Soldier dreams of World Series of Poker bracelet

Photo By Aaron Rosencrans | 1st Lt. Jon Still, a native of Union City, Penn., overlooks the sign in table, run by MND-B Soldier, 2nd Lt. Tamara Brewer, a Marion, Ariz., native, and commander, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1103rd Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, during a Combined Medical Engagement Jan. 25 at the Falahat Girls School in the Taji Qada, which is northwest of Baghdad. Still is a medical officer with 2nd Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad. He plans to enter the professional poker circuit after he finishes his commitment to the Army.  

TAJI, IRAQ

02.20.2008

Story by Spc. Aaron Rosencrans 

2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division

By Spc. Aaron Rosencrans
2nd SBCT PAO, 25th Inf. Div.
Multi National Division - Baghdad

CAMP TAJI, Iraq – The inherent right of every American to follow his or her dreams, in however they want, is part of what makes the U.S. envied by people around the world. For one Multi-National Division – Baghdad officer, his dream extends beyond his commitment to serve his country into a life that is perhaps somewhat off the beaten path.

1st Lt. Jon Still, a native of Union City, Penn., and medical officer with 2nd Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team "Warrior," 25th Infantry Division, said he dreams of finishing his commitment to the Army and becoming a World Series of Poker champion.

Unlike many poker players who start playing when they are a little older, Still said he started playing when he was a child.

"When I was young, my dad had an electronic poker game that I played all the time," he said. "I've been hooked ever since."

To Still, poker isn't just a game of chance that falls solely on what cards you get but also strategy and skill.

"There's a lot more involved with poker than just betting," he said. "You need to know when you have a playable hand, how to read peoples' bets and a whole lot more. Poker is a fairly easy game to learn, but a much harder game to master."

Still said he gets as much practice playing poker as he can, whenever he has the chance to play.

"For practice, I play online or in (Las) Vegas," he said. "I take trips to (Las) Vegas when I can. Of course, I do play home games every now and then, but Las Vegas is where the real practice is."

Still isn't just a new kid on the block when it comes to professional play. He said he has competed in a World Series of Poker event.

Although he admits he isn't quite as good as Johnny Chan and the other world poker champions, he said he feels like he has a good shot of being a top competitor in some of the national and world circuits.

"I would like to get picked up for the World Poker Tour or at least the U.S. Poker Championship," Still said. "I feel like I could really do well in those leagues – and start making some money. That way, I can get some more experience with the pros before I go back to the World Series of Poker."

Until that time comes, Still said he will continue his commitment to the Army.

While in Iraq, Still is in charge of tracking the whereabouts of casualties from his unit and organizing medical engagements in the Taji Qada, which is northwest of Baghdad.

Still recently organized a Combined Medical Engagement, which took place Jan. 25, at the Falahat Girls School in the Taji Qada. This mission focused on providing care for Iraqis in an area that had been overlooked in the past. It also focused on training the Iraqi army medics so they can conduct their own medical missions in the future.

His responsibilities included finding a site to host the event, coordinating with the Iraqi army, deciding the route to the site and setting up proper security in the area to ensure the safety of the soldiers and patients.

"Planning the event took a lot of coordination," Still said. "First, I had to recon the site, convince the schoolmaster to accept the mission and plan the route. Also, we had to use local medications, not the typical ones we use in the U.S., and we had to put together packages for the patients."

Although they had to turn people away at the end of the day because they ran out of time, Still and the soldiers participating in the event were able to see a lot of patients.

When Still isn't busy organizing medical engagements and tracking wounded soldiers, this husband and soon-to-be father maps out his plan for his future of roping chips from competitors in the world of professional poker.

• Date Taken: 02.20.2008
• Date Posted: 02.20.2008 11:51
• Story ID: 16505
• Location: TAJI, IQ