Page 19 - The Dispatch May 2019

TEXAS MILITARY DEPARTMENT
“After five years of living in the United States, I had the op-
portunity to become a U.S. citizen,” Khairi said. “In 2014, I
was offered a job to work with the Department of Defense
as a contractor. Because of the mission, I had to renounce
my Iraqi citizenship. I was sent over on a deployment to Iraq
and Kuwait as a contractor.”

While overseas on his deployment, the Department of De-
fense offered him a three-year contract. Khairi declined. His
dream was to serve as an U.S. Soldier.

“With all of the years that I served alongside the U.S. troops,
I was a fully uniformed contractor and translator,” Khairi
said.

“I was carrying a weapon, because I worked with a Military
Transition Team. To be honest, I thought that I’d be better
being enlisted versus being a contractor.”

Upon his return from Iraq and one year shy of the Army age
cut off, Spc. Khairi enlisted in the Texas Army National Guard
in March of 2017.

“I always wanted to do something for my country, so joining
the U.S. troops to assist in the Iraqi freedom operation was
one of the first things that I’ve done,” said Khairi,

Khairi’s path to completing Army basic training was not with-
out obstacles. Enlisting as an older Soldier meant that he
would have to keep up with his 18-year-old basic trainees.

“It was hard to be treated as an 18-year-old kid when I was
three years older than my drill sergeant,” Khairi said. “On an
individual basis I was treated differently because they knew Spc. Hussein Khairi poses for a picture in uniform during his days of
that I’ve been deployed and have been through to a lot of translating for U.S. troops. (Courtesy Photo)
things while I was serving the U.S.”
team leader, said. “His professional and keen attitude has
Despite the challenges he faced as an older enlistee, he was improved how Soldiers and Airmen are assigned to the Bor-
the fastest among his class with a 2-mile run time of 11 min- der Security Operation Center located in Austin, Texas.”
utes and 10 seconds.
After a year of being on the task force, it wasn’t long before
“It was very difficult,” Khairi said. “But I am one of those Khairi sought out the opportunity to represent his unit in
people that doesn’t like to give up." the 2019 Texas Military Department Best Warrior Compe-
tition.
After graduating basic training, Khairi joined the Texas Na-
tional Guard Joint Counter Drug Task Force and now works Capt. Cecilia Magana, Commander of the 101st Information
as an analyst in support of law enforcement agencies. His Battalion, said that Khairi was the first to volunteer to com-
job involves monitoring cameras across the border for ille- pete.
gal activities and reporting the illicit activity to the proper
agency. “For any volunteer opportunities, he is the first to raise his
hand,” Magana said. “He is one of those top guys that you
“Specialist Khairi has been instrumental in capturing a large love and want them to be a part of your team. If he stays
number of drug seizures in camera images along the bor- in, he could go all the way up. He would be an amazing first
der,” 1st Sgt. Demetrice Gonzales, Khairi’s Counter drug sergeant one day.”

www.tmd.texas.gov 19