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Sunrise Beach, Mo. —
About Denise Mills
Branch Army Reserves
Years served 1989-1992, serving in Operation Desert Storm from January-May 1991
Hometown Originally from Farmington Hills, Mich., she now lives in the Sunrise Beach area.
Family Husband Bill, one son, two stepdaughters and nine grandchildren
Job Waitress at Sunrise Cantina
Hobbies Horseback riding — She owns three horses and enjoys going on trail rides.
Organizations She joined Zack Wheat American Legion Post 624 last year and says it has been great to get in touch with other veterans.
What did you do while in the military?
I was a surgical tech. I handed instruments to doctors and helped prepare for surgery. My unit was activated Thanksgiving Day 1990, and we shipped out Jan. 2 to Saudi Arabia.
Once we were set up at King Khalid Military City, we were responsible for Americans and foreign allied soldiers at first. At the [evacuation] hospital, we removed shrapnel and performed amputations. Then our mission changed to taking care of EPWs, Enemy Prisoners of War. There were a lot of families. That was tough because we only had one translator, so it was hard trying to get them to understand that we were trying to help them.
What was it like serving in Desert Storm?
It was hard to leave my 5-year-old son behind, but it was very interesting too — all the people I met. We had a French unit come in, and they brought us baguettes of bread. Then a Polish unit was there around Easter, and they prepared a traditional Polish Easter dinner for us. There would be Scud alerts and Scud attacks nearby. When there was an alert, we donned our masks and the chemical gear that we carried at all times and waited for the all clear. We had fun too. We got to be friends with a Saudi colonel in charge of the equestrian club. Sometimes we would go to the club at night and ride Arabian horses — to be riding Arabian horses in the Arabian desert was great. I was glad I went to Saudi Arabia. It was a good experience — I was part of a great unit — and it's something I'll never forget.
What did you do after you got out of the service?
I lived in San Antonio when I enlisted. I left the Reserves because of my knee. I had knee surgery before I went to Saudi Arabia and later had to have total knee replacement. About a year after I left the service, my son and I moved to Kansas City. After living there for about a year, I met my husband Bill through the datelines in the Kansas City Star. We dated seven weeks before getting engaged. Eighteen years later, here we are. We eventually moved to the lake to be close to his family.
Know a lake-area veteran who we may talk to? Contact WestSide Star Editor Amy Wilson at amy.wilson@westsidestar.net, and let us know about him/her.
About Denise Mills
Branch Army Reserves
Years served 1989-1992, serving in Operation Desert Storm from January-May 1991
Hometown Originally from Farmington Hills, Mich., she now lives in the Sunrise Beach area.
Family Husband Bill, one son, two stepdaughters and nine grandchildren
Job Waitress at Sunrise Cantina
Hobbies Horseback riding — She owns three horses and enjoys going on trail rides.
Organizations She joined Zack Wheat American Legion Post 624 last year and says it has been great to get in touch with other veterans.
What did you do while in the military?
I was a surgical tech. I handed instruments to doctors and helped prepare for surgery. My unit was activated Thanksgiving Day 1990, and we shipped out Jan. 2 to Saudi Arabia.
Once we were set up at King Khalid Military City, we were responsible for Americans and foreign allied soldiers at first. At the [evacuation] hospital, we removed shrapnel and performed amputations. Then our mission changed to taking care of EPWs, Enemy Prisoners of War. There were a lot of families. That was tough because we only had one translator, so it was hard trying to get them to understand that we were trying to help them.
What was it like serving in Desert Storm?
It was hard to leave my 5-year-old son behind, but it was very interesting too — all the people I met. We had a French unit come in, and they brought us baguettes of bread. Then a Polish unit was there around Easter, and they prepared a traditional Polish Easter dinner for us. There would be Scud alerts and Scud attacks nearby. When there was an alert, we donned our masks and the chemical gear that we carried at all times and waited for the all clear. We had fun too. We got to be friends with a Saudi colonel in charge of the equestrian club. Sometimes we would go to the club at night and ride Arabian horses — to be riding Arabian horses in the Arabian desert was great. I was glad I went to Saudi Arabia. It was a good experience — I was part of a great unit — and it's something I'll never forget.
What did you do after you got out of the service?
I lived in San Antonio when I enlisted. I left the Reserves because of my knee. I had knee surgery before I went to Saudi Arabia and later had to have total knee replacement. About a year after I left the service, my son and I moved to Kansas City. After living there for about a year, I met my husband Bill through the datelines in the Kansas City Star. We dated seven weeks before getting engaged. Eighteen years later, here we are. We eventually moved to the lake to be close to his family.
Know a lake-area veteran who we may talk to? Contact WestSide Star Editor Amy Wilson at amy.wilson@westsidestar.net, and let us know about him/her.
