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Show ST. GEORGE NEIGHBORHOODS — For the week of September 15, 2008 — The Spectrum know e Continued from page 9 Miami Central in Florida for his senior year — he lived with his grandparents there — and signed with Utah State on National Letter of Intent Day in 2005. There was only one problem. Days earlier he signed away his life to Uncle Sam, joining the Army Reserves. “(Utah State) was kind of wishy-washy. They didn't Dreaming about a new Career? Be Your Dream, Let Us Help! careerbuilder Phone : 435-674-6200 www.thespectrum.com — if they wanted and didn't offer me me a scholarship until the signing day; Timo recalled. “It was already too late to back out of the Army.” Timos intent all along was to go to college. But since a football ride wasn't for certain, he had to figure out another way to pay for his education. He made an eight-year commitment to the reserves and was assigned to the 172nd medi- cal unit, based in Ogden. In September of 2006, he was sent to the Middle East. Now get one thing straight. Timo wasnt a rough-and-tough G.I. Joe, there to close in on and destroy the enemy. His primary responsibility was shipping medical supplies to troops in Iraq and Afghanistan from Saudi Arabia. He's quick to tell you that a lot of people had it much tougher than he did. That's not to say he didn't face danger. One morning after a strenuous session of morning physical training, a siren came on. He said false alarms were much more common than attacks. But on this day the warning he failed to heed nearly cost him “The alarm goes off and a couple of my buddies start heading for the shelters and yelled “Timo, start running,” he said. “And I was like. ‘no, I'm too tired? So a mortar came right over and landed 10 feet away from me. As soon as I saw it I started running but it was too late. It kind of just clipped me a little bit in the back” For the most part, Timo suffered only. superficial wounds. “We laugh about it now — and they were laughing about it when I ran into the shelters, Timo said. “My shirt was all torn up and everything. It hurt. It felt like a bunch of little burn marks. It was nothing too serious. It was more stupidity on my part because I could have gotten away from it, but I chose not. to because I was too lazy: Soldiers are often used outside of their specialized role to fill in for others. Timo was plucked away from the warehouse a few times to help deliver supplies, which included convoy duty. Once while riding in a www.thespectrum.com the system. Defensive _ coordinator Ken Schmidt said he’s impressed with Timos physical tools and sees a lot of potential. “Athletically he’s as good as weve got; he said. “As soon as things start coming to him naturally, then he'll really start making plays.’ Teammate Teddy Owens looks forward to seeing Timo join the rotation of linebackers. “He doesn’t get as much playing time as he should? Owens said. “In practice he gets after it” The same could be said about his studies — in stark contrast to the way he handled the books before his military service. Timo said he didn’t focus enough on Humvee, a vehicle in his convoy met an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) — typically a mortar casing stuffed with explosives that is set off by a remote device. “I didn't know what to do. I was so scared I didn’t even move, Timo said. “Everybody was getting out of the Humvees and shooting, and said “Timo, get out schoolwork in high school, cover.” He returned in November, 2007 after 14 months in the Middle East and enrolled at Dixie State in January. After nearly four years away from football, Timo, a which limited his options for college. He makes sure he encourages his younger brother, Adam, an all-state quarterback and running back at Snow Canyon, to thrive academically. To show he practices what he preaches, the elder Timo took college classes true freshman who will turn overseas of the Humvee and take 22 this month, got back onto the field for spring drills. It took a while to shake off the -rustiliind he’s still learning in history Why Women Mumble Typically 2 to 6 Shades Whiter Little or No Sensitivity A Fraction of What Dentists Charge : Our Regular Price is Only $119.00 definitely an eye-opener. People back here are in their own little world. They don’t know what soldiers go through over there. When I got back I was like; ‘wow, this is really laid back: Life (here) is nothing compared to what it’s like overseas. “I never ever want to go back, but if I have to, in a second Id go back’ Biding his time on the bench and playing special teams while working on his degree isn't a bad alternative. “Tm still a freshman. I’m still young. I'm still trying to learn the system, Timo said. “If coach (Schmidt) feels like he needs me, then I'm there. I'm not going to pout or anything if I don't get to play. It just feels good to be back and playing football? They Talk and grandchildren’s voices. Price mii just $99.00!" have screwed that up. The experience helped me grow up a little bit, be more responsible and more self-sufficient. “Being over there was pitched voices. We see a lot of men who struggle with their wife’s, children appointment 986-1447) 10000000506_C50 Our When I would ble to them. Children also have high We're Located at the Red Cliffs Mall (Just walk in or make aen iets and criminal justice. He also knows he could be called back to a combat “zone. “If you knew me in high school, I was just a goofoff? Timo said. “I wasn't per se a troublemaker who would get arrested, but I just hadn't grown up yet. I wasn't ready to go out to college and be on my own. The most frequent complaint we instruments with our audiologists at hear from our male patients as audiolo- — 688-8866 in St. George, 586-8213 gists is that their wife mumbles when in Cedar City, and 346-4622 in messhe talks. 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