Salute to Veterans: He served in Army while also filling bellies

Always an athletic person with a hankering for the gym, barrel-chested Arturo Jones Jr. surprised those around him when he enlisted in the Army as a cook.

But being a cook near the front lines of fighting, on a base that was hit by mortars almost daily, is nothing to blink at. And, a good meal can be a morale boost for a weary soldier.

“I took pride in what I did, and I was good at it,” the 38-year-old said. “Everybody likes to clown cooks when you’re in the garrison, which is basically on post, but a cook is your best friend when you’re out in the field.”

Originally from Firebaugh, Jones graduated from Dos Palos High in 1995. He said he gave community college a shot for about three years, while he considered continuing his football and wrestling careers into the next level, but it wasn’t for him.

So, at 21, he joined the Army, following the footsteps of a few others in his family. All in all, he was in for eight years, half of that was active and the rest as part of the California National Guard, the 1072nd Transportation Company based in Fresno.

He spent a little more than year on a base in Taji, Iraq, near Baghdad, after getting there in late 2003. He worked as a cook, on a bomb squad and on security patrol.

The cook duty drew the nickname “Meals on Wheels,” because he was in charge of making sure perimeter guards as well as soldiers near the front lines got fed. “I would basically serve them chow with my M-16 at the ready,” he said.

These were soldiers with their rifles and heavy artillery trained outward, ready for an attack from rebels, he said. Many of them had been eating military issue MREs (meals-ready-to-eat), so they appreciated a fresh, hot meal from the cook. He said they would rotate, giving each soldier a chance to eat while the others kept watch.

Having mortars flying overhead daily became normal, he said. It took some time after getting back home to not be startled by dark-colored birds flying nearby.

While working with the bomb squad, he said, the crew would take explosives they found to be destroyed in huge sand pits. “I love the Fourth of July,” he said. “So, that was like the best fireworks show ever.”

The most memorable moment for Jones came in 2004, when he earned the Army Commendation Medal with Combat Distinguishing Device “V,” which stands for “valor.” He didn’t earn it on the battlefield, but rather in an Army barracks shower.

Jones said he was showering when he heard Sgt. Ron Vance scream in pain and call for help. Vance was being electrocuted by bad wiring that powered the water heater. “I was just strong enough to pull the unit out of the wall and that’s what stopped the current,” he said.

According to an Associated Press report from 2009, scores more soldiers suffered shocks between September 2006 and July 2008. Three soldiers were killed while showering before that.

The incident left a bad taste in his mouth, he said, because soldiers know their lives are as risk on the battlefield. But, soldiers should be able to feel safe in the shower, he said.

Jones added that soldiers find joy in “the little things” – children smiling though surrounded by rubble or the way the sun sets on a particular night. And, finding joy goes a long way. “It really sucks being in a place you really, truly don’t want to be, and yet the people don’t even want you there,” he said. “That’s a hard pill to swallow.”

The transition back into civilian life wasn’t easy, he said. There were a few years that he struggled with alcohol, he said, which took him away from the athletic lifestyle he enjoyed.

Now a Merced resident, Jones is studying nutrition at Merced College. He’s been able to get back into fitness and nutrition, what was an interest going back to his days in the football field and on the wrestling mat. He said he sought the help he needed and has been able to right his ship.

“I am still young enough and able to do the things I want to do,” he said.

This story was originally published November 10, 2014 at 4:00 PM with the headline "Salute to Veterans: He served in Army while also filling bellies."