After visiting family, GB soldier heads for Iraq

"Bittersweet," is how Ken Wilson described the time he got to spend with his son this holiday season.

His girlfriend at his side, Ken Wilson Jr. sat with his father in the living room at Mr. Wilson's home off Marley Neck Road in Glen Burnie on Dec. 26.

"The biggest thing I'm going to miss, of course, is Jenny and seeing my family," said Ken Jr.

He arrived back in the area three days before Christmas and was on pre-deployment leave until Friday. A specialist in the Army National Guard, he was sent to Fort Dix, N.J., before he ships out to the Baghdad-Taji area of Iraq for nine months.

Ken Jr. said he made the decision to join the military for "the college money," way back when he was a junior at Glen Burnie High School.

"It's kind of a joke in the Army, 'You joined for the college money,'" he said in jest. "A lot of times you get so busy it takes a while before you can use it."

He graduated from Glen Burnie High on a Friday in 2004. By that Sunday he was on his way to language training at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, Calif.

"Yeah, I didn't get to spend a week in Ocean City but I got to spend a year in California," said Ken Jr.

Mr. Wilson has no reservations about explaining how proud he is of his son. When Ken Jr. signed up at 17, Mr. Wilson had to sign off on the decision as well and wanted to make sure his son knew what he was getting into.

"I made it perfectly clear that the odds of (Ken Jr.) going to Iraq are pretty good," said Mr. Wilson. "So once he confirmed that, I was OK."

While in California, Ken Jr. learned Farsi and is now bilingual. During his time in Iraq, he will be an analyst and more of a "behind the scenes guy." He will provide any necessary information for soldiers out in the field executing a mission.

At home, his interests are varied. He recently became involved in mixed-martial arts fighting and has already been in four bouts. He has a brown belt in jujutsu, and his parents joke that he'll be safer in Iraq than he will be at home in these fights.

When he's not fighting or learning foreign languages Ken Jr. says he enjoys Web design and the local music scene. He's already designed Web sites for his MMA promoter and two local bands.

"Oh yeah, I love going to local hip-hop and rock shows," he said.

Mr. Wilson doesn't have a history of military involvement on his side of the family, but his wife's father, Ken Jr.'s step grandfather, served in the Navy.

"He said the number one rule is don't volunteer for anything," said Mr. Wilson while laughing.

Besides his family, Ken Jr. says he'll miss being able to relax on the weekends and hopes any job he gets after working 12-hour days, seven days a week will seem like no problem.

His father was still surprised at how quickly this all came about.

"You know, watching him grow up and playing sports all the way through high school and this time next year he'll come home a war veteran," said Mr. Wilson. "It's funny how quickly things change."