Rob Pomroy

22, Fishtown
Specialist, Army
Currently in Iraq

	print	email	reply	rss feed

Published: Jul 1, 2009

Rob Pomroy
22, Fishtown 
Specialist, Army 
Currently in Iraq

"I was working three jobs," Rob Pomroy, who was born in Fishtown, says over a pay phone from Iraq, "and I never really saw my little girl because I was too busy working to put food on the table." Pomroy was living with his girlfriend and her mother in Chalfont when he decided to visit the recruiting office. After he signed his contract, his 3-year-old daughter, Zoey Rose, had health insurance for the first time in her life.

Before long, Pomroy was in Schweinfurt, Germany, awaiting deployment. In the winter of 2008, he gathered with his company outside their barracks; his sergeant read off, "Pierson: November 27, Pomroy: November 27. ... " When written orders followed, he called home to Zoey. "Daddy has to go far away, for work, to beat up the bad guys," he said.

At Camp Kalsu, Pomroy drives a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle that he describes as "a big-ass escort for [tanker trucks] going between bases on short notice." Three months into his tour, his MRAP was put to the test by an improvised explosive device (IED), which blew a hole through the vehicle's thick floor, but stopped short of the cabin. The violent shaking was enough to bash Pomroy's ankle and split his gunner's head open. After suppressing the small arms attack that followed and improvising some repairs, the convoy made it home. Says Pomroy: "I went on the same road the very next day just to show them my ass is not scared."

Although his financial situation has improved since he signed up, Pomroy has traded down on family time — he has been home three weeks in the last two years. He doesn't mind, he says, as long as he gets to talk to his family. Setting his alarm for 2:30 a.m. (Iraq time), he gets on his laptop when his fiancée gets home from work. "We use the webcam so I can see my baby," he says. Pomroy calls himself "a lifer," with 18 years to go until retirement. "Operation Iraqi Freedom is almost over, so North Korea here we come," he says.

All reader comments are subject to our Terms of Use. By clicking Post Comment, you acknowledge that you have reviewed and agree to these Terms.

Name	please enter your name
Email (will not be published)	please enter a valid email
URL	please enter a valid url
Comment	please enter a comment
Enter the security code on the right in the textbox below.
Security Code	please enter the code
	Join the City Paper Mailing List

Soldiering On
Byron Roth
Laura Golembiewski
Jose Quinones
Dave Marris
Raheem Rowell
Matt Brennan
Tim Stanton
Carl W. Notter
Roberto Brabham
Lilliam Bernal
Tim Johnson
RJ Ernst