Managing editor
Imagine being a young husband and anticipating the arrival of your first son. Now imagine being thousands of miles away from home — serving your country in Afghanistan.
This was Eric Smith a few weeks ago. The former Marion resident and 2003 Marion High School graduate returned to his El Dorado home Dec. 3, after serving 11 months in Afghanistan.
The Army Reserve Specialist, who has served three years in the military, was able to come home on leave in May to spend time with his family, including his wife, Krystle.
The couple is expecting their child in February.
While serving overseas, Smith worked in finance — handling and dispersing Afghani and U.S. funds and resolving pay problems with U.S. troops.
“We were responsible for contract payments for rebuilding projects,” he said. “Everything went through our office.”
The young soldier was responsible for several millions of dollars. Smith served in a detachment with the finance office located at a base.
Even though he wasn’t a combat soldier, Smith was in harm’s way when he served as a member of a team that took money to soldiers in combat.
“I traveled quite a bit,” Smith said. “I spent a lot of time living out of suitcases.”
The group flew or traveled in convoys.
“Combat soldiers had enough to worry about without having to be concerned about their finances,” Smith said. “We provided peace of mind by giving soldiers cash so they could buy what they needed from locals.”
Tobacco products and phone cards were the most common purchases.
Smith will remember this deployment — his first — for many reasons.
“The people in this country haven’t known anything but war for the past 30 years,” he said.
Smith is proud to be part of the rebuilding process in Afghanistan including the construction of schools.
Most of the transactions were through electronic funds — transferred to banks — because it was safer, less expensive, and the U.S. could monitor where it went.
Working with local contractors was enjoyable for Smith.
“These people seemed to enjoy and appreciate American soldiers,” he said.
Although Smith was not a combat soldier, he earned a combat action badge for assisting combat soldiers. He saw his share of tragedy; he was located near a medical evaluation hospital.
“We saw helicopters bringing in soldiers all of the time,” he said.
Smith’s civilian job as a prison guard at El Dorado Prison helped him prepare for the deployment.
“I had to learn to be flexible,” Smith said.
Now that he’s home, Smith doesn’t anticipate being deployed again for two to three years.
“I’m not as concerned about going,” he said, “because I know what to expect.”
Smith’s group will be heading to Iraq in the coming months but without him.
“They asked for volunteers,” he said. “I didn’t volunteer because of my son. I want to be around for a while after he’s born.”
While in Afghanistan, Smith was amazed at the bond between soldiers in his detachment.
“I got really close to these people,” he said. “They become like my family.”
Some of the everyday things Smith missed included being able to drive.
“We walked everywhere on the base,” he said. “And it was a big base.”
Smith also grew tired of having to walk in full uniform to another building for a meal or to take a shower or brush his teeth.
“I missed the little things like having a bathroom where we lived,” he said. “I also got tired of the food. We had a lot of fried food — a lot of chicken.”
When members of his detachment returned to the states, they enjoyed an authentic Mexican meal.
“That tasted really good,” Smith said.
Smith is happy to be back home.
Originally, his detachment was to return by Thanksgiving Day but it was delayed.
“In the military, you never know when things are delayed,” he said. “I figured I would be home in time for Christmas but you just never know.
“I’m really glad to be home in time for the birth of my son,” Smith said. “That’s the most important thing.”