Explosion prompts career change

The former Howland policeman had two humvees blown up from under him in Iraq.
By TIM YOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
HOWLAND -- David Carr wanted to follow in his father's footsteps as a police officer, and as a Marine.
He became a sergeant in the Marine Reserves but his career in law enforcement was dashed when an improvised explosive device -- constructed using a 155 mm howitzer shell -- exploded June 29, 2005, under his humvee in Iraq.
The 35-year-old didn't lose a limb. Rather, the explosion blew out his right eardrum. Because hearing is so critical in police work, Carr decided not to return to the Howland Police Department.
"I'm deaf in my right ear and will always be deaf. There's nothing I can do to change that," said Carr, who has applied for his police pension because of the disability.
Carr said he made the decision to leave law enforcement after talking it over with Police Chief Paul Monroe and Darlene St. George, township administrator.
He decided to move on out of concern for his own safety, the safety of his follow officers and possibly opening the township up to a lawsuit if he failed to act because of his hearing loss.
Carr, of Howland, has decided to again follow his father, Robert, selling insurance for the Robert Carr Insurance Agency on East Market Street here.
The 1989 Bristol High School graduate worked as a part-time police officer for Howland and Bazetta townships beginning in 1992. He became a full-time officer in Howland in 1995.
Service in Iraq
In 1999 at age 27, which is old for a Marine to enlist, he joined the reserves. At boot camp, he was older than all of his drill sergeants.
He was assigned to the weapons company, 3rd Battalion, 25th Regiment in Akron. Since he had four years of service, he was in the inactive reserves and wasn't required to deploy to Iraq.
He wanted to go.
His battalion was deployed at the end of January 2005 and was stationed in the Haditha Corridor northwest of Baghdad near the Syrian border.
Three months later, an IUD exploded under the humvee in which he was riding outside of Haqlaniyah, south of Hapitha.
"I was just knocked around a bit," Carr recalled.
But on June 29, an IUD blew up one of four humvees he was commanding. He was sitting in the front passenger seat.
"I saw a flash," Carr said before losing consciousness. He suffered powder burns of the face and arms and shrapnel wounds of the legs. His eardrum was blown out.
His treatment consisted of cotton for his ear and a bottle of Motrin for pain. He was immediately returned to duty, but his commander had him rest for about two weeks.
He returned home with his battalion in September 2005.
How he sees it
During the tour, 48 Marines in his battalion were killed, including six by snipers over three days and another 14 when terrorists blew up an amphibious vehicle.
But Carr looks back on his military experience with fond, vivid memories of being with friends and comrades.
"The Marine Corps was probably the best experience I've ever had," Carr said of his experience.
Now selling insurance, Carr won't be working midnight shifts or holidays like he did on the police department.
"It's not as exciting," he noted.
Carr remains a strong supporter of President Bush. He believes that people have forgotten what happened Sept. 11, 2001.
He is positive that pulling the military out of Iraq would be a mistake.
Carr said the media and politicians should leave the country and the military be allowed to finish the war. "Let us do what we were trained to do," he said.
yovich@vindy.com