East Oregonian : E.O., November 10, 2017, HOLIDAY WEEKEND, Page Page 5C, Image 27

Friday, November 10, 2017
J.D. Lambert
J.D. Lambert joined the Army
after realizing he needed discipline.
He got that and more.
Lambert, once a standout athlete
at Pendleton High School, deployed
to Iraq at age 20. While manning a
machine gun mounted to a patrol
vehicle, his eyes were opened
by the rough living conditions in
and around the Iraqi capitol city
of Kirkuk. He observed sewage
running into streets, fi lthy living
conditions and infrastructure created
without building codes.
On the fi rst day of Ramadan in
2004, attacks doubled and Lambert’s
VETERANS DAY
East Oregonian
Page 5C
company was run ragged for a
couple of days straight. In for a short
time to sleep and back out, the men
were exhausted. The Humvee in
which Lambert rode slipped off a
narrow bridge and fell 30 feet into
an empty canal. Lambert was pinned
from his waist down for two hours.
His buddy, pinned on the opposite
side of the vehicle, died. The gunner,
with his thumb nearly torn off and
a severe hip injury, couldn’t feel his
legs for days.
Looking back at his time of
service, Lambert, now a Pendleton
police offi cer, said the experience of
war simplifi ed life for him. Things
others might think are important,
“aren’t that big a deal.”
More online
For the full audio interview
and video interviews
with the veterans, visit
eastoregonian.com or scan
the code on the left with
your smarthphone or tablet.
J.D. Lambert of Pendleton,
Ron Jardine of Hermiston,
Tom Tangney of Pendleton
and Bob Stangier of Pend-
leton shared their stories
with the East Oregonian
on Nov. 1.
Staff photo by E.J. Harris