Personal Narrative Manuscript/Mixed Material Photo, Print, Drawing Audio Recording Connie Rose Spinks Collection
Veterans History Project Service Summary:
- War or Conflict: Iraq War, 2003-2011
- Branch of Service: Army
- Unit of Service: 426th Civil Affairs Battalion
- Location of Service: North Carolina; Korea; Iraq
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Collection Number: AFC/2001/001/46666
When Connie Spinks graduated from high school in 2000, she enlisted in the Army Reserve. As she told an interviewer, "It was an opportunity for me to see the world a little bit, and support my country, and also receive money for school." It took three months of pleading for her father to sign her enlistment papers. And at the end of 2003, she found her unit was shipping out to Iraq. She spent eight months in language training to be able to work in Civil Affairs. Riding in the middle of a convoy one day, she saw a vehicle pull up next to hers, and an explosion ejected her from her vehicle, severely injuring her and burning her face. She spent four months in a wheelchair before she could walk on her own. Spinks received her Purple Heart from a very special fan of the military: movie star Denzel Washington.
More Resources
About this Item
Title
- Connie Rose Spinks Collection
Names
- Spinks, Connie Rose
- Scott, Kathleen M.
- Women In Military Service For America Memorial Foundation, Inc. (WIMSA)
- Reborchuk, Margaret
Home State
- Texas
Headings
- - Spinks, Connie Rose
- - Iraq War, 2003-2011 -- Personal Narratives
- - United States. Army.
Repository
- Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Gender
- Female
Race
- Black or African American
Status
- veteran
Service History
-
Iraq War, 2003-2011
- Branch of Service: Army
- Unit of Service: 426th Civil Affairs Battalion
- Location of Service: North Carolina; Korea; Iraq
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Dates of Service: 2000
- Entrance into Service: Enlisted
- Military Status: veteran
- Service History Note: The veteran suffered severe burns to her face, arms and legs as well as broken bones from a suicide bomber attack in Mosel, Iraq.
Materials
- Manuscript: Transcript [1 item] -- Typewritten document (collected 2006-01-26)
- Photograph: Photocopy of Photographic Print [6 items] -- Photograph (collected unknown)
Collection Number
- AFC/2001/001/46666
Cite as
- Connie Rose Spinks Collection (AFC/2001/001/46666), Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Online Format
- audio
- image
- online text