STEVE INSKEEP, host:
Ever since the US began sending troops to Iraq, Youth Radio has been sending us the voices of troops reflecting on home. This morning, we're going to meet Marine Sergeant Daniel Price from rural Michigan. He's 20 years old, and his first tour of Iraq ended last summer. He was then redeployed, training for a few months at Camp Pendleton near San Diego. Before returning to Iraq, Daniel Price talked about his limited time in the US and how he balanced that time between work and family.
Sergeant DANIEL PRICE (US Marines): Just before you deploy, you spend a lot more time with your team and your platoon and the guys you work with. You'll go hang out down in Mexico, go have a party at the beach and you'll do that a lot. Like I have friends that are married and stuff and their wives are, like, `Why are you doing this? I mean, you're about to leave and you're not spending time, you know, with your family.' I mean, I'm spending every minute I can with my team. You're about to deploy with these guys. You have to know them inside and out and you have to build trust with them. And I have my girlfriend out from Michigan, my mom's out. She's kind of just decided to come out here.
A lot of paperwork to you has to be done like wills, power of attorney, things like that, just preparing your family possibly for the worst. I mean, not dwelling on it, but preparing them for--if something would happen. I sat down with my girlfriend and let her know what I expected of her if I didn't come back and, you know, just to move on and to deal with it in the best way she can. The same thing with my family. It's kind of a mixed emotions because I now they're sad, but I'm happy about going over there because I love the job and I love what I do. You know, the first time you come back there's, you know, welcoming home parties and stuff and then the second time, you know, there's not. And I talked to guys who went over there, like, the very first and there was way more support than there is now.
I don't let it get to me. You know, if they don't like it--you know, I feel bad that people don't see the good that we're doing over there. But if they don't, then that's on them.
INSKEEP: That's Marine Sergeant Daniel Price, who is now in his second tour of duty in Iraq. His thoughts are part of the series Reflections on Return, which is produced by Youth Radio.
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