Due to lax posting this week I’m bringing you ALL of the front line posts for the week today in a separate post. Grab a cup of coffee and enjoy.
Northern Disclosure: An Interesting Watch - Since I have been writing there have been several groups and people that have approached me to read their book or watch their film. I usually decline because I like to not feel indebted to people or beholding to them, or in some cases even associated with them. My great friend and former room mate has been working on a film about PTSD called "Hidden Casualties" that is a wonderful project and I am extremely proud of him and his efforts. Ever since he has started working on this project I have found myself fascinated with how the public view "us" in the military and what we do. (READ MORE)
Andrew Lubin: With 2nd Bn, 8th Marines in Ramadi - FOB Falcon. It’s a raucous Saturday evening with Echo Co. 2/ 8. Most of these Marines were in Fallujah, Ocatal, or Sacliwiyah this time last year, and these grizzlied, yet under 25-vets like Lt. Jason Kemp can tell the odd reporter coming through this AO how different it is in Ramadi now. They lift weights here six nights out of seven, there is a regular group trying to take over the world in an evening game of Risk, and there are Marines in the MWR room on the internet and the phones calling home. Chow tonight was a choice of frozen American foods or fresh lamb kebabs brought in by their Iraqi neighbor. (READ MORE)
Sergeant Grumpy: Steaming Bowl of Suck, part III - Ok, so the whole reason I started this post was to help explain what it means to be a Soldier. It means being able to tolerate all manners of Suck and still get the job done. It is what binds us to each other as Soldiers - that shared risk, and the knowledge that the Soldier to your left and right will endure with you, that they won't break for cover, or shirk their duty, leaving others to carry more of the load. Now where I left of in the story we had the area secure and broke an element off to go search for an Extremist weapons cache. (READ MORE)
This War and Me: Home Alone - You know, in all our briefs were told to be careful about fitting back into society too fast. I never saw the worst of war, so I wasn't particularly concerned about all that. I do notice that I do not like large crowds. I don't know why that is. I don't think everyone wants to kill me or anything, I just noticed I feel uncomfortable. They briefed us many times on not hitting our wives or our children, neither of which I have living with me, so again I was not particularly concerned about that either. I think it goes beyond that and includes dealing with people in general. I think I have less patience and feel more aggressive than I should at times but I can't rationally justify why I feel this way. (READ MORE)
Yellowhammering Afghanistan: The ultimate four-letter word - Living in cramped quarters with a few dozen Army guys, there is no shortage of four-letter words. Yet there is one in particular you have to be careful about using. It is only acceptable in certain contexts, such as if you're talking about a particular sports team or maybe the photos of a super model or actress. It is a word commonly associated with today, Valentine's Day. Of course, I'm talking about "love." (READ MORE)
Yellowhammering Afghanistn: Turning negatives into positives - Monday did not go as planned. It ended up better than expected. Shortly after Coalition soldiers killed eight Afghan National Police here in Ghazni several days ago, we had the idea to do a large humanitarian assistance drop in the neighborhood around the substation where the police were from. As I mentioned, we had boxes upon boxes of clothes, toys, stuffed animals, shoes, bedding and other items many of you donated. Those boxes were waiting for me when I returned from leave after Christmas. I spent several days opening them up, labeling them and organizing them for an HA drop. (READ MORE)
IraqPundit: Even the NYT? (Even the NYT.) - It must have been difficult for the NYT editorialist who came up with today's grudging view of Iraq. The newspaper, which long ago wrote off Iraq and its people, today admits there is some progress. "We are, of course, cheered by the news that representatives from Iraq’s three main ethnic groups — Shiite, Sunni and Kurd — finally saw some benefit in compromise." The cheered NYT was reacting to a package of laws that Iraq's parliament has just passed. "Iraqi lawmakers overcame weeks of deadlock Wednesday to pass three key measures: a $48-billion national budget, an amnesty bill and legislation paving the way for provincial elections by Oct. 1." (READ MORE)
IraqPundit: Style or Substance - While congratulations certainly are in order for Barack Obama on his recent sweeps, it would be fair to ask about his position on Iraq. WaPo's editorial page does so today in a piece about Defence Secretary Gates's statement on the pause in troop withdrawals. The writer points out how refreshing it was that Gates "exhibited the sort of sensible and pragmatic judgment on Iraq that has been sorely missing in Washington during the past five years." (READ MORE)
James Aalan Bernsen: The Presidential Election - A lot of folks here are closely following the presidential races. It’s more personal in a way, when you’re over here in the sandbox. Everyone’s interested, concerned and eager to vote. You talk about it freely, but mostly without contention. We never have big, heated arguments about it. In most cases, it’s “I support so-and-so for this reason,” and the response is, “Well, I don’t. I support so-and-so.” And that’s it. Arguing over anything just doesn’t work here. It’s unprofessional and unmilitary. In most cases, say on an operational issue, the senior person makes a decision and the junior person accepts it. But with personal issues like religion and politics, it’s a no-go area to argue that. (READ MORE)
Jason's Iraq Vacation: New Job - Basically, I work on a staff in the IZ. I do staff work such as go to meetings, write orders for units like the one I used to be a part of, and go to meetings. They tell me that the logic behind bringing me down here was to get some experience from those of us who have been, as they say, "in the field". Ok, whatever. Its not real exciting, although I occasionally get to travel to some different locations and see some of the other training teams. At least that breaks up the 14 hour days they require me to work. (READ MORE)
Michael Yon: Tuesday, 12 February 2008 - [Baghdad] One of the most important measures of progress in Iraq is the development of the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF). In order for our troops to draw down without squandering the tremendous recent gains, Iraqis must be able to govern and protect their own country. There are conflicting reports concerning the ISF’s capability and reliability. Understanding that this is a complex issue which depends to a great extent on projections, predictions and interpretations rather than hard facts, I will describe the situation as I see it. I requested a meeting with Lieutenant General James Dubik, the commander assigned by General Petraeus to lead the formation of the Iraqi Security Forces. (READ MORE)
Eighty Deuce on the Loose in Iraq: Some GREAT News!!! - Ok well it has defiantly been a little bit since I posted last. Theres several factors that have played in to this. Part of it is from my time spent out at the outpost where once again Blogger is blocked. No surprise there tho. Also as I'm sure many of you all have probably heard, there was some communications cable that was cut in the Mediterranean Sea (I believe?) that has severely affected our communications. The internet at the cafes have been ridiculously slow and the phones have had a horrible connection. Also the internet has been down in my building for several weeks and with our re-deployment nearing, I decided to not worry about it and just wont have internet in my room for the rest of my time here. (READ MORE)
1st Lt. Ted Vickers: Statistics - Editor's note: This is a personal commentary by 1st Lt. Ted Vickers, public affairs officer, Regimental Combat Team 1 - CAMP FALLUJAH, IRAQ--So I haven't written anything in a few weeks, and yes it has been busy. I mean, I am deployed to a combat zone. But I honestly can't say that is the issue with me not writing. The simple fact is that I have not had anything to write about. One would think by what you've seen on Television or read in some fancy New York City or Los Angeles Newspaper that every day here is filled with dodging buried IED's lying in wait for their chance to shred through an unsuspecting Marine. Or the fire fight that breaks out in a local market place slaughtering foes and innocents alike. However, that couldn't be further from the truth. (READ MORE)
Fearless 1st Marines’ blog: MTT provides guidance, builds community relations - KARMA, Iraq (Feb. 13, 2008) - The state of Iraq is a complex affair that involves many variables to its solution. Culture, foreign policy, tribal leaders, sheiks, local and provincial security, and government are all pieces to a much larger puzzle. Coalition forces in the al Anbar province have incorporated these factors and are successfully aiding the transition of control over to the Iraqi people. One of the type of units that play a significant part in this process are the Military Transition Teams. (READ MORE)
From an Anthropological Perspective: Sons of Iraq to Iraqi Police - Yesterday I went to an Iraqi Police training facility to check on their living conditions and simply get eyes on the place. The recruits were men that served as checkpoint guards in my brigade's Area of Operations and chose to partner with Coalition Forces. They used to be called Concerned Local Citizens and are now called Sons of Iraq. They are supposed to transition from that to being fully sworn Iraqi Police with allegiance not just to their neighborhood but the Iraqi Government. Their conditions were a bit crowded in the barracks but they are certainly eating well. There was a very professional staff preparing dinner when I visited. (READ MORE)
Tony Perry: IRAQ: Whither Basra? - It's been five months since the British pulled out of Basra, the nation's second-largest city, and left security to a police force said to be riddled with Shiite militia. A British journalist and an Iraqi interpreter working for CBS were kidnapped this week by 10 armed men outside the Sultan Palace Hotel. The interpreter was released Wednesday, but negotiations for the journalist's freedom were continuing. The top British general in Iraq says the security situation in Basra remains iffy. (READ MORE)
Badger 6: The HEAT is On - The road of Iraq can be very dangerous. Readers of Badgers Forward followed my Company as they scoured the roads of Al Anbar province to get rid of the most dangerous threat on the road, the IED. The roads are also dangerous for mundane reasons. Young drivers in heavy and powerful vehicles; unclear rules of the road, and the potential for imminent combat can cause a driver to lose focus and have an accident. (READ MORE)
Bill and Bob's Excellent Afghan Adventure: The Odyssey Of The Four Day Pass; Part One - Needless to say (but I will anyway,) R&R time is highly valued by the individual soldier downrange. Separate units may determine the intricacies of how they manage their people’s leave and pass. Everyone is authorized leave, but I have met those in country who have chosen not to take any leave. Personally, I could not have dealt with that. I missed my kids so much by the time that I finally went on leave that wild horses, Taliban, or recalcitrant officers would not have been able to prevent me from taking my authorized leave. (READ MORE)
Bill and Bob's Excellent Afghan Adventure: The Odyssey Of The Four Day Pass, Part Two - Even though the last post was posted yesterday, it was written days ago. Since that time, I showed up for a 0300 roll call only to find that there were no seats for those of us who were already manifested. Since I had been selected as the "chalk leader" due to being either the only E-7 or the only one to raise my hand when they asked who was an E-7, I inquired at the desk in the Pax Terminal as to what had occurred. "We only had two seats on the plane, Sergeant." (READ MORE)
Defiant Compliance: The Macadamia Nut Of C-4 - Dear intrepid reader, I know you've been waiting for me to post something new for a while, and have I got a cool video for you! I'm friendly with the Explosive Ordnance Disposal teams on a few bases out here, and they decided to take me out on a controlled detonation. I'll explain some of this stuff: - I screwed the date up on the video, it's actually 10 February 2008, not July... Sorry. I can fix it later. - In the beginning of the video, after the crazy bumpy HMMWV ride, the guy I'm letting know I won't include in the video is the local Iraqi interpreter for these guys. He's deathly afraid of being caught on film due to the possibility of being hunted down and killed by terrorists... (READ MORE)
Doc in the Box: Combat Basketball - Every time there is an event that someone could get hurt, Marines ask for a Corpsman to provide medical coverage. In the civilian side of life, you worry about medical bills, how long it would take an ambulance to get there or just plain getting hurt. Overall most civilians I know are fairly careful about getting injured. Not so in my line of work. I think with Marines, having their “doc” there adds a mental safety blanket. They don’t seem to worry about girly things like bruises, twisted ankles or hitting like football linebackers but without pads. Since my ball game is sadly lacking, I usually get out of it by taking pictures. (READ MORE)
Desert Dude: 14 February - So this morning there was a ceremony to dedicate the fitness center and rename it after Sgt. Charles R. Browning—the soldier that lost his life to an IED attack on 1 June 2007…it was a nice ceremony…again, very hard to stand thru…even tho it’s been over 8 months since the incident—it doesn’t get any easier to hear about him and the family he left behind…the guy that escorted his body home had been his friend for 20+ years and he was asked to speak at the ceremony… (READ MORE)
The Angry American: Department of Renduncy Department Department - Ahhhhh back at the FOB for a little re-fit action. The last bunch of days out at the COP weren’t really that bad. Asides from giving you way to much time to think and little enough sleep to let your mind run rampant. When we gave it up to 3rd ID they made some rather nice changes and additions to the COP. The power actually stays on and I’ve already mentioned some of the other MWR additions. The food isn’t that bad it’s for the most part the same as it is at the FOB. To be quite honest I wouldn’t mind just stayin the hell out there and not coming back in except to swap out laundry. (READ MORE)
Acute Politics: Settling In - The wait in the Green Zone wasn’t short, but it was just short enough to forestall a meeting with the author of LT Nixon Rants. Too bad- I’ll have to try again on the trip back. I caught a Blackhawk helicopter ride from the Green Zone south to FOB Kalsu- home to the 2nd and 4th Brigades of the 3rd Infantry division. The 2nd Brigade, my hosts for this stage of the trip, is famous for leading the “Thunder Run” to Baghdad in the initial invasion. On the flight down to Kalsu, I made friends with a civilian electronics tech. He had a day or so in between places he had to go for his job, so he was flying down to Kalsu to play high-stakes poker with his cousin stationed there. (READ MORE)
Yellowhammering Afghanistan: Three Quarters - Remember last month when I reflected on the pie charts in math class and remarked how two-thirds looked like a lot? Well, I also remember that three-quarters made for a pretty full circle. Tomorrow marks the nine-month mark for most of us here at Camp Vulcan on this deployment. That means we are three-quarters of the way done. I will be enjoying an Opus X cigar as is my monthly custom. Also customary, I put together a slideshow marking the third quarter. You can view it by clicking here. The music is actually two songs. The first is "Ooh, Child (Alternate Version)" by Beth Orton from her "The Other Side of Daybreak" album. If you don't have this album or Beth's "Daybreaker" album, you don't know what you're missing. The second song is "Angel" by my old friend Eric Fiedor. You can check out his MySpace page here and purchase this song. (READ MORE)
Michael J. Totten: The Final Mission, Part III - ANBAR PROVINCE, IRAQ – The United States plans to hand Anbar Province over to the Iraqis next month if nothing catastrophic erupts between now and then. The Marines will stick around a while longer, though, and complete their crucial last mission – training the Iraqi Police to replace them. The local police force would collapse in short order without American financial and logistics support. “The biggest problem they have is supply,” Corporal Hayes said to me in Fallujah. “They're always running out of gas and running out of bullets. How are they supposed to police this city with no gas and no bullets?” What they need more than anything else, though, in the long run anyway, is an infusion of moderate politics. (READ MORE)
No comments:
Post a Comment