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Story by Susan O'Connor, Photos By Dero Sanford

As we contemplate the Fourth of July holiday and our freedom as Americans, it is important to remember that our men and women in the armed forces are still making sacrifices around the world, particularly in Iraq and Afghanistan. We are still a country at war.

Every single soldier deserves commendation. Each has a valuable story to tell. Capt. Tim Dean of Jonesboro is no exception. He has served his country well.

A soldier’s story
The alert to active duty came in February 2006. It would forever change the lives of the soldiers of the 875th Engineer Battalion.

“I got a phone call from the company,” Dean said, “and my heart skipped a beat.”

His wife, Ashley, was in disbelief. Their daughter, Evie Claire, was just two months shy of her first birthday.

“The day we got the call that Tim was going to Iraq, it was as if time literally stood still,” Ashley said. “I couldn’t get past the news to even imagine how I was going to get through the next 18 months. All plans for the future as we knew it suddenly came to a screeching halt. We had just received news earlier in the week that my mom had been diagnosed with lung cancer. I honestly felt like the world was crumbling around me. I needed to be strong for both my mom and Tim, as well as Evie Claire, but I didn’t have a clue how I would do it. I can honestly say that prayer is what got me through it all.”

Dean, a 1999 graduate of Arkansas State University, made the decision to sell his business, Do Group Systems, which was an office furniture manufacturing company. The business sold right before his deployment.

“My wife had to finalize that sale,” he said. “It put her under stress right under the gun.”

The decision also left the family with another uncertainty — Tim’s employment when he returned.

After several months of training at Fort McCoy, Wisc., the deployment day finally arrived. The 875th was headed to Iraq.

“The day came for him to get back on the bus,” Ashley said. “This time it was for real. This time we might not see him again. I just sent my husband off to war. Then, the reality of the war I was fighting with my mom at home set in. We left straight from the drop off at ASU and I took her for round one of chemo.”

Dean’s initial role in Iraq was as platoon leader for the 131st Engineer Company of Vermont. He would lead this group of soldiers in one of the most harrowing jobs in the war — route clearance.

“We were tasked with predicting what the enemy would do next with the IED (Improvised Explosive Device),” Dean said. “It was our daily routine to go outside the wire and protect our comrades in the theatre of operations. Some days were relatively quiet, some were very stressful. Every bomb we found saved a soldier’s life.”

“We identified Tim as a strong enough leader to handle this role,” said Maj. Michael Henderson, AO of the 875th. “He is a very calm leader and he was able to maintain a clear head no matter what was going on around him. Even with everything that was going on in his personal life.”

“I remember the first time I went out,” Dean recalled. “They said, ‘You are going outside the wire, and you are going to be in the first vehicle.’ I was pretty stressed about that.”

That night, there was a “brown out, or dust out” and visibility was impossible. The mission was called off. But Dean and his men were on tap for the same mission the next night.

“My platoon held bragging rights for the first 60 days. We didn’t get hit. But 60 days out, we finally got hit. Everything stopped. Time stopped. Everyone went into a frenzy checking for injuries. But nobody got hurt. The guys were pretty shook up. You never forget that feeling.”

Dean had a special camaraderie with the men under his command. He was an enlisted soldier for eight years prior to being commissioned an officer.
“I’m a more seasoned soldier,” he said. “I’ve seen both sides of the fence. I think the soldiers respect me more and respond to me because I’ve been in their shoes. I’ve been in that leafy vehicle.”

Dean noted that the younger soldiers were less nervous, more ready to hit the road. Men with wives and families were much less ready to face the risks. He said he tried to shield Ashley from the reality of his mission.

“I told her I was just sitting behind a desk most of the time. We tried to shield each other. She told me everything was fine at home. It kind of worked both ways.”

During those first few months in Iraq, the Deans received a wonderful surprise. Ashley was pregnant with their son, Zaniel.

“Tim called home one day and I asked him when the soonest we could get leave scheduled would be,” Ashley said. “He thought I was just anxious. I then informed him that he would need to be home in June to witness the birth of our baby. I could tell he was happy, scared and sad all at the same time. He knew that I was home with a one-year-old baby, a sick mother, a new job and a husband at war. He was so worried about me. I assured him all was well and God sent us this baby for a reason.”

In February 2007, Dean was transferred to the 875th Engineering Battalion staff, where he worked for Lt. Col. Corey Seats, who is now battalion commander. He was assigned to the S3 (operations) section as the fusion coordination officer. There, he coordinated the movement of the companies throughout the theatre of operations and aided in the planning of joint operations for 875th companies. Dean provided information to the commanders to aide in their decision making process in planning the attacks for their combat patrols.

According to Henderson, this was a crucial role, and one that is very unusual for a first lieutenant, Dean’s rank at the time.

“Tim maintains his cool and composure and gets the job done — so much so that we pulled him into the battalion staff,” Henderson said. “He had a direct role in coordinating the efforts of 12 platoons. “It’s a reflection of the confidence the commanders have in Tim. I can’t tell you how unusual it is that Tim was chosen for this position. His maturity, his mental agility — not many people can function at that level. He did a good enough job that they sent him to a remote outpost in Kalsu in support of the surge operations. He coordinated the preparation of the battlefield and necessary infrastructure for soldiers in the surge to come in. He synchronized the efforts of the engineers. He was the spokesperson for the 875th.”

Kalsu was a remote outpost that lacked a U.S. military presence at the time. The area was prone to mortar attacks, and phone access was almost non-existent. After four weeks in Kalsu, Dean was reassigned to a post in the 3rd Infantry Division in Baghdad to fulfill his tour of duty. Shortly after he left Kalsu, the mess hall tent there took a hit.

“They were sitting there eating chow in the same place where I sat just days before. Several took shrapnel. That was pretty tough. I knew those men so well,” Dean said.

Then, Ashley’s mother, Nancy Hall, lost her battle with cancer. Tim was granted seven days leave. It was a time when Ashley said her husband literally “held her up” during the funeral and visitation. She said she couldn’t have made it without him. But going back to Iraq after being with his family was excruciating.

“That was a whirlwind week,” he said. “Every time you come home, it gets harder. If that hadn’t happened, if we weren’t expecting a child, I don’t know if I would have even come home. It makes it that much harder.”

Dean also had leave scheduled in June to be present for his baby’s birth. But Zaniel had his own plan. Ashley went into labor on May 22, 2007, and the birth was imminent.

“Tim called me so many times I was ready to pull my hair out. He was scared for me and kept saying, ‘I can get home. Surely they can do something till I can get there.’”

“Luckily, my daddy was there to be with me during the C-section. It all happened so fast. All my girlfriends were right there waiting in the window. The treatment I got at the hospital was unbelievable. Those nurses knew my situation and treated me like I was part of their family. I will never forget them. When Tim called the next morning, we had a new baby boy, 7 lb, 15 ounces and 21 inches long. It was May 22 in Iraq, so he still thinks his birthday is May 22.”

Dean met his son on his originally scheduled leave for the birth in June 2007.
“This time when Tim went back it was easier because time was counting down,” Ashley said. “It wasn’t long after he left to go back that we started planning his welcome home party.”

Dean’s service has been recognized with several awards – the Bronze Star, the Combat Action Badge and the Army Commendation Medal. All are prestigious awards. The Bronze star is the fourth-highest award for bravery, heroism and meritorious service in the U.S. Armed Forces.

The success of the 875th’s mission is clear to the men who served.

“Our military has been key in sustaining operations in Iraq,” Dean said proudly. “They put their lives on the line for their fellow soldiers, fighting against Al-Quaeda, and supporting the Iraqi citizens in protection of themselves.

“During my time as liaison officer at the 3rd Infantry Division, several brigades throughout the Multi-National Center in Iraq had programs established which were self-sustainment operations. They developed programs for local citizens to protect their areas and aide the military in prevention so the new Iraqi government could move forward. This was a key part of this great turning point in the war. The engineers helped lead the way into areas that we had little control over.”

The safety of home and family, however, is the emotional reason for service to this country.

“Remembering what we initially entered this war for is what the soldiers do this for. It is for not only the citizens of Iraq, but for our wives, daughters, sons, mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters and family members back home. We were in Iraq to prevent the threat of terrorism to become a possibility of entering the U.S. borders again.”

At present, Dean is an engineer for Garlock Rubber Technologies in Paragould, thanks in part to his wife’s ingenuity. As time drew closer to the 875th coming home, she began to post his resume on the net, i.e. monster.com.

“The human resource manager, Tom Orler, contacted my wife and requested a contact number for me. He conducted an interview by phone and said, ‘I would like to meet with you upon your return.’ About two days after I returned home, Tom called again and wanted to arrange a formal interview. I was hired. Talk about a boost, since I did not know what I was going to do upon my return. I thank my wife for this good fortune. She is the real hero in my eyes. I am thankful to have such a woman in my life, who is willing to stand by you through all this.”

What you can do to help local soldiers

To support our local soldiers currently serving in Iraq, the Beck PRIDE Center for combat wounded veterans at Arkansas State University is joining the efforts of area veterans and service organizations by collecting personal and convenience items for the Arkansas National Guard members of the 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team. Volunteers will collect items and process and package them on Friday, July 11, at the ASU Armory between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Volunteers are needed. For more information, or to volunteer, contact Susan Tonymon at (870) 972-2624 or stonymon@astate.edu.

Suggested items:
Personal care items
Antibacterial soaps (unscented), medicated foot powder, body powder, sunscreen and Chapstick, shower shoes, shoe/boot comfort inserts, cotton socks (white), tissue and wet wipes, For female soldiers: feminine hygiene products

Foods
Microwavable popcorn, beef jerky, trail mix, powdered/flavored drink mixes, hard candy (individually wrapped), freezer pops (Pop-Ice)

Miscellaneous
Gloves (Black, all sizes), sunglasses (black/dark, no trim), bug repellant, batteries, Zip-lock bags, CDs, DVDs (encased), books, Frisbees, water squirt guns, playing cards, note cards, paper, envelopes, stamps

For Iraqi children
Coloring books/colored pencils, balls, dolls and soft toys