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Wednesday, April 2, 2003Photo courtesy of JOEL LOIACONOAs supervisor of the Afghan National Army Logistics Cell, Maj. Joel Loiacono helps procure military equipment and supplies for the new Afghan Army. Here, a Hungarian donation of supplies just flew in.WW native finds most Afghan people worried troops will leave for Iraq»»Continued from Page A1said.“Local people I’ve talked with, through an interpreter, I’ve asked, ‘What are your concerns about Iraq?’ ” Loiacono said. “Most are concerned we’re going to leave. We get thumbs up. Kids are just fascinated; it’s like being a rock star. There are some people who don’t want us here, but the vast majority do.Loiacono has been in Kabul since February on a tentative one-year assignment. While most soldiers are living in tents, he lives in a neighborhood of houses the Army rents, and shares a room with three soldiers. A satellite provides Internet access, and each week soldiers get weekly “morale” phone calls home. They also have a television, which Loiacono mostly keeps on Fox News.Still, “It’s been kind of tough,” he said. His stepfather died after Loiacono was deployed and he wasn’t able to come home for the funeral. It’s also been tough for his wife, Colette. Her parents also died while Loiacono was away.“It’s tough picking up and leaving,” he said. “You put your life on hold.”Loiacono spent his lastyear of active duty teaching ROTC cadets at Eastern Washington University and settled in Spokane, where he directs the Alzheimer’s Association Inland Northwest Chapter.He joined the Army in 1984, after graduating from Washington State University on a ROTC scholarship and money he earned as a strawberry and pea picker in Walla Walla.“I owe a lot to my parents and to my education at DeSales (Catholic School),” Loiacono said. “One thing ingrained in me was service to other people.”Now Loiacono spends his days working with the U.S. Embassy and other Army divisions, mostly procuring equipment for the new Afghan army. As combat forces hunt for al Qaeda and Taliban remnants, Loiacono scours Afghanistan’s streets, hunting for tankers and trucks.The idea is to help build, train and supply an army that answers to the elected government and can eventually replace coalition troops as the stabilizing force, Loiacono said.“When it’s all said and done, I can say I did something with my life that was exciting and at the same time served other people,” Loiacono said. “I can say, ‘Here’s this kid from DeSales walking into the U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan.’ And once it’s over, I get to go back to my life.”Paulette Chu can be reached at pchu(aubnet.com or by calling525-3300, ext. 291.
Newspaper Details
Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Walla Walla, Washington, US
Wed, Apr 02, 2003
Page 5
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USA 22 Apr 2020
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