MUQDADIYAH, Iraq, June 7, 2006 -- An Army Reserve officer serving in northern Iraq has now had to answer a quick call to service twice.
Capt. Andrew Berry, a member of the Military Training Team assisting the Iraqi Armys 3rd Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 5th Division, was called to active duty from the Inactive Ready Reserve. He is now a member of the 80th Division based in Richmond, Va., and serving in Iraq. I got the call to report to Camp Atterbury, Ind., for mobilization,Berry said. Now, Im part of the 101st Airborne Division. It wasnt the first time that the retired Newark, N.J., police officer, received a sudden call to move out. The first call came on Sept. 11, 2001. I was working for a private construction company in New Jersey, Berry said. We were called to bring our heavy machinery into New York City to the World Trade Center about 16 hours after the buildings came down.
Berrys 20-year law enforcement career working in emergency services made him very useful on the scene.
When we got there, NYPD found out that we had a lot of retired police officers, Berry said. So, for security purposes, they used us to chauffer their trucks and assist ESUs (emergency service units). Berry said the smoke and the confusion were what he remembers most. Its a memory that comes to mind almost every day.
The first day there and that first night were amazing, Berry said. The New York City Police Department and Fire Department did a phenomenal job keeping people out and getting people safely out of the area.
It was not something I would ever want to take part in again, but Im glad I was there and was able to help.
In Iraq, he serves as a team leader with one of the many Military Training Teams located in Iraq. The teams train Iraqi Army units to prepare to take charge of their assigned areas of operation.
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