A Soldier Reflects

A thick beard and long blonde hair are a far cry from the clean-shaved and high and tight haircut he sported during his years in the Army, but for Jon Keller the memories of his service in Iraq and Afghanistan are still vivid.

As Americans reflect upon the 10-year anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11, the Afghanistan and Iraq veteran can't believe how fast the time flew.

"Where did the time go? It feels like it just happened," he said. "I guess I'll be looking back on the 20th anniversary and thinking 'where did 10 years go?' "

Now a Belmar resident, Keller was a 15-year-old sophomore at Shore Regional High School when the attacks happened.

"I was actually supposed to have detention that day," he joked.

While Keller said the attacks were both upsetting and scary — the smoke pluming from the wreckage visible on the horizon from home — he noted a small silver lining in the wake of the tragedy.

"If anything, it kind of kicked us into a patriotic spirit," he said.

The Accidental Patriot

Though patriotism, the 25-year-old admits, had little to do with his decision to enlist after his 2004 graduation.

"I wanted to do something different," he said. "I wanted to leave the state."

He was not, however, ignorant of the situation developing in the Middle East.

"The invasion was actually on my birthday," Keller said, noting that U.S. Armed Forces entered Afghanistan on Oct. 7, 2002, and began operations in Iraq in the spring of 2003.

While many of the men from across the country whom he served with chose to enlist in light of the September 11 attacks, Keller didn't have the same attitude.

"That's the funny part," he said. "I didn't join because I wanted to go to war.

"In the long run, I ended up loving what I did for my country."

While going through boot camp at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, the realities of what he would soon face weren't clear. It wasn't until his deployment to Fort Polk in Louisiana, where he joined the Army's 10th Mountain Division and received specialized training, that things came into focus.

"That's when you realize it's a bit more real now," he said.

"I understood that I was most likely going to go to Iraq or Afghanistan," he added. "I knew that was going to happen."

While the inevitability of deployment was apparent, it still came as a bit of a surprise for Keller and the men he served beside.

"I found out on Friday that I was leaving on Monday," he said of his November 2006 deployment to Afghanistan.

Within the week, he was operating a 120mm mortar along the perimeter of Forward Operating Base (FOB) Lagman in Afghanistan's Zabul Province.

"I was lucky," he said of his time in Afghanistan. "I was there during the winter season and they don't really fight during the winter season."

The Realities of War

His Afghan deployment lasted until February 2007. Upon returning to Fort Polk, the end of his service in December was in sight.

"December 21, 2007 quickly turned into April 3, 2009," Keller said, noting that in the summer of 2007 the Army extended his enlistment involuntarily through a process known as stop-loss.

By late November, he would be deployed to Iraq.

"That one started off very bitter for the most part," he said. "A lot of us were stop-lossed."

A tragic accident early in the deployment would both rattle and inspire his team.

Two best friends were torn apart when a gun accidentally discharged, killing one man. The deceased had already turned in his equipment and was on his way to the airport to return home when he received his stop-loss notice.

"That really shook us up," Keller recalled. "We couldn't afford to be bitter, angry soldiers."

Things in Baghdad remained quiet until February when tragedy struck again.

A member of Keller's platoon was driving a cargo vehicle when it was struck by a roadside improvised explosive device, taking both of his legs and part of his arm.

"From that point on, March was the worst month," he said, recalling a counter-battery battle where he exchanged mortar fire with Iraqi insurgents, the likes of which hadn't been seen in more than four years.

A summer leave was a welcome respite, but the reality of war would rear its head again when one of Keller's sergeants was killed in a drive-by.

"For the most part I was very lucky," Keller said, noting that he had not personally sustained any serious injury during his tours of duty.

Nearly 13 months after he originally deployed, Keller touched down in Louisiana at 11:20 p.m. on New Year's Eve.

He saw fireworks while being transported from the air field back to Fort Polk.

While it may not have been clear at the time, hindsight has given him a new perspective on the role he and his platoon played.

"I was part of an important era of the war in Iraq," he said of the 2008 troop surge, noting that he feels it helped the United States turn an important corner in the ongoing struggle.

The new year would come with major changes. After receiving his discharge on April 3, 2009, Keller spent a year traveling— often to visit the people he served with.

The bond between servicemen is a unique and enduring thing.

"We depended on each other to literally look out for each others lives," Keller said, explaining the depth of those bonds.

While he appreciated the kind words and thanks he received from many when he returned to New Jersey, he was often irked by a comment he frequently heard: "I could never do that."

"That bothered me," Keller said. "Why can't you serve your country?"

The change from serviceman to veteran proved an odd transition.
"When I think about veterans I think about my grandfather and World War II," he said. "I never thought I'd be a veteran of two campaigns at 25."

College Life

Part of the reason Keller chose to enlist was that he didn't think a college education was an option to him.

"I was a pretty terrible high school student," he admits. "Now I have a 3.87 GPA."

Now in his second year at Brookdale Community College, Keller is taking full advantage of the free education offered to him by the GI Bill. He is also the vice president of the school's Veteran's Club and plans to transfer to a four-year college after this school year.

"It just gives me an appreciation for everything," he said.

The regimented discipline of military life has helped him become a better student, he says, noting his perfect attendance record. He also encourages his fellow veterans to do the same.

"I'm constantly telling my friends who are out or getting out to go to school," he said. "It's the smartest thing to do."

College life is not always ideal, however.

"One of the hard things of going is seeing these 19-year-old kids who think they know what a hard day's work is," he said, explaining that he feels many of his younger classmates at Brookdale may not fully appreciate the education they receive.

While his plans aren't set in stone, Keller explained that he will most likely transfer to Montclair University in the fall of 2012 and major in criminal justice.

Looking Back

Since the attacks of September 11, the country has been enveloped in endless debate. The lives of the men and women of the Armed Forces often become pieces in an elaborate political chess game.

While the debate over the justification and course of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars continues, Keller is content to not be a part of it.

"We had to do something," he said. "We hadn't been attacked at home since Pearl Harbor."

For himself and the men with whom he served, Keller put it simply.

"We did our part."