Max Yashirin was scheduled to graduate from U.S. Marine Corps boot camp in San Diego in September.

On the 11th day of the month, in fact.

In 2001.

“The sky became eerily quiet that day,” Yashirin first noticed.  Soon, there were roadblocks, dogs, weapons.

Graduation was delayed.

And so, later, would be his life.

A Marine Reserve, he was called to active duty in 2004 and left his classes at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln destined for Iraq.

The war.

No sense arguing  now whether the United States should have gone to war in Iraq, Yashirin says.

“It’s a non-issue.  It happened.

“Now, we need to go forward,” says the former sergeant who served a seven-month tour of duty at al-Asad Air Base in northern Iraq as a heavy equipment mechanic.

“I believe it’s time to begin the process of pulling my fellow troops out,” Yashirin says. 

For him, going forward means an incremental, staged withdrawal of U.S. military forces,  carefully planned and executed to protect troops and equipment.

“It’s time to focus on priorities in this country,” he says.

So, who is Max Yashirin?

He’s the young Lincoln Democrat who entered eastern Nebraska’s 1st District congressional race last week.

On another September day less than five months ago, he turned 25, reaching the age that qualifies him under the Constitution to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives.

He’ll be a huge underdog in a general election contest with Republican Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, who handily defeated a state senator in 2004 and a former lieutenant governor in 2006.  He entered the year with $296,000 in campaign funds in the bank.

Yashirin is leaning forward across a table at The Mill in Lincoln’s Haymarket talking about his life, staring at the challenge he has decided to pursue, pumped about the possibilities of Barack Obama.

“I want Obama at the head of the ticket.  Look what he has done in getting young people, my peers and people younger than me, engaged.

“I would love to be part of that change.  It’s in the air.  People want it.”

Yashirin was pleased when the Illinois senator won big in Nebraska’s first-ever Democratic presidential caucuses earlier this month, pulling many new people into the political process.

“Young people need to be involved in democracy,” he says.  “If I can make young people realize how important it is to be involved, I’d be happy.”

Quick bio: Yashirin was born in Russia, came to Lincoln with his parents and three little brothers as immigrants when he was 8 years old.   Went to Sacred Heart School, graduated from Lincoln Northeast High School, where he was a member of the swim team and played cello with the Lincoln Youth Symphony.

Joined the Marine Reserves after high school, returned to Lincoln after combat and mechanic speciality training and enrolled at UNL in 2002, majoring in international business with minors in economics and Russian.  And you already know the rest.

A few snapshot memories of Iraq: the miserable heat; the camaraderie; getting up at 4 a.m. so he could work out in the gym before the day’s duty began; that day he suddenly needed to figure out how to repair that damaged RTCH (rough terrain container handler), “the biggest thing I’ve ever seen.”

Yashirin says he devoured books at night and cherished small moments.

“There were times when we were talking.  And sunsets, even if you were in Iraq.  That personal moment you always can appreciate.”

The war is still personal: His brother, Nick, 23, is serving in the U.S. Air Force in Iraq today.

Yashirin is back in school now, three courses away from graduation after this semester.  He’s working with mentally and physically challenged people as an employee at Region 5 Services.

“I want to serve Nebraska as a voice for a new direction in Washington,” Yashirin said in the brief statement announcing his candidacy.

“I am an ardent fiscal conservative,” he says.

That means balancing the federal budget, reducing the national debt, re-establishing priorities, he says.

Focus on economic growth, provide health care for children, develop a healthy and well-educated work force, invest in the future.

Repair Social Security and the overstressed U.S. military.

Represent working middle class families.

Those will be some of the themes, Yashirin says.

The steep challenge does not deter him, he says.

“It’ll be fine,” Yashirin says.

“All that experience in Washington hasn’t brought us anything.  If people want something new, I’m the candidate.”

Reach Don Walton at 473-7248 or at dwalton@journalstar.com.