 "Photo: Photo Courtesy of BCPD")
 "Photo: Photo Courtesy of BCPD")
"As soon as you get off that plane, you are in harm's way," said First Sergeant Viriato "Vinny" Sena, a Boston College Police Department (BCPD) officer currently serving in Iraq.
Exposed to rocket-propelled grenades and improvised explosive devices, the father of four's outlook on life has forever changed.
"We all take things for granted sometimes, but after you go to a place like that you appreciate life even more," said Sena. "Every minute you have to cherish; everyday that you wake up you have to thank God."
The officer, who was at Westover Air Force Base in Chicopee, Mass. visiting family last week, is with the 472nd marine wing support squadron attached to the third marine division. He is in charge of refueling convoys and other military vehicles, and has supported battles in Fallujah and Ramadi, while stationed on the Syrian border.
"I was mainly responsible for refueling, and making sure that everything that needed to get done was taken care of as far as building and refueling for the helicopters, convoys, and military police," he said. "You name it, I was in charge of it."
While Sena said that the action has been intense, it is nothing that the veteran has yet to see. Since 1973, he has been with the Marine Corps, serving in the 1975 evacuation of Saigon, Vietnam as well as being stationed in Okinawa, Japan, the Philippines, and Hong Kong. He has been a reservist since 1997 and was called to action in August 2004.
Sena's dedication to service came from his father, who raised 11 children in Cape Viridian Island, Portugal.
"It was tough; I came from a poor country. My father was a farmer and was a hard worker," he said. "He had 11 kids but managed to do the best he could with what he had."
Sena's father was involved in a similar military career in Portgual, and his actions showed what it meant to serve one's country.
"I wanted to make a difference," said Sena on his motivation to enlist. The officer sees his role in Iraq in a broader context, one of personal sacrifice for future security.
"We're going to be in Iraq for a while, but I'm not saying we should have never been there. The news only shows the bad things that go on there, but there are a lot of good things going on there too," he said.
"In order for us to secure our future here, we have to make sure they secure their future," Sena added.
Being in Iraq during the first democratic elections in 50 years has fortified Sena's hopes.
"We were there during the making of history, the elections. It went a lot smoother than what we expected. Some voting places were a mile and half away from where I was, but they all ran smoothly," he said. "Iraq is going to be a better place by the time we get done with it."
There are, however, conditions that make living in Iraq especially difficult. When Sena first arrived, temperatures exceeded 120 degrees and sand storms "came out of nowhere." Before he left in the later winter months, night time temperatures dipped below freezing.
The anti-American insurgents have also increased the intensity of fighting, but Sena said that they do not reflect the sentiment of the entire Iraqi population.
"They love us being there, the Iraqi people. But then you have the insurgents who want no part of us, and they will do whatever they can to try to deter us from being there," he said.
Furthermore, communication with family and friends can be complicated. While he is allowed the occasional phone call, the sometimes unreliable e-mail system has been his main mode of contact.
"It's very hard because anytime something happens all the communications are cut off," he said. "If something happens on the ground [the e-mail] stays in the system, and it doesn't go out for a while."
Sena said that he has tried to maintain contact with family at least once a week, but the most difficult aspect remains "being out there away from my family and friends, and my job," he said.
The anticipation of coming home, a date that he said will most likely come in less than a month, has grown in the face of the hardships he has encountered.
"[Being at BC] is like being among friends; I get a lot of respect from people in the community that know me. I get along with the students and sometimes I travel with the football team," he said. "It will feel great to get back and I'm looking forward to it."
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