Lee returns to field after tour of duty
By David Brandt, Clarion Ledger
Less than 18 months ago, 20-year-old Spec. Edward Lee spent his days living in Afghanistan at Bagram Air Base, searching incoming trucks for explosives and providing security around the perimeter of the American stronghold.
It was a long way from Jackson State's football field or much else resembling America.
It also had the potential to be very dangerous, but that was just part of being in the 1st Battalion, 114th Field Artillery unit of the Mississippi Army National Guard.
"To be honest, when I joined (the Guard) I was 16 and it was so I could pay for college," Lee said. "But I always understood that going overseas could be part of it, even when I was that young. It was my duty and responsibility and I'm glad I did it."
The service time came at a price, cutting his traditional college years in half. He first attended Jackson State in the fall of 2003 and was in school for 1 1/2 years before his unit was sent to Afghanistan in April 2005. One year later he returned home and in the fall of 2006 was back at JSU.
A standout high school player at Ruleville Central, Lee had always loved football but wasn't highly recruited and hung up his cleats after his senior season.
But returning home - along with the advice from his friend and JSU receiver Kethonne McLaurin - helped him reconsider.
The final straw was watching JSU beat Paul Quinn 44-20 in last year's season opener, convincing Lee to give football one more chance.
"It was always a dream to play college football and seeing the Paul Quinn game in person really got me excited," Lee said. "And when I got back (to JSU) I just decided to go for it. There was nothing to lose. Kethonne and I knew each other since my freshman year and he brought me over to talk to the coaches."
Short and compact, Lee (5 feet 11, 240 pounds) walked on to JSU's football team in the spring and proved to be more than a feel-good story that would simply take up a roster spot.
Turns out the man can play.
"He's a guy that's strong and powerful and can open some holes on that line," JSU coach Rick Comegy said. "Obviously, he's a mature young man physically and mentally with his experiences. He's a great example for the other kids to see."
Even better for the Tigers, he doesn't take up one of JSU's 63 scholarships because his school is paid for by the National Guard.
At 22 years old, he's a junior in the classroom, but a freshman on the field. He'll try to take the place of departed senior Jamal Pittman, the Ole Miss transfer who provided JSU with a bruising blocker in the backfield.
Judging from his history, Lee's toughness won't be a problem.
"He's still just Edward, but at the same time, what he did was pretty amazing," McLaurin said. "We talked about it a few times when he got back. There were some pretty interesting stories."
Lee freely admits that he had things much easier than many soldiers during his year in Afghanistan. His unit lived in wooden houses that usually had air conditioning and electricity.
He even got to call home on most days and had a small recreation center to keep in shape and lift weights. His unit came back to Mississippi 100 percent intact and there weren't too many close calls.
But it was still Afghanistan and still in the middle of a war. The constant worry was stressful.
"We got to come home for two weeks right in the middle (of the year in Afghanistan) for rest and relaxation," Lee said. "I cried when I had to go back. I had to grow up fast and it makes you realize and appreciate what we have here."
On top of the constant worry, Lee was fighting in a war that was turning increasingly unpopular back home. But he said that didn't bother him too much. Without getting into the politics, he's proud of what he did overseas.
"We were doing some good things over there in Afghanistan and I really do think we were helping," Lee said. "Sometimes, I'm not sure if people always believe that."
And his year of deployment hasn't kept him from staying in the Guard. In fact, he's in the process of getting in the Jackson State ROTC program to become an officer while majoring in business administration.
Add football into the mix, and Lee's a happy man.
His idol is Mike Anderson, the former Denver Broncos running back who served in the Marines for four years before embarking on a successful football career.
"I think (the military) just helps you learn a lot about life," Lee said. "After going through that experience, it makes football that much sweeter."
It was a long way from Jackson State's football field or much else resembling America.
It also had the potential to be very dangerous, but that was just part of being in the 1st Battalion, 114th Field Artillery unit of the Mississippi Army National Guard.
"To be honest, when I joined (the Guard) I was 16 and it was so I could pay for college," Lee said. "But I always understood that going overseas could be part of it, even when I was that young. It was my duty and responsibility and I'm glad I did it."
The service time came at a price, cutting his traditional college years in half. He first attended Jackson State in the fall of 2003 and was in school for 1 1/2 years before his unit was sent to Afghanistan in April 2005. One year later he returned home and in the fall of 2006 was back at JSU.
A standout high school player at Ruleville Central, Lee had always loved football but wasn't highly recruited and hung up his cleats after his senior season.
But returning home - along with the advice from his friend and JSU receiver Kethonne McLaurin - helped him reconsider.
The final straw was watching JSU beat Paul Quinn 44-20 in last year's season opener, convincing Lee to give football one more chance.
"It was always a dream to play college football and seeing the Paul Quinn game in person really got me excited," Lee said. "And when I got back (to JSU) I just decided to go for it. There was nothing to lose. Kethonne and I knew each other since my freshman year and he brought me over to talk to the coaches."
Short and compact, Lee (5 feet 11, 240 pounds) walked on to JSU's football team in the spring and proved to be more than a feel-good story that would simply take up a roster spot.
Turns out the man can play.
"He's a guy that's strong and powerful and can open some holes on that line," JSU coach Rick Comegy said. "Obviously, he's a mature young man physically and mentally with his experiences. He's a great example for the other kids to see."
Even better for the Tigers, he doesn't take up one of JSU's 63 scholarships because his school is paid for by the National Guard.
At 22 years old, he's a junior in the classroom, but a freshman on the field. He'll try to take the place of departed senior Jamal Pittman, the Ole Miss transfer who provided JSU with a bruising blocker in the backfield.
Judging from his history, Lee's toughness won't be a problem.
"He's still just Edward, but at the same time, what he did was pretty amazing," McLaurin said. "We talked about it a few times when he got back. There were some pretty interesting stories."
Lee freely admits that he had things much easier than many soldiers during his year in Afghanistan. His unit lived in wooden houses that usually had air conditioning and electricity.
He even got to call home on most days and had a small recreation center to keep in shape and lift weights. His unit came back to Mississippi 100 percent intact and there weren't too many close calls.
But it was still Afghanistan and still in the middle of a war. The constant worry was stressful.
"We got to come home for two weeks right in the middle (of the year in Afghanistan) for rest and relaxation," Lee said. "I cried when I had to go back. I had to grow up fast and it makes you realize and appreciate what we have here."
On top of the constant worry, Lee was fighting in a war that was turning increasingly unpopular back home. But he said that didn't bother him too much. Without getting into the politics, he's proud of what he did overseas.
"We were doing some good things over there in Afghanistan and I really do think we were helping," Lee said. "Sometimes, I'm not sure if people always believe that."
And his year of deployment hasn't kept him from staying in the Guard. In fact, he's in the process of getting in the Jackson State ROTC program to become an officer while majoring in business administration.
Add football into the mix, and Lee's a happy man.
His idol is Mike Anderson, the former Denver Broncos running back who served in the Marines for four years before embarking on a successful football career.
"I think (the military) just helps you learn a lot about life," Lee said. "After going through that experience, it makes football that much sweeter."
No comments:
Post a Comment