Richard Rawson, called Richie by his friends, was a doe eyed, naive senior at North High School. The United States army\u2019s recruiters at school tempted him, along with other students. They brought with them t-shirts, backpacks, gift cards, and the idea that any boy or girl could be brave and fight for their country. Swept up by the \u201cperformance\u201d and prizes Rawson signed the next 6 years of his life to the United States Army.<\/p>\n
May 2010 was his deployment date, and he would be shipped off to Afghanistan. When the day came for him to say goodbye to his family and friends, pride and fear filled everyone\u2019s mind, including Rawson\u2019s. \u201cThe idea of not sleeping in my own bed made me uncomfortable,\u201d said Rawson. Before leaving for the death filled wasteland Rawson purchased one important item. An international cell phone. With this he could call home to his friends and family on a few occasions. \u00a0\u201cThose telephone calls kept me from going crazy,\u201d said Tammy Rawson,\u201d I couldn\u2019t sleep at night without worrying about my youngest son overseas.\u201d He kept in touch with everyone, but the calls started coming less and less as the months went on.<\/p>\n
After a year had passed Rawson was sent back to the states. He had finished his first tour of duty on May 18, 2011. He flew home on a military airplane to the air force base in South Dakota. Awaiting his arrival were his parents Lawny and Tammy Rawson, his sister Jenny Rawson, brother Brad Rawson, and his close family friends Linda and Kelly Conolly. \u201cI didn\u2019t want to show it but I had tears in my eyes when I saw my family,\u201d said Rawson. Back in Sioux City his friends and other family members were waiting for him. The night of his return there was a huge family feast.<\/p>\n
Rawson didn\u2019t act the same. Those close to him thought that maybe it was just jet lag and trying to adjust to his surroundings. However, this was not the case. Rawson was not the same outgoing, boyish, rowdy boy he had left the states as. He became quite and solemn. He didn\u2019t like to go places overly crowded or to bigger areas. He kept mainly to himself and didn\u2019t like to talk much.<\/p>\n
After a few weeks of this unusual attitude friends began asking him about overseas, and why he acted so different. At first he was reluctant to talk to anyone, including his family, about his tour of duty. He gave vague details, and clammed up when he started to talk about things. \u00a0After months of keeping to himself, Rawson finally opened up to his best friend Kyle Lesline. Once the stories started they wouldn\u2019t stop. He told Lesline story after story. \u201cHearing the stories of what he had to go through was tough,\u201d said Lesline,\u201d but I knew he needed a shoulder to lean on because that was some tough sh*t he went through.\u201d Pretty soon Rawson began opening up to his other close friends and family.<\/p>\n
Now, 6 months later Rawson is an active young man in the Siouxland environment. He is getting more involved in a social life of a young male. He is going out to the bars, going to parties, seeing movies with friends, and getting a part time. Rawson\u2019s life is less pressure filled now that he is home. He only has basic for the army once a month. He is happier now that he has opened up and is able to have fun with his friends.<\/p>\n
From sleepless nights in a foreign country to sleeping in his own bed at home. Rawson is glad he did a tour of duty, and is glad he learned to cope with a life changing experience. He said,\u201d Having great friends helped me deal with anxiety of being home, and without them I would be mess still.\u201d After being recruited at such a young age, Rawson has overcome fighting for his country and growing up in the process from a young boy to a man.<\/p>\n
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