Personal Narrative Film, Video Manuscript/Mixed Material Photo, Print, Drawing Bradley Keith Oxford Collection

Veterans History Project Service Summary:
- War or Conflict: Iraq War, 2003-2011
- Branch of Service: Army
- Unit of Service: 1450th Transportation Company; Army National Guard
- Location of Service: Fort Stewart, Georgia; Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Kuwait; Iraq
- Highest Rank: Specialist
Like many citizen soldiers, Specialist Bradley Oxford joined the North Carolina National Guard as a means of funding his college education. While initially angered by his orders to deploy to Iraq, he was deeply affected by his interactions with the Iraqi people, and by the changes that he witnessed taking place in the country. His service in the Middle East convinced him that people everywhere have the same basic aspirations for honest work and a safe place to sleep at night, and he returned to North Carolina with a sense of the meaning and worth of his deployment.
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PlayGenerally positive reaction on the part of Iraqi civilians to the American military presence; driving through downtown Sadr City reminded him of small town America. 00:06:07.1 - 00:06:42.9
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PlayCramped quarters and extreme heat of life in the desert; strain of daily life; seeing the same people twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. 00:08:59.5 - 00:10:27.2
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PlayTaking leave at home after six months; visiting friends; not wanting to return, but feeling a sense of obligation and duty to his job and fellow soldiers; seeing different places in Iraq and Kuwait. 00:12:07.5 - 00:15:45.4
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PlayPositive changes brought about by American military presence; witnessing the huge disparity of wealth and quality of living conditions in Iraq under Saddam Hussein. 00:24:25.5 - 00:26:59.2
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PlayWitnessing Iraqi civilians' dedication to building a new country and better future for their children; reassessing the meaning of his deployment. 00:28:20.2 - 00:30:22.5
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About this Item
Title
- Bradley Keith Oxford Collection
Names
- Oxford, Bradley Keith
- Sandra K. Bjerke
- Hibriten High School
- Wike, Emily
- National Court Reporters Association (NCRA)
- Cox, Carol
State of Birth
- NC
Home State
- NC
Headings
- - Oxford, Bradley Keith
- - Iraq War, 2003-2011 -- Personal Narratives
- - United States. Army.
Repository
- Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Gender
- Male
Status
- Veteran
Service History
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Iraq War, 2003-2011
- Branch of Service: Army
- Unit of Service: 1450th Transportation Company; Army National Guard
- Location of Service: Fort Stewart, Georgia; Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Kuwait; Iraq
- Highest Rank: Specialist
- Dates of Service: 2000-?
- Entrance into Service: Enlisted
- Military Status: Veteran
Materials
- Video: VHS-C [1 item] -- Oral history interview (collected 05/19/2005)
- Video: VHS [1 item] -- Reference copy (collected 05/19/2005)
- Manuscript: Transcript [1 item] -- Transcription of video recording (collected 05/19/2005)
Collection Number
- AFC/2001/001/29439
Cite as
- Bradley Keith Oxford Collection (AFC/2001/001/29439), Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Online Format
- image
- online text
- video