msnbc.com asked users who have served in Iraq to help mark the fifth anniversary of the war by sending in photos, videos, and memories. Submissions flooded in from Iraq and from the home front. Many of them can be seen here.

The following is a selection of some of the stories msnbc.com users shared. Both msnbc.com and Newsvine welcome users to help cover news in Iraq by sending in personal stories at any time; follow one soldier's writing, which is featured on both sites, by reading his column here.

The chocolate muffin

This is a heartwarming story and photo that really shows the human side of this war. My son, Pfc. Aaron W. Ellis, a US Marine currently in the Anbar province of Iraq, sent me this amazing photo (first one in the gallery) and told me this story just a few days ago. He and another Marine (last name Jordan), were sitting in their humvee in Fallujah when they saw this small girl sitting alone by the side of the road. She was very shy and they could tell that she wanted to approach them, because they had some chocolate muffins in their humvee and she could see them. As the driver, Aaron had to stay in the vehicle, but he asked Jordan to give her one of the muffins. He got out of the humvee and approached the little girl, but she was very shy and wouldn't come near him. So, he got down on one knee and unwrapped the muffin and held it out to her and she finally came forward and accepted it. The Marine then put up his hand to get a "high-five" from her, but she didn't want to come any closer. He waited patiently and finally she edged closer and put up her hand and gently touched his. My son watched the whole thing unfold from his humvee and he took this amazing photo at just the right time. Notice how gently she touched his gloved hand, and imagine how intimidating the Marine must have been to that small child! If you look closely at the photo, you can see the muffin in her left hand. I wondered if she'd ever tasted a chocolate muffin.
--Marcie Brown, Forest Grove, OR (submitted on March 10, 2008)

Waiting for more news

February 16, 2005 was a typical day in our household. My wife was at work at the insurance firm she's worked for for almost 7 years and I was getting ready to head out the door to my job at Best Buy when we got THE phone call: Our son, an Infantry Battalion Scout with the Second Infantry Division had been wounded in an ambush on the outskirts of Ramadi. The Bradley Fighting Vehicle he was riding in was destroyed by an IED. As a veteran myself I had a difficult time imagining something that could virtually destroy a 25 ton armored vehicle like the Bradley. What was more difficult to believe was the paucity of information the Major from the Casualty Notification Unit at Ft. Carson Colorado could give me. He could tell me our son was injured and in the hospital...period. Nothing about the extent of his injuries, was he being medivaced to Germany, NOTHING. We finally heard from our son three days later. While we were blessed that we got a phone call rather than the dreaded knock at the door, it was still a very long three days.
--Daniel Revas, Omaha, NE (submitted on March 13, 2008)

Too many goodbyes

There was Wes and Jerry. They were the first to be killed. Then there was Tommy, Vince and Mike...Joe, another Jerry, and several others whose names are already beginning to fade. But not their faces. From the time we crossed the Iraq border on a cold crisp Christmas Eve morning and listening to the Eagles' "Tequila Sunrise" until I left the "Rock" just outside of Fallujah, the faces of the men I served with have never faded. Nor have the faces of Vietnam nearly 40 years ago: Steve, Jim, Dai, Bob, Larry, Willy, Herb, Joe, Randy...and so many others, both American and Montagnard...kids and young men. One more trip: I leave for Afghanistan in about ten days. More faces and more memories to come. I just turned 60 years old. Whether it's five years or forty years...only the places and faces change...the machine grinds on.
--Anonymous , Tempe, AZ (submitted on March 8, 2008)

An unforgettable cry

I was serving as a chaplain in a Kansas Air Guard unit at the time of the invasion. I was serving stateside to help with homeland issues for families and guard members who did not deploy. One of my first duties was to meet families of the nearby Army Guard unit whose loved ones were killed. I remember vividly one young teenage boy who was outraged and cried out loud, "Why did my dad have to die for oil?!" That episode has never left me as I continue to ask his question to anyone who will listen. How is it, in the United States of America, that we, as a people, have allowed our government to involve us in a war that has killed not only this young man's father, but tens of thousands of other fathers, mothers and children all on carefully calculated and deceitful manipulation? How is it that we have allowed this illegal war to continue unabated for so long? I left the Air Guard in 2005. However, I still grieve for the tens of thousands of families and people who have been forever scarred by this arrogant and monstrous act by our government. I pray these days that, if there is a God, that this God have mercy upon our country. For if God is truly a vengeful God as portrayed in Christian/Judaic scripture, then we will surely pay for the wrath we have needlessly caused. 9/11 may be the least of our concerns for generations to come...
--Bradford Bray, Lee's Summit, MO (submitted on March 8, 2008

Children of war in the U.S. and in Iraq

I am a Army military wife with my husband on his second our in 3 1/2 years. This current deployment he is on is the 15 month tour. He is a father of 3, two boys and a girl. These deployments have been very hard on him and our family. The most heartwrenching is what my husband has to deal with on missions, no sleep for days sometimes and seeing the children that run the streets with ragged clothes playing in sewer water with no shoes. Recently I asked my church to send clothes, and toys, and paper,crayons and shoes/sandles, they gathered a great amount of things in which my mother sent many many boxes to him to ease some of his pains of these children caught in this war; as a lot of the times he sees our children who are blessed with what they need. This way even when my husband feels like his hands are tied, he can at least look at these children's faces and give them something they did not have and given the greatest gift of their joyful faces. I think we often forget that children are as just as much affected by the US actions and how it can affect our soldiers serving there that deal with these children of war, who didn't ask for anything and definitely not this war.
--Andrea Kabachenko, Fort Riley, KS (submitted on March 8, 2008)

Gruesome saves

My brother was a medic who was shipped between Afghanistan and Iraq for almost 2 years. He was supposed to train females to work as medics since there was the danger that if a male medic treated a woman, she may be beaten or killed when she returned home. However, he had a very hard time training females to work as medics since most of the females he got to train were very new to the army and were overwhelmed by the violence and gore in the area. Three of the females he had begun to train had nervous breakdowns, one had tried to commit suicide using a military rifle but was unsuccessful. All three were sent to a Germany base to recuperate. He was only able to successfully train one female medic and not many male medics. This meant he had to work long hours and work with very little sleep. He frequently ran out of medical supplies and couldn't make it out to get new supplies enough, so he had to improvise. One such time, his troop had found a civilian who was very badly injured, but they were so far away from the tent that they weren't sure if they could save him. The man was bleeding quite badly in the torso, but my brother didn't have the supplies he needed to stop the bleeding and patch him up. While in the vehicle, my brother had no choice but to use his elbow to stop the man's bleeding by shoving it into the wound so that the man would last long enough to make it back to where the medical supplies were. The civilians he met were always very grateful and very respectful of my brother and frequently offered food and gifts to him as thanks for his treatment of their wounds and sicknesses. He found it sad that the best "doctors" in those areas were no more knowledgeable than paramedics or army medics, but he did his best to train the doctors and medics while treating soldiers and civilians.
--Anonymous , Laurel, MD (submitted on March 10, 2008)

Grateful for her brothers-in-arms

When I got to Iraq I was in shock. A female Navy Reservist in the intel field walking around East Baghdad with an Infantry Division. I was terrified. After a few months, I came to trust and depend on the Army to keep me safe. Without all my "brothers" and friends, I truly don't think I would be who I am today. Being back for 3 months has made me realize what the important things in life are. With the main one being life itself. Thank you 2/2 Infantry Division!!
--Valerie Kemp, Victoria, TX (submitted on March 11, 2008)

A stranger to my son

March 19th is a significant day for my family. On March 19th, 2003, I was stationed with the 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, TX. When word came that the war had begun, my wife and I were traveling home to Nashville, TN for what we thought would be our last trip home before I deployed. Like many soldiers, I hoped that the situation could be resolved without going to war but I was prepared to go if necessary. As the initial invasion progressed better than expected, we were told that we would not be deploying. A few months later, I took command of a company in the 1st CAV. In late July 2003, my company and I were training for deployment in the field at Fort Hood. While there, we were told that we would deploy in March 2004. When I called to tell my wife, she told me that we were expecting our first child. We quickly realized that the deployment and our child's birth would be within days of each other. We prayed that our child would come before I left but prepared for the possibility that I would not be home for the birth. Unfortunately, on March 17, I left for Iraq, still waiting for my son's arrival. I had only been in Kuwait for about 12 hours when I was told to call my wife at the hospital. Over the next 9 hours, I made numerous calls from a tent in the Kuwaiti desert. 48 hours after I left home, our son Matthew was born by emergency c-section. That was one year to the day after the war had begun, March 19, 2004. I kept up with my son's development using email, letters, and a webcam. I saw him roll over, eat solid food, and crawl for the first time on a computer screen in Baghdad. When Matthew was 8 months old, I came home for two weeks of leave. I cannot describe the joy of holding my son for the first time. While most fathers hold their son in the delivery room within minutes, I was holding an eight month old in the Killeen, TX airport. Those two weeks were the fastest of my life. I returned to Iraq, feeling complete, having held my son. I was not sure that we would make it home before he turned 1. Fortunately, 6 days before his birthday, we arrived at Fort Hood. After we landed, we were bussed to the parade field in front of the division headquarters where our families were waiting for us. As the buses pulled away, we marched to the center of the field where the Division Commander welcomed us home and released us to find our families. The feelings of joy, sadness, elation, and relief were overwhelming. I rapidly found my wife and son. My wife gave me a huge hug and my son started crying when I tried to hold him. He was overwhelmed by the crowd and did not know this stranger trying to take him from the only parent that he had known for the first year of his life. Within a few weeks, he had warmed to me and we slowly began to put our lives back together. 6 months ago, our daughter was born. Unfortunately, her birth was accompanied by another deployment in our family. My younger brother deployed to Iraq five days before she was born.
--Major Kevin Baird, Fort Leavenworth, KS (submitted on March 18, 2008)

'On the brink of madness'

Being back in the U.S has taken a toll on my mind body and soul after being in the devils dungeon for a full year (Camp Anaconda, Balad Iraq). My story is a simple one. A national guard solider staying in the military because I felt as if I made a difference. 3 years home now at the end of March, I often ask myself is or was it worth the one life (Staff Sgt Jerome Lemon) that was lost in an Vehicle Bourne I.E.D. The answer is no matter how much I ponder my thoughts is no. I developed P.T.S.D since being there was so depressing and often struggle with my thoughts as I try to hold my life and family together. I sometimes feel as if I'm on the brink of madness. I think the only thing that keep me from losing my mind is my beautiful two year old daughter Zy'eria Octavia Walker. I promised my wife if I made it back home we would have a child after putting children off for the last 6 years. To me, this is the only good that came from such a terrible thing called Operation Iraqi Freedom.
--Swail Walker, Olanta, SC (submitted on March 14, 2008)

A hero with no regrets

My name is Chris Ott and I'm submitting this story on behalf of my hero who is also my son. LCPL John Doody was serving in Iraq and was shot several times in the leg last March. The last gunshot took out his perineal nerve leaving him with a condition called 'flap foot'. John was recovering from his injuries, was a junior in college and planned to continue on to law school. He was even interning with an attorney in San Diego while still recovering from his leg wounds. On January 16, he was found unconscious and unresponsive. John sustained severe brain damage from a condition called endocarditis which is a strep which caused his brain to stroke and then become starved of oxygen. He is now in Tampa, Florida at the James Haley Veterans Hospital. John wrote the following in the final paragraph of his biography that he wrote after being shot: "I have been asked many times that with all that has happened to me 'Do I regret any of it?' And the answer is and will always be 'Not a moment'. I feel lucky and blessed to be in the position that I am in. It doesn't matter that I might be considered 'handicapped' now, I was willing to give my life for my country, and I feel lucky that I still have that and my leg and will still be able to make a difference in this world." John's prognosis is unclear. He cannot respond but appears to be fully conscious and aware of his surroundings. I continue to pray daily for his complete recovery. Thank you for hearing about my hero. --Christina Ott, Idaho Falls, ID (submitted on March 8, 2008)

Serving in the war, serving as a role model

I was deployed in 2003 and I had the pleasure to serve not only in OIF I, but also in OIF II. I am a disabled veteran and suffer from a traumatic brain injury (TBI) that occurred in Iraq. I was stationed at Camp Manhattan between Fallujah and Ramadi. For those who do not know, its in the Sunni Triangle. On a daily bases our unit would encounter up to 10 IED's in a 2 mile stretch of highway. This added to the regular fighting we did on a daily basis, we new we were going to get into a fire fight, but we didn't know at what time. One day the commander received a mission and at the operations order he told us what it was. At 0330 in the morning we were all ready to conduct the mission. As we exited the gates everything is dark until you put your night vision goggles on and then you see green everywhere. As we entered Ramadi I remember coming to a choke point and continued pulling security. The next thing I remember is waking up in Ramstein, with a huge amount of pain. What happened from what I have gathered is that my crew brought me back to life about 3 times. You see I don't remember much of what happened. What has made me deal with my disabilities is the fact that I lost friends over there and I don't want to let them down by being mad at the war or the President. In the end I volunteered and I know what was at stake. I am thankful to be here today, and everyday I treat it as it's my last. I try to do the same here in the states as I did for the people Iraq. But mostly, I try to be a positive role model for my family and the rest of society. I am glad that there has been great improvement in Iraq, We did and are doing good for the people of Iraq, After all, remember, the military members of our Armed Forces are and will be the best. It is great to hear that there has been improvements in Iraq since I left, It lets me know that the fallen were for a reason. Everyone should be proud of our men and women of the Armed Forces.
--Rene Fernandez (submitted on March 12, 2008)

Wondering about the wounded

Captain Ed 'RIV' Hrivnak, USAFR (RETIRED). I was part of the first medevac crews to go to war in 2003. We were expecting a 6 week War. After President Bush declared 'Mission Accomplished' on May 1, 2003, everything changed. We sent half our crews home, and the insurgents decided to fight back. June and July 2003 were the worst. Our patient loads were 60 - 90 casualties at a time. We were short staffed, short on equipment, and the planes had continuous mechanical problems. Turkey would not let us over-fly their country, so we flew the long way around. 12 - 16 hours of flying round trip from Germany to the Middle East. The duty day was 24 hours long. My longest day was 41 hours. Somehow, we still got the mission done. In a 5 month period, my crew of 4 medics and 3 nurses evaced 800 patients without a single loss of life in-flight. Granted, some died waiting for us, and some died after we landed in Germany, but never under our care. With each additional combat mission, the fear increased, but not for my own safety. I feared that I would screw up, miss something, and kill one of my patients. I could not fail them. I could not let them down. Our Squadron as a whole moved over 7,000 patients. I never imagined that we would treat so many bodies in such a short period of time. Leaving wounded behind is what haunts me the most today. There were days when we did not have enough room for everyone, or had to leave before day-light. I never wanted to leave anyone behind. What happened the the ones we left behind? Operation Iraqi Freedom was the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. It was also the most rewarding. I am proud of my crew, proud of the people I served with, and proud to have passed the test. I am honored and humbled at the wounded I cared for. Their sacrifices are so much more than anything I did. My efforts pale in comparison and still leave feelings of guilt. As a flight nurse, I never saw any town liberated or people freed. I witnessed the aftermath of war and cleaned it up. I see no glory in it, only the broken faces of boys who will never be the same. Those faces sometimes wake me up at night. I have moved on with my life. Retired from the military with no regrets. I have a wonderful wife and child and a great new career as a Firefighter. I wonder about the wounded I cared for... The ones with the arms and legs missing. The ones with the head injuries, the ones paralyzed. Have they moved on? Have they adjusted to their new lives? What has become of them? I am so lucky...
--Ed Hrivnak, Spanaway, WA (submitted on March 12, 2008)

Home for the holidays

My fiance, a Lance Corporal in the Marine Corps, surprised me for Christmas this past year. He was held out of deployment with his company because of an injury, only to find himself stuck at Camp Lejeune making friends with his temporary company; friends that were leaving for Iraq after the holidays while he stayed behind. My family has never been very exposed to the military or the war in Iraq until we moved to the small town my parents now call home. There, I became friends with many young people that left directly after high school graduation to go to boot camp and eventually to Iraq; one of them happens to be my future husband. When he showed up on my doorstep on Christmas eve, he wasn't alone. He brought along a friend for the first time in his two years in the fleet. The young man, also a Lance Corporal, was leaving for Iraq less than a week after Christmas. He didn't have the time or the monetary means to make it to his home (Michigan) for the holidays and to say his last goodbyes to his family before his seven month journey to the other side of the world. It ended up being one of the most fulfilling Christmas' I have ever experienced. Even though my family and my fiance's family were not blood to the fellow Marine, he still got the opportunity to have Christmas dinner, a close-knit group to surround and support him before his deployment, and we also rounded up some gifts for him so he could also have a Christmas morning fit for a United States hero. This experience just went to show that the Marine Corps is really a brotherhood... no man left behind, in war or at Christmas.
--Marisa Kreitman, Gainesville, FL (submitted on March 13, 2008)