Master sergeant pulls guard duty -- again - 35 years later

BAGHDAD, IRAQ

07.06.2004

Courtesy Story

1-230th Cavalry Regiment

Story by: Staff Sgt. Tony Sailer

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- When Master Sgt. Maurice Woods, noncommissioned officer in charge of the liaison section, 425th Civil Affairs Battalion, was selected to serve a shift as Sergeant of the Guard at Task Force 1st Armored Division's Headquarters May 28, it was the first time he had pulled guard duty in 35 years.

It wasn't first time pulling guard duty with the division. "It was my first time doing infantry work since 1969," said Woods, who has been deployed to Iraq since Feb. 19, said. "One thing I've learned is if you stay in the Army long enough, everything will start to repeat itself."

Woods enlisted in the Army May 5, 1968 in Richmond, Va., and was promptly sent to Basic Training at Fort Benning, Ga. He attended Advanced Infantry Training at the former Fort Dix in N.J., before spending January, February and March of 1969 doing "nothing but KP [kitchen police] and guard duty" with the 1st Armored Division.

In April 1969, Woods left 1AD and was sent to Korea with the 1st Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division.He was only in Korea for a matter of months however, before he was sent to Okinawa, Japan to undergo Jungle Warfare Training in preparation for being sent to Vietnam.

By March 1970, Woods was serving a tour in Vietnam. He was assigned to be the unit armorer for the 570th Transportation Group, "a group made up entirely of transportation officers who operated from Saigon in the north to 'the Delta' in the south." "I became the armorer for the unit because that was what they needed," Woods said. "Being tasked [to be the armorer] probably saved my life."

Woods tour in Vietnam ended in February 1971, one month shy of a year. Upon his return, Woods transferred from the active Army into the Army Reserves and with the exception of a three year break from 1974-77, he has been in ever since.

In between his once a month drills with his reserve unit, Woods found time to attend college, where he eventually earned Bachelor's Degrees in Molecular Biology and Biological Chemistry.

Woods now works with the U.S. Department of Veteran's Affairs as a medical researcher at a VA hospital. "I do mostly bench work, researching mutating viruses," Woods said. "My group's primary focus is researching Hepatitis C, which has mutated a lot."

At home, Woods' unit is the 351st Civil Affairs Command, in Mountainview, Calif., where he lives. Soldiers from the 351st CACOM, including Woods, were tasked with augmenting the 425th Civil Affairs Battalion, which is currently attached to TF 1AD.

"There are other members from my battalion scattered throughout the [area]," he said. "And there are a few of them, who like myself, served in Vietnam." Now that he has come full circle and returned to the 1AD after more than 35 years, Woods works in the 1AD's Tactical Operations Center as the liaison between the various CA teams attached to the division and the division-level civil-military affairs office.

"I'm the guy that answers the phone at the desk," said Woods with a laugh, reflecting on the differences between what he does now in a war zone and what he did more than 30 years ago in Vietnam.

"I expect to retire after my tour," he said. "At the end of my military career, here I am again with 1AD."

• Date Taken: 07.06.2004
• Date Posted: 07.06.2004 09:43
• Story ID: 63
• Location: BAGHDAD, IQ