brother’s enthusiasm for the war.

“I cry every time I see Bush on television,” she said, “I hate this war so much that there just aren’t even enough words.”

Brittanie’s mother is taking the move particularly hard. “There are people here in America that need his help too,” Arnold said.

Brittanie feels her brother has been there for her in times of need. “He was there to listen, make me laugh, all the way down to teaching me how to water ski,” Brittanie said.

“He is all around a good person and I am just so damn proud of him. I want the whole world to know who he is,” Brittanie said. “I don’t want to see my brother come home in a box. The world just wouldn’t be the same without him.”

A dangerous passion

Junior Lauren Ogilvie is a service scholar, and Christine’s roommate.  Michael Court and Ogilvie met while Court was on leave from Iraq. Court is with the 2nd Brigade Combat Team out of Fort Drum.

Justin Rankin, a friend from Laurens childhood, is with the 1st Brigade Combat Team, stationed in south Baghdad. Justin participates in missions and house raids. The duo met in 4-H club and went to his homecoming senior year. 

Rankin joined the military when he was barely eighteen.

 “Justin loves the idea of the military. He lives and breathes it,” Ogilvie said. Ogilvie digs up old photographs and newspaper clippings to send over to south Baghdad.

“He loves letters and appreciates a phone call; its something to remind him of home,” she said.

In the past two years, Rankin has become “more reflective on life and treasures people and decisions.”

“It is amazing to watch him grow up through the military. It’s given him a real purpose and people are proud of him for his noble profession,” Ogilvie said.

Seven people from Ogilvie’s graduating class joined the military. She is unsure of whether or not she herself would be able to join.

“The military owns you, but you never know what you could do until you try it,” Ogilvie said.

Despite having mixed feelings about the war, she supports every person in Iraq whole heartedly.

“I can’t hate something Michael and Justin are passionate about. I believe in them, and if they are seeing what I’m not seeing then it’s for the best,” Ogilvie said. “But it doesn’t mean its not frustrating to worry about the people you care for.

“All you want them to do is come home safe. These people put their life on hold for you and we should in turn be supportive.”

A higher purpose

Christine Kirby is a first generation scholar. Her oldest sister, Lisa, is a captain in the Army and belongs to the 1st Brigade Combat Team based out of Fort Drum. Lisa received a degree in finance from North Eastern University and went to officer training camp in place of boot camp.

Lisa was interested in joining the military after learning that her grandmother’s brother was killed in World War II. She plans the operations for the companies in her unit, including military intelligence, engineers and military police. “Being high ranking, she has people she is responsible for,” Christine said.

According to Christine, Lisa is a “girlie girl” and former prom queen. “Its weird to see my sister handling a gun,” Christine said.

Since Lisa cannot send herself items to Iraq, she instead sends her belonging (including makeup) to Christine who then mails them to her.

It takes nearly two weeks for mail to be sent from the States to Iraq.

“I send her practical things like hot chocolate and hard candies that wont melt in the 110 degree desert,” Christine said.

Lisa has no radical opinion on the war. “More troops are coming but I believe it will have little affect on us,” Lisa said in an email to family and friends. “We can really only focus on our current fight not what is going to happen here in six to eight months.”

“My sister is a lifer,” Christine said. “Everything Lisa owns fits into a closest. She will do this until she retires.”

Lisa is currently on her second tour of duty.

Ogilvie and Kirby both describe the military as a whole different culture.

“The military brings together a lot of people who wouldn’t normally interact,” Ogilvie said. “To view it as an outsider looking in, its an entire other world.”

nmr06212@sjfc.edu