Afghanistan–Just one short year ago, 2nd Lt. Ian MacGregor was worrying about organizing his senior exhibit and meeting his requirements for an art degree at Campbell University. Today he supervises a construction project to house and protect troops fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan. He couldn’t have chosen more diverse endeavors, but MacGregor, who received his commission after completing Campbell’s ROTC program, has managed to find common ground.An infantry officer assigned to the 2-503rd Battalion, 173rd Airborne Brigade, MacGregor’s mission is to protect, support and assist the people of Afghanistan in fighting the Taliban and rebuilding their country. Although he is an Infantry officer, he has yet to command an Infantry patrol. In the meantime, MacGregor has been assigned as project leader for the Forward Operating Base’s construction program which is charged with building housing for the troops and local workers.”When my superiors found out that I was an art major, they also put me in charge of area beautification projects,” MacGregor said. “I’ve been tasked to improve the looks of our Forward Operating Base, and I’m pretty happy about it.”One of his assignments was to provide sketches of the Brigade emblem, winged bayonets, to be built to scale and mounted on base headquarters. “I enjoy art, both the ‘seeing’ and the ‘doing’ of it,” he said. “I figured that studying art would be great exposure to other cultures prior to beginning a military career, and it would also help me better communicate in a visually oriented world.”The eldest of eight children born to an Army chaplain and his wife, MacGregor has traveled extensively, but he’s learned so much from being in the Army in Afghanistan.”I never imagined that I would be in charge of 250 workers who speak little to no English,” he said. “It has truly been a challenging and rewarding experience.”Privileged to work with the Afghani people and experience their culture daily, MacGregor has become good friends with his foremen. They make a habit of eating together and drinking Chai (tea) daily. One of the foremen, Shafiqullah, is a doctor who attended medical school in Pakistan.”After work, he teaches English at one of the local schools,” MacGregor said. “He is a brilliant man who greatly assists in the progress we are making in this country.”Although he is proud to be a part of that progress, MacGregor still misses many of the advantages of living in the United States.”Besides being with my family, I miss driving my car down I-95 with the radio up and the windows down.” He said. “I know that probably sounds too much like a lyric from a song, but it is the first thing that comes to mind.”Ian MacGregor graduated from Campbell University in 2006. He arrived in Afghanistan in July 2007 and will leave in September 2008 to return to Vicenza, Italy where his unit is based. Photo Copy: Ian MacGregor with his Brigade emblem
MacGregor finds beauty on the battlefield