Will Newton and Alletta Cooper

Recorded June 14, 2021 46:11 minutes
0:00 / 0:00
Id: ddv000840

Description

StoryCorps facilitator Alletta Cooper (38) talks with veteran Will Newton (28) about enlisting in the military, his time in Afghanistan, and his experience surviving a rocket attack.

Subject Log / Time Code

Will (W) shares why he enlisted in the military. He says he enlisted in the infantry army. in July of 2011 and left for basic training in January of 2012.
W talks about basic training in Fort Benning, Georgia “It’s not a fun time,” he says. W says everyday it sucked and he questioned his choice.
W says his parents wanted him to be an artist. He shares they did not want him to enlist in the army. Will shares he enlisted in the army in secret.
W explains that he got recycled in week eight of basic training meaning he had to go back with another unit and re-do basic training for three weeks.
W talks about his first deployment to Afghanistan in 2013. W recalls a “hug lady” who hugged every soldiers getting on a flight from Fort Bennington for nearly 20 years.
W describes what it was like being attacked in Bagram, Afghanistan.
W details an incident on Sept 26th, 2013 when he was hit by a rocket.
W talks about how the attack changed him. He shares that prior to the attack he was fairly fluent in English and German with a good understanding of Spanish, French, and German. W says he also knew how to play piano and the guitar. He says that since the attack he can’t play any instrument, his language skills are gone, he is distracted much easier than he was, and he can’t count. W shares that amazingly, he did not develop PTSD from the event.
W says he didn’t join the military out of patriotism but he learned a lot about people.

Participants

  • Will Newton
  • Alletta Cooper

Partnership

Partnership Type

Outreach