Reservists Go To Bosnia 8 From Area To Work With Combat Hospital

Juan Griffin wore a purple-and-white Huskies football jersey as he waited to board Southwest Airlines Flight 1709.

For the next nine months, the 32-year-old Spokane native won’t be dressing so comfortably.

In a few days, Griffin won’t go anywhere without a flak jacket - protection from sniper attacks.

He and seven other Army reservists from Spokane and North Idaho are going to Bosnia. Thursday morning, they started their 270-day mission.

“This is the real deal. This time we are talking full-combat load,” said Griffin, a sergeant and logistics specialist. “I might not come back from this.”

Full-combat load means wearing a flak jacket and carrying an M-16 rifle and seven fully-loaded ammunition magazines, Griffin said. Even when he’s off-duty, he will wear the jacket and carry the gun.

Griffin and the other reservists are assigned to the 396th Combat Support Hospital. They will be working in a 10-bed hospital in Tuzla, about 25 miles south of Brcko.

Two weeks ago, U.S. peacekeeping troops were attacked in Brcko by crowds of Bosnian Serbs throwing rocks and Molotov cocktails.

The other Inland Northwest reservists are: Paul Child, Jeanne Martin, Michael Bell, Kelly Reid, Andrew Finley, Dennis Frederick and Albert Velarde.

This is Griffin’s second overseas operation, following Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm. He was also called to duty for Operation Garden Plot, in the aftermath of the 1992 Los Angeles riots.

“I hope this is the last,” he said.

For this mission, Griffin has put on hold his final year of studies at Eastern Washington University, where he is earning a degree in business.

For Staff Sgt. Child, the trip to Bosnia is his first overseas assignment in 16 years of being a reservist.

A registered nurse who works at Gonzaga University, the 35-year-old Child was excited at the chance to finally use his training. But he was anxious, too.

“It’s not a war zone, but it’s considered hazardous duty,” he said.

Along with friends and family, the group was seen off at the airport by their local commander, Col. James Valentine, an oral surgeon in Spokane.

Valentine chose who would go on the mission. It’s the first time he’s had to send his folks into a dangerous area.

“You are always worried about their safety,” he said. “Not being able to see them every weekend is difficult enough, but sending them into an area where there is potential harm is very difficult.”

Valentine’s advice to his troops was simple but heartfelt: “Get there safely. Take care of each other. Take care of our soldiers and the NATO allies. Come home safely and together.”

, DataTimes