On joining the U.S. National Guard at age 25:

"I made pretty much every mistake that a young man can make. Joining the army restores a degree of honor to your relationship with the community around you. And it gave me a chance to go to school."

What about  his scheduled deployment to Iraq in summer 2010?

"Soldiers learn to smile and nod…
You have to have that mentality when you're in uniform.
Outside of that uniform, you're dealing with a government that has failed. Soldiers have become expendable tools. "

— Matt Getz, 28, Missoula