DAY 101 / MAR 10

DAY 101 / MAR 10

 

Today was plagued by power generation issues.  In the morning, the generator that sits outside of our CHU sputtered, wheezed and sounded like it was dying before it shut off.   The CHU slowly got cold and even a warm shower was out of the question because the water pumps run off the same generator.

 

And then tonight, the same generator went off again, cutting power to the office as well as the CHU.  It wheezed and sputtered and crashed again.   The mechanics say that the problem could be in the oil that they are using, that is mixing with the gas wrong and clogging the fuel injectors.

 

It was a quiet day, and I have no complaints except for the usual.

DAY 100 / MAR 09

DAY 100 / MAR 09

27% and counting.

 

Happy Birthday to my brother.  He made it another year.  How very surprising!   I sent a card about 3 weeks ago.  Hope he gets it, but you never can tell.  I sent a Valentine's Card to my wife about 4 weeks ago – and its still not there.   However, the carpet I sent 2 weeks ago got there.  I should have just waited until I sent the carpet to send the card!

 

Anyway, the big 100 was just another quiet day.  Which is still a good thing.   I managed to avert having to send my Soldiers on a dangerous run up north by sheer luck, so that's good, at least I have luck going for me

 

We downgraded the uniform today to soft caps instead of Kevlar.  That was a big step that I personally never thought we'd make.   The reason for the change was because it was directed by a two-star General who pretty much told the guy in charge to "get with the program."  I'm kinda split on the issue.  Yeah, the Kevlar doesn't provide MUCH protection, but it does provide a whole bunch more than the softcap.  The sand blew around all day, pretty much giving everything a sand blasting and covering everything in a nice fine layer of it.   It is supposed to rain soon, so it'll be less sandy, but more muddy.  Can't win for losing I suppose. 

 

Not much else to say.  Everything is well, the Soliders are doing good and the bombs and bullets aren't doing any damage inside the fence.  We did have an IED go off on a vehicle that was transporting some of Saddaam's sister's furniture to a museum.   No one was hurt, and I think the furniture was also unharmed.  Good thing, some of it is gold plated.

Day 99 / Mar 08

Fallen soldier's wife wants Wiccan symbol on headstone

http://www.armytimes.com/story.php?f=1-292925-1584012.php

 

I just ran across this story on the Army Times website.   The gist of the story is that a Soldier was killed in Afghanistan.   He is to be remembered on a memorial wall in a cemetery.  So far so good.   The problem comes when it turns out that the Department Of Defense does not recognize the Wiccan religious symbol (a pentagram in a circle), and therefore cannot have it put on the wall.   There are about 30 symbols recognized by the DoD, even including an atheist symbol. 

 

Really this seems like a non-issue.  The DoD should simply say, "You're right, we missed that one," and immediately authorize it for display on the wall along with everyone else's religious symbol.   In the story, I can't even find anyone who opposes the addition.  So, I'm curious as to why it has taken so long to recognize this religion.   Since I've been in the Army, I've personally known more than one Soldier who has claimed Wiccan as their religion, so I know its not some extremely isolated cases, there are a decent number of people out there with this.

 

This is really something that should have been addressed and taken care of years ago and the process for adding new religious symbols to the system should be a simple process.   The DoD really has no place to deny anyone's religious symbol for use on their grave.  Regardless of what anyone thinks, these Soldiers fought and died for the religious freedom that they are being denied and it needs to be fixed now.

 

 

 

It was a quiet day here… nothing new and exciting.  The wind has come again and without the rain, its getting dusty.   The sand is blowing around pretty good and has grounded our helicopters except for emergencies.   Visibility is poor (maybe 100 meters).  The good news is that high winds make it hard to accurately fire a mortar in at us.

 

When I read the news, I feel that I should be scared of the city of Baqubah, which we sit on the edge of.   But, aside from one of two explosions a week, usually from our EOD teams blowing stuff up, I haven't seen what the big deal is.  Sure, people get killed in shootings – but people get killed in shootings in New York or LA every day too.

 

It is becoming time for the Iraqis to start taking care of themselves (which they are beginning to).   We have to now give them the chance to take care of their country.   We have come to the sink or swim portion of this rebuilding, its time to take off the floaties.

Phelps vs Patriot Guard Rider vs Constitutional Freedoms

The Phelps family has long been protesting funerals of Soldiers because they believe that the Soldiers who are dying are fighting for a country that allows homosexuality and because homosexuality is against God, somehow all of the Soldiers are also against God. The flaw with this twisted logic is that the Phelps family is protesting the funerals using the rights granted by that same “godless” country – the United States of America. The Soldiers whose funerals they protest are the reason that they have the right to protest – almost a paradox. If the Phelps family believes so strongly that our country is so wrong, I’m thinking that by using its laws as a shield, they are also supporting it – and thereby are also the object of their own hate.
Then comes the real story of the “Patriot Guard Riders” who also go to these funerals to protest; but they protest FOR the Soldiers and FOR the country they died for. The sheer numbers of Riders – on their motorcycles – is overwhelming in comparison to the Phelps family they oppose. Their message is louder and stronger and their composure is remarkable. Even in the face of the unabashed hate of the Phelps’, the Riders have not resorted to the physical violence – which would seem to be a viable, if not legal, alternative to the peaceful protests that have thus far taken place. I don’t know if I could be so retrained.
But, another story emerging that could overshadow both the evil of the Phelps and the good of the Riders is the notion that some states are considering laws to make it illegal to protest a funeral. That would be the ultimate victory for the Phelps. By demonstrating that we can take away freedom of speech on account of some zealots only goes to further shame the Soldiers who died to give them that freedom – past, present and future. I hope that someone sees beyond the “feel-good” solution of restricting free speech in the name of decency and understands that in the Land of Free, we must allow everyone to be free, not just those we agree with. That has always been the rub with free speech, religion and everything else – its always good when we agree with it, but it becomes much harder to believe in when you must support the rights of those who hate you. But that’s where the true test of your convictions come into play. The hard right over the easy wrong.

DAy 96 / MAR 5

DAY 96 / MAR 5

            One more drop in the bucket.  I'll take as many as I can get.   Really a very quiet day.  I took care of some supply issues.

            This week we will crest the 100 day mark!  Whoo hoo! Just another day, but still its nice to get into the triple digits.

            The highlight of my day was dropping off laundry.  How exciting.

 

            So, apparently this whole issue with Hamas being elected into power by the Palestinians.  Very interesting.   They are a terror group that is now an actual political entity.  I think that the United States should definitely not alienate them.  The fact that they are an elected group should give them some legitimacy until they show that they are still just a terrorist group – albeit an ELECTED terrorist group.  You still have to give them the benefit of the doubt.

DAy 96 / MAR 5

DAY 96 / MAR 5

            One more drop in the bucket.  I'll take as many as I can get.   Really a very quiet day.  I took care of some supply issues.

            This week we will crest the 100 day mark!  Whoo hoo! Just another day, but still its nice to get into the triple digits.

            The highlight of my day was dropping off laundry.  How exciting.

 

            So, apparently this whole issue with Hamas being elected into power by the Palestinians.  Very interesting.   They are a terror group that is now an actual political entity.  I think that the United States should definitely not alienate them.  The fact that they are an elected group should give them some legitimacy until they show that they are still just a terrorist group – albeit an ELECTED terrorist group.  You still have to give them the benefit of the doubt.

DAY 95 / MAR 04

DAY 95 / MAR 04

            We started the morning off bright and early (0530) – ok, maybe not so bright, but definitely early.   We (our company) had a date with Dodgeball Destiny.  We took the court with our ally, the HHT Hurricanes, against the dreaded Argonauts and Hawks.

            Across the court from our opponents, we Knights prepared for battle, stretched our bodies and took off like a shot from the whistle.   Our fully trained warriors raced to the center to secure the weapons of our trade – red rubber balls, some fully inflated, some partially inflated, and some not quite empty and leaking.   Securing our half of the court, we proceeded to advance on the enemy.  Our first strikes drew first blood, sending an Argonaut to the floor.   Their retaliation also resulted in the loss of many fine and gallant Knights.  With our red rubber weapons of war we battled to a stalemate; our opponents after the weaker fodder were destroyed and killed we were equally matched.   Upon a general consensus we agreed to throw out the borders and went into a battle-rage.  We charged across the established lines and met our foes head to head, our blazing eyes meeting theirs in close combat as red rubber flew and more enemy fell.   Some took balls to the head, others to the legs and arms, all were mortally wounded.

            For my own moment of glory, the story goes like this:  I charged into the midst of battle with one red sphere of death.  I focused on the enemy and hurled with all my might, using the momentum of my body to further accelerate my projection of the ball.   It struck home, the force obliterating my enemy's hold on his own weapon as he was knocked backwards, falling to the floor.  My own balance was lost in the force of the throw and I slid on my back across the field of battle.   When I stopped, I was at the feet of an enemy Soldier.  I knew my time had come and I steeled myself for one final blow.   I watched in slow motion as the red ball was projected straight down towards me – my opponent's face already rejoicing in my sure defeat.  I felt the ball impact against me and, to my surprise, discovered it was a mostly deflated ball.   With the skill and mettle of my forefathers flowing through me, I captured the ball and held on against its driving force.  Cheers erupted from my comrades (both alive and dead) as I regained my feet holding the enemy weapon.   The vanquished enemy fell by the wayside and I rejoined the battle.  But the tide had turned and the will of the enemy was broken.   Those who did not surrender were destroyed (that was all of them).  We emerged from the field victorious.  Another foe vanquished.

 

            Ok, so, we just played dodgeball.  Yes we won.   And that was just a little creative license.  Sheesh.  But, I did fall down and catch a ball while on my back.   But, it was from a girl who couldn't throw very hard.  I think the first story was more exciting.  The other team had a tendency to bring in extra people or just simply refused to go out.   Still, we won.  It just made it harder.

            Then we had a BN level class and that was about the day.  Aside from all the usual stuff.  No meeting today, but no sleeping in.

DAY 94 / MAR 03

Day 94 / Mar 03

            Here we are, one step closer to the big 100.  It isn't even 1/3 of the way there, but it's a whole hell of a lot better than anything under it.   Its just another milestone, a marker on the way that indicates we are on the right path.

            As usual, the rumors fly about when we're going home – so far I've heard everything from September 2006 to February 2007.   I've heard that we're invading Iran and that we're all consolidating somewhere else.  So far, we haven't done any of it.   And really, even if someone, somewhere did say any of those things at one point in time – they probably already changed it.

            Nothing new around here, the weather gets better and the bugs get worse.   Showers are still warm and the meetings continue as usual in the mornings.  Normally tomorrow would be a day to sleep in, but instead I have to get up for a rousing game of Dodgeball with the Battalion Leadership.   After we give them a good spanking, we have a leaders teach where we learn how to operate some of the equipment we've been using since we got here – I guess practical experience doesn't count when it comes to Army logic.

            I read recently that someone polled the troops and discovered that almost ¾ of them (us) think we should pull out of Iraq and go home.   Somehow, I don't see what the purpose of this poll really was.  Its great to know what the troops think, I suppose, but it really doesn't matter.   If you polled the Soldiers under me, I'm sure the majority would tell you that they didn't think they should be doing whatever it is they were doing (regardless of what it was).   Soldiers don't make those decisions because they are too close to the situation to make a logical choice.  All the Soldier sees is whats right in front of him, the smallest of localized pictures.   Even the Commander of all the US forces in Iraq doesn't see the whole picture (but he sees a whole lot more than I do, or my Soldiers).  That's why there are people up there making decisions based on all or at least most of the information available, because they can.   We, as Soldiers, can bitch and complain about how we should leave, how we aren't doing anything, blah blah blah.  But, in the end, we should realize and accept that there IS a reason for being here, even if we don't see it in our extremely localized perceptions.

DAY 93 / MAR 02

DAY 93 / MAR 02

            Started off the morning with the usual meeting and paperwork.   After that was done, we trained our hands to work in harmony with our mind and eyes in a rigorous competition of 501 darts.  After working some more patrol issues we had a rehearsal of what to do if ever caught up in a game of dodgeball.   We trained hard (Officers against Enlisted) and the Officers emerged victorious.  Saturday is a Battalion PT day and we intend, as a company, to annihilate the other companies in the battalion.

            During our Dodgeball exercise, our Commander took a very hard shot from one of our OPS NCOs to a "sensitive region."   He laid on the group for awhile before recovering enough to stand again.  Everyone stood around and lamented his injury while they laughed – and laughed, and laughed some more.

            It has begun to warm up and the mosquitos are getting pretty annoying.  I'm going to see if I can't find a citronella candle to keep them away.

Day 92 /Mar 01

DAY 92 / MAR 01

            Another month down the drain.  All quiet.   Its been almost a month since the last mortars fell.  But they are always on our minds.  The Sunnis and Shias killing each other continues.

            We got a new BN XO in today.  Our meeting was short because he doesn't really know whats going on what he needs to be asking.   We hope he doesn't figure it out.  We are going to suggest that we move the meeting to the coffee shop and make it later in the day.

            Our internet is running slooooow… but we don't know why.  Its taking about 5 minutes to load a page.

 

            Saturday is another BN level PT day.  This time we are playing Dodgeball.  It will be two companies against the other two and should be an interesting event.   Today we practiced a little against some of the enlisted Soldiers and are developing a plan to crush the other companies!  Our quest for world domination begins with Dodgeball.   In fact, we intend to propose that everyone stop killing each other and decide conflicts through the use of Dodgeball.  Wouldn't it be great if the Sunnis and Shiites could get together, throw some red balls around and be too tired to pick up an AK-47 to kill each other with?   I suspect that will not happen.

Day 91 / Feb 28

Day 91 / Feb 28

            Maybe this mosque explosion wasn't as bad as we thought.  Yes, it brought out hoards of protestors, violent and otherwise, and many many people were killed – a lot of them innocent I'm sure.  But, it also seems to have brought the bad guys out more and inciting them to attack the OTHER bad guys.   Now, there are fewer bad guys out there.  I can't say that that is a BAD thing by any means.  Now that they are out, or have been out, it makes them easier to get.   Kinda like if you kick the ant hill, yes, the ants come streaming out to bite you, but, it sure is a heck of a lot easier to kill them outside than in the hill.   Just a thought.

            The other thing that looks to be coming out of this is showing how good the Iraqi forces are at taking care of major violence.   So far, they seem to be handling it well and have been successful in quelling the attacks without too much of out assistance.  That is clearly a step in the right direction.   Maybe this bombing has brought to the forefront their true, untested ability to take care of their own country.  Now, they KNOW they can do it, and so does everyone else.   Or maybe I'm just optimistic.

 

            In other news, I see that Arizona could be stationing some National Guard troops on the Arizona/Mexico border.   Well, I'll be.  Go figure.  Using the National Guard to guard the nation.   What a novel concept!  Its about damned time!  Personally, I think that's ALL the National Guard should do, take care of the homeland – borders, emergencies, etc.

 

            I got some more mail today!  Three more boxes from my lovely wife and one from my mom.  Ahh, mail is good.

Day 90 / Feb 27

Day 90 / Feb 27

 

            Ahh the big 90.  Only ten days til the real big 100.   Triple digits… has it been that long already?  It seems like only yesterday (90 times).

            Today started like any other, went to a meeting where most of what was said was blah blah blah blahdblah blah.   But, during that meeting, we discovered that this tester for some of our convoy equipment wasn't working.  No biggie, there was another tester on the FOB.   I sent the guy over there.

            So anyway this next story goes back a day or two to Saturday night when the BN CSM came down to our CP and asked us to pick up a .50 cal machine gun from the FOB we were going to the next day.   He gave us the paperwork and everything – should have really been no big deal.  So, I hand off the paperwork to the driver of the first truck with explicit instructions to pick it up and then I go to bed (because its about midnight – BN never feels the need for prior planning when it comes to them, but WE have to plan out 48 hours).

            The patrol left on time on Saturday (in the morning) and I was still sleeping… no big deal.   It wasn't my patrol.  It came back – without the machine gun.  Oh well, miscommunication strikes again.   The driver thought someone else was picking up the paperwork AND the gun.

            Fast forward to Monday when BN calls up on the radio (after I was just down there for my meeting) and asks if we got the machine gun.   I tell them – "no, we didn't get it, sorry."  Seconds later the CSM calls up (from the same place) and asks the same question!   Clearly, he was RIGHT THERE when I told them the first time, but being very patient, I tell him the same thing – "nope, we [still] didn't pick it up [since you called five seconds ago!], sorry."   [Leave out the part in the parenthesis to see what I really said]  Then he goes and asks, why?  Well, I didn't have a good answer yet, so I told him I'd find out when my patrol got back – just to buy some time.   The patrol really wasn't gone yet… but it also wasn't right there either.  The CSM made sure to tell me that he expected to be informed of why we didn't get his machine gun as soon as the patrol got back.

            Not long after that my OPS NCO comes storming (Yes, STORMING) into the CP red faced and jabbering about how is so pissed!, hate that guy!, hope he gets blown up! – and on and on.   After we calm him down (a little) he tells us about his run in with the CSM just a few minutes ago.  He said that he went down to BN very prepared for the CSM and his tendency to be nit picky.   He wore his eye protection and his gloves and even wore his seatbelt for the 5mph drive.  Well, too bad for him, the CSM was apparently not happy with my response on the radio – even though it was professional and polite and measured.   The CSM proceeded to grill him about the machine gun (which he knew absolutely nothing about) and when he told him so, that just made the CSM MORE angry.   So, my OPS NCO waited around inside when the CSM went outside, hoping he would go away and giving him plenty of time to do so.  No such luck.

            Once my guy went outside and went to his truck (the same truck I had taken down there just minutes before he took it), the CSM stopped him and told him he had to walk back to the CP (about ½ mile) because his windshield was dirty!   Well, lucky for my SSG he had water and some wipes on him to clean it with (thinking ahead).  So, he drove back fuming about the CSM yelling at him for something he knew nothing about.

            The CSM went out on a patrol and we debated what to tell him when he got back.   It came down to making something up that MIGHT have been true (not being able to pick the gun up without a signature card), and just telling the truth.  The Commander said to blame it on him – because the CSM couldn't do anything to him.  

            Finally my SSG called the CSM and told him it was a miscommunication as to who was to pick up the gun, and that was it.   There was no yelling, or arguing or anything really.  It was kind of a let down after expecting some big explosion.   My OPS NCO has determined that the CSM is bipolar.

 

            At lunch the CO, my SSG and I played a one dart throw at the dart board to see who was going to get lunch.   I lost - I got lunch for everyone.  I'll need to practice more before lunch tomorrow.

 

            Other than the CSM sparks this morning, it was quiet… which is good.  No booms, no bangs, no bombs.  But there WAS a tiny bit of rain.

Day 89 / Feb 26

Day 89 / Feb 26

 

A quiet day until tonight when there was a very loud explosion.  We all kinda looked around and debated what it was.   It was too loud to be outgoing (but from the right direction) and too loud to be incoming (unless it was a very large round).  After a short discussion we guessed that it was either an IED or a VBIED.   So, after placing our bets (figuratively), we called up and found out that it was the EOD team blowing up an IED outside the FOB.  So, we were right.

 

Our patrol made the run to wherever it was going and back without incident.  They said it was eerily quiet on the streets with very light traffic and people on the road.   I suspect it is because of all the recent sectarian violence after the mosque explosion.  I just hope it stays quiet for us even if it isn't for the rest of Iraq.     

Day 88 / Feb 25

Day 88 / Feb 25

            The short blackout was lifted today.  One of the buddies of one of the Soldiers from the last Blackout committed suicide.   It is indeed a sad time for those in that company and that battalion.  It is too bad that someone takes the easy out over the hard high road.   I mean, I understand grief and pain, and I'm sure everyone has thought about it from time to time but to actually do it is one step too far.  Now, that unit has four less Soldiers rather than three and four families are destroyed.  Three died serving their country, the fourth died from being weak of spirit and personal courage.   It is a sad truth.

            Nothing unusual to report.  I do keep getting discouraging remarks regarding my count of "number of indirect fire attacks," "number of blackouts," "days since last indirect fire," and "days since last blackout."   Apparently some people think its jixing them.

            Got some more mail today.  I got a pillow from my mom (thanks), and a general assortment of candy and stuff from her too.   Mail is always good, even if its just a card or letter.

 

Day 87 / Feb 24

Day 87 / Feb 24

 

            Still under blackout.  I haven't heard what the delay is yet – probably having trouble reaching the families.

            This is a particularly bad time for everyone to be unable to call or email back home because of the increased news on TV regarding the civil war and increased violence here.  

 

The Sunnis and the Shiites have been killing each other for longer than you can imagine and I suspect they will continue to do so, with or without us.   Maybe we should just move up north, help the Kurds establish Kurdistan, build them up and leave.  We can let the Sunnis and the Shiites figure out who is right on their own.

            At this point, regardless of when we leave, the world will only see that we caused trouble, got people killed, and still don't have anything to show for it.   It's not true, but that is what the world will see.  We have built schools, rebuilt their infrastructure, we removed a savage dictator and we gave them all the pieces of the puzzle for peace and democracy and they have so far refused them.   Maybe I'm just disgruntled today.

 

            All patrols have been shut down for the time being.

           

I hear on the news all the bad things going on in the city that is nearby (Baqubah), but here on the FOB, we are still in regular uniform – we haven't upgraded to IBAS which would indicate an increased threat level.   Outside the country is going to hell, people getting shot on the street, kidnapped, mortared and other things, but here, it is quiet.  I just hope this doesn't bring the heat on us later on.   Personally, I hope we say, "Hey, you all want to kill each other.  Go ahead, but we're out of here.  This isn't a war on terrorism, this is a religious war and it's not ours to fight."   But, again, that's not for me to decide.  We are still doing good things here for the Iraqi people.

 

Ok, back to the crazy cartoon issue.  Recent news indicates that not only have offers of $1,000,000 (and a new car!) for the killing of the cartoonists been made, but also accepted!   This is absolutely crazy, still.  This mentality that everything must be avenged by death is what makes it virtually impossible to stop them from killing each other.   I wish I had a good joke to make that would incite them like a kicked ant hill, but I don't.  I think they make themselves look pretty foolish all of their own.   Like I said before, their overreaction to this cartoon just goes to validate the premise of the cartoon.  Even the head Muslin guy in India said he'd shell out some money to have the cartoonists beheaded.

 

Blackout is over again.  In the end, three of our Brigade's Soldiers were killed.   Before the blackout was over, the incident was on the news.  You have to love the information age.

 

Blackout on again.  More tofollow.

Day 86 / Feb 23

DAY 86 / FEB 23

            I woke up still under the blackout restrictions and so, didn't have a whole lot to do.   The weather is nice.  Today it was in the 70s and felt good outside.  For some reason, the other people in my office don't like the warmth so much and so keep the AC on more than I'd like.   Well, it does get me out of the office more often.

            Its too quiet here… I have some songs on my computer, but those only provide a temporary oasis from the ambient noises – the helicopters, the UAV buzz, the 24 hour semi-roar of the generators that power everything.   I miss the sounds of home – the birds in the morning, the dogs barking, the cars going by on the highway, the TV in the background not playing anything in particular, just whatever is on.   The sounds of people moving in the house, upstairs, in the kitchen, and everywhere else.  It's lonely here with all these people.   You aren't alone, but then again, there is no one that is really a friend, no one to talk to.  Ok, if things get real bad, there are the "combat stress" people, but that's not what I mean.   Its like being at work ALL the time.  I guess that's what it is really, at work all the time.  There are no weekends, no holidays, no days off.   The only thing that separates one day from another is whether or not there is a meeting to go to.  The Army has meaning here, but the individual is meaningless.

            So, the Brigade cancelled all the patrols today due in part to the greatly increased level of activity following the attack on the Golden Dome Mosque.   As of this morning, more than 10 mosques had been hit during the ensuring riots.  The Sunnis and the Shias are waging what amounts to a religious civil war (the stupid thing is, they are the same religion – like Protestants and Baptists they just have different view points on some issues).   The question for the United States is: are we going to be involved in a civil war here?  Is it our place to choose a side?   We don't want that, we don't want to choose a side, we have done everything in our power to make this a country where democracy has a chance and religion isn't the overriding factor in who is in charge.   If this truly does escalate into a civil war, it could dramatically change our mission here.  Once it is clear that the Sunnis and the Shias will not be able to form a government together… where do we stand?

            Turned out to be another uneventful day… go figure.  Its 2213 and the blackout is still on, so… I'll probably go to be soon and hope for better in the morning.  But, I just realized that my keys are in my CHU so I have to wait until my room mate gets there first.   Damn!

 

Blackout Update:  It wasn't two that were killed in the IED attack last night – it was three.  One managed to get out of his armored track vehicle but died of his wounds while the MEDEVAC was one its way.   This is the most we've had killed since we've been here.  The insurgents used an IED to disable the vehicle, then had a second IED waiting for when someone came to help the first.   The second was not only an explosive, but also contained an accelerant like diesel to start the fire.  That brings the total for our Brigade up to five in the three months we've been here.   That isn't good, but it's about average for the casualty rate here.  At 2323 we are still under blackout.

Day 85 / Feb 22

DAY 85 / FEB 22

 

I was hoping it would be another quiet, nothing going on day.  But it was not to be.   Tonight at 2145 we went into another blackout.  I don't know why, but I'm sure we'll find out soon enough.  It had been 20 days since the last blackout and this brings the total number to three so far.  25 days is our record for not having a black out.  We are doing good on the mortars though – no attacks for the last 16 days.  The record for that is 16!  I guess we now are working on the most consecutive days with a mortar falling on the FOB.   Maybe I should put my IBAS on!

 

The fact that the blackout occurred now (at night for us) means that back home its still morning and that somewhere – probably back at Fort Carson – a group of people is making phone calls and getting everything for the notification.   One group of Soldiers is pulling their Class As from the hanger, where they hope to never have to take them off for this reason.  Somewhere else, a volunteer team is making the necessary calls to round up the people who will be on the "CARE" team.   They will all drive up to the home of someone who, when they woke up this morning, was very happy and content even though her or his Soldier was in Iraq because they were ok.   Its more likely than not a very young wife, maybe having only been in the Army for a year or two – and this is probably the first time away from her husband.  Her whole life is about to change.   They will walk up to her door and, for her sake, I hope she doesn't notice.  I hope she doesn't hear the vehicles pull up, that she doesn't go to the window full of dread, and see the one thing that she never wants to see.   Some know what it means when the Soldiers walk up to the door all dressed up, some don't.  Some hope its not what they THINK it is.   But, this time it is.  Her neighbors will all see, and they will know, and they will feel sorry for her.  But they will also be grateful that its not them.   Deep inside they will breath a sigh of relief that the cruel, cold hand of death has passed once again over their house. 

To speculate on the actual casualty would be foolish, but I'll do it anyway.  He (for he is almost guaranteed to be a he) is a young Soldier, probably E-4 or below and probably the turret gunner of an M1114.   His vehicle may have been hit by an IED, but I think its more likely an accident – a rollover, a collision with another vehicle, or his truck rolled off an embankment into the river where it sank to the bottom.   But it could have been a bomb.  There are plenty of them.  He is probably a combat arms Soldier, an infantryman, an artilleryman, a Scout.   He is probably not from our unit or even our area of operations.  I'd guess that the event occurred in the vicinity of Samarra.   Rethinking my position, I might have to give equal chance to the possibility of a bomb as opposed to an accident.  I'd have to up the "bomb or direct fire" chance because of the recent Sunni / Shia uprising that could very well escalate to a civil war.   Someone blew up the Golden Mosque (maybe in Samarra).  If it does go to civil war, I don't know where that put the United States.

 

UPDATE:  As it turns out, it was an IED that killed our Soldier.  He was not from my Battalion and it was from the Samarra area (closer to Balad though).  They were stopped, recovering a vehicle that had either been damaged or broke down (more likely damaged by an IED) when a second IED went off.   It caught one of the vehicles on fire.  The gunner and commander got out, but the driver was not able to (it was a tracked vehicle).   In all two of our Soldiers were killed.  THIS is what war is.  There is no nice way to put it.

DAy 84 / FEB 21

DAY 84 / FEB 21

 

This morning I talked to a Chaplain about a situation that I hoped he could shed some light on.  Chaplains do not, ever, carry weapons.   To me, that means that a conscientious objector (CO) SHOULD be able to be a Chaplain (Conscientious Objectors are people who have the view that war in all forms is bad and that they could not kill another person for ANY reason – even in defense of themselves or others).   Anyway, it is a long process to actually get the official CO status and nowadays it means you get put out of the Army.  But, in thinking about it, you SHOULD still be able to a Chaplain.

---Unless you are OUR Chaplain.  Our BN Chaplain is a CPT who I mentioned this little scenario to and he flat out said that if he was out, and things were getting bad, he would pick up a weapon and shoot the bad guys alongside everyone else.   His opinion was that if he didn't, he might end up on TV getting his head cut off – and that would be bad for everyone.  I tend to agree.   In fact, he even told me that he WANTED to carry 9mm.  That's the kind of Chaplain I want on my patrols.

 

Other than my conversation with the Chaplain, it was a quiet day.  Nothing to speak of – meeting, the usual work (look for this, find that, do this paperwork).   Everything went smooth and still no mortars.  Now its 15 days without any booms on the FOB.

DAY 83 / FEB 20

DAY 83 / FEB 20

 

Presidents Day!  Another holiday to chalk up in the "worked on" column!   Well, I can't really say worked… but…

 

Actually it was quite busy.  I managed to arrange to bring my 7.62mm guns back to my company.   They have been sitting in the FSB for the last two weeks because they didn't have spare barrels (they had their original barrels – but machine guns are supposed to have a spare so that you can change them out).   At first they didn't want to let them go without the second barrel – which was on order – but in the end, they decided we could take them back until the barrels get in.  More firepower for the patrol.

 

I also had to track down a few last items for an inventory for the commnader.  These inventories are crazy and we do four of them a month.

 

We did have a little NVG scare.  Apparently our armorer had a less-than-efficient system for tracking where these NVGs went and when one didn't turn up where it was supposed to, that caused some trouble.   And to complicate matters, at the beginning of the month, I had CLEARLY instructed someone that when they located each piece of equipment that they should annotate where they found it.   So, I went to this person and asked about this specific set of NVGs and it turns out that, yes, he had seen it, but no, he hadn't written it down (and also please insert your favorite excuse here: too busy, too many people, etc etc).   I couldn't even argue – just had to walk away in disgust.  The set did turn up with the person who was originally signed for them, so in the end, all was ok.

 

Other than that and the usual shower, lunch, dinner and getting the paperwork ready for someones meeting today, it was a slow day.  

 

Just a word of caution – eating too many jalapenos for lunch and dinner, no matter how tasty, can cause trouble later on in the day.

DAY 82 / FEB 19

DAY  82 / FEB 19

 

Nothing exciting today.  Had a quiet Sunday.  Went to lunch and dinner.

 

I did go back to see Haji again and he didn't have a very new selection.  Ah well, what can you do?  

 

I feel I'm all out of ranting and raving today.  But, I'm sure something stupid will come up in the news again and I'll have that to bitch about soon enough.

 

In the end, a quiet day is a good day.