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Ryan Craig had no problem at all deciding what he was going to do after high-school graduation in 2001.

And he's really glad about the decision that he did.

Craig, who grew up in Ringsted, told Estherville Rotarians Thursday about his service in the U.S. Air Force and Minnesota Air National Guard and how it has changed his life for the better.

Craig, currently a student in both the wind turbine and energy technology and aviation programs at Iowa Lakes Community College in Estherville, did tactical patrol in Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia, either attached to the Air Force or to Army or Marine units. He later cross-trained in logistics.

On tactical patrol, he would work with convoy operations in which there would be a flyover followed by mapping of the safest possible convoy routes. Understandably, there were a lot of questions about his experiences in both Afghanistan and Iraq.

"When the Air Force has convoys we always have an eye in the sky following us," Craig said. "We always had air support at a moment's notice."

Craig noted language and cultural barriers in training with Iraqi soldiers. However, he said local Iraqi police officers "were a huge help to us" on the ground.

Craig said the media underreports the positives about what's going on in Iraq. He said Iraqis strongly favor the American presence and they're grateful to U.S. contributions to Iraqi schools and in developing water supplies.

Craig offered admiration for Israeli soldiers with whom American forces have also trained. "Their military is so strong, so dominant," he said. "It's nothing I would want to mess with."

Admitting "the paperwork is a problem," Craig said the quality of American forces on the ground "is superb." He said those serving in the armed forces are there for a reason and they know why they're there.

Craig noted the substantial educational benefits he's received, both from active duty in the Air Force as well as from the Guard. That includes both the GI bill from the Air Force and tuition paid by the Guard.

In return, he reports for duty once or twice a month. And if the inevitable should happen - being called up to active duty - he said he's notified well in advance about future deployments.