After Iraq, student soldiers struggle to adjust

After Iraq, student soldiers struggle to adjust
May 1, 2008
By Jessica Belmares
Reporter
The 150-degree desert brought beading sweat to his face. The ground shook from loud bombs heard from unknown directions. The happiest moments came from grilling a sausage.

This was a typical day of work for Army Sgt. and Coalinga, Calif., sophomore Glen Newell.

"Iraq, to me, was more like being in jail, basically, with a chance of dying," Newell said. "You're surrounded by towers that are about 15 to 20 feet apart and they have gunners in them, and that's what separates you from the outside world."

Newell was 19 years old, had a .97 GPA at a local community college and lacked the discipline he needed in order to make a good life for himself.

"My parents were at peace with me being away. They were okay with it," Newell said. "It was something that we all prayed about and were worried about, but we knew God would help us through it."

Newell is one of 1.6 million U.S. troops that have been deployed to wars in Iraq and Afghanistan since October 2001.

He is also one of nearly the 20 percent of military service members who have returned from Iraq or Afghanistan and report symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder or major depression.

Now he is a war veteran and student at Baylor University.

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