When Shoshana Johnson signed up to join the Army as a cook, she was told she was undertaking a “safe job.” However, upon her deployment to Iraq, she soon realized that the Army has no safe jobs.

In 2003 during Operation Iraqi Freedom, Johnson’s maintenance company was traveling as part of a 600-vehicle convoy toward Baghdad. But her unit fell behind and missed a turn, causing them to travel into the enemy-controlled territory of Al Nasiriyah.

“We were lost and I was worried because the Iraqis had time to set up an ambush,” said Johnson. “We could hear gunfire hitting our vehicle. The adrenaline started going; I was terrified.” 

Her company was pushed off the road by an Iraqi truck. Suddenly, she felt a burn in her legs and realized she had been hit. She was then dragged away while getting kicked and punched by her captors.  

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