Sigma Alpha Delta, the CIS Society and the Golden Key Honour Society co-sponsored an event titled, "Welcome Back Our Troops Who Fought In Iraq." Twenty Marines, seven of them Baruch students, were honored at the Vertical Campus's 14th floor conference center on October 3, after recently returning from Iraq during Operation Enduring Freedom.
The conference started with an Honors Guard March by the Marines. The seven Baruch Marines honored represented the 6th Communications Battalion of Brooklyn and Weapons Company 2/24 of Garden City, Long Island. Lance Corporal Raphael Izon, Lance Corporal Martin Drozniak, Lance Corporal Roman Mendoza, Lance Corporal Simon Zhu, Corporal Alan Curet, and Corporal Rudy Cazares, and a last minute invitee Sergeant Carbajal, who applied to the graduate program in Baruch's School of Public Affairs were all in attendance at the event.
Their duties in Iraq ranged from being a "Mortar Man," in the case of Corporal Cazares as part of a Nuclear Biological Chemical Decon team in the case of Lance Corporal Raphael Ison.
"When my friends ask me why I fight, I reply, ‘I fight for so that you don't have to fight,'" said Corporal Casey Reefer.
Dr. John Elliot, Dean of the Zicklin School of Business, and Dean of Students Dr. Ronald Aaron attended. Aaron received an American flag flown in Iraq from Lance Corporal Raphael Izon as gift to Baruch College.
Aaron recalled how Drozniak came up to him last February to tell him he would have to withdraw from classes at Baruch since he, "received orders to go serve in Operation Enduring Freedom for a year with a possible extension for two years."
A slideshow of battlefield photos was displayed in the background highlighting the troops' experiences in combat locations within Kuwait, Aldunia, and Babylon City. Pictures were also passed around to the audience consisting of approximately 80 people.
Robert Josefs, a student who retired from Navy was invited to speak about his service during the Persian Gulf War, he recalled how difficult it is to make the transition to civilian life after being in the military.
Audience members asked the Marines whether they ever doubted themselves for being over there.
Corporal Reefer made it clear that staying at home was not an option. Even though he was discharged from the military he volunteered just to fight in the war. He could not stay home knowing that his fellow Marines were fighting the war without him.
Towards the end of the ceremony a special raffle drawing was held where five winners received printed money from Iraq showing pictures of fallen dictator Saddam Hussein, courtesy of Drozniak.
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