Rotateller Rotary Club of Owego, NY
Thursday, July 27, 2006 Gary Williams, Editor

Breakfast Meeting

Present: A. Bingley, J. McMullen, O. Wright, C. Wright, J. Spencer, J. Rose, S. Schecter, M. Dixson, J. Kip, A. Sunderwirth, R. Fisher, D. Burrell

Induction: Robert Fisher, President & CEO of Tioga State Bank, rejoined the club in an induction ceremony conducted by Orv. Bob was sponsored by Jeannette McMullen.

Program: Jeannette arranged for a very enlightening and engaging talk given by Dale Burrell, longtime Tioga County Sheriff Deputy, recently retired. Dale recently spent eight months in Iraq as a trainer of Iraqi police in a compound managed by Americans.

Conditions were very stark. The food choices allowed Dale to lose 50 pounds and his bed was a narrow cot. Because of the danger of travel away from the compound, he spent much of his time at the compound itself. Even so, he came under mortar attack several times. If fact, he is now back in the US after being evacuated following injuries from an attack and getting rehab.

Although the information about specifics of the training was limited by the rules of his professional obligation, in his opinion the majority of the middle-class Iraqis seemed to be in support of Americans being in Iraq.

This was a great presentation. It is unfortunate every Rotarian did not hear from Dale personally his remarkable stories about his experiences.

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