Oklahoma soldier watching Iraq closely as the election nears

Even soldiers back on the homefront are watching Iraq closely as the election nears.<br/><br/>One Oklahoma soldier helped train the Iraqi national guard, the troops who will help guard polling stations

Saturday, January 29th 2005, 6:44 pm

By: News On 6

Even soldiers back on the homefront are watching Iraq closely as the election nears.

One Oklahoma soldier helped train the Iraqi national guard, the troops who will help guard polling stations tomorrow. He's home after a year-long deployment but Iraq isn't far from his thoughts.

Major Bob Bennett's job in Iraq was to help train Iraqis to protect themselves. He says there were some good days and some bad days. But he says he saw hope in their eyes.
We first introduced you to Major Bob Bennett last fall, when he was serving in Mosul, Iraq.
With the help of a satellite, The News on 6 was able to connect him with his Broken Arrow grandparents Otto and Flora Seidl.

Major Bennett came home from the battlefield last November. And today he got a leave from his duty at Fort Sill to come visit his grandparents in person. The Seidls were happy to see their grandson in the flesh. They say he looks good, some home cooking has helped put on the few pounds he lost while he was away.

In between reminiscing and laughing, Major Bennett and his family are also keeping an eye on the Iraqi election. Major Bennett says the situation in Iraq is changing.

Major Bob Bennett: "The Iraq I knew doesn't exist anymore three months have passed and the situation changes and the elections are going to have an impact and we have to be up on that."

Major Bennett worked shoulder to shoulder with the Iraqis. And he's optimistic about tomorrow's elections.