The Shield Around Me

Landing in Kuwait in September 2004, I knew I was in for a long year. My unit had just finished training at Fort Hood, Texas, and at the National Training Center in Fort Irwin before saying goodbye to our families for our 1-year deployment to Iraq. On the long plane ride over, I knew this would be something the Army could not train me for. Don’t get me wrong—we were physically trained for our job as much as we could be; however, many of us were lacking mentally.

The first month in Kuwait was spent getting acclimated to the weather and getting our equipment set up to move into Iraq. Kuwait was very hot, but it was a different type of heat from what I was used to in Louisiana. I spent my 25th birthday in Kuwait in a place that was very foreign to me. However, Kuwait wasn’t bad compared to what we were in store for in Iraq.

Once in Iraq, we did what they called a right-seat left-seat ride, so we could see the lay of the land by moving points of view with the current unit that was on the ground. Iraq was like nothing I had ever experienced or seen before. The heat was unbearable, and although some people liked us, some of them didn’t. In what I called “the farmland,” we found improvised explosive devices of all kinds.

I was in Iraq for three weeks when I received a dreaded phone call from my wife at the time. I called to check in on her and the kids, and whenever a woman says, “Hey, I need to tell you something,” sit down because it is going to rock you to the core. Our marriage was already on bad terms when I left. I was not the best husband back then. I was young and not sure where I was going in life or with my marriage.

What she told me was that she needed to move on and that our time together had ended. Hearing this, my immediate response was anger. I left the phone center feeling depressed, angry, sad, and confused. That is not the way to start a 1-year deployment. For the next four or five days, I did not eat or do much. My roommate at the time, Sgt. Cruz, would go to the chow hall and bring me a plate back to make sure I ate something. Luckily for me, we had not started doing missions yet.

After the fifth or sixth day, Sgt. Cruz asked me what was actually going on with me. To him, I just wasn’t my usual cheerful self. Once I shared with him what had happened, he shared with me that his wife had done some things in their marriage that you just can’t forgive, but he had to move on and focus on survival. That is when I decided that I can’t concentrate on things back home if I wanted to make it back. I took my issues and decided to give them to God.

That decision changed my next 11 months in Iraq. Not concentrating on something that I could not control was the best decision I made. Praying to God and opening up to Sgt. Cruz helped a great deal. I will always remember what God did for me during one of my lowest moments. Every time we went outside the gate, we never knew if we would be coming back. As the missions started growing more dangerous and becoming more frequent, we started to have guys get killed in our unit.

Mind you, these are guys that I had gotten to know over time, and we had become friends. Improvised explosive devices were the root of all evil in Iraq at the time. We did not know where the explosives were buried or who was with us or against us. No one had a uniform on that would help us determine who was fighting against us. Our first six months were in the rural farmland area.

Never seeing a dead body except for on television was obviously a new thing for me. We had to take our emotions and tuck them away to go on the next mission. One mission that stands out for me was what I call the “Roof Top Experience.” It was a day that I thought I was supposed to be killed. You think like that when you are in situations like this. Let me explain.

This particular day was no different because it was always 110 degrees or more. The tar on the roof was like sticky Laffy Taffy because of the heat. I was watching the road, making sure no one was stopping to place improvised explosive devices to try and take out the overpass. We went to switch positions so I could take a break, and as soon as I sat down to open my magazine, a POW gunshot hits the guy that just took my place.Now, some say I am lucky, but I don’t believe in luck—I believe in God.

A sniper had taken a quick shot and hit him right up under his vest. The bullet bounced off the ledge, hitting a brick before hitting him in the back. The thing that I did not realize at the time was that he had his back to the street. I had blamed myself for years that if only I had stayed up there a little longer, this would not have happened. I thought of all the things I could have done to change the outcome. It wasn’t until I talked to a doctor with the VA that she made me realize that what happened was going to happen no matter what I did differently.

God had given me a new outlook on life, but I was not sure what I would do or become years later. My vision and purpose are vivid and clearer than it has ever been. Iraq is not something I should be ashamed or depressed about. Iraq is part of me, like the hair on my head. Iraq is part of the reason I am who I am today. God put me into that situation and also brought me out of that situation for a reason.

When it comes to Iraq in itself, I could probably write a book on the many time’s God protected me. There are more stories that I will share from my 42 years on this Earth. There are many of them as I sit and think about all the good that God has done for me. He continues to bless my family and me. I could not have done any of this on my own. The end is not written for my life yet. Where I am now with Christ is actually the beginning of something beautiful. I can see a glimpse of what is to come with my family, and it is amazing. I am here to witness the goodness of God when you make it out of a bad situation. Know that God has allowed it to teach you something. You have to pray to figure out what that something is.

God spared me through all that I endured in Iraq for this moment right now—to share with you that God is real, and He wants what is best for us. Even at our lowest moments, God is still with us. I do not believe in luck—not when God is involved. I do believe in blessings, faith, and determination. When in doubt, call on God, and you will see what He will do.

I dare you to give God a try, not only in your low moments but in your high moments as well. There are a few verses that help me now and helped me back then. Psalms 3:1 – 8, 1 Corinthians 15:33, and Proverbs 18:21. Be willing to try something different in times of need.

Keep growing your faith and reading your bible. With God, anything is possible; given my situation, He bought me out of Iraq. He saved my life in more ways than one. It has taken me a long time to figure out why I’m still here, but it is becoming clear now. Sharing my story with people from around the world is a dream of mine. I have many stories to share, and this is just the beginning.

By Solomon Savoy Jr.