| Photos: Dan Marschka/Intell Journal |
Don Eberly speaks to friends and supporters Sunday during a reception in his honor
at American Music Theater. |
 Don and Sheryl Eberly greet U.S. Rep. Joe Pitts. |
Rebuilding Iraq
Don Eberly ready to turn his attention to own children
East Hempfield resident returns home after spending four months in Iraq
BY JUSTIN QUINN
East Hempfield resident Don Eberly was given a hero's welcome Sunday after
spending the last five months helping the Bush administration rebuild Iraq.
About 150 invited guests at American Music Theatre on Lincoln Highway East greeted Eberly, who served as senior adviser to the Iraqi Ministry of Youth and Sport.
Eberly's family organized the reception, which included ice-cream cones, soft pretzels and other munchies. Guests included Congressman Joe Pitts, state Reps. Katie True and Scott Boyd, County Commissioner Pete Shaub, Lancaster County Republican Committee chairman Dave Dumeyer and other local Republicans.
Several guests submitted written question to Eberly, which he answered during a brief reception in the theater's main hall.
"The Iraqi government is now very much like our own government," Eberly said, answering a question about his superiors. "Ambassador L. Paul Bremer is sort of like the president of the Coalition Provisional Authority and he was surrounded by 24 cabinet members, of which I was one."
A computer slide show contrasted the excesses of the Hussein regime with the poverty of its people. Eberly recalled his involvement in a scavenger hunt for items left behind by Uday Hussein, the late son of Iraq's deposed dictator, Saddam Hussein.
"It was an explorer's dream," Eberly said. "We were able to get into just about everything and see how this person really lived."
On the table with the computer slide show were items Eberly brought back from Uday's palaces, including his personal, gold-leaf stationery and Iraqi currency. The items were juxtaposed with Eberly's flak jacket, jackboots and helmet, along with a poster depicting the coalition forces' "most wanted" deck of cards.
Eberly said his scariest moment in Iraq happened when the convoy in which he was riding got caught in traffic in downtown Baghdad.
"Slowly the vehicles become separated and further apart," he said. "Then, when you're sitting there, unable to move, you realize you're pretty vulnerable."
His most memorable moments, however, came when he saw the faces of Iraqi children. Eberly recalled driving into downtown Baghdad and spotting two boys chiseling away at the head and shoulders of a statue of Saddam Hussein.
"One of the boys looked up at me, flashed this big bright grin and gave me the thumbs up," Eberly said. "About 50 percent of Iraq's population is under the age of 19, so reaching out to the youth is very important."
Now that he is home, Eberly said he can concentrate on his own brood.
"I was focused on the youth of Iraq," Eberly said. "Now I'm focusing on the Eberly kids."
Rick Eberly said he found out his brother was heading to Iraq during a drive to New England.
"I get a call on my cell phone and it's Don," Rick Eberly said. "He told me, "I can't tell you where I'm going and I can't tell you what I'm doing, but I need you to pray for me.' I guess, at that time, he was headed to Kuwait City."
Rick Eberly said his brother's commitment to his country, family and faith is "impressive."
"He told me of a room in the palace called the "encounter room,'" Rick Eberly said. "This was where Saddam Hussein would determine who would be put to death, who would be flogged, who would be sent to prison and who would be set free. Don told me this room was turned into a prayer room."
Don Eberly said every family, it seemed, had been touched by the brutality of the deposed dictator.
"There was no justice system," Eberly said. "Violators were treated extraordinarily bad."
Eberly said he is focusing on the things he missed while he was away.
"Starbucks, steakhouses, bookstores -- even the sound of a lawn mower," he said. "Just having a weekend with my family is pretty good."
Shortly, he said, he plans to return to Washington to continue his work for Bremer -- until he is reassigned, that is.
"The joke in my house is that I'm going to be sent to Liberia next," he said.
About 150 invited guests at American Music Theatre on Lincoln Highway East greeted Eberly, who served as senior adviser to the Iraqi Ministry of Youth and Sport.
Eberly's family organized the reception, which included ice-cream cones, soft pretzels and other munchies. Guests included Congressman Joe Pitts, state Reps. Katie True and Scott Boyd, County Commissioner Pete Shaub, Lancaster County Republican Committee chairman Dave Dumeyer and other local Republicans.
Several guests submitted written question to Eberly, which he answered during a brief reception in the theater's main hall.
"The Iraqi government is now very much like our own government," Eberly said, answering a question about his superiors. "Ambassador L. Paul Bremer is sort of like the president of the Coalition Provisional Authority and he was surrounded by 24 cabinet members, of which I was one."
A computer slide show contrasted the excesses of the Hussein regime with the poverty of its people. Eberly recalled his involvement in a scavenger hunt for items left behind by Uday Hussein, the late son of Iraq's deposed dictator, Saddam Hussein.
"It was an explorer's dream," Eberly said. "We were able to get into just about everything and see how this person really lived."
On the table with the computer slide show were items Eberly brought back from Uday's palaces, including his personal, gold-leaf stationery and Iraqi currency. The items were juxtaposed with Eberly's flak jacket, jackboots and helmet, along with a poster depicting the coalition forces' "most wanted" deck of cards.
Eberly said his scariest moment in Iraq happened when the convoy in which he was riding got caught in traffic in downtown Baghdad.
"Slowly the vehicles become separated and further apart," he said. "Then, when you're sitting there, unable to move, you realize you're pretty vulnerable."
His most memorable moments, however, came when he saw the faces of Iraqi children. Eberly recalled driving into downtown Baghdad and spotting two boys chiseling away at the head and shoulders of a statue of Saddam Hussein.
"One of the boys looked up at me, flashed this big bright grin and gave me the thumbs up," Eberly said. "About 50 percent of Iraq's population is under the age of 19, so reaching out to the youth is very important."
Now that he is home, Eberly said he can concentrate on his own brood.
"I was focused on the youth of Iraq," Eberly said. "Now I'm focusing on the Eberly kids."
Rick Eberly said he found out his brother was heading to Iraq during a drive to New England.
"I get a call on my cell phone and it's Don," Rick Eberly said. "He told me, "I can't tell you where I'm going and I can't tell you what I'm doing, but I need you to pray for me.' I guess, at that time, he was headed to Kuwait City."
Rick Eberly said his brother's commitment to his country, family and faith is "impressive."
"He told me of a room in the palace called the "encounter room,'" Rick Eberly said. "This was where Saddam Hussein would determine who would be put to death, who would be flogged, who would be sent to prison and who would be set free. Don told me this room was turned into a prayer room."
Don Eberly said every family, it seemed, had been touched by the brutality of the deposed dictator.
"There was no justice system," Eberly said. "Violators were treated extraordinarily bad."
Eberly said he is focusing on the things he missed while he was away.
"Starbucks, steakhouses, bookstores -- even the sound of a lawn mower," he said. "Just having a weekend with my family is pretty good."
Shortly, he said, he plans to return to Washington to continue his work for Bremer -- until he is reassigned, that is.
"The joke in my house is that I'm going to be sent to Liberia next," he said.
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