Appalachian Intellectual. To me that means plain thinking. I am A Non Commissioned Officer in the Army Reserves. Let me say...My views expressed here are mine and not those of The U.S. Army, Army Reserve or my fellow brethren in The National Guard. This is entirely Sua Sponte. This is My Thinking.
I'm single and in my mid 30's. Politicaly, I'm a Libertarian. (Again, Sua Sponte.I do not represent the Libertarian Party.)I love my native Appalachia, Rock n Roll and...I love God.
I started blogging for two reasons. I was concerned about the changes to the area I live in, Southern Appalachia and I was about to go to the war. I was in Iraq in 06 and 07 and now Kuwait in 11 and 12. Blogging was a means of documenting my experiences and hoping it would help gain clarity. I don't feel that way about it any more. It's said people write blogs because they are frustrated, that's why people read them too. That makes us sound apocalyptic. Are we? Let it be said, what I say here is of my own thinking. This is entirely Sua Sponte and not an official representation of the U.S. Military or the U.S. Government as a whole.
I'm sitting on a Sherman Tank with a 105mm gun on it. The tank was made in the U.S, but, U.S tanks never had 105mm guns on them. British Shermans did however. This is not the first time I've seen this tank. The first time was at Taji in a warehouse in 4th ID's area.
As the story goes, it was found in a junk yard and two Army Mechanics were given it to fix up when they were not bolting armor kits on to HMMWVs. It was recognised as a British varient, a Sherman IB. There was a lend lease program. As well, the Israelis used them into the late 60's, and even early 70's.
Somewhere along the line this tank ended up along the Tigris River. It may have went through Briish chanells, and then...A farther possability, the Iraqis got it in one of the wars with the Israelis, the 6 day War or Yom Kippur. But one would think if an Israeli crew abandoned it or were captured they would have set the thermite to it. And it would have been hauled all of the way across Jordan. I will lean towards the Brits.
It officially belonged to Iraq, and the Iraqis must have signed it over to us. I was glad to see it again. One other thing that I saw in the heeps of Military scrap that littered the place was a German 88. That was a gun that every Allied Soldier feared and it's rusting away just yards from the Tigris.
The time is going by. Sometimes the day drags, but, then one day rolls into the other. So, if I was to feel the need to express to everyone something to be thankful for...Honestly I consider such things a practice of Pharisies...It would be that time is moving. So much of my life I wished it would stand still. Not now.
One thing any more is our language. The words we use, lip service...Just lip service. We try to give everything special names...Like the "Super Comitee". I don't know what to call it, but, I suppose most people will call it failure now. Well, round in round it goes and where it stops, everyone knows.
I think the Army, the Military in general, is the worst at using flowery technical language. Take the word "battle"...Now, that's a Military word if we ever heard one. it get's used so much for everything today, especially in the staff world. Let me give you the explanation. A kid goes to Basic Training, there he has a "Battle Buddy". His Battle Buddy is his newly assigned best friend. I had one, his name was Willis. We had very little in common but we got along. He was a little older than me and managed to put up with imature me. The Drill Segeants would say to us "your buddy". Today, it's the full blown thing, "your battle buddy".
I have nastolgia for our once simpler Army.
Another is the "Battle Box". That's a computer thing, so, you battle the computer. To put it simple it's kind of a sharing place to put files, and iformation for access by others. We're the Army, so we call it Battle Box. That way we can feel like we're slugging it out at Bostogne.
Back to Battle Buddy. It's a Drill Sergeant thing to call one another "Battle". So, is Battle a noun or a verb? Could it be an adverb? It doesn't matter, we like saying it. (I get called battle)
The other day I had a Leutenant Colnel say how we don't have the need for coloered alchahol pens and laminated boards anymore. "When was the last time you used one?". We're high speed! We have computers to do that for us now.
Don't get me wrong. I can see the need for computerised mapping, charts, and graphs. I love Google Earth.
Anyway, I hope you have a fun and entertaining Thanksgiving. It doesn't need to be perfect. There is going to be allot of poor stressed out women tomorrow. And, there ought not be. So...Happy Thanksgiving from all of me here at Appalachian Patria.
It's Friday, the 11th of November. Yeah, Veterans Day. So, let's get started with a little something to get your blood pumping. The Punk Rock is optionalTotaly optional man. ...
Veteran's Day Yeah, Veterans Day. You can ask allot of school kids what day it is nad they will tell you. I don't think allot of them can tell you where it came from. The 11th of November 1918, the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month...Today is 11/11/11.
He was our enemy, but the charctor of All Quiet on the Western Front, was killed on the 11th of October, 1918.
There is something bad though. You may have seen it in the news, maybe you've not. But there has been somewhat of a scandal at Dover Air Force Base. Dover is where he deceased have been taken from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. I was reading in The Stars and Stripes that some of the Service Members killed were cremated and then their ashes were dumped in a land fill. I won't make any further comment...
November 10th 1775 Yesterday was the Marine Corps Birthday. They really get into it, and that's good. But, where I want to talk about it is in a significant context to us as a Nation. The year is 1775. That's our year, still we don't have the Spirit of 76, but that was the year the American Revolution was coming to surface. We had a fledging Army since June of that year*. We were'nt going to compeat with the british very well if we could not engage their Navy. So, on October 13th, the Continental Navy was born. I imagine that that was no small feat. It would take quite a bit of material and effort to equip a Navy. Eventually John Paul Jones was in Command of a borrowed ship from the French.**Roughly a month after the Navy started being formed, the Marine corps was born. The Navy needed Marines to protect it, and to be an assault force for it. Well, after that, we didn't have much in the line of ships, but we had a Navy with Marines to support them.
The Royal Navy, despite holding it's gains from the Seven Years War against the French, was not all too prepared for delivering more troops across the Atlantic and the Gun Ships to support that. For them it was not just a war against the rebellous Colonies, but, the French and the Spanish. They had allot of water to cover...And the timber they had been using for heir masts came from the forests of New England.They were stretched thin.
Stretched thin or not, they had a Navy, and we didn't. When who ever it was went into Tung's Tavern and recruited the first Marine, well, as poorly equiped as either of them may have been, they had the most important thing...A person. It was sloppy, at times hap hazard, but we were compeating.
Arifjan Kuwait Now, back to the future. Allot of people here are getting sick. It took a little longer than usual for it to start going around. It takes about a month or so and it's been about two months. It alread hit me. I went to Qatar for a week with one mean head cold.
Admenastrative Note I'm taking on the daunting task of tagging all of the posts from my blog, over 600 of them. I never did it before. But, over time, as I found people doing searches for information on my stats, it started to make sense that I do.
*Trivia question! When did the first Commander of that Army, the Continental Army, take command?
** I get tired of French jokes, though we owed the French monarchy more than the post French Revolution Government, we owe allot to the French, Marquis De Laffayette, being one of them.
I'm now at Camp Arifjan Kuwait. We flew in last night and after a short trip we were at our destination. I keep comparing everything to my trip to Iraq. That was very different. This is very different.
I had been writing my posts on Word and pasting them to the blog. Last weekend I dropped my netbook and the screen went out. So, I bought a new lap top, an HP Pavilion. That's what I had my first tour. Anyway, the deal is, I don't have Word on this thing, so posting was a little harder. To be frank, internet on Ft. Bliss sucks rotten eggs.
More to follow. I'm on a Replacements kick, so I leave you with The Replacements...It won't let me do it... But then it did.
H30th August I’ve been around. That is to say I’ve traveled, and mind you, not always by choice. I’m more interested in the wonders of my own back yard (Southern Appalachia) than I am anywhere else. Yet, thanks to Uncle Sam and I admit, other endeavors, I have been to a few places. However, unless I was there long enough to get the dirt under my nails, I don’t consider myself as to having been there. I’ve passed through Ireland, Spain, Germany, Newfoundland and Hungary. I can attest to their beauty, but, I only saw it from a bird’s eye view. I was in those places no time at all. The same can be said for a few states.
This is my first time to Ft. Bliss, and believe it or not, my first time to the Southwest. I’ve gotten the dirt under my nails here. From a distance I can see parts of El Paso and Juarez across the river, but the river is not in view. I’ve been off post once, and that was in transit. El Paso appears to be a growing city. And, the mountains in the distance here are pretty. Yesterday I was on a range and I could look and see a big ridge to the east and across a gentle, sweeping valley was another low ridge of hills. The hills were sparse little knobs and the ridge just rose and bent over into a broad, flat valley. Of course there were the bushes and yuccas growing in the waterless valley. But, a man could see for a ways. It was like the set of a western. I could see Outlaws riding their horses in hopes of making it to Mexico and Hombres greeting them at camp fires while wondering what trouble they’re in. I tried humming a verse of Marty Robin’s song about El Paso and a certain Mexican Girl.
I think of the history here, little that I know. Longstreet was Commander here before he went and served in the Army of Virginia. US Officers watched Poncho Villa’s battle at Juarez from across the Rio Grande. Anglo culture of the United States met the culture of the Mexican populace in what came to be The Republic of Texas and then another State of the Union before a Confederate State and back to the Union. And, amongst it all outlaws rode through Hondo Pass in a desperate rush for Mexico. Now, Mexicans cross the Rio Grande in a desperate push for The United States. It’s ironic. I wonder what the Apache think?
1 September I know that somewhere across the river in Juarez is where Dr. Bernice got the fake leather seats for her Delta 88 she spray painted black and on a hot desert night with the windows down wide the stars will spell out your name...
26th August Sometimes I wish I was a celebrity. Not so much that I could have beautiful women hanging on my arms, though, that would be rather pleasing, or to have a fancy house with a flashy car and a crew of people telling me I’m cool, but…I’ll stop. Run away sentence alert…But, so I could have my own charity. That’s what they do, they give back. Usually to some cause plucked from air. My cause? It wouldn’t be the save this that or the other cause. Couldn’t you hear that?” The Daniel Wilson Fund to Save This, That and the Other. A nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving stuff. “ Oh, but, I want my own charity. I just can’t figure out what for. Part of this is my…OK…I’ll say it, machoism. Not to be confused with Appalachiaism. I don’t want it to be about saving stuff…But, I do. I want a Wildlife fund, because you can’t save people. Animals are cool, and people suck, at least when they are not being cool. Do I want to save wildlife? No. I want wildlife to have outstanding habitat, the rest will follow. Could you just hear that? “The Daniel Wilson Fund to Provide Outstanding Habitat to Wildlife and Beyond. A nonprofit organization dedicated to giving wildlife outstanding habitat and beyond”. That way we say it twice so people really get the point. What is it…A validating statement, a validation statement, take your pick. I like validating things. I could have the “Daniel Wilson Validation Fund. A nonprofit organization dedicated to validating things and stuff too”. Things and stuff are not always the same thing, or the same stuff. And, sometimes things and stuff need validating, but, I will stick to wildlife.
To be honest, since this country has spent itself into a hole and cut backs are inevitable (though spending money is not) then wildlife and forestry are going to take a hit. So, outdoorsmen have to step it up.
Oh, I didn’t explain the “Beyond” . That’s just to make it sound even more cool. Or better yet, that says everything will follow once wildlife has outstanding habitat. First, I’ve got to become a celebrity. I wonder how I could do that? What kind of nonsense am I good at? Got any ideas? I need an act, right now! If I’m going to become a famous celebrity with my own nonprofit organization, I need to get busy.
27th August Want to know a secret? I’m home sick. Not that if I was back there I’d be living in some Mountain Paradise, but, my thoughts drift to the place. Its running season, you can run Bear with Dogs, just not kill the Bear, that comes in October. Last season wasn’t good and wasn’t much to me. Last night I would most likely have been out all night long. I’m here instead, the Desert Southwest. I’ll not fret though. I’m here, here and now, and I’ll take advantage of the opportunities it offers me. Which, Lord willing, will be bountiful.
Jello Boy told me a touch of fall is starting to show. The sycamores are losing their leaves, they usually drop them first. I know with Irene running up the coast she has pulled the moisture out and the air is dry. Dry for the Carolinas, that is. I was telling one of my buddies here that some of the prettiest days are on the heels of a Hurricane or Tropical Storm. The days are still hot now, but the nights have that little cool to them. The next time I see Transylvania, it will be winter or spring. At least I get to see it though. All of the guys before, Vietnam, Korea, they did a whole year. No computer with video chat, barely a call home, and no mid tour leave.
I21 August Today is Sunday, the 21st. It won’t be long before we’re in Kuwait. To tell you the truth, I’m ready to get it over with. 22 august This is too much like a diary. I feel like a little girl and I like the color pink and unicorns… Right now, I like sleep. I sleep, but it ain’t the best sleep. We are doing an exercise of some kind. There are imaginary players and events, we handle them. I work a 12 hour shift at night. Then I come home, crash and wake up, and go shower not so much to be clean but to just feel good. I packed all my music CDs into a foot locker that is going over on a boat. My room mate is a Metal fan, so he plays some music from his computer sometimes. All I have is a mix on my phone of Drive By Truckers, Old 97s, Son Volt and a Drivin N Cryin tune…Scarred But Smarter. I keep listening to the same songs over and over. And, sad thing that it is, I’m heading to a life of Groundhog Day. Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) are little cities withen them selves. Everyday you get up and walk to work, same way, you can take the long way, but it’s just more of the same stuff. You eat at the same place, unless you eat at one of the fast food vendors serving out of a carnival trailer. You wear the same thing every day. You get used to that, but it’s just the primer. Everyday, you deal with the same stuff. Same people. And, being the middle east, the weather pretty much stays the same through summer and fall. An ugly kind of beautiful. Honestly, Arifjan, the Capital of FOBs in all of Iraq, Kuwait and Afghanistan is rightly plush from everything I gather. It’s close to the ocean in Kuwait, people get off work and wear civilian clothes. In Iraq, you might have a t-shirt and pair of shorts used for relaxing in your hooch. Civvies are not authorized. But at Arifjan, you go to the PX in civvies. Taji was a mud hole. Everyone that was in Taji jokes about the dump it was. It was Saddams Maintance hub and some interpreters told me they were trained there during their stint in the Army. The Iraqi maintenance system was cannibalization out of junk yards, so, there were quite a few junk yards and armored vehicles were scattered everywhere. There were craters, some 20, 25 foot deep. I found all kinds of old weapons rusting under a layer of dust. A Martini Rifle once. The barrel was bent as it had been burned. Gutted buildings. Saddams face painted on walls and litter scattered everywhere. A Security Contractor asked me if I knew what the Iraqi flag was. His answer? A black garbage bag caught in Constantia wire. He was right. It was a place that was one of the dirtiest things I ever have saw. Just to think, it had been worse before US occupation. But, it was interesting. I’ve been in T-55s, T-62s, BRDMs, BMPs. I’ve seen air craft missiles dug up from the ground.
I say occupation because we occupied the place, We called it “coalition”, because there were other nations there as well. Estonians, Macedonians, and one or two others on the place. There was the Coalition and Iraqi side which was like the wild west. 24th August After I got transferred I almost fell out of contact with my old Company. I checked up on them and turns out one of the guys that had been in the Company got hit by an IED in Iraq. The story is by trying to get another guy out of the vehicle he got third degree burns on his hands and arms. Another boy got killed. This happened last month and no one got word to me. They thought I had already headed across the water. He’ at Sam Houston. Now he has the medal no one wants but everyone that has one is the proudest of…A Purple Heart.
11th August I can now manage to write. It’s been two weeks now that I’ve been on Active duty. In some ways the time has gone fast, mostly. In others it’s not. Things have gotten a little more organized from what they were in the beginning and, as time goes it gets a little better. There are allot of moving parts to this thing. It’s to be expected. But…There’s always a “but”…As my Ex pointed to me about how people would say “I love you/him/her but…” The clause to the statement, the clause to the feeling. But…There are allot of interjections. Changes, information being placed in the wrong context. And, believe it or not, I’m guilty of it too. It’s a little after 0500. Most everyone has gone to a Combatives class. There is a storm east of here, maybe it’s in Mexico, after all, I hear Juarez has been a violent place the last week. I’m not with them because I hurt my back Monday night lifting some over loaded foot lockers. Tuesday I could hardly walk, yesterday was better. I was very stiff after standing up for a minute or two. It wasn’t feeling like a boot in my back. I went on sick call and was asked if I could tough it another day, that they were all filled up for the day. I could, so, I took it for the team and toughed it out. I claim no bragging rights. I can count the number of times over 25 years that I’ve gone on sick call and have fingers left. The word has a bad connotation. People ride it, like people that ride welfare or any other program. But, people know who those people are. However, it’s more common for someone to not take advantage of it. Guys…And gals, will avoid if they can for a number of reasons. Peer pressure, not wanting to be poked at in a gruff Military medical clinic, not wanting to be taken form their duties. The list goes on. It’s raining now and I can hear a train. Someone mentioned yesterday that it was muggy for Ft. Bliss. Maybe this is why. I’ve not gotten allot of opportunity to call home, or get online. It’s been a little late when we’re done. Most often the folks back home would be in bed. I can’t help but wonder about home either. Not in a worrying fashion, just a curiosity. I’m mortal, the sun rises and sets without me. Where ever I go, it comes up and sets the same. It's just not the same.
Well, I just returned from another trip to Seattle. It was pretty uneventful. Some pretty days. I was there for a class on handling contracts. Contractors have a bad rap in theater. some well deserved, others, not. Working with Iraqi Army we had both US/UK contractors and Iraqi. Anham is a company from Dubai. I'm not sure where to put them. sitting in the class I remembered the one Iraqi contractor, a company ran by...get this...A woman. I never met her, though I did speak to her over the phone. I was told she was a very attractive woman, and she was charming over the phone. She had an engineer and workers. For several reasons it was decided to terminate the contract. shoddy work and a host of other dramas. Ms. Charming was playing a game and not paying her workers. What happened...A day I will always remember due to the FOB getting hit hard with 120mm Mortars...We tracked the engineer down, he was running from us in the Iraqi contractor camp. We cornered him, us from the Depot and the Air Force advisory to the IA Base MPs. We kicked him off the FOB. He was back a month later. Ms. Charming never got another contract.
There was another woman though, an American. I can't remember her name. I did meet her once, a big woman. I first heard of her because she ran a kitchen that other US/UK contractors would go to on the Iraqi side of Taji. She had been a dog handler for I think maybe Blackwater.She later did some work for us, a carpentry job. The last thing I remember was that she was gone and CID was looking for her. She was barred from all FOBs (in good old hostile Iraq)and if we did see her we were to detain her and hand her over to the MPs. It ad something to do with a large sum of money. Around a million, I think.
I know I've told you about sleeping through a rocket attack. I'm still not sure how I did that. In those days I was spending allot of time on the hot pavement and it did get me tired. I was eating with some friends right after my return and there was some thumping against the walls on the far side of the restaurant...it sounded like mortars walking in. I was judging the distance and direction. One of them had been in Vietnam, and I think he could tell. But, sometimes...When I least expect it...A big bang, if it has that deep sound will make me jump. And, it has occurred to me, I will the rest of my life.
It's nice to be home, at least for the meantime. I'll be back in Seattle this time next week. I'll be going back out for 7 days, I have to attend a class.
That's news on me. Now, about the news. I have this belief, that if you are paying for news, your are getting ripped off. My time in Iraq convinced me of that. Take this end of the world thing. Someone is always predicting the end of the world, it fascinates people. I think it's a little cocky, and well, people closest to me call me cocky, so, it must be cocky. Why was it news? We have three wars and they are reporting on that? Yes, three wars, count them.
While I was away good ol' Buttholeville made the national news. Some Police Officers were arresting someone when a woman threw lighter fluid or something on them and then tried throwing a flaming cotton ball on them. Now, that's not funny, but it is. How do you throw a flaming cotton ball? Well, not too good, because it didn't reach the cops. The carpet caught fire. The Police got up and put it out the old fashioned way, they stomped it out. Word is there was a meth lab in the place, I don't know. The cops ain't saying. It started out a drama arrest. The guy had misdemeanor warrants ad was acting crazy, not like it was murder, but it ended in attempted murder. Go figure.
Well, back to Iraq. Allot of my experiences the last few weeks have made me reflect on that time. One reflection being that I never saw the media do anything in depth enough to get a grasp on the real situation. Later, I was able to read between the lines on such issues. They blew allot of stories. They went on canned State Department tours, in some cases came on the Muslim Holy Day (Friday)or asked a couple of questions, smiled, snapped some pictures and whisped back off to a cozy place in the IZ. Allot of the time, they didn't grasp what was taken place. If the reporters did get something, in my opinion, it gets messed up in Big Media...Lost to the "industry standard". I would sit, well, actually stand and listen to the S2 dump (intel) almost every day. The violence would be sporadic at times. At times it was the big ticket stuff you saw on the evening news. But, what you saw,( hey, notice how coverage has nearly disappeared?) was a very small part. Honestly, allot of it would not have made sense to you anyway, but, if you contemplate our Military Endeavor, if you got your information from the news, you didn't get much.
I do enjoy the sight of a pretty lady reporter... The Appalachianist
First and for most, Happy Easter. The spring's first full moon came finally. I managed to see it in Seattle, that doesn't always happen. So, once it's here, it's Easter. Easter is a funny sounding word, but it's a sweet word. It can mean allot of things for allot of people. But we all know it's about Jesus and not rabbits. I wonder how rabbits slid into the picture? Oh, well, that's no concern. They're cute and taste good, we'll leave it at that.
A short while ago, on recommendation of my roommate here, I saw the movie Conspirator. Interesting drama. Speaking of Drama, foolishness has given that word a bad name. It made for some good viewing, however. It had a moral, though I can't attest to it's accuracy, that Mary Surratt, owner of the boarding house where the conspiracy to assassinate Abraham Lincoln was to have been plotted was railroaded by a Military Tribunal. It made me want to learn more.
Speaking of learning, I've been learning more about Daniel Boone. Daniel Boone was a man, he was a big man, but, his debts were bigger than he liked for them to be. As well, there are more fables of Daniel Boone out there than there is truth. He never claimed to have killed more than four Indians in his life and took no pleasure in it. He did travel far, he was born in Pennsylvania, moved to the Yadkin River country of NC, trapsed the Blue Ridge, got lost in Florida, stomped what is now South West Virginia, West Virginia and the eastern half of Kentucky,as a prisoner of the Shawnee's was taken to Detroit. There he feigned loyalty to the Crown in an effort to save his skin and the skin of his kin. I'm yet to finish the book, he's just making it to Missouri, but, I am enjoying the read. I can say this, he was a man, a real man and he lived a rough life and made the best out of it as he could. As a quote from T.E Lawrence I read in Boilerplate over at the Barnes and Noble (killing time so I wouldn't drop a phone call on the folks back home in Easter Dinner) that no one ever writes the truest form of History. That's true. Daniel Boone was an exploited character apparently. And, by the way, I'm reading the biography "Daniel Boone", by John Mack Faragher. An Author with local ties, Robert Morgan, (The Morgan's are the only Welsh family in Transylvania County) wrote one on him too, and I intend to read it as well. Check several source.
Today is cloudy and it drizzled this morning. The last two days were beautiful here in Seattle though. Not a cloud in the sky. I'm listening to Drive By Trucker's "Southern Rock Opera, Act I"
This morning the sun was egg shaped, hanging in the sky with a bright yellow at the top and orange below. It looked almost as if a painting except the piles of discarded trucks from the old Regimes Army laying under it. The other morning I thought I saw clouds in front of it, two little wafer thin clouds. Maybe some fog over the Tigris...But, more than likley it was smoke from some burning trash somewheres.
There have been some changes to my Section. Some good, some plane old changes. There have been some changes here at the Depot, and most of them good. I swear if the American Army is showing the Iraqi Army anything, it's to have meetings. Communication is a good thing though. I'm going to try to get more time to write even if a couple of minutes in the morning, like now. Even if it's talking about the irony of a sunset.
I'm here. Nothing has dropped in on top of me. A big "Crump" woke me up yesterday morning though.
I've been meaning to hammer out a new post, but, havn't gotten around to it. My apologies. Without an Internet connection of my very own it's not as easy. I have to select my buisness when I get online. I ussually stay on line for 10 to 20 minutes. It depends. Now, I know I've mispelled words and everything. The darn spell check messed up my grammar in my last post, but, anyhow folks, I'm here. Right here in lovely Taji, a place with a little something for everyone.
Funny things happen. A few day’s ago, one of my Junior NCO’s had a close encounter with an IED. He calls me on my cell phone. “I have to show you something”. He sounds serious. “OK, what is it?” “I found an IED”. It’s possible, very possible. If a Afghan Guerilla can hide out in an American Base after escaping from it’s jail than an IED can be planted here on Taji. He comes and gets me, he’s as white as a ghost. We have a Marine Major with us and he drives up as I was going to check this out. I informed him of what was happening and he gives me a direct order not to get killed. “Hey, you’ve got Bino’s, right? Take your Bino’s”. I was forgetting about the things. So, we go and look at this thing. I had to look at it from a couple of different angles, but, sure enough, there is artillery round with wires taped to it and we are in more than killing range. Heck, they would get our body parts confused. It’s sitting next to one of the many ruined buildings on Taji, where some GI would get on it while poking around, like my Joe did. We backed off from it. I pull out my cell phone and try to call EOD(Explosive Ordnance Disposal) and can’t get through. I try again. The damn phone won’t get through. I wasn’t going to say IED over the air on my radio and cause folks to get into a panic. We go back to our area where I inform the Major that the boy wasn’t crying wolf and I couldn’t get through to EOD. We called the Base Defense Operations Center on his phone, which was working better. “Come and get us and take us right to this!” So, it’s going to be time consuming, I go to the latrine real quick before heading out. The Major comes and gets me and my NCO who had found the thing. BDOC had called back, it was a training aid, several people had called it in before. My young NCO’s 21 year old heart is pounding out of his chest, he’s white as a ghost and his eyes are as big as a deer’s. “That’s fucked up!” he say’s. I laughed. Really, he did good. I had to get onto him about something the other day. He’s still a work of clay. I told him the same thing I told my Stepson. “Be glad God is teaching you your lesson’s while you’re young”.
As I’ve said in some e-mails, I slept through a rocket attack a while back. Lot’s of our people heard it. They usually come in onsies and twosies. My building has pretty thick walls and my window is sandbagged, plus my air condition runs constantly (Except for the couple of nights it tore up on me). “You didn’t hear that?!” I slept like a baby.
Speaking of my sand bagged window (one of ye faithful knows of my project) I’m coving it up with pictures of home, post cards (that one of ye faithful has sent) , a news paper clipping of my newest little cousin, wildlife and girls out of magazines. Stuff like Stuff, Maxim, etc. The ones we were told we couldn’t bring over on the plane that is sold here in the PX.
As you may gather from a earlier post, the other night there was a show put on my five dancing girls. One a former Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader, a couple had posed for the above mentioned magazines and a Vegas Show Girl. They really put on a show. A couple could sing. I didn’t intend on going, but, found myself obliged. That’s another silly story.
BAGHDAD – Iraq witnessed a historic event today with the transfer of security responsibility in Muthanna Province from the Multi-National Force - Iraq (MNF-I) to the Provincial Governor and civilian-controlled Iraqi Security Forces. The handover represents a milestone in the successful development of Iraq’s capability to govern and protect itself as a sovereign and democratic nation. Muthanna is the first of Iraq’s 18 provinces to be designated for such a transition.
As Prime Minister Maliki announced on June 19, 2006, the joint decision between the Iraqi government and MNF-I to hand over security responsibility is the result of Muthanna’s demonstrated abilities to take the lead in managing its own security and governance duties at the provincial level. The transition decision also reflects a joint assessment of the overall threat situation in Muthanna, the capabilities of the ISF there and the provincial leadership’s ability to coordinate security. Transition teams are in place to smooth the transfer process and multi-national forces will stand ready to provide assistance if needed.
With this first transition of security responsibility, Muthanna demonstrates the progress Iraq is making toward self-governance. Several other provinces are close to meeting the criteria necessary to assume security independence. The Iraqi government and the Multi-National Force will continue to transfer security responsibilities in other provinces in Iraq as conditions are achieved.
Australian, Japanese, and the United Kingdom forces have assisted Muthanna authorities as models of international cooperation, providing economic and humanitarian assistance as well as security and stability. As Iraq develops and its needs continue to evolve, so too will the nature of international assistance to Iraq in Muthanna and elsewhere.
The United States will provide $10 million in order to enhance the quality of life for the citizens of Muthanna as they take a bold and courageous step forward in the country’s movement toward an independent and secure nation. This event represents significant progress by the Government of Iraq to achieve a constitutional, democratic, and pluralistic Iraq which guarantees the rights of all citizens.
I havn't posted these in a while. It's usually old news when I get the mail. The Appalachianist.
I have found that there is no word in Arabic that translates “bush”, as in the vegetation kind. It’s either a tall tree or a small tree. Of course my Iraqi Counterparts would be in disbelief if they saw some of the tree’s back home. In the Iraqi Chow Hall there are posters of various places around the world, all green and lush, none of the desert. In the movie Lawrence of Arabia, Prince Fiesal tells Lawrence that Arabs love trees and water, not the desert. I have a few pictures of back home, I may print one off for them. They sometimes ask me where I’m from…”Florida…LA…Washington?” They don’t know I have a Southern Accent. The other day we explained some Southern English to the Translators, they seemed to get a kick out of it.
Translators. I don’t know what we would do without them. They live a dangerous life…if it’s found that they work for the Americans they will be killed. Some won’t give you their real name, only a western nick name. Our Interpreters have a pretty good set up. It’s safer than going on patrols. They live on site and even have a day room with satellite TV.
The other night I saw a MEDAVAC Blackhawk go out being escorted by two Apaches. You don’t like to think of what someone is going through. Sometimes the phones are blacked out. That’s not good; it usually means someone was killed. No one yet has complained about a phone being blacked out. I don’t think anyone ever will. Someone’s going to get a knock on the door. Dealing without being able to call home for a few hours is not a problem.
Whenever you watch the news and you see that an American/Coalition Soldier has been killed, know that many more Iraqi’s are being killed. You only see and hear the dramatic stories, not the assassinations, or the bomb that wasn’t as big as the other one. This war is often paralleled with Vietnam, and in some cases eerily so. But, those who focus on deaths are wrong. Far more were killed in the same amount of time in Vietnam that we have been in Iraq. The Vietcong and NVA were good…Damn good. I wouldn’t credit our advanced force protection alone. Simply, this is not as intense as Vietnam. In Vietnam we concentrated on body counts. What kind of Government does it have now? Yeah, that’s what I thought.
To make a long story short I lost the 19D from my Escort Team. I had a young E-5 shooting for a Commission, but, he has to resubmit his packet. It didn’t look like I was going to have him, so I didn’t even mention him in my post about it. So, I had three guy’s, not including myself. It looked like I would be stretched thin…The Lord heard my prayers. I picked up two extra NCO’s to go on the team. One is from Puerto Rico and knew some of the places I had been. He told me Salinas, the little town outside of Camp Santiago had not changed much, but was “better”* since I was there.(You hear that Twister?) I would really like to see what it’s like now. The other is from Trinidad. Yeah, he’s got the cool accent and I really enjoy the guy.
I’ve had people ask me about Wildlife here. I’ve seen some birds by beautiful Lake Taji. I’ve also caught glimpses of the Phantom Dog. It’s not quite the size of a Feist. I ‘ve only seen it from the torso back. All way’s crossing a road. I’ve also seen other wild Dog’s. Hopefully one day soon I will be able to stop at beautiful Lake Taji and get a few pictures of the birds.
I get a kick out of this…My Mother sent me some news paper clippings from home. Someone broke into a convenience store and stole some things. He’s on $10,000.00 Bond. You know what he stole? Four packs of cigarettes and a lighter.
*I failed to ask how it was better…You ought to go find out, Twister!
I’ll have another post in a few day’s, so tuned for more Appalachian Patria! The Appalachianist
Don't fret. I have a post written, but, I've not had the peace to revise it, none the less remember to put it on my memory stick.
Today I had to be at a meeting along with one of my Iraqi Counterparts clear across Taji. It was to start at 0900. There would be an Interprator at the meeting, so, I wouldn't have to bring one along. He was moving like pond water. Ten minutes before we had to be there he comes along. I had been trying to track him down. The road is as rough as a cobb between here and there, and there are Iraqi's driving all over it. They might be driving fast, they might be driving slow. It's garunteed that if it's armored, it's going fast. If I get killed on Taji, it will be in a head on collision. So, off we go. He starts singing..."Habibi Inta Rohay Inta". He is grinning and wanting me to sing along. "I'm late", I tell him. He smiles and sings, I sing along...slowly getting the words right. He wants me to sing an American Song...What will work right? A folk Song...Something catchy. I pulled an old Johnny Horton tune out of my pocket and he sang along quite well to the "Battle of New Orleans". Once we get to the meeting place there is no one there. I go inside the TOC, the head shed if you will. I ask about the meeting. "It's Friday, man, sleep in day", an Air Force NCO tells me. Friday is the Muslim Sabbath, so the meeting is at 1000. I didn't realise it was Friday. Through an Interpraator I explain and apologise. My Counterpart smiles real big and said, "I know this, but, I can't explain it to you because I don't speak English". So, we drove over to the Iraqi PX for something he wanted and then waited around for 1000 to get there.
Hello all of you shaker’s, mover’s, sinner’s and grinner’s…Here is your letter from the Wasteland.
My purpose on Taji is to train and assist an Iraqi Security Force and advise a US Army Lieutenant Colonel and an Iraqi Brigadier General on Security Matters at an Iraqi Army Depot. Originally I was supposed to serve as the Detachment First Sergeant, but, with the addition of the Security Position my Commander decided to place me into that position. I figure because I’m the Combat Minded guy. I’m not an MP, but, I pretty much serve as one. So far I’ve not put the MP sleeve on, and personally, I don’t want to. I’ve kept my position quiet because it can change and you civilians will give me the “I thought you were doing this…” line. Things change. At one time I was supposed to teach an Infantry Platoon SGT Course, and, I was looking forward to that. Things changed, though.
Is this job dangerous? It is at night. The bad guy’s know we are here and there are all kinds of goodies inside. We can’t let our guard down. I’m wanting to introduce a motto for the Security Force and I’m thinking about borrowing my Family Motto…“Simper Vigilans”, but, in Arabic of course. Also one of the Iraqi Guards could freak out and shoot me. But, they have better weapons discipline compared to much of what I’ve heard. When I get done with them it will be even better.
I’m also the NCO in charge(NCOIC) of an Escort Team, which liaisons and guides Contracted Convoy’s through the Base. I have three guy’s there, one a former 11M(Bradley Driver) and one a 19D(Cavalry Scout) the other has a good head on his shoulders. So, if something was to go down, they would know what to do and not have their arms flailing in the air screaming “What do we do?”. One is from right down the road from me. He was in the Airport the day I left home.
Both my Commander and myself have been on ground ahead of the rest of the Detachment for about two weeks preparing for their arrival. I’ve kept quiet about that because some things should only be posted in past tense. Now everyone is here safe and sound. So, with this in mind I will not post but about so much of what I do. Simper Vigilans.
As I draft this it’s the evening of the 26th of June. My 38th Birthday. I had to remind myself today. In celebration I ate a cup of Pudding in the CSM Cooke DFAC. I also learned today that I’m some what going to be a Grandfather through my Stepson from my previous relationship, I’m not ready for that. I really don’t know what to think about it.
In a couple of hours I have to go out and check the Security. Shut up. If you read this I survived. I won’t get much sleep tonight. My walls are thick, my Air Condition works (it didn’t the first night) and my mattress is firm, so, I can catch up pretty well. There’s people getting less than me. I’m fortunate in that case.
A lot of you’ll are wanting pictures. When it works out I’ll get some posted.
Open Note to Twister: I have the Arm Chair General July 2006 issue. When I get around to working the interactives, I’ll give you my solutions. RLTW!
I’m going to do something besides type now. An hour or so to kill.
Can you Veterans imagine our Armed Forces without an NCO Corps? That’s essentially what the Iraqi Army is. The NCOs that they do have are nothing more than glorified Jundis (Privates). An NCO to them is a direct threat to the Officer’s in their eyes. In some units they do have some effective NCOs, so I hear. It takes ten years to build an NCO Corps, something they don’t have. Something they need now. You can send them to schools, but that won’t give them the experience an NCO should have in leading troops. Not only are they uneducated Militarily, they are often uneducated period. Saddam put all of his money into fighting wars he couldn’t win so, education suffered. Many American people complain about lack of money for education in our system, our American Fallacy…Throw money at it…Yet, here schools were shut down so money could be spent on unattainable goals. Today I had a Veteran of the Iran/Iraq War show me some of his scars. He was in the last two years of the war. A bloody stalemate that his country ultimately lost. Now he’s in the “new” Iraqi Army, in another bloody stalemate. Will they ultimately lose this war too? I don’t know. Arabian Army’s have not stood well against invaders, but, have rid themselves of occupiers. Their last great victory*, the expulsion of the Ottoman Turks, was done with their own hands…though, largely accomplished by the clever strategy of T.E. Lawrence, he gave wise men council. So, there is hope that they can “out Guerilla the Guerilla”. Today(21 Jun 06) it was 120 Fahrenheit in the shade. At 1700 the direct sun seems unbearable. It hasn’t rained in months, yet there are puddles of blue water, pretty like an ocean, sitting in open spaces. Mud puddles layered by dirty white crystals of brackish earth are still slippery. The mud will still stick to your boots…It hasn’t rained in months. “I’ve never seen it rain mud, until I came here”, one of my counterparts told me. “It doesn’t rain much, just enough to make you miserable”, said by someone from the Northwest. Today I tried explaining to some Iraqis how much it rains back home(parts of Transylvania County get over 100” a year). I’m told it’s dry back home. Nothing seems dryer than here as I watch a Dust Devil 20’ high meander off towards the airfield. Dust swirls in the air where brackish mud puddles lay on the ground…It’s a strange land. * I first put their “greatest victory”, but that was probably the expulsion of the Crusaders from Jerusalem, led by Saladin. The Appalachianist.
