GAMING ONE
TROOP AT A TIME
.Org
Stack-Up
WEXFORD RESIDENT CAPTAIN STEPHEN MACHUGA
LAUNCHES NEW-GENERATION MILITARY CHARITY.
BY NICOLE TAFE
“V
ideo games saved my life,” says Captain Stephen “Shanghai
Six” Machuga of Wexford. As someone who grew up with
a video game controller “clutched in my pudgy hands from
the time I could walk,” Machuga found release in playing video games
while serving in the United States Army during Operation Iraqi
Freedom II. “They helped me transition when I got home from my
deployments overseas and got me through my post-traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD) issues,” he says.
When Machuga got out of the military, he wanted to continue to
serve his country by helping veterans on deployment or in military
hospitals. With that, a string of ideas came forth and Machuga set to
work.
Machuga grew up in Erie and attended McDowell High School.
In 1994 he headed to Purdue University, received a full ROTC
scholarship and fell in love with being in the military. He studied the
Russian language at Purdue and used his studies to become the liaison
to the Russian Army in Kosovo from 2001 to 2002. And now? “I’d be
lucky if I could order lunch in Russian,” laughs Machuga.
During his senior year at Purdue the time came to select future
direction and assignments. “My ROTC colonel, who knew I wasn’t
taking my ROTC ‘duties’ as seriously as I could have during my
senior year, decided to give me a little ‘gift’ when it was time to select
assignments,” chuckled Machuga who, at the time, had requested to
be directed to Military Intelligence.
“Instead, Colonel recommended Infantry. Knowing I was terrified
of heights, he sent me to Fort Bragg, NC, for my first duty assignment
— home of the 82nd Airborne Division.” With that, Machuga was
regularly tossed out of an aircraft every three to four weeks, with
about 100 pounds of equipment strapped to him, from 1998 to
2002. “It was a long four years, but I’m so glad I got the full ‘military
experience’ versus sitting at a desk translating Russian intelligence
reports,” he says.
After 9/11, Machuga became a part of Operation Iraqi Freedom II.
He joined the Second Infantry Division at Ft. Lewis, WA, and just
three weeks after the unit departed, the assignment turned into a
13-month deployment. “I knew I had made a touch of a mistake,” says
Machuga. “But, much like Fort Bragg, I look back and am thankful I
was able to do my part.”
Following his service overseas, Machuga, like many who have
served their country in various wars, had to overcome post-traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD) issues. “My big problem was on trash day,”
he says. “Insurgents in Iraq loved hiding explosive devices in the
multitude of trash piles lining the roads, so every Tuesday when I was
back home and saw piles of trash lining the roads, my brain would
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Captain Stephen Machuga fills boxes with
video gaming donations to ship to troops
overseas on behalf of Stack-Up.org.
seize up and I would just want to stay in the house.” Playing video
games was what eventually helped Machuga through. He later learned
that others experienced the same results, and that video gaming can
be a beneficial way for soldiers suffering from PTSD to cope.
Machuga became passionate about continuing to serve his country
and helping fellow veterans post deployment. He directed his efforts
toward bringing what helped him personally to others in similar
situations. And so, Stack-Up.org was born.