HERITAGE
would be wasted. In small towns dark in uences have a way of nding young men and Maurice had a choice to make. Maurice’s mom challenged him to do something big with his life; and he did. Maurice made a fateful choice to enlist in the United States Army and became a signal support systems specialist. I rst met Maurice in 2003 in Mosul, Iraq. I had just taken command of a battalion in the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) and Maurice was assigned to a very important mission. He was assigned with a small group of soldiers assigned as liaisons for the Division Commander and charged to provide communications support to newly elected mayor of Mosul. This assignment was an important job
SPRING 2021
that would place him and his team at high risk. One day shortly after the city of Mosul elections, Sadaam loyalist who did not like the new policies of the mayor, assembled at his o ce to protest. As they protest grew, they became more violent. When these crowds threatened to storm the building Maurice and his fellow soldiers called for reinforcements to protect the mayors o ce. Knowing that the rapid reaction force would take some time to arrive Maurice along with a handful of fellow soldiers grabbed their ri es and moved outside to bravely confront the crowd until help arrived. Through their quick and courageous actions the crowd was eventually dispersed. The newly elected
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Troopers from the 501st Signal Battalion conducting sling load operation in Northern Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
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Issue No. 2
