Home again
Gallup soldier training Iraqi police

By Leslie Wood
Staff Writer

Gallup resident Staff Sgt. Mike Anderson has been spending the past year in Iraq helping to train the counry's national police force. Anderson is home on leave for a few days of rest and relaxation. [Courtesy Photo]

GALLUP — While between stints in Iraq and Fort Knox, Gallup resident Mike Anderson is on vacation.

It's apparent through his attire shorts, sunglasses, flip flops and a straw hat loosely placed on top of his head. He's not here for the sun, but he does intend to soak up time with his extended family and three little girls before he begins a new phase in his military career.

For the past year, Staff Sgt. Anderson has traveled throughout Iraq with an 11-member Army team that was tasked with equipping the country's national police with the tools they need to one day take over security for their nation.

Anderson specializes in urban combat, rifle marksmanship and technical aspects of battle. During his deployment, he shared those skills with newly recruited members of the Iraqi police. Officers were often recruited from the streets and joined the force to earn money for their families.

"You develop a closeness with the guys you train," Anderson said. "... We trained them 100 percent the best we could."

Despite the language barrier, Americans were able to communicate with Iraqi police officers by using hand gestures and other forms of "charades."

But translators and gestures weren't needed when it came to one topic the opposite sex.

"Oh, women they understand," Anderson said of one of the bonds between the groups.

Anderson said he often interacted with Iraqi residents on a day-to-day basis, but they rarely wanted to talk about military affairs.

"They would talk for hours and hours about their families," he said. " ... Family is a huge deal there."

He said most residents were supportive and friendly.

"You'd see kids running around, waiving and happy to see you."

Anderson communicated with his family in Gallup through letters and the occasional telephone conversation, but longed for conversations about normal battle-free life.

"I always wanted to hear about the day-to-day, routine things like 'did they stub their toe?," he said.

While he missed home, Anderson said he's proud of the work military men and women complete throughout the world.

"When the nation calls on us, that's what we're there for," Anderson said. " ... We defend all the rights everyone likes to have." When Anderson returned to Gallup, he was greeted by a group of family members, some of which he hadn't seen in years.

"There were people I hadn't seen in 16, 17 years," he said.

For the next few days, Anderson will remain in Gallup, but will then report to the army base in Fort Knox, Ky. There, he'll train new soldiers; however, Anderson does plan to return to his hometown one day.

"I'll come back to be mayor," Anderson said. " There's some things I'd like to change."

Laura Cordova, Anderson's mother, said she's thrilled to have her son home.

"My heart was beating so fast when I first saw him," Cordova said. " ... I'm glad he's here and safe."

Cordova is especially proud of her son for receiving the bronze star for his bravery in Iraq.

"He's really made something out of himself," she said.