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Edgar Gonzalez
Supply Sergeant; 301st Tactical Psychological Operations Company
Iraq, 05/05-05/06
First Interview:
UIC, Student Center
1) Intro; psychological operations
2) How got started; didn't tell family had joined
3) 9/11; watching TV in 2003
4) Activation; honor and integrity; gratitude problem
5) Training; augmentee
6) Relationship with others; one guy
7) Another dude; job explanation
8) Still talks to some people; tea; war movie arguement
9) Told off an officer and got away with it story
10) What proud of; wouldn't change anything
11) Serving under Don't Ask, Don't Tell
12) Medals and citations; explanation of rank
13) Misconceptions; heroic laquer; the nightmare room
14) Desensitized to mortar fire; came back on Mother's Day
15) Chicago; teaching and doing art
16) Artwork; Silhouette Series; other work
17) Impact of experiences on art; what hopes to express
18) Artwork: They're Mine to Keep
19) Veteran art; professional goal; favorite place to work
Second Interview:
The National Veterans Art Museum
1) Training process
2) Not adequately prepared; equipment
3) Values vs. behavior; no comaraderie, respect
4) No respect pervasive to company; gatorade story
5) After-school art program
6) Food in Baghdad
7) Tea and coffee
8) Getting used to living in Baghdad, gunfire
9) Firing ranges nearby; trailer story; moving back to the US
10) Don't Ask, Don't Tell; linguists
11) Being gay and in the military
12) Coming out to family
13) Encourage untold stories; stop certain terminology
14) Take the time to listen; politics
15) Glorification
16) Michael Moore; ISIS; Concert for Valor
17) DCBI, PTSD, and Soldier's Heart; morally impossible situations
18) NVAM
19) Artwork stability; Vet Art Project
20) Disconnect, suicide
UIC
NVAM
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