Ian Fisher : American Soldier
September 10th, 2009
This is how an American soldier is made.
For 27 months, Ian Fisher, his parents and friends, and the U.S. Army allowed Denver Post reporters and a photographer to watch and chronicle his recruitment, induction, training, deployment, and, finally, his return from combat. A selection of photos from Ian’s journey are posted below.
The story was written by Kevin Simpson with Michael Riley, Bruce Finley and Craig F. Walker. It was reported by Riley in Colorado and at Fort Benning, Ga., Finley at Fort Carson and in Iraq, and photographer Craig F. Walker throughout.
The multimedia project, including all the photos, video and special features, can be viewed at
www.denverpost.com/americansoldier.
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June 1, 2007. 2:03 p.m. Ian returns a phone call to Sgt. 1st Class Gavino Barron, the commander at Ian’s Army recruiting office. Barron was making sure Ian was on track for enlistment. When he was 17, Ian had joined the Army’s Future Soldier Training Program, which prepares recruits for the enlistment process. Barron recalls his initial impression of Ian: “He wasn’t in it for the money. He was only in it for God and country. That’s the reason most infantrymen join.
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May 31, 2007. 11:26 a.m. Ian studies his transcript and diploma as he departs the Bear Creek High School commencement at Red Rocks Amphitheatre. He dismisses the importance of the ceremony but not of the diploma. “If I didn’t get my diploma, I couldn’t join the Army, I couldn’t do anything like that – and where would I be?” Looking back, he said, “I wish it went by a lot slower and I did a lot of things differently … grades.” Ian’s grade-point average was 2.0346.
