Eric Graden interview by Megan Ladesh, 2013

Interview with Eric Graden: US Army 2000-2008; Bravo Company 2nd Battalion 325th Air, 82nd Airborne Division & 205th Military Intel Brigade. During Operations Iraqi Liberation and Just Cause. Awarded: Army Commendation Medal(2), Army Achievement Medal, Meritorious Unit Commendation, Army Good Conduct Medal (2), National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Parachutist Badge.

Topics covered: Family background; Why the Army; Basic Training and Army life; First Duty Station; First Deployment - Iraq - conditions, care packages; Extended Duty in Iraq - training locals, death; Homecoming; Germany - commanders driver; 2nd Deployment - Bagdhad - married life & indirect fire; FOB - conditions, injuries; Reasons for leaving Army; Post Army life;

1:00 Introduction/Family background 2:00 Job before Army and why he choose the Army 3:00 Talked about basic training 4:00 Experience; fire ant story 5:00 Contact with other soldiers 6:00 First duty station - Ft Brag N. Carolina 7:00 First deployment - Iraq 8:00 Clearing city experience 9:00 Interaction with Iraqi locals 10:00 Living conditions 11:00 Gear, equipment; Mail/carepackages 12:00 Extension of deployment 13:00 Training Iraqi soldiers 14:00 Death among unit 15:00 Response to mine explosion 16:00 Homecoming ceremony 17:00 PCS'd to Germany 18:00 BN commanders driver 19:00 2nd deployment - Bagdhad 20:00 Married life & indirect fire 21:00 Revisted 1st deployment 22:00 Differences in deployment 23:00 FOB life - carring a weapon 24:00 Injuries on FOB 25:00 The reason he got out of the Army 26:00 Talked about son being the main reason 27:00 Wife stationed at Ft. Lewis 28:00 Gear weight 29:00 Shapnel from training 30:00 Regrets, mentioned religion 31:00 Thought about going back in as a chaplin