Home from Iraq

Winthrop soldier expects to return to Iraq in August

By RON LARSEN

Journal Staff Writer

WINTHROP -- Army Specialist Bradley Kley returned home after spending a year in Iraq, but he'll soon be on his way to Fort Riley, Kan., to rejoin his comrades in the 1st Armored Division there.

Kley was the guest of honor at a "Welcome Home" reception at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post clubrooms in Winthrop Sunday. He and his parents, Wayne and Lori Kley, and his sister LeeAnn posed for pictures and greeted well-wishers who attended the event.

The 25-year-old soldier was among the soldiers in his unit, 4-1FA, 3rd Brigade,1st Armored Division, who returned to the U. S. in April to give them a break from the action in Iraq.

"We were in central Baghdad for the first 10 months. For the last month and a half, we got moved north to a mission until another unit came in up there, and then we went down to Kuwait about end of March. We were in Kuwait for two weeks, and I got home Easter Sunday, April 11."

Kley will be leaving the end of this week for Kansas to rejoin his unit. Right now, he said, it appears it will be a short stay there.

"We have to get ready to go back. The way it sounds according to the Army Times paper, my brigade could be going back as early as August of this year. So, we'll just be going through all the paperwork and everything like before we left the first time, finish the shots and just waiting to see if we get orders to go," Kley explained.

While there are many different jobs in military service, the job that Kley had over in Iraq might seem to be sort of "cushy" by grizzled vet standards, but it wasn't without its moments of danger.

Kley was a driver for his unit's operations officer, a major.

"I drove him around. All I did while I was over there was drive, (do) maintenance on the vehicle (a Humvee). Some of our guys would get hurt, and usually me and him would be the first two out there. So I would be the one who would do most of the first aid until the medics got there," Kley said.

Kley volunteered to be trained as a certified combat life-saver, learning to give IVs, apply splints and even open airways.

"I did nine or 10 field IVs for accidents. One of them was on my best friend who didn't make it, and others were just shrapnel wounds from explosions," Kley explained.

"There was one that was a vehicle accident. The Iraqi just ran a sign and ... They don't follow traffic laws like we do over here. If they can go, they go."

Kley has had his share of close calls, as well.

"I had quite a few. I've had a RPG (rocket propelled grenade) almost hit my Humvee. I've been shot at, and it's only missed me by about three inches."

However, he feels the heat, particularly during the summer months, and roadside bombs are the two top threats for U.S. soldiers in Iraq.

He considers himself lucky to have never been close to a roadside bomb even though the major's duties include checking on the troops that man the checkpoints.

Kley winces when the photos of prisoner treatment at the prison in Baghdad are mentioned.

He allows his decision to re-enlist for another five years before returning to the U.S. in April and his intention to try to get into special forces in the future speak for him about what his country is doing in Iraq.

"It (battle) wasn't as bad as people thought it would be. Most of the people (Iraqis) were so scared they didn't want to do nothing. I believe it was the few that still followed Saddam that were causing the problems."