Sgt. Dan Brokaw was six credits shy of graduating from NIU when he was called to duty in Iraq. Since then, he has made a name for himself through his artistic talent.

Brokaw, an Illinois Army National Guardsman, Unit F-202 ADA (which is attached to the 1st Cavalry Division), said he arrived for duty in Iraq in early March 2004 but has been on active duty since Oct. 12, 2003.

Brokaw enlisted in the National Guard because of his great pride in America and to provide for his family’s future, he said.

He has performed combat patrols, route clearance, supported Iraqi security forces and Goodwill projects and rebuilt Iraqi infrastructure.

“We are currently around 20 miles north of Baghdad, and we have spent the greater portion of our tour in Baghdad itself,” Brokaw said.

Brokaw was on schedule to graduate in 2003.

Brokaw is tentatively scheduled to return home to Sterling, Ill. this month. He plans to finish his bachelor of fine arts degree in design/visual communication.

Brokaw, who has been drawing his whole life, began a cartoon series called “Outside the Wire” – a term used to describe soldiers outside the relative safety of base camp.

“Most of my work is simply geared toward giving the American soldier a voice,” Brokaw said. “They were made to make my buddies laugh, and it just so happened that the real world enjoyed them as well. The content arises from pain, fear, happiness, irony and has been inspired by actual experience in some shape or form.”

Brokaw’s fame began when one of his cartoons was printed in his unit’s newsletter, the Fox Trot Flyer, his wife Erica Brokaw said.

Brokaw’s wife also said a couple of his cartoons and articles were published in the Star Courier, a Kewanee, Ill., paper on Dec. 24, 2004.

“The most rewarding responses I’ve received are from veterans who completely understand where the humor and irony come from and ask me to keep making them,” Brokaw said.

Brokaw’s close friend, Beau Harp, a Geneva resident, said it is “nice to see that Dan is getting recognition for his work” and that he’ll be very glad when he returns home.

Since his success, Brokaw said he has possible plans of making a book that intertwines stories with cartoons.

“We’re really proud of him for what he’s doing,” Erica said. “When he was home, he worked 40 plus hours a week and went to NIU full-time and also had his guard weekends, one weekend a month. He was able to do it all. We’re just really looking forward to when he is coming home and we can get on with our normal lives.”