This is the true story of six Iraq war veterans who decided to live together and study at American University to find out what happens when men return home from war and start their college educations. Welcome to 4335 Van Ness St. NW, or, as the veterans who live there call it, Forward Operating Base Van Ness.
The undergraduates, who range between the ages of 23 and 36, are from across the country and represent different ethnic backgrounds. They ended up living together because of their participation in AU’s chapter of Student Veterans of America.
And, more importantly, because they have one thing in common: their tours in Iraq.
“Outside of the fact that we live together and that we all served, there is really not one particular thing you could say about all of us,” said senior Brandon Krapf, 27. “Like for political things, we’re all across the spectrum.”
The residence — part fraternity house, part military barracks — boasts typical college amenities like grungy couches, a foosball table, a dartboard and a hot tub in the garage.
But it’s atypical, too. Cleanliness is enforced, military style.
“Direct confrontation is the way we deal with things,” said junior Matthew Halbe, 25.
The roommates, who are studying at American under the GI Bill, also communicate in military lingo, enjoy group physical training and refer to one another as “ate-up” or “chewed-up” if someone doesn’t look his best.
They keep a library of military books on hand, such as “My War: Killing Time in Iraq” by Colby Buzzell and “Inside Delta Force” by Eric Haney. They often share war stories.
“None of us really [cares] about what the other person said,” Krapf said. “All we care about is saying something that is cooler than your stories.”
Beyond the typical collegiate shenanigans, the young men rely on each other when interacting with coeds outside their “military” base, especially when trying to assimilate into a culture that was foreign to them for years.
“Being in this house, I’m being with the people I connect with the most,” Halbe said.
