Home for the Holidays From Iraq

It’s 3 a.m. in Balad, Iraq. Kiara Lamar opens her eyes to the sound of prayer. But not the kind she’s used to, growing up as a Baptist in the deep south. “You can hear them praying in the villages all around the forward operating base where we were, over loud speakers, all in Arabic," she said.

Lamar, a 2010 graduate, grew up knowing she wanted to see the world. What she didn’t know is that it would be by way of the U.S. Army.

She considers herself lucky to experience different cultures. “Ramadan was all new to me. It’s the month where they practice very strict religion, no eating during the day, they pray all day. It’s wild.”

“At first it was kind of strange,” Lamar explains, “I didn’t understand it, but once it was explained to me, I looked at it differently. I appreciated them for that, for their strong will towards prayer and religion. I didn’t eat near our translators during the day. They were also fasting, and I wanted to be respectful.”

The life of an Iraqi is so very different from her upbringing in Georgia. “Honestly, nothing was similar. Their lifestyles are so very different. Yes, they have vehicles, but you see barefoot kids by trash all the time, playing in sewers, most houses are made of mud and dirt. I could tell who had money, the richer families, 'cause they had actual houses, but there were very few in Balad.”

Experiencing something like this made her realize how very lucky she is to be an American. “It was a culture shock, wow, people are really living like this," said Lamar. "My views changed a lot, I feel blessed I wasn’t born there, and that I can travel, I can experience how other people live, and it makes me appreciate what I have.”

Born in Conyers, Georgia, Lamar spent her sophomore and senior years at Tucker High School. She was a leader in school, making honors both years, and an ROTC cadet, plus she had lots of friends.

In ROTC at Tucker High, Lamar excelled, involving herself in drill team, color guard and volunteer opportunities. After graduation she kept in touch with classmates, teachers and Tucker High’s ROTC leadership. She came back to visit in March of this year after training in Fort Lee, Virginia, before leaving for Iraq. She hadn’t been back to Tucker since.

“Holidays mean a lot to me; being over there for six months makes me appreciate family a lot more. The main thing I want to do is spend time with family, and be around friends again.”

Her plans while home? “I’m going to cook! That’s what I’m going to do; I want a home cooked meal so bad. Food in Iraq was OK, some good selections, sometimes crab legs, you know, but by the end we ate MREs, ready-to-eat meals. There’s nothing like a home cooked meal.”

Ms. Lamar is home for two and a half weeks and plans to drive around Georgia to visit friends and family before heading back to Ft. Hood, Texas where she’s based. She’s proud of her work in Iraq; protecting convoys and working security detail.

“I wanted to be a part of something that’s bigger than myself, I wanted to serve a purpose. Help others. I actually feel that I did help others. We helped shut down Iraq. I helped end it over there.”

She considers it an honor to be a part of the military and looks forward to a successful career as an Army Nurse and Commissioned Officer.

Next up? Likely an assignment in Afghanistan. She hopes to use the water treatment training she was taught in Fort Lee when she gets there.

When asked about the again this year, Lamar exclaimed, “I’m so excited and proud of the Tucker Tigers! When I was there in 10th grade they won state champs. I had faith in them this whole time, I’m so excited for them.”

She added, “it’s good to be home.”