2008 Woodie Awards
Pacific Personality: Mark Organ
Part two of our three part look at Pacific students who helped to serve their country.
Sami Richards
Issue date: 3/14/08 Section: A & E
The assigned platoon went "clean" meaning they used all of their ammunition trying to kill the targets. The rest of the company arrived after his friends had been killed.
"When the targets were recovered from the rubble their noses and mouths were covered in a white and yellow powder. We think they got all drugged up and went on a suicide mission. It was very surreal. I will never forget it," said Organ.
Later during this deployment, he experienced a different incident which he describes as, "Unreal and very cool; it was like something straight out of a movie."
Organ was on a light armored vehicle (L.A.V), and he and his fellow soldiers saw what they thought may have been an armed diesel tanker. Because he had the most experience as an infantry soldier on the L.A.V., he was was ordered to shoot the truck. Organ was shooting a weapon that had eight inch shells and shot 200 rounds per minute. "It was a pretty big explosion."
Today, the 24-year-old Pacific student continues to adjust back into normal, day-to-day American life. "I probably dream of Iraq or the military 2 to 4 times a week. The worst times were upon my immediate return. I would wake up and panic about not knowing where my rifle was, or when I was driving, if that piece of garbage on the side of the road was shaped like a bomb."
Organ was referred to Pacific by his wife. He was looking for a good business school and she directed him here. His wife is currently getting her nursing degree at Portland Community College but the two of them live in Forest Grove.
Organ says that the reaction he gets from Pacific students that find out about his experiences during the war aren't bad, "they just think it is crazy to know someone who was that involved," he said.
At Pacific, Organ is trying to complete a double major in Marketing and Accounting. If he keeps his grades up, he has hopes to apply for the masters in business program at Harvard University.
"The hardest part is relearning the stuff from high school," he said, "It's been a while."
During his active duty, Organ made Sergeant in three years when it takes most five.
Being a person who has accomplished so much in such a short amount of time makes his Harvard goals seem easy to accomplish.
For approximately a year longer Organ can be called back to war.
"I would go back in a heartbeat if I was asked."
"When the targets were recovered from the rubble their noses and mouths were covered in a white and yellow powder. We think they got all drugged up and went on a suicide mission. It was very surreal. I will never forget it," said Organ.
Later during this deployment, he experienced a different incident which he describes as, "Unreal and very cool; it was like something straight out of a movie."
Organ was on a light armored vehicle (L.A.V), and he and his fellow soldiers saw what they thought may have been an armed diesel tanker. Because he had the most experience as an infantry soldier on the L.A.V., he was was ordered to shoot the truck. Organ was shooting a weapon that had eight inch shells and shot 200 rounds per minute. "It was a pretty big explosion."
Today, the 24-year-old Pacific student continues to adjust back into normal, day-to-day American life. "I probably dream of Iraq or the military 2 to 4 times a week. The worst times were upon my immediate return. I would wake up and panic about not knowing where my rifle was, or when I was driving, if that piece of garbage on the side of the road was shaped like a bomb."
Organ was referred to Pacific by his wife. He was looking for a good business school and she directed him here. His wife is currently getting her nursing degree at Portland Community College but the two of them live in Forest Grove.
Organ says that the reaction he gets from Pacific students that find out about his experiences during the war aren't bad, "they just think it is crazy to know someone who was that involved," he said.
At Pacific, Organ is trying to complete a double major in Marketing and Accounting. If he keeps his grades up, he has hopes to apply for the masters in business program at Harvard University.
"The hardest part is relearning the stuff from high school," he said, "It's been a while."
During his active duty, Organ made Sergeant in three years when it takes most five.
Being a person who has accomplished so much in such a short amount of time makes his Harvard goals seem easy to accomplish.
For approximately a year longer Organ can be called back to war.
"I would go back in a heartbeat if I was asked."
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