While most Americans spent May 4, 2006, enjoying the simplicities of spring and hanging out with friends and family, University of Idaho senior Mark Olson was in Baghdad, Iraq, driving an armored vehicle and looking for improvised explosive devices.An IED detonated near Olson and his vehicle — killing three friends and fellow soldiers.
Philip Vukelich | Argonaut
University of Idaho student Mark Olson served a tour in Iraq from 2005-2006, he is now home and pursing a career to help other veterans adjust back to normal lifestyles
“The explosion caused a projectile of some sort that just shot in there and blew a hole in their vehicle,” Olson said. “Quinton was torn in half — not much could be done for him — and Reinke bled and had severe burns. Lufkin was pulled out and but his body was thrashed, he made it back and was able to have his surgeries. About three weeks later, he was going into his last surgery before going home and his body just couldn’t take it. He died as a result of what happened on May 4.”
Olson was the chaplain’s assistant in the 5th Engineering Battalion. His duties included protecting the non-combatant chaplain, supporting fellow soldiers by checking their well-being and morale and patrolling Baghdad roads looking for IEDs.
“It was taxing as hell,” Olson said. “I mean it was pretty tough. There were some guys who were out on the roads five, six days a week in maybe 140 degree weather with their uniform, guns, armor, boots and helmet on them while they stood for 10 hours.”
Olson said there isn’t a day that goes by he doesn’t think about what happened to his friends. He said coming home and attending school has given him the opportunity and initiative to dedicate his life to improving the lives of veterans.
Olson is a Washington native and Army veteran who served four years as an active duty solider, including his Iraq tour from Nov. 2005 to Oct. 2006.
He is currently a member of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity and said he jokingly keeps his age a secret from his fraternity brothers because — like many soldiers — he’s a lot older than most of his peers.
“We’re not 18 when we come in, it’s a lot different,” Olson said. “While starting college at 18 is scary, try being out of school for four, five and in some cases 10 years and then trying to get into school. That’s almost scarier because depending on how old you are, you can really be out of the loop as far as things like technology and homework goes.”
Olson said 9/11 largely attributed to his decision to join the military. He said he remembers watching the news that day and noticed the panic the nation was in. He said he wanted to do something to help.
“I remember seeing that and really wanting to do something,” Olson said. “There were so many firefighters and first aid and blood donations going into New York and we knew there were going to be other parts to that. I wasn’t trained medically and I didn’t have anything to offer but protecting people, and keeping it from happening again was the kind of thing I was looking for.”
Despite the hardships, Olson said his time in Iraq changed his worldview, because he witnessed small, positive changes in Iraqi culture over the course of his deployment.
Mark Olson | Courtesy
Mark Olson stands with fellow soldiers while on deployment in Baghdad, Iraq. Olson served a one-year tour in Iraq.
“The big point for me where I saw a turn is when George Bush was speaking in Baghdad and someone threw a shoe at him,” Olson said. “A lot of people were like ‘see, they think Bush is an asshole,’ but I know he wouldn’t have done that to Saddam (Hussein) because Saddam would have shot him. The fact that he could have the ability to think throwing a shoe is not going to get him killed, that’s a step in the right direction.”
Olson is also an Operation Education scholar — he receives additional financial assistance, academic tutoring and various other support services because of the disability he acquired in the line of duty.
“In January of 06′, I was in a car accident involving a little pickup truck that was speeding. I was driving with two captains, basically it was rainy conditions and they knocked us off. I have a compressed disk in my lower back with torn tissue,” Olson said. “I also have hearing problems from all of the explosions, I have to wear hearing aids most of the time.”
Olson is studying public relations and plans to use his degree in a career where he can help veterans survive after returning home from war.
“I’ve had one too many friends think that the only way out is through killing themselves. They didn’t know how to deal with it,” Olson said. “I’m a firm believer of standing up for the weak — I don’t care if I never make a million dollars and I only own two suits my whole life, to me what these warriors, heroes, marines, whatever you want to call them — what they give and what they put into deserves a lot of respect and a lot of support.”
On Veterans Day, Olson is used to receiving ‘thank yous’ from his peers, friends and family, but he said there is a different way people can show their military appreciation this year.
“You don’t have to necessarily go up and thank a veteran, it’s nice and we appreciate it, I would never say we don’t,” Olson said. “But take time to appreciate some of the freedoms that you have. Especially on a day like Veterans Day — there’s many people who don’t enjoy half of the freedoms that we do — appreciate what veterans do and do it in a way where you don’t squander the gift that is freedom and liberty and justice for all. That’s what we want to see.”
Amber Emery can be reached at [email protected]