Cowley College student serving country while taking classes

Jenny Sarchet
University Wire
12-27-2004
(The Cowley Press) (U-WIRE) ARKANSAS CITY, Kan. -- Private First Class Erin West spent nine months in Iraq as a combat medic taking care of wounded soldiers under some of the most stressful situations imaginable. During that time she was also taking online classes from Cowley College.

"Taking classes in Iraq wasn't too difficult even with the unreliable Internet and stressful situations, because my teachers were so supportive," West said. "They worked with me so that I would reach success."

West added that being in Iraq was also an opportunity for her to learn. "I experienced a completely different culture and its people," she said. "Even though it was a war zone, I walked away with a greater sense of pride and people."

West left for Fort Leonardwood for basic training in February of 2003. Then she went to basic training at Fort Sam Houston. After she completed all the training, she was stationed at Fort Bliss in the 31st Combat Support Hospital. West was deployed to Iraq on Jan. 7 and returned on Sept. 29.

West is a graduate of Mulvane High School, where she graduated in May of 2001.

"I didn't always want to go into the Army," West said. "I just reached a point where the Army was the best choice for me to make at the time."

After deciding the Army was her best choice, West contacted the Distance Education Center at Cowley College.

"In Iraq I absolutely loved my job. The conditions weren't great and it was stressful, but I loved taking care of people," West said. "The feelings it gave me made me want to keep on with my education so that I could get my degree and be able to do more in nursing."

While in Iraq she was stationed at Camp Anaconda. It is a large base approximately 50 miles north of Baghdad. She worked there at a field hospital that operated and took care of American soldiers, detainees, Iraqi civilians, and coalition forces. During her service there, her group provided nursing care to over 1,000 patients.

West will graduate this December with an associate's degree. She is now stationed at Fort Bliss. She would like to continue on with a nursing program at the University of Texas in El Paso this spring or next fall.


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