Lessons learned in Southwest Nebraska help Iraqi farmers

Monday, September 12, 2011
Grandparents Brenda and Walt McGuire, from left, and Elaine and Bob Jewell join Capt. Rick McGuire for breakfast recently. (Gene O. Morris/Courtesy photo)

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Summers spent in Southwest Nebraska served Captain Rick McGuire well while he was in Iraq, giving him the idea for an ag co-op which improved the lives of Iraqis living on the Southwest edge of Baghdad in a farming town called Sadr al-Yusifiah.

When McGuire, a first lieutenant at the time, arrived in Iraq in December 2007, he found the Iraqi people living in fear, afraid to go out of their houses because they didn't know who they could trust and what dangers they would face.

But, slowly, in the 10 months McGuire was there he started winning the confidence of the Iraqis by helping them establish an ag co-op. It was an idea which was inspired by the summers Rick spent with his grandparents in McCook.

Although Rick was raised in a suburb of St. Louis, it was during summer stays in McCook with his grandparents that he formed many of the common sense approaches to life that served him well in the military.

"Our first responsibility in Iraq was to provide security," Capt. McGuire said, "Once that was somewhat under control, we saw the need to get their economy up and running." It was tough getting everyone on the same page, because of the multiple tribes and power brokers which exist in Iraq. But, despite that, McGuire was able to make a difference by taking the lead in setting up the co-op.

"It helped a lot with the Iraqis' business development," Rick said.

Before he completed his Iraqi tour in October 2008, the Iraqis of Sadr al-Yusifiah were providing for themselves, not living in fear, and receiving support from their government and in turn supporting the government rather than the insurgency.

The Iraqis McGuire worked with appreciated his efforts. In fact, one of the local nationals that worked closely with Rick was so thankful that he named his newly born son "McGuire" Ahmed in his honor. That made Rick's grandparents beam.

The grandparents on his father's side, Walt and Brenda McGuire and Elaine and Bob Jewell, had gathered for a farewell breakfast at Fuller's Family Restaurant in McCook. Rick had spent several days with friends in relatives in McCook during a month-long leave from Fort Campbell, Kentucky, his assigned base, and after a recent year long tour in Afghanistan that ended July 2011.

The McGuires, from McCook, and the Jewells, former McCookites who now live in Santa Barbara, Cal., are just part of Rick's McCook connection. McCook is also the home of Berniece McGuire, Rick's 94-year-old great grandmother and Walt McGuire's mother, Peg Calhoon, Rick's grandmother from his mother's side; Bill Marshall, a great uncle; and Sue and Russ Ankersen, Rick's aunt and uncle, and the Ankersen children, Ryan, Stephanie and Melissa, who are Rick's cousins.

Although he is only 29, Rick McGuire has served in the Army and the Army Reserves for 11 years, starting in 2000, the same year he began his studies at Southern Illinois University in Edwardville. Rick majored in history and minored in military science at Southern Illinois and also took part in the Army Reserve Officers Training Corps, graduating as the Distingished Military Graduate and Cadet Battalion Commander. He was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Infantry upon graduation in 2005.

During his six-year active duty years, Rick has been widely traveled, serving year long tours in Korea, Iraq and Afghanistan where he was awarded two Bronze Stars among numerous other awards and badges.

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