FAMILY SERVICE FATHER, SON DID THEIR DUTY IN IRAQ.Byline: Peggy Hager Staff Writer LANCASTER - When Marine Galen Paterson deployed to Iraq last year, his father, Mike, knew what he was going through. The elder Paterson had just spent seven months there himself, serving as a Navy senior chief hospital corpsman Hospital Corpsman (HM) is a rating in the United States Navy and a member of the Navy's Hospital Corps. Hospital corpsmen serve as enlisted medical specialists for the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps. with a Marine expeditionary force The largest Marine air-ground task force (MAGTF) and the Marine Corps principal warfighting organization, particularly for larger crises or contingencies. It is task-organized around a permanent command element and normally contains one or more Marine divisions, Marine aircraft wings, and . ``I prayed I beg; I request; I entreat you; - used in asking a question, making a request, introducing a petition, etc.; as, Pray, allow me to go s>. See also: Pray for him constantly while he was there,'' said Paterson. ``I knew what he was going to have to deal with just besides the heat. There's nowhere to wash. The insects, the biting blackflies in the daytime, there's billions of them and then at night you have mosquitoes that carry malaria malaria, infectious parasitic disease that can be either acute or chronic and is frequently recurrent. Malaria is common in Africa, Central and South America, the Mediterranean countries, Asia, and many of the Pacific islands. . You just think about it one moment at a time right where you're at. You don't think into the future at all; it's too depressing not knowing how long you're going to be there.'' The younger Paterson returned home safely in February and is back stationed at Camp Pendleton. The elder Paterson, who was in Iraq from March to October 2003, retired in January 2004 after more than two decades in the reserves. He is back in his civilian job as a California Highway Patrol highway patrol n. A state law enforcement organization whose police officers patrol the public highways. officer, stationed in Mojave. The elder Paterson served in Iraq with a Marine unit whose duties included helping set up courts and training Iraqis to become police officers. The Iraqis he encountered welcomed the American military, he said. ``There was nowhere I went in Iraq that people didn't stop and greet us with flowers and thanks,'' Paterson told members of the Lancaster-West Rotary Club at a luncheon Monday. After Galen came home two months ago, he told his father: ``The only real difference between when I was there and you were there, the Iraqi people are doing a lot more for themselves.'' The Marines with whom the elder Paterson served were mostly in their 20s. When they found out he had grandchildren GRANDCHILDREN, domestic relations. The children of one's children. Sometimes these may claim bequests given in a will to children, though in general they can make no such claim. 6 Co. 16. , they began calling him Grandpa. He held Bible studies Bible study may refer to:
``Watching these young guys grow up at such a fast pace was frightening,'' said Paterson. Son Galen decided to join the Marines after accompanying his father to his two weeks of annual reserve duty at Pendleton. ``He fits real well with the Marine Corps,'' said Paterson. ``He loves being a Marine. I tried to guide him into the Air Force because the enlisted en·list·ed adj. Of, relating to, or being a member of a military rank below a commissioned officer or warrant officer. enlisted Adjective in the Air Force fare better than the enlisted in any other branch.'' Peggy Hager, (661) 267-5741 peggy.grimm-hager(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): photo Photo: (color) Mike Paterson speaks to Lancaster-West Rotary Club members Monday morning about his experiences serving in Iraq. Tom Mendoza/Staff Photographer |
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