Observance holds special meaning for local Marine
To serve in Iraq after two tours in Afghanistan
BY VINCENT TODARO Staff Writer

Left: U.S. Marine Cpl. Jason Neilsen, of East Brunswick, with girlfriend Kelly Williams during East Brunswick's Memorial Day observance on Sunday at the municipal complex. Above: Neilsen is pictured during one of his two tours of duty in Afghanistan.

EAST BRUNSWICK - It was a day to honor all those who have given their lives for their country, but also a time to reflect on those serving overseas today.

Among these brave individuals is Jason Nielsen, who is getting ready for his third combat tour and who took part in the township's Memorial Day observance Sunday in Veterans Park.

A U.S. Marine corporal who grew up in Carteret and now resides in East Brunswick, Nielsen has served two tours in Afghanistan, and will soon head to Iraq.

Looking back on his tours in Afghanistan, Nielsen, 23, said the military has made an impact in Afghanistan by going on patrols with the Afghan national army, and by handing out "humanitarian" aid to local villages. A large part of the job was hunting down members of the Taliban.

"They would give us information on the Taliban, where they hide, and we'd go and catch them," he said.

Nielsen said Taliban soldiers would be captured and brought to U.S. military bases for questioning.

"Most of the time they'd give us information and we'd catch the rest of their members," he said.

The prisoners would then be sent to the Guantanamo Bay detention camp in Cuba.

One thing that stands out in Nielsen's mind about his time in Afghanistan was the weather, which could go as low as 10 degrees below freezing and as high as 130 degrees Fahrenheit.

Nielsen, who serves as a firefighter with East Brunswick Independent Fire Co. District Two when he's home, said his interest in serving in the military began with the 9/11 terrorist attacks, which took place during his senior year of high school.

"Right after that, I decided to join the Marine Corps, because of what happened," he said. "I wanted to go to Afghanistan and I wanted to get back at the guys who attacked us."

In August 2002, he was shipped to basic training and boot camp, and graduated in November.

"It wasn't too hard for me, because I ran cross country in high school," Neilsen said. "I was also a cadet for the fire department, so I worked out a lot. It was harder to be away from my family."

Neilsen then went to an infantry school in North Carolina before being stationed in Hawaii. From there he went on a sojourn to Japan for deployment training, and then to the Philippines where one if his tasks involved providing protection during a visit from President George W. Bush. He said he also helped train Philippine Marines.

After the Philippines, it was back to Hawaii, then redeployment training for Afghanistan. His first term there, with the 3rd Battalion, 3rdMarines, Lima Co., lasted seven months, and he returned again for a period in 2005-06, this time with the 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines, Alpha Co.

Asked his thoughts on the success of the U.S. military efforts against the Taliban, Neilsen said the troops have made a big impact on local villages, and distributed first aid, clothing and money.

"They really looked up to us," he said of the villagers.

Neilsen's time away has made it difficult for his family and friends. His mother, Barbara Clark, of Sayreville, and his girlfriend, KellyWilliams, of East Brunswick, are among those who will miss him when he is deployed again.

"[Kelly] cries a lot, every time she thinks of it," Neilsen said. "You go from hanging together every day to not even hanging out or seeing each other."

After his two tours in Afghanistan, Neilsen said he began pursuing a career in police work, even receiving a job offer from the county sheriff 's office. He said he took the civil service test in 2006, and recently got a notice from the sheriff 's office that he would likely be hired. However, he had already been told he was being recalled for active duty, this time in Iraq.

"I'll be in Iraq for seven months," he said, adding that will mean the end of his contractual term with the military.

He will leave on June 15, with pre-deployment training until November. From there it is on to Iraq for the next seven months.

"I'm not sure what I'll do exactly in Iraq," he said. "I'm sure it won't be very different from Afghanistan, just without the mountains."