Carpenter compares Iraq to a building

Photo By Staff Sgt. Engels Tejeda | Staff Sgt. Jeff Cuff of the 254th Quartermaster Co. conducts one of his daily patrols in southern Iraq.  

12.15.2005

Courtesy Story

207th Public Affairs Detachment

For Staff Sgt. Jeff Cuff, his tour in Iraq was much like his job as a carpenter in his home town of Lancaster, Pa.

"We were definitely still trimming the house," said the 30-year-old carpenter, comparing his mission in Iraq to building a home. "The foundation had been laid because we took down Saddam Hussein, but it could take a while to put up all the finishing touches."

While in Iraq with the 254th Quartermaster Company, an Army Reserve unit out of York, Pa., Cuff played an instrumental role in presenting an amiable face for the coalition to local Iraqis near Camp Cedar II and Camp Adder in southern Iraq.

Cuff was in charge of patrolling the water pumps that supplied water for the two camps, a job that brought him in daily contact with Iraqis who operated the pumps.

"Staff Sgt. Cuff was a great asset to this unit and to these camps because the relationship he developed with the local people was very helpful," said 1st Sgt. David Ritter of the 254th.

Local people reported anything they saw as abnormal to coalition troops. Gaining that level of rapport with the local population took serious work, and was a slow process, Cuff said. But he noted it was a worthy cause and that he accomplished it by using simple techniques such as distributing bottled water during his daily visits and making an effort to learn some Arabic.

He asked family and friends in the United States to donate shoes and clothing items, and when they responded, he distributed the items to the local people. Though he slowly gained their trust, he was still having issues speaking the language at the end of the deployment.

"At first it was like charades," Cuff said of his communication with the local people. "But now I know a few of the words and they can understand me a little bit."

He considers the local people the cinder blocks of Iraqi democracy.

"The mission was great. I'm a people person and I really liked that I got to talk with the local people, got to know them and their history. This is their country and they are trying hard," he said as his one-year deployment ended in December. "I'm definitely going to miss them."

The feeling seemed mutual. During his last week doing patrols, an Iraqi man was upset because Cuff could not take time to sit and drink tea with him. Another Iraqi family who lives near Camp Cedar gave him prayer beads to take home, a gesture that symbolizes closeness in the Iraqi culture.

Though the deployment has been rewarding, getting to Iraq was a lengthy process for Cuff. He was initially deployed in 2003, but his unit never made it to Iraq and returned home within two months of leaving Pennsylvania. During training for that deployment, Cuff injured his shoulder and had to spend eight months undergoing therapy at Ft. Dix, N.J. When the unit was finally deployed again late last year, he volunteered to mobilize to southern Iraq.

"I believe in this mission. I mean, we are here, we have a job to do and we are committed till the end," he said.

He felt so strongly about helping Iraqis that he essentially volunteered for a second deployment when he signed an indefinite re-enlistment with the military. He said that re-enlisting made sense because he already has 16 years in the military and he wants to complete the 20 years required for retirement. He also motivated at least 15 other Soldiers to re-enlist. Combined, Cuff and the Soldiers got over $200,000 in re-enlistment bonuses. As he returned to Pennsylvania, he said he hoped to build a home of his own next, saying he wants to marry within the next year.
usar

• Date Taken: 12.15.2005
• Date Posted: 12.15.2005 04:14
• Story ID: 4087