"We
were doing drills. Everyone went on like nothing ever happened."
Those
drills continued in November and December of 2001.
By
January, Villacres was focused on the new semester of school ahead.
"During
the fall [2001] I had one of my best semesters," he said.
In
January, Villacres made the promise to himself, "to put in more
effort into [my grades].
"But,
sure enough, the call came."
"The
call" was from his U.S. Army Reserve unit to report to active duty.
"I
could not believe it," he said explaining that although he was aware
of the possibility that his unit might be asked to go overseas, he
remained unsure if it would actually happen.
Villacres
met with his counselors at Queensbourough to withdraw from his spring
semester classes, kept a stiff upper lip and prepared for the unknown.
Villacres’
unit, the New York 306th Engineer Company based out of Amityville, N.Y.,
was first sent to Germany.
"It
was scary before we left, we were nervous about going,"
On
Feb. 14, Villacres’ unit arrived in Kandahar in what was once "the
last stronghold for Al Qaeda."
"I
had never been out of the United States in my life," Villacres
explained. "It was like some dream. When I first got there I thought
that 72 hours ago I was safe at home and now I’m here."
Looking
around, Villacres thought to himself, "this reminds me of
Arizona," where he once visited relatives who live there. "That
helped me keep my sanity."
At
the Kandahar Air Base, "You are in a place with 20 guys. There are no
walls and no privacy. It’s hot, anywhere from 95 to 112 degrees, no
shade. You’re wearing 40 pounds of gear. You have the fear of being shot
or killed and you’re away from your family . . . You could hear shots or
explosions at night," Villacres explained.
Villacres
met with Afghan natives during his deployment at Kandahar. |
"The
impression [in the U.S.] was that things were dying down but when you got
there you realized it wasn’t dying down."
"Our
job was to improve [the base]," Villacres said.
Among
the soldiers at the base, "teamwork," was important. "We
were there together. Everyone does something."
According
to Army public affairs reports, the 306th "made way for 3,000 new
incoming soldiers into Afghanistan to sustain American forces in the
region. . . the soldiers also constructed a range training area for
soldiers to prepare for the battlefield."
Villacres’
unit was responsible for the construction of a chapel, laundry facilities,
a mess hall and foundations for tents at the base.
Villacres
also marked a milestone while stationed in Afghanistan.
He
turned 21 on May 19, 2002.
"I
was probably the first one they sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to. I was
surprised about the attention," he said.
Villacres
celebrated the special day with his fellow soldiers and a birthday cake.
On
July 19, 2002 the 306th Engineer Company was welcomed home at Fort Dix,
New Jersey and on Sept. 21 Villacres’ unit was honored again at their
base in Amityville, New York.
His
mother Gladys, father Eduardo and younger brother Jason attended the Long
Island ceremony.
They
all said they were proud of how Villacres served his country.
They
are also glad that he is back home, he said.
Villacres
said the adjustment from life in Afghanistan to that of Queens has been
slow-going.
"Seeing
my room [again]," took some time to get used to, he said.
Villacres
has been keeping busy trying to "replenish" himself.
He
has also been spending more time at his church, Assembly of God in
Bellerose and recently attended a Sept. 11 memorial service there.
Beginning
this September, Villacres was back at Queensborough Community College
taking classes in liberal arts.
He
said he’s been hitting the books harder than ever and has put in extra
efforts in classes like politics and ancient civilizations.
Although
he’s not sure what the future holds for him — he said he is interested
in serving in the Army full-time or studying criminal justice to fulfill
his dream of becoming an NYPD officer. "There is one thing that’s
different. I am a vet now. I participated in Operation Enduring
Freedom," he said.
Report
From Kandahar
–The
following article was written by Michael Villacres and appeared in the
Kandahar Base newspaper, The
Desert Dispatch.
The
New York 306th Engineer company Army reservists, from Amityville, New York
have been as busy as a toll booth during rush hour since their arrival
here Feb.14. For the group of New York natives the memories of home and
events of Sept. 11 never fall far from their thoughts, but provide them
with motivation and a deeper sense of meaning and pride in the work they
do.
It’s
been a great experience operating in this environment, said Staff Sgt.
Carlos Morales, a squad leader with the 306th. "My soldiers really
surprised themselves with their own capability; I provided the vehicle,
and they had all the elements it needed to run."
The
306th works alongside of the 92nd Engineers, from Ft. Stewart, Ga.,
improving the living conditions on base.
Spc.
David Z. Sotolopez, a carpentry and masonry specialist, saw, heard, and
felt both towers fall.
From
the second story of 150 Broadway, Sotolopez and other employees of Fleet
Bank knew their lives would never be the same.
"I
was very skeptical about coming here," said Sotolopez. "Now I
really wish I was an infantryman, fighting to bring justice to my friends
and family who’ve passed."
Others
share the emotional challenge he feels about Sept. 11 occurring too close
to home.
"It’s
good to be here, helping out, but for a sad and messed up reason,"
said Spc. Richard Hope, a plumber with the 306th, from Brooklyn, NY.
Another
significant accomplishment was the laying down of concrete slabs for the
dining facility, gym, showers and laundry rooms.
The
soldiers of the 306th have worked hard toward accomplishing their mission,
which in turn aids in the success of Operation Enduring Freedom.
