Salute to Veterans: Marine from Winton served two tours in Iraq

U.S. Marine Sgt. Ricardo Robles knew he would be joining the military at 17, two months after his graduation from Atwater High School. What he did not know was how soon he’d find himself in combat – three months of boot camp, two months of infantry school and 14 days after meeting his unit, Robles was serving as a mortarman in Fallujah, Iraq.

The Winton native, now 28, served for about nine years, and completed two tours in Iraq.

Robles recalls several occasions when he found himself in the middle of 30 minutes worth of gunfire. Looking back, he considers himself extremely fortunate, because other than a ringing in his ears that he still sometimes hears, he didn’t experience any serious injuries.

Robles explained that training gives Marines an idea of what to expect, but no one is ever truly prepared for such situations. “It just happens, and when it does, it’s the adrenaline that keeps moving you forward,” he said.

For Robles, the most difficult moments were not in combat, but rather learning about the loss of fellow Marines in his platoon during his second tour in Al-Qa’im, Iraq.

On Dec. 22, 2006, a roadside bomb blew up one of his company’s Humvees, killing all six occupants, including his bunk mate.

“I knew all six that died that evening … they were my friends, and one of them was my medic,” Robles said. “Rolling up my bunk mate’s belongings to send home to his family was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. When I was separating his stuff, I found a letter for his fiancée … that was tough.”

Robles said there are still some nights when memories of his friends get the best of him. “We’re taught to turn off our emotional switch, so a lot of us keep things bottled up inside, but it’s hard.”

The thoughts of his fallen friends’ families, wives and newborns cross his mind constantly. “I always wonder if there was anything I could have done for them. I didn’t have a girlfriend or a family … I would have totally switched my life for theirs, anytime.”

Robles was dismissed from his duties in 2013, but not by choice, he explained. Budget cuts in the Marine Corps forced him and thousands of others to return home. “I miss it,” he said. “It just becomes a way of life.”

But making the best of the situation, Robles decided to return to school. He is now attending Merced College in preparation to become a registered nurse. For him, this is his way of continuing to serve others.

This story was originally published November 10, 2014 at 4:00 PM with the headline "Salute to Veterans: Marine from Winton served two tours in Iraq."