Stop-Lossing Capt. Rawlings
How 'Battlestar' Brought Me Home From Iraq()
May 20, 2009 One of the troops' favorite pastimes in the combat zone is watching the science fiction show Battlestar Galactica, says Capt. Nate Rawlings. As he prepares to leave the Army, watching the finale helps it all seem real.
Essay: Troops In Iraq Face Economic Battle At Home()
December 30, 2008 Just as Capt. Nate Rawlings decides he's ready to leave the Army for journalism, he watches the newspapers and radio shows he adores go under. Some of his fellow soldiers are planning to stay in the military, he says, rather than try to find a job in such a severe recession.
Essay: Happy Holidays From The Combat Zone()
December 4, 2008 The deployed service member has few guaranteed certainties, except that he will miss every important event during a calendar year. Capt. Nate Rawlings, who will spend Christmas in Iraq, reflects on mass-produced turkey dinners and new traditions — including a crash landing on a moving ship.
Making Sense Of The Election From Baghdad()
November 6, 2008 While his family was at home watching the U.S. election results, Capt. Nate Rawlings was watching CNN on a military base in Iraq. He discusses his experience and his soldiers' reactions to Barack Obama's victory.
Making Iraqi Friends And Connecting With Family()
November 6, 2008 In his latest installment of answers to listener questions, Capt. Nate Rawlings explains what it's like to get to know the residents in the cities he patrols. He also explores what soldiers can do if, upon returning home, their children don't remember who they are.
Essay: Soldier Inspires Voters On U.S. Base In Iraq()
October 24, 2008 Sgt. Asa Rubman, a paralegal, set up a voting drive in the dining room at his military base in Baghdad. Over the course of five days, nearly 600 soldiers, airmen and contractors cast absentee ballots — many for the first time.
Observing The Presidential Candidates From Iraq()
September 22, 2008 From a cell phone on a rooftop in Baghdad, Capt. Nate Rawlings stresses the importance of voting and offers his take on the presidential candidates' Iraq policies. Rawlings also explains how he copes with soldiers who would rather be partying.
Essay: Sick And Chugging Gatorade In Iraq()
September 17, 2008 Feeling under the weather is never enjoyable, but being sick in a combat zone is wretchedly miserable. Stuck with bronchitis, Capt. Nate Rawlings is reminded of why sometimes, when you can't be sure of the outcome, all you can look forward to is the end.
Officer Responds To 'Gutless Coward' Charge()
September 17, 2008 A listener asks what gives America the right to "force democracy on people" in Iraq and calls the U.S. Armed Forces murderers. Capt. Rawlings responds, "If you feel that we entered into this conflict unjustly ... then do all that you can to bring us home."
Essay: Wedding Proves Dreamy Escape From Iraq()
September 9, 2008 Capt. Nate Rawlings uses his R&R time to participate in his best friends' union. His grandmother chides him that uniforms aren't what they once were. Otherwise the trip is perfect, leaving him feeling lost and alone when he returns once again to his "home" in Baghdad.
