Sixth grade classes at Chase County Schools welcomed Bobbi Tropf last week when she shared her life as a soldier with them. They had sent her "puppy chow" while she was in Iraq. Tropf will be returning to her base until at least this spring. (Republican photo)

    ■ Editor's note: This is one in a series of articles concerning area residents serving in the military overseas.
    By Carolyn Lee
    The Imperial Republican
     Shooting trap as a youth was good training for Bobbi Tropf of Champion, currently serving as the only female gunner with the Army National Guard 600 Transport Company of Omaha. She is stationed at Tallil in Iraq until at least May of this year.
     Tropf has been home for two weeks, leaving tomorrow (Friday) to return to her base camp, where two stunted trees bravely bear the sign "Tallil National Forest."
     The weather isn't too uncomfortable now, with nights in the 30s and days in the 50s.
     However, when Spc. E-4 Tropf arrived in Iraq last fall, it could hit 140 degrees during the day.
     Her trip from Chase County High School Class of 2004 to Iraq has been interspersed with higher education. Just before her senior year she enlisted in the Army National Guard, mainly because she had an aunt who had served.
     Basic training was at Ft. Leonard Wood in Missouri after graduation, followed by AIT (Advanced Individual Training) as an 88M motor transport operator.
     Tropf then attended Southeast Community College in Beatrice, graduating with an Associate's Degree in ag business.
     Last May her unit was sent to Ft. Bragg, NC for a few months of training, before being flown to Camp Baring in Kuwait in August. The company was then sent to Iraq.
     In October, Tropf took a break when she was named Soldier of the Month, receiving a four-day pass to Qutar, a "really nice" city. Tropf got to wear civilian clothes, shop at malls and swim in the Persian Gulf.
     Her everyday life at Tallil isn't as nice, although she enjoys it. As a gunner providing convoy security and escort for those vehicles transporting supplies from Tallil, Tropf finds herself making missions about once a week. She is gunner for Humvees or ASVs (Armored Security Vehicles), traveling with a driver and truck commander.
     There are 19 women in her company, but she's the only female gunner. She said the gun turrets are tall "and I'm short. There's an advantage to being short."
     That's why she doesn't feel much danger about traveling in the vehicles. Small arms fire is "fun," she said, and the ASVs and Humvees are tough enough to withstand IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices).
     EFPs, or manufactured weapons, however, are "a little scary," as they can pierce the vehicles' armor.
     She hasn't had to fire a weapon yet on a mission. The trips themselves are nice, she said, as they take her off base. Between missions, the army finds other things for her to do.
     Although those in her company have turned into family, Tropf misses her family, friends and the "people from home."
     The army will be in Tropf's future one way or another. When she returns from duty later this year, she plans to major in ag economics at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, with a minor in animal science.
     She also plans to enroll in ROTC, with an eye to becoming an officer.
     "I'll hopefully graduate in a few years, do commodity brokering, drill on weekends for the officer thing and see if they send me back or not," Tropf explained.
     She views the Army National Guard as a job and an experience.
     "I get to help. It's fun to see the little kids. They're always along the road wanting food or water. We're not supposed to stop, but it's hard to turn them down," she said.