News and Personal dispatches from the front lines.
In their own words:
Kaboom: A Soldier's War Journal: In Horseshoes and Hand Grenades - When you exist in the circumstantial vacuum of a war zone, many words and phrases shed their old world catches and connotations. This is often a result of the rebirth-via-military acronym-process, rising like a brevity phoenix from the ashes of English language clichés. Relativity and conditional overload numb the deployed soldier’s reality into a mantra of no apologies; survival is unabashedly priority numero uno for anyone not taking prolonged hits from Uncle Sam’s patriot bong. Not that Uncle Sam smokes weed. He’s drug-tested every month. Been that way ever since the Sixties. One of those infinitely delicate and ever-malleable terms in combat is “close call.” For a phrase that is sure to be used in every Iraq War yarn spun in bars across America, it certainly leaves a lot to be desired in terms of exactitude. (READ MORE)
Yellowhammering Afghanistan: The replacements - Boy, are we glad to see these guys! Our replacements began filtering into FOB Vulcan about 10 days ago. We've spent the past week doing our relief in place and transfer of authority (RIP-TOA) with the new guys. We're doing our best to introduce them to Ghazni and all the hazards and rewards of this job. Unfortunately, they are experiencing a good bit of the former (I'll tell you more about that tomorrow). I hope they will come to know much more of the latter. The good thing is they are getting many more trainers/mentors and security force guys than we had, which means they should be able to do even more with the Afghan National Police. (READ MORE)
LT Nixon: Iraq News (29 April) - The Good: Grug Bruno of the CFR has an extensive write up about the Sahwa movement that's worth your time. Ambassador Khalilzad drops the rhetoric on Iran and Syria about their role in Iraq. There's been an unprecedented number of airstrikes from drones/UAVs due to the recent uprising of Shi'ite militias. I knew the Air Force was good for something besides making me envious with their plush bases! The Bad: Four of our troops were killed by indirect fire yesterday in Baghdad. The Provincial Reconstruction Teams, crucial to helping Iraqis run their country, are understaffed because the State Department doesn't have the people. Apparently, there's more military musicians that Staties. (READ MORE)
Milblogging: In Case You Missed It: Watch Bad Voodoo's War Online - In case you missed Bad Voodoo's War (the personal story of my Platoon), you can watch it online. If you did watch the show and want to share your thoughts, please feel free to share in the Comments section below. Oh, and yes folks, that's me at the top of the PBS website raising one eyebrow like James Bond. I mean, you can't look like me and not raise one eyebrow during photographs. It's unnatural. Shoot, it was hard enough to resist ripping off my shirt and flexing my pecs and back for the camera. (READ MORE)
Badger 6: Master Sergeant Brendan O'Connor - Someone You Should Know - None of our heroes who have been awarded the Medal of Honor during the Global War on Terrorism have been alive for the award. It seems the standard is so high one must give their life demonstrating courage. Fortunately no such absolute standard has been created for our Nation's second highest award for valor, the Distinguished Service Cross. Tomorrow, at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Master Sergeant Brendan O'Connor, of the 7th Special Forces Group will receive Distinguished Service Cross. (READ MORE)
ToySoldier: Exhaustion - Is the word I'm using to describe myself, probably from now until I'm in the states. See the funny thing is, I wrote "Return of a Season" around the beginning of April, things were calm, things were going smoothly. Now, we have 2 suicide vests, and 1 vbied (vehicle borne IED) and a possible attempt by AQI to "resurge" into the area. Bastards. Don't they know I'm going home!? Can't they just let it be? We won, you lost. Get the hell over it. Ah, only in a perfect world. So, patrols are ramped up I get online maybe once a week now. Thank you for all the positive feedback, I didn't really expect such a large inbox of comments when I logged on tonight. (READ MORE)
IN-iraq: The only way out is through- the local Iraqi economy - Balad, Iraq- LSA Anaconda is the largest supply hub in Iraq, and therefore has a tremendous potential to benefit the local economy outside its guarded perimeter, but because of security concerns- third country nationals are mostly employed instead of Iraqis, and because of a lack of an industrialized economy, basic services and supplies are imported rather than contracted locally. But with better security in Salah al Din Province, the potential for the local economy may be improving. (READ MORE)
Toby Nunn: Fear - Fear, It comes in many forms, when I was a kid I was relatively fearless until I got hurt. I remember climbing trees and hiding on the roof and not being afraid of heights till I fell, nor was I scared of being hurt by an insect till I was stung. I was speaking to my friend Elizabeth’s class on the phone earlier and answering some more of the questions that I shared with you all a few days ago and was asked if I was scared to come back here on this tour. I remember sitting on my cot at the mobilization site getting ready to leave looking at my packed bags and feeling the fear rising from my gut. The first time, I ran to the plane to get on and off and couldn’t wait to get me some. This time I sauntered up, looking back at the faces I would have to stand before if anything went south and tried to keep that fear in my gut where it belongs. I listen to my gut all the time I just like my head clear when I listen that’s all. (READ MORE)
Navy Gal: sand, sand, everywhere sand! - Ok, I'm not trying to be a hater of the sand, BUT....it's getting ridiculous with all the freaking sand storms lately. AND with the sand comes more mortar attacks. This is nuts! I can feel my lungs filling up with sand. My eyelashes are coated in sand. My nose is full of sand. Did I mention I hate the sand?! On another note....Toby Keith was on base lastnight for a USO concert and I was fortunate enough to score a front row pass! Woohoo....touched Toby's hand it was great! Now when I hear American Soldier or Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue I can be like.."Dude, I saw him sing that while I was in Iraq!" (READ MORE)
Back but still writing:
That Krazy Korean: Welcome Back - I just got word that the last of the Captain Mafia has returned from theater. After a similarly grueling long travel trip, Kevin, Brendan and Tom are now safely in the US and will go through the same 4 day out-processing ordeal that the rest of us went through. This may sound slightly silly, but I'm a lot more relaxed knowing that they are safe. I missed them. When the regular Army deploys, the unit tends to hold that vigilant watch until everyone is home safe. Because this deployment was more like a smattering of individuals, the strength of the team cohesion resembled watery paste rather than the typical super glue found normally in the Army. (READ MORE)
Heading out:
The War on Big Tobacco: A Beautiful Return - “Welcome home. You deserve a cigar.” I quizzed her on how long ago she had just eaten and what she had for dinner. I tried to pair her dinner (pizza) with something that would complement the meal, so I selected a La Gloria Cubana Wavel from my cigar case. At the time, I was smoking a Gusta Rey Torpedo. I taught her how to puff on the cigar and enjoy the taste of the smoke. Then we began to talk about deployment. She was a chaplain’s assistant, but had only done the job once. Instead, she worked in supply counting field rations and making sure that the TCNs (Third Country Nationals) were doing their job driving water trucks. She old me of the extreme boredom and some of the stupid things she did for entertainment. She told me of the buddy who died on the road in Kuwait, coming back from a convoy. He died not from a roadside bomb, but after being hit by a Kuwaiti who was going way too fast. She let everything out. (READ MORE)
On the Home Front:
Patti Treverton: 100 days, and appreciating the support - It’s been 100 days since my husband has left on this deployment. So far we’ve been lucky, no “major” issues to deal with, only car and furnace problems that we solved before telling him! We’re old hands at this and have learned that you don’t tell your soldier who is 10,000 miles away about the little things that he can only worry about but can’t fix, until you have fixed them yourself! You see since the events of Sept 11. 2001, my husband, a Reservist, and dozens of others like him have now served both at home and overseas on multiple missions. My husband has served over 1000 days (for those like my husband who counts days away from his children), including a 14-month tour in Iraq. (READ MORE)
News from the Front:
Iraq:
US troops kill 28 Mahdi fighters during Sadr City ambush - Heavy fighting broke out between Coalition and Mahdi Army forces in Sadr City as US troops killed 28 Mahdi Army fighters after being ambushed during a patrol. Seven more Mahdi Army fighters were killed during strikes yesterday. The 28 Mahdi Army fighters were killed during a four-hour battle in southern Sadr City after a US soldier was wounded by gunfire and US forces began to evacuate the soldier, Lieutenant Colonel Steven Stover, the chief Public Affairs Officer for Multinational Division Baghdad said. (READ MORE)
Female suicide bomber attacks SOI in Diyala - DIYALA, Iraq – A female suicide bomber attacked a Sons of Iraq Headquarters, killing one and wounding four others in the town of Mukisha, approximately 12 miles southwest of Muqdadiyah in Diyala province, April 29. An Iraqi Army Quick Reaction Force moved the wounded to a Coalition force medical facility for treatment. (READ MORE)
Local citizens fend off AQI attack - TIKRIT, Iraq – Defensive actions by local citizens of the Diyala Province against al Qaeda in Iraq resulted in the death of 12 insurgents April 28. Freedom of movement once exercised in the Bani Zaid Tribal region, south of Kanan, by AQI was stifled when local leaders and citizens, along with the village’s Sons of Iraq members fought back against an enemy attack. (READ MORE)
Iraqi soldiers turn in weapons cache - CAMP STRIKER, Iraq – Soldiers from 4th Company, 3rd Battalion, 22nd Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division retrieved a cache in the vicinity of Patrol Base Lion’s Den, approximately seven kilometers southwest of Baghdad, April 27. Information from a detainee led the Soldiers to the cache that was buried by a canal. The cache consisted of 80 machine gun rounds, four 69 mm mortar rounds, one 120 mm mortar round, and two bags of homemade explosives. (READ MORE)
Coalition forces target AQI: three terrorists killed, 12 detained - BAGHDAD – Coalition forces killed three terrorists and detained 12 suspected terrorists while targeting the al-Qaeda in Iraq network in the northern half of the country Tuesday. Coalition forces targeted an AQI foreign terrorist facilitator at a suspected terrorist safe-house 60 miles north of Baghdad. Coalition forces called for the target building’s occupants to come out peacefully, but several men refused to comply, including three men displaying weapons, one of whom was wearing a military-style assault vest. (READ MORE)
Coalition forces kill 10 terrorists, detain five suspects (Khalaf Al Mahd) (Abu Ghurayb) - BAGHDAD – Coalition forces killed 10 terrorists and detained five terrorist suspects during four operations targeting al-Qaeda in Iraq networks Monday near Baghdad. Targeting a foreign terrorist with direct ties to suicide operations, intelligence led a Coalition forces to engage two vehicles and kill 10 terrorists near Khalaf Al Mahd. Coalition forces destroyed the vehicles carrying four heavy machine guns, eight assault rifles and several hundred rounds of ammunition. (READ MORE)
Iraqi Security Forces Clear Hyyaniyah - BASRA — As part of ongoing operations to secure the Hyyaniyah district in Basra, Iraq, Iraqi Security Forces searched the area of criminals and weapons caches last week. The ISF involved were Soldiers from 1st Division, 14th Division; the 26th Brigade attached to the 1st Division; a Battalion with the National Police from Baghdad; and elements from an Emergency Police Battalion. (READ MORE)
ISF Improve Security in Tarmiyah - CAMP VICTORY — The citizens of Tarmiyah have seen a substantial reduction in violence over the past four months, which can readily be seen throughout the vibrant market places midday as consumers packed the markets to purchase needed goods from vendors. “Things have been very quiet in Tarmiyah over the past four months,” said Staff Sgt. Mikey Fernandez, who is attached to Troop A, 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team “Warrior,” 25th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad. (READ MORE)
Town name to change to Beautiful Spring - Residents of the Hay Jasmen neighborhood in Musayyib, Iraq, will soon walk on improved roads instead of dirt and jagged rocks. The roads are nearly complete; workers are in the finishing stages of constructing gutters on the sides of the streets. In addition to the road refinishings, a waste management project is almost complete. Areas that previously appeared carpeted by trash are now nearly spotless. (READ MORE)
Mahmudiyah radio station ready for first broadcast - Coalition forces provided training April 24 to local citizens employed at the new radio station on the Iraqi Army Compound in Mahmudiyah. The Mahmudiyah IAC received new radio station equipment April 12 to increase communication means in the area, in conjunction with Operation Marne Piledriver. The new station, 106.5 FM, will be used as a conduit to keep the community informed. The inaugural broadcast will air April 27. (READ MORE)
IA visits site in Arab Jabour - An Iraqi Army unit visited Combat Outpost Murray in Arab Jabour April 23 to familiarize themselves before establishing their battalion headquarters there. The 6th Battalion, 25th Brigade, 6th IA Division will join 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division at COP Murray. Col. Thair, the 6/25/6 IA commander, spoke with Coalition leaders about their partnership at the outpost. Companies from the IA battalion will occupy other patrol bases in Arab Jabour as well. (READ MORE)
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