Maj. Motes counts up the days

Photo By Staff Sgt. Engels Tejeda | Major David Motes inspects a local schoolhouse that his team replaced with a new building near An Numaniyah.  

11.18.2005

Courtesy Story

207th Public Affairs Detachment

Just about every Soldier counts down the days until the end of a deployment. Maj. David Motes also counts, but for him the number goes up instead of down each day. Motes has been adding up all the days after Sept. 11 that he has been deployed. When he returns home from his third deployment around January, his count will be near 900.

Over the course of the last four years, Motes has seen the good, the bad and the ugly of the war on terrorism - a fact which he deals with by keeping a positive outlook and doing what he can to help the host population. On his current deployment, Motes has helped local villagers get access to water and erect a school in the town of An Numaniyah.

"I've seen the good side of what goes on over here and I've also seen the bad side of what goes on over here. Frankly I"d prefer to try to focus my efforts towards the good side. That's why I've been trying to help people with these water projects and the schools," Motes said.

Motes was staying in the guest housing of Fort Campbell, Ky when terrorists attacked the World Trade Center and Pentagon. He had just returned from a yearlong deployment to Korea. Within a few months, Motes was deployed again in support of Operation Enduring Freedom with the 561st Corps Support Battalion. He returned to Fort Campbell, Aug. 2002, took command of 102nd Quartermaster Company, deployed again in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in March of 2003. He was home for about a year before he was under orders to go to Iraq for another tour.

Motes is now finishing his tour with the Military Training Team (MiTT) for the 2nd Motorized Transportation Regiment of the Iraqi army. His unit is responsible for advising and assisting the Iraqis as they become increasingly functional and independent.

"The fact that I've been able to see the creation of the regiment from scratchâ?¦ has been a very rewarding experience," Motes said.

Motes would later find fulfillment in helping the local population.

During visits to villages outside of Numaniyah, Motes found local nationals surviving on what little muddy water could be dug from a dry canal. By establishing water delivery missions with the 2nd MTR, he was able to help the Iraqis increase their job proficiency and win the support of the local population.

Motes also spearheaded an effort to build a new elementary school in the city of An Numaniyah.

"One of our interpreters suggested we come out and visit one of the schools," Motes said. "So we came out here, saw the schools, [and] decided there was something we could do about it."

Despite Motes" humble use of the plural, his colleagues insist that the credit belongs to him alone.

In April, Motes consulted the Army Corps of Engineers in order to get a floor plan for a new school. He sought funding for the project and eventually obtained it from the Commander's Emergency Response Program, a pool of money the Army has set aside to help with the host nation infrastructure. Construction began Jul. 31 on publicly owned land 500 meters away from the old school. The school will be functional in a matter of days, Motes said.

"He's the real hero in all this," said Sgt. 1st Class Michael Ulshafer, a U.S. advisor who works alongside Motes.

Motes said his wife, Sarah has been handling his absence well, all things considered.

"Sometimes I don't know how she manages to do it," said Motes about his wife of 12 years, who has been taking care of their 6-year-old daughter, Molly, by herself. "She's pretty remarkable, I guess."

• Date Taken: 11.18.2005
• Date Posted: 11.18.2005 08:26
• Story ID: 3771