Douros 1

JT Douros

Professor Arini

English 102

24 March 2019

Desert Storm/ Desert Shield

The research, I did before hand was I had to go do some digging for some information

about how the war for Desert storm/Desert shield started during the time. When looking into the

war there were a lot of perspectives that I was looking at during the time of the war in Kuwait,

but I asked my dad what he did during the time. I wanted to try to ask questions that would be

something that my dad did during the war and what his job assignment was in the military. I was

looking at a lot of websites and YouTube videos for this interview, because I was having trouble

trying to come up with questions that would be good to ask my dad about the war in Kuwait.

The websites that I was looking at they give me a lot of ideas about how the conditions

during the war were difficult and some of them were bad to stay in for long periods of time. This

website going into the conditions was the Veteran Affair (VA) that had a lot of information that

was able to help me to come up with question for the interview. Another website that helped me

during this interview was a history website about the war and how it all started in the first place

when president bush was in charge.

The YouTube videos helped me to get some ideas from other Desert storm/ Desert shield

veterans that were in the war during that time. When watching the videos, the veterans had a lot

of different type of jobs during the war in Kuwait, but they help me get an idea about how the

war was going at the time and how they managed to get to Kuwait.
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JT: This story that we are going to be going into is a war that took place in 1990 were President

Bush saw that an allied nation was being threaten by Iraq and wanting to help defend their

country. The person I interviewed graduated from high school, and after graduating, he signed up

to be a U.S military soldier. This person that served in the U.S military during the war of desert

storm/shield, his name is John Douros. It was a war that happened at the start of 1990 were

President Bush saw that Kuwait, one of United States traders for oil was being threatened by

Iraq. So, on the day of 1991 is when President Bush decided to help Kuwait with a defense

against Iraq forces.

1) What was the history behind desert storm/shield?

John: What we knew at the time was Iraq had invaded Kuwait which was a US allies and we

were being deployed to take back Kuwait. Once Kuwait was taken back, we stayed in Kuwait to

protect it from any future invasions.

JT: The story behind desert storm was that president Bush ordered a lot of men to go to Kuwait.

Once Iraq invaded then President Bush got approval to take Kuwait back and declared war, and

sent the US along with NATO powers to take back Kuwait.

2) What were your first thoughts going into the military?

John: I didn’t know what I wanted to do after high school, since I graduated at 17 and most of

my family is in government service so I figured I would join the army, serve some time and get a

GI bill to attend college. I got out of the service in 1995 and started classes at NAU.

JT: So you were unsure of what you wanted to do after high school and just decided to go into

the military that then led you into being deployed to the Desert Storm/Shield war.

3) Which war did you serve in?

John: Desert storm/Desert shield

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JT: I would imagine that serving during this time was hard and terrible seeing people getting shot

and having to fight others. As a combat medic, I bet you saw a lot of injuries. I’m sure you were

probably worried about something bad happening to you while you were there. If that was me, I

would have those thoughts I’m sure.

4) How long were you stationed in Kuwait?

John: I was there for roughly there for six month rotations with some breaks. The Military had a

Cruise ship docked in Bahrain. Soldiers would take C-131 air-plane there to get a break for a

couple weeks, and then fly us back to where ever we were.

JT: So this must have been a nice break getting to get out of the action and get a break for a short

time.

5) How was the environment in Kuwait?

John: It was hot, really hot the thermometer we had a max of 125 and the arm was past that

sitting at the 6 o’clock position. Kuwait was run down because of the invasion and, after we took

Kuwait back, it was a mess a lot of buildings were burned and destroyed or had been hit with lots

of gun fire rounds of all types. There was lots of artillery on the roof tops the Iraqis had left. The

bay was full of boats and land mines to keep the US and NATO allies from entering by sea. It

looked like it had been invaded.

JT: I would imagine that the weather there was miserable being that hot and seeing all of the

damage to Kuwait most of been quite the sight.

6) What were your first thoughts when arriving in Kuwait?

John: In the beginning I hoped I would not get shot then that faded and you just focused on doing

whatever task you had in front of you.

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JT: The war in Kuwait was probably not the easiest job especially being in war that was probably

going to involve a lot of injuries.

7) What rank were you in the military and how did you get there?

John: I was an E-5 sergeant at the time. You gain rank from a point system if you meet the

required points for the next rank then you are put on a list, and wait your turn.

JT: That seems like a straight forward system you gain rank you meet a set of standards to get

the required points.

8) How did you get through your time there in desert shield/desert storm?

John: You were so busy, hot and tired you just were kind of numb and did it. I was there over a

year and I hardly remember eating sleeping just kind of a blur really.

JT: That must have been hard and just blanking the entire time there out must help some.

9) Did you see combat?

John: Unfortunately yes and I don’t wish that on anyone ever.

JT: I cannot imagine having to have to be in a war. I’m sure it is tough to be in the war in

Kuwait.

10) How was it to be a medic in the military?

John: It was a good experience, until you have to use it in combat situations. I was extremely

busy with dealing with war type wounds along with treating civilians.

JT: I can only imagine how many injuries you must have seen during this time. I bet it only got

worse as time went on.

11) How was it like to be a sniper?

John: Sniper school is a great secondary specialization, but medical was a priority in our team,

and I was constantly busy tending to injuries.

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JT: So after going through to be a medic, you wanted to be a sniper but never used when you

were in the Kuwait war.

12) Where you affected by any conditions during desert storm/shield?

John: The Iraqis had set all the oil fields on fire so we had to deal with heavy oil smoke,

chemical weapons, heat, and radiation from exploded ordinance, and the stress of combat.

JT: That sounds like a lot of bad things to be around, I’m sure a lot of soldiers got sick from all

of these environmental hazards.

13) What was it like to be in a real war during Desert Shield/Storm?

John: It was extremely hot; you were tired as didn’t get much sleep, were always on the go and

were exposed to all the conditions of being in a conflict.

JT: The war in Kuwait was probably not easy especially with having to deal with the

environment and having to be careful to not get shot at when being in Kuwait. I would image

that being in the war of Kuwait was not the easiest and having to see a lot of explosions going on

around you.

14) Did you take any photographs of the war?

John: Yes after my 2nd tour I went back to Germany for three weeks and I brought my camera

back for my last 6 month rotation. I got a lot of pictures of Kuwait, and the aftermath of taking it

back.

JT: So after 2nd tour you went back for the couple of weeks to take a break and look over the

pictures that took during your time in war in Kuwait.

15) What was your most memorable experience during the war?
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John: The most memorable was when they told us we were finally done and going back to

Germany. There wasn’t really anything that is memorable, and was more of a blur. I wouldn’t

wish war on anyone it’s not a fun experience.

JT: So you had probably had some relief when you heard that you were able to leave the war and

go back home for good.

16) Did you work or go back to school after?

John: I want to work for Flagstaff Pharmacy as a Pharmacy Tech, while I attended CCC/NAU

for Microbiology.

JT: So after you service you went back to CCC/NAU to study in microbiology and hoping that

you get a good job.

17) What made you get out of the service?

John: My plan was to serve for a short time and get out attending college. So after almost five

years I got out and came back home to Arizona to attend college.

JT: I can probably image that it felt weird getting out of the service and having to leave after you

went to go to school. So after leaving the military you wanted to find something else to do and to

probably not be there forever.

18) What did you learn from the war?

John: I learned that it is not like the movies and glorious. It is tough and would not want anyone

to have to go through that. You just blur it out which as I mentioned before I was there over a

year and 90% of what I did is just blurred out.

JT: I would image after getting out of the service it was hard to forget a lot of the horrible things

that happened over in Kuwait. So, after leaving the war and service it probably taught you that

military are no joke and are something needing to be willing to do.

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19) What did you go on to do as a career after the war?

John: I went back to work for the Government and have been in government service since then.

JT: So, after you got out of the service you went to back to the government service. I would

image though it felt normal to go back into government service.

20) How did your service and experience affect your life?

John: it was a good way to travel the world and experience different cultures and gave me some

useful skill sets.

JT: So after traveling the world it gave you some ideas about how other cultures are and how to

get around places learning how to speak the cultures language. I imagine though it gave you

some other handy skill knowing how other cultures may differ from other countries.

After learning about John Douros military experience of joining the military and going

into Desert Storm/Shield, I have learned that war is not easy. The interview with him has taught

me that being a soldier and fighting in a war is tough and challenging. The main part of the

interview is about how a veteran went through a dangerous war that was not easy, which led to a

lot of bloodshed for the Iraqi soldiers. The conditions that US soldiers have to go through would

be hard for them to handle for long periods before they got a break.
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Works Cited

Center, American Veterans. “Amber Smith, Iraq & Afghanistan Veteran (Full Interview).”

YouTube, YouTube, 23 Jan. 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsaUWG_E2qs.

“Interview with Kevin Brown Part 1 - Desert Shield, Desert Storm and OIF Veteran.” YouTube,

YouTube, 23 June 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcr5REg2C4g.

“Office of Research & Development.” Cancer, www.research.va.gov/topics/gulfwar.cfm.

Scheuermann, Tyler. “Desert Storm/Gulf War Veteran Full Interview.” YouTube, YouTube, 3

June 2013, www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYguO2Bk6oo.

Simpson, Megan Locke. “Veterans Remember Gulf War 25 Years Later.” Army Values, The

United States Army, 24 Aug. 2015,

www.army.mil/article/154353/Veterans_remember_Gulf_War_25_years_later/.

Wattendorf, John M. “The American Soldier in a Prewar Desert Environment: Observations

from

Desert Shield.” Social Science Quarterly (University of Texas Press), vol. 73, no. 2, June

1992, pp. 276–295. EBSCOhost,

libproxyccc.nau.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=p

bh&AN=9208170558&site=ehost-live.