Wisconsin Veterans Museum

Oral History Interview with Laura Naylor

Wisconsin Veterans Museum

 

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00:00:00 - Part 1 / Introduction

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Partial Transcript: Interviewer: Pretty basic stuff.

Segment Synopsis: Naylor introduces herself and talks briefly about her decision to join the Army and her family's military service, including her brother who was serving in Iraq during the same time she was.

00:02:55 - Deployment and extensions

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Partial Transcript: Interviewer: So tell us about your first experience-- mobilizing for war...

Segment Synopsis: Naylor talks about her initial feeling upon being deployed. She goes on to discuss her reactions, as well as her units' reactions, to having their deployment extended multiple times. She notes that she came to the realization that she is more a civilian than a soldier but also talks about the upsides to service.

00:07:03 - Iraqi culture and interacting with Iraqis

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Partial Transcript: Interviewer: Why don’t you talk about the culture, and being in Iraq?

Segment Synopsis: Naylor discusses Iraqi culture, specifically in regards to technology and freedom. She also talks about interacting with Iraqis during missions. She tells the story of a positive interaction she had with Iraqis on her birthday.

00:10:34 - Women in Iraqi culture / The experience of being a female soldier

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Partial Transcript: Interviewer: What were some of the negative things that you found out--

Segment Synopsis: Naylor discusses how she was treated by Iraqi soldiers and civilians because she was female. She also talks about the unusually high percentage of females in her unit, the 32nd Military Police Company. She also talks about how she dealt with the issue of urination as a female.

00:16:04 - Duties as an MP / Working with Iraqi police officers / Standard missions

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Partial Transcript: Interviewer: Why don’t you tell us about actually working with the Iraqis side by side?

Segment Synopsis: Naylor discusses her job as an MP, including her specific role of interacting with any women who came to the police stations. She also talks about the challenges of working side by side with the Iraqis and the standard missions they would carry out.

00:20:08 - Prisoners and prison conditions / Assessment of Iraqi police

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Partial Transcript: Interviewer: You talked about prisoners, capturing prisoners and things like that.

Segment Synopsis: Naylor discusses her experiences with Iraqi prisoners and describes the conditions of the prison that was a part of the police station where her unit was working. She also talks about circumstances of arrest and her opinions on the quality of the Iraqi police force.

00:24:19 - Police Station bombings (This segment contains some graphic content)

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Partial Transcript: Interviewer: One of the things you mentioned a few minutes ago was about the bombing of the police station.

Segment Synopsis: This segment contains some graphic content.

Naylor discusses the bombing of a police station that her company responded to. She talks about the casualties, including civilians and Iraqi police officers. She also talks about other police stations bombings that took place while she was there as well as bombings she's heard of since she left Iraq.

00:28:48 - Michelle Witmer / Serving with fellow Wisconsin soldiers

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Partial Transcript: Interviewer: Your unit suffered KIAs, correct?

Segment Synopsis: Naylor talks about Michelle Witmer, a soldier from her company who was Killed in Action on April 9, 2004. She explains her loose association with Witmer. Naylor also touches upon the experience of serving with other soldiers from Wisconsin and the strong bond she created with her fellow soldiers.

00:31:03 - Part 2 / The enemy

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Partial Transcript: Interviewer: Talk about the enemy...

Segment Synopsis: Naylor talks about the enemy forces, particularly the fact that they often went unseen. She relates a couple of particular combat situations she was in.

00:33:31 - Experiencing an IED (This segment contains some graphic content)

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Partial Transcript: Interviewer: Go back to that IED explosion that you referred to.

Segment Synopsis: This segment contains some graphic content.

Naylor discusses being in a convoy when another Humvee struck an IED. She talks about the reaction to the explosion and the injuries suffered by those in the vehicle.

00:37:48 - Psychological impact of IEDs and mortars / Types and logistics of IEDs

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Partial Transcript: Interviewer: What was the psychological impact of the IEDs?

Segment Synopsis: Naylor talks about the lasting impact dealing with IEDs and mortars has had on her mental state. She mentions a few memorable close-calls with mortar attacks. She also discusses her knowledge of different varieties of IEDs and the people who made them.

00:42:51 - Combat within Baghdad / Tactics for dealing with guerrilla warfare

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Partial Transcript: Interviewer: We talked a little bit about combat situations and things like that. Can you describe, you know, just the idea of combat within Baghdad itself...

Segment Synopsis: Naylor discusses the diverse nature of combat within the city of Baghdad. She notes the different types of fighting they encountered in different parts of the city and her feelings of inadequacy trying to fight the enemy. She talks about the challenges that come with trying to fight an insurgency.

00:46:17 - Limitations of training / Role as a driver

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Partial Transcript: Interviewer: Do you feel like your training prepared you for—

Segment Synopsis: Naylor talks about the inadequacy of her training in terms of how it prepared her for warfare in Iraq. She also talks about how she was trained for her role as a driver and her responsibilities as a driver in Iraq.

00:49:35 - The story of a particularly rough night in the field

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Partial Transcript: Interviewer: Back to the idea of combat again--

Segment Synopsis: Naylor relates the story of one particular night driving that was especially dangerous and terrifying. It included poor leadership, getting lost en route and feelings of fear and exhaustion.

00:53:11 - Coping strategies / Music / Recreation

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Partial Transcript: Interviewer: How do you recover from a night like that?

Segment Synopsis: Naylor discusses how she found ways to cope with the stress of her deployment, including talking to other soldiers, exercise and music. She talks in some detail about what music she listened to, noting that they did not have music in the Humvees. She also discusses social downtime spent watching TV and movies.

00:57:02 - Public opinion / The media

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Partial Transcript: Interviewer: Talk a little bit about support on the home front.

Segment Synopsis: Naylor talks about home front animosity towards the war and her reaction to it. She also discusses the media portrayal of the conflict and her experience having journalists embedded with her unit.

01:01:46 - Part 3 / Meeting up with brother Joe

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Partial Transcript: Interviewer: Can you talk about when you met your brother once you were over there?

Segment Synopsis: Naylor tells the story of being able to meet up with her brother, Joe, while they were both stationed in Iraq.

01:04:47 - Gender equality in the Army

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Partial Transcript: Interviewer: -- earlier on in the interview, you described yourself as kind of a feminist.

Segment Synopsis: Naylor discusses her feelings about the way men and women are treated and what is expected of them in the Army. She mentions her goals to achieve equality and break gender stereotypes.

01:08:44 - Equipment / Weather

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Partial Transcript: Interviewer: --there’s a famous quote that our former Secretary of Defense used, Mr. Donald Rumsfeld, and he said, “You go to war with the army you have, not the one you want.”

Segment Synopsis: Naylor discusses the inadequacy of the equipment they were given during the conflict, including vehicles and body armor. She also talks about the weather in Iraq and how she dealt with it.

01:14:06 - Struggles readjusting to life Stateside

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Partial Transcript: Interviewer: You briefly touched on it earlier, but can you talk about your readjustment to what life at home...

Segment Synopsis: Naylor discusses her initial trouble re-acclimating to life after coming home from Iraq. She talks about a panic attack she had while in Sergeant's school due to memories of Iraq. She also mentions how she sought help to cope with these issues and how it continues to affect her in the present.

01:19:01 - Reflections on moving forward in Iraq / Getting a broader perspective from soldiers

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Partial Transcript: Interviewer: Okay, I ask this of everybody, but we have a fancy version, which is, reflect on your feelings about the conflict.

Segment Synopsis: Naylor gives her opinion on how she thinks the conflict should be handled moving forward. She also recommends that anyone wanting to learn more needs to talk to multiple people and hear a variety of stories and perspectives.