Hello, My name is PFC Jonathan A. Ramirez with the United States Army. I wanted to share a Great story that I experienced during a mission In the province of Karbala in Iraq. It was a Wild day and I will NEVER forget the time I was Patched, "S.W.A.T". It started as a normal day, (if there is such a thing.) Get up, shave, shower, and get ready for the upcoming mission. I'm the lead vehicle driver for every patrol that my platoon gets tasked out for. So being the driver, my gunner and my self go out to the trucks long before we start patrol (SP) and prep the truck. Gas, Clean windows, Set up Coms with the other vehicles, and then we wait. Pretty normal. Then we get a mission Brief and were off. Into the streets of Iraq. A jungle. Our mission was to escort civilian personnel to a location and provide security for them while they conduct their business.
We come to the Destination, line the trucks up for 360Degrees security. Our dismounts and civilians dismount and they go into the building. There was Iraqi Police (IP) and Iraqi Army (IA) in the area. The Gunners and Drivers job is to stay with the vehicle and monitor the radio. Keep the vehicle running because all the electronics wear and drain the batteries rapidly if the truck is not running. While sitting in the vehicle, we have conversations. Some about family, Wives, kids, civilian days, home, things of that sort. I asked our medic that had come in my truck for the ride, "Doc, you like football"?
"I like the Rams" he replied.
"When you say Rams, you mean RAIDERS RIGHT"?! I chuckled. I knew he was From St. Louis. I just wanted to give him a hard time. "I LOVE the Rams"! he shouted quickly. "Not as much as I LOVE MY RAIDERS"! "You ever been to a Rams game doc"? "No I've never gotten around to it. I want to but I've never been". he said "YOU CALL YOURSELF A FAN"?!? I stated anxiously. "HAVE YOU EVER BEEN TO A RAIDERS GAME"? Doc screamed back at me. "Please, I've been to so many Raiders games I lost count. I once went to six home games to watch my boys play! That was the year they went to the super bowl and played in San Diego against the Bucks! I didn't make it to SD for the Super Bowl but I did make the AFC championship game in Oakland against the Titans! My boys worked Tennessee! SMASHED THEM! The Crowd was SO SO SO LOUD! It gives me the chills just thinking about it! You cant call yourself a fan until you go to the games!" "You used to live in Oakland"? Doc asked.
"Sacramento, its a two hour drive but when you love your team, its well worth it"! "You Sure are a fan if you drive two hours one way to watch a game". "Damn Right DOC! If the game is scheduled for, lets say, 1900hrs, I would leave my house at latest by 1200hrs so we can get there and tailgate. That's the BEST PART DOC! BBQ, a few drinks, throwing the football, mingling with the fellow RAIDER NATION, buying shirts and hats. That's what its about! Being in the atmosphere of the Silver and Black"! By this time I'm running back memories of good times I've had in Oakland and then my gunner says, "Ramirez, check it out, that IP is wearing a Raiders patch"! My mind was blown and I said anxiously "WHERE"!!! "Right there! 9 o'clock"! he said. As I franticly scanned for the distinctive patch, I saw it. "OH MAN! HEY HEY COME HERE"! I yelled as I was getting out of the truck. I was so excited that I startled him. He started walking over unsure of what was going on or if he had done something wrong. He was a middle aged man. He had Blue and White Digital Army Combat Uniform on. Wielding his weapon at the low ready. I greeted him with my eyes locked on his shoulder Raiders Patch. "Hello, I like the Raiders" I said. He had a confused facial expression not knowing what I was talking about. I pointed at the Raiders patch on his right arm, "Raiders! GOOD"! Throwing up a thumbs up and a smile. "Ohh! You like"? He said with a strong Iraqi accent. "Yes, do you have two"? As I gestured two fingers and pointed at the patch. "Two, Patch" I stated. Wishing he would say yes.
He shook his head in reply. My Heart sank. He uttered a word that I didn't catch at first. "S.W.A.T"! He said. I stood there and tried to process what he was trying to tell me. "S.W.A.T" he said again this time pointing to the patch. I was at a loss for words because excuse my language but that's even MORE BAD ASS! They were using the Raiders shield as an insignia to represent his Squad on the S.W.A.T. team! I HAD TO HAVE IT! "Ill Give you money" I said. "Money"? he asked. "Yes"! I said excitement in my voice. He opened his chest pocket and pulled out a wad of Dinar. He Put his hands out offering It to me. "NO"! I said pushing his money back to him. "I give YOU money for patch" Pointing at myself to him while pulling out my wallet. "NO" he stated with a serious tone. Scrunched eyebrows. Pushing my wallet down. I was at a stand still. That patch was going to walk out of my life FOREVER! He looked at me for a second, and he rips the velcro patch off. "Free" he said extending his arm, patch in hand. "No, Let me give you money"! I said bringing my wallet back up. "NO! FREE!" he said again.
I took the patch from his hand and I examined it with disbelief. My gunner SPC Emard was right there the whole time, he was tripping out! This was SO COOL! What are the odds of this happening. He has no clue why I'm making such a big deal of this patch. I take my combat patch off of my right shoulder and immediately he snatches the Raiders patch out of my hand. He came to my side, slowly brought it up to my shoulder and then quickly punched the patch onto my shoulder! It fit perfectly. "S.W.A.T" he shouted nodding his head at me. "S.W.A.T" I replied amazed and blown away from what just happened. I still had my unit combat patch representing 172inf Brigade B 1-77 Field Artillery. I looked at my patch and then looked at his empty shoulder where his patch used to be. It was my only patch that I had but I remembered that it was his only patch that he kindly gave to me. I motioned him to turn a little so I can patch him with my combat patch, but he was hesitant. I wasn't going to let him leave until he accepted my gift. He turned and I placed the patch on his arm. "Friend" I said to him. He looked at me and the patch and then back at me and with a PROUD expression, he nodded and said, "Friend".
He saluted me, I snapped to attention, and saluted him, and he went on his way! I did a happy dance in full battle rattle and jumped back into my truck. I didn't take the patch off until we returned back to the FOB. To me its a Priceless War trophy. It has so much more meaning to me because I truly Love the Raiders. The last game I made it to was I believe 08Aug08 for the Pre-Season opener as the Nation would call the "Battle of the BAY"! It was one of my last few days in the states because I was finishing my leave and flying to Germany. I saw my chance to catch a game and I took it! I had a blast! Now that I live in Germany its a little hard to watch the games. Which hurts me a lot.
But I'm doing what I have to do for my family and my country. Thank you for reading this story. I hope I didn't make it to long. I just wanted to paint a picture. I hope I did just that. This is something that I can pass down to my son when he gets of age to appreciate what it represents. Two soldiers from two completely different backgrounds coming together in a time of war sharing this experience with each other thanks to my boys. The OAKLAND RAIDERS! Just Win BABY! I still have a while to go before I finish this tour but ill be coming home late April early May for R&R. Thank you again.
Raiders fan
