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Monday, September 21, 2009

Mercury / News A Mercury-Reading Veteran Returns

Posted by Matt Davis on Mon, Sep 21, 2009 at 2:45 PM

A few months back we got this photo of Portlander Fred Erlenbusch serving his time in the army in Baghdad, reading a copy of the Mercury on one of Saddam's palace chairs. Today, Fred (he preferred to be referred to by his first name than "Specialist Erlenbusch," so...you know...happy to oblige) dropped by the offices to recreate the shot in a slightly safer environment: The news room.

frederlenbusch2.jpg

SAVING SPECIALIST ERLENBUSCH: IRAQ (LEFT), MERCURY (RIGHT)

Fred, 20, got back to Portland last Tuesday, September 8, and expects to be redeployed at some point. Because he's only been in the army two years and has another three to go, he can't really talk much about what he's been doing over there, or about what he's likely to do next, but said the Mercury really helped relieve the boredom of life on the base. He was there for Stephen Colbert's head-shaving, too. He has a tattoo of Waterfront Park on his arm—"I'm really proud of being from Portland," he says, and is hoping to use the money earned from being in the army to go to college for photography. He has a Flickr page here, with some examples of his work. The tattoo on the left reminds him that there are many different paths in life, he says.

frederlenbusch.jpg

Has he experienced judgment for serving in the military from rabidly liberal Portlanders? "I think most people tend to be angry with the people making the decisions higher up," he says. "And not with the people making sacrifices to go over there and serve their country." Also, he has sustained more injuries at music shows here in the last two weeks than he did during the entire time in Baghdad. "I got a drum kit thrown at me last weekend, and I sprained my right leg in a mosh-pit," he says.

Buy him a beer if you see him around town.

 

Comments (14) RSS

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1
"Buy him a beer if you see him around town."

But buying a 20 year old a beer would be illegal.... how about the PM hooks up a barfly bus style tour of the town for his 21st birthday?
Posted by MonkeyBeat on September 21, 2009 at 3:17 PM · Report
2
"Buy him a beer if you see him around town."

I hope the OLCC comes down on Matt like a ton of bricks for encouraging this sort of illegal behavior.

http://oregon.gov/OLCC/alcohol_and_minors.…
Posted by Graham on September 21, 2009 at 3:34 PM · Report
3
Dude deserves a beer for the cool Waterfront Park tattoo. Saluting military service is best done with whiskey.
Posted by atomic on September 21, 2009 at 3:40 PM · Report
4
@atomic. I agree with you. Lets buy this young man a beer in Canada. Wouldn't want to break any American laws. Wouldn't want the OLCC to fine Matt Davis for encouraging illegal behaviors.
Posted by Graham on September 21, 2009 at 3:52 PM · Report
5
Thank you for your service, Fred. Best wishes to you on future deployments.

I, for one, feel that if the kid is old enough to be put in harms way for his country, then he should be able to have several beers.
Posted by Patrick A. Coleman on September 21, 2009 at 3:53 PM · Report
6
Sorry. I'm British. We drink in pubs from 14. Buy him a cupcake.
Posted by Matt Davis on September 21, 2009 at 3:54 PM · Report
7
PAC, I agree that the young man in question should be allowed to partake legally of some wonderful Oregonian craft-brewed beers. Unfortunately, the OLCC and the USian government are puritanical idiots who have made stupid fucking laws that disagree with us.
Posted by Graham on September 21, 2009 at 3:58 PM · Report
8
Graham, this would obviously be liquor consumption for medical, religious or educational purposes and therefore not prohibited.
Posted by atomic on September 21, 2009 at 4:25 PM · Report
9
@atomic, unfortunately, in Oregon the only legal grounds for an underage non-minor to drink is for religious purposes: "However, this section does not prohibit the acceptance or consumption by any person of sacramental wine as part of a religious rite or service."

So we can't buy Mr. Erlenbusch a beer, but we can provide him with some sacramental wine. I'm a fan of the smaller Pinor Noirs out of the Willamette Valley. The earthier the better.
Posted by Graham on September 21, 2009 at 4:37 PM · Report
10
Graham, we need to talk about using your pedantry for good and not evil.

Anyway, the whole conversation is moot, as one Mat Davis constitutes a British Commonwealth and can therefore dispense spirits and cupcakes to anyone who is not the Queen.
Posted by atomic on September 21, 2009 at 5:05 PM · Report
11
Love the tattoo of Portland!
Posted by Reymont on September 22, 2009 at 8:49 AM · Report
12
I bought him a beer yesterday. Unfortunately for both of us it was Pabst. Still a beer...
Posted by Williams, Jay on September 22, 2009 at 10:48 AM · Report
13
Alf, you shouldn't admit to breaking the law. You don't want to receive a $350 fine from the OLCC.
Posted by Graham on September 22, 2009 at 11:35 AM · Report
14
Graham, you are such a fucking douche. I'm buying him a beer. Fuck you and the fascists at the OLCC.
Posted by Jesus Fucking Christ on September 23, 2009 at 8:14 AM · Report

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