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Far from home
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| Submitted photo by Cpl. Tyler B. Barstow Lance Cpl. Regina Everts provides security at a search point in Kabani, Iraq, on March 18, as women and children get medical treatment. |
Local woman is an intelligence specialist in Iraq
By STEVE KADEL
H&N Staff Writer
A 19-year-old Klamath Falls woman is serving in Iraq as a Marine intelligence specialist whose job is to make maps for military operations.
Lance Cpl. Regina M. Everts, who attended Klamath Union High School for two years, is on a year-long deployment at Camp Taqaddum about 50 miles west of Baghdad. It’s a former Iraqi air base now occupied by several branches of the U.S. military.
Everts arrived at the base in mid-January and will be there until February 2009. Meanwhile, she’s far away from her Marine husband, Brock Everts, who is stationed in California.
“We pretty much accept it,” Regina said of being apart. “There’s not much we can do about it.”
Everts’ primary duty — making maps — often requires leaving camp to research villages’ elevations, prominent buildings, and other details.
Despite the occasional travel, Everts has never come under fire and has not had to discharge her weapon.
Working with women
She says the most fulfilling duty comes when she and other female Marines visit Iraqi women to build relationships and boost U.S. favor in the country. That can’t happen until the ruling emir of a village orders the men out of their houses, freeing the Iraqi women to speak.
“They wouldn’t talk if the men were there,” Everts said. “That’s their culture.”
Once alone with female soldiers, though, the local women open up. They serve tea, and discuss their problems and things they need.
“It gives Iraqi women a voice they may not otherwise have,” Everts said.
She also helps provide security while Iraqi women and children receive medical care in the villages. She says they have learned to trust American soldiers.
“The kids love Beanie Babies and candy,” Everts said. “The kids all want chocolate. I bring shampoo and lotions for the women, and they get real excited. The older women love lotion — they think it’s the coolest thing ever.”
“They (women) are very friendly because you are just there to help and not to cause problems.”
While it’s relatively easy to make friends with women and children, things aren’t as simple when it comes to men. Everts said male Iraqi soldiers will talk to her, but other men are aloof.
“Men in the villages won’t talk to me,” she said. “It’s part of their culture about women. We won’t approach them unless they approach us first. If they extend their hand first, then it’s OK to talk.”
Everts said conditions appear to be improving for the Iraqis.
“The villages now get water from a lake, but we’ve done a lot to clean the lake so the water is better,” she said.
Soldiers at Camp Taqaddum live in the equivalent of small trailers.
“You have a roommate,” Everts said. “There’s a pretty good PX here. There’s a tent with pool tables, ping pong tables, and they have movies. The base where we stay is pretty secure, it’s pretty safe.”
Everts will have about a year left in the Marines after her deployment ends. She will go back to Camp Pendleton in California when her work in the desert is finished.
However, she might return to Iraq someday.
“I’m looking at working for the government as a civilian contractor doing mapping and intelligence work,” Everts said.
Military service a tradition for local family
Lance Cpl. Regina Everts is just one of Paul and Anita Beger’s children who is serving in the military.
Marine Aaron Beger has completed his deployment at Camp Fallujah, Iraq, and is now stationed in Japan. Marine Andrew Beger is stationed in California, and Nathan Beger has retired from the Marines and is living in Klamath Falls.
Meanwhile, 2007 Klamath Union High School graduate Amanda Beger recently completed U.S. Naval basic training in Great Lakes, Ill.
Anita Beger said she and her husband, who live in Klamath Falls, are “really patriotic” and support all U.S. troops regardless of military branch. She said Regina’s brothers served as role models.
“As she saw her older brothers go into the military, it really got her excited,” Anita said. “They’ve always been the type of people who would help anyone. She saw a way to help and wanted to do it.”
The family also includes KU junior Brian Beger and KU sophomore Rebekah Beger.
Lance Cpl. Regina M. Everts, who attended Klamath Union High School for two years, is on a year-long deployment at Camp Taqaddum about 50 miles west of Baghdad. It’s a former Iraqi air base now occupied by several branches of the U.S. military.
Everts arrived at the base in mid-January and will be there until February 2009. Meanwhile, she’s far away from her Marine husband, Brock Everts, who is stationed in California.
“We pretty much accept it,” Regina said of being apart. “There’s not much we can do about it.”
Everts’ primary duty — making maps — often requires leaving camp to research villages’ elevations, prominent buildings, and other details.
Despite the occasional travel, Everts has never come under fire and has not had to discharge her weapon.
Working with women
She says the most fulfilling duty comes when she and other female Marines visit Iraqi women to build relationships and boost U.S. favor in the country. That can’t happen until the ruling emir of a village orders the men out of their houses, freeing the Iraqi women to speak.
“They wouldn’t talk if the men were there,” Everts said. “That’s their culture.”
Once alone with female soldiers, though, the local women open up. They serve tea, and discuss their problems and things they need.
“It gives Iraqi women a voice they may not otherwise have,” Everts said.
She also helps provide security while Iraqi women and children receive medical care in the villages. She says they have learned to trust American soldiers.
“The kids love Beanie Babies and candy,” Everts said. “The kids all want chocolate. I bring shampoo and lotions for the women, and they get real excited. The older women love lotion — they think it’s the coolest thing ever.”
“They (women) are very friendly because you are just there to help and not to cause problems.”
While it’s relatively easy to make friends with women and children, things aren’t as simple when it comes to men. Everts said male Iraqi soldiers will talk to her, but other men are aloof.
“Men in the villages won’t talk to me,” she said. “It’s part of their culture about women. We won’t approach them unless they approach us first. If they extend their hand first, then it’s OK to talk.”
Everts said conditions appear to be improving for the Iraqis.
“The villages now get water from a lake, but we’ve done a lot to clean the lake so the water is better,” she said.
Soldiers at Camp Taqaddum live in the equivalent of small trailers.
“You have a roommate,” Everts said. “There’s a pretty good PX here. There’s a tent with pool tables, ping pong tables, and they have movies. The base where we stay is pretty secure, it’s pretty safe.”
Everts will have about a year left in the Marines after her deployment ends. She will go back to Camp Pendleton in California when her work in the desert is finished.
However, she might return to Iraq someday.
“I’m looking at working for the government as a civilian contractor doing mapping and intelligence work,” Everts said.
Military service a tradition for local family
Lance Cpl. Regina Everts is just one of Paul and Anita Beger’s children who is serving in the military.
Marine Aaron Beger has completed his deployment at Camp Fallujah, Iraq, and is now stationed in Japan. Marine Andrew Beger is stationed in California, and Nathan Beger has retired from the Marines and is living in Klamath Falls.
Meanwhile, 2007 Klamath Union High School graduate Amanda Beger recently completed U.S. Naval basic training in Great Lakes, Ill.
Anita Beger said she and her husband, who live in Klamath Falls, are “really patriotic” and support all U.S. troops regardless of military branch. She said Regina’s brothers served as role models.
“As she saw her older brothers go into the military, it really got her excited,” Anita said. “They’ve always been the type of people who would help anyone. She saw a way to help and wanted to do it.”
The family also includes KU junior Brian Beger and KU sophomore Rebekah Beger.
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Kevin wrote on Apr 6, 2008 8:07 PM:
Thanks for your service and sacrifice. God bless. "