By Sara StrongC.J. Wilsey is comfortably back in Luverne after six months at a U.S. Air Force Base in Kuwait.The 2000 Luverne graduate was activated Sept. 11, 2001, and served as a security officer at the base after training in Idaho and time in Qatar."I liked helping out, doing my part," Wilsey said Tuesday.Wilsey is a Senior Airman in the Air National Guard, based out of Sioux Falls, S.D.The experience in active duty was enjoyable to Wilsey, who now thinks he’d like to make the military a full-time career.Since he got home June 27, Wilsey has taken advantage of time off, riding his new motorcycle and catching up with people he’s missed.During his time in Kuwait, Wilsey said he didn’t really miss some of the usual comforts of home — nice bathrooms, good meals, air conditioning."I missed my family the most," Wilsey said. "Life stopped for me when I got there, and I missed so much."His family missed him, too. Wilsey is the son of Jeff and Kathy Wilsey, and he has an 18-year-old brother, Cody.Kathy said the distance was difficult for her, especially during the war in Iraq. Then the security on bases became so important and communication was limited."I didn’t care what I heard, even an e-mail that said, ‘I’m OK’ was fine," Kathy said.Handling the heat was a difficult aspect of serving in the desert during Wilsey’s 14-hour days. One day had a high temperature of 147."It felt like a blow-dryer in your face, except with sand," Wilsey said.Security was heightened because of war in Iraq, and that meant he couldn’t leave the base. To lift the spirits of the personnel, a group was allowed a 45-minute jaunt to a nearby area set aside for military personnel. It had a pool, green grass and some playground equipment, and was called an amusement park. "It was good for morale," Wilsey said. It was the first piece of grass they’d seen in a long time.Wilsey coped with the heat, bonded with co-workers and enjoyed serving the military, but there were also some moments of stress. He said he’s been told he can’t talk about much of what went on at the base, but people there were alerted of missile attacks and had to put on protective gear, like gas masks. Patriot missiles defended the base on several occasions.As a security officer, Wilsey kept people out of the military zone. "Most people were really nice, but sometimes they wouldn’t be happy," he said.This round of service has meant a lot to Wilsey. He realized how much he enjoyed military life and wants to continue with active duty.He’s on leave now until July 22 when he goes back to Sioux Falls to work. From there, he may continue to see parts of the world he otherwise couldn’t through military service.
