By LYDIA EARHART

Staff Writer

War (huuh), what is it good for?

It is good for Stephanie Bowden's relationship with her boyfriend in Iraq.

"I support my boyfriend," Bowden, a junior marketing major, said. "He let me know they need to be over there."

Bowden said she and her boyfriend have been dating for 10 months.

"This experience has brought us closer together," Bowden said. "You have to put your life on hold to be with him."

Bowden said she and her boyfriend talk three times a day, unusual for most couples going through the separation.

Cekedrick Datton, a sophomore education major, said she does not see a point in why America went to war.

"Right now it is like we aren't at war," Datton said. "I am not totally against the war because I think we showed them that we mean business."

Datton said he loves America but wishes the government would let Iraq deal with its own problems.

"We did what we had to do," Datton said. "We need to let them rebuild their country."

Datton said he almost went into the Army.

"I would have died if I went into the Army," Datton said. "They train you for what to expect but the training is not exactly what will happen when you go to Iraq."

Datton said he thinks the soldiers that do make it back from Iraq show a great way to learn how it really was in Iraq.

"The soldiers are good men who have great stories to tell about how they helped their country fight a war on terror," Datton said.

Danny Butler, a senior sociology major, served in Iraq in 2003.

"We were shipped there three weeks until the war was ending," Butler said.

Butler said it was a learning experience going into Iraq.

He explained that with only a weekend to leave his life behind for 11 months he spent his last days packing and saying goodbye to his family.

"I come from a military background," Butler said. "My dad told me what to expect when I got to Iraq."

Butler said he found comfort in his friends he went to Iraq with.

"When you are in Iraq you only have the guys on each side of you," Butler said. "You learn to watch each others' back."

Butler said his feelings on the war in Iraq have changed slightly.

"I support Bush and our main objective was to take Saddam out of office and we did."

Butler said before he left his home, he prepared his family for what to expect.

"I told my dad I'm doing the right thing," Butler said. "I told him that if it was my time to go than it was my time to go."

Butler said he thinks he has changed since he went to Iraq.

"I got away from my comfort zone," Butler said. "You have to adapt because you are fighting for your country. You are in a place where you have no family or friends -- just battle buddies."