POWERGRAMS

4 War is hell. When Edna Felton remembers the Gulf War, she can almost hear jet bombers screaming across the night sky, dropping missiles close enough that she felt the ground shake and vibrate. It was January 1990, and Felton was a young private first class stationed with the U.S. Army in the Arabian Desert, 80 miles from Kuwait. "Several times aircra flew over," recalled Felton, Accounting Services manager - Corporate Headquarters. "It was 12 a.m., but the bombs lit up the sky like the midday." The bombing lasted a couple of hours. At 18, Felton learned many hard truths about war. She was in the 287th Heavy Equipment Transport Unit out of Livingston, one of only eight female soldiers in the unit. Felton served in the Middle East from late October 1990 to June 1991. It's been nearly 30 years, but Felton's sharp memories of Operation Desert Storm remain. She was among 500,000 American troops in the 35-nation coalition that snuffed Iraq's invasion of oil-rich Kuwait. A life-altering decision Career day at Robert C. Hatch High School in Uniontown could have been any other day for Felton. But it was her junior year, and Felton was considering the future. "I can remember the Army recruiter," she said. "It struck me, and I talked to a couple of people in my community who'd enlisted, and I was led to enlist. My Dad wasn't that surprised that I'd done it – I was focused on academics and involved with sports, so he wasn't shocked that I decided to go that route." At the end of her junior year, Felton took basic training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. She was selected to be a squad leader in charge of 10 soldiers. Aer graduation in May 1990, Felton completed advanced training in heavy equipment transportation at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri. In August, she entered the University of Alabama but, shortly thereaer, was notified to serve, and withdrew from college. Felton went to Fort Benning, Georgia, for pre-deployment and flew to Saudi Arabia in October. Desert enemies abounded Felton served nine months overseas as part of a motor transport company that hauled disabled tanks. Danger beckoned at every turn. Army personnel were constantly on the lookout for the enemy and improvised explosive devices (IEDs). "We had to watch for aacks in Kuwait," Felton said. "We were on the alert for IEDs and were watching out for people with explosive devices." When the transport unit was at their Army complex, Felton and other soldiers planned convoys and pulled guard duty. Even the desert was an enemy. Scorching temperatures – 120 degrees and higher on roads – added to travel hazards. "The roads got so hot that tires would blow out," Felton said. "It happened a lot. We'd have to take the disabled tanks off the trucks, change the tires and then winch them back up." During spring, the troops endured four sandstorms that forced them to hunker down in tents. Felton wrapped towels around her head to breathe and protect her eyes. Luxuries were few: For the first time, Felton used a latrine. Female soldiers shared a wooden bathroom and a shower. Serving in Kuwait liberation campaign brought Felton a medal and memories Photo by Phil Free

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