Synopsis of oral history interview with Joseph O'Keefe.

              Video Log
Joseph O’Keefe
Operation Iraqi Freedom
U.S. Marine Corps
Born: May 15, 1982
Interview Date: September 30, 2009
Interviewed By: Eileen Hurst
Part I
00:00:08 introduction
00:00:52 O’Keefe’s highest rank was that of corporal; he enlisted while living in Meriden, CT.
00:01:07 joined the service because he was disinterested in schooling at the time, and serving would help to pay for schooling later; chose the Marine Corps because it was “the toughest”
00:02:03 was sent to Parris Island, SC, for boot camp in January of 2002; boot camp lasted three months; describes the experience
00:03:50 names his three drill instructors
00:04:33 recalls having to speak in third person while at boot camp
00:05:26 graduated from boot camp in April of 2002
00:05:37 after boot camp, had orders to go home and assist a recruiter in New Haven for thirty days, plus ten days of leave
00:06:08 got orders to next go to Marine Combat Training (MCT) at Camp Geiger, NC; did guard duty for about a month, then was placed into a class; describes what was taught in MCT and how he lives at Camp Geiger
00:07:51 O’Keefe was not thinking about being deployed to Iraq at the time because no one had an Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) yet; the MOS given is usually as-needed, but there are preferences that can be made. O’Keefe selected Aviation Support, either to go into Aviation Ordnance or Crash Fire Rescue; he ended up in Aviation Ordnance, which he describes.
00:10:29 went to Pensacola, FL, next to go to his ordnance “A” (first) school, which he describes; he was there for “a summer”
00:11:19 went to Naval Air Station (NAS) Oceana next in Virginia, which was where his “C” (second, more specialized) school was; he knew he was going to be assigned to an F-18 squadron, so he learned about that craft specifically; describes the F-18 jet and its ordnance systems, and his duties
00:13:28 was assigned to his unit, VMFA(AW)-224, a F-18 delta squadron, out of Beaufort, South Carolina; Beaufort was the home base for about three years; describes living conditions
00:14:56 deployed to Arizona regularly for training operations and did a 6-month WesPAC trip; he went to Japan, Guam, and Australia; describes training done
00:16:06 In 2005, from January to August, O’Keefe did a tour in Iraq; went to Al Asad Airbase; describes the mission and responsibilities
00:17:56 went to Iraq mostly with the people he had trained with; there were exceptions
00:18:33 was given a few weeks of leave before deploying to Iraq
00:18:54 first experience/impression of Iraq; emergency landing
00:21:22 describes “tins” (as opposed to barracks)