Jesse Damsky

Born and raised in Upstate New York. Joined the Army in 1997 in part to help pay for college, but I always had an interest in the Army and the training. Started as enlisted 62 E, but then took a ROTC scholarship to Georgia Southern University. Graduated college in DEC 2003, was commissioned, sent to Quartermaster Basic Officer training in Ft. Lee JAN 04. Assigned to 2nd BCT 10th Mountain Infantry Division and deployed to Iraq (Baghdad) Jun 2004 - July 2005. I was the only fluent Arabic speaker in the Bde and translated on numerous occasions for the Bde surgeon for prisoners of war, innocent people that were picked up, and Iraqi workers. Left Active duty in 2006 joined the reserves. 2007 started working with charities to help Iraqi children who needed emergency treatment and hosted a family for 7 months in NY. AUG 07, left USA for a job in Amman Jordan, where I currently live. Have assisted over 10 Iraqi children in route to the USA for medical treatment for war related injuries as well as natural illnesses. I still work in Amman Jordan but I am frequently visiting Iraq and have an office in Basra. I work for an international freight forwarder but helped the Iraqi children on the side. I am still freinds with many Iraqis I met during the war, and have seen how the war has affected them. I resigned from the US Army Reserves 3 times, but my resignation was never accepted and I am still listed in the IRR. Since I have been out of the states for nearly 5 years, it isn't really a concern to me because I have no contact with the Army at this point. I joined the Iraq Veterans against the war because I have seen how much damage the war caused Iraq. I believe that the mis management and un ashamed corruption of the contractors and Defense industry prevented any success in Iraq from the beginning. I always questioned the motive, even from the build up to the war, but my views at the time were extreemly un popular.