From Dorchester Mailman to Desert Soldier By Geraldine Hawkins January 24, 2003 What's a mailman from Dorchester doing in a remote outpost like Uzbekistan — particularly when this is the first time he has been "any farther north than the Fleetcenter?"

Needless to say, it was a shock when Phil Byrne was called to active duty in Operation Enduring Freedom. "Other than going to Army National Guard drill in Melrose or visiting my sister or my girlfriend's family in New Hampshire, I didn't go anywhere north," he says. He is a supply specialist with the 972nd Military Police Company.

Uzbekistan is an independent country on the northern border of Afghanistan that was formerly a part of the Soviet Union. It served as a staging area for the Northern Alliance and U.S. Special Forces when the Afgan campaign began in October 2001. Uzbekistan is now used by the United States military to provide logistical support and anti-terrorism training.

When the call came five months ago to leave his parents, sister, girlfriend and job, Byrne was ready, as all reservists have to be. All he asks of his countrymen is that, "They not forget the tragedy of 9/11 that made our call to active duty necessary. I thank them for all their support. It is a small price we pay to live in the greatest nation on earth."

Byrne tells MassNews about his decision to join the Army National Guard. "I wanted to serve my country. The benefits were great. It was also meaningful to me because my father, who is Irish, served in the British Army. He moved to England to work and was drafted into service there in the '50s. He also met my mom, who is also Irish, there."

A typical workday for Byrne begins around the time the rest of his unit is getting ready for bed.

"I work nights which, like anything, has its pros and cons," he says. "For breakfast, I try to make myself some oatmeal with my kettle. I sleep from about 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., then I head to the gym for an hour or two. I eat dinner around 5 p.m. and go back to sleep around 6:30 p.m. until my shift starts around midnight."

What, exactly, does a supply specialist do?

"I work under the company's supply sergeant and we are responsible for issuing and accounting for every piece of equipment that our soldiers have been issued," Byrne tells MassNews. "It is a pretty boring job, but boring is good."

Byrne says that Uzbekistan during the summer was unbearably hot. "Temperatures broke 100 degrees just about every day but the winter was pretty cold, and short-lived. There was one week where it was subzero almost every day. It looks like the worst of the winter is definitely behind us, though. Temperatures these days get up to the 50s or so during the day and maybe the 30s at night, if I had to guess." The good news is, "It is bearable now."

Army chow "isn't bad," says Byrne. "They do the best they can with what they have. However, eating the same types of meals for the last five months has gotten to me at this point. I am dying for some steak tips and fries, not to mention a cold beer or two."

Byrne's time away from home has greatly affected his family. "It hasn't been easy. They miss me very much," he tells MassNews.

"They have each other to lean on, which is good. I am the second youngest of seven children so there is always someone for any of them to talk to in that regard," Byrne says. "However, it has been a great source of inspiration to me to know how proud of me they all are."

In civilian life, Phil Byrne is a letter carrier in the Fields Corner section of Dorchester. "I think Dorchester has always gotten a bit of a bad rap," he says. "There are some bad areas but there is definitely some draw to it."

Byrne grew up there and his parents still live in the area. "My brothers and sisters are scattered around from Manchester, New Hampshire, to Hanover, Massachusetts," he says.

Byrne has the deepest admiration for the people in his unit, so deep that he was willing to venture out of his beloved Dorchester to be part of it. "I chose this unit because of the quality of people that MPs [Military Police] are, and this was the closest MP unit," he says.

"It is somewhat odd being part of a unit that is based out of Melrose," Byrne tells MassNews. "It has always seemed to me that North Shore people and South Shore people don't mix too much. I may be wrong to consider Dorchester part of the South Shore," he adds. "I guess it is somewhat neutral."

Byrne receives no pay or benefits from the Postal Service during his military leave, "but I still earn time towards my vacation and pay raise increments," he explains. "I have been able to keep in touch with some of my co-workers, and their support means a lot to me."

He says he is glad to be doing his part for his country and is fascinated by his exotic surroundings. "I am a simple caveman but I have figured out how to use the digital camera that my friends, Dorchester guys, bought me for Christmas," he tells MassNews. However, his heart is still very much in Dorchester.

"My parents moved to Dorchester from Ireland almost 40 years ago and I like it there. I miss it very much right now," he says. "I guess I am just a city guy and I probably always will be. They say that Dorchester guys always remember their roots."

Byrne tells MassNews that "my work day is pretty boring, basically just manning the supply tent." What he is too unassuming to realize is that the people who are willing to go to the ends of the earth to do the "boring" jobs are the ones who will keep this country free.