Playing soccer with Iraqi team was a special time
While I was deployed to Iraq from September 2005 to April 2006, I had many significant and memorable experiences that will influence me for the rest of my life.
One was my assignment as an election liaison officer, in which I helped facilitate the transportation of poll workers from Baghdad International Airport to their poll sites and back for the Oct. 15, 2005, National Iraqi Election in order to vote for Iraq's Constitutional Referendum. During my deployment, I traveled to Baghdad twice to Al Asad and Al Taqaddam.
Another experience was a convoy and overnight mission to the Government Center in Ramadi over the Ramadan holiday. During Ramadan, a significant religious holiday, the Government Center was constantly attacked by insurgents.
I could hear machine gunfire from just a few yards through the night. The sound of the machine gun was not scary to me; it was actually exhilarating, because I knew that facing any enemy attack was a fearless Marine protecting my safety and the safety of others.
Another experience was a convoy through downtown Fallujah to Fallujah Medical Center to pass out stuffed animals, baby clothes and toys to mothers and their toddlers in the pediatrics department.
Yet another experience was a foot patrol in Fallujah to meet and greet the Iraqi people and conduct a site survey of a future Iraqi women's clinic.
My most memorable and significant experience was playing soccer with the Iraqis. An Iraqi soccer team was escorted each day by a two-man Marine security team on Camp Blue Diamond, which is where I was located. The Iraqi soccer team would sweep the streets of the base and do any other odd jobs, as determined by the base security Marines.
When I walked from my office to my billeting area, I always noticed this soccer team as they played soccer during their break time. I played soccer all my life at the college, military and international levels, and it is my favorite sport.
I wanted to play soccer with them, but I was reluctant to join them for fear of offending them as a woman playing sports and wearing shorts, which may be inappropriate in their culture.
One afternoon, I finally had enough nerve to try to join them. I motioned for us to play since I did not know enough Arabic to communicate with them. They quickly set up goals with their shoes, one shoe for each end of the goal, and we started playing.
In one of the first kicks, I intercepted the soccer ball and scored on them. They were surprised at my goal and I felt I earned their respect. It was amazing to me how soccer, a universal game, bridged the gap of language, culture and gender.
Over the next several weeks, I played soccer with the Iraqis just about every day. Playing soccer with the Iraqis was my own special civil affairs project, and I was proud to be conducting my very own community outreach. Over time, I built a rapport with the team and knew most of their names. The team included me as an equal member, demonstrating this by always passing me the ball, which made me feel accepted.
One day, I was looking for the Iraqi soccer team and they did not show up. I stopped by the entrance gate and asked the security Marine sergeant why they had not come. The sergeant told me that one of the Iraqi soccer players had been shot and killed by a drive-by insurgent as he exchanged his U.S. dollars for Dinar. He had a brother on the team.
It was devastating to the team and to me, but I later heard that the team wanted to become Iraqi police officers as a result of this tragedy. It was a sobering reminder to me of how violent and unstable their country was and the reason why we were there.
Lt. Col. Patricia S. Klop
<p>Personal: Married to Dave Klop; from Baltimore, lives in Lake Zurich</p>
<p>Education: Bachelor's in social science, with minors in education and psychology from Berry College, Rome, Ga.; master's in human resources and management from Webster University, Beaufort, S.C.; master's in physical education, pedagogy and curriculum from Northern Illinois University</p>
<p>Military career</p>
<p>Joined Marines: 1994</p>
<p>Deployed to Iraq: May 2005 to April 2006</p>
<p>Deployed to Afghanistan: December 2008 to December 2009</p>
<p>Current assignment: Executive officer, Marine Air Control Group 48, Great Lakes, IL</p>
<p>Operations: Cobra Gold, Thailand, May 1995; Operation Iraqi Freedom, Ramadi and Fallujah, Iraq, September 2005 to April 2006; Operation Enduring Freedom, Helmand Province, Afghanistan, April to October 2009</p>
<p>Personal Decorations: Navy and Marine Corps Commendation (2), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement, Navy Unit Commendation, Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation, Selected Marine Corps Reserve Medal, National Defense Service Medal (2), Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Navy Sea Service Deployment (4), Marine Corps Drill Instructor Ribbon, Armed Forces Reserve Medal (4), NATO ISAF/Afghanistan Medal</p>