coconut commando

Aging Faster Than I Should

2009-11-17T02:05:00.003+03:00

I went to visit Jimmy at the cemetery last week. I didn’t plan it, I didn’t tell any family or friends where I was going or what I was doing; I just had this overwhelming need to go. I’ve been to see him several times since I got back but this time was different. After all this time at home and around family and friends, I came to the realization that a large part of “Me” died with Jimmy in Iraq.

I kneeled at his grave and cried. Not like any time before, this was a more profound, complete pain and sadness. I couldn’t help it. I’ve had nightmares where I’m talking to him and see him getting killed but there’s always that small hope that I’ll see him at work or at home. Today, it hit me like a ton of bricks that Jim Wosika will always be 24 years old. He will never marry, raise children, visit with his friends, have dinner at his parent’s house, become a firefighter, and he’ll never grow old because he died at 24 years old.

This realization haunts me to this day and probably will for the rest of my life. I’ve shared and laughed with friends about the close calls I’ve had in combat and yet I find that I feel such an amount of guilt because he died and I didn’t. I taught, mentored and groomed him for leadership and I’m still not sure if I did it right or set him up for failure because he died.

I feel old. Not so much in age but in mileage. I feel old and tired. I look in the mirror and see that my eyes have aged along with the rest of me but at an advanced speed. I’ve tried to figure out why it looks familiar and it hits me. It’s the same look that my mentors had on their faces when they were grooming me. I never truly understood it; I’ve made fun of it; but I realize that now I have the same look on my face and in my eyes. The guys that led the way for me in Korea and Vietnam had warned me of something like this eventually happening. If it hadn't been for them, I probably wouldn't be alive. One day at a time….

Good Days & Bad Days

2008-04-10T19:21:00.003+03:00

Recently, I was asked by a fellow soldier “How are you doing & how’s it going?” My response was “One day at a time” or “Day by day”. I find it amusing that it’s the normal response to those questions and that it is actually true. Some days go by with no issues (minor or major) and other days treat me like Monday on steroids.

Case in point, I was downtown a few days ago with a fellow soldier having lunch. Both of us were in uniform and on our lunch time. We enjoyed pointing out the paranoia factor that both of us have in that we requested that we be seated towards the back away from the windows. This gives us a tactical advantage in that it allows us to see everyone in the room without having to turn around. Anyway, lunch went fine; interaction with the waitress went fine, the conversation and company was great and so on. It wasn’t until we were getting into the vehicle that things became a problem. As I’m approaching my car from the driver’s side (and the front of the car), this punk kid is walking up and pulling his hood down so that I can’t see his face and he’s jamming his hands in his pockets as if he were reaching for something. At the same time, I’m unfolding the pocket knife I keep on my belt and then “flash” it to the kid. His eyes got as big as dinner plates. The other part of this is that my lunch buddy has already exited the car and had his knife drawn too, ready to take the kid from behind. The kid stopped and started to panic. I just told him that maybe it would be a better idea for him to walk away while he can. He took my advice. How stupid can an individual be that he would want to approach a guy in uniform without any thought that we’re fully prepared to kill.

I did talk to a friend, who happens to be a police officer, and told him about our incident. He told me that the kid was probably going to beg for money or something but it was good that we were prepared for the worst. He also told me that his department has received additional briefings and training when dealing with returning combat veterans. That was a “Monday” type of day.

Other days pass along with no incident but I still have the nightmares. I can’t speak for all veterans but I can tell you that I’ve compared notes with quite a few and they all have the same issues. Sometimes I wake up and don’t have a clue where I am, I also still look for my weapon when I’m at home or I’m out, and I still flashback. The flashbacks are the worst part because of the variation of triggers. Sounds, Déja vu moments, and (the worst) smells. I’ve learned that smells have the highest possibility of triggering severe flashbacks in veterans. Some of the worst flashbacks occur when I smell isopropyl alcohol or surgical gauge. Those smells seem to always trigger the memory of having to see Kriesel all chewed up while he was in the hospital in Ballad. *Check the blog entry “Still My Friend” posted on December 9th 2006.

All of the incidents haven’t been bad. Some of the memories triggered are pretty funny. For example, I was strolling in front of the PX (it’s like Wal-Mart for soldiers) in the wee hours of the morning oblivious to the fact that it was the time window when the post tests the indirect fire counter measures. It’s a big-ass, automatic machine cannon to shoot down any mortars heading our way. When it goes off, you can hear it across post. This morning, I was on the sidewalk right in front of it. Needless to say, I didn’t pee myself but only because I had just come out of the latrine not three minutes before. As I’m lying on the ground in front of this thing, I started laughing at myself and at the others who were on the ground with me. All of us had an “Oops, I crapped my pants” moment that morning.

As for everything else, life is still going on. I am tolerating work, trying to be productive with my time off and comparing notes with other vets about how we’re doing. We also compare meds. You see, we are a group that doesn’t care too much for taking any kinds of medicine. Now that most of us HAVE to be on meds, we amuse ourselves by comparing (verbally) what we’re on, if it works, side effects, duration of the prescription, etc. It’s the simple things that amuse us.

Now, as far as my life, it’s still going. I do find that my dislike for politicians is still the same. I enjoy catching myself “combat driving” every once in a while. And I still thoroughly enjoy the freedom of walking into a restaurant and not needing an interpreter to explain what is on my plate. The one thing I actually look forward to now is verbal confrontation with people. Out of all the things that I enjoy from a combat zone, this is my personal favorite. Not from the combat aspect of it, although that does come into play, but from the sake of the argument part of a conversation.

Let me expand on this. I truly enjoy intellectual (and non-intellectual) conversation about a wide variety of topics. The problem, and trigger, I keep running into is that people who have made it a point to be spoon-fed BS by the media are usually the ones that end up provoking the confrontation. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t purposely go out and look for an argument. I just happen to be able to end up in the same room with these “geniuses”. Here’s a bit of advice, if I (or any combat veteran) am in a room with you during a party, I don’t mind people asking me about Iraq, the people, some of my experiences there, etc. However, contrary to popular belief, I am NOT qualified to change policy in the Middle East, I don’t care how the Democrats are trying to “help” me, and I sure as hell didn’t go to fight for oil. If the third one was the case, why am I paying almost $4 per gallon on gas? Do you understand my beef with this? I don’t mind if you ask me a well-thought out question out of the genuine pursuit of knowledge. That goes for anyone regardless of political affiliation. I do get triggered when people tell me that it was wrong to invade, soldiers are getting killed, or we should be brought home.

No one wants to be home other than a soldier who is in a combat zone. But we also refuse to do a job half-assed because some politician wants to be elected. Was it wrong to invade Iraq? No, would you rather I show up in YOUR neighborhood with all of my combat gear and vehicles ready to break stuff and kill bad guys while your kids watch me doing it? Maybe you’d like for some dirtbag to hold your family hostage in the name of Allah while I get ready to splat his noggin all over your living room in order to save our life. Or better yet, maybe you’d like that dirtbag to kidnap your kids, strap a bomb to them and blow them up in order to kill us. Sounds like an insane idea but that’s what’s happening in Iraq.

The best way to explain why we need to be in a foreign country fighting is because you don’t want to see, first hand, what I do in order to make sure you’re safe and free. Iraqis have never had freedom and now they are starting to really taste it and defend it. The problem, and threat, is that insurgents won’t allow that because it’s a threat to them losing power and control (all in the name of Allah). As for the point of soldiers dying in Iraq, IT’S A WAR! For every one of us, there are 100 to 150 of them that we kill. The Vietnam vets that still mentor us tell us that the casualty list from OIF/OEF combined is still nothing compared to what thy had. They tell us this, not to rub it in, but to reassure us that we’re doing the job right. I’ve lost friends to this war and part of myself as well. I’ve EARNED the right to tell morons to shut their pie-hole and that they are full of crap because of their uninformed and baseless arguments. Now you see why I enjoy the confrontation part of it?

In closing, yes I’ve lost part of my mind. But, rest assured, that the mind I have left is still more informed and intelligent than some of the people I defend. I hope to hear from all of you on this posting and I encourage you to send feedback; from all points of view.

Am I Any Better?

2008-03-02T13:40:00.001+03:00

I’d like to think so but I’m not sure. So far I’ve been able to function in a majority of social situations but there have been a few isolated incidents. I realize I came back screwed up mentally, emotionally, socially and spiritually. I have a hard time focusing or staying “on task”. I also find that I tend to be very apathetic to most social interactions, events, and situations. For example, news of disasters, human suffering, and tragedy has the same effect on me as waiting in line at the grocery store. I find that it doesn’t do anything for or to me either way. When I hear people say, “Oh my God, isn’t all that horrible?” I really just don’t care. It’s not that I’m not aware of what’s going on around me I just really don’t care.

I’ll start of with the basics. I hardly watch the news anymore because it’s 50-50 whether I’ll get angry with the media or actually bother to pay attention. What I mean is, like you, I’m bombarded by the campaign ads where Hollywood stars and liberal news media are doing their best to sway your decision as to who the next president will be. This is a minor annoyance to me. What really gets my blood boiling is the fact that Americans have allowed, and encouraged, themselves to become stupid and unfeeling. I can keep updated on local and world events just as much as anyone. I don’t need to have the news interpreted or analyzed for me to understand “what it means”. I also don’t really want to hear the “kill score” CNN keeps updating me from Iraq and Afghanistan. Yes, let me know if and when one of my brothers or sisters in arms is killed because that’s important to me. But don’t make it sound like the score of a football game. This encourages the insurgents that are trying to kill ALL OF US! The lackadaisical attitude in which they deliver that news just gets me pissed off!

Case in point, it took 8 days for Heath Ledger to die (8 days was the average length the media stretched it out) a large number of your defenders died or were wounded trying to bring peace and prosperity to a nation that has been under the rule of a tyrant for so long. Heath and his family were treated so shabbily with no sympathy by the media that I equate it to the morons that protest funerals where soldiers have died. Would they have been so “professional” in delivering that news if it was one of their family members? As long as it doesn’t affect them personally, it doesn’t matter.

Social interaction has become more of an annoyance to me than anything else. Yes I like my friends and missed them while I was gone. But now, with the exception of a few key individuals, I notice that I retain a certain “stand off” distance from them. This is not the case with the guys I went to war with but I’m told that it’s normal. The friends I have in my life have been exceedingly patient with me but I can see that they don’t completely understand “what happened”. Time happened. Time kept moving forward for them as it did for me. They continued with their lives, families, and jobs. I continued with PART of my life, “family”, and job. The problem for me and others like me is that I had a life back home that continued while I was gone. Time can’t be paused like a movie. For me, I knew when I came back things would be different. I knew that people close to me would change. I knew children would grow. I knew that time would keep moving forward without me. That knowledge didn’t help because I am still having a difficult time trying to adapt to new situations everyday. Time went on without me and, as difficult as it is, I have to accept that. My friends and family have to do the same.

I received a comment on my last posting from a Vietnam veteran and another from a wife of a returning soldier. Two completely different people with two completely different lives. Yet the thread that binds them together is the fact that they’ve had to deal with time moving forward for them and their soldier. How have they dealt with it? I’m not sure because there’s no standard way of doing so.

The Vietnam veteran had to deal with it from the soldier’s point of view with the added bonus that he, like his brothers and sisters, were spat on, punched, called “murderer, baby killer” and all sorts of vile things. They didn’t have the same programs or counseling venues available to us today. Some were career soldiers, others were volunteers, and others were drafted. Yet their fellow “Americans” (not all of them) failed them and persecuted them for doing their duty. What duty was that? Not defending democracy against communism. Their sole duty was to go there and survive day after day for a year. To keep each other alive and in one piece for that one year they were in country. What did they get in return? You’ve already read it in this paragraph.

What about the fact that they also had families back home? Did anyone ever stop to think that those soldiers were worried about their families too? The single soldiers weren’t spared heartache. “Dear John and Dear Jane” letters became an epidemic to the point that some soldiers committed suicide over being let go because of a situation that they had no control over. The married soldiers had to comfort the broken-hearted while hoping and praying that the same didn’t happen to them. It’s because of those veterans that I’ve managed to survive for so long in combat and in peacetime. They taught me “tricks of the trade” in order to survive in both environments. They also swore to never let anyone EVER treat future soldiers the way they were treated.

The wife went through the pain and agony of watching her husband deploy to a place that has the ability to kill him every hour of every day. I wonder how many countless nights she spent praying for his safety and safe return. How many times did she cry herself to sleep or stayed glued to the television hoping to catch a glimpse of her husband and at the same time hoping that she doesn’t see him in any major news event? How many times she feared answering the door knowing that, if it’s someone in uniform, it means something happened to her husband? Praying that he would have time to call or write but hoping that he was getting enough sleep or food so that he didn’t get sick. How many times did she hold their children in order to comfort them because they miss daddy while not having him there to hold her while she cries? How much sleep did she lose taking care of the children so that their home would have a sense of normalcy when he returned?

How many times did she have to bite her tongue in order to remain polite in front of her children when people bad mouth her husband and others like him with no real clue as to what they say or who they say it around? How many times did she have to tolerate others complaining of a few hours of sleep because of a hard mattress, complaining of cold restaurant food, or not feeling “up to” going to work? Did she have an outburst and tell them that her husband will dig a hole to sleep in, stay awake for days without food and sometimes water, that he’ll take care of his soldiers as if he were taking care of his own children, the amount of weight that her husband carries on foot to do his job, whether he feels “up to it” or not? How many times did she endure hearing other wives complain about how their husbands don’t do things right, are late for dinner, forgot to pick up something on the way home, didn’t mow the lawn, get in the way all the time, or will be gone “the whole weekend” while she has hoped and prayed that her husband survived to see another day? How many times did she wish he were there for the little things that other wives take for granted?

Like I said, time kept moving forward for both the soldiers and the wives. Time kept moving forward in both places and both parties knew they couldn’t do anything about it.

So am I any better? I honestly don’t know. I feel joy, anger, pain, sorrow, and all of the emotions I have all of my life. I think I feel them with more intensity now because I don’t have the distraction of someone trying to kill me every hour of every day. I feel guilt because some of my soldiers didn’t make it or were wounded. I try to celebrate the fact that I survived but it always ends up being an “empty” celebration in my heart because I know there are families that lost loved ones over there. How am I supposed to feel? I just don’t know.

The Trip Home and Posting Turning a Bit Dark

2008-02-21T22:53:00.011+03:00

This is the last sunrise for me in Iraq.

Have you ever gone on a vacation and the travel part was more interesting than the destination itself? That was how my trip back from Iraq was. We took off from Iraq in the standard “rocket launch” take off that this tour is known for. Hajji was generous enough to celebrate our departure by shooting off a few rounds in our direction. Thanks for the memories you jerk! We landed in Kuwait a while later.

The funny thing about landing in Kuwait when you’re coming from Iraq is that it doesn’t look any different. This gets you a bit paranoid because you have the nagging thought that “Maybe we just flew in circles and the pilots dropped us off in a different part of Iraq”. That’s happened to me in the past but it involved a crash-landing. Anyway, we get off the plane onto the tarmac (runway) and wait for our bus to pick us up. What do you do while you wait on the tarmac in the desert? You play Spades or Poker, sleep, read, rehydrate, or look around to make sure you’re still not in Iraq. Yep, we’re in Kuwait!

Waiting on the tarmac

They loaded us onto a bus (complete with gun-truck escort) and took us to some base in the middle of nowhere. Of course that’s been one of the running gags of this tour, always being in the middle of nowhere. The bus was awesome! It had cushioned seats, A/C, and music. I hadn’t ridden in a bus since I left the states. All I had ridden or driven in was a gun truck, a road clearing vehicle (EOD) and a go-kart I made while I was there.

They took us to tent city for our stay in country. If you’re wondering what this is like, it’s like sleeping in a giant circus tent with 150 of your closest friends. At least all of us smell the same (rotten armpits and sand). This isn’t a problem because most of us are accustomed to worse conditions. The tents had wooden floors, cots, A/C, and 110-volt electricity. If you’ve never been overseas, even on a normal European vacation, every country runs on 220-volt electricity unlike the US which runs on 110-volts. That means that if you plug your computer to an outlet without a transformer, you just fried your computer. Now, most computers come with a built in voltage regulator so this doesn’t happen. Why is this important? Because our stay was to last five days, this means that you can watch movies or play games until your flight date and time. They also had a chow hall that was made out of concrete (not a tent), and a McHajji’s (A McDonalds with the sign written in the local language)! Other food choices included Subway, Anthony’s Pizza, Chung’s Garden (Chinese), and a Java Joes coffee house. When you’re coming from Iraq, this is like staying at the Marriott.

Kuwaiti "Marriott"

McHajji's

We spent the time sending e-mail, calling home, and shopping at the local PX (Post Exchange). We also had a picnic with a real BBQ grill and real steaks. This little break lasted for a few days. I’m not sure if this is intentional or not but it was good to spend a few days “decompressing” there before the follow-on trip to the states. We also had a great time perusing through the amnesty box with the local MP in order to help them catalogue things that were turned in. This is a chance for the Joes to turn in stuff without getting into trouble. That burned the few days we were there.

Then came the magic day when we were told that we’ll be flying home. We were to stage in a cantonment area for the customs brief and inspection, and then wait there until transport to the airport. While you’re there, you also receive endless briefings that cover your return to the states. Most of the briefings center on customs do’s and don’ts; for example, we can’t transport booze, ammo, explosives, porn, animals, animal parts, humans, human parts (except your own stinking carcass), classified materials, cigars, bugs, reptiles, fish, foreign weapons, weapon parts (AK-47, etc), spiders, huge numbers of bootleg DVDs, or specific types of blunt weapons such as an ASP (look at the blog entry Defending the Ponderosa Part 2). I don’t know where most of my readers are from but all of that stuff would be the typical shopping list for a patrol in Iraq.

Anyway, they also peruse through your computers and port hard drives for the porn and classified material. Knowing this, I purposely placed a picture of myself with a few friends on the desktop background. In the picture were wearing our body armor, helmets weapons, boots and a light coat of sun tan lotion. Don’t worry; we had the “Femoral Artery Protection Pad” on so the “essentials” were covered. In any case that computer tech won’t be able to “un-see” that picture for the rest of his life. I don’t think he wanted to go on checking the rest of the computer’s hard drive after that.

From there you move to the “holding area”. It’s pretty nice because it has hard buildings with A/C, movies being played, board games, and Java-Joes. The last one is a “poor man’s Starbuck’s” coffee house. The wait lasted 14 hours but we didn’t care because we’re headed home. We left there around 1900 local time. At the airport, we got to load our baggage and load the plane. Unlike a “normal” airline flight, we have to provide a baggage detail and a “pusher & counter” detail. Why, because our gear is heavy and we can pack a plane like champs. As far as the other detail, once the baggage is loaded, we “push passengers to fill every seat from rear to front as others are taking a count of personnel on the plane. I LOVE this detail because, unlike a civilian flight, manners are optional when “motivating” a person to move to the back of the plane. Also, if you’re on any of the details, you sit in first class seating regardless of rank. It makes me feel good to send a colonel to the back of the plane while a private gets a bigger seat up front.

We took off from Kuwait around 2100 at night with the temperature holding steady at 102°. We landed in Shannon, Ireland about 2130 (local time). This leg of the flight lasted about four hours. If you’ve never been to Shannon, Ireland, I can tell you that it’s one of the most well thought out airport plans ever. We got off the plane, walked down a long corridor and straight into the bar. We’re still under General Order Number One at this point so this means that we still can’t drink. Fine, but when you walk out of the bar, you run into the Duty-Free store across from the bar. What would you buy in a duty-free store; locally produced booze, liquor, and souvenirs; in that order! Anyway, some of us bought what we wanted and made the mission happen. What was pretty cool was that the locals that were there were greeting us like we’re their family members. To date, I’m not sure if Ireland has sent troops to Iraq but I’d gladly welcome them to fight alongside me. After three hours enjoying the conversations and visiting with the Irish, it was time to move on. We took off for the next leg of the trip.

We arrived about six hours later in Bangor Maine around 0630 local time with a temperature of 42°. Yes, you will feel the 60 degree difference once you get off the plane. For those of the male species with protruding parts, it goes up into your body cavity and yep, the turkey’s done! Anyway we got off the plane and were greeted by the Maine Troop Greeters (http://mainetroopgreeters.com). If you’re not familiar with this organization, here’s what I know. Bangor, Maine is the first and last stop on U.S. soil for hundreds of thousands of us going off to war. A group of locals have been putting their politics aside to say “Thank you” to us virtually every day. The planes arrive with little notice at all hours of the day and night but that doesn’t stop them from being there. When we get there, they’re waiting to greet us when we touch down. They started doing this for us (troops) in 1991 with hundreds of people gathering to greet and praise us, however, when flights en route to and from Iraq and Afghanistan started in 2003 the Greeters needed to become more organized for security reasons. This is when the airport, chamber of commerce, and local veterans organizations took the lead and made it possible for the greeters, (sometimes a dozen - sometimes many dozens) to do what they do best. Each and every plane, carrying one or more soldiers, has been met with cheers, hugs, applause, salutes, and handshakes; these strangers are giving us love and gratitude we aren’t accustomed to. We’ll be handed cookies, candies, toiletries, books and cell phones (for free calls home) in the old duty-free shop that has now become their “welcome-center.” You won’t find any of the indifference or hostility that some of the Vietnam vets faced. These Maine Greeters are determined that troops are met with respect and appreciation.

First morning in the US

Sorry I side-tracked but it’s important to me that you know about this group and what they’re doing every day for us. We left Maine for an undisclosed airfield on the east coast. When we landed, we were greeted by a bunch of generals, politicians, high-ranking officers, and several command sergeant majors. If you’ve never been in the military you have to realize that for an assembly of that much brass in one place usually means that you’re in a parade, the Pentagon, or at Arlington so you know we’re really not accustomed to this. The most exciting part of this was that a few of us made it a point to take off our boots and walk barefoot in the grass, others rolled around in it, and a few even kissed the ground. I hadn’t seen lush, green grass in almost 18 months so you can imagine that this was fun for me.

From the airfield, we were taken (in school buses) to a huge airplane hangar. The bus ride was weird because we’re allowed to roll down the windows. This is something that you’d never do in Iraq because it can get you killed. Everything was very green, fresh, and clean and not a hint of any burning trash. I have to admit, I’m still feeling like a rock star at this point. We get there and have to turn in our weapons to the units that will be inspecting them for re-issue. This is a problem for me because I carry multiple weapons and they’ve been my constant companions from the start of this nut roll up to now. It really hurt (emotionally) to say goodbye to them. I’m glad I wasn’t the only one with this problem. The bonus part is that now you get to feel “lost” because you’re not armed. Imagine how you’d feel if you’re in a public place and suddenly you realize you don’t have pants on, that’s how it is with a soldier and his weapon. To some of us the pants are optional the weapon is not.

After some initial in processing, we were taken on post and housed in the “VIP” housing. It was actual VIP housing which means luxury and privacy; something we’re definitely not accustomed to. The rooms are one-man rooms with a shower connecting to both rooms; each room has a TV, bunk, desk, microwave, armoire, 110v electricity, basic cable, fridge, and a window. This is the nicest accommodation I’ve had the whole tour. The funny thing is, the VIP housing isn’t really because we’re important, I think it was because the buildings are located far away from where we would come into contact with “normal” people. My compliments to the post commander for this idea, it was a smart one. The fatal flaw in this plan is the fact that we don’t care if we’re on foot. We’ve just spent 22 months on tour walking everywhere and this post is no challenge to us. We’ll walk as long and far as we have to.

Priorities first, we have a place to crash out so now we need food and drink (alcohol or non-alcohol) I’m indifferent at this point. I stroll to the closest chow hall and ask to talk to the mess sergeant directly. I explain that we’ve been back in the states less than six hours and we would like something “special” for chow. He asks me “What?” I tell him I’d like two fried egg sandwiches and a glass of milk for dinner. He looks at me strangely until I explain that since I’ve been gone, all I’ve had has been powdered eggs and powdered milk. Therefore, I want REAL eggs and milk. He laughed and cooked it personally for me. I’m a real rock star!!! On the way back to housing, we stop by the commissary and pick up some food to store and eat at our leisure. It’s amazing how much time you can spend in there looking at everything and not buy much.

Two hours later, we continue our stroll “home” and run into my boss from the deployment who tells me that he’s procured “drinks” for us back at the building. He explains that we don’t have to be anywhere until 1000 hours the next morning so we have some buffer time to sleep in. GAME ON! I have to tell you that I cook with more alcohol in a week than I drink in a year. Just the fact that we “can” now; I made it a point to get very drunk. ¾ of one beer later, I’m good to go. I notice that the floor is rocking back and forth, like a swing, but not spinning. I stagger back to my room and turn on the TV just to hear real commercials for a change. Before I fall asleep I have the epiphany that I’ve become a cheap date but after that long in the desert sober and being dehydrated, it wouldn’t take much.

Turning a Bit Dark, Informative, and Realistic

Morning comes too early, as always. I woke up very confused because I didn’t recognize where I was, my weapon was missing, and no on was shooting at me. How sad is it that those morning parameters are considered normal to me. I look around in a panic not really knowing what I should be looking at or looking for. I’m not really sure of what a “formal” or correctly defined panic attack is like but I think I was in the middle of one now. See, for us (combat veterans) we’re either OK or in panic/fighting mode. There really is no happy middle ground. It takes me about ten to fifteen minutes to calm myself down and make sense of what’s around me. I get past this little episode and start my day with briefings and medical processing.

Medical processing is where you enjoy going through a physical (without the dipstick treatment) with about two hundred other soldiers. The doctors check your hearing, breathing, reflexes, and other “normal” body functions. The most frustrating part for me was the hearing test. They place you in this sound booth with headphones and hand you a button on a cable. They tell you to listen carefully and when you hear a tone in the left or right ear, press the button. Long story short, I didn’t hear much. The part that irked me was when the tech told me my results; he stated that my hearing was still within “normal” parameters; never mind that I had dropped five points across the board from my last hearing test given to me before I left. Put practically, I have to turn my head slightly so that my left ear is facing you in order to hear clearly. It’s especially difficult when there’s background noise. The other tests went OK but I had similar results throughout the physical in some form or another.

After the physical, you get to spend time with the shrink. I really don’t like shrinks. The interview includes how are you feeling, any changes from when you left to when you returned, blah, blah, blah! All of this is being documented in order to track your health and to be able to improve on research and treatment for other soldiers. What’s the point? The answers include the following: I have nightmares pretty much every night, I can’t stand to be around people in general, I’ve become apathetic towards pretty much everything under the sun, I have no tolerance for anyone, I can go from zero to hostile at the drop of a hat, and I find that I don’t operate as sharp as I used to. After talking to guys that were in Vietnam, they reassured me that this is normal.

Let me give you some examples.

1. I’ve always been one that makes list in order to stay organized and accomplish tasks. Now I can’t operate without them at all. I lose focus or the drive to get things done.

2. I had blood work done because of feeling so jacked up and uneasy for so long. The doctor informs me that my cortisol levels are through the roof. Cortisol is the hormone secreted from your anterior (front) pituitary gland that takes over when adrenaline is used up.

3. I find not only do I not care for daily “events”, I’m apathetic towards things around me. It’s not that I’m not putting out effort to fit in or interact with society; I just don’t care to do so.

These are some of the many examples of what I, and many others, am going through. This is also the main reason I started to blog again. I wanted to feel a sense of normalcy. Blogging while I was in Iraq was a fun pastime for me, so I figured it would help me now. I just hope it provides my readers with some first hand insight and understanding as to why we behave the way we do after combat. Some soldiers become addicted to the adrenaline high so they do stupid things like speeding or reckless driving in order to achieve that high again. Others turn to alcohol, drugs or other paraphernalia in order to escape the memories, nightmares, feelings, and insecurity we’re not accustomed to. It’s truly an emotional roller coaster teetering between hostility and sorrow.

I find that sometimes I’m overwhelmed with sorrow and guilt because some of my soldiers died and I didn’t. Then the guilt doubles because I think of where would that leave my parents, my brothers and my sisters. I find that I’m not interested anymore in things I used to enjoy. Then I have the complete opposite in that I see something that acts as a trigger (a guy slapping a girl) and I’m filled with absolute rage. Not anger, not hostility (although that can come into play later) but complete and utter rage. If I’m confronted by the triggering mechanism (person, etc) I am already planning my escape route after either crippling him or killing him. I haven’t acted any of this out but I still have the emotions. What do I do to fight this? In my case, I had to be proactive. Like I said earlier, I had the blood work done and the doctor prescribed meds. One to pill was made to help wean me off of the cortisol (hormone) and the other to help me sleep. Some days are easier than others. What it boils down to is the fact that I had become so accustomed to the chaos, terror and horror of living in a combat zone that it had become normal for me to thrive in that environment.

After two weeks with the medical and administrative processing, I went home. Now that I’m back here I still don’t feel like “me”. I go through the motions of daily life as if I’m on autopilot but with no real interest in what I do. It’s as if I am going through my “role” only because it’s what’s expected of me. I don’t interact with too many friends outside of the Army because I just don’t have much interest in doing so. I work and I go home. I’ve been told that I’ve become “stand-offish” and it really doesn’t bother me. The sad thing is I’m one of the less severe cases that my family doctor has to deal with.

Now I realize that this posting has taken a dark turn from my normal, jovial, postings but I feel that, by sharing this, it might help someone else in my shoes or a family member trying to understand why their soldier is behaving so differently. My other goal for posting what’s going on with me is, I honestly don’t know. I know I feel better when I write but I’m frustrated at the same time.

I will continue to post on the changes in my life since I’ve been back. I hope that you will be patient and tolerant of these postings and I look forward to your feedback. See you soon.

Returning to Blogging

2008-01-24T03:49:00.000+03:00

Dear Readers,

Yes, I realize that it’s been almost six months since my last posting. I have returned to the states and am still going through the “readjustment” period. I knew it would be a while but I honestly didn’t expect it to be this long. My doc (family doc not head shrinker) suggested I return to blogging as to provide me with a sense of “normalcy” as a pastime. Anyway, I am posting this along with some pictures from the completed mural with all the names on it and I've also included a video I completed before I left Iraq. I will start to add more postings to update you on the trip home, life since I’ve been back in the states, etc. I look forward to hearing from all of you again.

CC

The Completed Mural

Details From Left Side

Details From Right Side

Video

Riding Off Into The Sunset

2007-06-24T23:28:00.000+04:00

Dear Readers,

I'm sorry I haven't posted for a while but there's a pretty good reason. I've been training my replacement. So this will be the last posting I will make while I’m on the ground in Iraq. We’ve been gone from home for almost two years. Our task force has lost a total of 20 soldiers and even more have been wounded and sent stateside for their recovery. The “family” I’ve been with throughout this deployment has almost come to an end. At the current time we have not been told exactly when we’re leaving or arriving due to security reasons but we know it is somewhere in the next few days. Shortly after that, we’ll arrive in the states, and then back to our homes, our families, and our “lives” that we left so long ago.

I’ve spent my entire adult life as a soldier defending the principles America was founded on. My career with the Army has been mixed with different experiences, friends, and memories that I will cherish for the rest of my life. In twenty-two years, this journey has taken me to all seven continents, fifty-six countries, and across cultures only read about in books. I’ve been to places that are considered significant for different reasons throughout history. I’ve lost friends along the way and gained more as life continues.

I’ve been there to witness the worst of atrocities, violence, and behavior that mankind is capable of. I’ve also been there to see the spirit of human “good” in the best and worst of times. I’ve seen people put their differences aside in order to save children, families, neighbors, and countries. I have been there passing through time witnessing and participating in moments of our history that will be remembered, studied, taught to future generations and eventually, forgotten. I’ve witnessed the Challenger explosion, the invasion of Panama and capture of Manuel Noriega, the invasion (and subsequent) liberation of Kuwait, the fall of the Soviet Union, the dismantling of Checkpoint Charlie, the Balkans war, the war in Rwanda, the war for Somalia, the attack on the United States on September 11th, the fall of Saddam Hussein, the global war on terrorism, the miracle of the first generation of children being born into a free Iraq, the deaths of Ronald Reagan, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, and others that have played a poignant part in history. I’ve seen our country endure through the challenges of different administrations. All of these events have happened while I and others like me have remained in the shadows of our history securing your freedoms and liberties.

As I’ve been receiving letters, cards, and messages of encouragement from all of you I cannot thank God enough for blessing me with such wonderful friends and readers. I feel that I’ve entered the “twilight” of my military career with more than I deserve. In my short life, I have seen and done more than most people three times my age.

In closing, I will probably not post for a while once I get back as I will spend my time getting reacquainted with being home, with friends and with family. I will enjoy the last couple of days here turning in equipment, saying goodbye to my rifle, updating phones and addresses in order to try to stay in touch. I will see some of my friends and family but I will make it a point to fade into obscurity as I finish this part of my journey and start another. In time, people will read and remember some of the postings I’ve made, but (like life always is) they will move on with their lives. I will do the same. One of the greatest privileges I’ve ever had has been to be a soldier for the United States. I never want anyone to feel sorry for me being gone from home, going to combat, or suffering as I have because of being a soldier. This is a life I’ve been granted and a duty that I have upheld to the best of my abilities. I’ve kept doing it for as long and as hard as I could because I was compelled to do so. God doesn’t send us where we want to go, he places us where we need to be. Again, I thank you for your prayers and support and wish you and yours well.

Coconut Commando

Statistics & Percents

2007-05-30T00:22:00.000+04:00

According to the CIA’s World Fact Book, the estimated population of the United States (in July 2007) is going to be around 301,139,947. Of that entire number, some three million (3,000,000) men and women comprise the active, reserve and National Guard units that serve in our military and our country. That’s all five branches- Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard. These are the men and women that are at both deployed and serving at home. That’s roughly about one percent (1%) of our population dedicated to protecting our way of life.

We must often endure long periods of separation from our loved ones and are called upon to put ourselves at risk of serious injury or death in order to protect the rest of America. Rest assured, we are an ALL volunteer force and none of us were pressed to join or drafted.

It would be very naïve to believe that all of us are angels. From time to time, we are informed of allegations of wrongdoing and criminal acts committed by our fellow military members. In such cases, we always owe them the benefit of the doubt due to the nature of the job and what the demands are of you. If America owes the presumption of innocence to anyone, they owe it to us.

While I don’t support censorship to the level that it had been taken to by other countries, like Iraq where the wrong word would get you & your family jailed, tortured and executed, I definitely don’t support the “watchdog” role that the media has taken “for the greater good”. I do, however, believe it is exceedingly detrimental to allow isolated incidents to cast a wider suspicion on America’s military members through the sensational media coverage such cases frequently receive. This type of “reporting” quickly chips away at America’s confidence in the institutions and people that protect it. It is also very demoralizing to us!

Wrongdoing by our fellow military members is very serious, is not tolerated and is treated as such. But instead of so much focus on the specific incidents, the media should be watching and reporting on the effectiveness of the internal systems we use to bring our own to justice.

The two prime examples include the prisoner abuse at Abu-Gharib and the marines accused of murdering civilians in different parts of the country. I am certain that all of you readers have at least a vague familiarity on both topics. Unlike America’s “Justice System”, our system is one that should be studied and used as the standard. The Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) is respected, feared, and taught to us from day one in the military. It can be something handles at a level of administrative counseling, on the spot corrections/actions (push ups), demotions, extra duty, loss of pay, and (in severe cases) jail or executions.

The punishments here fit the crime. Did you also know that “A jury of your peers” is exactly that? The jury isn’t chosen base upon how little they know through the media, how neutral they are on a topic, or how much the book rights will sell for (OJ jurors). They are chosen based upon the experiences, careers and similarities of both the prosecution and the defendant’s background. For example, if one of my soldiers were to be brought up for a court marshal (UCMJ speak for trial or pre-trial) the juries would likely consist of males between the ages of 19 to 35, combat MOS (Military Occupational Skill-your job in the military), combat veteran, have been deployed to the same theater my Joes have, and have been in the military at least seven years. If it was me, my jury would have different parameters to match my jury as “my peers”. Makes sense, doesn’t it? Did you also know that the UCMJ has the death penalty for certain cases of rape? And the media calls our justice system “outdated”.

We do have problem soldiers and criminals in the military. I would be lying to you if I said different. We have our own justice system for dealing with them. Remember that we make up about 1% of America’s population. Soldiers that commit crimes while in the military make up an even less percentage than that. What’s a small percent of 1%? I’m not sure, but you get the idea. It’s a pity that all of this is overshadowed by the sensationalism that the media presents.

Unfortunately, reporting the sensational brings in the ratings and is better for business. I have witnessed a reporter here stating, “My editor taught me that if it bleeds, it leads”. The funny irony is that I wonder if he would like to make the headlines for being punched in the mouth for saying something stupid like that. I didn’t do it but, I really fought the urge to. I don’t think that all reporters believe the same way but sometimes you wonder.

We have accomplished so much good in this country that it would make your head spin if you were to compare the numbers and actions from before Saddam and after. We will continue to do good things here to the best of our ability. All that we ask is that, in the future, you hold the media accountable for their “Leading Stories” and don’t judge us by the few rotten apples we have in the batch. Remember, there were more murders in New York during the last few months than there were GI deaths in Iraq (cheap shot on Sen. Clinton but you get the point). We will handle our own criminals, keep the media out of it!

Remember Memorial Day

2007-05-29T10:08:00.000+04:00

As many of you know, this is another Memorial Day away from home but closer to the real meaning of the holiday than most will ever know. We had a break in that we were able to stop for about two hours to remember our fallen brothers and sisters that aren’t here with us any longer. They are the ones that have joined the ranks of many that came before them. Last night (or rather EARLY) Memorial Day, we were greeted with 95˚ temperatures at 0100 hours and a sandstorm with hurricane (Category 1) strength winds. Once the sun was up, we dug out and repaired the damage all the while keeping an eye out for those that are trying to kill us at every opportunity. This is just a fact of life here. For me, one day is exactly like the rest. After being gone so long, it just gets that way. At times I can tell you what the date is but still have no clue as to what day of the week it is.

Across America, different celebrations will kick off with family gatherings, meals spent together and (my personal favorite) everything on sale because the sole purpose of veterans dying in combat is for people to save a buck on a new mattress or refrigerator. As the celebrations are starting, we’ll continue to aggressively search for our four MIA (Missing in Action) soldiers that have been lost to us. As we search, I find myself praying for them, their families, and the others soldiers here that are not giving up hope of finding them.

Despite the horror of the recent kidnappings, there is a lot of good coming out of Iraq. You won’t see it or know about it back home because it doesn’t get ratings. Al Qaeda is having very hard times lately as the locals have grown increasingly tired of the bombings and have now begun to openly hunt Al Qaeda in multiple areas of Iraq. Iraqis are standing up in defiance of this extremism and beginning to fight back and kick Al Qaeda’s a** from town to town, literally putting them on the run. The news seems very reluctant to report on this progress, and those “supportive” politicians running for office are conveniently oblivious to any shred of truth going on in Iraq. As we remain vigilant and aware of the big picture here, we place our real focus on our piece of the pie and count down the days until our time here is done.

As I finish this posting, I can tell you that we've had a total of twenty (20)soldiers that have sacrificed their lives that others may live. Please take the time to stop and remember, pray for and thank those that have given all for your freedom. Don’t let their lives, their sacrifices and their families be replaced with a “Four-day holiday weekend and sales”.

Originally called Decoration Day, Memorial Day is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service. There are many stories as to its actual beginnings, with over two-dozen cities and towns laying claim to being the birthplace of Memorial Day. There is also evidence that organized women's groups in the South were decorating graves before the end of the Civil War: a hymn published in 1867, "Kneel Where Our Loves are Sleeping" by Nella L. Sweet carried the dedication "To The Ladies of the South who are Decorating the Graves of the Confederate Dead".

While Waterloo N.Y. was officially declared the birthplace of Memorial Day by President Lyndon Johnson in May 1966, it's difficult to prove conclusively the origins of the day. It is more likely that it had many separate beginnings; each of those towns and every planned or spontaneous gathering of people to honor the war dead in the 1860's tapped into the general human need to honor our dead, each contributed honorably to the growing movement that culminated in Gen Logan giving his official proclamation in 1868. It is not important who was the very first, what is important is that Memorial Day was established. Memorial Day is not about division. It is about reconciliation; it is about coming together to honor those who gave their all.

Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on 5 May 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his General Order Number 11, and was first observed on 30 May 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery.

The first state to officially recognize the holiday was New York in 1873. By 1890 it was recognized by all of the northern states. The South refused to acknowledge the day, honoring their dead on separate days until after World War I (when the holiday changed from honoring just those who died fighting in the Civil War to honoring Americans who died fighting in any war). It is now celebrated in almost every State on the last Monday in May (passed by Congress with the National Holiday Act of 1971 (P.L. 90 - 363) to ensure a three day weekend for Federal holidays), though several southern states have an additional separate day for honoring the Confederate war dead: January 19 in Texas, April 26 in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi; May 10 in South Carolina; and June 3 (Jefferson Davis' birthday) in Louisiana and Tennessee.

In 1915, inspired by the poem “In Flanders Fields”, Moina Michael replied with her own poem:
We cherish too, the Poppy red that grows on fields where valor led.
It seems to signal to the skies that blood of heroes never dies.

She then conceived of an idea to wear red poppies on Memorial Day in honor of those who died serving the nation during war. She was the first to wear one, and sold poppies to her friends and co-workers with the money going to benefit servicemen in need. Later a Madam Guerin from France was visiting the United States and learned of this new custom started by Ms. Michael and when she returned to France, made artificial red poppies to raise money for war orphaned children and widowed women. This tradition spread to other countries. In 1921, the Franco-American Children's League sold poppies nationally to benefit war orphans of France and Belgium. The League disbanded a year later and Madam Guerin approached the VFW for help. Shortly before Memorial Day in 1922 the VFW became the first veterans' organization to nationally sell poppies. Two years later their “Buddy” Poppy program was selling artificial poppies made by disabled veterans. In 1948 the US Post Office honored Ms. Michael for her role in founding the National Poppy movement by issuing a red 3-cent postage stamp with her likeness on it.

Traditional observance of Memorial Day has diminished over the years. Many Americans nowadays have forgotten the meaning and traditions of Memorial Day. At many cemeteries, the graves of the fallen are increasingly ignored, neglected. Most people no longer remember the proper flag etiquette for the day. While there are towns and cities that still hold Memorial Day parades, many have not held a parade in decades. Some people think the day is for honoring any and all dead, and not just those fallen in service to our country.

There are a few notable exceptions. Since the late 50's on the Thursday before Memorial Day, the 1,200 soldiers of the 3d U.S. Infantry place small American flags at each of the more than 260,000 gravestones at Arlington National Cemetery. They then patrol 24 hours a day during the weekend to ensure that each flag remains standing. In 1951, the Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts of St. Louis began placing flags on the 150,000 graves at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery as an annual Good Turn, a practice that continues to this day. More recently, beginning in 1998, on the Saturday before the observed day for Memorial Day, the Boys Scouts and Girl Scouts place a candle at each of approximately 15,300 grave sites of soldiers buried at Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park on Marye's Heights (the Luminaria Program). And in 2004, Washington D.C. held its first Memorial Day parade in over 60 years.

To help re-educate and remind Americans of the true meaning of Memorial Day, the "National Moment of Remembrance" resolution was passed on Dec 2000 which asks that at 3 p.m. local time, for all Americans "To voluntarily and informally observe in their own way a Moment of remembrance and respect, pausing from whatever they are doing for a moment of silence or listening to 'Taps."

The Moment of Remembrance is a step in the right direction to returning the meaning back to the day. What is needed is a full return to the original day of observance. Set aside one day out of the year for the nation to get together to remember, reflect and honor those who have given their all in service to their country.

But what may be needed to return the solemn, and even sacred, spirit back to Memorial Day is for a return to its traditional day of observance. Many feel that when Congress made the day into a three-day weekend in with the National Holiday Act of 1971, it made it all the easier for people to be distracted from the spirit and meaning of the day. As the VFW stated in its 2002 Memorial Day address, "Changing the date merely to create three-day weekends has undermined the very meaning of the day”. No doubt, this has contributed greatly to the general public's nonchalant observance of Memorial Day."

On January 19, 1999 Senator Inouye introduced bill S 189 to the Senate, which proposes to restore the traditional day of observance of Memorial Day back to May 30th instead of "the last Monday in May". On April 19, 1999 Representative Gibbons introduced the bill to the House (H.R. 1474). The bills were referred the Committee on the Judiciary and the Committee on Government Reform. To date, there have been no further developments on the bill.

Interesting Survey Questions

2007-05-11T23:35:00.000+04:00

Dear Readers,

One of our soldiers has a cousin that is involved with an online discussion group about the war here -- she (the soldier’s cousin) asked for feedback on the questions below. After it was mentioned to a few of us, I thought it would be interesting to see what my readers think, so I'm posting the questions with my answers for all of you to read. If you have the time (and interest) please feel free to answer the questions and sent your responses to me. I am very interested in your feedback and thoughts on this one.

1.) After having been there now for a while, why do you think we are there? And has your feeling/understanding changed at all about why we are there?
If nothing else, to help the Iraqi people move forward in order for them to insure a positive solid future for themselves, their families and their countries. This will insure at least one more ally in the Middle East for future joint endeavors. My feelings on the reason why I was deployed have not changed one bit.

2.) Do most of your comrades want to be there?
Yes and no, "Yes" for the same reason stated in question number one and no because none of us enjoy being away from our families. But we do the job anyway because we are compelled to do so.

3.) Do most of you think you are doing a good thing there?
Yes! Since we (Coalition Forces) have been here, they have had democratic free elections, appointed a mixed governing body, been allowed to freely express their thoughts and ideas through television, radio & newspapers, have started to genuinely rebuild their infrastructure (water, electricity, health care, etc) and the first generation of "Free Iraqis" has been born. These are things that a lot of Americans have taken for granted.

4.) Do you think people can support the troops, but not the war? Do you find it contradictory?
People can support the troops but not the war is the same asinine ideology of "I smoked but didn't inhale". How can you support me but not what I do? My job is not one that many people can (or won't) do. I do my job to the best of my abilities and the people here that have experienced the suffering from Saddam's regime see us as their liberators. They also understand that it took decades for the country to get to this state and the recovery is not going to be overnight. The American public (as a whole) enjoys instant gratification and this is something that is being sold to them by politicians. Now that the war hasn't been "short", they are all jumping on the bandwagon in order to insure their future reelection employment while under the guise of "support the troops". It would be the same if I were to say that I support firemen but not what they do because they speed through traffic and break things to get the job done. Or I support the police but not the fact that they will arrest me when I break the law. You can't have it both ways.

5.) What would you tell someone who thinks it is ONLY about oil?
Give up your life in comfort, time with your family, civilian career, freedom and sanity. Enlist, then do a year-long tour over here, then come and talk to me about the oil. Or stay faithfully married to one of our soldiers, raise the children while we're gone, take care of everything at home for us, and pray every night that we've survived to see another sunrise. Until you've done all of that, you haven't EARNED the right to express any opinion on what is going on over here.

6.) If you had ten minutes on CNN, what would you find most important to convey to the American people about Iraq?
I wouldn't trust CNN to get me a slurpee at 7-11, much less with anything as important as reliable news. They tote themselves as being "The Most Trusted News Source" on the air. If you believe that, send me all of your money now so I can invest it on beachfront property for you here. If you want the truth, talk face to face with a veteran that has just returned from here.

7.) Do you feel you have the support of most Americans?
Yes I do, I just feel sorry for all of the Americans that are following the "Sheep" mentality and believing the politicians who haven't bothered to change their course of idealism (bordering on fantasy) about what being at war means or to fight for the principles and freedoms they wield without any forethought to the outcome as long as they remain elected. As you're reading my answers, stop and think to yourself, "What did I feel on September 11th as we were being attacked?" Always remember this because politicians seem to have forgotten it in favor of popularity and election results.

The additional questions I have for all of you are these:

1)Do you honestly think that we are “losing” the war as politicians say?

2)Do you think that a complete American troop withdrawal is the solution to what is going on here?

3)What do you propose as a reliable plan for “ending” the war?

4)Do you think that the US should put pressure on other coalition forces and the UN to “step up” and be more proactive about their roles here?

5)Do you support us (the troops) but not the war, and why?

6)Should reporters be embedded or allowed access to soldiers and operations as they are now, or should they be “reigned in” like in WWII and other wars? Why?

No More Blogging For The Commando?

2007-05-05T01:19:00.000+04:00

I received an interesting question from Conservative Beach Girl, whose web blog can be reached at-http://politicalbeachgirl.blogspot.com

“I just heard Army has said no more blogging from Iraq. Is it true or false?”

Currently, that I’m aware of, the Army has not instituted a “no-blogging policy” for us (at least here). If they have, we haven’t gotten it through distribution, yet. We do have to submit all of our future postings for screening to our local IMO (Information Management Officer) in order for him to advise us of any OPSEC (Operational Security) violations, comments aimed at specific personnel in order to undermine their authority, or any other issues with the posting that would reflect negatively on me as a soldier. We, as leaders also remain proactive in assisting the IMO if he’s not sure or he needs help screening postings and blogs in general. Now I feel this doesn’t limit me in any way because of the topics I post about but it does provide me with a challenge in order to inform the general public about things that are going on here without giving away things that my readers simply just don’t need to know. And as much as certain politicians, policies, media, and other topics tend to get under my skin, I make it a point to wait a few days in order to calm down and generate a posting that remains clear, informative, funny, and entertaining to all of my readers.

With that being said, I will admit to you that some of the people I’ve been stationed with in the past haven’t seen eye to eye with me over different issues ranging from books, cars, fishing, surfing, art, history, leadership styles, mission parameters and specifics. But that’s not a license for me to “drop the dime” over something trivial which can potentially cost lives here and at home. Remember, TERRORISTS HAVE ACCESS TO THE INTERNET TOO!!!! Besides, the same terrorists have cells and sympathizers in the states too which would allow them to target you while we’re here. Yes, this is true so don’t go fooling yourself into thinking different.

I’ve listed some of the excerpts from the MNC-I (Multi National Corps-Iraq) policy covering web sites, blogs, and blogging. Here are the two key policies that jump out and we stress on our soldiers:

MNC-I personnel who post web logs must register the URL at which the blog is posted with their unit.

Service members in violation to this policy may be subject to adverse administrative action or punishment under the UCMJ. DoD civilians and DoD contractor personnel may be subject to adverse administrative action.

In short, it means that you need to register your web site and/or blog with the IMO for approval and subsequent monitoring for any violations. The second one lets you know that if you don’t follow the first rule, you’ll be held accountable.

This is a link to the Military Information Technology web site that covers an article on this topic published in September of 2005 (the most recent one I could find). I think you should read it to gain a better insight as to the reasons why the Army pushes this policy. It’s not because of being an “Overlord” army; it’s for the safety, concern for the soldier and the CYA factor.

http://www.military-information-technology.com/article.cfm?DocID=1242

As much as I've enjoyed blogging in order to share a majority of the experience, I agree very much with the policy for several reasons. First, security, if the general public reads blogs for their own information, so does the media, and so do terrorist. It’s an easy venue for gathering information. Two, it teaches and instills the discipline and self-responsibility for the soldiers that have never been deployed to a combat zone before to think before they speak/write. Three, it also allows for the IMO (Information Management Officer) to not only insure that the OPSEC (Operational Security) protocols are being adhered to, and he will also “advertise” your blog as a safe blog to visit within the network of web sites that apply to your unit. For example, my blog is listed as a link on several different military, family and troop support blogs and web sites.

As I am a big supporter of freedom of speech and expression, I (and my brothers & sisters in arms) gave that up when we swore in. That in itself has taught me self control and clear focus when I speak verbally and write letters, blog postings and memos. I hope this will grant you a bit of insight form a Joe on the ground. I hope this note finds you and yours doing well.

Politicians Just Don’t Get It

2007-05-01T04:10:00.000+04:00

So I’ve been stewing for a while about all of the asinine politics and downright ignorant behavior being displayed by the democratic congress in Washington versus President Bush. We were watching a documentary today titled “Obsession-Radical Islam’s War against the West”. This particular documentary focused on radical Islam, its ideologies, and effects worldwide. It did make it a point to inform that not all Muslims believe in this type of Islam and its “encouraged” behavior. As we’re watching the documentary, it shows how much they hate us, the idea of us, and how they will NEVER stop until all infidels are dead. I understand the mechanics and the behavior being taught and encouraged as the right thing to do in the name of the Muslim religion.

But let’s look at a different issue that runs parallel to radical Islam. Our media tends to cover the death of US soldiers and the situation here in such a manner as to paint a picture that all of Iraq hates us and wants us out of the country. This skewed vision is made more powerful by the visual clips from “archive footage”, hired “Military Experts”, and politicians screaming about how we’re losing the war. Michael Moore stated, “There are no terrorists and no terrorist threat”. I wonder if he was at ground zero in New York when the planes hit. I highly doubt that New Yorkers would agree with him or would allow him into their homes after a statement like that. While I’ve only visited New York and been through the JFK Airport, I can tell you that they LOVE the military and what they do as they have welcomed us with standing ovations and hugs. Imagine that, a predominately democratic state being guilty of such behavior. Why, because New Yorkers remember being attacked.

What a good amount of the rest of Americans either fail to realize or acknowledge is that by repeatedly airing such nonsense, the media and politicians are as equally dangerous as the insurgents we face everyday. Freedom of the press is a powerful weapon that the media wields with little to no forethought of the effects just for the ratings alone. I truly wonder how New Yorkers feel when they watch or hear all of this going on and being treated as if their state wasn’t involved in the September 11th attacks.

Military “experts”, analysts, and politicians use reports of VBIEDs (Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosives) laced with chlorine, suicide bombers, and sectarian violence as evidence that Iraq is in a civil war. Yes, all three (and more) do occur here and I would be a liar to tell you different. But why only tell one side of the story? In the Iraqi culture as a whole, they have never been into suicide bombing, killing of innocent women and children who were at the market, or sectarian violence on a grand scale. Exceptions to the rule include Saddam Hussein’s purging of the Kurds and the Shia. Your average Iraqi Muslim values life, family, and peace.

A majority of the instigating violence here is carried out by foreign fighters from the Stans (Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and the other Stans), Iran, and other countries that have no true interest in helping the Iraqi people move forward. It is all about control. They are raising and training several generations of children to believe in this as a way of life in order for Islam to dominate the world. If you think this idealism sounds familiar then you must have either read or heard about Adolph Hitler’s idealism and goals for a pure Germany and a new world order. I find it very shocking that the children of the great generation of WWII veterans have forgotten, ignored and turned their backs on what their fathers fought and died for. These children are now in control of Washington and have abandoned the ideals that WWII Americans fought so hard to defend in favor of looking good for the media and insuring their future employment in politics. They will brag about a Democratic or Republican controlled house or senate. What happened to ONE nation? Have they forgotten that they were elected to represent the people of the UNITED States and not their party affiliations? But what do I know; I’m just a grunt over here with a hodge podge of other American grunts that are truly united. We have and will always throw our differences aside in an instant the very second that lives are in danger; ours or the Iraqi’s.

Now the Iraqis will fire off a clip out of an AK-47, they’ll yell at each other, and yes, they have and will kill each other but not in the methods described above. However, the majority of the violence against the civilian population and coalition forces has and is carried out by foreign fighters recruited by Al-Qaeda. They recruit young men and now women & children to join the Jihad against the “Great Satan” (you & I) with the promise of becoming martyrs in the name of Allah. That’s why we call them insurgents. You see by definition, a civil war would mean Iraqi versus Iraqi exclusively-which is not the case in Iraq. Rwanda, America and the Balkans are examples of civil war with the bonus of genocide, or ethnic cleansing, as the media states it. I’m not sure if it’s to soften the blow on the American public to the fact that they kill large numbers of people based off of a race, religion, class, or color.

But Commando, you stated America!! Yes, we’ve had a civil war (North vs South/Union vs Rebels) with genocide on both sides and the genocide of the slaves. The descendants of that civil war continued to pass on the ideals that defined that war. “All men are created equal”- in the north, and “niggers need to know their place” in the south. Yes, I am quoting from several different sources and am not using the PC terms as it would lose the impact of my point. Yep, we’re guilty or our own sins like this but we’re making an attempt to learn and correct those mistakes from the past. But unlike us, it is still going on here everyday with the same intensity.

Al Qaeda’s greatest fear here is that the Iraqi people will get seriously pissed and unite against them and their version of Islam. They are desperate to drive this nation into civil war because they know it is their only way to stop the very idea of a united Iraq that is free from their oppression. The irony is that their most prized ally now is the American media and a majority of the democratic national party.

Bottom line, if the democrats really want to “support the soldier” as they claim, the best way to do so is to STOP HELPING!

A Little R&R in Qatar

2007-04-29T01:18:00.000+04:00

The commando got a free short vacation in neighboring Qatar! Understand that, if given any chance, all of us would gladly leave this place even if it were for a short stay in anyplace that doesn’t involve us getting shot at. Anyway, the purpose of this trip was purely for R&R (rest & relaxation) and I am so glad I got the opportunity to go. It’s always a fun, yet disturbing experience to do something different here. First, the flight itself was sort of strange to me because we took off “normally” with the vertical launch up. When we landed, there was none of the shenanigans I’ve grown accustomed to. The hard banking, nosedives, or barfing that are part of the charm of our “normal” flights. In fact what I thought was just minor turbulence turned out to be the plane landing.

We got to spend the first day (Day Zero) getting to know the post and all of the activities offered, while wearing civilian clothing. Normally I have a choice of wearing a combat uniform or PT (physical training) uniform as my clothing options in Iraq. A man can only take so much so, in the spirit of rebellion, I wear civilian pajamas, and civilian clothing while I’m in my hooch for a sense of normalcy. During those lovely 2AM mortar & rocket attacks, I’m known as the guy with combat gear, flip flops and the Simpson’s pajama pants. In perspective, if you are required to wear a uniform at work, try wearing it (of course you have several of the same) for almost two years and nothing else 24-7.

The biggest novelties for the day would make my readers think “Yep, he’s in need for a lot of therapy that requires a padded room and a dinner jacket with wrap-around sleeves and big buckles & locks”. The place is clean, and in comparison to where we’re at in Iraq the place is immaculate. The air doesn’t reek of burned crap, plastic and “mystery smell” of the day. And it’s “creepy” quiet. There’s no machinegun fire, Blackhawks buzzing at 30 feet above your hooch, rocket or mortar impacts, construction machines, or alarms letting you know that we have incoming fire. I sat on a berm for about two hours and just listened to the wind blow. I know it’s the simple things in life that have the most impact.

The highlight of the evening was BEER. You see, in a combat zone, we fall under “General Order Number 1”. In short you can’t drink, possess, buy, sell or even think about alcohol. Now I’m not a big drinker, in fact, I probably cook with more alcohol in a month than I drink in a year, but the ability of having the choice to drink, is one that I couldn’t pass on. Now here’s how it works, since I am coming from one Muslim country to another and I’m on an American post, I can only drink on post. That’s still OK, and I’m allocated 3 alcoholic beverages (beer or wine) in a 24-hour period. In comparison to nothing at all, it works for me. My battle buddy and I decided to maximize the potential of the alcohol. We purposely drank very little water prior to our venture and didn’t eat. About ¾ into my cup of Guinness, life was pretty good. At the end of Guinness number two, I’m done, felling a little loopy, and ready to go back to bed and nap. No karaoke, no streaking, and no fighting, in fact nothing but a decent buzz and a short two block stroll back to the bunk. Like I said, I enjoyed the novelty of having the choice to drink in the first place.

The next day held a fun trip out in the country. Locals that operate a tour guide-like business picked us up and took us out for some fun. Our particular driver was wearing the local “man dress” you see in the pictures of Mille Eastern native. I’ve worn one as an experiment in the past and they are actually pretty comfortable and do keep you cool in 100º+ temperatures. Now, unlike my normal outings in Iraq, we went with the intent to vacation, which included a bit of Baja driving topped off with having a picnic on the shores of the Persian Gulf. If you don’t know, Qatar is a peninsula much like Florida. However, the terrain is more like Baja California in that it’s all desert. We stopped on the way to take some pictures of local camels. Once we got there, it was beautiful. Once again, it was pristine property. The sand was white and the water was crystal clear. The locals had set up a beachside “campsite” which offered tanning, swimming, volleyball, BBQ, tents for napping, and the highlight for some of the Joes (and Janes) was the smoking of the traditional hookah (huka, hooka). Basically it’s a water-based bong that the locals use to smoke just about anything. Yes, the commando knows what a bong is, from his counter-drug ops days. In this case, they were smoking apple wood tobacco. I hope it was what they said or we’re going to have a few soldiers come up hot on the next whiz quiz.

Some of the things that I noticed that seemed unusual to me were the lack of seafowl. By that I mean seagulls (the rats of the ocean). In fact, there were no seagulls the whole day while we were there. There were no clams or oysters underground like you would see at the tidal area of the beach. How can I tell? When the waves roll in and ebb out, you can see multiple bubbles coming from underground in that area of the shore. And then there were the flies. Normally, because of the high salt content at the beach, in the ocean water, and in the air, flies aren’t able to survive. Exceptions to the rule are brine flies. They thrive in those areas. But these were run of the mill houseflies. Remember, the Commando grew up in Puerto Rico until he was eight and then spent the rest of his childhood in Orlando, so he knows a thing or two about the ocean and the beach. Anyway, those were the “things to note” of the place.

We enjoyed the ocean, the sun, and the food. We were served hummus (ground chickpeas with spices), rice, cucumber salad, bean and cilantro salad, salsa (it’s universal), grilled chicken, and kabobs. Needless to say, I’m going to have to run a lot of extra miles when I get back in order to drop the fatty pounds I pick up here. We spent the rest of the day enjoying the amenities there and then returned back to post. Once we got back, we ran into a few other soldiers I know that are stationed in different areas of Iraq and joined them for dinner and our nightly allocation of three beers. This time I had one Corona, one Guinness and the short stroll back to the bunk.

Day three is an “off” day in that we are staying on post and enjoying the facilities here. I have to tell you, the Department of Defense has really done well with allowing the MWR (Morale, Welfare, and Recreation) to arrange activities and provide facilities in order for us to get away from the war.

Day four was a blast! We went on the cultural tour which included shopping in Doha (the capital) and seeing the sites. All those tourists I used to make fun of in Orlando, I was one of them this time. The bonus of it was the fact that we were taken in the short bus with tinted windows. Anyway, the tour was great because you get to learn about the culture, interact with the natives and tour around the city. We started at the camel market which was very much like a livestock market you would encounter in the Midwest. They had camels of all shapes, colors sizes and purposes. What I mean is that they sell them for milk, meat, the hide, racing, transportation and studding out. I don’t care for camels too much. You can read my entry on the Iraq 101 blog as to why.

After the camel market, we went to the fish market. Let’s just say that they don’t have as good air filtering systems as in the states. The flies on the fish added a nice touch. I was actually impressed with the selection of seafood. Prawn, grouper, shark, and squid were just some of the selections. I had fun with the fact that the bus smelled of fish when we got back in. So much to the point that one of the passengers spent a good 30 minutes fighting the urge to vomit. The next stop was the produce market. They had pretty much everything you can imagine.

Let me sidetrack for a bit - Qatar is a peninsula in the Persian Gulf. It is a unique country in that it has to import a majority of its products from fresh produce to automobiles. Before the discovery of oil, the economy of the Qatari region focused on fishing and pearling. After the introduction of the Japanese cultured pearl onto the world market in the 1920s and 1930s, Qatar's pearling industry faltered. However, the discovery of oil reserves, beginning in the 1940s, completely transformed the nation's economy. Now the country has a high standard of living, with many social services offered to its citizens and all the amenities of any modern nation. These include free electricity, education from K-12, water, and additional subsidies if they sponsor foreign investors. This means that if you were to open your own business (Starbucks, etc.) in Qatar, you have to have a native sponsor and, by law, pay him 50% of what your business makes; nice deal!

Now, while oil and gas will probably remain the backbone of Qatar's economy for some time to come, the country seeks to stimulate the private sector and develop a "knowledge economy". In 2004, it established the Qatar Science & Technology Park to attract and serve technology-based companies and entrepreneurs, from overseas and within Qatar. Qatar also established "education city" which consists of international colleges. For the 15th Asian Games in Doha, it established a "sports city" consisting of Khalifa stadium, the Aspire Sports Academy, aquatic centers, exhibition centers and many other sports related buildings and centers. Qatar also plans to build an "entertainment city" in the future.

Now back to the posting. From the produce market we went to what our tour guide affectionately calls the “Bling” mall. The bling mall is a blast! They sell gold jewels, pearls, hookas, Ferraris, and a whole ton of expensive things. The fun part is, unlike the states, you can negotiate a price with the dealer. For example, my partner in crime was able to negotiate paying $60 (217.80 Qatari Riyals) for a black pearl set which included the necklace, earrings, and a ring. The fact that the pearls are locally cultured, allows for such a price. In the states he would have easily paid about $1200 for the set. There was a reception waiting for us at the mall, much like piranhas wait for the cattle to cross the river. After about an hour and a half, we left for our next stop.

Downtown Doha’s picture sites include the giant clam, in honor of their pearling industry, boat docks, and the exterior of the Muslim Studies Center. As infidels, we aren’t allowed on the property but the locals were thrilled to tell us all about it (in a positive way) not like when we go out in sector in Iraq. We also saw a man made island that the Qatari government has built and are developing into a new business center. In short, I counted 23 buildings being built at the same time. They are basically on a quest to develop the region to become a major tourist hub in the Middle East. What about crime? Let me put it this way, they are VERY severe on criminals there. Their justice and trial systems rival our own in ideals and structure, but their punishments are a very good deterrent for crime.

Our last stop took us to a local restaurant called “Abdulraman Bin Abdulla Obaidan Fakfroo and Sons”. No lie that was the full name. The food was set up buffet style featuring local cuisine (clock wise in picture) such as meatballs in sweet sauce, garlic chicken, roasted chicken, goat shish kabobs, steamed rice, pan roasted potatoes and hummus (ground chick peas & spices), no camel that I’m aware of. It was phenomenal! When we were done, we returned back to post for more ice cold Guinness and a nap.

The last day was spent poolside relaxing. We left Qatar the next morning at o’dark thirty for the return to Iraq. As expected, the landing was par for the course with the hard banking and barfing. Thus ends my trip to Qatar.

Spinning Off

2007-04-18T19:12:00.000+04:00

Dear Readers,

I decided to add a "spin-off” blog to my current blog in order to provide you with general information about Iraq. This is education-based so that teachers, students and general knowledge seekers will have a little information about the country. This is also provided from several sources on the ground and across the web, which does not include CNN. Anyway, enjoy reading about this place from a safe distance! You can find it at http://iraq101.blogspot.com

Update-The link on the paragraph is giving me "the finger" so I added a good link on the right side of the screen in the link menu.

Easter Sunrise

2007-04-08T02:39:00.000+04:00

By the time I post this, most of my blog readers will be in bed enjoying a peaceful night’s rest. They will wake up to celebrate Easter with their families and friends. They will give thanks for all of the blessings in their lives and pray for our safety in a land so far away. They will picnic, shop, stay at home, and enjoy each other’s company. I say this because these are the things I would be doing if I were in their place.

A majority will go to church for a sunrise service and then go home to an Easter dinner as a lot of American traditions go. Being someone that makes it a hobby to “watch and pattern” people, I find it interesting that Americans, in general, go to church at least twice a year; Christmas Eve and Easter Sunday. This is interesting to me because of the difference between being at home and being here. At home, you have the luxury to sleep in on Sundays and go to church as an obligatory measure or out of guilt.

Here, we go to enjoy Chaplain Luken’s sermons, stories and his company. We also go regularly because, for some of us, it’s a way to find peace in such a turbulent place. It provides us with the luxury of time to prepare should the unexpected happen. Preparing to meet our maker is one of the things that most Americans don’t think of until the circumstances are in front of them and things are beyond their control. Sometimes I catch myself wondering what the passengers of the hijacked planes were thinking on September 11th. Were they in a state of “sheep panic” in which they were so afraid to act and at the same time to make peace with God in preparation for the inevitable? Were they drumming up the courage to stop the hijackers like the passengers did on United Airlines Flight 93? What about the people in the twin towers, were they having the same thoughts and prayers? The only ones that know are the people that were there and God. One thing I know is that the firefighters, police, and military personnel that were on hand to help rescue the victims knew that they were heading into a situation like none they’ve ever encountered before. They knew of the danger and, without regard for their own safety, they chose to go and help anyway. How many of us would do the same?

When I was in basic training, one of the drill sergeants had a quote painted on his door that he told us to memorize and live by it. The quote was by George Orwell, “People sleep peacefully in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence in their behalf”. It really didn’t make much sense to me until a few years later and half a world away. I find that as America is in turmoil because of political behavior, we still hold on to that quote and stay true to the oath we took when we enlisted. It’s sad to realize that oaths, promises, and vows have come to mean so little in our society, except by those of us who swore to defend those ideals.

Right now it is Easter morning in Iraq and some of us will be able to attend the sunrise service as others will have to remain on duty. We will pray for the health and safety of our loved ones back home, for the families of our friends that we’ve lost, for the recovery of our friends that have been wounded. We will enjoy a brief moment of peace until either the service is over or we get another rocket attack. We will be amused and annoyed as some politicians and organizations in the states scream about separation of church and state, getting us out of Iraq, and badmouthing each other in order to achieve their personal goals under the guise of “for the people”. Us, we’ll continue to live our lives here in a way that would confound most people. We will also continue to “stand ready to do violence in their behalf” because we swore to do so. If given the chance, I wonder if most politicians would do the same without regard for their own safety and welfare. It’s a huge commitment to ask of any one person and I doubt that a majority of them would rise to the occasion.

In closing, I hope that all of you back home enjoy Easter with your families and friends. Stop and talk to God and tell Him what’s on your mind (He already knows). Make peace with yourself your family and prepare to meet our maker because you just never know and hindsight is always 20/20 but it’s also usually painful. I especially hope that, at some point in your day, you stop and think about what our country would be or wouldn’t be like if there weren’t “rough men ready to do violence in your behalf”.

Enjoy some of the sunrise pictures from Iraq and know that we are thankful for being able to see another one. That is our blessing; we've survived to see another sunrise.

You Can’t Escape “The Man”

2007-04-05T00:33:00.000+04:00

I’ve shared with my blog visitors some of the interesting and strange things about being in Iraq that include IED, rocket attacks, critters, etc. You figure we’re under enough stress with all of that going on, we can handle anything, almost.

I have a unique question for the veterans that visit my blog, is it me or do Air Force MPs need to get a job? I came up on two Joes in the middle of a heated “debate”. Apparently, an Air Force MP (military police) had attached a parking ticket to the other Joe’s vehicle because it was parked on the side of the road instead of in the motor pool. Now I realize that somewhere in the AF hierarchy the MP is just doing his job, but let’s look at the facts.

The Air Force is deployed here for a maximum of four months unless they get extended (usually by a week or two). They work long hours (eight) and do receive a lot of crap from pretty much everyone here. They get an additional subsidy pay for “Substandard Housing” because they’re here. *I’m just happy to live in a trailer and not on the ground like usual and I’m not making this up. The list goes on and on.

The soldier was explaining to the MP that he did not “park” the vehicle on the side of the road; it finally gave out on the way to the motor pool because of the IED detonation they had received five hours prior. They had driven the vehicle in from the mission and were on their way when it finally died. The soldier went as far to show the MP the visible damage like the right rear tire being flat, the right rear side of the fender missing, and all of the chunks taken out of the metal because of shrapnel. The MP didn’t “buy it” and told him to explain it to the provost marshal (like the traffic judge).

The soldier then gave the MP a bit of career advice for his future. He said, “You know, if I had your job, I’d kill myself! Make sure you use a full magazine because you’ll probably miss the first 9 or 10 times!”

Brotherly Love

2007-03-31T03:01:00.000+03:00

Many people tend to express their affections for their loved ones in a number of various ways. My brother (one of three) has continued to set the standard for letting me know how much he loves me. He’s been in the military since 1982 and, at different points in our careers; we’ve been in the same unit together. There is, depending on the month of the year, a four year difference in age and a lot of differences in personalities and life experiences. Given the right circumstances, we have been able to fool a lot of people into thinking one is the other.

My brother and I have always been pretty good at keeping in touch with each other when we have been in different corners of the world on different deployments. We have always sent funny packages, letters and messages to each other in order to stay sane and (honestly) to torture each other. With that being said, he found out about our extension here and pulled strings in order to send a replacement soldier to take my place so that I can go home. It didn’t go exactly as planned but I still appreciate the thought. This is how you know you’re loved.

Girl Scout Cookies!

2007-03-29T01:47:00.001+03:00

I would like to take the time to share with you how much all of us LOVE Girl Scout cookies. I recently received 70 lbs. of Girl Scout cookies from my brother. Here in the desert, once it really gets hot, we are constantly sweating. All that sweating coupled with the amount of equipment we wear, continuous missions, and all the additional exercising we do, we are able to eat quite a bit of “fat pills’. So we do end up receiving a lot of them from family, friends, co-workers, different organizations and other channels. The thing we like, in particular, about Girl Scout cookies is that they help fund individual troops throughout the states and the organization as a whole

This particular batch was provided to my brother from the Girl Scouts of Citrus Council in Orlando, Florida (www.citrus-gs.org). In an age where parents and some societies as a whole tend to treat women and girls as “less than” it is refreshing to see that they are provided with a very positive organization that reaches out to ALL girls in order to reach out to girls of all ages, races, and religions in order to positively teach, mentor and guide them in order to set them up for lifelong success. Here is a brief history of the organization.

Women have been involved in Scouting since its earliest days. Charlotte Mason first perceived the educational possibilities of Scouting as applied to children. In April 1905, she put Baden-Powell's Aids to Scouting on the syllabus of the Parents' Union School. Baden-Powell later credited Katherine Loveday, a governess trained by Mason, as the means of inspiring Scouting for Boys.

Girls themselves have chosen to be involved in Scouting since the publication of Scouting for Boys in 1908. In the UK, girls set up their own patrols, sometimes affiliated to local Boy Scout troops, sometimes existing on their own. In New Zealand, the Peace Girl Scouts began in 1908.

In September 1909, a number of girls turned up to the first Scout Rally at the Crystal Palace, calling themselves Girl Scouts. This was a turning point for girls in Scouting: Baden-Powell accepted that girls were going to be involved in Scouting. In the October issue of Boy Scout Headquarters Gazette, a monthly newspaper for scoutmasters, an instruction appeared that all applications for membership for Girl Scouts or Girl Guides should be sent directly to headquarters, as arrangements were being made for them. A month later, in the same publication, The Scheme for Girl Guides was published. Baden-Powell knew that the girls needed a separate organization if it were to be successful and if it were not to prejudice the success of the Boy Scout movement. The Girl Guides were named after the famous corps of guides in India, the Khyber Guides. Many girls in the UK who had been Girl Scouts were suspicious of these new developments but were persuaded to accept them.

In 1910 Baden-Powell set up the Girl Guides as a parallel female movement, run by his sister Agnes Baden-Powell. She had to overcome a lot of prejudice against Guiding at that time. Many people thought that it would turn girls into tomboys, although as the Rev W. T. Money in Greenwich, London wrote in a report of 1910:

“A troop of B-P Girl Guides was only started recently. I know many who read this will shake their heads and say 'No earthly good; it will make the girls tomboys'. Well, the girls about here are already that. But to clear up a misconception, may I say that the Girl Guides are quite distinct from the so-called Girl Scouts, or for that matter, the Boy Scouts.”

While Agnes played a major role until her death in 1945, Baden-Powell's wife, Olave Baden-Powell, became Chief Guide of England in 1918, and World Chief Guide in 1930. Baden-Powell wrote a separate handbook for the new organization, The Handbook for the Girl Guides or How Girls Can Help to Build Up the Empire (1912).

In 1914 a junior branch, originally called Rosebuds shortly changed to Brownies, parallel to Wolf Cubs in Boy Scouts, began. Girls can joins young as 5 years old in some countries. At this age, they are called "Sparks" in Canada, "Daisies" in the United States, and by various other names in the more than 150 countries that participate in the Guiding and Scouting Movement.

Today, the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) is the world's largest organization of girls and women. Guides have come a long way since they were founded after the Crystal Palace rally and the new programs for all sections reflect current values and interests.

If you don’t think that the Girl Scouts have had a positive impact on us and the United States as a whole, visit their web site www.girlscouts.org and see for yourself what they have accomplished, are accomplishing and will accomplish in the future. Here is a short list of famous Girl Scout alumni:

Madeline Albright - Former US Secretary of State
Laura Bush - First Lady and Wife of President George W. Bush (43rd President)
Lynda Carter – Television Actress
Sheryl Crow - Singer/Songwriter
Sandra Day O'Connor - Associate Justice, US Supreme Court
Kathy Frost - The Adjutant General of the Army
Star Jones - Co-host, "The View", ABC-Television
Jacqueline Joyner-Kersee - 1988 Long Jump Gold Olympian
Jeanne Kirkpatrick - Former US Ambassador to the United Nations
Rita Klimova - US Ambassador, Czech & Slovah Federal Republic
Ann Landers - Advice Columnist
Susan Lucci – Emmy Award Winning Television Actress
Shannon MacMillan - Women's World Cup Member
Jane Pauley - Television reporter, "Dateline"
Nancy Reagan - Former First Lady and Wife of Ronald Reagan (40th President)
Barbara Walters - Anchorwoman of ABC "20/20"

Kriesel's First Steps!

2007-03-19T05:37:00.000+03:00

SGT John Kriesel (Still My Friend) has made another incredible leap forward! After surviving an IED attack that killed two of his fellow soldiers, multiple surgeries, infections, devastating news and a long journey home, John has taken his first steps since December 2006!

If you didn’t know, John almost died from the attack. Both his legs were amputated as a result of the damage inflicted from the IED. In a time when others would have given up because things were “hard”, John survived and continued to push forward.

Katie, his wife, has been an incredible inspiration not only to John, but to us here in country and other wives back in the states. She, along with his dad, flew to Germany when he was first brought there and has never left his side since the beginning of this whole ordeal. The company she works for (Eagle Global Logistics) has assisted them both spiritually, mentally, and financially. Her coworkers have donated their own personal vacation time in order for her to stay with her husband without worry of finances or anything else.

In any case, this is an incredible example of how good people can be. If you’re interested in making a donation, here is the information for you. Thanks!

The John and Katie Kriesel Fund
American Bank (headquarters)
1578 University Avenue West
St. Paul, MN 55104

The Challenge Coin

2007-03-18T02:03:00.000+03:00

Hello everyone, I wrote this for an article to be published here in country and thought you may find it interesting.

Throughout the military, one can find these medal artifacts displayed proudly by soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen at their desks and in their offices. Some are simple and colorless. Others are ornate, filled with intricate designs and etchings. All of them have a story behind them.

The following story, which dates the history of military coins back to the 1st World War, has been passed down from one soldier to another.

During World War I, American volunteers from all parts of the country filled the newly formed flying squadrons. Some were wealthy young men who left colleges such as Yale and Harvard in order to enlist in the military. In one squadron, a wealthy lieutenant ordered solid bronze medallions embossed with the squadron emblem for every member of his squadron. He carried his medallion in a small leather sack about his neck.

Shortly after acquiring the medallions, the lieutenant’s aircraft was severely damaged by ground fire during a mission. He was forced to land behind enemy lines where he was captured by a German patrol. In order to discourage his escape, the Germans took all of his personal identification except for the small leather pouch around his neck. He was eventually taken to a small French town near the front lines where he managed to escape during a night bombardment. During the attack, he donned civilian clothes and fled without personal identification. After escaping, the brave pilot succeeded in avoiding German patrols until he reached the front lines. With great difficulty, he crossed no-man's land and stumbled into a French outpost.

Unfortunately, the French in this sector had been plagued by German saboteurs, who sometimes masqueraded as civilians and wore civilian clothes. Not recognizing the young pilot's American accent, the French thought him to be a saboteur and made ready to execute him. Just in time, the American remembered his leather pouch containing the bronze medallion. He showed the medallion to his would-be executioners. When the French captors recognized the squadron insignia on the medallion, they gave the pilot enough time to confirm his identity. Instead of shooting him, they gave him a bottle of wine.

Eventually the pilot made it back to his squadron, where it became a tradition to ensure all members carried their medallion or coin at all times. This was accomplished through a challenge. A service member would ask to see the coin. If the challenger could not produce his coin, he was required to purchase a drink of choice for the member who had challenged him. If the challenged member produced his coin, then the challenging member was required to pay for the drink. This tradition continued through the war and for many years after while surviving members of the squadron were still alive.

Today, military service members often trade these coins while deployed. In some cases a coin can be earned meritoriously for a job well done. Regardless of how they are required, the history of the challenge coin remains a part of military tradition, and all branches will continue to display them proudly for years to come.

So what exactly goes into a unit challenge coin and how is the process done? There are several routes from concept to completed samples in order to acquire a challenge coin. Traditionally, the initial idea and concept for the coin is originated by the commander and NCOIC of the unit. Whether it is at division level or company level, the tradition is still carried on just as strong as in the past. The most common denominator is the fact that, both the commander and NCOIC want their coin to stand out while not looking like an “off the shelf” product and make their soldiers proud to earn one and carry it with them as an example of esprit de corps.

Common traits that appear on coin designs include the unit crest, patch, motto, slogan, home location, current operation (if applicable), color, numbering and a whole host of other characteristics in order to positively represent the unit and its members as a whole.

Here is how the process works for about 90% of the time. Having the coin made today is relatively very easy. The catch is a lot of companies will rake you over the coals on additional or complete computer rendering and concept design artwork in order to “adapt” your idea to their machine. It’s usually the secondary (sometimes the primary) source of income for the company; manufacturing and shipping are usually tied for the number one source of revenue. Always write down your ideas for EACH side of the coin and then work with someone to develop an art rendering of your idea. Make sure that each side will mean something (emotionally, professionally, etc) to you and especially to those you will be presenting the coins to. Keep your ideas and thoughts to a group of no more than three. This group will consist of the commander, senior NCO and the artist they will be working with. Always chose the artist from within the unit itself in order for him/her to apply additional effort into the coin design so that it turns out more “meaningful. This will also save you the headache of having people associated but not in the unit that have no clue, trying to provide “good ideas”.

Keep refining your ideas for a total of three renderings of coin designs so you can chose the best qualities from all three and adapt them into your final design. Power Point is a very user friendly program for starting out your design for its ability and flexibility to cut and paste different components digitally. Once you have your final design, save it in a JPEG format because it is the most adaptable and flexible format for computer machining. Finalize the design with your three person team and ALWAYS make a back up copy. Remember, no coin company will mint a coin with copy written artwork or trademarked slogans. Your unit’s history is always a great place to begin for components for you coin design. Military related artwork, such as branch insignia, rank, or patches can be fount at the Institute of Heraldry’s web site.

Once the design is finalized, it is sent (usually digitally) to the company for manufacturing. Price is set on the amount of coins ordered (300-400 initially) plus the set up fee for the die (mold of the coin). Prices will vary, depending on what you want, so research thoroughly and carefully. The company will send a final digital adaptation of your artwork and a photograph or the coin prototype for final approval. Once the “GO” is given, manufacturing will begin followed by shipping. The amount of time for delivery of the order will vary by company, size of the order, and time of year. Some companies are busier than others depending on the time of the year and how popular they are.

If any lingering questions still reside, research for at least one month prior to your final rendering. This will insure a great product for your unit to provide its soldiers. In the last 10-15 years, coin design and manufacturing has advanced with the aid of computer and machining technology to a level unpredicted by our military forefathers. One of the new trends as well is that we see civilian organizations such as fire, police, and EMS departments have joined the ranks of "coining" for their members. This is the final digital rendition of the coin for our cell (no pun intended) and the photograph of the prototype for final approval. I think we achieved our goal of it meaning somethin to us and the soldiers that earn them.

Lunar Eclipse

2007-03-06T03:37:00.000+03:00

The other night (March 3rd) we were privileged to enjoy a front row seat to the first of two lunar eclipses for 2007. I was able to take a pretty decent picture through my camera and had the opportunity to observe it from the time it started, through the total zenith, and the time it finished. Funny how, when you get a chance to slow down here, you stop and realize how small and insignificant we really are. When those chances to slow down present themselves to us here, you start to think. Home, family, friends, are usually the first on the list of topics, followed by deep and philosophical thoughts you didn’t pay much attention to in the past. And yet, in poetic irony, those thoughts come back to the forefront of your memories.

One of my first Army mentors in Germany on my first tour there, many years ago, was SSG Steven Suth. He was considered an old school soldier and quite an enigma for young soldiers at the time (1986). Steve was a Vietnam veteran with the 173rd Airborne Division. He never really went into too many details on a lot of things he did but I remember him telling us many stories about the place, the war and his friends. His last tour there, he was telling us about a mission he was on and that they (his team) had just inserted into the jungle through a waterway. Steve told us that what made that mission one of his most memorable was the date, July 20th, 1969. That was when the first astronauts landed on the moon. He told us that he remembered looking up at the moon and suddenly feeling very small and insignificant.

I found myself smiling at the “full circle” irony of it all. I thoroughly enjoyed my “slow” time for the eclipse and the time to reflect. I just thought I would share this event with all of you. Take care.

Cheesecake and Soldiers

2007-02-17T03:02:00.000+03:00

Here’s the new (and refreshing) thing from the land of rocket & mortar attacks, IEDs, and misery. I have always had the hobby of creating artwork, as demonstrated in the mural on one of my first postings, one of the particular genres that have always been a favorite is “Cheesecake” or “Pin up” art that was commonly seen on WW II aircraft. Being in the “politically correct” Army, you don’t see that kind of artwork posted on any vehicles because we cannot be seen as sexist or offend our host country. Ironically, we can shoot the bad guys, as long as we don’t offend them.

With that being said, here is the history behind the “Pin up” or “Cheesecake” art and photographs as defined by Wikipedia.

A pin-up girl or pin-up model is a model whose mass-produced pictures see wide appeal as pop culture. Pin-ups are intended for informal display. Pin-up girls are often glamour models, fashion models, and actresses. "Pin-up" may also refer to drawings, paintings and other illustrations done in emulation of these photos. The term was first attested to in English in 1941; however the practice is documented back at least to the 1890s. The “pin up” images could be cut out of magazines or newspapers, or be from postcard or chromo-lithographs, and so on. Such photos often appear on calendars, which are meant to be pinned up anyway. Later, posters of “pin-up girls” were mass-produced.
Many “pin ups” were photographs of celebrities who were considered sex symbols. One of the most popular early pin-up girls was Betty Grable. Her poster was ubiquitous in the lockers of G.I.s during World War II. Others pin-ups were artwork, often depicting idealized versions of what some thought a particularly beautiful or attractive woman should look like. An early example of the latter type was the Gibson girl, drawn by Charles Dana Gibson. The genre also gave rise to several well-known artists specializing in the field, including Alberto Vargas and George Petty, and numerous lesser artists such as Art Frah.

The term “cheesecake” is synonymous with “pin-up photo”. The earliest documented print usage of this sense of “cheesecake” is in 1934, predating “pin-up”, although anecdotes say the phrase was in spoken slang some 20 years earlier, originally in the phrase (said of a pretty woman) “better than cheesecake”. These days, men can be considered “pin ups” as well and there are male equivalents of attractive and sexy actors such as Brad Pitt or numerous male models. The counterpart term to “cheesecake” is “beefcake”.

Where am I going with this? I was searching the internet for historical pin up art for a project here and ran across the web site www.pinupsforvets.com. This was a very noteworthy site due to the cause and the content of the project. The site is operated by Miss Gina Elise; she is a young woman out of California that, among other achievements, has dedicated her time, skills, and natural beauty to create a “Cheesecake” calendar for soldiers. She holds a B.A. in Theater from UCLA, has expanded her career in many facets including dance, theater and hosting.

So what’s the big deal, she donates the proceeds to several veterans programs throughout the United States. She has brought this project to life to show her love and dedication to all soldiers, sailor, airmen and marines. She applied herself in a very creative manner to provide a unique venue for people to support soldiers from all across America.

Here are some of the excerpts from her web site behind the project.
Over the past year, I have heard and read incredible stories about the injured soldiers returning from military service. Their hardest battles have just begun, as they attempt to recover in Veterans Hospitals all across America. I was touched by each story, and knew that I had to try to do something to help our hospitalized Vets. I came up with an idea to recreate a World War II style pin-up calendar that would have the dual purpose of raising money for programs that support hospitalized Veterans, and also serve as a GIFT for each and every Veteran, as they recover in a Veterans Hospital.

I always loved the beautiful pin-up photos and paintings from the World War II era that American soldiers took overseas with them to boost their morale. The troops often carried these “cheesecake” pictures with them into war to help remind them of what they were fighting for back home. One of the most famous pinup shots was taken in the 1940’s of actress Betty Grable, in a bathing suit, looking back over her shoulder.

With these old glamorous pictures as inspiration, I decided to try to recreate the feeling of these nostalgic pin-ups in my own photo shoots, and then assemble my pictures in a calendar for a fundraiser to benefit the programs that support the hospitalized Veterans, injured in ALL wars, past and present.

Your calendar donation will go towards: eyeglasses for Veterans, the home health program, recreational therapy, spinal cord injury & amputee programs, substance abuse program, women’s Veterans’ program, chapel improvements, homeless program, reading materials and subscriptions for the Veterans, patio improvements, parking lot shuttle, courtesy cart, social relief fund, televisions, wheelchairs, and outreach programs for the visually impaired.

I have had the pleasure of being able to communicate with Ms. Elise directly and found her to be very bright and dedicated to her cause. Please feel free to visit Ms. Elise’s web site (www.pinupsforvets.com) and see what you can do for your soldiers. If this is not the venue for you, stop by the local church, VFW, American Legion, or USO office to see what you can do to help. Remember, if the soldier is not currently in need, maybe his family may be so it will still provide you with a rewarding experience.

Goodbye Jim

2007-02-16T03:36:00.000+03:00

Dear Friends, I’ve been getting a lot of heat about not posting for so long. I am truly sorry for that. To be honest, the extension, operations, events and the nut roll going on here all coming (seemingly) at once; I have lacked the interest and motivation to post. Now that I’ve gotten the opportunity to post again, I will continue to keep you updated on this journey.

On January 9th, SSG James M. Wosika Jr. was killed by a VBIED (Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device) basically, a car bomb. This has been one of the most difficult events in my life and I have had a pretty difficult time with this because of how long I’ve known him. He graduated from Highland Park High School in Minnesota and joined the Minnesota Army National Guard in November of 2000 as an infantryman. I had the privilege to have Jim assigned to my squad since he was a private al the way through our deployment to Kosovo. Jim was a truly kind soul that enters your life and blesses it just by being himself. He had a way of making you laugh at the worst times until your stomach hurt.

To give you an example of what type of man Jim was, during the riots in Kosovo (2004) 24 of us, including Jim, were caught in the middle of a crowd of 600-700 rioters in Kamenica, Kosovo. Jim, Joe Melhorn and Rich Nielson dove (literally) into an Albanian crowd that was beating a Serbian to death. They fought the crowd off and treated the man’s life-threatening injuries only to end up evacuating him to a hospital. None of the Albanians would admit the guy because he was Serbian so the three of them plus a Civil Affairs Major drove the guy to the Serbian border to meet an ambulance in order to save the guy’s life. Then they all returned to the melee they left. During the process of treating the guy’s injuries, Jim took a brick to the skull and had to receive stitches but he never stopped. That was just how Jim always was.

Jim was leading a patrol near Fallujah when he was killed. He did everything right, it was just one of those things. Jim’s efforts saved the lives of five of his comrades. I don’t care to go into any further details.

Jim’s funeral in the states was held Friday, Jan. 19, 2007, at 10:00 a.m. at the Cathedral of Saint Paul. It was attended by many people that Jim’s life had touched including Governor Tim Pawlenty, GEN Larry Shellito, and the Patriot Guard Riders. Jim was buried at Fort Snelling National Cemetery. A memorial service was held here, in country to allow us the opportunity to say goodbye to him and to see each other. Out of Jim’s original company, a few of us have been sent to different location throughout Iraq due to the job, situation, and needs of the country. It was truly bitter-sweet because it allowed us to talk and laugh as we remembered some of Jim’s escapades, sayings, and stories that had occurred throughout his career with us. His family and friends also held a benefit in honor of Jim and the proceeds ($13,000) were donated to another soldier in the unit, SGT John Kriesel. If you don’t know, Kriesel was the soldier I wrote about in the entry “Still My Friend”. Anyway, it was good to know that Jim’s family was comforted and supported by so many people.

In closing, please visit and read the remarkable story of John and Katie Kriesel. This couple has demonstrated the standard of “for better or worse” in their marriage. This is a picture of Kriesel (on the front) and Wosika (in the background) while we were in Kosovo on a patrol.

Lunch Can Save Your Life in Iraq!

2007-01-19T00:32:00.000+03:00

OK folks, so we’ve been extended in this place we like to call “Not home”. To remind us of that fact, we have Hajji remind us of it every day. But wait, IAW (in accordance with) the politically correct policies that are pushed down to us from places we call “higher”, I can no longer call Hajji, Hajji. I am to refer to them as LN, which stands for Local National. Now being a GI with years of experience and multiple combat tours under my belt, I participated in a “brainstorming” session with the soldiers and came up with a solution to this dilemma that is IAW the policy. I will now refer to Hajji as Lennie (LN), problem solved.

Anyway, Lennie has decided to make our lives more interesting as the tour goes on. By this, I am referring to celebratory fire. What is it? It is the common, yet exceedingly stupid, custom of pointing your AK-47 or whatever you have in hand and squeezing the trigger to celebrate. These celebrations include weddings, births, funerals, Hajj, Ramadan, death of a coalition soldier, death of a rival tribe member, the sun coming up, the night sky being dark, oxygen in the atmosphere, etc. I think you get the idea. They do it at a whim. So when I make references to “fireworks”, this includes celebratory fire with IEDs, or RPGs.

Where am I going with this? I’m not sure if they teach a class here covering the topic we like to call, “gravity”. See, the rounds (bullets) have to land somewhere. All of the sudden, a trip to the chow hall can either kill you or save your life. So now, we’re playing “Survival- the Home Edition” for keeps. I got a message from one of my buddies down south that came home to a surprise in his tin can “house”.

So you know how you were talking about that guy or girl who had the 7.62 round come through their room? Yeah....Holm and I were luckily at chow today when we came back and found splinters all over our floor. We look outside and there's a hole about the size of a fist coming into our can, and of course an entry hole on the inside as well above John's bed. I assumed it was indirect based on the size of the hole, but Evink and Sherwood said otherwise. So after some careful looking around, and finding no exit hole, we find a .50 cal round lying on the floor in the corner of my room! This place is unbelievable. If I was here, I probably would have been hit because I'm usually sitting by my computer which is the exact path the round took. What a way to go, that would be so gay. I have the round; I'll send you pics in a few days.

So far this hasn’t happened to me but, the tour’s not over. Like Bernie said, “What a way to go”.

Not Going Anywhere for a While?

2007-01-14T03:14:00.000+03:00

Well, if you haven't heard, we’ve had our tour here extended until “No later than July”. If you weren’t in the loop, we were supposed to be home by mid-March. I have to admit; I wasn’t too surprised or upset by that because I’ve always known the Army to be like a Ginsu commercial-there’s always more. What I have to tell you about is the way the information was delivered to us.

A full 24 hours before the official announcement was delivered to us from the Pentagon, a newspaper printed the story “according to their source”. Here’s the kicker, no one in our chain of command was aware of this. Basically that means that our chain of command, the leaders and the soldiers were totally unprepared and shocked when this was blasted all over the media back home. Who was hardest hit by this? Our families.

In normal military protocol, any information this big is passed to our chain of command that then prepares and presents the information to the leadership in the task force and then they subsequently, pass it down to the soldiers so they can notify their families. This is done in a precise manner in order to prepare all the parties involved or affected by this and the impact it will have on their futures. How would you like to find out that your husband, wife, son, daughter, father, or mother has been extended in country? By your soldier or by the local news?

First, I have a few questions for any journalists that visit my blog.

1. Does it ever enter your staff’s thought or decision making process that soldiers and their families read the news, stay updated on current events and keep in touch with situations that occur in the US and in their home states?

2. Do journalists even think to consider that by making that “breaking headline” they have the ability to cause additional heartache, stress, and problems for the families and soldiers that you claim to support? Or do you just throw that right out of the window in favor of ratings and subscription sales?

3. By making announcements like this before the actual release date and time, do journalists stop and think of any potential damage they may cause such as putting additional stress on the leaders and soldiers that are here risking their lives in order to provide a stable future for the citizens of Iraq?

Not to mention the heartache and additional stress they have added to our families that have spent the better part of a year and four months worrying about the safety of their loved ones, taking care of our children and dealing with problems at home without us.

Now I am fully aware of the prevalent opinion that a majority of journalists will have i.e., “Freedom of the Press is my right”. It is not “Your right”; it is a privilege that you enjoy off of the blood, sweat and tears of others. Journalists tend to wield this privilege as irresponsibly as a criminal who just got his hands on a gun and is going to rob a store. They obviously showed a complete lack of compassion in favor of “breaking the news”.

I ask you, readers, what would posses people to do this and then top it off by having the cojonés to ask our families for an interview to ask them how they feel about it? Our families have already weathered a very long storm. Some marriages that were hanging on by their fingernails may have stood a chance at making it if their soldiers would have been allotted the chance to be the ones that broke the news to their loved ones. Now, thanks to journalist’s “breaking news”, that one chance is gone forever.

If there are any journalists out there, regardless of the media that they work for, that read this blog please give me some feedback on this one because I am truly at a loss as to what to think.

The media had a field day when the story of Abu-Gharib broke out. The entire Army was given a “black eye” because of this incident. That and the fact that there was no representation as to the good things we’ve accomplished here. I can tell you that right now, that this is the media’s Abu-Gharib and I have only received ONE example of the good the media does. That one example is Mr. Bob Calvert from the web site talking with heroes.

Reader's Response

2007-01-08T06:10:00.000+03:00

Dear Readers,

I got this response for the "Newsflash: We're Not Winning the War" entry on my blog.

You've got to be kidding. I understand that you have a unique, one sided look at the "big picture" as you say but this isn't about "staying the course" because it's hard. This is about how "we" being the people who where told, including Colin Powell and all the Military leaders, that Iraq and Saddam Hussein had cashes of biological weapons and WMD after the 1st Gulf War. It's about the power hungry struggle between Rumsfeld and the State Dept. on why things weren't set up right for a post war Iraq. It's about Bush's desire to have his presidency turn into a legacy. It's about power. It's why Bush is too ignorant to ask his advisors more in depth questions instead of just taking everything at face value. At least Clinton dug deeper into what the people around him were saying. He admitted to mistakes and tried to fix them. Educate yourself on the interworkings of how you came to be there. Read Bob Woodward's book "State of Denial", read Richard Clark's book "Against All Enemies". The Democrats aren't bitching and wanting to "cut and run" because it's hard. They want to bring you home because you shouldn't be there in the first place. Maybe you see the families and faces of children who are glad you are there, but do you really know what they say about you when they are sitting around the fire which used to be there living room? They want you to leave. I think the people there don't want anything that Americans think they want and we are out of touch and arrogant to thing everybody wants what we want. Stay safe, Mike.

I found the author made a well thought out response and seems knowledgeable on the topic. I have even taken the steps of ordering the books that he mentioned (Bob Woodward's book "State of Denial" & Richard Clark's book "Against All Enemies"). I am genuinely curious about the books and their content. I look forward to future responses from Mike and feedback from all of you as to this point of view. I only have one question for Mike. How many natives here have you stayed with (in their villages) for months on end, helping them rebuild and defending them to know if all of them want us out? Of course they want us out, some so that they can run their own country and build their future on their own, which I totally agree with, and others so that they can run amok in the place (insurgents). Of course they talk bad about us when we leave. So do some members of my family when I leave. That’s a fact of life.

As far as the weapons of mass destruction (chemicals, etc.), they were supplied to him (Saddam) by the French and other third world governments through black markets. I have seen (firsthand) the residue (canisters in French & Russian) and the result of the use of these weapons and know how governments in this region go about acquiring them. Have you ever asked yourself why the French and Russian governments were so vehemently opposed to the invasion in the first place? I think it has to do with the fact that they had been supplying Saddam with the weapons technology (through a third party) that he wanted in order to stay in control. Whether it was intentional or not, how would it look to NATO & the UN if this was brought into the light?

Of course Mike is correct about the power struggle in Washington. Look at how aggressive dirty politics have become, by both sides. But be careful Mike, politicians have a nasty habit of standing up for what is popular for the day in order to stay elected. As you advised me to “Educate yourself on the interworkings of how you came to be there”, study the established patterns by the politicians you support now to see the wavering nature of their stances. Remember, Democrats voted (overwhelmingly) for us to invade with the same information that was provided to the president.

I have added an editorial written March 23, 1999 by Mr. Ted Galen Carpenter on Clinton's military policies. If you're going to compare administrations Mike, please pick a better administration than the Clinton's because the only thing Bill really did during his administration is to make adultery popular and Hillary abused power and government that wasn't hers to even approach, much less, use & abuse. It sounds similar to what you have pointed out about President Bush.

There are some occasions when one should not mince words, and the spectacle of U.S.-led air strikes on Serbia is one. Put bluntly, if President Clinton orders an assault on Serbia, the United States will be guilty of committing a flagrant, shameful act of aggression. U.S. forces will be attacking a country that has not attacked the United States, a U.S. ally, or even a neighboring state. That is the very definition of an aggressor.

Belgrade is guilty of nothing except attempting to put down a secessionist rebellion in one of its own provinces. Nearly a dozen other countries have done the same thing in this decade alone -- often with far greater bloodshed. Russia's war in Chechnya, Sri Lanka's conflict with Tamil rebels and Turkey's suppression of the Kurds are merely a few examples.

The Clinton administration's spinmeisters insist that Serbia is the aggressor in the current confrontation, but that argument twists language in a manner reminiscent of characters out of George Orwell's novels 1984 and Animal Farm. "Aggression" is a long-standing concept in international relations, and it has a very specific meaning: unprovoked cross-border warfare -- an unwarranted attack by one state on another. A country cannot commit aggression in its own territory any more than a person can commit self-robbery.

The argument that Serbia has committed aggression in Kosovo, thereby justifying military intervention by NATO, is not only an Orwellian distortion, it sets an extremely dangerous precedent. The traditional standard that developments within a country, however sad and tragic, do not justify military intervention by outside powers is one that should not be cast aside lightly. Without that limitation, weak and imperfect as it may be, the floodgates are open to intervention by an assortment of countries for any number of reasons -- or pretexts.

Before the proponents of NATO intervention in Kosovo cheer too loudly, they ought to consider the potential ramifications. For example, might Russia and its ally Belarus someday cite the Kosovo precedent for attacking Ukraine because of the latter's alleged mistreatment of Russian-speaking inhabitants in the Crimea? Could China and Pakistan argue that India's suppression of secessionists in Kashmir is a humanitarian tragedy and a threat to the peace of the region, justifying joint military action against that "aggressor"?

Of course, the Clinton administration contends that the events in Kosovo are not really an internal Serbian affair, because the conflict might spread southward in the Balkans. According to that scenario, the fighting threatens to draw in Albania and Macedonia and, eventually, NATO members Greece and Turkey. That argument is a refurbished version of the old domino theory, and it is dubious on two levels.

First, it is curious (if not nauseating) to see Clinton, Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott and other alumni of the anti-Vietnam War movement make that argument. They ridiculed the domino theory when Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon invoked it during the conflict in Southeast Asia. They were even more scornful when Ronald Reagan invoked it with regard to the communist insurgencies in Central America and the Caribbean during the 1980s. Now, suddenly, they believe the theory has indisputable validity in the Balkans in the 1990s. At the very least, they owe the American people an explanation of their dramatic change of perspective.

Second, even if one accepts the dubious domino theory, the administration's policy is making the spread of the Balkan conflict more rather than less likely. The Serbs are not the party with expansionist ambitions in the southern Balkans; the Albanians are. Kosovo Liberation Army commanders have stated that their ultimate goal is, not merely an independent Kosovo, but the creation of a Greater Albania. Nationalist groups in Albania openly circulate maps of Greater Albania -- an entity that includes not merely Albania and Kosovo but an additional slice of Serbia, all of western Macedonia and a large chunk of northern Greece.

By facilitating Kosovo's secession -- and the NATO-imposed peace settlement is nothing more than Kosovo's independence on the installment plan -- the United States and its allies would be strengthening the very faction that is the most likely to stir up additional trouble in the southern Balkans. Thus, the administration's policy lacks even internal coherence.

War against Serbia is unwarranted on strategic, legal and moral grounds. If air strikes take place, Serbia will be the fourth country Bill Clinton has bombed in the past seven months. That record is one of a trigger-happy administration that is creating an image of America as the planetary bully. Decent Americans need to make a stand when it has reached the point of a full-scale war of aggression against a country that has done us no harm.

World Traveler

2007-01-05T04:51:00.000+03:00

Here’s a fun pastime, I got this from a high school friend that is a Geography teacher in Florida. She was curious as to where I’ve been in the last 20 years since we graduated and if I would share that with her class. It was a fun way to tell them and so, here it is.

News Flash: We're Not Winning The War?

2007-01-03T23:14:00.000+03:00

I meant to post this entry before I left and shortly after the elections. Let me know what you think.

The Democratic National Party (led by Overlord Hillary) seems to be wondering why we are not winning the war in Iraq. I can only speculate that “we” means US soldiers because they would never admit that they are part of any “we” that loses. With that in mind, I would like to know what they define as "winning the war" and demonstrate exactly how to do it. We are in the initial phases of SASO (Stability and Security Operations). This is what is still currently being done in Bosnia and in Kosovo. It takes time and patience. If the democrats are so hot on their success in war, why can't they explain (according to their own interpretation of winning) why we aren't winning the war in the Balkans?

According to former President Clinton, Bosnia wasn't supposed to last longer than a year yet here we are entering almost nine years later. Kosovo was supposed to last six months with NO GROUND TROOPS COMMITED. They are entering their fifth year with US troops on the ground. Somalia was another "victory". Some of you may say that those situations are all in the past, WRONG! They are just as active today as they were when it all started. They just don’t get all the advertisement.

The pattern here is that politicians seeking future office seats want instant gratuity in these situations and it doesn't work that way. Have you ever noticed that no major political player (outside Bush, Cheney, and Rumsfeld) ever mentions the positive things that have been accomplished here? Not really because that would make their agenda loose steam. Yes, we’ve had our asses handed to us on several skirmishes, but it has been overshadowed by all of the successes we’ve achieved here. You really need to look at the big picture and gather ALL of the information, not just what is piped through biased media. It all boils down to politicians trying to get reelected in order to stay employed. These guys wouldn’t last ten minutes here because of their “I quit because it’s hard” attitude.

As soldiers on the ground getting shot at on an everyday basis, I can tell you that no one wants to go home more than we do. The environment is brutal, the insurgents are merciless, and I don't want to see any more of my soldiers injured or killed. Bottom line, it sucks. But, unlike politicians, we stay the course because we see what happens here and what potential the country has in the future. You don’t just quit something like this because it bogs down and bad things happen. If you truly believe in doing what is right, you stick it out and provide something to these people that they’ve never had before, a future. If we follow the current mindset of these politicians, does that mean that we can quit helping the Hurricane Katrina victims because it gets hot in the south? Do we stop training to defend the country because it isn’t popular with the movie stars that funnel money into the Democratic Machine? Do we give up on identifying the remains of the victims in the World Trade Center because we aren’t “winning the war against DNA identification”?

America was founded by people who wouldn’t quit. Have we have fallen away from those times and qualities? We are at a pivotal point in US and Middle East relations. The Middle East is comprised of more than just Iraq. The other surrounding countries around us will judge us and decide if they will deal with us in the future based on how we behave today in the Middle East."

Defending the Ponderosa Part Two

2007-01-03T03:59:00.000+03:00

Since the first posting on home defense, I’ve had several readers ask me about how to do it if they are not allowed to own firearms. Yes, some countries are not as privileged as we are so they will make due with other alternatives. I’ve compiled information from other professional soldiers, several military resources, different police departments, our own FBI Academy and years of personal experience. Here are some, of many; possibilities open to you in order of my personal preference. Remember, research and get as much real-life training as possible prior to choosing which tool to use. Yes, training can be expensive, but your life is worth it.

Option one is the expandable ASP Tactical Baton. The ASP Tactical Baton (web page http://www.asp-net.com) is the most tactically sophisticated impact weapon currently available to law enforcement personnel. Popular in Australia and England due to their country’s specific laws governing weapon ownership, the ASP is usually the first choice for personal and home defense by most home owners. The ASP company (*see link) offers an excellent product supported by an unmatched training course. Although there are cheaper batons that are produced in Taiwan, Korea, Japan and India, be warned that none of these meet the specifications established by major Federal Law Enforcement and military organizations in the United States. Easily carried and readily available, they have an incredible psychological deterrence and unparalleled control potential. I have carried a 26” ASP through two combat tours and I can’t tell you how great it is. The psychological impact, it has on a would-be assailant when you expand the baton is usually the first and only deterrent one usually needs. The beauty of it is, if your assailant doesn’t believe you’re going to use it, your first strike on them changes their mind quickly.

Once again, I cannot stress enough the importance of talking to the local magistrate, police chief or department of law enforcement prior to purchasing any weapon for personal use. I also HIGHLY RECOMMEND that you receive formal training through the local police department, police academy or the ASP company training institute itself. Why, because it is considered by law, a blunt instrument which is, usually, a more stern offense in the eyes of the court.

For those of you who have never gotten the crap beat out of them in training or for real, it doesn’t feel good. The ASP is a tool to use in order to prevent the previously mentioned beating. It can be used to “persuade” some one to come along to the police car or to leave you alone. Personal favorite first strike points for me include bony land marks such as the collar bone (3-5 lbs.), shins, (5-7 lbs.) and the wrists (3-4 lbs.). The weights indicate the average pounds of impact pressure a strike would have to have in order to BREAK the bone. None of these strikes are lethal, but they get the job done of stopping your assailant.

Option number two is the D-Cell Mag-Lite (web page http://www.maglite.com) Flashlight that holds 6 batteries. It can be used in the same manner as the ASP but has the bonus of being able to blind your assailant first with the light before you actually strike him. I would use this as a first choice if I didn’t have the ASP because of the weight behind the strike. One flash of the light followed by one smack of the light is all it takes to get your point across.

Now on to the most controversial of close combat weapons, the knife. W. Hock Hochheim and Scientific Fighting Congress International has, by far, the most realistic and practical solution to knife fighting for the novice. Their web site is at http://www.hockscqc.com/main/index.htm. Look under knife combatives to see the meat and potatoes on this course. The web site features actual case photographs of what happen in a knife fight. These are brutal, but truthful photographs.

I choose the knife as a last resort to defend myself. I have had to defend myself only twice in my life with a knife and both times, I got cut and the other guy pulled back a nub where his hand used to be. I’m not a knife master or a novice but I do have some skill and experience at combat oriented knife fighting. There are no martial arts involved in this. It is brutal, horrific, and usually lethal. Knife fighting has a deep psychological impact on the assailant AND the defender. Shooting someone or even using an ASP still allows you the psychological advantage of a standoff distance so that it doesn’t mess with your head later on. A knife doesn’t give any such luxury to either party. You have to be close to strike and kill you assailant. The other thing you need to realize is you’re going to get cut. No matter how good you are, you’re still going to get cut. Once you’ve gone through the research, training, and local law enforcement, there comes the question of what knife to buy.

I personally swear by the kukri knife, web site http://www.khukurihouseonline.com/. The awesome cutting edge of the kukris was first experienced by the British in India who had to face kukri in the well-documented battles since 1814 while combating the Gorkhali Army in western Nepal. The impact of these warriors was such that the British did something out of the ordinary; they had a peace treaty signed, and the British, seeing how bravely the Gorkhalis fought, also made a provision in the treaty to recruit Nepalese in the British Army as British "Gurkha" soldiers.

Kukri is a medium-length curved knife each Gurkha soldier carries with him in uniform and in battle. In his grip, kukri is a formidable razor-sharp weapon and a cutting tool. In fact, kukri is an extension of his arm. The knife is designed so that the torque, the "rotational force" or "angular force" which causes a change in rotational motion, is towards the front of the knife during the strike. In English, that means that when you strike something, or someone, with this knife design, it’s going to chop parts off.

R&R, New Year’s Eve and a Shiner

2007-01-03T01:31:00.000+03:00

I’m sorry it’s been a while since I’ve posted. I was given the opportunity to go home on R&R (rest and relaxation) leave and I am a big believer in not doing ANYTHING work related when I’m on vacation. I have to tell you, I had a fantastic time from start to finish. The Army paid for the plane fare, and paid me for being on vacation.

Here’s the rundown of how the trip went. I left Iraq on a cargo plane (a lot of cargo included) and went to Kuwait to manifest for the flight to the states. I don’t remember much of that flight other than getting on the plane, buckling up, and sleeping. Once in Kuwait, I got to use a real toilet for the first time in nine months. Yes, it was a big novelty for me. I left shortly after that for Atlanta. I got lucky and got a first class seat all the way.

The fun thing about flying on a chartered plane is the flight crew. Particularly the flight attendants, they are not accustomed to being addressed with “Yes Ma’am, No Ma’am, Yes Sir, and No Sir”. They put out so much effort to spoil us for the short amount of time they have us with them. I talked to one who comes from Kansas. She has been a flight attendant for 15 years and repeatedly stated that she loves the military flights the most because of how polite we are and how appreciative we are of their work. We stopped in Germany for a two hour layover to resupply & refuel then kept going.

Once in Atlanta, I was sent through the security point to go from one terminal to another. The TSA agent tells me that I have to have my carry on bag checked by customs, never mind that I have a “Customs Cleared” sticker on my bags. I didn’t mind because I wasn’t in Iraq getting shot at. The one thing that did annoy me was that they said I may be chosen to be patted down to look for any weapons. This is where I calmly explained to them the position they were about to put themselves in. You see, I was already very uncomfortable due to the fact that, by regulation, I left my rifle, pistol and knife in theater because you can’t fly a civilian airline with them; I was also flying in uniform (something I don’t care to do often because I like to keep a low profile). I went further and expressed the fact that I had just been in combat operations about 48 hours before I arrived in Atlanta and “I have this thing about people I don’t know touching me”. Needless to say, they chose someone else.

I am fully supportive of TSA’s mission of insuring my safety on a plane as well as the safety of all passengers but I would like to know if they are able to or allowed to apply common sense to their job to make it easier. Think about this, if a soldier (clearly marked by his U.S. Army uniform) returning from Iraq comes up to your security station; wouldn’t you think to ask to verify that he has his customs clearance and his MILITARY IDENTIFICATION to verify authenticity? Oh well, water under the bridge.

I spent about three hours in the Atlanta Airport and I have to tell you about the Delta Airlines sponsored military lounge. They already have a USO (Uniformed Service Organization) office in the atrium of the North Terminal. This lounge was in the Bravo Concourse and had been opened all of two hours when I got there and talk about something that stands out. They had a food spread that could rival a five-star hotel. They also had local Georgians there that were spending their free time to greet us as we went by or stopped by. They had set up a Christmas tree using unit patches as ornaments that were donated by soldiers passing through. What a way to be welcome home from the desert!

From there I went to my home destination and had a fantastic time from the beginning to the end. Of course the end of vacation stinks because you have to go back. The only good thing I can say about that is that I already knew what life was going to be like when I got back. I took the same route back to Iraq.

This is where the trip gets “normal” for me. I was scheduled to fly into my post on New Year’s Eve. Point of interest: Saddam Hussein was hung a few days before so everyone has been expecting the country to go totally insane (more than usual). I was put on a C-130 Hercules cargo aircraft courtesy of Uncle Sam’s Air Force. Imagine flying in a huge sewer pipe with wings and no windows. Add to that sweat, vomit and fuel smells and you’ll get the idea. Things were fine until our attempt at landing.

Like the “Frequent Flyer Miles” posting on this blog, the C-130 will also do evasive flying to avoid becoming a target. In the middle of our first attempt, the pilot starts to launch counter-measure flares and weaving the aircraft like a drunk driver. Things are still normal for me, even though we had a few people already lose lunch. It was when the crew chief (the guy in charge of the back of the plane) starts losing his mind in a panic, that I knew we had problems. Normally, a crew chief will sit calmly for the duration of any flight I’ve ever been on unless that aircraft takes fire. At this point, the crew chief got thrown from one end of the plane to the other. A few of us caught him and held him down so he wouldn’t get hurt. I received a nice “shiner” from the incident. This is when the pilot aborts the landing attempt and rockets the aircraft up. Imagine the worst rollercoaster you’ve ever been on and add the possibility of a crash. He then swings around for another attempt because we started to leak hydraulic fluid and can’t go back to Kuwait. While all this is going on, people are starting to barf into their barf bags and on the floor.

On the FOURTH attempt that we actually landed in country. It seems that we had taken a few rounds and developed a hydraulic fluid leak from it, considering the alternative, not a big issue in my book. I imagine it must have been the local problem children helping us celebrate the incoming New Year with fireworks of their own. All in all, I think we got off pretty easy. The fireworks show continued well into morning so I didn’t get much sleep. I have to say the show wasn’t as entertaining as Disney’s show.

Still My Friend

2006-12-09T05:20:00.000+03:00

We had a rough day at work a few days ago. In short, two KIA (killed in action) and three WIA (wounded in action). One of the wounded was brought to the largest medical facility in country. It was devastating to see him in the hospital that way.

Here’s a soldier who I’ve been in charge of for a number of years in the past. I, and my fellow sergeants, groomed and mentored him for leadership and taught him everything we could. At the start of this deployment, there was nothing else we could teach him that he couldn’t learn on his own. He always led by example, took care of his Joes, made the missions happen. As a friend, it was like having a stand-up comedian with you 24-7; an exceedingly intelligent comedian at that. He would do anything for any of us if we needed him to. From helping us with computer problems (yes, grunts are smart) to just going out and having a few beers. You can always count on him for anything.

Patrolling here is just a matter of pushing your luck. Yes, the equipment is second to none, the prior training can’t be matched, and the Army has gone out of its way to try to insure our safety. But it all truly boils down to pushing your luck. His luck finally ran out and they (he and his soldiers) got hit. Please realize that’s just the way things happen here. You can be a total dirt bag of a person, soldier, whatever, you go out in sector every day and you’ll leave here without a scratch. You can also be God’s gift to the Army, a super stud, and so on and get smoked your first hour in sector. It’s just the nature of this place.

Anyway, as I’m standing in the ICU covered with dirt, blood and four day old stench, I realize a few things. One, angels are truly among us. Some just happen to be wearing surgical gowns and fatigues. They had just brought my soldier out of surgery and were talking to him as they were going on about their business. Said soldier was still sedated from surgery. These angels were taking care of other wounded soldiers, catching up on paperwork and involving the wounded in their conversations as if they were part of the family. Two, it didn’t occur to me that they had involved me in their conversation and they seemed to know who I was there to check on. Three, they also knew when and why to just “let me be” and spend time with my soldier.

I started talking to him and “catching up” with recent events such as home, family, football, deployment, rumors, and the like. I was laughing out loud recalling some of the funny things that had happened to us on previous deployments, bad things we had suffered through, and plans for when we get home. It didn’t seem unusual or out of place for me to do so. The medics had already spun me up on all the damage so I knew what to expect. But it was still unnerving to see it happen to a person with you’ve known for so long. I talked to him about how things were here compared to where he’s been stationed at and complained about work. All in all, I was there for almost two hours catching up. When I was finished, I taped one of the patches from my uniform to him along with a short note to let him know that I had seen him and I’ll see him when we get back to the states.

One of the nurses found all this unusual and asked me about it. It seems that most people visiting are too rattled to say anything significant to the wounded. I told her that I was just spending time with my friend who I haven’t seen in a little while. The fact is, no matter what happens, or what injuries he may have suffered, it doesn’t stop making him my friend. Whether it’s here, or back home, he’s still my friend. I’ll be there for him & his family. The patch thing is because I didn’t have anything else of value on me at the time to give him a reminder of the fact that I was there. He’ll understand when he comes out of sedation.

When all was said & done, I pointed out to her that my friend will be counting on me to be there when he gets home. The note and patch would reassure him and his wife to that fact. I guess my point is that it’s easy to forget the important things in our lives and allow situations to overwhelm our priorities, so don’t.

Defending the Ponderosa

2006-11-29T02:48:00.000+03:00

Several readers in my blog have asked me questions concerning home defense and how to do it properly. I am no expert but I have a lot experience and have conducted research into the topic (including talking to police officers) and here is the best I have come up with. It is not the only solution so do your research properly and thoroughly.

Where most homeowners make their biggest mistake is they purchase a weapon without doing any real, thorough research into the topic. They don’t consider the type of weapon to best suit their needs; do not seek out proper training classes prior to and after the purchase, there’s no real “gameplan” developed or talked about with the family, no thought as to proper, safe storage of the weapon, and they really don’t know their own house any more than the intruder does. They approach the subject with no real clue as to how to defend themselves, much less, the family or the house.

Generally, most people shoot a weapon under “ideal” conditions and it is usually a pistol. It is an ENTIRELY DIFFERENT story when you’re stressed, scared, and it’s dark. Realistically, you can’t hit anything with a pistol unless you’ve been shooting in varied conditions for years. It is beneficial to seek training or training references through your local police department, REPUTABLE gun shop, or the NRA. All three are excellent starting points.

Generally, the best choice for home defense, tactical movement inside buildings, firepower, low cost and pure fear factor is a shotgun. They're easy to use and criminals, as well as insurgents, dread getting anywhere near the business end of a shotgun. It has been my first hand experience, through years of training and multiple combat tours, that a shotgun is the top choice for home defense. The 12-Gauge Remington 870 “Youth Model” makes an excellent choice because of it size, dependability, ease of use, and cost. It is also best suited for women due to their smaller frame. Several sources and schools are available to help the homeowner out with the research and training. Talk to your local police department prior to your purchase and gather the information concerning licensure, regulations, and registry of any weapon in your possession. It makes your life easier and you get to meet some of your local law enforcement under great conditions. Remember, BOTH of the adults in the house need to know how to use the weapon. The kids should learn through the same training source used by the homeowner when they reach the proper age. *Billy’s brother-in-law the avid squirrel hunter is not a viable source.

The other issue has to be addressed by the homeowner himself. They may know what the square footage of the house is, but they don’t “know” their own house. They have no clue as to the quirks of the house, normal versus non-normal noises, and layout of the house. They have no idea where the vulnerable points of entry of the house are. They cannot navigate from one end of the house to the other when it’s dark (try it once blindfolded, you’d be surprised). Then there’s the furniture layout that is too varied to describe but they don’t pay attention to it until the situation is too late. Memorize your house and where the furniture is. This will give you the “Home Field Advantage” and, more practically, it could actually save your life. Research the neighborhood prior to the house purchase, in other words, talk to the cops about crime in the area. Check the home inspector’s report. Find out about emergency services in your area. This will save them a ton of headaches later on.

Finally there’s the attitude of today’s homeowner. We can thank lawyers for the majority of that through frivolous lawsuits where the intended invader/murderer lived through the experience and successfully sued the homeowner for defending himself and his family. The other part is the “softening” of Americans as a whole through various mediums. They’ve taken the “Cowboy” out of today’s American. When you decide to purchase a weapon, specifically for home defense, you better make sure you know the intent of that weapon is to kill something in order to save your life. Don’t worry about the damage to the house and your stuff because it’s going to happen, and you can always replace it. You can’t replace your family. Put time into your research and training in order to assure success for yourself and your loved ones.

Thanksgiving

2006-11-28T03:59:00.000+03:00

Thanksgiving came and went and I have a lot to be thankful for this year. First, we didn’t have to go outside the wire so we got to enjoy the “special” meal. Second, Hajji decided to mortar the other side of post that day so I got to wake up on my own and not to the sound of “Alarm! Alarm! Alarm!” followed by the “kaboom” that follows the notice. Finally, I picked off the stinking rat that was sneaking into my hooch and chewing up my boots as a meal. Hey, you take your victories where you can.

Then I got to hear my soldiers talk about all the hunting season activities that they are missing at home. I’m indifferent to it. The only things, outside of survival, that I’ve hunted are alligator and boar. At least you can call that hunting because one wrong move and it’s not going to be a good day for you. Both animals have teeth and the attitude to back those teeth up. Here I hunt rats and mice because the little vermin get into your gear and chew it up. You’d swear they were part of the insurgency because of the equipment they chose to chew on. Other than that, I’ve punched a camel in the head because it tried to bite me and it would have cost me a lot more money if I’d shot it.

The most interesting part of Thanksgiving was, having to explain the concept of it to our cafeteria workers. See, our meal was prepared by Pakistani, Philipino, Kurdish, and Kuwaiti workers that work for the local contractor. Think of it, all those nationalities preparing an American holiday meal for coalition soldiers (from different nations) in Iraq. Yes, there were a lot of questions because there’s no such holiday here.

I was reminded me of my fourth grade class and teacher, Mrs. Wilma Bradley, who took it upon herself to have us read the history behind the events leading to the first Thanksgiving. When my parents moved to Florida, I only had a little knowledge of the English language and even less knowledge of some of the holidays. Thanksgiving wasn’t a big deal for us in Puerto Rico. She had us bring potluck lunch from home and dress as either pilgrims or Indians and go through the whole deal. She took the time to explain the who and why of Thanksgiving and made sure to remind us not to forget those reasons. I shared this information with the cafeteria workers and you could see their minds grasping the concept.

They shared what they were thankful for this year. Things like employment in order to provide for their families, soldiers that look out for their safety, and for all the new things they were learning. It is truly humbling to see the faces of TCNs, third country nationals is what the acronym stands for, light up when they “get it” and start to enjoy the holiday as much as we do. As much as I missed being home for it, I was thankful that I was here so I could take part in helping someone else learn what the “Thanks” in Thanksgiving is all about.

Veteran's Day

2006-11-11T02:49:00.000+03:00

We have just flown a flag in honor of a young soldier who became an official United States American Citizen today and guess what, he is a veteran! He chose this day to be sworn in and for his American flag to be flown in honor of that occasion because he understands the magnitude of what the word “veteran” means.

For those of you who have been a little curious about Veteran’s Day, I have compiled a brief history of how it came to be. I stress this because if it wasn’t for veterans in our country’s past, we would not be enjoying the freedoms we have today and in our children’s futures. Please note that nowhere in the history does it state “Veteran’s Day Sale, Discounts, or Movie Marathon” anywhere.

If you have never been to a memorial service honoring all veterans, you should do yourself a favor and GO! It helps to bring you “back to center” and remember how we, America, came to be. Not because of politicians, national parties or popular trends, it was because of veterans serving their country.

I hope that this entry finds you and yours doing well and know that we are here ready to defend freedom.

1918 World War I, then normally referred to simply as The Great War (no one could imagine any war being greater!), ended with the implementation of an armistice [temporary cessation of hostilities—in this case until the final peace treaty, the infamous Treaty of Versailles, was signed in 1919] between the Allies and Germany at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of November, 1918.

1919 November 11: President Wilson proclaims the first Armistice Day with the following words: "To us in America, the reflections of armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations…" The original concept for the celebration was for the suspension of business for a two minute period beginning at 11 A.M., with the day also marked by parades and public meetings.

1920 On the second anniversary of the armistice, France and the United Kingdom hold ceremonies honoring their unknown dead from the war. In America, at the suggestion of church groups, President Wilson names the Sunday nearest Armistice Day Sunday, on which should be held services in the interest of international peace.

1921 Congress passes legislation approving the establishment of a Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery. November 11 is chosen for the date of the ceremony. According on October 20, Congress declares November 11, 1921 a legal Federal holiday to honor all those who participated in the war. The ceremony was conducted with great success.

1926 Congress adopts a resolution directing the President to issue an annual proclamation calling on the observance of Armistice Day. Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, most states establish November 11 as a legal holiday and at the Federal level, an annual proclamation is issued by the President.

1938 Congress passes legislation on May 13 making November 11 a legal Federal holiday, Armistice Day. The United States has no ‘actual’ national holidays because the states retain the right to designate their own holidays. The Federal government can in fact only designate holidays for Federal employees and for the District of Columbia. But in practice the states almost always follow the Federal lead in designation of holidays.

1941-1945 & 1950-1953 World War II and the Korean War create millions of additional war veterans in addition to those of the First World War already honored by Armistice Day.

1954 On June 1, President Eisenhower signs legislation changing the name of the legal holiday from Armistice Day to Veteran’s Day.

1968 Congress passes the Monday Holiday Law which established the fourth Monday in October as the new date for the observance of Veteran’s Day. The law is to take effect in 1971.

1971-1975 The Federal observance of Veterans Day is held on the fourth Monday of October. Initially all states follow suit except Mississippi and South Dakota. Other states changed their observances back to November 11 as follows: 1972- Louisiana and Wisconsin; 1974- Kentucky, Arkansas, Connecticut, Georgia, Maine, South Carolina, West Virginia; 1975- California, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Utah, West Virginia, Wyoming.

1975 Legislation passed to return the Federal observance of Veteran’s Day to November 11, based on popular support throughout the nation. Since the change to the fourth Monday in October, 46 states had either continued to commemorate November 11 or had reverted back to the original date based on popular sentiment. The law was to take effect in 1978.

1978 Veteran’s Day observance reverts to November 11.

Letters from Home

2006-11-09T02:39:00.000+03:00

I signed up for a soldier support program that offers to pass along your “snail mail” address to a centralized database for people back home to write or send packages to “Any Soldier” through your address. The things I asked for include greeting cards because our selection here is VERY limited, DVDs, and letters for me to distribute. The response has been overwhelming.

The best part of the program, by far, has been the letters we get from kids. They have such a wonderful way of looking at the world and asking questions about it. Here are some of the questions (and comments) by category that we’ve had the pleasure of answering.

Wildlife
Are camels really stinky?
Why do camels have a tumor on their back?
Why do camels live in the desert?
My mom says that our dog is a big as a camel. How big are camels?
Do camels chew tobacco? My dad says they spit.
Do camels eat sand?
I think camels are pretty
Mom and dad won’t let me have a camel for Christmas.
Do people really eat camels? Mom says they taste like chicken nuggets.

Weather
Is it really hot there?
Why don’t you turn on the air conditioner?
Why do you wear all that stuff (uniform & accessories) if it’s so hot there?
If it’s like the beach, why don’t soldiers wear bathing suits?
Why doesn’t it rain there?
Why do people live there if it doesn’t rain?
Mom says it doesn’t rain there so I drew you some flowers for you to plant.

Life in General
Is it true that there are girl soldiers there?
My dad says that soldiers get to drive crazy like my mom.
My mom says that soldiers don’t get to take a shower very much. Gross
Why do soldiers wear pajamas? *I think she’s referring to the digital uniform
Do you really have to live in holes that you dig?
What do you eat for dinner? Mom makes me eat gross vegetables.
Dad says that movie stars visit you there, have you met Elmo?
My grandpa was in the Army, have you met him?
I made cookies for you but mom says you don’t eat Play-Do.
Mom & dad say that you keep me safe at night, thank you.

Thank you kids for the questions and the letters. Thank you moms & dads for letting your kids reveal your secrets and ideas.

John Kerry’s Bad Joke

2006-11-02T01:04:00.000+03:00

Have you ever had a person you work with, gone to school or just known that you wish would make it a point to finish his/her conversations ONE SENTENCE SOONER? What can I say about John Kerry’s statement? Apparently I’m a moron hence, I am in Iraq. So in response to his comment, here is our reply.

New Posting

2006-10-31T00:03:00.001+03:00

Dear Friends,

I have a posting that is very humorous that deals with a very "adult" subject. Please be advised that I have a varied audience that visits my blog which includes families and children. I don't treat it as a restriction, more as a privilege, and I make it a point to set a good example so that parents will not be embarrassed by what they will see on my blog when they visit with their kids. If you are interested in reading this posting, please "ping" me at coconut.commando@gmail.com

Once I receive your request, I will e-mail the posting directly to you. Thank you for all your support and feedback!

Tell Him the Truth!

2006-10-29T21:17:00.000+03:00

We got a call from the flight facility that one of our soldiers needed to be picked up. Long story short, he wasn’t one of ours but we got him anyway so he wouldn’t get stuck at the terminal all night. During the course of the ride to his unit, it all came spilling out. It seems this soldier just returned from emergency leave in the states. That usually means the worst of news for the soldier about someone in his family. His father passed away while he was enroute to Iraq. Not ten minutes in Kuwait, he was told and then returned to the states to help his mother make all the arrangements. At this point, I purposely took the long way around to the destination.

Not that it’s bad enough to see a young soldier going through this, but then he let me know the worst part. He told me that he had to have his emergency leave extended because of the divorce. I asked what happened, out of concern and to let him keep venting. His wife of three years had decided she “had enough” of him being deployed and gone so long and she had started seeing another guy about a year into their marriage and wanted to be with that guy. She just didn’t know the proper time to “break it to him gently”. Now I know that I’m only getting one side of the story but, I’ve seen this story over and over again throughout the course of my career, and I’ve gone through it myself.

People, if you’re not going to honor your promises, don’t make them. If you’re looking for “the right time” keep in mind that you’re decision is affecting more than just YOU! Don’t wait until your soldier (or yours formally) gets home for his father’s funeral to tell him that you want to break it off or get a divorce. If you can’t face him, at least tell him the truth while he is surrounded by friends that will be there to pick him up and keep him going. He deserves some bit of honesty out of you. I can still lead a soldier through tough times in his life and through the tour if he at least knows what his home life is like back in the states; whether it’s with you or not.

I was engaged to someone when I was younger and due to the number of deployments, she decided that this was not the lifestyle she could take. During the first Gulf War, the first chance I got to call home was three months into the campaign. She told me that she wanted to call the whole thing off and that she had met someone else. I told her I was sorry she felt that way and I wished her the best of luck. I meant it too. The good thing I had going for me was that my buddies were there to keep me going and our task force chaplain was there to help in any way possible. Things happen and people grow and they change, it’s called “life”. I drove on and went on with my life. It hurt, but I went on anyway.

Point is, at least I knew what was going on back home and what to expect. If you’re having problems with your boyfriend, fiancé, or husband, get counseling, try to work things out or just be honest with him. If he can’t count on you, at least he can count on his buddies to be there through the rest of the journey.

I spent almost 90 minutes driving around to let this soldier get all of this out of his system. The ride normally takes about 20 minutes. When we got to his unit, his buddies were there waiting for him (at 3AM). They knew the whole story because one of his friends from home e-mailed the unit in advance to let them know what he was going through. It didn’t matter the hour, the rain, or the problem, what mattered to them, is that their friend was in pain and they were going to be there for him.

Ramadan is Over

2006-10-21T02:24:00.000+03:00

Well folks, Ramadan is officially over in Iraq. We survived the “Night of Power” with minimal incidents to us but the local populous wasn’t so lucky. I don’t care to go into the numbers. I decided to give you what I know about Ramadan from the books I’ve studied and from the information that the locals were so generous in providing.

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, established in the year 638. It is considered the most venerated, blessed and spiritually-beneficial month of the Islamic year. Prayers, fasting, charity, and self-accountability are especially stressed at this time; religious observances associated with Ramadan are kept throughout the month. The most prominent event of this month is the fasting practiced by all observant Muslims.

The fasting during Ramadan has been so predominant in defining the month that some have been led to believe the name of this month, Ramadan, is the name of Islamic fasting, when in reality the Arabic term for fasting is sawm. Eating, drinking, sexual intercourse and smoking are not allowed between dawn and sunset. During Ramadan, Muslims are also expected to put more effort into following the teachings of Islam as well as refraining from anger, envy, greed, lust, sarcastic retorts, backstabbing and gossip. They are encouraged to read the Qur'an.

Sexual intercourse during fasting in the day is not allowed but is permissible after the fast (when referring to sexual intercourse, it is intended to mean with one's spouse alone, as all pre- and extra-marital relations are strictly forbidden in Islam). Obscene and irreligious sights and sounds are to be avoided. Purity of both thought and action is important. The fast is intended to be an exacting act of deep personal worship in which Muslims seek a raised level of closeness to God. The act of fasting is said to redirect the heart away from worldly activities, its purpose being to cleanse the inner soul and free it from harm. Properly observing the fast is supposed to induce a comfortable feeling of peace and calm. It also allows Muslims to practice self-discipline, sacrifice, as well as sympathy for those who are less fortunate, intending to make Muslims more generous and charitable.

Fasting during Ramadan is not obligatory for several groups for whom it would be excessively problematic. Children before the onset of puberty are not required to fast. However, if puberty is later than is normally expected, fasting becomes obligatory for males and females after a certain age (not later than 15 years of age). According to the Qur'an, if fasting would be dangerous to someone's health, such as a person with an illness or medical condition (this can include the elderly), that person is excused.

Muslims believe that Laylat al-Qadr is the holy night on which the first verse of the Quran was Revealed to Prophet Muhammad. The exact date of Laylat al-Qadr is unknown (the Night of Fate), but it is known to have occurred in one of the last ten nights of Ramadan; usually thought to be on one of the odd-numbered dates between 21st and 29th, with the 27th being the most likely.

Muslims believe God instructs one to seek-out this blessed night by virtue from the odd nights of the last ten nights of this month. It is said that when one seeks the Laylat al-Qadr, his/her sins will be erased, and it will be as if he/she has just been reborn. According to the Qur'an God says that spending this one night in worship is better than worshipping for 1000 months. Many hadiths also affirm the great value of praying during Laylat al-Qadr

Most practising Muslims, especially children and the elderly, have a light meal or snack before dawn. This light meal is called Suhoor, Sohoor, Sehri or Sahur, and is considered an act of Sunnah. This tradition is practised by Muslims worldwide. Cafes and restaurants, in Muslim countries, stay open till early morning hours in Ramadan to serve food and drink for Suhoor

The Islamic holiday of Eid ul-Fitr marks the end of the fasting period of Ramadan and the beginning of the following month. Eid ul-Fitr means the Festival of Breaking the Fasts. On the day of the Eid, congregational prayers are held in mosques or Islamic community centers, and before the prayer begins, Muslims must give a certain amount for charity (provided they are financially capable) known as "Zakatul Fitr". The prayer is two rakaahs only, and it is an optional prayer as opposed to the compulsory 5 daily prayers. Following the prayers, people congratulate and embrace one another, eating special foods and sweets at a mosque, community centre, or at people's houses with festive moods and atmospheres. Gifts are exchanged (especially given to children), and Muslims dress in their best clothing on this day.

Now onto the “Night of Power. The Night of Power or the Night of Destiny has been a center of debate for Muslims as well as infidels (the rest of us). It is considered a “Holy of Holies” as far as the event goes due to the fact of significant military operations, wars with rival tribes & races, and it is seen as the “Assured Victory” point when planning any of the aforementioned events or campaigns.

Military history -- List of Islamic Battles Fought During Ramadan due to necessity.
624 - Battle of Badr. On 17 Ramadan, Muhammad led his forces in Arabia to victory over Makkan idolaters. "The Great Battle of Badr" or "Conquest of Mecca", was the first battle between believers and infidels.

627 - The Battle of the Ditch. Muslims trained for this battle during Ramadan, though it occurred in the following month of Shawal.

630 - Battle of Tabouk (also called the Battle of Tabuk). The soldiers of Islam, under the leadership of Muhammad, established a training and fighting camp in Tabouk during the month of fasting, and attacked the Byzantine army.

653 - Conquest of Rhodes. Muslims plundered the Colossus of Rhodes, melted it and turned it into arms for the soldiers.

710 - Muslims led by Tarek bin Ziyad, invaded Spanish southern frontier cities on the Andalusian coast defeating King Roderick. They stayed for eight hundred years, disseminating Islam. From there, Islam spreads out through Europe.

1099 - Battle of Ascalon. Took place on 22 Ramadan (August 12), the newfound crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem defeated Fatimid Egypt.

1187 - Battle of Hattin. Took place at dawn -- after the Night of Power (Lailat ul-Qadr); a night during the last ten days of Ramadan when tradition says that the angel Gabriel descended and God called Muhammad to be His messenger. (It is sometimes translated as the Night of Destiny.) Sultan Saladin (Salah Al-Din Al-Ayubi) wiped out the Frankish army and went on to reclaim Jerusalem for Islam. The battle took place on July 4.

1260 - Battle of Ain Jalut. Qutuz defeated the Mongols in Palestine.

1962 to 1970 - Yemeni Civil War. Fighting continued through nine Ramadans.

1973 - Ramadan War (Elsewhere known as the Yom Kippur War). Egypt and Syria launched their attack on Israel it was called Operation Badr, and foot soldiers were given religious slogans. The Yom Kippur War is also known as the 6th of October war of

1973 and the 10th of Ramadan War.

1975 to 1990 - Lebanon's civil war. Fighting took place over the course of seventeen Ramadans.

1981 - Iran rejected Iraqi offers for a Ramadan cease-fire.

1982 - Iran launched an attack on Iraq that they explicitly called "Operation Ramadan."

1986 - Christian forces called for a Ramadan cease-fire, which lasted two weeks.

1987 - Iran again rejected Iraqi offers for a Ramadan cease-fire.

1987 to 1993 - The first Palestinian Intifada was waged over six Ramadans.

1990s - There were at least 20 examples of Ramadan violence by Muslims during the Algerian civil war.

2000 - Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee stated that India would initiate a unilateral cease-fire in observance of the holy month of Ramadan as a step towards peace in Kashmir. Nonetheless, widespread fighting continued between Indian forces and the guerrillas in Jammu-Kashmir.

2000 - Al-Qaida operatives tried to bomb a U.S. destroyer, USS The Sullivans, in the harbor at Aden, Yemen. It was the Night of Power. The suicide boat was overloaded with explosives and sank.

2000 - Al-Qaida successfully bombs the USS Cole in the same harbor at Aden.

2003 - After the 2003 Iraq war, suicide bombers struck at four locations, including the Red Cross headquarters, killing at least 35 people.

Do you see the pattern here folks? Radicals have taken what is to be considered the pinnacle of holy behavior and perverted it into a cause to rally behind. Don’t get me wrong, I know it is not the “normal locals” that are causing all this misery and I don’t put any blame on them. It is the footsoldiers of the insurgent military. The locals have spent so many decades being terrorized by a madman, oops the current correct term would be CONVICT. So they are in a state of constant fear. Fear for themselves, their families (close and extended), and fear that we’ll just leave after giving them something most of them have never had; hope. I know this entry is long and somewhat dry, but it is important that you know the truth about this place from someone who is on the ground everyday. I am not condoning any of the behavior or convicting any of the actions taken by locals to protect themselves. It is just very important to me that all of you know where I stand. I respect my enemy because he is imaginative, quickly adaptable, and very motivated in what he does. That also motivates me to insure that my soldiers and I are better than he is at his own game.

Frequent Flyer Miles

2006-10-15T22:18:00.000+03:00

Well, a few nights ago I went on an adventure that turned out to be very entertaining. I haven’t written about it before because of security reasons but its cool now. We were flown to an undisclosed location to pick up and escort some theater VIPs and bring them back here. Summed up, the pilots got to fly as if they were drunk and daring each other to do stupid stunts. But that’s the norm around here.

The VIPs we picked up turned out to be an NFL Team Cheerleaders (no team given for security). They are here as part of a USO tour group. I think it’s their second or third string cheerleaders. They looked pretty nervous when they met us. I think it’s because of the gear & how dirty we were. I guess they don’t have heavily armed soldiers where they’re from in the states. Their nervousness evolved into scared as the evening progressed. We explained the fact that they have to change outfits into something more befitting the location because skin tight jeans and little blouses just will not do. We dressed them up in baggy mechanic’s coveralls, helmets, gloves, and body armor. When they put on the body armor and realized how heavy it is and how thick the plates are, it sunk in that they are in a combat zone.

Then we gave them the pre-flight brief. We explained that because of where we were flying, we follow “different” rules. We will buckle their seat belt because they have to be done in a certain sequence to work and they will hold on to the seats. No photography whatsoever. If the aircraft gets shot down, don’t jump out before we crash because we will be landing on top of you. If we take rounds, it will sound like pots & pans hitting the aircraft so don’t panic. If they take a round (as in if they get shot) stick your finger in the hole and we will patch you up as soon as we can or the situation permits. If they see fire or smoke coming out of the aircraft as a result of taking fire, point it out to us and we will put it out. Screaming is generally unhelpful to us but expected. Holding onto a soldier’s hand or gear is tolerated as long as it’s not the soldier’s firing hand. He will need it to return fire. You will be able to see a little bit outside because of the moon being half-full. There will be no lights because all of us (soldiers & pilots) will be wearing night vision goggles.

We went on to encourage them to eat more food before the flight because it hurts less to vomit when your stomach is full as opposed to dry heaving. If they feel like vomiting, they are to do so only into the barf bags (3 each per person), or into their own coveralls. This is due to the fact that if they just vomit out or projectile vomit, the centrifugal force will cause the vomit to shower the rest of us and coat the instruments. When we descend to a lower altitude, we will do so very fast. If they faint because of it, we will check for a pulse but we will not bring you back to consciousness until we’ve landed.

Then we added the humor part of the brief. This is a non-smoking Blackhawk flight, after storing your carry-on bags under your seat; insure that your seat backs & trays are in their full, upright & locked positions. Emergency exits are located anywhere that Hajji is not shooting at you, the in-flight movie is Airplane. And finally, for those of you that are participating in our frequent flyer’s club, you will be receiving 200 miles for this flight provided we don’t get shot down. We thank you for flying Commando Airlines and hope you enjoy your stay. This got us a few nervous chuckles.

The flight up was fairly uneventful. Then we hit the vertical decent point. This is the point in the flight when the pilot nose dives the aircraft so he can go from about 5000 feet to 30 feet as fast as possible. This is to lessen the exposure time to rockets. While this is going on, the pilot will launch flares to attract heat seeking rockets away from us and he’ll zigzag the bird to make it harder to get a lock on. What most people don’t realize is that this type of flying resembles NASA’s “Vomit Comet”. Everything and everyone will fall at the same speed as the aircraft so you will achieve Zero-G.

At this point, we got our first barf victims. They filled their bags pretty quick. The others got inspired when they saw us grab the front of one girl’s coveralls and hold it in front of her face so she could vomit into her coveralls. Either that or we get the puke shower. Then they looked at us in disbelief when we collected the barf bags for the next part of the flight. Once we were down to about 30 feet, we flew “map to Earth”. This means that no matter what the terrain does, the pilots will keep the aircraft at thirty feet above the ground. This is also where we start to get rid of the full barf bags. At the right moment, we played WW II bomber and release the “barf bombs” for the bomb run. They didn’t see the humor in this. We reassured them that the good natives are not out at this time so they don’t have to worry about the barf hitting innocent victims. We also told them that the only people out at this time are the ones trying to kill us and they deserve to get hit with a bag of puke. That got them laughing.

Finally, after 45 minutes of map to earth, we landed in our little corner of the planet. It turns out that most of them lost their dinner and one fainted as the result of the rapid nose dive. We brought her around and let her know that the flight was over. She was still trembling when we loaded her in the ambulance. When all was said & done, their coach asked me is all our flights are that rough. I told her that this one was fairly uneventful in that nobody was shooting at us or that we didn’t have to be rerouted due to “problems” developing with the locals.

This afternoon we were told by the sergeant major that they specifically asked for us to escort them for their return trip back south. They told him that they all felt very safe with the escort team they were with since they’ve been in country. I suppose that means we did a good job. I just hope they don’t take it personal when they realize that I have no interest in going to their show.

Anyway, I thought you’d get a laugh out of that little adventure. I hope all is well with all of you and I’ll write more later.

Rain!

2006-10-14T20:27:00.000+03:00

We have officially entered rainy season in country! Yes, those of us that have been in country for a while were a little flabbergasted at the sight of rain. I thought I would be the only one sitting outside in the rain actually enjoying it. It turns out that most of us were doing the same thing. You see, it’s been seven months since we’ve seen clouds here much less, rain. Coming from the tropics, rain is a welcome sight to us. The new arrivals to this place were whining about how muddy it has gotten since the rain. The last time I remember, water and sand here make GREAT mud. They’re in for a long tour if they’re complaining about that. Anyway, enjoy the pictures.

Bad News & Good News

2006-10-14T17:07:00.000+03:00

Sorry it’s been so long since I’ve written but things here have been a bit crazy. I was listening to CNN a few nights ago about how President Bush has made such a mess of Iraq and how the “poor Islamic people are suffering tenfold since the start of the war”. I can tell you that it is all a big huge pile of BS. True, there has been an escalation of sectarian violence in country but, it’s because of the sacks of *&^% that are trying to gain control of the region. And as far as the religion based actions of the people here, let’s take a first hand look at that shall we?

For the most part, your average Iraqi that is of the Islamic faith is just trying to do things like the rest of us. Raise their children, provide for their families (several generations under one roof), and get to Heaven by doing what is commanded to them by the Quran. Things like doing good deeds such as helping the poor, respecting elders, live peacefully and do what will honor Allah.

Then you have the problem children that, for the most part, aren’t even local to Iraq. They follow the instructions of some cult leader as law because of a major detail that terrorist cells take advantage of; illiteracy. This is what their true Islam is all about, beating women on a whim or bestiality is considered normal because women are only vessels for having children. I’ve seen the IR footage on the last one and seen it in person on the first one. If these “leaders” are so righteous, why don’t they strap on a bomb or pick up an AK-47 and come out to attack armed soldiers? Because one, we’ll monkey-stomp them into the ground and two, they are cowards!

I am currently in Iraq for the second time and I have to tell you that the barbaric acts of the slime here is unbelievable! We are currently in the "Holy Month of Ramadan" and you would never know it. They don't follow their own beliefs as written in their Quran. We were in a village not far from our base (somewhere in Iraq) and one of the elders told us that there was a family that had been visited by "Evil People". This is what the locals call insurgents and rightly so. It turned out that they had executed the entire family because the father had not joined them in the Jihad. The father, mother and four children were executed as an example. The children ranged in ages from 4 to 10. This is the norm around here.

Now for the good news, the four year-old daughter survived a gunshot wound to the head. She has been brought to our medical facility where she is a participant in an all volunteer program by the soldiers here. The program is affectionately referred to by the nurses as "Daddy time or Mommy time". Soldiers, whether they have children or not, spend countless hours playing, talking to, or just holding children that have been injured or have lost families to insurgents. I am not sure who it helps out more, us or the kids. The outlook for the little girl that survived is very good. The local tribal leader was outraged when he was informed by us that this happened in his land and has vowed to do something about it. Let me put it to you this way, tribal justice is far swifter and fitting than the courts here. As of this time, the village has come under the protection of "friendlies" that can be trusted. Believe it or not, there are good people here. The problem is that they won't get ratings on the news so you never hear about it.

If you have any doubts to whether President Bush made the right decision, relax! Take it from one soldier who has to put his life and the lives of his soldiers on the line everyday here, he made the right choice! I am the last person that wants to be away from his family or have his soldiers or me hurt or killed in this place and we still believe in what we do. If securing a fruit market in the middle of Nowhere, Iraq will insure freedom for the people here, I will gladly do so.

Finished Mural

2006-09-24T17:30:00.000+04:00

The mural is (or so I thought) finished. Unfortunately, one of the design parameters I included will now have to be put into use. I purposely left space on the side “In Honor Of” in case our task force lost any other soldiers. Within 2 weeks of completion, we’ve lost three. Please realize that EVERYONE in our task force feels the loss when one of our own is lost. Their deaths impact all of us in that we feel pain and loss for who they were and who they’ve left behind.

To look at our task force would make one wonder, “how did they come into existence, much less work together in such harsh conditions and circumstances?” Our task force is a direct reflection of what the United States was founded on. “E Pluribus Unum” Out of Many, One. We have soldiers from all over America working as one single entity. These soldiers were from Nebraska and Minnesota. It didn’t matter to anyone where they were from they served the United States and freedom honorably, they were loved by all of us, they are missed by all of us.

At this time, I am still making the paint preparations to add their names but, I will include them in this entry.

They are:

SSG Joshua R. Hanson - Hanson died a hero while protecting his country and fighting for freedom on Wednesday, August 30th, 2006, near Khalidiyah, Iraq. A statement from his family said, “Josh was a wonderful and loving son and a great friend. He was proud to serve his country as duty called. We can’t express enough how proud we are that he was willing to lay down his life for all of us. He and his comrades are real heroes.” SSG Hanson was assigned to the Minnesota Army National Guard’s Alpha Company, 2nd Combined Arms Battalion 136th Infantry, based in Detroit Lakes, Minn.

SGT Germaine L. Debro - Debro, 33, of Omaha, Neb, died on Sept. 4 in Balad, Iraq, of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle during combat operations. Debro was assigned to the Army National Guard 1st Squadron, 167th Cavalry Regiment, Fremont, Neb. He leaves behind his Mother (Priscilla), Father (Alvin Sr.), and two brothers. He had been in Iraq for about 7 months, and was scheduled to come home in October to help celebrate his brothers 21st birthday.

SSG Jeffrey J. Hansen - 31-year-old Hansen of Cairo, Neb., died on Aug. 27, in Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Landstuhl, Germany, of injuries suffered on Aug. 21 from a vehicle accident in Balad, Iraq was survived by his wife, Jennifer, and his father, Robert Hansen of Bertrand who were with him when he died. The Guard said Hansen was born in Minden, Nebraska and graduated from high school in Bertrand. In 1997 he was awarded a bachelor's degree in athletic training from the University of Nebraska-Kearney. Hansen joined the Guard in January 2000 and had moved up the ranks to become a fire support sergeant. He served with the 167th in Bosnia as part of a peacekeeping force, from late 2002 until mid-2003.

My heartfelt sympathies go out to their families and their friends. I hope that they may find comfort in the fact that their loved ones believed in being part of something greater than themselves: Freedom.

My Mark On Iraq

2006-09-17T19:18:00.000+04:00

One of the interesting things to see when you're deployed around the world is how different units and their personnel “leave their mark”. Due to varying personalities, leadership, and situations, leaving your mark can vary from negative to positive depending on time, morale, and unit cohesion. The common thing you see here are murals painted on cement barricades designed to keep us safe. They can vary in size, texture, and location but, thanks to the local workers, all that can be adjusted.

Here in our corner of the Earth, I was given the freedom to paint what I wanted and as big as I wanted. Now, you have to realize that usually, units will set very restrictive parameters on the content of a mural such as unit patches, crests, and certain pictures. For example, I watched a unit artist paint a mural outside of a dining facility (the correct name for a chow hall). This mural had the unit patch, crest, and all of it was centered on a mountain of human skulls. Not an exceedingly bright idea on the artist’s part considering the location because you have all sorts of people entering and leaving the building to include people (male & female) from all four branches of the military, civilian contractors, and VIPs. I don’t think that the commanding officer of a task force bringing in foreign guests and visiting dignitaries found it too appealing to see a mountain of human skulls in front of the chow hall. Needless to say, that mural lasted one week.

I decided to design our mural so that everyone in our task force from the commander to the lowest ranking private would walk by, look at it, and fell a little more pride knowing that they are part of that particular task force. I added elements that would remind us and the world of why we were here in the first place so that we wouldn’t lose focus of “the big picture”. I also wanted to pay tribute to the fallen so that the families back home would not fell that their deaths were in vain or forgotten. I have attached the “in progress” photograph to this posting taken by a friend. Once it’s finished, I’ll post the complete work with the details. I hope you enjoy it.

Simulate Iraq

2006-09-16T22:41:00.000+04:00

The most common questions I get asked by friends and family back home are, “How bad is the heat there?” and “What is it like there?” I decided to combine the two questions and run a lab experiment using available household equipment and available US Army issue soldiers.

How bad and how hot is it here? There are two things you need to realize about Iraq before you begin this little experiment. One, you’re always going to be dirty whether it’s a light coat of dust or never showered nasty and two, you’re always going to be sweaty or sweating. For those who can’t stand being either, you’re not going to enjoy this simulation.

*Pick the hottest day on record to do this outside.

Here is what you need to gather for the experiment:

One industrial strength blow dryer
One landscaping leaf blower
One large flat baking pan (like the kind from a chow hall 28” x 32”)
Three pounds each of the following ingredients; corn starch, all purpose flour, and playground sand
One BBQ grill with briquettes already started
One small bowl (cereal size ideal)
One picnic table about 30” tall
One set (top & bottom) of thick long johns
One very baggy denim jacket
One very baggy pair of jeans
All cotton socks
One pair of construction boots

Here’s how it works, put on all the clothes plus goggles, a hat, and gloves to “protect” your skin. Go out and find a pile of dirt and roll in it to put on your base coat. Then, have your friends (a minimum of three) go do the same thing. The way the Army works, misery is funnier when it’s shared.

Now, on the baking pan, combine the corn starch, flour and playground sand. Mix the ingredients well for maximum efficiency. Place the pan with the mix on the picnic table at the end closest to you. At the farther end of the table, place the lit BBQ without a cover. Have one friend work the leaf blower and the other will work the hair dryer and bowl.

The friend with the leaf blower will stand on the furthest end of the experiment just past the BBQ with the blower set at random speeds. He/She will aim the blower so that it launches hot ash and the pan ingredients in you direction. Your second friend with the hair dryer will be approximately three feet from your face with the dryer set on “high” temperature and varying the speed from low to high at random. With the bowl, friend number two will scoop up bowls of pan ingredients to be lightly dumped on your head and in your face. At this point, if you’re really aggravated, sweaty and dirty, you’ve achieved the desired effect and you should look like the illustration below.

Goodbye Jeff

2006-09-16T22:38:00.000+04:00

So I’ve been debating for quite a while what I should write for my first posting on this site. Many ideas came to mind but nothing really struck me as “significant” for a first posting. Then I decided to share some thoughts based on recent events.

I recently attended a memorial service for SSG Jeffrey J. Hanson. The basic information in the bulletin about Jeff was that he was an Army National Guard soldier from Nebraska. He was, by MOS (Military Occupational Skill) a scout. He had received several awards for performance and previous deployments; he was college educated, married for three years, etc., etc, etc. The information read like a standard, newspaper printed obituary. But you can’t really know a person until you look further than what’s been printed in a bulletin.

As I sat at his memorial service and listened intently to every word that Jeff’s friends had to say, I couldn’t help but think about something my parents told me when I was younger. “Son, you can tell what kind of person someone is, by the type of people that they surround themselves with”.

Jeff was a funny, caring, devoted man that took pride in being a part of something larger than himself. He excelled at physical fitness, teaching & mentoring his soldiers, and staying upbeat & motivated even during the most difficult of times. He had a deep love and commitment for his wife and their marriage. His soldiers shared stories of things Jeff did to inspire them to improve themselves. Things he did to make them laugh and pass the time in this forsaken place. Thoughts he shared with them and they with him.

As the service progressed, I saw men that have survived and endured ambushes, indirect fire attacks, IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices), and so forth, weeping openly for a friend as if he had been an integral part of their lives since childhood. They were open and honest with their hearts in telling us how they had been blessed to have such a great person in their lives. Their ages varied from their early twenties to early forties. Yet one of the common traits that held them together was Jeff.

As I looked around, I noticed that some of the attendants at the memorial seemed to be contemplating the “what if” possibility of their own lives. Things that come to mind like, “what if I had done this or that? I wish I would have told them this or not said that.” The list can go on and on. My point is not many people take the time to tell their loved ones what they think or feel about them until the opportunity isn’t there or it’s too late. In this line of work, we can’t afford to let those opportunities pass us by. I know for a fact that if anything were to happen to me, my family would know without a doubt that I love them without reservation. I love them no matter what. That I am proud of what I do for my country and those I am surrounded with.

In closing, I had never met Jeff but I found myself weeping for him, his wife, his parents, and his soldiers. Seeing everyone that Jeff surrounded himself with was a testament to the type of man he was: A good man.

Coconut Commando