Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein ordered the invasion and occupation of neighboring Kuwait in early August 1990. Egypt called on the United States and other Western nations to intervene, which started the first Persian Gulf War. The conflict in the troubled region led to a second Gulf War (also known as the Iraq War) that began in 2003. Cesarina Frias, a hispanic immigrant, lived in a culture that expected her to stay home, focus on marriage, children and housework. and family and work, but she wanted to join the military. These were her wishes since high school, with the approval of her husband, Darryl Stephens, Cesarina, a wife and mother of two, fulfilled her dreams in 2003 when she enlisted in the National Guard. First Days of Service Sgt. Frias began her basic training at Fort Jackson located in Columbia, South Carolina. She joined when she was 28 years old, which made her the oldest soldier there (besides her drill sergeants). When she arrived at the base it was hectic and crazy. She arrived at 4pm and everything was fast paced, and hectic the moment they stepped foot into the base. Even the training was crazy. Even though it was painful Sgt.Frias liked the challenge it brought and felt that it was also rewarding. Her drill sergeants played a big role in former he into a soldier. There was a male, who was strict and tough and a female, who was more sensitive to the feeling and they soliders health. She got through the training with a lot of patience and positive thinking. After the rigorous training, she went to her first overseas mission. Experiences Sgt. Frias served in the second Persian Gulf war (Iraq War) through 2005-06. The deployment lasted eight months. She was stationed in Pastiche Providence Balad, Iraq. The flight lasted eighteen to nineteen hours, there were a lot of stay overs and had to board three planes to get there. Her job was a Signal Support Specialist, who took care of convo vehicle,radios, blue force tracking( mapping of vehicle, enemies, and friendly groups), and fixing the Dukes which took care of contact machines and saved lives by locating IED ( Improvised