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!
Saturday, September 23, 2006
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!
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