No. 759 Stephen Willis, 2012

File — Box: 73, Folder: 2

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Stephen Willis (b. 1983) was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, and though his family moved around when he was young he spent most of his time in Louisiana. He describes living in Shreveport. He joined the military right after high school and was shipped to Fort Carson Colorado. Stephen describes his experience at basic training and his training experience in Death Valley, California. Stephen was deployed to Iraq in March 2003. He describes his feelings about being deployed and the war itself. They were first shipped to Kuwait before the invasion of Iraq and Stephen describes that experience. In Iraq, they set up camp in a hydroelectric dam, which they were meant to protect. Stephen talks about relations between the troops and the Iraqis. He describes one of the raids they went on to clear a house from which they had been shot at. They were also in charge of traffic checkpoints. After seven months in Iraq Stephen’s contract ended and he was sent home. Since he returned he went to college, dropped out to become a ski bum, traveled around the country, and ended up in Salt Lake City where he is now studying English and philosophy at the University of Utah.
Project: Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans.
Interviewer: Michael McLane

Dates

2012

Conditions Governing Access

Twenty-four hour advanced notice encouraged. Materials must be used on-site. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.