It is always frustrating to be a military guy. Some days, you want to reach out and help, make a difference, do the right thing for the right reasons. Other days, you just want to start shooting and keep firing until nothing moves around you. That was what it was like today.
It really started out as a pretty good day. There were lots of children on the street, which is always a good thing, because the insurgents would never kill children. Even the most heartless people have a problem doing that. So, with the streets full of kids, we went about our business making friends, connections, traveling with out Iraqi police and soldier counterparts. It was a little rainy, but not to bad for this late in the year. I had brought out some lollipops and some other stuff that I couldn’t eat, and I was planning on giving some to the children. We had just moved off of the freeway, and had turned north up one of the cities main roads.
We slowed down and stopped because our lead vehicle had spotted something in the road. So, we all got out, and got into decent positions, to block the road in case it was something dangerous. It wasn’t, but it was something equally disturbing.
In the middle of the road, was a woman. She appeared to be about 50, a little heavy, with a full head of hair and local Arab dress. We were going to move up to her to see if she needed help, but there was a vehicle sitting about 10 feet from her. We did the quick conference to decide on a plan, the approached the car. It appeared pretty safe, so we moved up and checked it out. All good, no problems. Well, there was a small problem. The woman, it appears was dead. Not just dead, but murdered.
She had been shot twice in the head, at very close range. The local people said the body had been there for about two days. They had put a blanket over her face to keep the flies away, because, they said, she was starting to smell.
I thought back to the pictures from New Orleans. Bodies’ were lying on the street corner, roof tops, and buildings. Covered with tarp, newspaper, anything that could be used. I could understand, because, at the time, there was no place to go and nothing that the people of that city could do. But this, however, was unreal. Nobody called the police; nobody moved the body and nobody did anything at all. Kids were playing right in the street not 5 feet from this body, and they just ignore her, like she wasn’t even there. People were shopping at the market, walking on the street. Walking passed the body 10 or 15 times a day. This from a culture and religion that preaches about the sanctity of the dead and the treatment of the body after it has passed. This from a society that doesn’t strike at women or children. My revulsion got even greater when we found out that they all knew her. She apparently lived about three buildings over. She was shot in cold blood by insurgents. Not for robbery, rape, or anything that would even remotely make sense. Nothing more than cold blooded murder. And she was left in the street by her friends and neighbors.
I had always believed that Americans could be some of the cruelest people. We have people who murder for no reason; we have child molesters, serial killers, rapists, gangs, and thieves. We have white collar criminals who kill to cover up their crimes. We have gangs that kill for the color on the shirt. Sure, we are not a perfect society, but even at our cruelest, we are not for the most part, apathetic.
For some reason, this crime, this apathy, seemed to me worse than the murder itself. Because, I felt that it was more than the woman dying in the street, which is particularly bad. It was the part that separates us from animals. It felt like watching a part of our humanity die.
For a moment, I wanted all these people to rot in hell. I wanted to make sure they got there.
Sidebar: It took three hours for the Iraqi police to come by and remove the body. They said it wasn’t a priority, and they would get to it some time before the end of the day. When they did show, they tossed the body on a truck and sped away.
Friday, December 23, 2005
Monday, December 19, 2005
Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree...
6 days before Christmas, and I am reading this article about Black Friday. For the uninitiated, that is the day after Thanksgiving, when stores open at 4 am, and shoppers go crazy trying to catch the best prices on teaser items. I personally believe stores unload all the non-sellable stuff on those days, mark everything down, then secretly videotape the thousands of morons that descend onto the store, creating a stampede of bodies. Of course, they show these “Funniest Home Videos” at the Christmas party.
I have never participated in Black Friday. I have always felt that it was sort of the opening salvo in the undeclared war between the corporate community and the average American. They tell you to save, save, save all year long, then, in one shot, they hit you with the spend bomb. Invest your money, stocks, 401k, Roth IRA, buy a home. But, on Dec 1, spend like a dictator! Withdraw from your IRA, it’s not a problem, we can defer the taxes. Use your 401k; you can pay it back over time! Stocks will rebound, you can sell short!
Another phenomenon is the use of the internet. It’s so easy to do now, because you can sell your stock, fund your bank account, and buy that super expensive gift all without leaving your house. It doesn’t get any easier than that. The inclusion of a wireless system (the ultimate gift for the armchair quarterback) means you don’t even have to get out of bed. Ignore the shoppers, the neighbors, the children, and society! Just open your eyes and bang on the keyboard!)
Sitting on the opposite side of the world, I can see from the eyes of the foreigner, just how they get the impression that Americans are so godless, so hedonistic, that we would create names for days after holidays. I mean, they watch the crush of human bodies, the stores jammed with people. They see people brave rain, snow, hurricanes, tornadoes, to get to the malls and shops. They see stores open 24 hours a day, and they think Americans must have no goals other that to shop, get fat, and enforce their version of democracy on the world.
You know what…. I have to tell them “Yes, that’s who we are.”
I miss the holiday spirit. I miss the Black Fridays, the internet shopping, the TV shows, the ridiculous movies, the clay-mation specials. That is who we are. We are Americans, and we work hard all year to splurge, not for ourselves, but for family and friends. That is the simple truth. We may spend on ourselves, but when it comes to family and friends, there is no limit on what we will do, where we will go, and how much in debt we will make ourselves. I do plan on participating in an Black Friday next year, and not only am I going to spend, spend, spend on teaser items, I am going to have a big party at the end of the day to celebrate. I have that kind of freedom. I have paid my dues. I have earned my citizenship. Leave me alone, so I can be bombarded by adds, mailings, fillers, and food...
God Bless America, Land of the free shipping, home of the brave (but wait! There’s More…)
Happy holidays everyone, and hope you have a very merry Christmas season!
Thursday, December 15, 2005
What, no Republicans?
Well, it’s over, and I must say it was very successful. Not my tour in Iraq, that circus is just starting. I am talking about the elections. It has been a very long day, but I have to admit that is was really amazing to see such a wonderful turnout. At every polling station, we saw hundreds of people, waiting in line, waiting outside, talking politics, holding up banners, posters, signs even bed sheets. People that had voted proudly held up there purple finger, waving at anybody who would wave back. I saw people praying in the streets, singing, dancing and crying. People were getting bussed in to the election sites at 7 in the morning, they came in trucks filled with people, they walked, they pulled wagons, and they came in on crutches and in ambulances. They came to celebrate this miraculous practice called the democratic process, and to experience the freedom that the democratic process promised.
As the night wound down and the crowds started to disburse, I noticed a sense of true relief in eyes of my Iraqi’s. As I spoke to them about the events of the day, they seemed to be grateful that the day passed with no incidents. One of their biggest fears was that a bomb would go off inside one of the polling places, or that somebody would try that suicide vest thing. They were ready to celebrate, but the commanders were doing there best to keep the soldiers in line and focused, ready for anything.
It didn’t take to long. About 15 minutes after the polls closed, we started hearing gunfire around the highways. Reports started filtering in about drive by shootings. Not far away, we listened to a large firefight erupt on three sides with machine guns and RPG’s. As it started to get closer, we got into our cover positions, Iraqi’s and Americans side by side. We could see some tracers reaching out into the sky, and the sound of men shouting got closer. We could see women and children racing into houses, and police sirens wailing as cars filled with Police and soldiers raced into the fight. The wind picked up rapidly, blowing trash and dust into the air to mingle with the smoke, creating a hazy, eerie fog.
Looking around quickly to assess the readiness of the men, I saw the Iraqi commander to my left. He was smiling at me, with his thumb up and his pistol in his hand. At the gate, the Iraqi’s were raising an Iraqi flag on one side, and the American flag on another.
The price of freedom is paid for by the blood of its soldiers…
Side note: After about a half hour, the fighting stopped. No shots were fired by our men. No injuries were sustained. It was over as quickly as it began.
As the night wound down and the crowds started to disburse, I noticed a sense of true relief in eyes of my Iraqi’s. As I spoke to them about the events of the day, they seemed to be grateful that the day passed with no incidents. One of their biggest fears was that a bomb would go off inside one of the polling places, or that somebody would try that suicide vest thing. They were ready to celebrate, but the commanders were doing there best to keep the soldiers in line and focused, ready for anything.
It didn’t take to long. About 15 minutes after the polls closed, we started hearing gunfire around the highways. Reports started filtering in about drive by shootings. Not far away, we listened to a large firefight erupt on three sides with machine guns and RPG’s. As it started to get closer, we got into our cover positions, Iraqi’s and Americans side by side. We could see some tracers reaching out into the sky, and the sound of men shouting got closer. We could see women and children racing into houses, and police sirens wailing as cars filled with Police and soldiers raced into the fight. The wind picked up rapidly, blowing trash and dust into the air to mingle with the smoke, creating a hazy, eerie fog.
Looking around quickly to assess the readiness of the men, I saw the Iraqi commander to my left. He was smiling at me, with his thumb up and his pistol in his hand. At the gate, the Iraqi’s were raising an Iraqi flag on one side, and the American flag on another.
The price of freedom is paid for by the blood of its soldiers…
Side note: After about a half hour, the fighting stopped. No shots were fired by our men. No injuries were sustained. It was over as quickly as it began.
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
One more time for the ill informed
Once again, the illustrious Anonymous said...
Hey guu-nny, you should use spell check when you write... It's not "esprit de corpse," it's "esprit de corps" which means "A common spirit of comradeship, enthusiasm, and devotion to a cause among the members of a group"... Obviously, your lack thereof, is what makes you obnoxious, arrogant, and without direction... Do you really think you are the elite... USMC???? Remember, we (U.S. Military and Coalition of the Willing) are all in this fight together... You (USMC) are the most whinners... Well, maybe after the "Air Force"... Why did you said all those things about the "Army"???? It's not true, and you know that... You "Jarheads," always think that you are the best... We have been in the fight more than you do... Look at the history books... Oh, I'm sorry, maybe that's the problem... You didn't finished past High School... Anyways, don't throw dirt to the eyes of those who bail you out every time you are in a tight corner... Fight with honor, not by writing weakening statements against the U.S. Army... Army of One, all the way...
How come people always pick on the spelling when they have nothing else to say but complain? YOU NEED TO SPELL CHECK, YOU’RE IGNORANT!!! Give me a break. I think I mentioned it in my first entry, that I would spell stuff incorrectly from time to time, and if anonymous didn’t like it, then turn the page. So please, before go away mad, just go away. But since that’s not going to happen, and people need to vent, then I can choose to respond. Seems fair, doesn’t it? Because it’s my blog, and I can say what I want, for the most part. Ahh, the splendor of the democratic system.
First things first, I forgot the E. OMFG, I am cursed for life!!! Somebody call my probation officer!!! I committed one of the seven deadly sins!!! Is there a priest nearby, I need to confess!!
Get a life my friend.
Next, do I really think I am the elite? Well, I don’t spout that jargon, but, maybe the people from the 507th might. Sorry, had to throw that one in there. I know it’s not fair. Maybe there is a reason that the Marines were given the task of capturing Baghdad, even though we were not the first units in the area. Maybe there is a reason that the war waited for us to move up the Tigris/Euphrates valley and get in position to assault the city, while the army waited outside the suburbs. But I am not going to get into that, its all history and this is a US armed forces effort. My hats off to everybody who has participated, will participate, or will participate and doesn’t know it yet.
I am trying with all my might to not blast Anonymous, but its gets harder to do by the minute. Sure, I might have spelled a word wrong, but where did you learn English? You (USMC) are the most whinners Not sure what that means at all. Why did you said all those things about the "Army I didn’t said anything about the Army as a whole, I was referring to the groups that I work with, who are mostly Army. We have been in the fight more than you do. You didn't finished past High School. I submit that I did finished past High School, where I was present for the grammar portions. You sort of sound like you are still in High School. I find it very difficult to believe that grown adults can’t seem to compile simple sentences; just like the simple ones you chose to use. I do not know if you were there, but you should go back. As far as being in the fight more than you do? Do what? Maybe you have been in the fight more that we have, (that would be the proper form) but then, that wasn’t my comment, and it probably isn’t true in your case, and it really doesn’t strike me as something boastful anyway. Oh, sorry, that was a multi-syllabic word. Didn’t mean to insult you.
Anyways, don't throw dirt to the eyes of those who bail you out every time you are in a tight corner So, somebody got a name for that tight corner? Can’t be sure, but I think your talking about FANTASY LAND. I don’t recall any one specific instance where a Marine unit had to be bailed out by an army unit. I am sure there might have been one, its quite possible that it has happened recently. But there is a difference between bailing somebody out, and assisting in an operation. In this area, we have plan for the Army to provide some air support and fire support. That’s obvious, because there is no Marine unit here to provide similar support that we would normally get. But, again, I don’t recall the last time the Marines asked for a bailout. So, you said it, please provide some kind of historical support. That’s all I ask. Now, don’t cheat and have to go back to WW2 or something. Any instance in the past 2 years would suffice. If you can do that, then I will give you all the credit you deserve. But it won’t amount to a lot, so please leave your ridiculous comments on the FOX NEWS blog where they belong. You might even get it put on TV. Won’t that be nice?
But I forgot, you’re an Army of One, so nobody will see it but you…
Hey guu-nny, you should use spell check when you write... It's not "esprit de corpse," it's "esprit de corps" which means "A common spirit of comradeship, enthusiasm, and devotion to a cause among the members of a group"... Obviously, your lack thereof, is what makes you obnoxious, arrogant, and without direction... Do you really think you are the elite... USMC???? Remember, we (U.S. Military and Coalition of the Willing) are all in this fight together... You (USMC) are the most whinners... Well, maybe after the "Air Force"... Why did you said all those things about the "Army"???? It's not true, and you know that... You "Jarheads," always think that you are the best... We have been in the fight more than you do... Look at the history books... Oh, I'm sorry, maybe that's the problem... You didn't finished past High School... Anyways, don't throw dirt to the eyes of those who bail you out every time you are in a tight corner... Fight with honor, not by writing weakening statements against the U.S. Army... Army of One, all the way...
How come people always pick on the spelling when they have nothing else to say but complain? YOU NEED TO SPELL CHECK, YOU’RE IGNORANT!!! Give me a break. I think I mentioned it in my first entry, that I would spell stuff incorrectly from time to time, and if anonymous didn’t like it, then turn the page. So please, before go away mad, just go away. But since that’s not going to happen, and people need to vent, then I can choose to respond. Seems fair, doesn’t it? Because it’s my blog, and I can say what I want, for the most part. Ahh, the splendor of the democratic system.
First things first, I forgot the E. OMFG, I am cursed for life!!! Somebody call my probation officer!!! I committed one of the seven deadly sins!!! Is there a priest nearby, I need to confess!!
Get a life my friend.
Next, do I really think I am the elite? Well, I don’t spout that jargon, but, maybe the people from the 507th might. Sorry, had to throw that one in there. I know it’s not fair. Maybe there is a reason that the Marines were given the task of capturing Baghdad, even though we were not the first units in the area. Maybe there is a reason that the war waited for us to move up the Tigris/Euphrates valley and get in position to assault the city, while the army waited outside the suburbs. But I am not going to get into that, its all history and this is a US armed forces effort. My hats off to everybody who has participated, will participate, or will participate and doesn’t know it yet.
I am trying with all my might to not blast Anonymous, but its gets harder to do by the minute. Sure, I might have spelled a word wrong, but where did you learn English? You (USMC) are the most whinners Not sure what that means at all. Why did you said all those things about the "Army I didn’t said anything about the Army as a whole, I was referring to the groups that I work with, who are mostly Army. We have been in the fight more than you do. You didn't finished past High School. I submit that I did finished past High School, where I was present for the grammar portions. You sort of sound like you are still in High School. I find it very difficult to believe that grown adults can’t seem to compile simple sentences; just like the simple ones you chose to use. I do not know if you were there, but you should go back. As far as being in the fight more than you do? Do what? Maybe you have been in the fight more that we have, (that would be the proper form) but then, that wasn’t my comment, and it probably isn’t true in your case, and it really doesn’t strike me as something boastful anyway. Oh, sorry, that was a multi-syllabic word. Didn’t mean to insult you.
Anyways, don't throw dirt to the eyes of those who bail you out every time you are in a tight corner So, somebody got a name for that tight corner? Can’t be sure, but I think your talking about FANTASY LAND. I don’t recall any one specific instance where a Marine unit had to be bailed out by an army unit. I am sure there might have been one, its quite possible that it has happened recently. But there is a difference between bailing somebody out, and assisting in an operation. In this area, we have plan for the Army to provide some air support and fire support. That’s obvious, because there is no Marine unit here to provide similar support that we would normally get. But, again, I don’t recall the last time the Marines asked for a bailout. So, you said it, please provide some kind of historical support. That’s all I ask. Now, don’t cheat and have to go back to WW2 or something. Any instance in the past 2 years would suffice. If you can do that, then I will give you all the credit you deserve. But it won’t amount to a lot, so please leave your ridiculous comments on the FOX NEWS blog where they belong. You might even get it put on TV. Won’t that be nice?
But I forgot, you’re an Army of One, so nobody will see it but you…
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
A little bit of tech
It has been a pretty long last couple of days and its about time for us to take a break, so we are having a 24 hour stand down and maintenance day. I can’t tell you how important it is for us to take a day to just relax sometimes. This last 24 hours had been pretty rough, and we all were getting pretty edgy, that’s for sure. But, now that we have had a day off, we are re-energized, and ready to go at it again.
Having been around the block a couple of times, I can say it’s pretty amazing how far the military has come in the past few years. The gear that the modern Marine gets issued now a day is so much more sophisticated then it was even 10 years ago. During the first Gulf War, I remember I had an M-16, a set of bino’s and crude set of Night Vision goggles. We wrote letters with pen and paper, computers were huge desktop items the size of suitcases, and I still had an old Sony walkman and a bunch of cassette tapes.
Today’s military has it so much different. Now, my rifle is an m-4 carbine, with laser sights, and optical target enhancers so I don’t really even have to aim, just put the red dot on the target. I have a small pocket sized GPS, a digital camera the size of a box of cigarettes, a digital radio that I can communicate with for miles that weighs like 3 pounds, and fits inside my pocket. I have a laptop computer, DVD’s that store my entire music library on 1 disk, and optical bino’s that way less than 12 ounces that can tell me the direction I am heading in. I have a wireless mike that I can use to talk to my team members, Thermal sights that can let me see through walls, and a telescoping lens that will allow me to shoot a target from 2000 meters away and put a round right through a 4 inch hole.
All this stuff and here I am finding myself having to teach the basics of military skills. The Iraqi’s, as I learned, can’t read a map. They have a very hard time shooting at things farther than 20 feet away, and they don’t have the discipline to learn how to use the radio, because they have trouble understanding the manual.
My concern is that I think we have forgotten what it took to get here. We have become reliant on technology to do the job for us, and have forsaken the simple field skills that most every soldier, sailor, airman, and Marine will need to survive once the batteries run out. I thought for a long time that I was a techno holdout, because I prefer the compass and map to the GPS. I have a computer, but I still write my orders by hand. I keep written records instead of electronic ones, and I prefer the iron sights on my rifle. I think that gives me the edge when I am teaching the Iraqi’s, because I understand that they are not so far from me, they don’t have the tech stuff, and I don’t use it. But what about the other soldiers? I have said before that some of my other teams complain that they don’t have the newest gear to do this job or accomplish that task. Since when in the service, does that matter? You are expected to accomplish the mission any way you can, but do you have the basic skills to do the job? If you remember the basics, then it should be easy. But if you don’t practice the basics, and rely on the tech to do the work, then you are just asking for trouble.
Case in point. The Iraqi commander can’t read a map very well. He has a small GPS, but it’s in English, so he can’t really use it, and it doesn’t make sense to him in the first place. So, how I tell him where to go and how to get there? Well, I break out the old handy map, and with my handy compass, I show him how to read the map, and plot a point, and navigate from one point to another. He was pretty excited about that. Lesson learned.
Another example. Communications are key on the battle field, but the Iraqi’s don’t have radios. Some of my other teams were at the point where they had decided to do the missions themselves, but that isn’t the solution. You can’t do the missions, because its their problem to solve and their country to run. Are you going to do it for them? So, I suggested and showed the soldiers basic Hand and Arm signals, so they could communicate without yelling. BAM! Worked pretty good. So good that they are making up some of their own.
Technology is a wonderful thing, and can add simplicity and accuracy to our lives. In the service, it can make an average soldier or Marine and turn him or her into a serious and deadly threat on the battlefield. It turns night into day, and clears up some of the fog of war. It is a force multiplier, but, it can stop a unit in its tracks if they forget the basic skills that have made soldiers for hundreds of years. It becomes even more critical as we teach armies in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other 3d world countries, because the basic skills is all they know. In the case of the Iraqi’s they don’t have much time to learn anything else, because the war needs to be won now, not when they have technical superiority.
I will go back to watching my DVD on my laptop now..
Having been around the block a couple of times, I can say it’s pretty amazing how far the military has come in the past few years. The gear that the modern Marine gets issued now a day is so much more sophisticated then it was even 10 years ago. During the first Gulf War, I remember I had an M-16, a set of bino’s and crude set of Night Vision goggles. We wrote letters with pen and paper, computers were huge desktop items the size of suitcases, and I still had an old Sony walkman and a bunch of cassette tapes.
Today’s military has it so much different. Now, my rifle is an m-4 carbine, with laser sights, and optical target enhancers so I don’t really even have to aim, just put the red dot on the target. I have a small pocket sized GPS, a digital camera the size of a box of cigarettes, a digital radio that I can communicate with for miles that weighs like 3 pounds, and fits inside my pocket. I have a laptop computer, DVD’s that store my entire music library on 1 disk, and optical bino’s that way less than 12 ounces that can tell me the direction I am heading in. I have a wireless mike that I can use to talk to my team members, Thermal sights that can let me see through walls, and a telescoping lens that will allow me to shoot a target from 2000 meters away and put a round right through a 4 inch hole.
All this stuff and here I am finding myself having to teach the basics of military skills. The Iraqi’s, as I learned, can’t read a map. They have a very hard time shooting at things farther than 20 feet away, and they don’t have the discipline to learn how to use the radio, because they have trouble understanding the manual.
My concern is that I think we have forgotten what it took to get here. We have become reliant on technology to do the job for us, and have forsaken the simple field skills that most every soldier, sailor, airman, and Marine will need to survive once the batteries run out. I thought for a long time that I was a techno holdout, because I prefer the compass and map to the GPS. I have a computer, but I still write my orders by hand. I keep written records instead of electronic ones, and I prefer the iron sights on my rifle. I think that gives me the edge when I am teaching the Iraqi’s, because I understand that they are not so far from me, they don’t have the tech stuff, and I don’t use it. But what about the other soldiers? I have said before that some of my other teams complain that they don’t have the newest gear to do this job or accomplish that task. Since when in the service, does that matter? You are expected to accomplish the mission any way you can, but do you have the basic skills to do the job? If you remember the basics, then it should be easy. But if you don’t practice the basics, and rely on the tech to do the work, then you are just asking for trouble.
Case in point. The Iraqi commander can’t read a map very well. He has a small GPS, but it’s in English, so he can’t really use it, and it doesn’t make sense to him in the first place. So, how I tell him where to go and how to get there? Well, I break out the old handy map, and with my handy compass, I show him how to read the map, and plot a point, and navigate from one point to another. He was pretty excited about that. Lesson learned.
Another example. Communications are key on the battle field, but the Iraqi’s don’t have radios. Some of my other teams were at the point where they had decided to do the missions themselves, but that isn’t the solution. You can’t do the missions, because its their problem to solve and their country to run. Are you going to do it for them? So, I suggested and showed the soldiers basic Hand and Arm signals, so they could communicate without yelling. BAM! Worked pretty good. So good that they are making up some of their own.
Technology is a wonderful thing, and can add simplicity and accuracy to our lives. In the service, it can make an average soldier or Marine and turn him or her into a serious and deadly threat on the battlefield. It turns night into day, and clears up some of the fog of war. It is a force multiplier, but, it can stop a unit in its tracks if they forget the basic skills that have made soldiers for hundreds of years. It becomes even more critical as we teach armies in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other 3d world countries, because the basic skills is all they know. In the case of the Iraqi’s they don’t have much time to learn anything else, because the war needs to be won now, not when they have technical superiority.
I will go back to watching my DVD on my laptop now..
Friday, December 02, 2005
Cruising through the downtown
051203
I was spinning through downtown Baghdad last night. We had a just cruised through our area, and decided to trek through the International Zone, just to get our bearings. Our normal area is south of the city, in a small subdivision. It’s filled with wealthy, poor, and looks like your typical 3rd world city, with its have/have-not separations, religious divisions, and trash.
The International Zone, however, is different. If you haven’t been there lately, you would be generally amazed at its transformation. Instead of T-walls, barricades and barbed wire, the roads are generally open, with wide lanes and clean streets. Even late at night, as we cruised through, we saw people on the street, a few cars, and activity in and around some of the coffee shops and small eating places. I think there is still a curfew, however, in the IZ; I think ignoring it is a thrill. As I surveyed the areas, (I can do that, because I sit in the turret of my Hummer) I saw new construction, repair of damaged buildings, and, above all that, the smell of the city. Instead of raw sewage and smoke, I could smell food being cooked, the smell of the coffee shop, and a faint scent of incense. I could here laughter, conversation, and people having a good time. The lights played off the streets, and, for a moment, I thought I was in Kuwait city or Qatar.
Is this what Baghdad was like? Before the war, before the chaos? Is this what the future is going to be like for this nation, as the IZ expands beyond the border of the city to other regions of the country? Is this is what the terrorists and insurgents are trying so hard to destroy?
If so, we need to do what needs to be done because the future here is full of hope. I have seen the streets of Mosul, the downtown sections of Najaf, Fallujah, Sadr City, Ramadi and Tal A’far, and they could look similar to this if the effort is made and the peace is won. The democratization of this country needs to be a priority not of the coalition forces, nor the politicians, sheiks, tribal leaders or visiting dignitaries. This priority needs to be set by the masses of this country. They need to understand, to see with their own eyes, what peace holds for their future, and the potential the “good war” has for them. Without that, I think, it will only become harder to unseat the insurgents, terrorists, and factions trying to foster the madness.
As we turned south and headed across the bridge leading out of the IZ, I turned back to see the river and a last look. Where is the media now? Where are the reporters, the cameras, and the breaking news? Why can’t they show images like this? Because this doesn’t generate the big fees from advertising, doesn’t foster the “TERRORISM ALERT: ELEVATED” fear that our political leaders want. Because it makes everything look peaceful, and we just don’t want that now, do we?
Crossing the bridge, we hear machine guns south of us, and are moving towards it. I smell smoke, and can hear police ambulance sirens wailing. Time to go back to work.
Happy Holidays.
Please say a prayer for the Marines, soldiers and the families of those that were killed and wounded yesterday.
I was spinning through downtown Baghdad last night. We had a just cruised through our area, and decided to trek through the International Zone, just to get our bearings. Our normal area is south of the city, in a small subdivision. It’s filled with wealthy, poor, and looks like your typical 3rd world city, with its have/have-not separations, religious divisions, and trash.
The International Zone, however, is different. If you haven’t been there lately, you would be generally amazed at its transformation. Instead of T-walls, barricades and barbed wire, the roads are generally open, with wide lanes and clean streets. Even late at night, as we cruised through, we saw people on the street, a few cars, and activity in and around some of the coffee shops and small eating places. I think there is still a curfew, however, in the IZ; I think ignoring it is a thrill. As I surveyed the areas, (I can do that, because I sit in the turret of my Hummer) I saw new construction, repair of damaged buildings, and, above all that, the smell of the city. Instead of raw sewage and smoke, I could smell food being cooked, the smell of the coffee shop, and a faint scent of incense. I could here laughter, conversation, and people having a good time. The lights played off the streets, and, for a moment, I thought I was in Kuwait city or Qatar.
Is this what Baghdad was like? Before the war, before the chaos? Is this what the future is going to be like for this nation, as the IZ expands beyond the border of the city to other regions of the country? Is this is what the terrorists and insurgents are trying so hard to destroy?
If so, we need to do what needs to be done because the future here is full of hope. I have seen the streets of Mosul, the downtown sections of Najaf, Fallujah, Sadr City, Ramadi and Tal A’far, and they could look similar to this if the effort is made and the peace is won. The democratization of this country needs to be a priority not of the coalition forces, nor the politicians, sheiks, tribal leaders or visiting dignitaries. This priority needs to be set by the masses of this country. They need to understand, to see with their own eyes, what peace holds for their future, and the potential the “good war” has for them. Without that, I think, it will only become harder to unseat the insurgents, terrorists, and factions trying to foster the madness.
As we turned south and headed across the bridge leading out of the IZ, I turned back to see the river and a last look. Where is the media now? Where are the reporters, the cameras, and the breaking news? Why can’t they show images like this? Because this doesn’t generate the big fees from advertising, doesn’t foster the “TERRORISM ALERT: ELEVATED” fear that our political leaders want. Because it makes everything look peaceful, and we just don’t want that now, do we?
Crossing the bridge, we hear machine guns south of us, and are moving towards it. I smell smoke, and can hear police ambulance sirens wailing. Time to go back to work.
Happy Holidays.
Please say a prayer for the Marines, soldiers and the families of those that were killed and wounded yesterday.
First Contact
First Contact
The last 48 hours have been a whirlwind of activity. I can sit here and ramble on and on about it, but its still fresh on my mind, (as well as the situation report) so I won’t go into that. But I can tell you that it has been a very busy time since we arrived here.
Have you ever seen grown men cry? We have a rather large assortment of teams, mostly Army teams, and I have to say these guys are some of the biggest whiners I have ever had the displeasure of working with. Most people think the difference between the Marine Corps and the Army is the motivation, esprit de corpse, and all those intangible qualities. But after seeing what I have seen this last week, I will tell you the difference is that the Marines take what they get and make it better, the Army expects the best and won’t work without it. In layman’s terms, the Marines plan for the worst, while the Army plans for the best.
Now I am not saying that we are better than they are, what I am saying is that our heads are where it should be, and their heads are not. Troop welfare is a critical to any mission, but mission accomplishment is and must always come first.
Next issue
I was watching reading an article from MSNBC or CNN this morning, about the foreign troops and their plans for pulling out the soldiers. We turned to discussing the eventual draw down plans, and how soon the troops will be going home. While this is all well and good, and I am sure that the powers that be (military bosses) want to bring the troops home as soon as possible, I think, once again, that the media is making this a much bigger issue, and they don’t understand the nature of the situation. I can’t see any end to this situation in the near future, and I would be hard pressed to say that there are going to be large scale draw downs any time in the next 4 years. The simple fact is that this country is a hotbed of problems, and I believe the war against terror is being fought right here. Sure, we are winning, but this country is not close to governing itself, and we are not going to leave until it is stable. There are too many factions, to many issues, to many terrorists here now. If we draw down, we will create nothing short of chaos, destruction, death, and mayhem. Maybe, once the people have been given an opportunity to taste freedom, maybe if they are given the chance to see a viable future that the Iraqi citizen can play a part, and then we can talk draw down. A Marine I know gave it to us in simple terms…
As an American individual, we look deep into the future, planning from high school our future education, job, marriage, and retirement. Things like buying a home, a car, having kids, paying for their education; these are a part of our mental development. We moved passed the need for food, shelter, clothing, because, by and large, we lave that.
The typical Iraqi citizen, however, is the exact opposite of this. They are still in the food, shelter, clothing stages of survival, and when you are at that level, you will do whatever it takes to achieve that. I can’t blame them because I would do the same thing. Basically, if you didn’t have food and couldn’t feed your family, would you be willing to kill, steal, or commit other illegal acts to get it? Most American’s would not. Most Iraqi’s probably would.
What does this mean? I believe that, until we can move the Iraqi citizen beyond the survival stage, we will not be able to leave this country to its own devices. To do so would invite civil war, or, at least, create such an immense crime problem that the government would be hamstrung until it is solved. Once we can move them past the survival stage, the average citizen will be able to look at the future, take part in the process, and be part of the society.
Then, and only then, will we be able to go home. Then the media can report about the homecomings, the parades, and the “We Won” hysteria. But until then, don’t feed the frenzy, because the politicians just live for that. This war is about more than polls, it’s about more than sound bites. At least I hope they think so.
The last 48 hours have been a whirlwind of activity. I can sit here and ramble on and on about it, but its still fresh on my mind, (as well as the situation report) so I won’t go into that. But I can tell you that it has been a very busy time since we arrived here.
Have you ever seen grown men cry? We have a rather large assortment of teams, mostly Army teams, and I have to say these guys are some of the biggest whiners I have ever had the displeasure of working with. Most people think the difference between the Marine Corps and the Army is the motivation, esprit de corpse, and all those intangible qualities. But after seeing what I have seen this last week, I will tell you the difference is that the Marines take what they get and make it better, the Army expects the best and won’t work without it. In layman’s terms, the Marines plan for the worst, while the Army plans for the best.
Now I am not saying that we are better than they are, what I am saying is that our heads are where it should be, and their heads are not. Troop welfare is a critical to any mission, but mission accomplishment is and must always come first.
Next issue
I was watching reading an article from MSNBC or CNN this morning, about the foreign troops and their plans for pulling out the soldiers. We turned to discussing the eventual draw down plans, and how soon the troops will be going home. While this is all well and good, and I am sure that the powers that be (military bosses) want to bring the troops home as soon as possible, I think, once again, that the media is making this a much bigger issue, and they don’t understand the nature of the situation. I can’t see any end to this situation in the near future, and I would be hard pressed to say that there are going to be large scale draw downs any time in the next 4 years. The simple fact is that this country is a hotbed of problems, and I believe the war against terror is being fought right here. Sure, we are winning, but this country is not close to governing itself, and we are not going to leave until it is stable. There are too many factions, to many issues, to many terrorists here now. If we draw down, we will create nothing short of chaos, destruction, death, and mayhem. Maybe, once the people have been given an opportunity to taste freedom, maybe if they are given the chance to see a viable future that the Iraqi citizen can play a part, and then we can talk draw down. A Marine I know gave it to us in simple terms…
As an American individual, we look deep into the future, planning from high school our future education, job, marriage, and retirement. Things like buying a home, a car, having kids, paying for their education; these are a part of our mental development. We moved passed the need for food, shelter, clothing, because, by and large, we lave that.
The typical Iraqi citizen, however, is the exact opposite of this. They are still in the food, shelter, clothing stages of survival, and when you are at that level, you will do whatever it takes to achieve that. I can’t blame them because I would do the same thing. Basically, if you didn’t have food and couldn’t feed your family, would you be willing to kill, steal, or commit other illegal acts to get it? Most American’s would not. Most Iraqi’s probably would.
What does this mean? I believe that, until we can move the Iraqi citizen beyond the survival stage, we will not be able to leave this country to its own devices. To do so would invite civil war, or, at least, create such an immense crime problem that the government would be hamstrung until it is solved. Once we can move them past the survival stage, the average citizen will be able to look at the future, take part in the process, and be part of the society.
Then, and only then, will we be able to go home. Then the media can report about the homecomings, the parades, and the “We Won” hysteria. But until then, don’t feed the frenzy, because the politicians just live for that. This war is about more than polls, it’s about more than sound bites. At least I hope they think so.
Saturday, November 26, 2005
Holiday Blues
Well, Happy Thanksgiving to everybody! It’s something like 10:30 pm, and I am sitting here still in Taji, waiting for the internet to connect. I hope everybody is having a great dinner, lots of fun, friends and family.
The Iraqi’s had a wonderful lunch and dinner set up for us. I was a little wary at first, since they don’t know or understand about the holiday, but as it turned out, it was ok. They put on a very big meal, complete with turkey, ham, steaks, stuffing, and the whole thing. Lots of desserts, (but not enough chocolate for my taste) drinks, and they even decorated. The whole thing was very heartwarming and made us all feel better.
It’s interesting how we tend to treat the holidays sometimes. Everything is so commercialized, and every holiday has some gimmick or sale point that we are hammered with. Cute Christmas polar bears (buy Coke!!) fancy elves (Keebler’s elves, by the way) Cupid (at your local Hallmark Store) and the list goes on and on. Even the movies we watch that are supposed to make us feel better about the holidays, some moral tale about right over wrong; they are loaded with product placements, fancy gadgets, and impossibly beautiful people. Last year when I was here, I had this conversation with my cousin, about how incredibly powerful the media is, and its pull on society as a whole, how it spins things, directs our attention, and makes us forget about something less important. I mean, this whole war was nothing more than a big spin, wasn’t it? Incite the Americans, get them to rally around the flag, than launch them into a an epic battle against an obviously weaker and unprepared foe. Create a mystical hero (Jessica Lynch, the blonde bombshell warrior) and craft some story about heroic deeds and plaster it on every newspaper and television show in the free world. Go “inside” to tell the story of evil insurgents, and heartbreaking drama of villagers freed from “oppression”, getting and receiving food, smiling, laughing and voting. It all sounds so nice and perfect, just like a Hollywood ending. Makes you want to donate money.
But down here, where we don’t have the commercialization, where the spin has no hold on us because we are out of touch with the rest of society (no TV, no newspapers, limited internet access), where life does go on without regard to time, the holiday has a different feeling. I think, as I looked around the room at dinner, I saw 300 guys glad to be alive, glad to be safe, glad to be together. Some said prayers in thanks, some were a little gloomy that they missed their families, but in general, we were thankful for the chance to live one more day. We are thankful for being given an opportunity to make something better for somebody. We are thankful that the cooks and workers gave so much for us and asked for nothing in return but our acceptance and maybe a thank you or two. We are just thankful to BE, and that’s all there is to it. Maybe the pilgrims felt the same way, when the Indians showed up with food to share. Maybe the pioneers understood as the made their way across the open plains.
Maybe I am just gloomy because I am stuck here in this shithole…
No, well, a little. Anyways, thanks for making us feel better guys, and happy thanksgiving to everybody.
The Iraqi’s had a wonderful lunch and dinner set up for us. I was a little wary at first, since they don’t know or understand about the holiday, but as it turned out, it was ok. They put on a very big meal, complete with turkey, ham, steaks, stuffing, and the whole thing. Lots of desserts, (but not enough chocolate for my taste) drinks, and they even decorated. The whole thing was very heartwarming and made us all feel better.
It’s interesting how we tend to treat the holidays sometimes. Everything is so commercialized, and every holiday has some gimmick or sale point that we are hammered with. Cute Christmas polar bears (buy Coke!!) fancy elves (Keebler’s elves, by the way) Cupid (at your local Hallmark Store) and the list goes on and on. Even the movies we watch that are supposed to make us feel better about the holidays, some moral tale about right over wrong; they are loaded with product placements, fancy gadgets, and impossibly beautiful people. Last year when I was here, I had this conversation with my cousin, about how incredibly powerful the media is, and its pull on society as a whole, how it spins things, directs our attention, and makes us forget about something less important. I mean, this whole war was nothing more than a big spin, wasn’t it? Incite the Americans, get them to rally around the flag, than launch them into a an epic battle against an obviously weaker and unprepared foe. Create a mystical hero (Jessica Lynch, the blonde bombshell warrior) and craft some story about heroic deeds and plaster it on every newspaper and television show in the free world. Go “inside” to tell the story of evil insurgents, and heartbreaking drama of villagers freed from “oppression”, getting and receiving food, smiling, laughing and voting. It all sounds so nice and perfect, just like a Hollywood ending. Makes you want to donate money.
But down here, where we don’t have the commercialization, where the spin has no hold on us because we are out of touch with the rest of society (no TV, no newspapers, limited internet access), where life does go on without regard to time, the holiday has a different feeling. I think, as I looked around the room at dinner, I saw 300 guys glad to be alive, glad to be safe, glad to be together. Some said prayers in thanks, some were a little gloomy that they missed their families, but in general, we were thankful for the chance to live one more day. We are thankful for being given an opportunity to make something better for somebody. We are thankful that the cooks and workers gave so much for us and asked for nothing in return but our acceptance and maybe a thank you or two. We are just thankful to BE, and that’s all there is to it. Maybe the pilgrims felt the same way, when the Indians showed up with food to share. Maybe the pioneers understood as the made their way across the open plains.
Maybe I am just gloomy because I am stuck here in this shithole…
No, well, a little. Anyways, thanks for making us feel better guys, and happy thanksgiving to everybody.
Monday, November 21, 2005
Anonymous said...
HI... YOU DON'T KNOW ME... IS BETTER THAT WAY... WELL, LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING... I'VE BEEN IN TAJI FOR ABOUT 10 MONTHS... THIS BASE IS BETTER THAN IS HAS EVER BEEN... YOU ARE STILL LIVING IN THE PAST... APPARENTLY YOUR PREVIOUS EXPERIENCES LEFT A BIG SCAR ON YOU... LET IT GO MAN... GO WITH THE FLOW.... I'VE BEEN IN COUNTRY FOR 15 MONTHS STRAIGHT.... I'VE SEEN PEOPLE LIKE YOU COME AND GO... THEY ALL SUCK... YOU DON'T BRING ANYTHING TO THE IRAQIS... SO, WHY YOU ARE HERE FOR....???? JUST TO WRITE YOUR LAME BLOG....???? JUST FAKE AN INJURY AND GO QUIETLY BACK TO THE STATES... I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN SERIOUS "INCIDENTS" AND IF IT'S NOT FOR THE IRAQIS FIGHTING NEXT TO ME, PROBABLY I WOULD NOT BE HERE WRITING TO YOU... SO, I RECOMMEND TO EMBRACE THE SUCK, GO WITH THE FLOW, AND YES, STOP WRITING LIES TO INOCENT PEOPLE.... THIS COUNTRY CAN BE STEERED TO THE RIGHT DIRECTION, BUT NOT BY PEOPLE LIKE YOU... BUT BY PEOPLE WHO ARE PASSIONATE TO RECONSTRUCT AND POSITIVELY INFLUENCE THESE IRAQIS AND THEIR INSTITUTIONS....IN ADDITION, PHOENIX ACADEMY DON'T SUCK.... YOU ARE WITH THAT ATTITUDE.... AND IS NOT A WASTE OF TIME... IS A LULL FOR ALL YOU "GUNG HO" DUDES TO REFLECT IN THE REALITY OF YOUR OWN MEAGER AND POINTLESS EXISTENCE.... BY THE WAY, I AM NOT A "FOBBIT"..... MAYBE YOU SHOULD BECOME ONE...
Normally, I wouldn’t bother to respond to individual comments, but I have to interject because sometimes people remark with comments that come from outer space, so it becomes the duty of responsible people to reply.
Nowhere in any of the comments did I ever say that Camp Taji sucked. I think my comment was, that it basically looked the same, except a little neater. Now, the anonymous commenter says he has been here for 10 months, and I must give him credit, because that’s a long time to be here, but I helped build this camp, worked with the first Iraqi units to set up here, spend many long days and nights building the facilities, and remember walking the streets with hundreds of soldiers picking up trash along the fences, so I know what this camp used to look like and I can say from experience it is a little neater. Now, if the commentor can infer anything deeper from that, well, you need to work for FOX news.
Commentor also says he has seen people like me come and go. We don’t bring anything to the Iraqi’s. I assume that commentor thinks that all I do is sit at my desk at write blog entries. I think my goal is the same as every body else:
Take care of my Marines, Sailors, Soldiers, and Airmen.
Train and advise the Iraqi Army/Police to do the job that will enable them to secure the nation.
Bring my people home.
What else is there? Along the way, I have had the opportunity to work with some of the finest people on both sides, Americans and Iraqi soldiers working side by side. I have lived with them, fought with them, trained with them and grieved over them when they died, so I think I can say that I bring a number of skills and experiences to the table. I know that when I leave here, I will have done everything that I could to help the people of this country, and that makes me happy.
Now, commentor says that Phoenix academy don’t suck. Now, call me stupid, but I don’t remember anywhere where I said it sucked. What I said was that I get the feeling that it is going to be pointless. The reason I say this is simple. Prior to the Army units getting deployed, they spent 5 weeks doing pre-deployment/advisor training at Ft Someplace or other. The Marines did 3 weeks at the Foreign Military Training Unit/SCETC/Advisor Course. Air Force does some 3 weeks, and the navy guys train with the Marines. So, all 4 services have advisor courses, then they all come to Iraq and do the same thing over again. That would seem to me to make the training redundant, and BAM! Pointless. How much does this cost, to do the same training 5 different ways? I don’t know how commentor feels, but I am pretty sure the majority of the people do not need the same class over and over and over again. So, why do it? Why not let the services either
Stop doing individual service advisor training and allow the Phoenix Academy to do its job,
Eliminate the Phoenix academy and mandate the type of training the services are doing.
Sounds like a simple solution to me.
Lastly, commentor says that Phoenix Academy is a lull for us “Gung Ho” dudes to reflect in the reality of our meager and pointless existance. I suppose in commentors mind, the statement has some relevance and was intented as some kind of written jab or insult. I fail to understand the nature of the insult, it sounds like commentor is a little upset about the reality of where his own life is going. But I submit that the reason we are here is to ensure the basic freedoms that all humans should be entitled are not erased from this country, and I think that the majority of us “Gung Ho”dudes share the same goal. And, as I read comments, I suspect that commentor is part of the same collective mindset with the same general goal as everybody else here. That would make commentor, just like the rest of us. But then, maybe I am wrong. Maybe commentor is the Savior of the Iraqi People, and we should all be grateful to be in commentors prescence. Maybe commentor is the key to the democratization of the middle east, because he alone is not Mr. Gung Ho.
Or maybe commentor should just do what every American has the right to do, just turn the channel if you don’t like what you see….
Oh, another thing. What is a “fobbit?”
HI... YOU DON'T KNOW ME... IS BETTER THAT WAY... WELL, LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING... I'VE BEEN IN TAJI FOR ABOUT 10 MONTHS... THIS BASE IS BETTER THAN IS HAS EVER BEEN... YOU ARE STILL LIVING IN THE PAST... APPARENTLY YOUR PREVIOUS EXPERIENCES LEFT A BIG SCAR ON YOU... LET IT GO MAN... GO WITH THE FLOW.... I'VE BEEN IN COUNTRY FOR 15 MONTHS STRAIGHT.... I'VE SEEN PEOPLE LIKE YOU COME AND GO... THEY ALL SUCK... YOU DON'T BRING ANYTHING TO THE IRAQIS... SO, WHY YOU ARE HERE FOR....???? JUST TO WRITE YOUR LAME BLOG....???? JUST FAKE AN INJURY AND GO QUIETLY BACK TO THE STATES... I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN SERIOUS "INCIDENTS" AND IF IT'S NOT FOR THE IRAQIS FIGHTING NEXT TO ME, PROBABLY I WOULD NOT BE HERE WRITING TO YOU... SO, I RECOMMEND TO EMBRACE THE SUCK, GO WITH THE FLOW, AND YES, STOP WRITING LIES TO INOCENT PEOPLE.... THIS COUNTRY CAN BE STEERED TO THE RIGHT DIRECTION, BUT NOT BY PEOPLE LIKE YOU... BUT BY PEOPLE WHO ARE PASSIONATE TO RECONSTRUCT AND POSITIVELY INFLUENCE THESE IRAQIS AND THEIR INSTITUTIONS....IN ADDITION, PHOENIX ACADEMY DON'T SUCK.... YOU ARE WITH THAT ATTITUDE.... AND IS NOT A WASTE OF TIME... IS A LULL FOR ALL YOU "GUNG HO" DUDES TO REFLECT IN THE REALITY OF YOUR OWN MEAGER AND POINTLESS EXISTENCE.... BY THE WAY, I AM NOT A "FOBBIT"..... MAYBE YOU SHOULD BECOME ONE...
Normally, I wouldn’t bother to respond to individual comments, but I have to interject because sometimes people remark with comments that come from outer space, so it becomes the duty of responsible people to reply.
Nowhere in any of the comments did I ever say that Camp Taji sucked. I think my comment was, that it basically looked the same, except a little neater. Now, the anonymous commenter says he has been here for 10 months, and I must give him credit, because that’s a long time to be here, but I helped build this camp, worked with the first Iraqi units to set up here, spend many long days and nights building the facilities, and remember walking the streets with hundreds of soldiers picking up trash along the fences, so I know what this camp used to look like and I can say from experience it is a little neater. Now, if the commentor can infer anything deeper from that, well, you need to work for FOX news.
Commentor also says he has seen people like me come and go. We don’t bring anything to the Iraqi’s. I assume that commentor thinks that all I do is sit at my desk at write blog entries. I think my goal is the same as every body else:
Take care of my Marines, Sailors, Soldiers, and Airmen.
Train and advise the Iraqi Army/Police to do the job that will enable them to secure the nation.
Bring my people home.
What else is there? Along the way, I have had the opportunity to work with some of the finest people on both sides, Americans and Iraqi soldiers working side by side. I have lived with them, fought with them, trained with them and grieved over them when they died, so I think I can say that I bring a number of skills and experiences to the table. I know that when I leave here, I will have done everything that I could to help the people of this country, and that makes me happy.
Now, commentor says that Phoenix academy don’t suck. Now, call me stupid, but I don’t remember anywhere where I said it sucked. What I said was that I get the feeling that it is going to be pointless. The reason I say this is simple. Prior to the Army units getting deployed, they spent 5 weeks doing pre-deployment/advisor training at Ft Someplace or other. The Marines did 3 weeks at the Foreign Military Training Unit/SCETC/Advisor Course. Air Force does some 3 weeks, and the navy guys train with the Marines. So, all 4 services have advisor courses, then they all come to Iraq and do the same thing over again. That would seem to me to make the training redundant, and BAM! Pointless. How much does this cost, to do the same training 5 different ways? I don’t know how commentor feels, but I am pretty sure the majority of the people do not need the same class over and over and over again. So, why do it? Why not let the services either
Stop doing individual service advisor training and allow the Phoenix Academy to do its job,
Eliminate the Phoenix academy and mandate the type of training the services are doing.
Sounds like a simple solution to me.
Lastly, commentor says that Phoenix Academy is a lull for us “Gung Ho” dudes to reflect in the reality of our meager and pointless existance. I suppose in commentors mind, the statement has some relevance and was intented as some kind of written jab or insult. I fail to understand the nature of the insult, it sounds like commentor is a little upset about the reality of where his own life is going. But I submit that the reason we are here is to ensure the basic freedoms that all humans should be entitled are not erased from this country, and I think that the majority of us “Gung Ho”dudes share the same goal. And, as I read comments, I suspect that commentor is part of the same collective mindset with the same general goal as everybody else here. That would make commentor, just like the rest of us. But then, maybe I am wrong. Maybe commentor is the Savior of the Iraqi People, and we should all be grateful to be in commentors prescence. Maybe commentor is the key to the democratization of the middle east, because he alone is not Mr. Gung Ho.
Or maybe commentor should just do what every American has the right to do, just turn the channel if you don’t like what you see….
Oh, another thing. What is a “fobbit?”
Sunday, November 20, 2005
Just another day in paradise?
Well, I lied. I told myself last year I would never come back to Camp Taji, but here I am once again. The smell here is about the same as it was before, a mixture of trash, oil, dirt and sand. The base itself looks similar to what it looked like before, except it is a little neater. Somebody has been picking up the trash around the camp. I don’t see any dogs running around, but its winter and maybe they are just to lazy to come out. We will see what happens in the evening.
We are at the Phoenix Academy, an Army run school for Transition Teams. I get the feeling that it is going to be pointless training, and I am dreading it. Not because it’s difficult, but because I am going to be so bored that I will probably open my big fat mouth and piss off people who are only trying to do their job. I can see looking at the syllabus that it’s going to be a big waste of time, and I have discussed with my bosses the necessity of telling the staff, “Hey, we don’t need to do that, lets move on.” Still, I think they don’t want to make waves and are going to just ride the current as it carries them forward. This group is so different from the last group. We were definitive, creative, and forward thinking. We made the rules, than changed them as we needed to. This group seems content to just let the rules guide them, which is a bad way to get started when your business is to make the rules. I guess time will tell what the groups are capable of doing.
We got our unit assignments yesterday. I can’t say the unit we are going to yet, and it really doesn’t matter to me, because it’s all pretty much the same. I can say that the unit will be stationed at a Camp I had been to a couple of times. Decent logistical support, lots of sand, and lots more sand. Summer is going to suck hard.
Here is a snapshot of my day yesterday, just so you understand how things are going...
5:30 am got up. Went to chow.
6:30 return from chow. Went to internet café.
7:30 returned from internet café. Repack bags
8:30 Moved bags to staging area. Return to tent area to wait for busses
9:30 Still waiting for busses
11:30 Still waiting for busses
1:00 pm. Had a 2 hour brief with Army Colonel. Learned nothing.
3:00 Still waiting for busses
5:00 Still waiting for busses
6:30 Busses arrived.
6:40 Busses drop us off at flight line
6:50 Waiting for helicopters
8:50 Still waiting for helicopters
10:50 Still waiting for helicopters
12:50 Still waiting for helicopters
1:00 am helicopters show up. We load and move to Taji
1:30 We arrive at Taji
2:30 We go to sleep
You can tell that the old adage, “Hurry up and wait,” is alive and well in today’s military.
We are at the Phoenix Academy, an Army run school for Transition Teams. I get the feeling that it is going to be pointless training, and I am dreading it. Not because it’s difficult, but because I am going to be so bored that I will probably open my big fat mouth and piss off people who are only trying to do their job. I can see looking at the syllabus that it’s going to be a big waste of time, and I have discussed with my bosses the necessity of telling the staff, “Hey, we don’t need to do that, lets move on.” Still, I think they don’t want to make waves and are going to just ride the current as it carries them forward. This group is so different from the last group. We were definitive, creative, and forward thinking. We made the rules, than changed them as we needed to. This group seems content to just let the rules guide them, which is a bad way to get started when your business is to make the rules. I guess time will tell what the groups are capable of doing.
We got our unit assignments yesterday. I can’t say the unit we are going to yet, and it really doesn’t matter to me, because it’s all pretty much the same. I can say that the unit will be stationed at a Camp I had been to a couple of times. Decent logistical support, lots of sand, and lots more sand. Summer is going to suck hard.
Here is a snapshot of my day yesterday, just so you understand how things are going...
5:30 am got up. Went to chow.
6:30 return from chow. Went to internet café.
7:30 returned from internet café. Repack bags
8:30 Moved bags to staging area. Return to tent area to wait for busses
9:30 Still waiting for busses
11:30 Still waiting for busses
1:00 pm. Had a 2 hour brief with Army Colonel. Learned nothing.
3:00 Still waiting for busses
5:00 Still waiting for busses
6:30 Busses arrived.
6:40 Busses drop us off at flight line
6:50 Waiting for helicopters
8:50 Still waiting for helicopters
10:50 Still waiting for helicopters
12:50 Still waiting for helicopters
1:00 am helicopters show up. We load and move to Taji
1:30 We arrive at Taji
2:30 We go to sleep
You can tell that the old adage, “Hurry up and wait,” is alive and well in today’s military.
Let the party begin
We arrived in Baghdad after a 13 hour delay at Kuwait Airport. Apparently, our plane got hit by lightning or something like that, because the altimeter was busted and had to be replaced. I don’t have a problem with waiting, because I suppose when you enlist in the military, you kind of get used to it. It’s the insanity of it all that sometimes gets to me. We got up at 2 a.m to stage gear for a 5 a.m flight, which turned into an 8 am flight, which turned into a 7 p.m. flight. So we sat around in the tent/terminal, before we finally got the go ahead to leave. Not to bad. I did finally get to catch up on some badly needed sleep.
My neck finally caught up with me last night. I think between the flight, wearing the helmet all day, and the lack of sleep, my head was starting to pound. I think as I start to wear the helmet more, it will get better, but for now my neck feels like shit and its making my whole body ache. So for now, I am living off of Excedrin, Gatorade, and coffee.
Another interesting point. I don’t care what anybody says about KBR/Halliburton, those guys rock. There is nobody that could support us the way these guys do. Midnight last and I was sitting in the mess hall, drinking fresh hot coffee, eating a steak, and watching Good Morning America on ABC. I remember during the first Gulf War, we didn’t even have electricity in the tents, and now we have hardwood floors, air conditioning, and some of the best food ever served up in any war. Honestly, it’s like Hometown Buffet in the mess halls. My hats off to those KBR guys...
I didn’t mention it, but we weren’t in Iraq 15 minutes before we heard our first firefight. Just outside the airport gates, about a mile or so away. We didn’t participate, but it was easy to see that everybody was a little nervous.
Welcome to the shit boys….
My neck finally caught up with me last night. I think between the flight, wearing the helmet all day, and the lack of sleep, my head was starting to pound. I think as I start to wear the helmet more, it will get better, but for now my neck feels like shit and its making my whole body ache. So for now, I am living off of Excedrin, Gatorade, and coffee.
Another interesting point. I don’t care what anybody says about KBR/Halliburton, those guys rock. There is nobody that could support us the way these guys do. Midnight last and I was sitting in the mess hall, drinking fresh hot coffee, eating a steak, and watching Good Morning America on ABC. I remember during the first Gulf War, we didn’t even have electricity in the tents, and now we have hardwood floors, air conditioning, and some of the best food ever served up in any war. Honestly, it’s like Hometown Buffet in the mess halls. My hats off to those KBR guys...
I didn’t mention it, but we weren’t in Iraq 15 minutes before we heard our first firefight. Just outside the airport gates, about a mile or so away. We didn’t participate, but it was easy to see that everybody was a little nervous.
Welcome to the shit boys….
Thursday, November 17, 2005
Made it to Baghdad finally. Of course, its freaking raining. If there is anything I remember, its the smell, because it hits you like a bomb and all the bad memories come back, and you wish you were someplace else.
I have been fighting sleep to try to get rid of the jet lag, and I think I finally achieved it. Its 10 pm, and I am tired, so I suppose that is a good thing. Right now there isn't much going on, at least with our part in the war. Who knows, I suppose things will change here soon, you can never have to much downtime. I had a conversation with some of the other Marines and we came to the concensus that if we never fire a shot, and never leave the camp, that would be just fine with us. But, you know I am not that lucky, an d I have this magnet attached to my ass that attracts all kinds of the wrong type of attention. Time will tell I suppose..
The guys are getting into a routine now, giving classes and stuff. Learned how to restore breathing to a guy with facial injuries today. Pretty gross. This is why I don't do medical.
I have been fighting sleep to try to get rid of the jet lag, and I think I finally achieved it. Its 10 pm, and I am tired, so I suppose that is a good thing. Right now there isn't much going on, at least with our part in the war. Who knows, I suppose things will change here soon, you can never have to much downtime. I had a conversation with some of the other Marines and we came to the concensus that if we never fire a shot, and never leave the camp, that would be just fine with us. But, you know I am not that lucky, an d I have this magnet attached to my ass that attracts all kinds of the wrong type of attention. Time will tell I suppose..
The guys are getting into a routine now, giving classes and stuff. Learned how to restore breathing to a guy with facial injuries today. Pretty gross. This is why I don't do medical.
Monday, November 14, 2005
Worwind flight to the ArabWorld
I hate don’t mind plane trips most times, but this had to be one of the longest trips I have every been on. From San Diego, we flew to Minneapolis and sat in the terminal for 8 hours. Sounds painful, but Bloody Mary’s take away a lot of the pain. I swear I could drink these all day. The flight was pretty full, but the lady who sat next to me was HUGE and she had that smell that some overweight people have. That ammonia/BO smell that just doesn’t go away. I thought that maybe I was asleep for part of the flight, but maybe I had passed out.
The trip to the airport was terrible, mostly because it was at 3 in the morning. The driver was doing 85+ and she had the radio on so loud we couldn’t here the buss engines. Anyways, the rest of the trip was pretty uneventful. I think I might sleep through the whole thing.
The KLM flight to Amsterdaam was actually pretty nice. I watched one of the Miami Vice episodes. You gotta love that show. Funny that I can't get anybody else to watch it with me.. So we have a 9 hour layover in Amsterdaam, and they have these lounge chairs that I am writing from. Like patio loungers, but with leather. Very nice. I am waiting for the pool girl to come up and bring the drinks. So far nothing but scary looking women in the airport today. Although, there was this one girl, incredibly attractive, semi watching us at the terminals. How Ironic, she is Arabic..
The trip to the airport was terrible, mostly because it was at 3 in the morning. The driver was doing 85+ and she had the radio on so loud we couldn’t here the buss engines. Anyways, the rest of the trip was pretty uneventful. I think I might sleep through the whole thing.
The KLM flight to Amsterdaam was actually pretty nice. I watched one of the Miami Vice episodes. You gotta love that show. Funny that I can't get anybody else to watch it with me.. So we have a 9 hour layover in Amsterdaam, and they have these lounge chairs that I am writing from. Like patio loungers, but with leather. Very nice. I am waiting for the pool girl to come up and bring the drinks. So far nothing but scary looking women in the airport today. Although, there was this one girl, incredibly attractive, semi watching us at the terminals. How Ironic, she is Arabic..
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