Milwaukee VA Medical Center

Spec. Patrick Aukofer talks about some of his photos on display from his time fighting in Iraq. He was part of a special unit that cleared roads of explosive devices, and was on hand to talk about what soldiers did in the war at Reclaiming Our Heritage.

BY GARY J. KUNICH
5000 West editor

Stuart served 23 years in Army Special Operations doing things he doesn’t like to talk about and stuff that most people wouldn’t understand.

“People who weren’t there, they won’t ever understand. They’ll never totally understand and they shouldn’t have to understand. People like me did it so they wouldn’t have to.”

Stuart – who declined to give his last name – joined the Army in 1985 with plans to be a part of the Army band.

“My recruiter lied to me,” he said wistfully. “I signed up for that, and then he said there was a three-year waiting list. My brother was Special Forces and I thought it would be a good thing to do.”

Panama. Somalia. Desert Storm. Iraq. Afghanistan.

He said he’s been to all of them.

On Saturday, he was inside the special Welcome Home tent for Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans at Reclaiming Our Heritage, getting information on services offered at the VA.
 
Reclaiming Our Heritage is a one-of-a-kind, two-day re-enactment of all military eras, and a place of healing, said Laura Rinaldi, who created the event.
 
“It was really driven home to me when we had a special welcome a few years ago for Vietnam Veterans, and we saw the reaction. Many Veterans who wouldn’t talk about their service or come to the VA changed their outlook because of that, and that’s what we want to do for our Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans.”
 
The Milwaukee VA actually leads the national average in bringing in Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans into the VA system, but Jean Bromley, who oversees the outreach team, said they are always looking for new ways to reach out to those Veterans.
 
While everything else was public at Reclaiming Our Heritage, the Welcome Home tent was reserved exclusively for those who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, along with outreach counselors – many who also served there – to interact with those Veterans.

“It’s a very good idea,” Stuart said. “I’m part of a small fraternity of friends and we do use the system. But my dad was in World War II and never used it until he was an old man, but he had nightmares until the day he died.

“I think some people don’t want to come in because they don’t want to talk to someone who hasn’t been over there,” he added. “It does help to talk about it, though.”

Despite not wanting to talk about his individual experiences, Stuart said he also works on his own healing by giving public talks about service so people can appreciate the sacrifices that were made.

“I’ve talked at my daughter’s college and a couple other places, just so people could understand that it’s not at all glamorous like the movies portray it. Even if people won’t ever understand it, I think it helps for them to understand the people who have done it.”

Across from the Welcome Home tent, another public tent was set up for thousands on hand to learn more about the sacrifices made in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The display – the first time it was ever available at Reclaiming Our Heritage – was the idea of Spec. Patrick Aukofer, who served in Iraq from 2010 to 2011.

Unlike other displays where re-enactors told the stories of wars, weaponry and tactics, the Veterans manning this tent were actually part of the fighting and gave direct answers as to what it was like.

“I was part of a unit that cleared (explosives) off the road,” Aukofer said. “It was always tense. You were always on guard. I’m still getting over that. When the cannons went off (at Reclaiming Our Heritage) it still startled me. I have my watch set for when they’re going to go off again, and I’m going to have to sit down and prepare myself.”

Stories like this, he said, are the realities of war, but he was proud to serve and proud to do a lot of good.

That was echoed by Petty Officer 2nd Class Thomas Keinert, who served with an Army unit from 2009 to 2010.

“I’m normally on submarines, but I was feeling guilty for eating hamburgers and pizzas on a sub when my Army counterparts were on their third, fourth and fifth tour of Iraq or Afghanistan, so I was excited and glad to do it,” he said.

While most of his time was spent on a base camp, mortar fire was regular part of the tour. “And you just got used to it.”

While the public may have misperceptions about the war, he hoped his time at Reclaiming Our Heritage would give a different perspective.

“You only hear the bad in the media, but I know we did a lot of good over there. I saw a lot of the good we did and I want people to know that.”

Nicole Kinkade, who now works as a patient services assistant in the Mental Health Clinic, said she was volunteering at the tent to educate the public and her fellow Veterans.
She was one of four females part of an Army unit that served there from 2004 to 2005.

“It was a busy time. A lot was going on,” she said. “The Iraqi soldiers would gawk at us and try to treat us like other Iraqi women. I’m proud that I kept up with the boys, and was just as tough.”

She lost three friends over there, and wears a black bracelet in their honor. The tattoo on her right arm of a pin-up girl in Army camouflage was especially done in their honor.
Kinkade has gotten her care at the VA since 2006, she said, and has seen the outreach get even better since then.

“I work on a suicide prevention team, and I’m glad to offer those service because people need it. When I start coming here as a patient, I felt like I was the only one (from this era), now I see a lot of people coming in for care. I’m glad they’re getting care, but I want to make sure they get everything they need. We can’t expect them to find stuff, and dig for it. We owe them, and this is one way I can help pay it forward and help other people.”

For photos of re-enactors and the parade from Reclaiming Our Heritage, click here.