Major Kirk Luedeke at the Crossed Sabers
Monument in Baghdad.


It was April of 2007. Major Kirk Luedeke, a public affairs officer in the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team and writer for the New England Hockey Journal, found himself at what he expected to be a routine school opening in southern Baghdad. Unfortunately, al Qaeda had other ideas.

With children, Iraqi government officials and Military VIP's present to commemorate the recent renovations done at the facility, the school suddenly became the target of enemy fire.

"We could have engaged them and gotten into a potentially drawn-out fight, but the commander on the ground didn't want kids to get caught in the crossfire- it was basically a no-win situation for us." Luedeke said. "If we stayed inside and a child was hurt or killed, it would be on us. If we left the cover of the school, then we stood a good chance of taking casualties. In the end, he decided that we needed to get out of dodge."

They decided their best course of action was to bolt for their armored humvees outside of the school.

"I never ran so fast in my life- and with the full battle armor, helmet, weapon, ammo, etc. I was pretty loaded down. I ran over what I thought was a pile of trash only to put my left leg halfway into an open sewer. Just nasty. Made it to the humvee and we flew out of there, taking fire from both sides of the street." Luedeke said. "It was a lot like what you saw in the movie 'Blackhawk Down', sitting in the vehicle- powerless to really do anything while our gunner returned fire with his M240 at gunmen on rooftops."

It was at that very moment that Kirk promised himself to never take anything in life for granted again.

Both the military and hockey have always played a role in the soon to be 37-year-old's life.
Luedeke, a self-professed Army brat, became fond of the "Big Bad Bruins" in the late '70s, as his dad spent a lot of time stationed in the Boston area while Kirk was growing up. He learned how to play hockey during his time in New Hampshire.

"We lived near Robinson Pond, so I learned to play pond hockey first and later moved on to the minor hockey programs in Nashua N.H./Tyngsboro." Luedeke said. Kirk then spent his middle school days in Peru. "Leaving the area to live in South America in middle school forced me to play field hockey to keep my skills sharp."

Luedeke returned to Hudson, NH, to rejoin the kids he had grown up with. While there, he was a member of the high school's hockey team.

"I was just glad to be on the team, to be honest." he confessed. "I'm a much better coach than a player- I am Level 3 certified with USA Hockey and have been involved with a couple of championship teams, so that's been far more rewarding for me."

As the son of a Vietnam veteran, grandson of two WWII vets, and great grandson of a World War I solider, he headed for The Citadel after graduating high school.

" I gave up plans to attend Boston University and Army ROTC there in favor of a military college, which I thought would set me up better for a career in uniform. Charleston, S.C. is a city rich in history and looking back on it, was a great place to go to school." Kirk said.

"Not a hockey hotbed by any means, but I think it was good to go to another part of the country I hadn't spent much time in, and the military discipline, physical fitness and academic challenges were a good environment for me. Some of the hazing and other tomfoolery wasn't so great, but at the same time, we did a lot of things that students at regular colleges and universities can't even begin to comprehend, so it balanced out a bit."

Luedeke was still able to get his hockey fix while preparing to become an officer in the United States Army.

" 'Quad hockey' (the 'quad' or quadrangle is the checkered open formation area inside of every battalion barracks building- looks like a chessboard from overhead) is the official sport for bored cadets. A lot of us would put on our rollerblades and go at it after class and on the weekends when the quad was not in use for formations and things like that."

Kirk was commissioned in May of 1994, and became a 2nd Lieutenant in the Armor Branch, the army's tank force. He spent the first twelve years of his military career as an armor officer, making stops in Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Bosnia and a voluntary tour of duty in Iraq.

"Being a tanker was a lot of fun- riding around the plains of Kansas shooting at things and blowing them up. I always told myself that if I was going to go in the army, I would do something that I couldn't do anywhere as a civilian, so I think that definitely qualifies!"


Luedeke during his days as a tanker (1995)

Luedeke, who has now been with the New England Hockey Journal for a full decade, wanted to put his communication skills to use in his military gig. He decided to switch to Public Affairs.

"I just figured that with my background in sports writing and interest in communications, I would be a better fit for the Army if I switched over. Not to mention being in public affairs gives me the kind of experience I'll need when my military career is over and I move on to the private sector." Luedeke said.

"Being on tanks is fun, but it isn't exactly a resume builder. As a PAO, I work with the media to help tell the army's story and am often a military spokesman for the organization I am assigned to."

In July, Luedeke will be a year removed from a 15-month stint in southern Baghdad.

"In Iraq, you have brief, intense periods of action for the most part as opposed to long, extended and drawn out sequences like you see in the movies. It can be a roadside bomb exploding near your vehicle, or some bursts of fire shot at you while you are on foot followed by the enemy quickly disengaging and melting away before reinforcements and/or air support can get there, or it can also be a couple of incoming mortar shells or rockets fired into your forward operating base." Kirk said.

"It usually happens when you're not expecting it, and you never forget the sound of rifle fire cracking over your head, or the hum of a 107mm rocket motor."

Like his middle school days in Peru, Luedeke was still able to find time for hockey while abroad.

"In 2005, I played roller hockey with fellow troops from the 3rd Brigade, 3rd ID. One guy was from Minnesota and played growing up. His mom went to local sporting goods stores and got them to donate rollerblades and equipment, and we built our own nets. We had a blast, and there was even an article in the New York Times about our hockey games, as we happened to have a reporter and Rangers fan who was at the FOB at the time and who watched one of our pickup games."

And it's moments like that which Luedeke cherishes more than he ever did before. Having lost four good friends in the war, even as recently as a few weeks prior to this past Memorial Day, Kirk sees remembering them as a reminder that every minute on earth is truly a gift. It has given him a perspective that now allows him to appreciate both the sweet and the sour when it comes to being a die-hard sports fan.

"Sports should be fun and enjoyable- some people- and I'm not judging them, because they simply haven't had a life-changing experience or the kind of perspective others do when it comes to things like this- treat hockey or sports like it's life and death." Luedeke said, claiming that he finds it a bit sad when people fall prey to letting sports govern their emotions, especially when there are things of far greater importance in life.

"Being a passionate and dedicated fan is one thing. I know I used to get so upset when things didn't go my way with sports. I'd be furious and stomp around for days. It's just that once you experience events that show you the reality that everything you hold dear could be snatched from you in an instant, you come to see things like the NHL and movies and music for what they are- entertainment." Kirk said.

"The athletes themselves are making a living playing a game, so it's important to them, but as fans, I just think you have to get your priorities more in line with your life. But that's just my opinion."

Luedeke, who now lives in the Washington DC area and is stationed at Fort Meade in Maryland, can retire from the Army in five years, but may stay longer if he can keep moving up the chain (as he expects to be promoted to Lt. Colonel sometime in 2011).


Sgt. Nathaniel Smith, Sgt. Ben Washburn, Luedeke and Sgt. 1st Class Robert
Timmons receiving their end of tour awards at Fort Riley (2008)

Looking back, he couldn't be more proud of everything that he has accomplished and experienced during his first 15 years in the Army.

"I'm most proud of my family- I have a wife and two great kids, and they've been very supportive of my responsibilities, time spent away from home, and then the significant time I spend writing and covering hockey. I'm also proud when I see soldiers who were at one time subordinates of mine getting promoted or touching base with me to thank me for being a good leader/influence on them. That's really the ultimate reward for my military service." Luedeke said.

"The other medals and trinkets and things- they don't mean as much as it does when a young sergeant comes up to me in Iraq and says, 'You probably don't remember me, but you were my commander and I thank you for all you did.' That's the kind of thing that all leaders should strive for, because it lets you know that you did some things right, at least."

*****************************

Tremendous thanks to Kirk for sharing his story. It was truly an honor to share it with everyone here, and I'm greatly appreciative of him taking the time out of his clearly busy schedule to talk with me.

I was also able to chat with Kirk, NEHJ's prospects expert, about his writing career, the upcoming draft, the Tavares/Hedman debate, and who he expects to be available for the Bruins to draft in the first round (among other topics).

So, I'll be back in the coming days with part II.

JC


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