RHINELANDER - Last weekend we told you about the 7-23rd Engineer Company send-off in Medford.

A Rhinelander Soldier is a part of that Army National Guard Company headed for Iraq.

Newswatch 12's James Fillmore sat down with his parents and brings us this story.

20-year-old Private First Class Tucker Cortright left for his first tour of duty on Monday, a mission that he views as the next step in his life.

Karla Crowell, PFC Cortright's mother, says, "He's anxious to have a new experience and to see new places and new things, but he's nervous too; he doesn't really know what to expect."

PFC Cortright is in Fort McCoy for about a month of mobilization training before heading overseas to Iraq.

His main mission will be to do construction and route clearance.

His stepfather, Allen Crowell, says, "It's going to be hard worrying about him if he's going to be okay over there, and just a lot of worrying."

Mrs. Crowell says every time she comes out and has a seat on this deck it's going to be a reminder of her little boy, who is now a man, serving our country overseas.

She says, " We'll say an extra prayer for him each night, and I think the hardest part for all of his family and for him will be the holidays. It'll be hard, he'll be missed and he'll miss us a lot too."


Mrs. Crowell says PFC Cortright is based in Medford and not Rhinelander because the 951st Sapper Company was already back from its mission, and he didn't want to miss the opportunity to serve his country.

Mr. Crowell says, "He was really looking forward to doing this. To me, it's a good opportunity for him and we'll miss him and we'll be worried about him."

PFC Cortright's mother says he is the only one in his troop taking advantage of a unique opportunity.

She adds that, "We're very proud of Tucker, he's become a very ambitious young man. He's not only in the Army, but he's also taking full-time college courses, and he continues to do that while he's in Iraq."

Although they miss their son life for the Crowells goes on as they wait for him to come home.

PFC Cortright's mother says her son plans to get his Associate's Degree, and may one day open a small business in the Northwoods.

She says she and her husband will look forward to hearing from him through e-mails and letters.