|
|
August 22, 2003/Av 24 5763, Vol. 55, No. 52
Iraqi War veteran homecoming
Family, friends celebrate, nosh with Nathan Brownstein
BARRY COHEN
Editor
Nathan Brownstein, left, talks with Rabbi Ernie Michel, who later offered a prayer of thanks for Brownstein's safe return from military service in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Photo by Barry Cohen
|
With a welcome home party on Aug. 10, family and friends celebrated Nathan Brown-stein's safe return from Operation Iraqi Freedom.
He had no idea that nearly 40 people would gather at the Scottsdale location of Chompie's to celebrate his homecoming.
"I know this is hard for him to accept. That's tough - I'm the mom," says Rhonna Bolton, Nathan's mother.
One of the guests was Justice Michael Ryan, who has known Nathan all his life. Bolton first met Ryan more than 10 years ago, when she served on one of his juries.
"It's been fun watching him grow up and mature," says Ryan. When Nathan joined the Army, his mother confided in the judge, and he reassured her that everything would work out, recalls Ryan.
"Knowing Nathan and his mother, and having seen him grow up and what he has done for the country and how he has conducted himself - he has grown up to be a real stud," says Ryan.
Nathan Brownstein, an E-4 specialist, had served in the Army for four years before taking part in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
He entered Iraq during the first day of the war last March as a fuel hauler for the third infantry division, mechanized infantry, he notes. He did not leave Iraq until June 7.
Nathan had been living on MREs (meals ready to eat) for nine months, notes Robert Bolton, Nathan's step- father. "He lost 30 pounds."
When Wendy Tucker, friends of Robert and Rhonna and Chompie's executive vice president, heard that Nathan was missing so many of his favorite foods, she decided to plan a welcome home party.
"I think it is a blessing that Nathan has come home safely," says Tucker. "I'm very thankful for what he has done for us and for our country."
At the celebration, Robert presented Nathan with a book including 200 messages of thanks.
When determining what gift to give Nathan on his return, his family decided to ask both strangers and people who knew him to express support for Nathan and the troops serving in Iraq, explains Robert.
In time, the book included messages from Scottsdale Mayor Mary Man-ross, Rep. J.D. Hayworth, military personnel, Rob-ert's co-workers at Motorola, among others.
Robert noted that Nathan's military service carries on family tradition.
"My father was a World War II veteran" who served with Gen. George S. Patton's Special Forces, says Robert. "And my uncle was in Patton's 3rd Army, armored tank division."
Robert says he would have served in Vietnam, but his draft number was the next to last selected before the conflict ended.
Bolton says she sees Nathan as a hero for his decision to serve in the Army and fight in Iraq.
"He doesn't see himself as a hero, but he is," she notes. "I see everybody over there as heroes, those who are still there ... those who have given their lives," she adds.
The welcome home party was a way of expressing thanks and appreciation, she says.
Also at the celebration were Rabbi Ernie Michel and Sheriff Joe Arpaio.
"You personify all the young people in this country .... that are fighting to keep this nation safe," says Arpaio. "If you want to be a deputy sheriff, we'll be glad to have you."
Rabbi Robert Kravitz noted that Nathan's safe return is a "shehechiyanu moment," a time to give thanks.
"I think this is a wonderful opportunity for friends to come together and celebrate with a guy who has really been through a hell of a lot," says Kravitz. "He has ex-perienced in his short life a lot more violence ... a lot more suffering and pain, as well as the elation of coming home."
Nathan, whose father is Israeli, says he hopes next to become a military Hebrew linguist.
"I know some Hebrew already, and I want to be stationed in the embassy in Israel," he says.
"If not that, I want to try to go to flight school and fly Apaches."
Contact the writer at barry_cohen@jewishaz.com.
|
