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May 17, 2007

Missing soldier brings war home to Lawrence

Jessica Benson and Yadira Betances

LAWRENCE | Alex Jimenez loves being a soldier.

When his father's neighbor, Raul Polanco, first met Jimenez, the young U.S. Army specialist was looking through a book about the Army. "He is a true military man; he lived for that," Polanco said.

Other friends describe Jimenez, who has been missing in Iraq since Saturday, as so enthralled with the military, he watches the commercials with a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eyes. He loves it so much, they said, he is planning to re-enlist for another four years.

But his family was not so thrilled with the 25-year-old's choice of careers.

"I didn't agree with his decision because of what is happening," said his cousin, Jose Peralta. "When you go to war, it's like a lottery."

So far, most Lawrence soldiers serving in Iraq have been lucky. Only one casualty from the city has been reported since the war began just over four years ago.

Mayor Michael Sullivan said the news of Jimenez's disappearance brought back memories of the death of Army Sgt. Pierre Raymond in 2005. The 28-year-old suffered a fatal wound when he was hit by shrapnel while in his sleeping quarters in Iraq. He died in a hospital in Germany a few days later.

Sullivan kept thinking about Raymond as he fielded questions from the media about Jimenez.

"We all hope and pray the ending is not the same," he said.

Francisco Urena, director of the city's Veterans' Services, agreed that Jimenez' disappearance has brought the war in Iraq home to Lawrence, just as Raymond's death did two years ago.

"Unfortunately, the country goes through this on a daily basis," he said. "It's come home because we have someone with ties to this city."

"It makes the war local," Sullivan added. "The world's been following this for four years now, but it's always like it's over in another part of the world."

Jimenez' disappearance has effected people who don't even know him. Victor Sosa, 75, a neighbor of his father and a Korean war veteran, couldn't stop thinking about Jimenez yesterday.

"It makes me sad," he said.



Staff writer Jill Harmacinski contributed to this report.

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