Oral history of Matthew Brinkley
Clemson University Libraries. Special Collections and Archives
Video Details
TitleOral history of Matthew Brinkley
Dates
Date Created
Descriptive Information
LanguageEnglish
A video recording of an in-person interview conducted by Nolan Wilbur with Specialist Matthew Brinkley on March 31, 2023 in Clemson, SC. Born on December 1, 1988, Brinkley enlisted in the United States Army in 2009.
After training, Brinkley became an all-source intelligence analyst. In November 2010, he deployed to Baghdad, Iraq, as part of Operation New Dawn, serving with the 163rd Armored Regiment. He was tasked with conducting intelligence analysis, monitoring unmanned aerial vehicles, and providing briefings for patrols. He describes experiencing frequent indirect fire attacks, the dangers of counterinsurgency warfare, and the emotional toll of losing fellow soldiers. A particularly difficult moment came while at Victory Base Complex in Iraq, when a roadside bomb hidden in his base's perimeter wall killed two soldiers whom he had briefed before their mission. Brinkley was medically discharged in 2013 and worked in defense contracting and intelligence analysis for several years before deciding to complete his degree. Now a student at Clemson University, he is active in the Veteran Resource Center.TopicsVeterans
Iraq War, 2003-2011
Military intelligence
Counterinsurgency
College students
United States. Army
United States. Army. Infantry Regiment, 163rd
Fort Jackson (S.C.)
Fort Huachuca (Ariz.)
Fort Riley (Kan.)
Baghdad (Iraq)
Iraq War, 2003-2011
Military intelligence
Counterinsurgency
College students
United States. Army
United States. Army. Infantry Regiment, 163rd
Fort Jackson (S.C.)
Fort Huachuca (Ariz.)
Fort Riley (Kan.)
Baghdad (Iraq)
Physical Descriptions
ExtentDigital video file; video length 01:03:16
MediumOral histories
TypeMoving image
Formatvideo/mp4
Contributing Institutions
Held By
Clemson University Libraries. Special Collections and Archives
Hosted By Clemson University Libraries
Identifiers
Digital Identifiercuvohp_2023oh0002
Permanent Linkhttp://purl.clemson.edu/2D3FE5F63DE3E5C93CBBF64156702040
Batch ID20260409144857
