Dave Westbrook
daveamra@yahoo.com
I still remember Westwood High very well though I haven't lived in Mesa in many years. After high school, I went on a mission to Scotland with Bob Wright and Mark Millet. Not long after I arrived back in Mesa, I was drafted and went to Viet Nam with the Army Rangers. I flew recon missions along the laotion boarder and DMZ. On January 23, 1972, I was shot down and wounded in Laos, receiving a purple heart, bronze star and air medal with valor.
Back in Mesa, I married Rosa Sepulveda from Zamora, Mex. Rosa had written to me while I was in Viet Nam. We have been maried 33 years and have 9 children, 7 boys and 2 girls. We lived 7 years in Queen Creek and 26 years in Vernon, AZ; near Show Low.
I have had many assignments in the LDS Church, including Branch President. I graduated from ASU in 1985. I have farmed, ranched, taught school and worked for the Ariz Dept of Corrections, where I retired last year.
I have been in Iraq for the past year and a half with Blackwater Security Consulants. Presently, I am in Al Hillah acting as a laison officer between the US Embassy and the local police and Iraqi army. I also command a force of 205 local Iraqi guards. We have 14 check points in the villages around the Embassy. On the 10th of Oct, we intercepted a mortor attack and captured some munitions.
I've never made it to a reunion, I had really hoped to be there for the 40th, but it won't happen. I do think about all my ole' friends at Westwood. I love my wife and family and miss them. My wife, Rosa, thinks I'm crazy, but she knows I've always been faithfull to her. I hope to be home sometime after the new year. My boys and I have a cow ranch in Reserve, New Mexico. We also do guided hunts; deer, elk, bear and lion.