I sit here early on the morning of the Wednesday after Election Day - various pundits chatting about the surprises - who no longer has a job, how many lawyers will be dispatched to which counties, and where the balance of power will ultimately fall. Several years ago, I would have been crushed at the results - a lifelong Republican, and devoted follower of the conservative agenda, it would seem as if the Iraq war and the animosity towards further involvement in the middle east had turned the tide against the Republicans.
For some reason, I am not that bothered by it. First of all, after having controlled the Senate, Congress and Executive branch for lo these many years, what do we have to show for it on the domestic front? Many bills of massive spending and a departure from the Conservative plank of limited and small government. Maybe a little more gridlock is good. Secondly, it seems as if those elected and the Democratic gains are not of the Barney Frank / Hillary Clinton ilk - Heath Shuler is a perfect example - conservative, evangelical christian democrat. I would be interested in seeing the conservative / liberal balance of power in congress....
But probably the best reason that I am not that worried about the direction this country is headed is exactly this change of power. Many influential, powerful, key members of the former "ruling" party no longer have jobs. Many new members of congress will be reporting for work with their own agendas. Yet, this transition will occur without rioting in the streets, looting, bombs going off, or death squads roaming the streets. I think that many of us fail to realize how lucky we have it here. The very separation of Church and State provided by the Establishment Clause of the Constitution, which has been such a pain in the A@# to us over the last few years in the ACLU's attempts to remove the Ten Commandments are removed from every last public forum also prevent planks of our parties from declaring party affiliation to a particular religious figurehead.
Right now in Iraq, there is a political party affiliated with Moqtada Al-Sadr, the radical Shiite Religious leader with a stronghold in southeastern Baghdad. Legislative debates must include a religious viewpoint as well as political necessities....and you thought the debate in the House was politically charged? When one draws battle lines across religious divisions as well as political beliefs, it is a recipe for much animosity, and little agreement. Death Squads roam the street right now in an obscene twist on our version of "get out the vote" drives......Get out the vote or else....
As we awake to a new political environment, the many millions of us will continue on to work, bring our kids to football practice, and run to the store to pick up groceries for dinner. We may grumble, adjust our stock portfolios, or even begin to lobby for changes in future legislation if we are so actively inclined. I guarantee, none of you will be buying body armor or an AK-47 to protect your families. None of you will be staying up until 5AM every night to make sure that a death squad doesn't invade your home. There will not be a single person in the United States that arranges an escape of them and their family to Canada or Mexico to avoid the political fallout of a change of power (hell, it wasn't even bad enough for Alec Baldwin to leave many years ago, even though he promised!!!!)
And still with all of our political stability and the miracle of Democracy proving its worth once again here, I am amazed at the sheer tenacity and determination of the Iraqi people as they quite literally risk their lives and security to make their fledgling democracy work. If we learn nothing else from this election, it should be to appreciate what we have here in the US, and to continue to support those young democracies trying to carve out their own version of the same. Yes, we will change our stance in Iraq over the next few years - maybe not "cut and run" as some had postulated should the control of the Congress changed, and maybe not "stay the course" as some had predicted if the Congress remained in Republican hands. I believe however that whatever comes of this change in political winds, we should make sure that we support those in Iraq trying so desperately to obtain the same luxury of participating in the political process as we do - in peace.
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Thursday, November 02, 2006
John Kerry's Apology
(Photo copied from the Drudge Report 11/2/06, courtesy of the 1/34th Brigade Combat team currently serving in Iraq. http://www.minnesotanationalguard.org/units/unit_template.php?unit=134bc )
A man meets a gorgeous woman in a bar. They hit if off, and end up leaving together. They get back to her place, and as she shows him around her apartment, he notices that her bedroom is littered with teddy bears.
Hundreds of small bears sit on a shelf near the floor, Medium sized bears are on the next shelf up, and huge bears line the top shelf. The man is kind of surprised that this woman would have so prolific a collection of teddy bears, but he opts not to make mention of it.
After a night of passion, as they are lying together in the afterglow, the man rolls over and asks, smiling, “Well, how was it?” The woman says, “You can have any prize from the bottom shelf.”
(yeah, I know that I am unoriginal, but I will be damned if anyone accuses me of plagiarism!!! Joke courtesy of Maxim online at http://www.maximonline.com/jokes/index.aspx?joke_id=899 )
That, my friends is humor. Unlike our sour puss Senator from Massachusetts. Earlier in the week, Senator Kerry tried his hand at standup by telling the crowd to which he was speaking "You know, education, if you make the most of it, you study hard, you do your homework and you make an effort to be smart, you can do well. If you don't, you get stuck in Iraq," http://washingtontimes.com/national/20061101-122223-6901r.htm.
While I can't find another quote his campaign said was what was written, I believe what his speechwriter meant to say was something to the effect of - Make the most of your education, for if you are intellectually lazy, fail to do your homework, don't study, or are just plain stupid, you are bound to get us stuck in a war in Iraq - just ask President Bush.
While I disagree with his point, I can see some humor behind his statement. Mildly amusing as are most political jokes, but ineffective and forgettable....until the good Senator "botched" it. He has spent the next several days backpedalling, first refusing to apologize - standing up to the echoes of the swiftboat campaign, and finally after members of his own party registered their disgust, responded with the following: "As a combat veteran, I want to make it clear to anyone in uniform and to their loved ones: my poorly stated joke at a rally was not about, and never intended to refer to any troop. I sincerely regret that my words were misinterpreted to wrongly imply anything negative about those in uniform, and I personally apologize to any service member, family member, or American who was offended." http://www.johnkerry.com/news/releases/release.html?id=37
And in typical thought provoking, tongue in cheek response, our Vice President responded - "Vice President Dick Cheney devoted much of his speech at a campaign event in Montana to Kerry, capped with an unbotched joke: ``He was for the joke before he was against it.'' - http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601039&refer=columnist_carlson&sid=a5KJC9v8VErE
So where does this sit with the folks in the desert? A majority of us feel much the same as the 1/34th pictured above. There is an old saying - you don't have to respect the man, but you must respect the rank. We are professionals, and should I meet Senator Kerry while in uniform, I would not hesitate to salute the rank. But much like the "botched" joke he told, we feel his support is "botched". Aside from the poor little rich kid attitude, who is upset because he can't have his way and be president after all, there is something unbecoming of a competitor that fails to lose gracefully. For someone with aspirations in 2008, it is even more unbecoming. Botched joke or not, it brings into focus the entire thought process and failing logic of the anti-war left - war is evil, and we must only use our military as a last resort, and only in limited means. Thank God these people weren't more popular sixty five years ago - of course, back then they were called Communists.
Bottom line is that there are many opposed to the war - even here in the desert (I know this from personal research having spent some time reading the bathroom stall walls). Then again, anyone who has spent time in a HMMWV hoping that an IED won't turn you into a bloody mist is generally against any action that could prolong your stay in the "cradle of civilization". But even still, the point is that we are here. One could go back through the annals of history and find fault with nearly every conflict we have ever engaged in - Gulf of Tonkin...did they really fire upon us?, Pearl Harbor - we court martialed Admiral Kimmel because he did not "anticipate" the surprise attack, How many generals did Lincoln go through in the Civil War?
The reality of course is that nearly three years later, and almost 3000 gone, we can never go back and change things. To continue to harp upon "faulty intelligence" and "irresponsible aggression" is stupid, disingenuous, and wrong headed - and it does absolutely nothing for the men and women on the ground, but make us feel like what we are doing is not worthwhile. And in the middle of a war, that is the worst possible thing you can do. Regardless of why or how we got here, there is a gunner in a Bradley, a driver in a HMMWV, and a Truck Commander in a Styker right now, driving through the streets of a place that doesn't really want them there. They are sharp, attentive and motivated. Working as a team, these kids HAVE to believe in what they are doing - any other choice would be suicide.
How many of you, driving to work in stop and go traffic every day hate your job, hate your boss, and want nothing more than to run away? How difficult is that drive? How tough is it to even get out of bed? Now imagine that on your way to work, you must be 1000% attentive, because there are snipers, roadside bombs and angry mobs that will kill you, torture you, and mutilate your body if you happen to lose focus for one second. Makes that drive a little more interesting, doesn't it?
Now imagine that same scenario, only the drive to work never changes - eight hours on the road, seven days a week, 365 days a year (longer in the case of some brigades that got extended), to include even Christmas Day. Imagine that you are anywhere from a boot 19 year old gunner, to a "hardened experienced" 26 year old staff sergeant in command of the patrol. In your kevlar, you have a picture of your girlfriend, wife, kids, whatever. You spend downtime playing PSP, computer games, or chatting online. You carry your M16 with you 24/7/365, cleaning it daily as a reminder of when you may have to use it. Now imagine how much harder this would be, knowing that a growing minority of people out there think that what you are doing is wrong, misguided, and that you should stop,......but you are supported!
The myth that we can support the troops, but that we can be against the war is faulty logic and wrong. Botched joke or not, I call it botched support. It gets down to ground truth out here in the sandbox when the bullets are flying - you either support, or you do not support. You are for the troops or against them. You believe, or you go home a wreck, angry, or in a body bag.
Personally, I don't think that Senator Kerry's performance even rated a prize from the lowest shelf - try again next time chump!
Monday, October 30, 2006
Hope springs eternal
Much to catch up on – too much for this post. Needless to say the past month has been a whirlwind. R&R was great, but not nearly as great to come back and find that my time in Iraq is over. Tomorrow I leave for home. I will try and fill in the blanks at a later time, hopefully with pictures. But for now, I leave this place.
When we moved from industrial Norfolk, Virginia to the wooded area of Southern Maryland, we were convinced the land, the area had an energy to it. Something hit you when you crossed the bridge and began winding your way through the farmlands and tobacco fields. Iraq has an energy too. Not a good one, but not a bad one. An ancient energy. It is the energy of birth and death – of the cycle of flooding of the Tigris and Euphrates. Call it what you will – yin and yang – but it characterizes the seasons of burning sands and bitter cold rains, the sandstorms and the seas of mud, and it characterizes the people.
The people of Iraq exist. They live and they die. This constant cycle of good and evil permeates all in this region of the world, from their world view to their daily lives. “Inshalla” – “If God wills it” characterizes much of their feelings. To the people of Iraq, the war, the turmoil and terror will come and go. They will continue to exist. Not that they accept this blindly, but because it is the way of the world here – it is also why America is loved, feared, hated, and envied.
Much of this land, and much of the world don’t and can never understand us. The energy I speak of back home is a force for good, it is the last of the whirlwind to leave Pandora’s box – Hope. People stream over our southern border filled with it. Those that are angered at our morality and envious of our success cannot comprehend it. And more than any nuclear weapon, mechanized army, or burgeoning economy can embody it, hope is our most powerful weapon.
In the long war, it will not be the American Army vanquishing the evil insurgency. It will not be the rebel uprising overthrowing the imperialist invaders. It will be the people of Iraq living and dying. They will eventually decide which flavor of ruler or leader to follow and how much terror and destruction they will allow before ending the conflict. We have seen this in Vietnam, and we have seen this in Nicaragua. South Vietnam did not have the spirit, nor the beliefs that the North did, and when we lost our will to fight, they drove us away. We have seen this in Nicaragua, where the best efforts of the Sandinistas to program the minds of their people, when it came time for them to step up and make a decision. The same will eventually happen here – it will only be a matter of time before the Iraqi public has had enough.
From my limited vantage point however, the infection has already taken hold. There is hope here. The blind hatred and rage that the insurgency has for us is naught but envy – envy at our success, envy at the fact that we didn’t collapse and leave, cutting our losses as so many other colonial powers did over the past 200 years, envy at the fact that there are still men and women in this armed force that will gladly drive outside the wire hunting them down, and providing the hope of a better life to those Iraqi citizens who wish to work and raise their family in peace. Yes, there are those in the press that say that the average Iraqi was better off under Saddam. From an economic, political and organizational sense that may be true – so long as you did not cross the paths of the Ba’ath party. But from the standpoint of daring to dream of a better and freer life, while things are far more complex and terrifying today, there is hope.
To those like myself, returning home, there is hope that what we have accomplished here was worthwhile and valuable, and we live with a realization that once back in the “real world” every breath we take is precious – we have risked our lives for the hope that we can make the world a better place. Those fighting against us are terrified of that concept. Their world is a bitter and cold place where not only does the meaning and purpose in their lives lie in another plane and level, but their lives become worthless without the express intervention of a higher power. It is terrifying to them because we can find meaning and happiness today – in the here and now. And it is infectious.
For all my brothers and sisters in arms, I wish you well and a safe return to Western shores. To those that left pieces of themselves, or their spirit in this land, I honor your sacrifice and pray that you find hope in the promise that every day brings new life and opportunity to make a difference – if not in your lives, then in the lives of those around you. To those fallen heroes that will not return, I offer my hope and prayers that your sacrifice will have been worthwhile. And to the Iraqi people, I offer my sincere hope that you too can believe in a better future. And if you do chose to allow “our infection” to spread, know that you will always have a brother in arms to the west.
When we moved from industrial Norfolk, Virginia to the wooded area of Southern Maryland, we were convinced the land, the area had an energy to it. Something hit you when you crossed the bridge and began winding your way through the farmlands and tobacco fields. Iraq has an energy too. Not a good one, but not a bad one. An ancient energy. It is the energy of birth and death – of the cycle of flooding of the Tigris and Euphrates. Call it what you will – yin and yang – but it characterizes the seasons of burning sands and bitter cold rains, the sandstorms and the seas of mud, and it characterizes the people.
The people of Iraq exist. They live and they die. This constant cycle of good and evil permeates all in this region of the world, from their world view to their daily lives. “Inshalla” – “If God wills it” characterizes much of their feelings. To the people of Iraq, the war, the turmoil and terror will come and go. They will continue to exist. Not that they accept this blindly, but because it is the way of the world here – it is also why America is loved, feared, hated, and envied.
Much of this land, and much of the world don’t and can never understand us. The energy I speak of back home is a force for good, it is the last of the whirlwind to leave Pandora’s box – Hope. People stream over our southern border filled with it. Those that are angered at our morality and envious of our success cannot comprehend it. And more than any nuclear weapon, mechanized army, or burgeoning economy can embody it, hope is our most powerful weapon.
In the long war, it will not be the American Army vanquishing the evil insurgency. It will not be the rebel uprising overthrowing the imperialist invaders. It will be the people of Iraq living and dying. They will eventually decide which flavor of ruler or leader to follow and how much terror and destruction they will allow before ending the conflict. We have seen this in Vietnam, and we have seen this in Nicaragua. South Vietnam did not have the spirit, nor the beliefs that the North did, and when we lost our will to fight, they drove us away. We have seen this in Nicaragua, where the best efforts of the Sandinistas to program the minds of their people, when it came time for them to step up and make a decision. The same will eventually happen here – it will only be a matter of time before the Iraqi public has had enough.
From my limited vantage point however, the infection has already taken hold. There is hope here. The blind hatred and rage that the insurgency has for us is naught but envy – envy at our success, envy at the fact that we didn’t collapse and leave, cutting our losses as so many other colonial powers did over the past 200 years, envy at the fact that there are still men and women in this armed force that will gladly drive outside the wire hunting them down, and providing the hope of a better life to those Iraqi citizens who wish to work and raise their family in peace. Yes, there are those in the press that say that the average Iraqi was better off under Saddam. From an economic, political and organizational sense that may be true – so long as you did not cross the paths of the Ba’ath party. But from the standpoint of daring to dream of a better and freer life, while things are far more complex and terrifying today, there is hope.
To those like myself, returning home, there is hope that what we have accomplished here was worthwhile and valuable, and we live with a realization that once back in the “real world” every breath we take is precious – we have risked our lives for the hope that we can make the world a better place. Those fighting against us are terrified of that concept. Their world is a bitter and cold place where not only does the meaning and purpose in their lives lie in another plane and level, but their lives become worthless without the express intervention of a higher power. It is terrifying to them because we can find meaning and happiness today – in the here and now. And it is infectious.
For all my brothers and sisters in arms, I wish you well and a safe return to Western shores. To those that left pieces of themselves, or their spirit in this land, I honor your sacrifice and pray that you find hope in the promise that every day brings new life and opportunity to make a difference – if not in your lives, then in the lives of those around you. To those fallen heroes that will not return, I offer my hope and prayers that your sacrifice will have been worthwhile. And to the Iraqi people, I offer my sincere hope that you too can believe in a better future. And if you do chose to allow “our infection” to spread, know that you will always have a brother in arms to the west.
Saturday, September 23, 2006
T minus two and counting
Well folks, I am a mere 36 hours away from leaving on a jet plane...I know when I will be back again...Oh Babe, I hate to come baaaaaack.....
Ok, I don't mean to channel the late John Denver, but it is time to start to get excited. I feel like Santa Claus, because I have a little something for everyone - mostly trinkets and souveniers, but you only get to come to Iraq once....(I hope!!!) So I am bringing back a little something for everyone.
It will be a long trip - can't really go into details obviously, but I have at least one stop until I can catch a scheduled flight out of theater, then on to a "hub" then home. When you realize how many troops here are going home on a weekly basis for R&R, you start to realize just how much money is being given to the airlines to support the operations. President Eisenhower, the old General himself, on leaving office warned of the dangers of a coming Industrial-Military complex where the decisions necessary to go to war will be muddied by profit and industrial pressures. I guess this makes me think of my earlier posts on KBR and Halliburton. We are very well taken care of out here, but it makes one wonder.
Anyways, on to happier thoughts - Aleks just helped his team win in football with two touchdowns in the second half as quarterback. People think I am crazy, but I have another phone call to make tonight at midnight to listen to Derek's game! This season is lost, but I try to continue to be involved in the teams - in a perfect world, I would get out of the Navy and become a full time football coach. At the very least, I am on the hook to keep being involved in the lives of a couple of my players. Mark my words everyone, one day, you will hear the name Shaquan Dyson as a wide receiver....if I have anything to do about it..
Ok, so not the greatest post of all time - rambling and meandering, but I am starting to get excited and antsy, so gimme a break! I will see you all stateside - more to follow!
Ok, I don't mean to channel the late John Denver, but it is time to start to get excited. I feel like Santa Claus, because I have a little something for everyone - mostly trinkets and souveniers, but you only get to come to Iraq once....(I hope!!!) So I am bringing back a little something for everyone.
It will be a long trip - can't really go into details obviously, but I have at least one stop until I can catch a scheduled flight out of theater, then on to a "hub" then home. When you realize how many troops here are going home on a weekly basis for R&R, you start to realize just how much money is being given to the airlines to support the operations. President Eisenhower, the old General himself, on leaving office warned of the dangers of a coming Industrial-Military complex where the decisions necessary to go to war will be muddied by profit and industrial pressures. I guess this makes me think of my earlier posts on KBR and Halliburton. We are very well taken care of out here, but it makes one wonder.
Anyways, on to happier thoughts - Aleks just helped his team win in football with two touchdowns in the second half as quarterback. People think I am crazy, but I have another phone call to make tonight at midnight to listen to Derek's game! This season is lost, but I try to continue to be involved in the teams - in a perfect world, I would get out of the Navy and become a full time football coach. At the very least, I am on the hook to keep being involved in the lives of a couple of my players. Mark my words everyone, one day, you will hear the name Shaquan Dyson as a wide receiver....if I have anything to do about it..
Ok, so not the greatest post of all time - rambling and meandering, but I am starting to get excited and antsy, so gimme a break! I will see you all stateside - more to follow!
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
The purposeful walk
Yesterday, I found myself headed back from a 9am meeting on the other side of base, called Camp Slayer. (yeah, I know that the name was chosen to foster camraderie and good feelings about the forces stationed here....) Three years ago, shortly after the fall of Baghdad, Victory, Slayer, Liberty, and all the other Camps under the Victory Base Compound (VBC) were seperate islands with their own security. It used to be that one had to convoy between them. Now they are all open and heavily travelled. The road back to Victory goes through a short tunnel under the road to the airport, after which you are faced with a decision - travel along at 10 MPH stopping every 100 yards at another intersection, or go the long way around, albeit without any busses, construction, or other things slowing you down. At this particular time of day, it was a no-brainer.
So about a quarter of a mile down the road, I see this army clad figure walking along. Not ambling, but head down, striding with a purpose. It is about 1030 - 1100 am, with the temperature climbing towards the high 90's, low 100's. Now the only logical explanation of how this person could be out here was that he had to have left the palace about 10 - 15 minutes before, and headed down this dusty empty side road of the base because he needed to go somewhere and didn't want to wait for transportation.
The next thing I noticed is that he was unarmed. Strangely enough, the brain recognizes changes in patterns, and this was a big one. Most of the senior officers only carry their 9mm weapon - either in a shoulder or leg holster. Almost all of the enlisted carry their M16 or Machine guns slung around their torso. This figure had neither. The longer I slowed and watched this person trudging along, the louder the voice in my head told me that I needed to stop and offer him a ride. And that is when I offered the Chaplain a ride.
Chaplain Major Charles Herring has a bi-weekly column in the
"Victory Times" - the camp newspaper. His picture that is usually posted with his column is the perfect face of a Chaplain - full of life and spirit. It embodies the man as well - active and talkative from the moment he jumped in the truck. Granted, our ride was only a few minutes down the road - another mile or so, that would have cost him another 20 minutes and a gallon of sweat. But not a moment during that ride was lost to silence or thought. Even in those few minutes, I got the image of someone who is so totally dedicated and completely energized that it was infectous.
As I dropped him off, he quickly strode away focused once again on his mission. I have been caught up thinking about him since our brief ride together. Not so much from the time we spent, but from his attitude. I am positive from listening to him and reading his column that there was never any expectations from him that he would get help or hitch a ride - he had a job to do and getting there was part of the deal. So totally focused on the goal, he had ignored any paltry trivialities that the walk near midday might cause. It is clear that he never asked for, nor expected a ride. But one has to wonder whether or not the long line of busses going along the slow route were put there for a reason? Maybe the Big Guy just likes to look out for his folks from time to time....
So about a quarter of a mile down the road, I see this army clad figure walking along. Not ambling, but head down, striding with a purpose. It is about 1030 - 1100 am, with the temperature climbing towards the high 90's, low 100's. Now the only logical explanation of how this person could be out here was that he had to have left the palace about 10 - 15 minutes before, and headed down this dusty empty side road of the base because he needed to go somewhere and didn't want to wait for transportation.
The next thing I noticed is that he was unarmed. Strangely enough, the brain recognizes changes in patterns, and this was a big one. Most of the senior officers only carry their 9mm weapon - either in a shoulder or leg holster. Almost all of the enlisted carry their M16 or Machine guns slung around their torso. This figure had neither. The longer I slowed and watched this person trudging along, the louder the voice in my head told me that I needed to stop and offer him a ride. And that is when I offered the Chaplain a ride.
Chaplain Major Charles Herring has a bi-weekly column in the
"Victory Times" - the camp newspaper. His picture that is usually posted with his column is the perfect face of a Chaplain - full of life and spirit. It embodies the man as well - active and talkative from the moment he jumped in the truck. Granted, our ride was only a few minutes down the road - another mile or so, that would have cost him another 20 minutes and a gallon of sweat. But not a moment during that ride was lost to silence or thought. Even in those few minutes, I got the image of someone who is so totally dedicated and completely energized that it was infectous.As I dropped him off, he quickly strode away focused once again on his mission. I have been caught up thinking about him since our brief ride together. Not so much from the time we spent, but from his attitude. I am positive from listening to him and reading his column that there was never any expectations from him that he would get help or hitch a ride - he had a job to do and getting there was part of the deal. So totally focused on the goal, he had ignored any paltry trivialities that the walk near midday might cause. It is clear that he never asked for, nor expected a ride. But one has to wonder whether or not the long line of busses going along the slow route were put there for a reason? Maybe the Big Guy just likes to look out for his folks from time to time....
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Chief Petty Officer Induction
September 15th is a special day every year in the Navy – while it is a payday, it doesn’t have much to do with money. Every September 15th, the Navy promotes those selectees who have spent the previous month going through initiation and awards them the rank of Chief Petty Officer. For these senior enlisted personnel, it is time for them to cast aside their working dungarees, and don the Khaki uniform of the Chief.
Chiefs are a different breed. They are experts in their trade, and selected for their leadership and steady guidance. The rank was created 113 years ago, formalizing a tradition that existed of
having the senior, most experienced rated sailors as the “Chief” sailor – that individual designated by the Captain as the one in charge of his peers. Since then, it has become much more than just being in charge. Officers must learn to fight the ship and the strategies to engage the enemy. But do you really want the tactician and strategist with a wrench in his hand in some bilge trying to fix the ship? Chief of the Boat, MMCM(SS) Robert Bentley was my first COB – the senior enlisted man on the USS HELENA (SSN-725). He was also head of the Chief’s Mess, lovingly referred to at the “Goat Locker”. I had been aboard all of about ten minutes when he pulled me aside, shook my hand, stared me in the eye and told me – “Ensign, I want you to understand one thing – Officers fight the ship, Chiefs fix the ship – find yourself a good one and have him teach you what you need to know.”Rather than a trip down memory lane however, the purpose of this blog entry is to relate how strange and wonderful it was to attend the Chief’s Pinning Ceremony this past week. Here we were in Baghdad, next to a lake created by Saddam to give the appearance of a Mediterranean Oasis in the middle of a desert. Half of us are wearing Army uniforms, and haven’t been aboard a ship in over half a year. Yet, we had a ship’s bell ringing aboard RADM Van Buskirk (a submariner none the less!) and the rest of the honored guests. Each Selectee was introduced, their old rank was removed, their anchors were pinned on and they had their covers put on by their fellow Chiefs. Then, the bell rang, the Bosun’s whistle piped them aboard and the sideboys saluted as the announcement of “Chief Petty Officer – Arriving” was made. For at least a brief hour, we were transported back aboard a ship, with the sea breeze in our faces, reliving our Navy heritage.
So much these days is lost in the sand, the dust, the “high tech equipment”. We speak of Network Centric operations, GPS positions, and satellite communications. We have airborne
unmanned aerial vehicles, stealth fighters, and billion dollar submarines. The thing we lose sight of however is that none of it matters without the people. We have amazing sailors stationed out here in the middle of the desert, away from their training and “comfort zones” – some of them in the line of fire. They have integrated into the Army, even to the point of wearing their uniform. But something makes us unique and different. Maybe it is the tradition of not being able to rely on stateside “experts” when you are in the middle of the ocean. Maybe it is the reliance on your fellow shipmate that is ingrained in you from your first few days of indoctrination into the service. For these sailors however, it was the camaraderie, heritage, and exhilaration brought about through participation in the uniquely Navy tradition of the Chief’s promotion ceremony. Congratulations to these sandbox sailors, and to all the new Chief Petty Officers the world over.
Thursday, September 07, 2006
Get ready to get choked up
Hey folks -
A friend just sent me an email about the story of Audie Murphy - the most decorated combat soldier the military has ever seen (Combat Infantry Badge, Two Bronze Stars, Two Silver Stars, and the Congressional Medal of Honor) - 247 enemy soldiers killed in WWII having only been 16 years old when he enlisted. That man did a lot of growing up quickly.
Interestingly enough, it came from a website that I would like to pass on - http://patriotfiles.org It is one of the most current, timely and connected websites full of stories which will make you laugh, cry, and get mad enough at some of our "leaders" to take action. Needless to say, Cindy Sheehan doesn't visit here often.
It echoes a lot of what I have seen here - people anxious and happy for our service in Iraq, not wanting us to leave, an enemy on the run and desperate, while the broader public and media are desperately trying to paint the picture that the war is failing. It really gives you a sense of just how bold and loyal a President we have. If you were only to watch the American Media, you would think him to be a simple fool that is blindly committed to a failing enterprise. From intelligence, discussions with locals, and most importantly talking with the AMAZING 22 - 26 year old soldiers driving the vehicles outside the wire on a daily basis, the battle is being won. Our technology is making it harder for them to plant IED's, our troop's committment and dedication is extremely high (based on exceeding retention goals in the "demoralized" army that the media portrays), and the sense of purpose and committment you feel around here just talking with people.
You won't be able to cover this site in a day, or even many days. But please browse, peruse, and arm yourself with what might be an "alternative" to what you see on TV - the Truth.
PS - Thanks again Gary!
A friend just sent me an email about the story of Audie Murphy - the most decorated combat soldier the military has ever seen (Combat Infantry Badge, Two Bronze Stars, Two Silver Stars, and the Congressional Medal of Honor) - 247 enemy soldiers killed in WWII having only been 16 years old when he enlisted. That man did a lot of growing up quickly.
Interestingly enough, it came from a website that I would like to pass on - http://patriotfiles.org It is one of the most current, timely and connected websites full of stories which will make you laugh, cry, and get mad enough at some of our "leaders" to take action. Needless to say, Cindy Sheehan doesn't visit here often.
It echoes a lot of what I have seen here - people anxious and happy for our service in Iraq, not wanting us to leave, an enemy on the run and desperate, while the broader public and media are desperately trying to paint the picture that the war is failing. It really gives you a sense of just how bold and loyal a President we have. If you were only to watch the American Media, you would think him to be a simple fool that is blindly committed to a failing enterprise. From intelligence, discussions with locals, and most importantly talking with the AMAZING 22 - 26 year old soldiers driving the vehicles outside the wire on a daily basis, the battle is being won. Our technology is making it harder for them to plant IED's, our troop's committment and dedication is extremely high (based on exceeding retention goals in the "demoralized" army that the media portrays), and the sense of purpose and committment you feel around here just talking with people.
You won't be able to cover this site in a day, or even many days. But please browse, peruse, and arm yourself with what might be an "alternative" to what you see on TV - the Truth.
PS - Thanks again Gary!
Thursday, August 31, 2006
Toys for Tots
Now normally you will see the Marine Corps outside different stores this fall to collect toys for needy kids - we have supported that every year we can. Most of the time through just buying a toy at walmart, and dropping it in the can (or better yet making the boys do that!). One year we mobilized our Cub Scout Pack and collected over a hundred toys for one drive! We still need to support that to make sure the kids back at home have a good Christmas. But if you have a chance and want to win over some hearts and minds, consider the following picture I copied off of the Victory Times webpage...
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
One other thing I forgot....
I am trying to get better at cardio. For a guy who never ran, I started in May running laps around Lost Lake (about 1.8 miles). Running was an exaggeration. Try stumbling and wheezing. Gradually we modified our workout to three days a week lifting, and three days a week running. I am up to three miles / 32 minutes a session on the treadmill. It is amazing to me that I am approaching 10 miles a week and I haven't died. Then I got this link from an ESPN article. Team Hoyt is an inspriational story about how some people can take a bad situation and make things better. Good read! www.teamhoyt.com
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
LOOOOONNNG overdue update
Well folks, I apologize for taking three weeks off by now. I would like to give you a wonderful story about how busy I have been, how I have saved the world, but the reality is that I have been sitting here at my computer, pushing my reports seven days a week, following the Reds and Bengals online, and counting down the days until my R&R (only 29 more to go!)
Here are a couple of interesting tidbits about the war, that I don’t think most people know about:
1. Most of us staff types not busy driving around vehicles outside the wire trying to keep from blowing up drive rental cars. Some of us even have personalized them a bit. (Thanks Mike and Michelle!)
2. I (and most everyone else – even the guys driving trucks) have the time on a daily basis to go to the gym and work out – treadmills, elipticals, free weights, hammer weights.
3. For as much crap as people give Halliburton / KBR for making a ton of money, I for one would argue with anyone that this is a bad deal. Would you rather have the kids putting their lives on the line wasting time standing in a long line for 5000 calorie meals that did nothing for them? Three times a day, we get anything we want from Crap, to spinach salads, burgers to steaks, and cold cuts to freshly sliced pineapple. In days of yore, military cooks did the job, which included preparation, cleaning, serving, sanitation, training and US Government $$$$$ to make it happen. At least with KBR, while it may be costing a bundle, the soldiers behind the chow line are now on the frontlines which means a more efficient training and operational environment.
4. Mom asked me how I do my laundry – I don’t! Once again, thanks to KBR, I give them a bag of dirty skivvies and sweaty tshirts twice a week, and get back a bag of freshly washed and folded clothes. They spoil me here – I will be hell to deal with just picking up my dirty socks when I come home!
5. We have free copies of Stars and Stripes here, as well as our own camp newsletter – yes, family can leave embarrassing support messages to their soldiers / sailors here. Just think – letting the entire conglomeration of hard chargers on Camp Victory know that you are referred to as “Binnie” by your mom!!! http://www.mnci.centcom.mil/Victory_Times/default.htm
6. The Stars and Stripes and our newsletter are not run by the leftist liberals who want you to believe that this war is going poorly:
Aug. 20, 2006
One million pilgrims commemorate 7th Imam
BAGHDAD – The commemoration of the death of the 7th Shiite Imam (Musa al-Kadhim) drew more than one million pilgrims to the al-Kadhimiyah Shrine in Baghdad’s Kadhimiyah neighborhood from Friday through Sunday. The event occurred with relatively little violence; security for the celebrants was planned, led and executed by Iraqi Security Forces from the Iraqi National Police, Iraqi police and the Iraqi army, who worked together to safeguard those participating in the religious event. Iraqi military and civil leaders provided a comprehensive security plan to ensure there would be no recurrence of violence that marred last year’s event. As a result, there were no major attacks, and the ISF was effective in containing violent elements. Violence against the pilgrims did occur in the Adamiyah and Shaab neighborhoods. The Government of Iraq is still assessing the actual number of casualties, but they appear to be minimal. Iraqi police from 2nd National Police Division killed a terrorist and detained two after they fired upon the pilgrims. “The ISF did a good job containing the violence and protecting the people,” said Maj. Gen. James D. Thurman, the commanding general of Multi-National Division – Baghdad. “These acts against innocent civilians are deplorable, but Iraqi Security Forces did an excellent job in preventing more needless loss of innocent civilian lives.” The pilgrimage serves to commemorate the life and death of the 7th Shiite Imam, Imam Musa al-Kadhim.
(Just think – LA was shut down for a weekend earlier this year to protest anti-immigration bills. The various incarnations of the million man march in DC produced all kinds of problems. Whenever a large city wins a professional sporting event, the police are out to prevent FANS CELEBRATING BY TORCHING CARS AND RIOTING! But One Million Shiite Muslims came to Baghdad, and a civil war DIDN’T break out in the middle of a war zone!!!! Did anyone hear about this in USA Today or the Washington Post????)
7. How many wartime operational units in a war zone have you heard of that have their own website? http://www.militaryhomefront.dod.mil/campvictory/
8. The baby ducks have all but grown up, but mom and dad Iraqi ducks still watch to make sure they cross the road safely. (I actually saw but couldn’t get my camera out fast enough a two lane road shut down completely in both directions where HWMMV’s in both directions, complete with armed gunners with .50 caliber machine gunners stopped to make sure the ducks crossed the road safely – yes these steely eyed highly trained killers have a soft spot for baby ducks)
9. Iraqi signs tell the truth more often than US warning signs
10.STRYKER vehicles are one bad-ass class of machines. (almost) too wide for a road, and highly maneuverable, they do more to strike fear in the hearts of those bent on evil than other vehicles. While not invincible, they are imposing.
11. Hooch security is a 24 hour deal, and you only want the best out there on the front line making sure the perimeter is safe!
Well, that is all for now. I will keep plugging and try to pump out more information when I can. Congrats to new mommy and daddy – Brad and Angie! Avary is a little angel, and these two cousins (Ginny on the left and Avary on the right) are sure to wreak havoc on their parents for many years to come – especially with an Aunt and Uncle like Shannon and I. (payback is a bitch!)
Here are a couple of interesting tidbits about the war, that I don’t think most people know about:
1. Most of us staff types not busy driving around vehicles outside the wire trying to keep from blowing up drive rental cars. Some of us even have personalized them a bit. (Thanks Mike and Michelle!)
2. I (and most everyone else – even the guys driving trucks) have the time on a daily basis to go to the gym and work out – treadmills, elipticals, free weights, hammer weights.
3. For as much crap as people give Halliburton / KBR for making a ton of money, I for one would argue with anyone that this is a bad deal. Would you rather have the kids putting their lives on the line wasting time standing in a long line for 5000 calorie meals that did nothing for them? Three times a day, we get anything we want from Crap, to spinach salads, burgers to steaks, and cold cuts to freshly sliced pineapple. In days of yore, military cooks did the job, which included preparation, cleaning, serving, sanitation, training and US Government $$$$$ to make it happen. At least with KBR, while it may be costing a bundle, the soldiers behind the chow line are now on the frontlines which means a more efficient training and operational environment.
4. Mom asked me how I do my laundry – I don’t! Once again, thanks to KBR, I give them a bag of dirty skivvies and sweaty tshirts twice a week, and get back a bag of freshly washed and folded clothes. They spoil me here – I will be hell to deal with just picking up my dirty socks when I come home!
5. We have free copies of Stars and Stripes here, as well as our own camp newsletter – yes, family can leave embarrassing support messages to their soldiers / sailors here. Just think – letting the entire conglomeration of hard chargers on Camp Victory know that you are referred to as “Binnie” by your mom!!! http://www.mnci.centcom.mil/Victory_Times/default.htm
6. The Stars and Stripes and our newsletter are not run by the leftist liberals who want you to believe that this war is going poorly:
Aug. 20, 2006
One million pilgrims commemorate 7th Imam
BAGHDAD – The commemoration of the death of the 7th Shiite Imam (Musa al-Kadhim) drew more than one million pilgrims to the al-Kadhimiyah Shrine in Baghdad’s Kadhimiyah neighborhood from Friday through Sunday. The event occurred with relatively little violence; security for the celebrants was planned, led and executed by Iraqi Security Forces from the Iraqi National Police, Iraqi police and the Iraqi army, who worked together to safeguard those participating in the religious event. Iraqi military and civil leaders provided a comprehensive security plan to ensure there would be no recurrence of violence that marred last year’s event. As a result, there were no major attacks, and the ISF was effective in containing violent elements. Violence against the pilgrims did occur in the Adamiyah and Shaab neighborhoods. The Government of Iraq is still assessing the actual number of casualties, but they appear to be minimal. Iraqi police from 2nd National Police Division killed a terrorist and detained two after they fired upon the pilgrims. “The ISF did a good job containing the violence and protecting the people,” said Maj. Gen. James D. Thurman, the commanding general of Multi-National Division – Baghdad. “These acts against innocent civilians are deplorable, but Iraqi Security Forces did an excellent job in preventing more needless loss of innocent civilian lives.” The pilgrimage serves to commemorate the life and death of the 7th Shiite Imam, Imam Musa al-Kadhim.
(Just think – LA was shut down for a weekend earlier this year to protest anti-immigration bills. The various incarnations of the million man march in DC produced all kinds of problems. Whenever a large city wins a professional sporting event, the police are out to prevent FANS CELEBRATING BY TORCHING CARS AND RIOTING! But One Million Shiite Muslims came to Baghdad, and a civil war DIDN’T break out in the middle of a war zone!!!! Did anyone hear about this in USA Today or the Washington Post????)
7. How many wartime operational units in a war zone have you heard of that have their own website? http://www.militaryhomefront.dod.mil/campvictory/
8. The baby ducks have all but grown up, but mom and dad Iraqi ducks still watch to make sure they cross the road safely. (I actually saw but couldn’t get my camera out fast enough a two lane road shut down completely in both directions where HWMMV’s in both directions, complete with armed gunners with .50 caliber machine gunners stopped to make sure the ducks crossed the road safely – yes these steely eyed highly trained killers have a soft spot for baby ducks)
9. Iraqi signs tell the truth more often than US warning signs
10.STRYKER vehicles are one bad-ass class of machines. (almost) too wide for a road, and highly maneuverable, they do more to strike fear in the hearts of those bent on evil than other vehicles. While not invincible, they are imposing.
11. Hooch security is a 24 hour deal, and you only want the best out there on the front line making sure the perimeter is safe!
Well, that is all for now. I will keep plugging and try to pump out more information when I can. Congrats to new mommy and daddy – Brad and Angie! Avary is a little angel, and these two cousins (Ginny on the left and Avary on the right) are sure to wreak havoc on their parents for many years to come – especially with an Aunt and Uncle like Shannon and I. (payback is a bitch!)
Thursday, August 03, 2006
Memorial for Petty Officer Koth, EOD
Earlier this week, I attended the memorial service for Edward Austin Koth, Electrician’s Mate Second Class, EOD. He was from Baltimore County, MD, and died last week while handling explosives near where I sleep at night. It was a very touching service for one so well loved by his EOD brothers. To their credit, those that paid their tributes managed to do so with strong voices, and restrained tears. We even heard some words prepared by his girlfriend Alison who a mere 96 hours after hearing that her future plans of moving to Italy with him had turned to dust, had the strength to try and not only pay homage to his memory but to comfort his friends and brothers in arms.
I always find the concept of going through a receiving line to be more stressful for the visitor, rather than those doing the receiving. Petty Officer Koth’s entire unit stood up and shook the hands of the 100 or so attendees to the memorial service. You want to say something personal, something appropriate, but how many times can you tell someone that you are sorry, or that you wish you could do something to help? But that is the comforting thing about this crazy place. Death is real. It isn’t some abstract “you might die in a car wreck” sort of concept. It isn’t that you worry about wasting away 60 years from now. It is real, and it could happen. In a strange sort of way, it is liberating because you come to grips with the idea that you must live every day to its fullest. In Austin’s case he did just that – EOD, Parachutist, College graduate. Good looking kid, in shape, and never a picture in his slideshow without a smile. Every one of the team talked about his sense of humor.
Loosely quoting one of the internet forward chains we get from time to time, a Doctor who treats WWII veterans was touched by the last scene in Saving Private Ryan, when as an old man he kneels next to the Arlington resting place of Tom Hank’s character and asks whether or not the life he lived was well earned from the sacrifice made. While I can’t stand being apart from my family, I have convinced myself that if something should happen, there will be left no doubt years down the road as to whether or not I have earned it. For it doesn’t matter whether or not you have a good credit rating, or how many miles each day you run, or what your cholesterol level may be – all that matters is whether or not when people gather to your memorial service and hear your friends and family speak of you. A man’s life can be best measured I guess by the family he creates and cares for, the friends he keeps, and how many people walk out of the service in admiration of the life you have led.
If anything, Austin Koth was a good American. Shortly after the service, I received this from a friend, and it seemed appropriate to post this in his honor.
http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/comment-ferrara092501.shtml
What Is An American?A primer.
By Peter Ferrara, an associate professor of law at the George Mason University School of Law.September 25, 2001 9:20 a.m.
You probably missed it in the rush of news last week, but there was actually a report that someone in Pakistan had published in a newspaper there an offer of a reward to anyone who killed an American, any American.
So I just thought I would write to let them know what an American is, so they would know when they found one.
An American is English…or French, or Italian, Irish, German, Spanish, Polish, Russian or Greek. An American may also be African, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Australian, Iranian, Asian, or Arab, or Pakistani, or Afghan.
An American is Christian, or he could be Jewish, or Buddhist, or Muslim. In fact, there are more Muslims in America than in Afghanistan. The only difference is that in America they are free to worship as each of them choose.
An American is also free to believe in no religion. For that he will answer only to God, not to the government, or to armed thugs claiming to speak for the government and for God.
An American is from the most prosperous land in the history of the world. The root of that prosperity can be found in the Declaration of Independence, which recognizes the God-given right of each man and woman to the pursuit of happiness.
An American is generous. Americans have helped out just about every other nation in the world in their time of need. When Afghanistan was overrun by the Soviet army 20 years ago, Americans came with arms and supplies to enable the people to win back their country. As of the morning of September 11, Americans had given more than any other nation to the poor in Afghanistan.
An American does not have to obey the mad ravings of ignorant, ungodly cruel, old men. American men will not be fooled into giving up their lives to kill innocent people, so that these foolish old men may hold on to power. American women are free to show their beautiful faces to the world, as each of them choose.
An American is free to criticize his government's officials when they are wrong, in his or her own opinion. Then he is free to replace them, by majority vote.
Americans welcome people from all lands, all cultures, all religions, because they are not afraid. They are not afraid that their history, their religion, their beliefs, will be overrun, or forgotten. That is because they know they are free to hold to their religion, their beliefs, their history, as each of them choose.
And just as Americans welcome all, they enjoy the best that everyone has to bring, from all over the world. The best science, the best technology, the best products, the best books, the best music, the best food, the best athletes.
Americans welcome the best, but they also welcome the least. The nation symbol of America welcomes your tired and your poor, the wretched refuse of your teeming shores, the homeless, tempest tossed.
These in fact are the people who built America. Many of them were working in the twin towers on the morning of September 11, earning a better life for their families.
So you can try to kill an American if you must. Hitler did. So did General Tojo and Stalin and Mao Tse-Tung, and every bloodthirsty tyrant in the history of the world.
But in doing so you would just be killing yourself. Because Americans are not a particular people from a particular place. They are the embodiment of the human spirit of freedom. Everyone who holds to that spirit, everywhere, is an American.
So look around you. You may find more Americans in your land than you thought were there. One day they will rise up and overthrow the old, ignorant, tired tyrants that trouble too many lands. Then those lands too will join the community of free and prosperous nations.
And America will welcome them.
I always find the concept of going through a receiving line to be more stressful for the visitor, rather than those doing the receiving. Petty Officer Koth’s entire unit stood up and shook the hands of the 100 or so attendees to the memorial service. You want to say something personal, something appropriate, but how many times can you tell someone that you are sorry, or that you wish you could do something to help? But that is the comforting thing about this crazy place. Death is real. It isn’t some abstract “you might die in a car wreck” sort of concept. It isn’t that you worry about wasting away 60 years from now. It is real, and it could happen. In a strange sort of way, it is liberating because you come to grips with the idea that you must live every day to its fullest. In Austin’s case he did just that – EOD, Parachutist, College graduate. Good looking kid, in shape, and never a picture in his slideshow without a smile. Every one of the team talked about his sense of humor.
Loosely quoting one of the internet forward chains we get from time to time, a Doctor who treats WWII veterans was touched by the last scene in Saving Private Ryan, when as an old man he kneels next to the Arlington resting place of Tom Hank’s character and asks whether or not the life he lived was well earned from the sacrifice made. While I can’t stand being apart from my family, I have convinced myself that if something should happen, there will be left no doubt years down the road as to whether or not I have earned it. For it doesn’t matter whether or not you have a good credit rating, or how many miles each day you run, or what your cholesterol level may be – all that matters is whether or not when people gather to your memorial service and hear your friends and family speak of you. A man’s life can be best measured I guess by the family he creates and cares for, the friends he keeps, and how many people walk out of the service in admiration of the life you have led.
If anything, Austin Koth was a good American. Shortly after the service, I received this from a friend, and it seemed appropriate to post this in his honor.
http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/comment-ferrara092501.shtml
What Is An American?A primer.
By Peter Ferrara, an associate professor of law at the George Mason University School of Law.September 25, 2001 9:20 a.m.
You probably missed it in the rush of news last week, but there was actually a report that someone in Pakistan had published in a newspaper there an offer of a reward to anyone who killed an American, any American.
So I just thought I would write to let them know what an American is, so they would know when they found one.
An American is English…or French, or Italian, Irish, German, Spanish, Polish, Russian or Greek. An American may also be African, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Australian, Iranian, Asian, or Arab, or Pakistani, or Afghan.
An American is Christian, or he could be Jewish, or Buddhist, or Muslim. In fact, there are more Muslims in America than in Afghanistan. The only difference is that in America they are free to worship as each of them choose.
An American is also free to believe in no religion. For that he will answer only to God, not to the government, or to armed thugs claiming to speak for the government and for God.
An American is from the most prosperous land in the history of the world. The root of that prosperity can be found in the Declaration of Independence, which recognizes the God-given right of each man and woman to the pursuit of happiness.
An American is generous. Americans have helped out just about every other nation in the world in their time of need. When Afghanistan was overrun by the Soviet army 20 years ago, Americans came with arms and supplies to enable the people to win back their country. As of the morning of September 11, Americans had given more than any other nation to the poor in Afghanistan.
An American does not have to obey the mad ravings of ignorant, ungodly cruel, old men. American men will not be fooled into giving up their lives to kill innocent people, so that these foolish old men may hold on to power. American women are free to show their beautiful faces to the world, as each of them choose.
An American is free to criticize his government's officials when they are wrong, in his or her own opinion. Then he is free to replace them, by majority vote.
Americans welcome people from all lands, all cultures, all religions, because they are not afraid. They are not afraid that their history, their religion, their beliefs, will be overrun, or forgotten. That is because they know they are free to hold to their religion, their beliefs, their history, as each of them choose.
And just as Americans welcome all, they enjoy the best that everyone has to bring, from all over the world. The best science, the best technology, the best products, the best books, the best music, the best food, the best athletes.
Americans welcome the best, but they also welcome the least. The nation symbol of America welcomes your tired and your poor, the wretched refuse of your teeming shores, the homeless, tempest tossed.
These in fact are the people who built America. Many of them were working in the twin towers on the morning of September 11, earning a better life for their families.
So you can try to kill an American if you must. Hitler did. So did General Tojo and Stalin and Mao Tse-Tung, and every bloodthirsty tyrant in the history of the world.
But in doing so you would just be killing yourself. Because Americans are not a particular people from a particular place. They are the embodiment of the human spirit of freedom. Everyone who holds to that spirit, everywhere, is an American.
So look around you. You may find more Americans in your land than you thought were there. One day they will rise up and overthrow the old, ignorant, tired tyrants that trouble too many lands. Then those lands too will join the community of free and prosperous nations.
And America will welcome them.
Friday, July 28, 2006
Right or wrong, our country.....
Well, another long period of time between updates….not that I am busy or anything! The reality of it is that you have a couple of options – work yourself silly, collapse into bed every night and toss and turn while you think about all the personal stuff like letter writing, phone calls, and presents for people back home that should have been taken care of before you hit the sack. OR, work 12 hours a day, workout, get that personal time to do everything, then toss and turn when you go to the rack, because you are gonna get reamed for all the paperwork you didn’t get to the day before, as well as dealing with how lonely you feel now that you reconnected with everyone you miss. No rest for the wicked I guess!
This is gonna be a bit more observational – not any real news about my situation or daily travails. We have access to AFN – Armed Forces Network for TV at work, and on our desktops we can check in with CNN or Fox news, and in the chow hall they have TV’s as well. We obviously have internet connections, but the majority of folks get their news from Stars and Stripes – it’s easy to pick up on your way to eat, it’s free and portable too. There were two interesting articles as of late though. The first is one about Cher - http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=37757&archive=true She apparently has turned into quite the crusader for the troops – even testifying before congress on the need for the Marines to buy better Kevlar helmets. She has decided to lend her “recognition” to the cause and is very supportive of troops in the field. She is against the war however – a growing dichotomy that we see today in society. “Lets support the troops, even if we don’t believe in this war”. This is apparently to make up for the travesty of how our returning soldiers were treated after Vietnam.
It is an interesting viewpoint. When you dig into it however, it reeks of liberalism, social decay, and elitist garbage. If I understand the argument correctly, what we are telling the returning men and women is that we don’t agree with the government’s decision to send you over there, and we hate the idea that you may have killed civilians and enemy terrorists. We feel uncomfortable being an occupying force and really don’t want us to deploy troops anywhere because we all just need to get along. I personally will not volunteer to go to war, and don’t really understand why you did. (unless of course you only did it for a college education or job skills). Finally, we understand that you are too poor, destitute, stupid, or otherwise ignorant of the worldly issues and why war really is outdated and couldn’t help yourself because the evil military complex ordered you to fight, and therefore you had to do it. We forgive you, and pity you, but still support you, just not the government.
If that is the “support our troops” concept used by the left, they can keep it. Clausewitz said that war is just the logical extension of a government’s policy. Carrot and stick so to speak – you work to influence others to your way of thinking with the ultimate threat being a tomahawk missile landing in your living room. Trust me, no military member wishes for war, and relishes battle. That once again is Hollywood. Your average military member wishes, hopes and strives for peace, but understands that when duty calls they will be ready for war. It speaks volumes about those that have the Hollywood version of “support our troops”.
1SGT Ben Grainger understands this. While a “little” tongue-in-cheek, he has started his own “pseudo-religion” of Americantology: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=37864&archive=true. Very simple, very direct, little proselytizing. We are here, deal with it. We don’t like to kill people, but in defense of our country we will. Very reminiscent of Commodore Stephen Decatur – hero of the Barbary Wars (i.e. where the reference to Tripoli is drawn from in the Marines Hymn – “From the halls of Montezuma, to the shores of Tripoli…”) “Between 1816 and 1820, Decatur served as a Navy Commissioner. During his tenure as a Commissioner, Decatur became active in the Washington social scene. At one of his social gatherings, Decatur uttered an after-dinner toast that would become famous: "Our country! In her intercourse with foreign nations may she always be in the right; but right or wrong, our country!" (Reference - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Decatur) It is interesting to note in the story how he has come under fire for being “insensitive”. First of all, I have never known any Marine to be especially concerned about being “sensitive” to the needs of the bastards shooting at them. Second of all, it furthers the earlier point of why we are here – we aren’t here to be sensitive, we are here to kill terrorists, and create enough peace to allow the natural desires of families and societies to better themselves. The Soldier, Sailor, Airman and Marine on the ground understand that, are proud to serve and don’t want your pity. Support is great when it is heartfelt, and for the vast majority of people, that is what we see – nervous wives, concerned fathers, worried grandmothers, brothers and sisters at home. Worried for their loved ones, worried that one day they will see the base chaplain pull into their driveway. But through all their worry, they are proud that their Marine, Sailor, Airman or Soldier is making the selfless determination that there really is a greater good, a higher calling, and a call to duty that requires their service. That is the support we relish – admiration of a job well done, not the empty belief that we are but a collection of ignorant puppets strung along by an evil scheming government. I for one will be looking to join the local chapter of Americantology when it starts up – hell, I may just look to spread the “good word” on my return. Because no matter whether or not I tend to agree with the direction, leadership, or policies of my country, right or wrong she is my country.
This is gonna be a bit more observational – not any real news about my situation or daily travails. We have access to AFN – Armed Forces Network for TV at work, and on our desktops we can check in with CNN or Fox news, and in the chow hall they have TV’s as well. We obviously have internet connections, but the majority of folks get their news from Stars and Stripes – it’s easy to pick up on your way to eat, it’s free and portable too. There were two interesting articles as of late though. The first is one about Cher - http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=37757&archive=true She apparently has turned into quite the crusader for the troops – even testifying before congress on the need for the Marines to buy better Kevlar helmets. She has decided to lend her “recognition” to the cause and is very supportive of troops in the field. She is against the war however – a growing dichotomy that we see today in society. “Lets support the troops, even if we don’t believe in this war”. This is apparently to make up for the travesty of how our returning soldiers were treated after Vietnam.
It is an interesting viewpoint. When you dig into it however, it reeks of liberalism, social decay, and elitist garbage. If I understand the argument correctly, what we are telling the returning men and women is that we don’t agree with the government’s decision to send you over there, and we hate the idea that you may have killed civilians and enemy terrorists. We feel uncomfortable being an occupying force and really don’t want us to deploy troops anywhere because we all just need to get along. I personally will not volunteer to go to war, and don’t really understand why you did. (unless of course you only did it for a college education or job skills). Finally, we understand that you are too poor, destitute, stupid, or otherwise ignorant of the worldly issues and why war really is outdated and couldn’t help yourself because the evil military complex ordered you to fight, and therefore you had to do it. We forgive you, and pity you, but still support you, just not the government.
If that is the “support our troops” concept used by the left, they can keep it. Clausewitz said that war is just the logical extension of a government’s policy. Carrot and stick so to speak – you work to influence others to your way of thinking with the ultimate threat being a tomahawk missile landing in your living room. Trust me, no military member wishes for war, and relishes battle. That once again is Hollywood. Your average military member wishes, hopes and strives for peace, but understands that when duty calls they will be ready for war. It speaks volumes about those that have the Hollywood version of “support our troops”.
1SGT Ben Grainger understands this. While a “little” tongue-in-cheek, he has started his own “pseudo-religion” of Americantology: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=37864&archive=true. Very simple, very direct, little proselytizing. We are here, deal with it. We don’t like to kill people, but in defense of our country we will. Very reminiscent of Commodore Stephen Decatur – hero of the Barbary Wars (i.e. where the reference to Tripoli is drawn from in the Marines Hymn – “From the halls of Montezuma, to the shores of Tripoli…”) “Between 1816 and 1820, Decatur served as a Navy Commissioner. During his tenure as a Commissioner, Decatur became active in the Washington social scene. At one of his social gatherings, Decatur uttered an after-dinner toast that would become famous: "Our country! In her intercourse with foreign nations may she always be in the right; but right or wrong, our country!" (Reference - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Decatur) It is interesting to note in the story how he has come under fire for being “insensitive”. First of all, I have never known any Marine to be especially concerned about being “sensitive” to the needs of the bastards shooting at them. Second of all, it furthers the earlier point of why we are here – we aren’t here to be sensitive, we are here to kill terrorists, and create enough peace to allow the natural desires of families and societies to better themselves. The Soldier, Sailor, Airman and Marine on the ground understand that, are proud to serve and don’t want your pity. Support is great when it is heartfelt, and for the vast majority of people, that is what we see – nervous wives, concerned fathers, worried grandmothers, brothers and sisters at home. Worried for their loved ones, worried that one day they will see the base chaplain pull into their driveway. But through all their worry, they are proud that their Marine, Sailor, Airman or Soldier is making the selfless determination that there really is a greater good, a higher calling, and a call to duty that requires their service. That is the support we relish – admiration of a job well done, not the empty belief that we are but a collection of ignorant puppets strung along by an evil scheming government. I for one will be looking to join the local chapter of Americantology when it starts up – hell, I may just look to spread the “good word” on my return. Because no matter whether or not I tend to agree with the direction, leadership, or policies of my country, right or wrong she is my country.
Thursday, July 13, 2006
Comings and Goings
Hi all -
Well here it is - the day after the last post - it seems like this day has lasted a week! (ha ha ha) I apologize for how delinquent I have been. What a long strange trip it's been however (to quote the Dead)
It started out with me pencilling into my schedule lunch with the Majority Leader of the US House of Representatives, Congressman John Boehner. Actually, the Congressman was good enough to share some of his time at lunch with
fellow "Ohioans". Not really sure if I count, cuz I vote in Wyoming, but since I graduated from there it was pretty cool. He was running late, stuffing his face and generally jet lagged. It is nice to see however the real person that does exist in government now and then. I would imagine a completely different scenario with someone who has obvious ambitions and wants to turn everything into a photo op. We bonded over talk about how many cans of Skyline Chili we have back at the ranch (he was down to his last in his DC apartment!) All in all a good time.
The bulk of the last couple of weeks has been a blur of VIP's arriving, good friends leaving, and general chaos. We get cocooned out here however. I watch TV on my desktop from time to time, and we get opportunities to check the Drudge Report, etc, but for being in the center of the world's hotspots it seems about as far from
a war zone as you get. I mean there are mortars, and you hear the occasional explosion, but reality rarely seeps in. As for the inhabitants of this country, you can plainly see that families still look out for their kids.
The cold hard reality does seep in however - you choose how much or how little you want to get involved. As we were eating lunch with Congressman Boehner, one of the other attendees (a Marine of course) spoke about how he and a few other Marine Staffers on his last tour took turns monitoring the radios over at the CASEVAC stations. When a report came in of a Marine being medivaced, they would take turns showing up to talk to them. More importantly, they all made sure that they had cell phones with them. If they got the opportunity, and things didn't look good, they would even dial the phone and hold it for these guys for just one last chance to hear a loved ones voice. The thing that really got me however, is when he told the story of one kid that had lost a foot and an arm, but calmly and coolly told his wife that everything was fine and he was only scratched up a bit. Better to get myself into the best shape I can first than have her worried to death with nothing to do about it he said. You truly can get as deep or as shallow into this war as you want to be.
Even when you are really mad, frustrated, pissed off at the world though, you routinely see things here that not only make you laugh, but really make your brain cramp if you think to hard about it. First, there is the Public Transportation.... Yes, those are our troops, bumming a ride away from the dining facility, to avoid having to walk in the 113 degree heat.... Then, you pass the lake. Now this is
Saddam's Al Faw Palace lake. His grand strategy involved flowing rivers, fountains, etc. When we first arrived, those that went swimming came out of the water with strange skin rashes. I would not want to be the poor bastard that had to dive in here for something lost...who knows how many of Saddam's rivals are there. In the meantime, because the water doesn't flow, the grass grows, so we hire a "Navy" of locals to take their boats out to get the "harvest" of kelp. I am sure they have been in this business for a long time, but it makes you wonder...
Finally, I would be remiss if I didn't mention my new digs. I moved out of my Conex box last week. A friend had a half a trailer open - still with
plumbing - but bigger, in a better location, and with a window! No Bearnice didn't shrink - the room is that much bigger. Bearnice also picked up a new pet - his name is Scrappy. We found him on top a gun turret on a HMMWV that had been turned in and left behind. It seems that he was a mascot of a gunner, but had been left behind to guard the truck. He was dirty and a little faded when I got him, but after he was washed up, he looks pretty good. And he can keep Bearnice company while I am gone! Yes, I do sleep with two stuffed animals. Not the big tough image you would have for a Naval Officer, but you do what you have to in the desert! Well folks, thats it for now - take care! 
Well here it is - the day after the last post - it seems like this day has lasted a week! (ha ha ha) I apologize for how delinquent I have been. What a long strange trip it's been however (to quote the Dead)
It started out with me pencilling into my schedule lunch with the Majority Leader of the US House of Representatives, Congressman John Boehner. Actually, the Congressman was good enough to share some of his time at lunch with
fellow "Ohioans". Not really sure if I count, cuz I vote in Wyoming, but since I graduated from there it was pretty cool. He was running late, stuffing his face and generally jet lagged. It is nice to see however the real person that does exist in government now and then. I would imagine a completely different scenario with someone who has obvious ambitions and wants to turn everything into a photo op. We bonded over talk about how many cans of Skyline Chili we have back at the ranch (he was down to his last in his DC apartment!) All in all a good time.The bulk of the last couple of weeks has been a blur of VIP's arriving, good friends leaving, and general chaos. We get cocooned out here however. I watch TV on my desktop from time to time, and we get opportunities to check the Drudge Report, etc, but for being in the center of the world's hotspots it seems about as far from
a war zone as you get. I mean there are mortars, and you hear the occasional explosion, but reality rarely seeps in. As for the inhabitants of this country, you can plainly see that families still look out for their kids.The cold hard reality does seep in however - you choose how much or how little you want to get involved. As we were eating lunch with Congressman Boehner, one of the other attendees (a Marine of course) spoke about how he and a few other Marine Staffers on his last tour took turns monitoring the radios over at the CASEVAC stations. When a report came in of a Marine being medivaced, they would take turns showing up to talk to them. More importantly, they all made sure that they had cell phones with them. If they got the opportunity, and things didn't look good, they would even dial the phone and hold it for these guys for just one last chance to hear a loved ones voice. The thing that really got me however, is when he told the story of one kid that had lost a foot and an arm, but calmly and coolly told his wife that everything was fine and he was only scratched up a bit. Better to get myself into the best shape I can first than have her worried to death with nothing to do about it he said. You truly can get as deep or as shallow into this war as you want to be.
Even when you are really mad, frustrated, pissed off at the world though, you routinely see things here that not only make you laugh, but really make your brain cramp if you think to hard about it. First, there is the Public Transportation.... Yes, those are our troops, bumming a ride away from the dining facility, to avoid having to walk in the 113 degree heat.... Then, you pass the lake. Now this is
Saddam's Al Faw Palace lake. His grand strategy involved flowing rivers, fountains, etc. When we first arrived, those that went swimming came out of the water with strange skin rashes. I would not want to be the poor bastard that had to dive in here for something lost...who knows how many of Saddam's rivals are there. In the meantime, because the water doesn't flow, the grass grows, so we hire a "Navy" of locals to take their boats out to get the "harvest" of kelp. I am sure they have been in this business for a long time, but it makes you wonder...Finally, I would be remiss if I didn't mention my new digs. I moved out of my Conex box last week. A friend had a half a trailer open - still with
plumbing - but bigger, in a better location, and with a window! No Bearnice didn't shrink - the room is that much bigger. Bearnice also picked up a new pet - his name is Scrappy. We found him on top a gun turret on a HMMWV that had been turned in and left behind. It seems that he was a mascot of a gunner, but had been left behind to guard the truck. He was dirty and a little faded when I got him, but after he was washed up, he looks pretty good. And he can keep Bearnice company while I am gone! Yes, I do sleep with two stuffed animals. Not the big tough image you would have for a Naval Officer, but you do what you have to in the desert! Well folks, thats it for now - take care! 
Saturday, July 08, 2006
The view from the front line - enemy intel provided by the New York Times
A quick and dirty one that you probably already have seen - I will get a full post with pictures off tomorrow....
Lt. Tom Cotton writes this morning from Baghdad with a word for the New York Times:
Dear Messrs. Keller, Lichtblau & Risen:
Congratulations on disclosing our government's highly classified anti-terrorist-financing program (June 23). I apologize for not writing sooner. But I am a lieutenant in the United States Army and I spent the last four days patrolling one of the more dangerous areas in Iraq. (Alas, operational security and common sense prevent me from even revealing this unclassified location in a private medium like email.)
Unfortunately, as I supervised my soldiers late one night, I heard a booming explosion several miles away. I learned a few hours later that a powerful roadside bomb killed one soldier and severely injured another from my 130-man company. I deeply hope that we can find and kill or capture the terrorists responsible for that bomb. But, of course, these terrorists do not spring from the soil like Plato's guardians. No, they require financing to obtain mortars and artillery shells, priming explosives, wiring and circuitry, not to mention for training and payments to locals willing to emplace bombs in exchange for a few months' salary. As your story states, the program was legal, briefed to Congress, supported in the government and financial industry, and very successful.
Not anymore. You may think you have done a public service, but you have gravely endangered the lives of my soldiers and all other soldiers and innocent Iraqis here. Next time I hear that familiar explosion — or next time I feel it — I will wonder whether we could have stopped that bomb had you not instructed terrorists how to evade our financial surveillance.
And, by the way, having graduated from Harvard Law and practiced with a federal appellate judge and two Washington law firms before becoming an infantry officer, I am well-versed in the espionage laws relevant to this story and others — laws you have plainly violated. I hope that my colleagues at the Department of Justice match the courage of my soldiers here and prosecute you and your newspaper to the fullest extent of the law. By the time we return home, maybe you will be in your rightful place: not at the Pulitzer announcements, but behind bars.
Very truly yours,
Tom Cotton
Baghdad, Iraq
Lt. Tom Cotton writes this morning from Baghdad with a word for the New York Times:
Dear Messrs. Keller, Lichtblau & Risen:
Congratulations on disclosing our government's highly classified anti-terrorist-financing program (June 23). I apologize for not writing sooner. But I am a lieutenant in the United States Army and I spent the last four days patrolling one of the more dangerous areas in Iraq. (Alas, operational security and common sense prevent me from even revealing this unclassified location in a private medium like email.)
Unfortunately, as I supervised my soldiers late one night, I heard a booming explosion several miles away. I learned a few hours later that a powerful roadside bomb killed one soldier and severely injured another from my 130-man company. I deeply hope that we can find and kill or capture the terrorists responsible for that bomb. But, of course, these terrorists do not spring from the soil like Plato's guardians. No, they require financing to obtain mortars and artillery shells, priming explosives, wiring and circuitry, not to mention for training and payments to locals willing to emplace bombs in exchange for a few months' salary. As your story states, the program was legal, briefed to Congress, supported in the government and financial industry, and very successful.
Not anymore. You may think you have done a public service, but you have gravely endangered the lives of my soldiers and all other soldiers and innocent Iraqis here. Next time I hear that familiar explosion — or next time I feel it — I will wonder whether we could have stopped that bomb had you not instructed terrorists how to evade our financial surveillance.
And, by the way, having graduated from Harvard Law and practiced with a federal appellate judge and two Washington law firms before becoming an infantry officer, I am well-versed in the espionage laws relevant to this story and others — laws you have plainly violated. I hope that my colleagues at the Department of Justice match the courage of my soldiers here and prosecute you and your newspaper to the fullest extent of the law. By the time we return home, maybe you will be in your rightful place: not at the Pulitzer announcements, but behind bars.
Very truly yours,
Tom Cotton
Baghdad, Iraq
Sunday, June 25, 2006
Fair Winds and Following Seas to a Brother in Arms
Last weekend, I took my friend Huan Nguyen to the BIAP (Baghdad International Air Port) military terminal and put him on the plane. I was glad but bittersweet. You see, I was sent here early to relieve him. Normally, as part of the military you get used to arrivals and departures - your own happens roughly every three years, and within a command there is always someone coming and going. Usually as well, people are far more sad to see your replacement leave, and you personally can't wait for them to get the hell out, because the longer they stay, the harder it is for you to take the reins. This was different though.
Technically, you could say I only knew Huan for about three months. I arrived on April Fools day, and he left in the middle of June, and except for a few emails upon me receiving orders, we were strangers. But I feel that I have known him for most of my life. You get that when you run into those people whom you can call "old souls". You see, Huan is the embodiment of someone called to duty in service of his country.
As you can guess, Huan wasn't born in the US. He was born in Vietnam, back in a time when that didn't have the nicest of connotations. While we share the same rank, he continues to serve in the reserves at 45 years old. As an early teenager he was beaten, tortured and part of his family were murdered. He escaped the hell he was living in and emigrated to the US, to live with his extended family. As many immigrant stories go, he learned english from sesame street, and studied hard, eventually going to college, earning a degree or two and becoming a productive member of society. But that wasn't enough.
While most of us look to college and jobs as stepping stones, Huan looked at them as gifts that needed to be repaid. He joined the Naval Reserves in some small effort to pay back his debt for America allowing him to become a citizen. Then the war came. August would have made two years that he had been away from his family. August of 2004, Huan was sent to Japan for six months to help push papers for an organization that had a need since one of it's own had been called to the front. Following that hitch, he volunteered to come to Iraq.
Huan more or less singlehandedly built an organization from the ground up, that one day people will say turned the tide of this conflict. Not only was he recognized by his command, but by practically every other Army organization in the theater that had worked with him. People would call here - not asking for someone familiar with CREW systems, but asking for Huan.
Keep in mind, that while most of us over here count days till our return, Huan actually almost fought to stay here and help wherever he could. Not that he didn't miss his family. Nor was he an opportunist looking to build a career out of military contacts - he holds patents with his "real" job at General Motors - they even supplemented his income with what he was "losing" by going on active duty. He just felt that at this time in his life, he could save people in the battlefield, help defend his country, and pay back the nation that had offered him hope and prosperity.
There are many many times a day when I wish I was home and out of this place. But it is at those times that I remind myself of the wonderful opportunities that I have to support my family, live in a land where I don't have to worry about roving gangs of armed militia, and where I have the freedoms to pursue life, liberty and happiness, and remind myself that this is just but a small sacrifice I make to pay back the debt my country has given me.
Huan, have a seat, hell - have a real beer! Put down your pack and rest my friend - consider your debt paid - your shipmates have the watch.
Monday, June 19, 2006
Hallmark, what have you done?
Ladies and Gentlemen -
If this works, I want my Mother to get some royalties out of this! She went to the store to try and find some hallmark cards for the occasion of "hope you have a happy anniversary, even though you are in a war zone, and your family is worried about you back at home". So she sent this letter....Reprinted with permission of the author!
Hallmark, Hallmark, what have you done?
I looked for a special card and I could find none!
You’ve always been there for me,
With cards for one and all.
Birthdays, weddings, retirement,
thank-yous, and passing-the-bar.
You have cards about movie stars, politics,
Divorce, and bodily functions.
Cards about weight loss, getting older,
Getting treatment, and luncheons.
You remember Father’s Day, Mother’s Day,
Kwanza, and Diwali.
You recognize nurses and bosses,
Kittens and collies.
You cater to swingers, doers,
Golfers, and losers.
Hair dressers, bus drivers,
Teachers, and boozers.
You counsel about moving, moving on,
Moving up and moving out.
Of your care and concern,
There is no doubt.
You care deeply, openly, simply and truly,
Your concern is honest, greatly, justly and duly.
Imagine my surprise then
When a card I could not find.
A card for our military men and women
Who are all on our minds.
You may be quite liberal,
And politically correct.
Just remember our men and women in uniform
Provide you the freedom to do what you elect.
These military folks don’t like being away from home
And they don’t like the war.
They miss their families, their friends, their pets, their comforts,
Down deep in their core.
So I implore you, O’Hallmark the great
Show us what you’re made of, show us that you rate.
Produce a line of "Freedom" cards that will show support
For our men and women in uniform and their families still at port.
To start a "Freedom" line is not only the right thing to do,
But think of the revenue it would produce for you!!
If this works, I want my Mother to get some royalties out of this! She went to the store to try and find some hallmark cards for the occasion of "hope you have a happy anniversary, even though you are in a war zone, and your family is worried about you back at home". So she sent this letter....Reprinted with permission of the author!
Hallmark, Hallmark, what have you done?
I looked for a special card and I could find none!
You’ve always been there for me,
With cards for one and all.
Birthdays, weddings, retirement,
thank-yous, and passing-the-bar.
You have cards about movie stars, politics,
Divorce, and bodily functions.
Cards about weight loss, getting older,
Getting treatment, and luncheons.
You remember Father’s Day, Mother’s Day,
Kwanza, and Diwali.
You recognize nurses and bosses,
Kittens and collies.
You cater to swingers, doers,
Golfers, and losers.
Hair dressers, bus drivers,
Teachers, and boozers.
You counsel about moving, moving on,
Moving up and moving out.
Of your care and concern,
There is no doubt.
You care deeply, openly, simply and truly,
Your concern is honest, greatly, justly and duly.
Imagine my surprise then
When a card I could not find.
A card for our military men and women
Who are all on our minds.
You may be quite liberal,
And politically correct.
Just remember our men and women in uniform
Provide you the freedom to do what you elect.
These military folks don’t like being away from home
And they don’t like the war.
They miss their families, their friends, their pets, their comforts,
Down deep in their core.
So I implore you, O’Hallmark the great
Show us what you’re made of, show us that you rate.
Produce a line of "Freedom" cards that will show support
For our men and women in uniform and their families still at port.
To start a "Freedom" line is not only the right thing to do,
But think of the revenue it would produce for you!!
Sunday, June 18, 2006
Happy Father's Day!!
One of the benefits of working this much without a weekend, is that time FLIES!! It just seems like yesterday I was making my Mother's day entry. One of the first casualties of war they say is innocence. While I have yet to see any "action" per se (and hope never to have to - submariners on the front line just sounds like a bad storyline!)I can definately see the effects. This is a country of walls, barriers, checkpoints and wire. It also is a country of Moms, Dads, Brothers, Sisters and Family. When I look at the role models I have in my life for men, I can truly say that I am blessed. I can only hope that I can live a life half as good as my Dad, and my 'second' dad, or as Shannon says "my Bob".
There are times when I feel down, depressed, mad, and angry at the world. And then I think of how old I am in relation to the boys, and get caught off guard - all those memories I have of what I was doing and how I was feeling when I was their age and what perceptions I had of my Dad. I remember being mad at him, for being in awe of him as he coached baseball, of how easy he made it seem to be a dad, to be in charge, to be a man.
I now realize that he felt the same things I am feeling today - scared, nervous, worried, concerned, lacking confidence and like everything is a charade. But that doesn't matter. What does matter is that there is a job to do, with people depending on you. That the only thing in the world that matters is your family. That you will do anything in the world to give them a better life and to keep them safe, even if it means leaving them to go halfway around the world to fight evil.
Derek and Aleks - you boys make me so proud, and a guy couldn't ask for better kids. I am so happy to be your dad. Bob - thanks for being a role model, and treating me as your own son. Brad - happy almost Father's day on your latest addition - I can't wait to hear the news tomorrow! Jon - welcome to the club! Enjoy the diapers and the 3AM feeding and the hassles of dealing with car seats - they grow up too fast. Dad - thank you for teaching me how to be a man. Not by hiding your feelings, or being stoic, but for enjoying life, cussing, yelling, laughing, and living. If anything my time over here has taught me is that (pardon the blatant copyright infringement Mr. Brooks) life is not tried, it is merely survived if you are standing outside the fire. Thank you for teaching me how to laugh about getting burned!
There are times when I feel down, depressed, mad, and angry at the world. And then I think of how old I am in relation to the boys, and get caught off guard - all those memories I have of what I was doing and how I was feeling when I was their age and what perceptions I had of my Dad. I remember being mad at him, for being in awe of him as he coached baseball, of how easy he made it seem to be a dad, to be in charge, to be a man.
I now realize that he felt the same things I am feeling today - scared, nervous, worried, concerned, lacking confidence and like everything is a charade. But that doesn't matter. What does matter is that there is a job to do, with people depending on you. That the only thing in the world that matters is your family. That you will do anything in the world to give them a better life and to keep them safe, even if it means leaving them to go halfway around the world to fight evil.
Derek and Aleks - you boys make me so proud, and a guy couldn't ask for better kids. I am so happy to be your dad. Bob - thanks for being a role model, and treating me as your own son. Brad - happy almost Father's day on your latest addition - I can't wait to hear the news tomorrow! Jon - welcome to the club! Enjoy the diapers and the 3AM feeding and the hassles of dealing with car seats - they grow up too fast. Dad - thank you for teaching me how to be a man. Not by hiding your feelings, or being stoic, but for enjoying life, cussing, yelling, laughing, and living. If anything my time over here has taught me is that (pardon the blatant copyright infringement Mr. Brooks) life is not tried, it is merely survived if you are standing outside the fire. Thank you for teaching me how to laugh about getting burned!
Monday, June 12, 2006
Ding Dong the Witch is dead!
Sorry to start out with such a graphic image, but this is a really big thing here. I totally agree with our Commander in Chief here, but it was a definite boost to the old spirits here when the news came out. I happened to be driving around Log Base Seitz at the time. It is a logistical base on the edge of camp where there are a lot of mechanics and techs. I had asked for directions when I went in the gate, and an Army SGT came over and gave me directions. At the time, his attitude was locked on, very professional and straight forward. All around good kid. So later, as I was driving out and heard the news, I pulled up to the checkpoint (which people don't normally do, so it drew the attention of the multiple guards there - most of them privates / Specialists). I started telling one of them about the news, and he had an "Oh that's nice" sort of reaction, but when the SGT came over and I told him, he practically was doing backflips. Fist pumping, hooting, jumping up and down. It was nice to make someone's day here.
So what does this all mean to the troops? Yes, there is an insurgency still out here, and the websites are going crazy - we hear translations of them in the Stars and Stripes all the time. I am a big fan of energy however - you can feel it, you can sense it. If nothing had happened and we wouldn't have gotten the bastard, then things would have just "gone on". That is what stage of the war we are at right now - making progress, doing good work, but for the most part putting in time until something happens. Well, something DID happen. You can feel it. It is like a momentary big sigh of relief. While not necessarily physical, there is an emotional energy building here. Unless someone steps up quickly and is more bloodthirsty, evil, insane, etc, fill in the evil blanks.....I think we may have turned a corner. While they will never be totally gone (how many of us can say we killed ALL the cockroaches in our house?) they are without an energy source themselves.
Who knows what the future may bring, but for right now, things are starting to look up.
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
Happy Anniversary Baby!
Ok, to all the "other" readers, I will apologize up front, but this may get mushy! Between the post by Bearnice and this one, there hasn't really been any "hard" news, but we can get back to that later...
Shannon, you always say that "one of these days" you may let me off the hook for my embarrasing and awkward moments, like at our wedding reception when I totally blanked the idea that I had the opportunity to publicly proclaim my love for you, and chose instead to say a bunch of things about family and friends.....well you can see that with the whole www.world watching, that I hope this makes up for it.
I may be here half a world away right now in the middle of a combat zone, but I still find myself thinking of you - Looking at the bombed out former palaces of dictators past, and think how I am going to describe a particular arch, or mosaic, or artifact. I don't see the war or the bad stuff that often - not because it isn't there, but because I find myself looking for things that are good in my life to tell you about.
It is so incredible when you realize that your life can be made so good, not because you are living in paradise, but because no matter how crappy your situation may be, you have someone to share it with......wait a minute, that didn't come out right. Maybe what I am trying to tell you is that while this may not be ideal right now, at least we still have each other. And while we are apart for almost all the holidays this year, we still have next year, and the year after, and many many more holidays, events, good times and bad times to share, but the key is that we will share them together.
Anniversaries don't mean that we celebrate another year gone by, it means that we revel in the wonderful life we will have together. As I sit here in my time zone, and you in yours (not quite the 7th yet!) I can't help but feel close to you still. And to the whole world, while I may have missed some previous opportunities to get things right, I am making it known now, that I am the luckiest man on earth to have such a wonderful, strong, and amazingly beautiful wife to share the rest of my life with.
Happy anniversary Shannon
Love always,
Vince
Shannon, you always say that "one of these days" you may let me off the hook for my embarrasing and awkward moments, like at our wedding reception when I totally blanked the idea that I had the opportunity to publicly proclaim my love for you, and chose instead to say a bunch of things about family and friends.....well you can see that with the whole www.world watching, that I hope this makes up for it.
I may be here half a world away right now in the middle of a combat zone, but I still find myself thinking of you - Looking at the bombed out former palaces of dictators past, and think how I am going to describe a particular arch, or mosaic, or artifact. I don't see the war or the bad stuff that often - not because it isn't there, but because I find myself looking for things that are good in my life to tell you about.
It is so incredible when you realize that your life can be made so good, not because you are living in paradise, but because no matter how crappy your situation may be, you have someone to share it with......wait a minute, that didn't come out right. Maybe what I am trying to tell you is that while this may not be ideal right now, at least we still have each other. And while we are apart for almost all the holidays this year, we still have next year, and the year after, and many many more holidays, events, good times and bad times to share, but the key is that we will share them together.
Anniversaries don't mean that we celebrate another year gone by, it means that we revel in the wonderful life we will have together. As I sit here in my time zone, and you in yours (not quite the 7th yet!) I can't help but feel close to you still. And to the whole world, while I may have missed some previous opportunities to get things right, I am making it known now, that I am the luckiest man on earth to have such a wonderful, strong, and amazingly beautiful wife to share the rest of my life with.
Happy anniversary Shannon
Love always,
Vince
Saturday, May 27, 2006
A note from Bearnice
Hi All -
You may not know me, but my name is Bearnice. Vinny has been soooo busy that he asked me to say hi. By the way, hi Bearnie (he is my boyfriend that stays at home with Shannon!) Yeah, he doesn't talk about it much, but the big, tough submareeeener brought a teddy bear along with him! Anyways, he asked me to show you his HOOCH - or rather the box that he stays in when the sun sets....
First of all, it IS a box - CONEX box to be specific. One of them shipping containers you see on the big ships. While it looks (and is) small, it does have a toilet and shower in the middle which he shares with one of the other guys. The Command Master Chief - CTTCM Doug Boswell - lives on the other side of our box - he is always muttering something about how late Vinny comes in waking him up.
Sorry I don't have more pictures of our courtyard, the area outside of where we live is a NO PICTURES zone. After he already broke the first camera, I think he would really be in trubble if he gots the new one taken away!Anyways, there isn't much to look at - we have a frigerrater, mucrowave, a puter desk that always has some stuff on it and a bed!
Vinny said sumthin about covering the walls with all his cards and pictures, but we will have plenty of time to do that. One of his favorite new pitchers is the ones he gots from Shanny and her new haircut. He looks at that all the time.
.
While not that much to describe, it is a lot better than the desk he wurks at for most all the time. Tho it is about as messy as the one he has in our hooch Well I hope you likeded the tour. Write soon. Hi Bearnie! Smootch!
Love Bearnice
Sunday, May 14, 2006
Happy Mother's Day
Happy Mother's Day! For one of my presents (hope everyone got their flowers - thanks hon!) I had to go out to a suburb of Baghdad called Rustimyah on the Southeast side on Tuesday....so I didn't tell you about it until well after I got back! Howz that for a present! Before I go on as well, I wanted to insert a link into here from the American Spectator - Ben Stein wrote an article, that I think Stars and Stripes picked up. There are just some things in it that coupled with life here are hitting home... http://www.spectator.org/dsp_article.asp?art_id=9633
So, flying to Rustimyah. Tuesday started out easily enough - rolled in to work, checked email, started to track down a couple of things, when we got the word that we had to send someone out to Rustimyah to collect some data from a vehicle.
By way of explanation, my job here as engineer constitutes everything that involves the guts of the electronic devices we manage, and until more of our folks get out into the field - sometimes it involves going myself. So, in the course of about an hour, it was a mad scramble to pack an overnight bag (just in case!), grab my gear, and drive to the airport with Drew, my trusty sidekick and civilian engineer from the contract office, who probably makes twice as much as I do!We waited around the Baghdad International Airport (military side) for about an hour, before we almost missed the flight, because the coordinator forgot about us. Midday, we boarded a "air convoy" of two UH-60 Blackhawks, complete with twin gunners for an exciting 15 minute flight to the other side of the city.
You will never get this view of a city, unless you spend time as a traffic observer. We were about 200 feet off the deck at the highest - we had to keep hopping over power lines in order to keep a low enough profile to minimize attacks. From this vantage point, we saw large palaces built by saddam, and mini-palaces of mud and brick built by families wanting to afford their kids the opportunity to play outside, but not be targets. Granted, much of this is traditional arab culture, but it is eerie to see city streets virtually empty midday.
We landed in Rustimyah and immediately were whisked away (in a SUV so overarmored that every speed bump we went over, the shocks bounced for 3/4 of the next block!) at 5-10 MPH a couple of blocks down the road to the HQ for the unit we were working with. Talk about an impressive bunch of guys. All starved and clamoring for information about the gear we provide. Wanting not only reassurance, but information and to tell their stories about what they had found out. IED's are such a big thing here, that when I meet with units, they are full of ideas and suggestions on how to win this fight.
This particular unit, the 49th MP brigade (I feel comfortable passing this out for two reasons - these guys are AWESOME, and also, this particular incident was reported in open press) just impresses the hell out of me. They had been hit particularly hard. Two KIA in one vehicle, one WIA seriously, but the driver walked with only a few scratches, and was back on the job in a couple of hours. While they all dealt with the pain and heartache separately, I am sure, these KIDS are tough. They look like kids, they sound like kids, they listen to Eminem, country, hard rock, heavy metal, and music that every 20-25 year old stateside listens to. Just don't expect to walk away in one piece if you happen to run into one of them in a dark alley if you happen to be a 6'9" Terrorist with a kidney problem.
So after working on one vehicle, and having eight others show up for additional help, we finished up and processed the data and made our way back to the airport to await our return flight...... unfortunately, it seemed that since we flew standby, we weren't scheduled for a return flight until almost midnight..... the following day!
So we were checked into the Rustimyah temporary housing facility. Formerly an Iraqi Hospital. Keep in mind, under Saddam, hospitals were not places of "care". We were escorted into the basement floor. Granted, it was dry and a cot (yes, I didn't have enough space to accomodate my sleeping bag - a mistake I will not make again). No blanket, no pillow. Our escort cheerfully let us know that when they first took over the "hospital" the basement was full of about 3 feet of water.....and dead bodies. And with a cheery goodnight, off he went. Luckily, the only spirits that haunted me, seemed to be in my lower back and neck. Sleep was tentative, but eventually fruitful.
The next day, we spent walking the base - a couple of interesting interactions and shops. It was nice to see that marketing is alive and well in Iraq! The basement of the hospital was also occupied by a handful of shops, and an internet cafe, so we got some time to spend there - interestingly enough when you type on an arabic keyboard, it looks exactly like the cuss words I am thinking about! In some cases, better than saying something like @#$%!@#$!
Our return trip was exciting, but dark, so no pictures. When you figure the number of flights going on every day, and the number of stops these pilots have to make on a typical route, and the number of routes they fly daily.... They take a huge risk without even flinching. It's funny too how we try so hard - mostly subconciously - to put people into boxes and classify them. I sat there on the flight back watching one of the gunners - the lights were out, and the only things I could see on him were his eyes - he had a mask over his face, and the low level Night Vision Goggles
(NVG's) lit his eyes and nose in a green light. It occurred to me shortly into the flight, that I couldn't in the light determine what race "classification" he was. Not that it really mattered, but we as humans have such a need to put people into categories, and bring into the discussion all of our "baggage". If anything you do soon realize however, that it doesn't matter - he had on the same uniform I do, and we are on the same team. The military to a broader extent, and combat to a smaller extent does that to you - there are no atheists in foxholes, and no klansmen in a combat zone I guess.
So anyways, I got back safe and sound, if not a little stinkier and tired. Things have returned to normal in the short term...as normal as you can be here. I sit here now on Mother's day thinking of all the time past where Mother's day seemed by comparison so much more low key and empty. Today however, when I think of those outside the wire on a mission, in a helo, or standing watch somewhere, I honor the mothers (especially my own, my wife, my sister - her first official one - Angie, your next one, Mom F. too!) for their support, sacrifice, and patience in waiting for their sons and daughters to return. We are taking care, "staying stron" and take today to honor your sacrifice. Happy mother's day
Friday, May 05, 2006
Building up my Karma
Sorry folks, no pictures tonight, just a story. This one starts back in around 1989, mid summer. They say that you have to give back what you get. The concept of paying it forward from the movie was nice, but generally speaking we are only so thoughtful of others when it doesn't interfere with our own lives too much. That is when you have to reassess things and strive to go the extra mile.
This particular summer, I was returning from a summer cruise. Actually, I was leaving one cruise at the Naval Academy, and transitioning to another...or so I had thought. Two weeks underway on the USS Groton, two weeks in La Maddelena, Italy. My next stop was supposed to be Kiel, West Germany, but the XO told me it wasn't in my orders, so he had planned to send me back and that the Academy would send me to my next stop.....more likely, he didn't want to spend the travel $$$.
The reservations made by the boat, only got us as far as Rota, Spain where we were laid over for four days (Brad, feel free to insert a comment about dancing with a tranny here!) We caught a C-130 back to Norfolk (only 18 hours!!!) and rented a car from there to Annapolis. We crashed at my sponsors at 2:00 am, unannounced, tired, but somewhat happy to be back. Over the next day or so, I found out that I wasn't going to West Germany, that I was going on a YP cruise in a month, and that I was on leave from that point until a month later. The plan at this time was to get a hop on a plane to Wright Patterson AFB and get home as soon as possible.
By the time I got to Andrews, it was around 3:00pm, and after checking in (wearing a really sweaty dirty set of whites!) I find out that the last plane has departed. Ever resourceful, I manage to book a reservation out of BWI for 6:00pm.....unfortunately for me, BWI is about 35 miles away, and it is moments before the DC rush hour. So I cruise out of the building and see an Air Force Officer walking to his car. On the chance that I can chat him up, I run over, only to find myself saluting a full Air Force Colonel. Screwing up my courage, I explain the situation. Thankfully, after a short phone call to his wife to hold dinner as he was going to have to travel 35 miles in the wrong direction on the beltway......he drove me to the airport.
So why is this story in my Iraq blog? Turns out seventeen years later (gawd has it been that long?) I find myself driving back to the office at 10:00pm at night, only to be flagged down near the helipad next to my building. Five army personnel ranging from Major to Sgt are suited up in Kevlar and flak jackets. Seems that they had been waiting at the bus stop for 30 minutes. Their helo flight had been cancelled, and they were due out to the Airport at midnight for the once a night liberty flight back to Kuwait, so they could go home for their mid-tour two week R&R. They only wanted a hitch to the PX, where they thought they could catch the bus.......
So what about the paperwork, stress, and other crap I had to do? It was a nice night, and a 35 minute drive around Baghdad Airport with five poor souls just looking to get home turned out to be a hell of a lot more rewarding. They say payback is a bitch, but sometimes it can really be rewarding, especially if you are returning favors given to you for no good reason.
This particular summer, I was returning from a summer cruise. Actually, I was leaving one cruise at the Naval Academy, and transitioning to another...or so I had thought. Two weeks underway on the USS Groton, two weeks in La Maddelena, Italy. My next stop was supposed to be Kiel, West Germany, but the XO told me it wasn't in my orders, so he had planned to send me back and that the Academy would send me to my next stop.....more likely, he didn't want to spend the travel $$$.
The reservations made by the boat, only got us as far as Rota, Spain where we were laid over for four days (Brad, feel free to insert a comment about dancing with a tranny here!) We caught a C-130 back to Norfolk (only 18 hours!!!) and rented a car from there to Annapolis. We crashed at my sponsors at 2:00 am, unannounced, tired, but somewhat happy to be back. Over the next day or so, I found out that I wasn't going to West Germany, that I was going on a YP cruise in a month, and that I was on leave from that point until a month later. The plan at this time was to get a hop on a plane to Wright Patterson AFB and get home as soon as possible.
By the time I got to Andrews, it was around 3:00pm, and after checking in (wearing a really sweaty dirty set of whites!) I find out that the last plane has departed. Ever resourceful, I manage to book a reservation out of BWI for 6:00pm.....unfortunately for me, BWI is about 35 miles away, and it is moments before the DC rush hour. So I cruise out of the building and see an Air Force Officer walking to his car. On the chance that I can chat him up, I run over, only to find myself saluting a full Air Force Colonel. Screwing up my courage, I explain the situation. Thankfully, after a short phone call to his wife to hold dinner as he was going to have to travel 35 miles in the wrong direction on the beltway......he drove me to the airport.
So why is this story in my Iraq blog? Turns out seventeen years later (gawd has it been that long?) I find myself driving back to the office at 10:00pm at night, only to be flagged down near the helipad next to my building. Five army personnel ranging from Major to Sgt are suited up in Kevlar and flak jackets. Seems that they had been waiting at the bus stop for 30 minutes. Their helo flight had been cancelled, and they were due out to the Airport at midnight for the once a night liberty flight back to Kuwait, so they could go home for their mid-tour two week R&R. They only wanted a hitch to the PX, where they thought they could catch the bus.......
So what about the paperwork, stress, and other crap I had to do? It was a nice night, and a 35 minute drive around Baghdad Airport with five poor souls just looking to get home turned out to be a hell of a lot more rewarding. They say payback is a bitch, but sometimes it can really be rewarding, especially if you are returning favors given to you for no good reason.
Thursday, April 27, 2006
Going outside the Wire
Ok, rule number one of leaving the security of your little encampment....don't tell your parents about it until after you return safely!!!!! Yes, folks, my little ol blog here will be the trigger that ignites a nuclear warhead over Cincinnati when my folks explode into a tizzy of worry. But now that I am back ok.....
Last week we had some testing data to collect, and the confines of our camp didn't yield the right conditions, so we decided to try the International Zone, or IZ. you may remember this scene of the "Crossed Swords". It was Saddam's parade deck, symbolizing their "victory" over the Iranians in the late Eighties.
You may have heard about "Route Irish". Last year, it was the most dangerous road in the world. Because of it's importance and the focus on it, it is now pretty safe. It was a real gut check however to be hunkered down in the uparmored Hummer with my Kevlar and Body Armor, but still passing that sign....
Anyway, we ran up there, and out the little .... I can't call it a window... they call it transparent armor, because it is a couple inches thick of bulletproof glass....I got to see "real" Iraqis out there. It makes me wonder about the hearts and minds battle though. Here we are in our armored tanks, passing little kids playing soccer and waving....
Anyway, once into the IZ, we swooped into the parade deck, took control of one Hummer, and let the other trucks go relax for a while. The area is fascinating - Saddam had questionable tastes in decor and style, but you never could say he didn't think big. You have probably seen this area in the older footage of military parades and the like, with Saddam giving his best beauty queen wave.
So we got done with our testing, got back alive with plenty of time for me to change my underwear before dinner! Afterward, we had a meeting at the palace, and I couldn't resist this shot - Now you can say that you have officially seen one of Saddam's guest bathrooms! Once again the ego of this idiot was incredible. Look at all the marble and gold filagree while his people starved! It is almost embarrasing to walk into one of these rooms and close the oak door.... Even rich people have to poop though....
So to calm the nerves, I went out on a valid mission, I came back safely, and all those young professional kids I spoke of last time are locked on and ready for anything. And yes, their professionalism and courage made me feel like a little girl for feeling scared. I thank God that they deal with what we put them through so coolly and bravely. I don't see many trips in the near future, and compared to most, I will be relatively stable and safe. I can't tell you that I will never roam outside the wire, but when I do, it will be done with the utmost care and concern....and an extra pair of underwear!
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
Holy Moses we have an update!!!
18 April 2006 – Hello to one and all. I apologize profusely for my neglect of correspondence over the past….two and a half weeks? To date I have received one care package from Shannon and the boys, as well as a very nice letter from John and Peggy Millman (thanks guys!) and a number of other nice emails which I have promptly ignored under the strangely perverted idea that “sometime” in the future, I would have….what do you call it…..”Time” to answer them. For this I am truly sorry, because I know that unless I strive to become a better pen pal, I won’t have anyone with which I can correspond. So here goes….
The flight into Baghdad was mysterious, scary, exciting, and strangely familiar in it’s standard military inefficiency. Myself and my traveling partner (also destined for my command) were told that we were leaving early, so we were whisked off to the terminal at about 1300 to “register” for the flight, with instructions to have our bags outside the tent at 1700 where we would be picked up….1715 rolls around (with a 1730 check in time….) A frantic and annoyed phone call later only to find out the folks arranging the flight were “assuming” the other had made arrangements for us to get to the airport….We got there just in time to throw our worldly possessions on top of the pallet of bags and get ready for a departure any moment. We got into the
bus at 1030, went to the tarmac, climbed aboard only to walk right off, because they “confused” our departure with another flight….we finally left at Oh-Dark-thirty and slipped into the icy blackness of the moonlight night and promptly went to sleep.The landing while interesting and a little roller coaster like (we had one yakker!) was mildly interesting. We stumbled off the plane, waited to “get scanned into country” then wrestled with bag netting until we got our stuff. The welcome party of one (lucky bastard on duty – something that I would be repeating two weeks later!) was nice, informative, and bleary eyed. It made for an interesting introduction into county. Following a bumpy ride to base, check in to a rainy cot in a tent, and a mad dash to the phones to let Shannon know I was alive, we passed out at 5am until almost noon.
A word on the camp, or camps rather. After the invasion, the area was quickly cordoned off into about 10000 small camps, FOB’s (forward operating bases) and operational areas. As more folks have moved in, and not exactly wanting to risk your neck to work an admin job on the other side of the airport, they wisely decided to expand the barriers out, so each of the good sized camps are connected by a serviceable, partially paved, mostly potholed road with Saddam’s original barrier wall to the outside. Since that first night I have come to calm myself with several hundred trips back and forth on that road, but finding out on a moonless night two weeks ago that the only thing separating me from “hoardes” of Al-Qaida zealots was a cement block wall and contract (read mercenary) security from Africa at either end of the roads at various checkpoints, had me convinced that I had landed in lala land.
Since that first night however, things have steadily gotten better, and busier. People here are very open and welcoming. I spent only one night in the tent. While the waiting list for permanent trailers was a month or two, I was “helped” into a trailer at the other end of a nearby base with a handshake agreement until I was settled. Before I knew what was going on, I had a cell phone (of course, with Iraqna’s service, it serves well as a paperweight!), Toyota 4-runner, and a desk! My office didn’t have air conditioning, and after squeaking a bit, this wheel now has the best a/c in the building! Now if I can only do the same with internet in my trailer! I have moved out of the trailer too – I had to play musical “cribs” with a CDR who was returning from R&R, but once he moved out, I have settled into his CONEX box. Yes, I live in a shipping container. My room is about 7’ by 14’ with an AC, Fridge, Microwave, and most importantly, running water, toilet and shower! I don’t have to worry about walking through the mud and the muck to get to the latrines!
My days are now filled with meetings, hours on the computer, driving all over this base to arrange, and supervise testing, system installations, and attending more meetings. I am averaging about 20 hours a week in one Video Teleconference or another. It’s funny how quickly you can adjust to things though. I don’t even scratch my head anymore when I am saluted by a soldier wearing PT gear, no hat, yet carrying a Squad Automatic Weapon. Or better yet, seeing marvelous palaces made of marble serve as meeting rooms for the most dull and dreary plans. I can’t say that Saddam had any concept of good taste or décor, but some of the handiwork is truly fascinating. Giant chandeliers, detailed mosaic work, and the strangest names for streets – Sniper alley refers to a stretch of road on a nearby camp whose travelers were routinely exposed to sniper attacks from a nearby apartment building which had a clear view of the route. Not so anymore. Gotta love gallows humor though. Funny as well – when I was stateside at Fort Jackson, the graffiti on the walls of the latrines was annoying. Here, it has significance, much the same as Kilroy did for generations past.
Everything is simultaneously important, significant and serious, but also silly, ridiculous, and full of irony. Maybe it’s that reminder of potential life and death that tempers your attitude, but helps you to revel in the absurd. Nighttime can be spent outside looking at the stars, marveling at the city outside the walls and the beauty of the occasional 50 Cal tracer string you see in the distance. Last week, a couple of mortar rounds dropped into the edge of camp. Two concurrent observations were made – an acquaintance was not allowed in the dining facility because he didn’t have a flak jacket…..incoming rounds have a tendency to suspend logic! The other observation is the enemy tactics. We think they hate the portapotty contractor (I don’t blame them!) They plant a tube in the bushes, and then somewhere down the road, walk by, drop a round and run. Their training and knowledge of parabolic trajectories is lacking however, because the tube is permanently aimed at the porta potties. Severity of the mortar fire is rated on a scale of how many shitters get demolished during the attack! I guess that is all much the better that I have indoor plumbing!
Tonight, as we were coming back from chow, we realized that we had missed most of a Charlie Daniel’s concert. We did manage to make it back in time to hear Devil Went Down to Georgia! He was in country here with Dave Price – a New York disc jockey who made a report on the today show earlier. From the critique, he really laid it into those who say the war is going poorly. That is nice, because as much as you can desensitize yourself to things, we are taking hits about one a day from IED’s. The PAO releases reports on a daily basis – one here, one there. I would like to think that I will have a hand in fixing things, and for every moment that I feel bad about not being home to coach little league, or fix up the house, or even just snuggle up with Shannon, I look at these amazing, weird, motivated, crazy kids wearing Kevlar, flak jackets, carrying serious hardware, all while goofing on the way to the chow hall. They may not agree with things, they may not like their situations, but they are living. That is a lot more than can be said for many back home.
How many times do you go to the malls, and see the bored looks, the lazy strolls, the self absorbed passing time? Waiting for what? Here, we are going 20 hours a day –
some of it wasted, some of it lost to the abyss of meetings, but altogether we are alive. Some of these kids realize as well how tenuous that is, and are determined to treat it as precious as diamonds. One final example – Huan and I had to go tour an Entry Control Point – access to the base recently. Since you are NEAR outside, but not necessarily in sight of the outside, we were armored up, with our weapons locked and loaded. We walked around, took pictures, and discussed the layout with the folks in charge of that part of security. All during this time, we were “shadowed” by an Army SPC. At first glance this soldier looked serious – ballistic glasses, M16, gloves. The soldier never looked at us, but wherever we walked was always between us and the outer gate, facing outward, even to the point of walking backwards at times. No one ordered the soldier to do this, but it was expected – someone was escorting us and covering our backs. This soldier stood about 5’8” or so, set jaw, no emotions. As we walked back to the inner perimeter, and back to the main trailer, the soldier relaxed a bit, started to smile, struck up a conversation and even laughed and joked a bit. SHE had been doing this job for about six months – was a truck driver by training, but had been pulled into security because of the need. The transition was amazing – this effervescent, young girl 
(yeah, I know I am showing my age by referring to a 22 year old woman as a girl) just moments ago had been cold as steel and a warrior. This is someone who won’t go back home, and hang out waiting for something to happen. Once you have routinely stared at the uncertainty of life, death and roadside bombs, you learn not to wait for life to happen to you. I look at it this way – when or really if, someone ever would ask me how the war is going, I would answer that it doesn’t matter. Wars are planned and administered by Generals and their bean counters. By that measure, I could take or leave it as to our success. That is not why 99% of the kids over here are over here. They are doing this because while the conditions suck, they love their comrades, they like the professionalism and traditions of their duties, and because on some level they are adding meaning to their lives. The Iraqis not trying to blow us up realize this and from what I have seen in my limited exposure appreciate the fact that someone so young is willing to do this. For that reason, we can have no other option but to succeed.
So before I get more philosophical, I will sign off, and let Shannon hack this to bits with editing and insertion of my pictures. Hope all is well and keep the mail coming. I will strive to give weekly updates. In the meantime, take care, and live the lives we are blessed with!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
