Doing it for the 'rush'

COEUR d'ALENE - Sal Lorenzen wasn't surprised when he learned that one of his former robotics students is saving lives in Afghanistan.

Lance Cpl. Nathan Peyton, 19, of Post Falls, was on a mission in Afghanistan's Sangin District on Dec. 30, when he discovered an improvised explosive device that officers say could have killed four to five Marines.

"Nathan would be the guy to figure out a problem or notice something out of the ordinary," said Lorenzen, who teaches technology and robotics at Post Falls High School. "He's always been a sharp kid and since I have known him, he has had the desire to serve his country and others."

Peyton, a combat engineer with the 3rd Battalion, 5th Regiment Dark Horse Marines, is a 2009 PFHS graduate.

The incident happened while Peyton's platoon was on a mission to visit a village elder who has been supportive of U.S. service personnel working with Afghan National Army counterparts in the region. The Marines successfully delivered money from the local district government that would be used to help repair the elder's mosque.

Then the patrol ventured into some new areas to the south.

"We wanted to go down there and kind of cross that line that the Taliban seemed to draw in the sand, let the locals know that we're here, that the ANA are here, and that we're here for their security," said Lt. Josef Patterson.

Patterson, the platoon commander, discussed the mission, and Peyton's discovery of the IED, in a video interview recorded by Marine journalist, Gunnery Sgt. William Price, following the patrol.

"That was a huge find," Patterson said.

It's not unusual for his platoon members to uncover IEDs.

"It seems to me like the people, or the Taliban, use IEDs like we use shotguns back home - for house protection," Patterson said. "They don't have shotguns here so they stick an IED in and they know where not to go."

Patterson's patrol found six of the devices during the last week of December. But the one Peyton discovered was a new type of IED that Patterson had never seen before. Patrol members were able to warn other platoons to be on the lookout for similar devices.

Sgt. David "Bibi" Castillo, who led the patrol, said in Marine reports, "This IED was a directional 'frag,' so instead of blasting upward, it was set up to blast the length of the alleyway. Peyton's alertness probably saved four to five lives - an entire fire team."

Following his find, Peyton also spoke on camera.

He explained that he and the other engineers go out ahead of all the other squads to sweep for the explosive devices.

"Today, we got lucky. We went out in the alleyway, found some loose dirt, dug it up and found a pressure plate," Peyton said.

He said he chose to do this job because it gives him "a rush."

"But there's nothing like it when you find it, and you get to dig it up, and you know other guys are safe," Peyton said. "You don't have to get them rushed home, and tell their families their legs got blown off or anything."

Peyton's mom, Rebecca, gets choked up when she talks about her son.

"He will do anything for people he cares about," she said.

A lot of people have been praying for Nathan, Rebecca said.

"There have been many miracles," she said.

Peyton told his family about an incident in which an IED exploded. Peyton was the only member of the patrol who wasn't injured.

"Nathan said that the reason he didn't get hurt was because of the prayers from home," Rebecca said.

After that, Peyton and one of his friends volunteered to go out on the front line and do the sweeps themselves.

"I'm proud of my son, but I'm also proud of all of them," Rebecca said. "His father and older brother are very proud of him."

Peyton's deployment is ending soon, and he will return to the states.

Rebecca expects her son to visit Post Falls sometime in May.

"I can't wait to see him. They're going to have to pry me off of him," she said.