Battle scars at the ripe old age of twenty-something

LOLITA HARPER

It used to be that Veteran’s Day conjured up images in my head of my

grandpa -- of the photo he used to show me in which he was free from

wrinkles and heart medication. His strong shoulders were pulled back

in his Army uniform, the dressy version of the uniform he wore while

serving in World War II.

This year the image is one of a fresh young face. The kind of kid

you would see walking around Orange Coast College with backpack in

hand, rushing from one class to the next. The same girl you might run

into ripping your ticket stub at the movies or serving your dinner.

There is a new generation of war veterans and they are a

remarkable mix of youthful innocence and mature wisdom. Theirs is a

wisdom that comes from hard-fought battles in the Iraqi desert, where

they learned the value of a decent meal, the meaning of teamwork and

the fragility of life.

I caught up with 21-year-old, Newport Beach Marine Ian Voss, who

recently returned from his tour in Iraq. Thankfully I caught him

between celebrations. He was home briefly, taking a shower to sober

up before going to dinner with his father, he said.

“I’ve been drinking since 10 a.m.,” Voss said. “I went to

breakfast with my mom and then went to the Shamrock with some Marine

friends ... We did a lot of toasting in the bar and that is about

it.”

Veterans of all ages did their share of toasting Tuesday and

Monday -- the birthday of the Marine Corp.

Rugged, retired Gunnery Sgt. George Tepich, also a Newport Beach

resident, said he was moved by the young men and women who joined him

at a huge Marine Corp birthday party at the Arches, which is owned by

retired Marine Danny Marcheano. The veterans ate, drank and shared

stories from the battlefield.

“It was a great party, Danny really outdid himself this time but

when I saw those young Marines ... “ his voice trailed off.

Tepich was 24 when he served in the Vietnam War and said he could

recall what it was like to be “a kid in the middle of hell.” He

started telling a story in the jungle, while he served as a combat

engineer official but stopped abruptly.

“You don’t wanna hear about it,” he said. “Anyways, it was very

emotional for me. It always is. But it was even more so with all of

our young Marines.”

Young Marines, such as Voss, who endured the thick of battle,

practically lived in a tank and survived for days at a time with

little food or rest, before he was even able to legally toast his

military brethren on Veteran’s Day. Voss just turned 21 about a month

ago.

“It’s pretty much a tradition that on Veteran’s Day and the Marine

Corp birthday that you get yourself trashed,” Voss said. “I combined

them both today because I had school yesterday.”

But the drunken party life is an anomaly for Voss, who spends most

of his time at Orange Coast College or working for the Fun Zone

Boating Co. as a harbor tour guide. The discipline instilled in him

during the corps has not faded, as he diligently works his way

through college.

“I work a lot and go to school a lot,” he said. “Today is my first

day off in ... I don’t know how long.”

His mother, Marsha Steinbrenner, was pleased to steal away some

time with her son on the special day. She said she was moved by the

lessons she was learning from her own child and floored by what he

has accomplished at such a young age.

“He showed me some of his photos from being in battle for the

first time today ... they were very moving,” she said, with a

sniffle. “He still doesn’t talk too much about it and I learned not

to ask a lot of questions.”

For Steinbrenner, Veteran’s Day was always about her

father-in-law, who served as a bomber in World War II, or people she

knew that served in Vietnam. But today it was about “her baby.”

“My son, at 21-years-old, is a war veteran,” she said. “That

really made it a lot more real. And my awareness was heightened that

there are so many more of them over there, getting killed, or hurt.

We all must put them in our prayers and not forget them.”

* LOLITA HARPER writes columns Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

She may be reached at (949) 574-4275 or by e-mail at

lolita.harper@latimes.com.