Moses Lake grad returns from Iraq

Spent seven months in Al Anbar Province

MOSES LAKE - Michael Edwards' first Marine tour of duty, stationed at Camp Ramadi, Iraq, was mostly spent seated in the steel and glass-encased gunner space of a Humvee.

As part of his seven months of service with the Spokane-based Papa Battery, the 21-year-old Moses Lake High School graduate helped provide convoy escorts. He worked as a provisional military policeman in a largely desert area.

Edwards, a lance corporal in the battery's fifth battalion, recently completed his tour and returned home to Moses Lake earlier this month to talk to his sister's third-grade class at the Moses Lake Christian Academy.

He described his time in Iraq as "pretty quiet" during a interview with the Columbia Basin Herald on Thursday.

He said the group he worked with was shot at a couple of times, but it "wasn't anything serious" as soldiers weren't killed and vehicles weren't hit.

Edwards showed the students photos of his tour in the Al Anbar Province and some of the clothing he wore, said his sister Amanda Anderson. Edwards' tour took place from September to April, she said.

He wore a flak vest with protective insert plates, a Kevlar helmet, a Nomex flight suit and eye and ear protection.

He also talked to the students about his life as a Marine and gave samples of MRE's (meals ready to eat) to the class, she said.

"Some of the kids tried them," Anderson said of the MRE's. "It was kind of fun."

Michael said his job involved escorting trucks and trailers delivering supplies to bases, accompanying prisoners during prison transfers and providing route security.

He served in Iraq during the winter and said he was most surprised about how cold it was there. The weather was below freezing for two months, he said.

His reserve unit was called up a year ago, his mother Linda Edwards of Moses Lake.

When he completes his year on June 1, he will return to the reserves and complete a six-year reserve obligation, Linda added.

"He does expect to be called up again before his six-year tour of duty is up, but he's thinking he can get his education out of the way before that happens," she said.

He plans to attend college in the fall, she said.

Linda said her son was first trained in artillery.

Before he left for Iraq, he received training to work in the military police, Linda said.

Providing convoy escorts in Iraq is one of the most dangerous jobs because of roadside bombs known as improvised explosive devices, or IED's, his mother said.

Her son later said "dangerous" is a relative term.

Family kept in touch with Michael by e-mail he would receive within 24 hours using a system for Marines in Iraq called Moto Mail.

With Moto Mail, Marines can either return your message with a phone call, e-mail or letter, she said.

"It means a lot to them to receive that mail," Linda said.

Linda said she prayed for Michael while he was away and said he was placed on prayer chains with family churches and the Moses Lake Christian School.

Prayer was also part of Michael's time in Iraq. He said prayer helped him.

A chaplain would visit with soldiers and pray with them "a lot", Michael said.

"He was probably there once a week," Michael said. "He would pray with anyone who wanted to."

According to the U.S. Department of Defense, 4,059 U.S. military members have died in Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom.