Forever changed: War in Iraq has had a major impact on lives of many Utahns

They are men and women, cooks and captains, part-time citizen soldiers and those who have signed on for lifelong military careers.

Their experiences, ranks, jobs and philosophies are varied. All are Utahns who have spent months or years in military service in Iraq or close by since Operation Iraqi Freedom began nearly three years ago — and all say they are forever changed by the experience.

Today marks the beginning of the "Faces From the Front" project, a two-week series of profiles designed to put the faces of our own Utah friends, neighbors and relatives on the news accounts from the war being waged some 7,000 miles away.

"ATTACK: U.S. begins its air and ground assault," the headline read March 20, 2003.

Salt Lake City resident and Air Force reservist Jimmie Smith was there, directing F-16s toward their targets as the United States sent two dozen overnight bombing missions into Iraq.

Maj. Steve McColley, a nurse anesthetist from Kaysville, was also there, treating wounded soldiers and Iraqi civilians and prisoners of war in a makeshift operating room.

"Bomb kills Cedar City soldier; 2 are hurt," the headline read July 18, 2005.

Staff Sgt. Les Patterson was there, tracking squads on a radio from a base near Kirkuk, Iraq, and receiving the news that his friend, Sgt. 1st Class Ronald Wood, had been killed.

In between these headlines from the Iraqi front are the stories of dozens of Utah men and women doing service behind the scenes in kitchens, medical facilities, chaplains' offices and other military support services in the volatile region.

Of an estimated 158,000 U.S. soldiers in Iraq today, about 4,664 are from Utah, according to the Pentagon.

For this series, Deseret Morning News reporters interviewed staff from various branches of the military. Dozens of men and women for whom places like Fallujah, Najaf, Kirkuk and Karbala were not just far-away locations in the news, but their temporary homes.

All are back in Utah for this holiday season — at least for now. Many could be called into service again. A few are retired. Some say there is no way they'll go back.

To a person, each feels changed by his or her experiences in this war.