My name is DeAnne Gulley '03. My husband, 2LT Brian Gulley '06, is currently serving in Iraq. We are expecting our first child, a boy, in April 2008.

In the picture, from left to right, are 2LT Hunter Ragone, 2LT Brian Gulley and 2LT Chris Allen. All three graduated from UGA ROTC. 2LT Hunter Ragone graduated in May 2007, and is currently serving with 6-8 Cav 4th BDE 3ID. 2LT Brian Gulley graduated in December 2006 and is currently serving with BSTB 4th BDE 1ID. 2LT Chris Allen graduated in May 2007 and is currently serving with 4-64 Armor 4th BDE 3ID.

U.S. Air Force Major General Jack L. Rives,(AB '74, J.D. '76) and Marine Captain Brett Grayson (AB '98, J.D. '03) are both former members of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity who are currently serving in the Armed Services. The two were recently featured in FIJI magazine, the fraternity's official publication.

According to the magazine article, General Rives was appointed Judge Advocate General (JAG) of the Air Force in February 2006, with responsibility for the professional oversight of more than 4,000 people worldwide. He is in charge of overseeing military justice, operational, international and civil law functions at every level of command and advising the Air Staff on all legal issues. Part of his job includes briefing Congress on legal issues associated with the military and advising military commanders on the legality of certain actions under consideration. "It is a role with its own special pressures," the article explains, "but General Rives says his oath to support and defend the Constitution makes his job easy, because the Constitution demands that he 'do the right things for the right reasons."

Thirty years after Rives began his military and legal career, Captain Grayson deployed to Iraq in January 2007 as Assistant to the Staff Judge Advocate for Second Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward). "In this role, he helps advise the Commanding General on the application of the rules of engagement, escalation of force measures, detainee operations, investigations and the prosecution of those, both military and civilian, who break the law at Al Asad Airbase, Iraq," the magazine reported. While at UGA, Captain Grayson served as a student worker in the Office of Alumni Relations at the University. The article quotes Grayson: "For a career to be rewarding, it must involve serving others in some capacity. If money is the primary factor driving your decision making, you will end up chasing your tail."

Since graduating from UGA in 2004 Matthew L. Bottino has served in Iraq and is currently stationed in Egypt. Bottino recently visited Mt. Sinai. "I went to Mt. Sinai this weekend. Will I ever go back? No, but at least I can say I went. It was really pretty, but this whole portion of the Sinai is. I am also the first UGA grad to bring a flag to the peak of the MT, until proven otherwise," wrote Bottino.

Mike Stewart, son of Norma Stewar '93, is currently serving in Baghdad with the Army.

Brian C. Fessler, 1Lt, USAF is currently serving with the US Army in Iraq at Forward Operating Base Delta, near the city of Kut, Iraq. Pictured is Fessler and one of his translators, Mona. The other picture is of Fessler's room at Forward Operating Base Warhorse, near Baqubah, Iraq.

Captain R. Brett Grayson, B.A. 1999, Political Science, J.D. 2003, and First Lieutenant James Hammill, B.A. 2003, Political Science of the USMC at the weapons range in Al Asad, Iraq.

Major Patrick Ballard '91 (Hotel and Restaurant Administration) is commander of the 455th Maintenance Squadron stationed in Bagran, Afghanistan. With him in the photo is 455th Expeditionary Support Group Commander Col. Terri Lynn Chaney '84, who received a bachelor's in business with a major in marketing. Patrick Ballard's story, written by Denise Horton in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences, will appear in the 2007 Spring issue of "FACS Magazine."

Captain Brent Chastain (’01) currently serves as Detachment Commander with the 3-7 Cavalry Regiment in Baghdad.  You can see in these photos that he aptly represents the Red & Black throughout central and western Iraq.  After serving a tour in South Korea, Iraq has been the next stop for this loyal friend and intrepid soldier.  Brent serves us proudly, still manages to catch the Dawgs on satellite, and is always in the thoughts and prayers of his friends and family.  The photos and support on this page show that not all news from Iraq is bad and that the US involvement is in fact appreciated.  Thank you Brent:  get home soon because you’ve got some catching up to do.  We send our thanks to all of the soldiers and to the University for giving others the opportunity to commend all of these brave men and women.
— Scott Allison '03 and Billy Fletcher '01, '03

I am a '99 graduate with an AB in Criminal Justice. I originally deployed to Okinawa in June of 2004 as part of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit. In August, we got the call to board the USS Essex and head for the Northern Arabian Gulf. We were originally supposed to remain on the boat and just be a reserve force, but in Sept 04 we got off the ship to conduct desert training in Kuwait. Once we completed that, we ended up convoying through Iraq to the Al Asad Airbase to help supplement the forces there. The main unit that was already there was being pulled away to join in the fighting in Fallujah so we took over Security and Support Operations (SASO) for the Al Anbar province, which comprises the majority of western Iraq. Although my unit was supposed to rotate back to Okinawa in Dec 04, we stayed at Al Asad to continue operations in support of the January 05 elections. Once the elections were successfully concluded, we once again made the 550 mile drive back to Kuwait. From there I flew back to Okinawa and ultimately back to Hawaii where I am stationed for the next few months until I go back to Okinawa and who knows where from there.
Sincerely,
— Jason L. Olivet, 1stLt USMC

Hi,
My son, Matthew Bolen, is presently stationed in Baghdad, Iraq. He is a 2nd Lieutenant with the Army's 3rd Infantry Division, Engineering Batallion, from Ft. Benning, Georgia. Matthew graduated from UGA in December, 2001, with a B.S. degree in Geography. I am so very proud of him and all that he is doing for our country, as well as all of the wonderful, dedicated soldiers serving in Iraq. I work at UGA in the Honors Program as an academic advisor. Thank you for this great web site.
— Judy Bolen

On Friday, June 17, 2005, Noah Harris, a 2003 UGA graduate and former captain of the cheerleading squad, was one of three soldiers killed as their Humvee came under fire in Buhriz, Iraq. Harris was an inaugural graduate of the Terry College's Institute for Leadership Advancement and an alumni member of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity and the UGA Alumni Association.
http://onlineathens.com/stories/062005/uga_20050620027.shtml
http://www.ajc.com/news/content/metro/0605/20ugairaq.html

I am the Public Affairs Officer for 2d Force Service Support Group and currently serving in Iraq.

I have come across three UGA graduates in my unit and have attached some personal information on each of them. I have also included some information below on what the FSSG does as a whole. All are from Georgia and still have family there.

I think this is a great story and would make a nice write up in your Alum Magazine. They also have a UGA flag and some UGA memorabilia here, which would make good photos.

Please let me know if you are interested and have questions.

About the UGA Grads in the unit:

Capt. Scott Mabee - Material Readiness Officer
"I ensure that the units within the FSSG have the equipment and supplies required to perform there mission."

Major Andrew Quin Smith - Environmental Compliance Officer
"I am extremely proud and honored to be here representing the U.S. Marine Corps mission to bring stability and freedom to the Iraqi people! I have always had a strong sense of patriotism and duty to protect the rights of those less fortunate."

I am CMSgt Dana Futch serving in the USAF but currently deployed to Karshi Khanabad, Uzbekistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. The picture was taken at our base on 26 April 2005, with myself, Captain Sean Cotter and SSgt Nigel Steakley, two other fellow Georgia boys, in front of the Savannah Air Guard C-130 aircraft. Of course it wasn't complete without the UGA Flag. Just so you know we still follow the bulldogs from this far away. Go Dawgs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

UGA Franklin College of Arts and Sciences Dean Garnett Stokes recently sent T-shirts with Georgia on the front and sent them to a medical platoon stationed in Iraq. She recently recieved the following note:

Garnett,

On behalf of the 2-14 Cavalry Medical Platoon and attached units, I would like to thank you for the generous support you provided my soldiers. In general, receiving packages is the highlight of our day, but something of that magnitude was particularly unexpected. It was a lot of fun to wear a civilian shirt for a few minutes as a group. A couple of guys were from Georgia so we had to suffer through various chants and fight songs during the photo shoot :)

It is always nice to hear that people are following the website and keeping up with our exploits. The last month has been the true test for our medics, and they have performed heroically. As a military physician, this is truly a unique experience and I feel lucky to have such a good group of medics to work with.

I have attached the picture we took with the shirts on. I also have a copy without the text added on. If you want that as well please let me know.

Thanks again for your support. Such acts of generosity keep us feeling connected to our homeland.

I am presently serving as the Staff Judge Advocate with the 506th Air Expeditionary Group at Kirkuk AB, Iraq. I graduated from UGA with an ABJ in 1993 and JD in 1996. I was a proud member of the Phi Kappa Literary Society while I was there.

I have been a member of the Air Force Judge Advocate Corps since my graduation from law school in 1996. I just ran across your website and it made me smile. When I saw CPT Carter raise that flag in Baghdad a year ago, I had no idea I would get my own trip to the sandbox. Iraq is a beautiful place that is full of history. They deserve peace in their life time. Those who serve are hoping to give them that chance.

Friends,

Hope you enjoy the article from GQ at the web site below.

"Mr. Jerry" is one of the guys I went into Baghdad with (the First Team of 12 mentioned in the article). I'm the guy who he refers to as the city manager from Louisiana. Jerry is pulling out of Baghdad this week, and will stay with me for a few days in Amman, Jordan before repatriating to the U.S.

The article is well written and a solid insight into what we (the team that went in last May (2003) face daily.

The last three guys mentioned in the article (Carr, Richard and Jerry) will all be out of Baghdad by the beginning of August. John Mikeljohn and I rejoined forces last Novemeber ('03) as another "first team" to participate in starting the Jordan International Police Training Center (JIPTC). I'm there now working on the mission to train 30,000+ Iraqi's to become police officers.

Thanks for thinking of us... we've worked hard... but there is still so much more to do.

I am a 72 Grad (BA History) and returned from Balad, Iraq on 28 November. I was the Commander of Army Materiel Command Iraq from 12 May until the end of November when I returned to my "normal" job as Commander of Army Materiel Command Forward-Europe in Heidelberg, Germany. I will be retiring on the 31st of July as a Colonel after 30+ years in the United States Army. My plans are to settle down in the Gwinnett or Forsythe County Area and to get UGA season tickets soonest.

Update!

Thanks so much for this great service. You may remember I wrote you from Baghdad and you were so gracious as to include my information on the special Alumni page for those of us serving overseas. I'm now in Jordan, continuing the work as the Provost-Registrar of the Jordanian International Police Training Center outside of Amman, Jordan. We will train over 30,000 Iraqi's to become police officers in the next two years...the immediate benefit being the enhancing of the safety and security of the citizens of Iraqi...and the return home of the men and women who are serving in harm's way in that country.

Best to all..

NEWS ARTICLES ABOUT CAPT. CHRIS CARTER AND COL. DAVID PERKINS
"Soldiers raise University flag"—Red & Black, 4/8/03