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CEDAR CITY — Since he graduated high school, Carter Mitchell went back and forth on his decision to join the military.
"I finally said, 'Yes, this is something that I want to do,'" he said recalling the day he committed to become a soldier for the Utah National Guard.
On New Years Eve, the 22-year-old sat in the Oklahoma City Airport waiting to begin basic training. He was scared, nervous, and not sure what to expect. But as his training ensued and he was pushed physically and mentally alongside newfound friends, one thing always brought him comfort.
It was his father, Robbie Mitchell, and his 20 years of service in the 2nd Battalion 222nd Field Artillery of the Utah National Guard, or the Triple Deuce.
"In the back of my mind, knowing that he went over into Iraq two times, and what he went through," he said of his dad. "I got cake. I'm just getting yelled at and doing easy stuff compared to that."
Carter Mitchell grew up listening to his dad tell stories of when he went to basic training, watching him put on his uniform to perform drill exercises once a month, and going overseas when he was just 13 years old.
"And watching the respect that he got," he said, "and realizing that people give their lives to a much greater cause kind of made me decide that that's what I wanted to do, is give a part of my life to a greater cause, and for those that I love and have gone before me."
Robbie Mitchell signed up to join the National Guard when he was a senior in high school at just 17. At age 18, he went to basic training, came home and served for six years.
"I got out for a little bit at this time," he said. But the men he served with, his brothers, talked him into returning.
"So I got back in. My first activation was for the Olympics. I did the 2002 Winter Olympics," he said.
In 2003, he was activated to go to Iraq for the first time. But at the last minute, he was reassigned to Washington for three months. But the call came again two years later. He went to Iraq, leaving behind Carter, three other children, and his wife.
Lt. Col. Chris Caldwell, commander of the 222nd field artillery, was with the battalion in 2005 and 2006 when they took 500 soldiers to Iraq from Utah.
"We fought under some pretty bad conditions, it wasn't easy," he said. "We were given some pretty difficult missions in a very difficult area in Iraq, during a very difficult time," he said.
Before each mission, Caldwell said the soldiers would have a mission briefing and talk about the dangers they might face past their perimeter, or wire of safety.
"We never left the wire without saying a prayer," he said. "We always gathered around our Humvees and said a prayer."
The troops were hit by roadside bombs and suffered injuries, some of them very severe. But Caldwell also knew that people back home were praying for them as well.
"I truly believe that we were protected by those prayers that were said on our behalf," he said, "and the prayers that we said as we went out on those missions."
All 500 soldiers from Utah returned home, including Robbie Mitchell. But 83 soldiers from other states in their brigade were lost.
"In 2009 we got called back up, went back to Baghdad for about nine months total," Robbie Mitchell said. "We pretty much closed Baghdad down. We were the last units to leave the Baghdad bases when we came home."
"It means a lot," Robbie Mitchell said if his years of service. "The Deuce has a great legend."
According to Caldwell, the Triple Deuce has been deployed eight times, beginning with the Civil War.
"The 222nd field artillery traces its roots all the way back to the Mormon Battalion," he said.
Realizing that people give their lives to a much greater cause kind of made me decide that that's what I wanted to do, is give a part of my life to a greater cause, and for those that I love and have gone before me.
–Carter Mitchell
The battalion also served in the Korean War. After diligently fighting along other soldiers, they won at the Battle of Kapyong. The regiment, called the 213th at the time, had 600 soldiers. All 600 returned.
"If you talk to some of the veterans that fought in the Korean War, they attribute that greatly to their faith. They attribute that to the prayers that were said by the people, on their behalf, that were here back at home," Caldwell said.
Southern Utah, Caldwell said, has great communities who are very supportive of their soldiers.
Robbie Mitchell said the Triple Deuce is a home away from home for many of the soldiers.
"We got got contractors, mechanics, doctors, nurses, people that work all over," he said. "We come together and it's like a second family. We each bring a little individual personality to it, which makes it work."
Not just for him, but for his dad as well, who served during the Vietnam War.
The legacy will continue for the Mitchells with Carter.
"I listen to my dad's stories and other people and I've got stories now from going overseas and my boys lived it. He's heard it," Robbie Mitchell said. "He's heard me tell about stuff and for him to continue on the generations of going in the military, it's, I'm happy. But hopefully he never has to go overseas and experience that."
Caldwell said all of the soldiers in the Triple Deuce are proud to wear the uniform.
"They want to serve the citizens of Utah," he said. "They want to serve the citizens of the United States. They truly love the flag that they serve and they wouldn't be anywhere else, doing anything else."
Robbie Mitchell echoed Caldwell's sentiment.
"The songs we sing and the flag and all of the symbols we have, it's, it brings a big emotion to me," he said. "I love this country and I'd do anything for it."
