"After 9/11 just about everyone who wore a uniform wanted to do something, anything in order to have a part in what was going on." (Memoir, page 2)

Dean Baratta

Dean Baratta, Afghanistan [n.d.] War: Afghan War, 2001- Branch: Army Unit: 1st Brigade, 8th Infantry Division; 213th Area Support Group, Pennsylvania Army National Guard Service Location: Fort Dix, New Jersey; Mainz, Germany; Bagram, Afghanistan Rank: Sergeant First Class

Dean Baratta first joined the Army as an intelligence analyst in 1986, and was stationed in Germany at the tail end of the Cold War. After his initial four-year enlistment, he then spent four years out of the military, during which time he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science. Baratta joined the National Guard in 1995 when he realized that--much to his surprise--he missed the Army. After the attacks of September 11, 2001 he was determined to contribute, and volunteered to help guard airports. In June 2003 his unit from the Pennsylvania National Guard was deployed to Afghanistan, where they were responsible for base operations at Bagram Air Base. While in Afghanistan, Baratta endured the loss of a close friend, and experienced the frustrations of trying to ensure security at Bagram while simultaneously navigating local politics.