Marc Lopez

Segment Synopsis: Lopez talks about his childhood, his family's history of military service, and his connection to Ohio. He recalls being at baseball camp next to West Point Army Academy and thinking to himself he would never be one of those guys, but it planted the idea of military service that never left.

Keywords: Baseball; Bronx (New York, N.Y.); Family Military History; New York Giants (Baseball team); Ohio; United States Army; United States Military Academy; Yonkers (N.Y.)

Subjects: Childhood; Family's Military History; Ohio Connection; Why He Joined the Army

Segment Synopsis: Lopez discusses attending West Point, how he chose his Military Occupational Specialty, how you learn to be an Abrams tank commander, and the traditions of Branch and Posting Nights. He also talked about the hands-on learning approach at West Point.

Keywords: 10th Mountain Division; Armored Cavalry Officer; Fort Knox (Ky.); M1 (Tank); Marching drills; Occupational training, Military; Physical training; Scout Platoon Leader; United States Military Academy; West Point (N.Y.)

Subjects: Branch and Posting Nights; Learning to be a Tank Commander; Military Occupational Specialty; United States Military Academy

Segment Synopsis: Lopez arrives at his first post in 1998 and talks about what it felt like being at Fort Knox. He describes his expectations of military service and transferring to Fort Hood so he would be deployed. He describes his day-to-day routine at Fort Hood and what they did for recreation.

Keywords: Austin (Tex.); Border patrols; Brownsville (Tex.); Clay; Combat Aviation Brigade, 4th Infantry Division; Field training; Fort Hood (Tex.); Fort Knox (Ky.); Gunnery; Louisville (Ky.); M1 (Tank); Nineteen ninety-eight, A.D.; Sixth Street (Austin, Tex.); Training; United States. Army. Cavalry, 10th; University of Texas

Subjects: Fort Hood (Tex.); Fort Knox (Ky.)

Segment Synopsis: Lopez's unit was tasked with the heightened security of Fort Hood after the attacks of 9/11. He talks about his memories of 9/11, the base response, how he handled the situation, and how he felt about his leadership responsibilities. He describes losing an officer from his unit to a car accident.

Keywords: Captain; Force protection; Fort Hood (Tex.); M3 Bradley cavalry fighting vehicle; OPNET; Security; September 11 Terrorist Attacks, 2001; Squadron Maintenance Officer; Training; World Trade Center (New York, N.Y.)

Subjects: Leadership; Memories of 9/11

Segment Synopsis: Lopez talks about pre-deployment procedures after 9/11, but he was already preparing to leave the Army and didn't get caught in the Stop-Loss initiative. He goes on to discuss his previous pre-deployment and deployment during Operation Desert Spring at Camp Doha. His unit was responsible for Kuwait border force protection and training of Kuwaiti soldiers. He discusses the stress put on families by deployments, his relationships with his men, and what they did to relax.

Keywords: Camp Doha; Carrier Strike Group; Deployment; Kuwait; Mortar; Persian Gulf War, 1991; Pre-deployment training; Recreation; Relationships; Stop-loss; United States Military Academy; United States--Armed Forces--Recruiting, enlistment, etc.; United States. Army. Cavalry, 10th

Subjects: Leadership Strategy; Operation Desert Spring; Pre-deployment

Segment Synopsis: Lopez talks about what it was like working with the Kuwaitis, their mentality, and the differences between cultures. He describes the sensitivity required to work with Kuwait royalty and armored cavalry desert fighting tactics. He shares a story about how he got into trouble using a British formation.

Keywords: Culture; Economics; Great Britain. Army; Kuwait; Mechanized Infantry; Princes; Tactics; Tanks; Training

Subjects: Armored cavalry tactics; Royalty; Working with Kuwaitis

Segment Synopsis: Lopez discusses their mission during Operation Desert Spring. He describes how they used a show of force to stabilized the Iraq/Kuwait border.

Keywords: A-10 (Jet attack plane); Apache (Attack helicopter); Combined Arms Live-Fire Exercise; David Northridge; Iraq--Boundaries--Kuwait; Kuwait; M109A6 Paladin; M3 Bradley cavalry fighting vehicle; Military Camp; Saddam Hussein; Show of force; force Protection

Subjects: Force Protection; Mission

Segment Synopsis: Lopez talks quickly about some his experiences with desert animals.

Keywords: Bedouins; Birds; Camels

Subjects: Desert Animals

Segment Synopsis: Lopez talks about what it was like to live in a tank for an extended period. This includes the importance of field hygiene, and the sounds and smells that remind him of this time.

Keywords: Dysentery; Hygiene,Sounds; M3 Bradley cavalry fighting vehicle; Senses; Tanks

Subjects: Life in a Tank

Segment Synopsis: Lopez discusses his interactions with the Bedouins and shares a story about a missing helmet.

Keywords: Bedouins; M3 Bradley cavalry fighting vehicle; Theft

Subjects: Bedouins

Segment Synopsis: Lopez discusses the hierarchy that exists amongst a tank crew and the work it takes to maintain the relationships. He talks about the things they would do to bond and to blow off steam. He also shares a story about trick or treating on base.

Keywords: Driver; Games; Gunner; Halloween; M1 (tank); M3 Bradley cavalry fighting vehicle; Mansoor, Peter R., 1960-; Recreation; Sergeant Owens; Tank crew

Subjects: Tank Crew Maintenance; Tank Hierarchy

Segment Synopsis: Lopez discusses what communicating back home was like at the time and why it could cause problems on the frontline. He also talks about coming home from deployment, what it felt like, and how he had to adapt.

Keywords: Adrenal fatigue; Afghanistan; Christmas; Communication; Hyper-vigilance; Iraq; Motor pool; New York (N.Y.); Persian Gulf War, 1991; Physical Training

Subjects: Coming Home; Communications

Segment Synopsis: Lopez discusses his decision to leave the Army and why he chose not to be career military.

Keywords: Deployment; Divorce:Law enforcement; Marriage

Subjects: Leaving the Army

Segment Synopsis: Lopez talks about how it was difficult at first to see how his military skills would translate into the civilian workplace. He gives concrete examples of how his previous experience prepared him for the job place. He also talks about adaptability as the most valuable skill he learned.

Keywords: Leadership; Military decision making process; Project managers; Training; Transferable skills; Veterans liaison

Subjects: Transferable Skills

Segment Synopsis: Lopez talks about why he didn't join the Army Reserves or National Guard, much of the reason being his physical limitations. He then talks about the fitness training he did in the Army.

Keywords: Physical training; United States Army Reserves

Subjects: Army Resrves and National Guard; Physical Training

Segment Synopsis: Lopez feels his military service changed him by making him more aware of his responsibilities. He also talks about concerns about the reliance on technology, the balance of forces in todays military, and how he feels about the use of drones. He feels that drones must be used with caution so that they do not infringe on civil liberties.

Keywords: Drone aircraft; Future combat systems; Humor; Liberty; Ohio National Guard; Responsibility; Technology; United States Army Reserve; United States Military Academy; Warrant Officer

Subjects: Drones; How has your service changed you; Technology

Segment Synopsis: Lopez believes that people need to understand the sacrifices the military members make to serve their country and that everyone should serve in some way. He talks about what people should remember about those who serve, the importance of accommodating veterans because they are valuable assets, and how he learned to time his decisions.

Keywords: Civilian culture; Leadership; Military culture; Sacrifice; Veterans Services for United States

Subjects: Helping veterans adjust; Recommended service; What should people know about those who serve