John Crawford

John Crawford was newly married and two credits away from
completing a B.A. in anthropology at Florida State
University when he was sent to Iraq. He thought he was
finished with his soldiering days after completing a stint
with the Army's famed 101st Airborne Division, and his
National Guard service was little more than an
afterthought. Crawford and his National Guard unit crossed
into Iraq on the first day of the invasion. Baghdad fell
more quickly than anyone had planned, and while most of the
soldiers involved with the invasion were sent home,
Crawford's National Guard unit stayed to patrol the city
for more than a year. Crawford now lives in Florida, where
he is completing his degree and writing. He no longer has
any affiliation with the Army.