If you would like to plan a speaking event with Mike please email him at mike.ergo@gmail.com!

Mike Ergo grew up in Walnut Creek and graduated from Northgate High School. Mike enlisted in the United States Marine Corps on May 11th, 2001 (his senior year in high school). He left for boot camp on October 9th that year and upon completing boot camp at the School of Infantry, Mike was stationed at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. His unit spent only a month in Iraq during the initial invasion of 2003, even though his deployment aboard a ship lasted eight months. In 2004, Mike's infantry unit was sent back to Iraq. This time he stayed in country for a little over seven months in the Al Anbar province. Along with five other infantry battalions of both Army and Marines, his unit was involved with Operation Phantom Fury (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Battle_of_Fallujah) which took place in November of 2004. Mike was honorably discharged from the Marine Corps in July of 2005, and returned home to Walnut Creek. Since returning to civilian life and seeing the situation in Iraq deteriorate rapidly he has given much thought to the situation. Through research and soul searching, Mike has concluded that the war in Iraq is not noble or just and that it has claimed too many American and Iraqi lives, while taking advantage of the patriotism of the youth of America. Mike is attending U.C. Berkeley and studying Social Work. He hopes to work as a mental health counselor for veterans with PTSD.

Topics covered

• The Realities of the Iraq War