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July 10, 2004
The story of Ahmed: A story of common courage
We have access to stories of heroic American troops. The Iraqis who work side-by-side with our Marines and soldiers have tales to tell as well.
For Ahmed, the decision to serve his country again began more than a year ago - 7,731 miles, and three weeks before the announcement on the USS Lincoln."April 9, 2003," Ahmed said. "I don't forget this day."
"I was on my way home to Baghdad after my brigadier boss had told me the war was over and to go home," Ahmed said, describing his last moments as a major in the old Iraqi Army air defense unit he had been with for nine years. "He said it was an order," he added.
"So I walked home from our station in Al Hillah, south of Baghdad, but I didn't change my clothes," Ahmed said, "And I came to a Marine checkpoint on a bridge in Baghdad. And I still had my uniform on and the Marine sergeant stopped me ..."
"'Where are you going?' he asked me," Ahmed said in his accented but surprisingly good English.
"And I tell him, 'I am a major in the Iraqi Army and I was ordered to go to my house'" Ahmed said, finishing the backdrop to a life-defining moment he had not seen coming; and on what was supposed to be just a long 50-plus mile walk home to his wife and five children.
The encounter would prove to be a pivotal one for the military veteran because for the next two anxious minutes, Ahmed went through what must be emotions impossible to describe to someone who has never known he was about to die. It was more the result of the 33-year-old's lifetime of experience with the ways of Saddam Hussein.
Ahmed, though, was actually two minutes away from a rebirth of sorts.
"He looked at me for a while and I thought he was going to kill me," Ahmed said. "But he didn't kill me," he added.
"Instead he came to the position of attention and saluted me as an officer," Ahmed said, "And said, 'Sir you can go.'"
"I took a few steps and began to cry," he said, "Because I think, 'Why do I fight these people for ten years?
"This moment changed me from the inside," Ahmed said. "What he did was kill me without pistol. He killed the old major in the Iraqi Army who fought America from 1993 to 2003.?
Ahmed was advised by a U.S. Army officer to apply at the recruiting center in Baghdad and was ushered into the army a short time later as an "officer candidate." After training, he was commissioned a lieutenant colonel in the new army having made the cut for promotion from his former rank in the old army.
Ahmed's story, though, doesn't end there. The now 34-year-old engineering graduate from the University of Baghdad and career Iraqi Army officer has since endured great personal tests in his first year of service in the new Iraqi Army that have reaffirmed his commitment to serving his country.
In February 2004, Ahmed, a Soldier whose face belies his real age with the tell-tale signs of a man who has lived a hard life, was at the Baghdad Recruiting Center when a blast killed more than 47 earlier in the year. The psychological toll was great, but he came back.
Several weeks ago, he saw the aftermath of the latest blast at the center only minutes after the attack that left another 35 dead. The wounds were re-opened, but he came back.
And a little more than a month-and-a-half ago on May 15, he was kidnapped by members of the Shiite Muslim Cleric, Moqtada al-Sadr's Mehdi army on a bridge in Baghdad when a vehicle filled with five armed men forced his truck to the side of the road before forcing him into the front seat of their car for transport to a hidden safe-house.
Ahmed was beaten and pistol-whipped before being knocked unconscious only to be interrogated later by the insurgent terrorists for his association with the new Iraqi Army and the Coalition.
Ultimately he was told not to work with the Coalition anymore and released by the militiamen, but not before they stripped him of his uniform, weapon, cell phone and the vehicle that had been issued to him by the Coalition.
"I said, 'Sir I lost my pistol, my mobile, my uniform and my vehicle,'" Ahmed said, describing the humiliating moment he faced upon returning to the OST headquarters later that day to report the catastrophe.
He had begged the militiamen to kill him thinking the loss of equipment was the end of his military career. But when the Coalition officer Ahmed worked with found out that everything he had been issued had been lost that morning, the officer's response surprised Ahmed.
"And when he saw me crying," Ahmed said, "He stood up and gave me another key to a vehicle. And gave me another pistol and another mobile phone."
"'Don't worry, we trust you,' he said," Ahmed said.
"I really love America for this," Ahmed said. "This is what I wish I could tell every Iraqi."
Ahmed, like so many others in the Iraqi Security Forces that show up for work everyday, knows that security and protection from the individuals bent on denying Iraq its chance at freedom is paramount to his country's future.
"I want to provide security to my country," Ahmed said.
"Saddam Hussein didn't just destroy the buildings and the streets," Ahmed said. "He destroyed something inside of all Iraqis. He destroyed the truth and something inside us.
"You know what Saddam Hussein did inside us from 1979 to 2003?" asks Ahmed. "He was president of Iraq for 25 years. In this period of time what did he teach Iraq? What did Saddam teach Iraq? Fight. Take your rifle. Take your pistol and fight. Fight, fight. Fight for what? Eight years with Iran - fight for nothing. And he told us to go to Kuwait and steal. And he laughed. He taught the people how to steal. He made people forget Islam and the Al Koran.
"So now inside of all Iraqis it is just to 'fight,'" Ahmed said. "And now we're fighting between us.
"I do my best, though," Ahmed said. "I do my best to protect my country and to give my country its security."
And he does one more thing that doesn't earn medals in any army on earth: he continues to show up for work.
And in the face of suicide bombings, targetings, and abductions and beatings, in Iraq, this is just the typical story common to all the 230,000-plus Iraqi Army Soldiers and police service officers choosing to serve their country.
It's not a story of the courageous actions of Soldiers storming enemy machinegun positions. And there are no medals awarded for the simple act. But it's a typical story of valor in this country.
And a standard that courage never met.
A perfect example of how a bit of compassion and mercy can change a man from the inside out. It's impossible to change a ship's course by trying to turn the bow. But, a small correction to the trimtab can turn the rudder. The rudder turns the ship into the desired direction. Here, a simple salute and show of military courtesy made a huge difference in the course of this man's life.
Posted by Deb at 10:18 AM | Comments (5)
July 09, 2004
Goodbye, Depot
Sgt. Ethan Rocke, editor of the Chevron at MCRD-San Diego, is leaving for his next duty station. Here's his goodbye to the place where so many heroic Marines started out. My son graduated from MCRD-SD in December 2002, then went on to Iraq. My two twin uncles preceded him in 1944, before going on to fight at Guam and Iwo Jima. This piece of ground, next to the San Diego airport, has many memories associated with it. Here are some of Sgt. Rocke's:
Over the past two years, I have served proudly aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, and during that time, this special place has ingrained itself deep inside me forever.As I leave the Depot for my next duty station this week, I look back with fondness on the place Gunnery Sgt. R. Lee Ermey once called “The showplace of the Corps.” And as I look back, I imagine myself like the feather in the beginning of Forrest Gump. Gracefully floating from one story to the next as my romance with the Depot unfolds ...
As the chaotic alarm clock of a bugle call blasting over a loud speaker suddenly comes alive, so do the squad-bay lights, flooding the subconscious mind and leaving no room for the comfort of dreams. Reality comes crashing in with the intense snarl of a drill instructor barking orders.
For many, the dreams from which they’re wrenched, were inspired last night aft er they watched from a squad-bay window a cruise ship docking in the San Diego harbor as fireworks from Sea World exploded in the distance.
Outside, it’s still dark, but the lights from Lindbergh Field and downtown are always glowing in the night sky, and the clouds reflect a dim orangish gray. As the recruits form up on the apron, they can barely make out the Marine layer behind the silhouettes of palm trees in the pre-dawn sky. Those on the airport side near the mess hall can already smell their chow. If you go north from there, you can smell real-Marine chow. It smells a lot like recruit chow.
Outside the reach of those familiar mess hall aromas, are many other smells: Sometimes, it’s the smell of a crisp sea breeze fi lling up your lungs as you run
along the backside, where a chain-link fence separates you from the airport runway. A lot of the time, it’s the subtle smell of the cool, aged, stone walls inside one of the buildings by famed architect Bertram Goodhue. If you’re a “hat,” it’s the smell of Bulldog aftershave and Listerine. If you’re a hat at the beginning of a cycle, you wish it was aftershave and mouthwash, and you wish the term “recruit funk” had something to do with music. If you’re a member of the Museum Historical Society, it’s the smell of dozens of old uniforms, weapons,
paintings and other collectibles.Of course, those museum folks know more of the sounds than the smells; I would think. After all, they hold one of the most prime pieces of real estate for the sounds. Every Thursday, there’s the low grumble of hundreds of bubbling family members all scrambling for the first look at their new Marine. Then comes the loud, motivated cadence echoing across Shepard Memorial Drill Field, followed by a whole lot of clapping and cheering. Sometimes, in the midst of all that, they can make out the excited, high-pitched bark of a young English bulldog named Molly as she lunges forward on her leash, trying to get loose to run in formation.
Some sounds can be heard from every corner. I wonder what the most familiar one is. Probably a bugle call — reveille, morning colors (pause for jetliners
blaring through the windows) retreat?Marine Corps cadence echoing in the arcade? You hear that sometimes. Not quite as much as you hear a platoon of (Pause again for airplanes. It’s hard to hear myself think when they’re fl ying over, so I’m waiting for this one to pass) recruits yelling “Aye aye, sir!” and “Yes, sir!”
I know. Drill instructor’s calling (plane again) cadence. That’s got to be the most familiar sound. At least, I can’t think of (another plane) a more familiar sound right now.
Personally, my favorite sound is probably the national anthem followed by the Marines’ Hymn. Th is often means someone is graduating something. Recruiters
School maybe?With every new batch of graduating recruiters, the Corps future is courted and conceived out “on the streets” all over America. When the drill instructors graduate, they just take a walk “across the street” to carry the Corps’ future
to term and watch it born over and over again on the grinder every Friday.There’s that anthem and hymn again. If ceremonial music is not playing, you can almost count on some sort of hedge trimmer or weed whacker coming alive with a disturbing ruckus. But as parents snap pictures of their new Marines all over the Depot, cameras record only the exquisite landscaping and architecture in the background and never the annoying buzz of a lawn tool, which subsides in the evening time.
The day begins to fade, and night falls over the Depot. Seagulls scavenge for scraps of food behind the mess hall while recruits eat their evening chow. The
young men probably think forward to their hour of free time, looking straight past the hour or two they’ll spend in “the mini grinder.”With a “snap!” a “pop!” and a canteen of water, the lights are suddenly out in the squad bay again. Recruits lay at the position of attention as Taps plays. A peaceful serenity settles over the Depot again, and my Forrest Gump feather settles on the open pages of a fire watch’s recruit knowledge. He doesn’t really notice at first. He’s too busy thinking about cruise ships and fireworks.
I’ll miss this place.
Posted by Deb at 09:00 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 08, 2004
Books for Soldiers
Via my good friend DrMomentum, here's a way to help make deployment a bit more interesting.
Books For Soldiers is a troop support site that ships books, DVDs and supplies to deployed troops, and troops in VA hospitals, through a large volunteer network.
If you have old, but usuable paperback books sitting around, collecting dust, why not send them to a solider for a big morale boost?Many of our volunteers have received email and letters from the soldiers they have adopted.
Help us out, help the troops out, mail them your books.
I have more books than I have bookshelves for. I'll be going through the bulletin board listings (troops can request specific books) and sending off a shipment very soon. Each box will also contain a few cool ties.
Posted by Deb at 01:54 PM | Comments (2)
Good news roundup
Check out this comprehensive listing of good news coming out of Iraq.
Posted by Deb at 12:41 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Take Out Menu
Although Marines are used to eating MREs for weeks at a time, holidays and special occasions can mean a welcome break. Here's a report from Cpl. Shawn C. Rhodes, complete with pictures, of the Independence Day menu at Camp Mahmudiyah:
The thought of sweet, buttered corn on the cob for an Independence Day celebration was so real, Sgt. Erick C. Yates thought he was dreaming when he smelled it. There was no way he'd be chomping down on an ear in the middle of Iraq standing a post far from his base camp.That was until he saw a humvee pull up. That's when he saw he wasn't imagining anything.
The rifleman with Company F, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment celebrated America's Independence Day with barbecued steak, corn and baked beans right next to his post. The battalion sent out a little slice of home to their Marines pulling duty on posts outside the base camp when their Independence Day meals were delivered to them in the field.
"We'd just got done with a hard day's work and all of the sudden this humvee pulls up with all this good chow inside," said Yates, a 30-year-old from Cleveland.
Yates and his Marines braved temperatures breaking 110 degrees that day. The possibility of such a good meal finding them was too much to hope for, Yates said.
"Hot steaks at the end of the day... It doesn't get any better than that," he added.
The Marines didn't get to celebrate the fourth with the traditional fireworks. The food sufficed for most of them.
"The only fireworks we're having here are the ones in the grills," said Gunnery Sgt. James D. Santiago, the battalion's mess chief. "Our goal today is to bring a little bit of the fourth to the Marines here," said Santiago, 38, from Bronx, N.Y. "Back on Lejeune most people have gone home and are grilling in their backyards today. The Marines here deserve the same thing for what they're doing."
Nine grills were burning throughout the day to provide the battalion with 800 steaks, 1,000 burgers and 500 hot dogs. A portion of that was set aside for the Marines in the field."Gunny Santiago always sends the best chow to the guys in the field. It's an incredible morale booster for the Marines out there," said Sgt. Julio C. Aguilar, a 28-year-old from Houghson, Calif.
Still, not all went as planned. In the excitement of supplying his Marines with hot chow, trays were forgotten. The Marines here are used to adapting and overcoming, though.
"All they had to see was that we had steaks for them to start inventing plates out of MRE sleeves, plastic bottles, anything that would hold food," Aguilar said
 | Marines like Pfc. Matthew M. Hinrichs, a 19-year-old with the unit from Fort Wayne, Ind., helped bring a taste of home to the Marines in the field. It was a nice change from the Marines' normal diet of Meals, Ready-to-eat. |
| When a humvee loaded with barbecued steaks, corn on the cob and baked beans arrived at his position on July 4th, Cpl. James M. Nash, 2/2 Marines, didn't let a good thing pass him by. The 23-year-old from Merill, Wisc. said he was just happy to eat something that didn't come out of a Meal, Ready-to-Eat. |  |
 | No plate? No problem. |
The humvees also came bearing fruit juice, plastic flatware, beef jerky, trail mix and blocks of ice. All were welcome deliveries to the Marines."It's great to see the looks on all their faces when we serve them all this good food," said Pfc. Adam C. Haynes, an 18-year-old rifleman from Stuaro, Va. "It's not a normal Fourth of July, but we're glad for whatever we can get."
Posted by Deb at 02:26 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
Rock Out
Last year, Kid Rock did a USO tour in Iraq, entertaining troops on a number of different bases. When he got to the Baghdad Airport, he wasn't scheduled to play but when the troops he was signing autographs for started cheering, he grabbed instruments that belonged to a military band and did an impromptu concert in 130 degree heat. He also gives $5,000 to the family of each military person killed over there. He's a hero to these guys.
From the New York Daily News:
The hip-hop and fashion mogul, his younger brother Joe (aka Rev. Run, who's filming a pilot of his own reality show for the ABC Family Channel), movie director Brett Ratner and his girlfriend, Serena Williams (recovering from her defeat in the Wimbledon final), were getting a little antsy on a rainy Monday, wondering what to do with themselves.Then Kid Rock arrived.
So they all decided to drive into town and take in a movie.
They jumped into various vehicles and headed for the United Artists East Hampton theater on Main St.
Standing in front of the box office and perusing the titles, Simmons suggested that everybody catch the 7:15 showing of "Fahrenheit 9/11."
Kid Rock balked.
"I don't want to see that, it's all propaganda," the rock star said - sparking a prolonged political debate right there on the sidewalk.
"Russell, don't you understand, everything we got in this country, we got from fighting," Kid Rock argued, according to Simmons' account. "It's just a movie. ... I'd rather go to the bar across the street."
No wonder the troops love him.
Posted by Deb at 01:28 AM | Comments (3)
E-mail from Iraq
A Marine living near Fallujah sends this message:
The days continue to fly right by me out here. It just seems like yesterday I wrote my last update from Iraq. The time seems to be going too fast for some of my reports and projects but I can deal with that. In this environment, I would rather be busy than bored. A little update on this spray-on armor project I have been writing about lately. I won't get into the details, but the current plan is to do a pilot vice full production.The pilot will give those interested in testing the technology a venue, while the MEF will still get more 3/8" steel doors produced back at Albany.
Everyone appears to be satisfied with the plan, but there are still a few more opportunities to screw it up if they try hard enough. The team that will be coming out for the pilot will be setting up at my camp mid July so I'll be able to send you back pictures of this stuff if you are curious.
My roommate, "Wild Bill" went out on another night convoy last night. He didn't get in until 3 AM, but it was good to be waken up since it meant that he made it back safely. It was an uneventful night so I am sure he was disappointed. Like me, he only has 2 1/2 months left, so I think he is realizing that he will be running out of chances to be a war hero/get killed. I am penciled in to leave around 10 September, but that date doesn't really mean anything in the grand scheme of things. If anything, the date will likely shift to the right. The date also depends on what is going on out here at the time. If the whackos are wreaking havoc who knows what that will mean.
I recently went to the camp internet cafe to check out my friend, Jon's website. After waiting for close to an hour, I finally got my 30 minutes of internet time. You can see the long line that I had to wait outside in. Fun time when the temperature is 108 degrees.
You know, 108 sounds terrible but I would take that over 90 degrees in Albany. We don't have the same humidity issue here which to me is what makes everything uncomfortable. The heat here reminds me of how it feels when you open the oven to remove something and the escaping heat hits your face. We also have this stiff wind that constantly blows from west to east that reminds me of a blow-dryer set for hot. It is hard to imagine, but you
get used to it.I have attached a new article for you to read. It's another editorial so it is one sided but since it happens to be my side too, then it must be correct. I'll let you be the judge for yourself though. Wow, I am actually at a loss for words this week. Nothing really exciting to write about.
Hopefully the next week will be more eventful. I'll keep my fingers crossed for flying monkeys attacking the camp perimeter, Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders parachuting into our position, or my discovery of Saddam's hidden gold bullions under my rack. Otherwise, you are stuck with me writing about my boring life with my T/O weapon...my laptop. I wonder if I will rate a Purple Heart for Carpal Tunnel syndrome? Until next week...
Y'know, uneventful is good. Let's hope things stay calm. However, waiting in line in 108 - or hotter - temps in full battle gear isn't easy. See our informationon our cool ties project and help keep our troops a bit more comfortable.
Posted by Deb at 12:26 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
July 07, 2004
Remembering Reagan
Flags are flying at full mast today but President Reagan, beloved Commander in Chief of many Marines, will not be forgotten.
Members of the Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon, Marine Barracks Washington, perform during an evening Sunset Parade as the flag flies at half-staff over the Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington Va.
Here's a memorial from USMC Cpl. Beth Zimmerman:
Reagan respected the men and women in uniform who served him during his Presidency. According to www.ronaldreagan.com, Reagan wrote in his autobiography about a trend he started to show his respect."As commander in chief, I discovered it was customary for our uniformed men and women to salute whenever they saw me," read his words. "When I'd walk down the steps of a helicopter, for example, there was always a Marine waiting there to salute me. I was told presidents weren't supposed to return salutes, so I didn't, but this made me feel a little uncomfortable.
"Normally, a person offering a salute waits until it is returned, then brings down his hand. Sometimes, I realized, the soldier, sailor, Marine or airman giving me a salute wasn't sure when to lower his hand. Initially, I nodded and smiled and said hello and thought maybe that would bring down the hand, but usually it didn't.
"Finally, one night when Nancy and I were attending a concert at the Marine Corps headquarters, I told the Commandant of Marines, 'I know it's customary for the President to receive these salutes, but I was once an officer and realize that you're not supposed to salute when you're in civilian clothes. I think there ought to be a regulation that the president could return a salute inasmuch as he is the commander in chief and civilian clothes are his uniform'.
According to Reagan, the general replied with, "Well if you did return a salute, I don't think anyone would say anything to you about it."
"The next time I got a salute, I saluted back," continues Reagan's text. "A big grin came over the Marine's face and down came his hand. From then on, I always returned salutes."
Posted by Deb at 01:26 PM | Comments (4)
Update from the 1st LAR
LtCol Costantini writes to the families and friends of the 1st LAR:
Delta and most of H&S Company remain at our southern base, Weapons Company and a part of H&S are at our northern base and Alpha and another small part of H&S continue to work for RCT 1 in the eastern part of the Marine zone.An Alpha Company vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device a few days ago and 1 Marine was wounded. He was able to contact his family and already has been released from the hospital.
Mail has not been delivered for about the last ten days. We have been minimizing convoy movements during the transfer of sovereignty period. Weapons Company got mail yesterday and Delta should get a mail delivery today and regular delivery should continue as before.
3d LAR from 29 Palms will be replacing us this fall. They are sending a team over next week to begin the turnover process. So far everything looks good for us to return by the time I briefed during our pre-deployment meetings. Most of us were able to enjoy a bar-b-que on the 4th. In the south we flew in the grills and everybody got stuffed on the hamburgers, hot dogs, ribs, chicken, corn on the cob, etc. Independence Day made me appreciate all the things we take for granted at home, especially after coming so close to the Transfer of Sovereignty to the Interim Iraqi Government. 16 months ago Saddam Hussein still enslaved the people of Iraq. They were liberated by our Coalition at the sacrifice of many American lives. We continue to sacrifice for them, so that they can celebrate an Independence Day of their own. Iraq is not perfect yet, but its best hope is for our continued patience and effort to help them help themselves. All the sacrifice by our men and their families is not just for the Iraqis, but it is for our own liberty and security. We need to destroy terrorists and the people and nations that support them now, if we are to continue to enjoy our own Independence Days in the future.
Please continue to support your Marine or Sailor. You are constantly on our minds.
Semper Fidelis
LtCol Costantini
Posted by Deb at 02:17 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Bugle from the SeaElks
From SgtMaj Johnson of the HMM-166.
To the SeaElk family,We are getting close to our destination, and doing our part for the War On Terrorism. We have continued to train hard to get prepared, and the Marines of this unit are doing a great job. Once we start to off-load from the ship to become land based, we will loose our ability to communicate via e-mail for a short duration, do not panic! Once we arrive at our new location, we will get up and running as soon as practical. Regular mail will be available at every location we are at, it just takes more time (snail mail) to get it sent back and forth, not the instant results like e-mail, but a feasible option. Our mailing address will not change while we are on land. I also encourage all the family and friends to send "Care Packages" if possible. Not something that will melt or get broken in the mail, (no glass containers) but something from home. The Marines are excited about getting into the fight and off the ship, (we are not Sailors). The Navy has done a great job in getting us to where we need to be, but now its our time to do what we do best. Being land based will have its challenges, but the Marines in this Squadron will rise to every occasion, and succeed at any mission assigned, that's what we do, and have done for the past 228 years. Keep the Marines in your prayers, and continue your support. We are making a difference in Iraq, and making the world a safer place.
Posted by Deb at 02:15 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 06, 2004
Joe Candidate
Yeah, I keep saying this isn't a political blog. But this is irresistable.
Kerry to unveil VP choice - Announcement Tuesday barring last-minute hitch, insiders say
However, in an unusual wrinkle designed to protect the secrecy of the process, Kerry's choice is not scheduled to attend the announcement rally, the sources said.
Geez, and Cheney gets criticized for not being visible.
This source -- a Democratic official familiar with the planning who spoke on condition of anonymity -- said the plan called for Kerry to call his choice, as well as the other finalists who were not picked, sometime before Tuesday's 9 a.m. ET rally.
and
Throughout the process, aides have stressed that there would be a surprise or unique wrinkle to the announcement. It would be highly unusual for a presidential nominee to announce his choice to join the ticket without that choice at his side.
I think it would be way cool for all three finalists to show up. Kerry could give a ring and a rose to the VP pick and the other two could board a Greyhound for home with suitcases in hand.
Posted by Deb at 02:18 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Train, train, train
Here's the July 5 update from the 11th MEU:
Once again it's time to update you on our deployment. Its been a pretty uneventful week. Even the 4th of July came and went without a lot of fanfare. The ship's Site TV did show patriotic movies throughout the day, but it was a day like any other. Today (Monday) the Command Element conducted a conditioning hike on the flight deck. We walked in circles in body armor with a small pack. At one point the Commanding Officer called out "gas, gas, gas" so we hiked in gas masks for about 20 minutes. It was quite hot and the scenery was a bit tedious, but we're stronger for it.For the next few days we'll be packing our gear, getting ready to debark sometime soon. We're winding up to hit the ground running once we get off the ship -- we'll have several days of training before we head to Iraq. Training for us never ends.
For those of you with friends or loved ones on the USS Comstock, they're doing well and keeping busy. Their days are just as full of training and classes, preparing them for operations in Iraq, as the rest of the Marines on the other ships. With full gear, they shuffle through the USS Comstock's narrow passageways and air conditioning boundaries and train, train, train.
Posted by Deb at 01:40 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Good Advice
Mohammed, a dentist from Baghdad advises:
Don't believe everything you read:
How is life in Iraq? Depends on your point of view. A bunch of us were talking the other night; one friend, very angry, said: "Did you see what happened today in Antar Square? The Americans came, blocked the street and attacked the toy store. They were smashing kid's bicycles!" Another friend, listening carefully, asked: "Was there a big loading truck with them?" Yes, came the reply. The second friend then told his version: it turned out he'd been at the store buying a bike for his son. "I was in the middle of tough bargaining with the shopkeeper when two Humvees and a truck stopped out front. One of the Humvees waved all the cars to pass. Soldiers from the second Humvee said they wanted to buy some bicycles. It didn't take a long time, as they didn't bargain, and they bought a huge number of bicycles and filled the truck with them and left." Whom to believe? Here are two good friends and both were on the scene. As for me, it didn't take a lot of effort to figure out who was closer to the truth. Those bikes have probably been delivered to a local school.
It's not just Iraqis who are ready to believe the worst about American troops. I can't count the number of times an otherwise intelligent person quotes a news story that contradicts the ground wisdom. It's frustrating. I try to stay away from those discussions - my normal coping technique of red wine and dark chocolate is playing havoc with my diet. But, I keep thinking that someday, somehow, someone will be able to look past his or her biases and realize that the doom and gloom reported by the mainstream media is mostly sensationalism. Balance would be so refreshing.
Posted by Deb at 01:39 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
1/4 Marines update
LtCol John L. Mayer, CO of 1/4 Marines updates us:
Dear families and friends of the Marines and Sailors of Battalion Landing Team (BLT) 1/4;Happy Independence Day and greetings from the USS BELLEAU WOOD, DENVER, and COMSTOCK! As you celebrate this holiday with friends and family back home, your Marines and Sailors continue to prepare for their mission ahead with the steady, determined professionalism of warriors who know their duty. I am very proud of all of them as they are truly the guardians of our country’s freedom.
Of note, the Marines of Combined Anti-Armor Team (CAAT) Bravo eagerly await any and all challenges that lie ahead. Two Marines in particular, Cpl Welch and Lcpl Graf, have done a tremendous job in training, preparing, and mentoring the platoon’s junior Marines. Cpl Welch serves as the platoon’s Marine Corps Martial Arts Program expert and devotes two hours of his day, everyday, to ensuring that the Marines are mentally and physically prepared to accomplish any mission. During this past month, Lcpl Graf has worked with the Navy’s machinists on a daily basis to ensure that the platoon’s weapons and vehicles are fully operational. His efforts have been instrumental to the platoon having a 100% readiness status. These outstanding Marines are typical of the quality of your Marines and Sailors across the BLT and their efforts are only a few of many that make this one of the most technically and tactically proficient BLTs in the Marine Corps today.
In addition to rigorous daily training, the Marines and Sailors of BLT 1/4 have been able to enjoy some of the ships weekly activities. Last week, the Sailors of the USS BELLEAU WOOD hosted a bingo night. Yes Bingo. Prizes included stereo equipment, televisions, gift certificates, and much more. The Marines had an opportunity to purchase bingo cards during the preceding days, and the game was aired on the ships closed circuit television system. This gave everyone on board an opportunity to participate, from every part of the ship. Winners simply phoned in to the broadcast booth to claim their prizes. The day following the bingo night was Sunday, which meant a day of rest and relaxations for all BLT Marines.
A few days later, the ships received mail for the first time since departing Hawaii. Did you ever wonder how we get mail delivered to us while we’re out to sea? It is quite an amazing process. All the mail that you send to your loved ones here on one of the three ships first makes its way to San Francisco. That’s where the Fleet Post Office, or FPO, is located. There, they track the progress of our deployment and promptly deliver mail to the next geographic location that the ships will be passing. These locations include Hawaii, Guam, Saipan, and Singapore. From there, the mail is brought aboard by one of the numerous helicopters that are deployed with us. The BLT’s outgoing mail is taken ashore in the same manner, delivery to San Francisco, then to its final destination. As you can see, there are many days that the ships don’t receive mail, but we all rest assured that it will be waiting for us at the next port.
Mail equals motivation for most of our troops. Last year, during one of his phone calls, my son told me there was a Marine in his company who had received only one letter in the 4 months since he arrived in Iraq. It was a Dear John letter from his girl. Shane asked if I could write to him and I mentioned it to a few of my friends. Within weeks, this Marine was receiving more mail - letters and packages - than anyone else in his platoon. It was an awesome response from people back home who care.
LtCol Mayer goes on:
I would like to recognize two of many outstanding Marines in the BLT. Lcpl James T. Jenkins, a squad leader in 1st Platoon, Charlie Company, was awarded the Navy Achievement Medal aboard the USS BELLEAU WOOD on 23 June 2004, for displaying exemplary tactical proficiency and leadership beyond his rank while conducting SASO (Stability and Security Operations) in the Babil Province of Iraq during OIF I from 21 April 2003 to 2 August 2003. He also was named the Expeditionary Strike Group 3 (ESG 3) Marine and Sailor of the Quarter, which is a prestigious honor he earned competing against keen competition. The second Marine is Corporal Michael J. Harbour, who is Romeo Battery’s Meteorological Chief. He is our BLT NCO of the Quarter and set professional proficiency standards for his fellow non-commissioned officers to emulate.The pictures on our website capture the spirit of us—-the Marines and Sailors of BLT 1/4--so admirably. Look closely into the eyes of your warriors and you will see the determination, the laughter, the hopes and fears, the camaraderie of shared hardship, and the pride of being the best America has to offer.
Finally, I was deeply touched by the passing of a great President, American, and world citizen, Ronald Reagan. In President Bush’s eulogy to the former President, he wrote:Along the way, certain convictions were formed and fixed in the man. Ronald Reagan believed that everything happened for a reason, and that we should strive to know and do the will of God. He believed that the gentleman always does the kindest thing. He believed that people were basically good, and had the right to be free. He believed that bigotry and prejudice were the worst things a person could be guilty of. He believed in the Golden Rule and in the power of prayer. He believed that America was not just a place in the world, but the hope of the world.President Bush was thinking of Ronald Reagan, but as I read these words I thought of your Marines and Sailors, and this hope of freedom they provide to the people of Iraq and the entire world. Families, please enjoy this Independence Day holiday for all of us deployed and be happy knowing that your loved one is part of a noble cause. As I tell your husbands and sons often, their deeds will echo in eternity and are what makes our Nation standout as “not just a place in the world, but the hope of the world.”
Once again, good health and God's blessing to all of you. As always, your love, support, and prayers are invaluable to us, and we appreciate every thing that you do.
And we appreciate our Marines, more than we can express.
Posted by Deb at 12:15 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
July 05, 2004
Patriotism, as defined by a former Marine
General David M. Shoup, who served as Commandant of the Marine Corps from Jan, 1 1960 - Dec 31, 1963 , gave this defining speech on patriotism on July 4, 1962.
It is said that patriotism is the love of country. I think it is the love of the things about your country that you don’t want to see lost—that you want to see perpetuated—and you’re willing to sacrifice to ensure it.Patriotism is not something you put on each morning like a clean shirt. Patriotism is not something you can buy at the super market. Patriotism is not something you can get in return for a monthly paycheck to a man in uniform. It is devotion to an ideal—a principle; a burning desire that the things that people think are best for their country and its people are protected from erosion—protected from any and everything which would tend to lessen in the mind of the individual the image he has of how things should be in his ideal country.
Patriotism is an abstract thing. You can’t see it, you can’t feel it, you can’t hear it—albeit at times you can see the action and hear the things that people do, who are imbued with patriotism.
In the armed forces we have one fundamental mission—to provide for the security of this nation. Everything else is included in this goal. Devotion to country—patriotism, if you will—is essential to our success.
The men and women in the armed forces are not so different from other Americans. The uniforms they wear merely signify what their job is and in which service they carry out their important duties. But soldier, sailor, airman or Marine, they are bound by a common promise and a common responsibility.
Patriotism is something from our hearts—a faith—a dedication.
We cannot confine patriotism to a single day, year, or to whenever it is convenient, any more than we can confine a belief in God to the occasion when one is trapped in a foxhole under fire, or a Sunday morning in church. If patriotism is faith—and I believe it is—then it is a faith based on love, the love of the things that we believe are best for the people of our country, and thus for the nation itself. It is a deep faith in what we are for, not a hatred for things we are against. American patriots need not hate nor fear anyone. Fear and hate are corrosive and carry the seeds for the destruction of the deep patriotism so necessary to ensure the future of America.
I am firmly convinced that the cornerstone of our Democracy are Americans who have pride in their country—true patriots.
We are not born with this sense of patriotism. This thing called patriotism is not just handed to us. We must know our history, we must participate in our country’s current affairs of concern—vote for leaders—foster education for more of our people—and stand beside our country as her defenders.
Let us all do these things, and there will be no lack of patriots in this great country.
Posted by Deb at 12:44 PM | Comments (6) | TrackBack
An Oregon 4th of July
Last week, Greyhawk invited participation in a "blogospheric Independence Day celebration" as a way to share our pride in this land of liberty, share a glimpse of home with troops in faraway places with a different type of fireworks, and to share with the rest of the world a view of Americans celebrate 228 years of independence. Here's how we celebrated at Connie's house here in Oregon:
 | Connie, Marine Mom of Corporal Bill Riecke, and Shea, Bill's sister, discuss an owie on Shea's foot. |
| Anjee (Bill's girlfriend who is visiting for a few days) and Shea. |  |
 | Do not play poker with this woman. She not only takes chips but checks and debit cards as well. |
| After the barbecued hamburgers and hotdogs, it's time for dessert. Since we are Marine Moms, we decided on red, white, and blueberry. |  |
 | The kids couldn't wait for dark. They spent their allowances at local fireworks stands and set off fireworks all afternoon. |
| All men seem to be little boys at heart on Independence Day. Jamin and Rascone make an improvised explosive device that causes no damage but does make a very large BOOM. |  |
 | After dark, the culdesac is lined with chairs as neighbors congregate to watch a neighborhood fireworks display. We weren't the only ones - the skies around the neighborhood were lit up for several hours with incendiary displays. |
| The Marine Moms behind this website: Connie, Deb, and Janise. |  |
Posted by Deb at 11:29 AM | Comments (13) | TrackBack
Independence Day Redux
When my son was in Iraq last year, he called me on July 3rd (it was the 4th in Iraq) to wish me a happy Independence Day. After months of MREs, the Navy cooks barbecued hamburgers and hot dogs, and served cold soft drinks. Standard picnic fare back here but a real treat for our troops. It was a tough day to be apart from him - we had spent the last 11 years of 4th of July weekends at the World Championship Timber Carnival in Albany, OR where he competed in the log rolling competitions and I volunteered from dawn to dusk, tallying scores and patiently answering the same questions over and over. It was a great way to spend a very American holiday.
Times change. The Timber Carnival has now morphed into an all-sports competition and my son is a United States Marine. When I asked him last year if he missed being at home, doing fireworks with his friends, he said that while it would be fun, he was satisfied to be in Iraq helping to keep our country safe so that the rest of us could enjoy a carefree holiday.
This year, he's here for the 4th. He called me from somewhere in Nevada yesterday - he and his wife were headed to a lake where some of his Marine brothers were camped. They didn't have a tent but they had each other and that was all that mattered. Shane thought they'd just sleep under the stars (his wife was less thrilled about that) since they are saving their money for a trip home later this month before he deploys in August. He's no less committed than he was last year. And this year, he has even more reason to defend and protect. Thank you to my son and all the other sons, daughters, husbands, and wives who have left the comfort of home to serve our country. It's not a small thing.
Posted by Deb at 10:18 AM
Frank Schaeffer on Farenheit 9/11
Frank Schaeffer is a Marine Corps Dad. He didn't expect his upper middle class family to produce a Marine, but it did and he has the same feelings of intense pride and fear that the rest of us do. Here's his reaction to Michael Moore's latest "documentary":
As a military parent whose son was recently deployed in the Middle East I object strongly to Michael Moore’s cynical exploitation of our men and women in uniform. When a political satire stoops to manipulating young soldiers and Marines and their grieving parents to score political points something is very wrong. And when a political film like “Fahrenheit 9/11” uses the military as fodder for satire aimed at someone else—Bush—then feigns respect for those same soldiers the filmmaker is mocking I want to tell the film maker he can’t have it both ways.Moore reminds me of a wife beater who brings his wife flowers in the morning to assuage his guilt for the black eye he gave her the night before. First Moore disrespects the military then he says I really do love you. No matter how much he hates Bush getting rid of the current president is no excuse for insulting my son and all his military brothers and sisters. And Moore’s movie is an insult to our men and women.
First it is condescending as Moore pretends to sympathize with our military men and women. Then Moore turns downright mean when he portrays our men in uniform as mindless thugs. Either way we never hear about patriotism, let alone loyalty to other soldiers, let alone who is really in the military or why they are there, let alone about all the Marines and soldiers who are dead because they hesitated to shoot at enemies hiding behind civilians. We see the anomalies not the mainstream. We see exploited African-American youth and white crackers and a few conscientious objector types. What we don’t see is the real military majority—middle class white kids from small towns following in their father’s footsteps and minorities of all ethnic backgrounds who want to give something back to the country they honor.
Moore has every right to say whatever he wants about President Bush. (Just for the record I was and am a John McCain supporter.) And Moore has the right to edit old video tape to make the President look like a simpering fool even if it is grossly unfair. Politics is hardball. Moore makes some excellent points about our naive American relationship with the Saudis and also about our staggering lack of adequate response when we sent only 10,000 men to Afghanistan and missed our shot at bin Laden. He also comes close to telling the truth about the hysterical paranoia that leads to grandmothers being frisked in airports while nothing much is done about our real enemies. (Though if we had followed the logic of Moore’s movie—the Saudis are the real enemy in the movie—and attacked them after 9/11 I bet Moore still wouldn’t like Bush.)
It is a little hard to take Moore’s Bambi approach to the pre-American invasion Iraq seriously. Remarkably all we see is in his movie of Saddam’s Iraq is happy footage of happy children before the Americans bomb them. (Bambi as in the scenes in the forest with his mother before the evil hunters arrive!) There is no sign of mass graves or gassed Kurds. Iraq under Saddam looks like a commercial for an Islamic Disneyland.
Fairytales about happy pre-invasion Iraq aside, Moore crosses the line of decency when he uses ambush tabloid-style methods on young military men and reduces their lives to cleverly manipulated sound bites to serve his political attack. Someone needs to explain to Moore that presidents come and go and aren’t really all that important (it has been a long time since the best and brightest wanted to run and we’ve had a string of second-raters and survived just fine), but that our military IS important. We NEED our men and women more than they need us. There really are people who want to kill us.
Moore edits some footage of pumped up teenagers in uniform talking about the music they listen to when they are getting shot at and shooting back. He uses the macho swaggering statements of a few immature soldiers out of context, a context where they were trying to pump themselves up to face battle with brave and foolish words (or violent music). The fear and horror of battle make men do and say many things and until Moore walks in their shoes he should back off. Moore manipulates their words to portray an entire military campaign as driven by young men listening to heavy metal as they gleefully blow away women and children. It is a lie. I have just finished editing a collection of letters from hundreds of military men and women—“Voices From The Front” — due out this fall, and the letters, not to mention all the men and women I know personally, not to mention my son, tell another story. They grieve over civilian casualties. But then Moore was not trying to tell the truth. He was making propaganda. And that is fine too, but not on the backs of men and women who will die for Michael Moore and the rest of us tomorrow.
Moore would not know a nuance or a complexity let alone a paradox if it bit him. He simplistically portrays a military that only exist to protect the “capitalist system” he hates and that he is convinced doesn’t work because there are some streets in Flint Michigan where the houses aren’t very nice. (Will he be sharing the 20 million or so he’s earned so far this year with the “exploited” African-American recruits he interviewed? And when in his movie Moore challenges some congressmen to sign up their children for military service—a great idea by the way, listen up Ted Kennedy—did Moore just happen to forget to also ambush his rich pals in Hollywood? Have any of Harvey Weinstein’s kids signed up recently? Or does Moore only hate rich jerks that vote Republican? Will Moore’s kids ever show solidarity with the rest of us by enlisting?)
Moore portrays the military men and women as the stooges of rich white men and oil companies. The problem is that this is a lie. Many of our men and women serving are doing so for patriotic reasons and/or for reasons of loyalty to their fellow soldiers. Moore never mentions this. Many others come from upper middle class families, like my son. In the world according to Moore they don’t exist.
My son did not join the Marines to blow away children to rock music. Nor did he need college benefits. He joined to be part of something bigger than himself. He joined to serve his country. He joined because he wanted discipline in his life. He joined for adventure. And he is not alone.
Moore shows his profound ignorance about the real military because he does not acknowledge that there are thousands of men and women who may well have joined for a utilitarian reason—say college benefits—but who then underwent a profound spiritual rebirth in the military. Now they are motivated to serve because they want to watch the backs of their fellow soldiers. Moore doesn’t seem to know that there really are thousands of our people who the military has taught to live by a selfless code: the man or woman standing next to you is more important than you are.
In some scenes a camera crew follows a grieving mother of a killed soldier as she cries. Of course she was carefully chosen so as not to alienate Moore’s leftist base of support. She was not any old military mom. What would Moore’s core constituency have made of a mom who cried for her son and still wanted Bush to win? Moore is sympathetic to her but only after establishing her politically correct credentials. She is wearing a special cross that symbolizes diversity and tolerance. And she is in a multiracial marriage. This is fine with me by the way. I’m all for tolerance and multiracial marriages. In the military that Moore disdains there are plenty of mixed race couples, a lot more than in Hollywood. The military, unlike the Oscar voters, really is a color-blind meritocracy. In the end Moore abuses even his token military mom. Moore hates Bush so much he is willing to stoop to following this weeping mother around the perimeter of the White House in a bizarre tabloid-style moment of maudlin and insensitive exploitation.
In other scenes military men and women are portrayed as fools, killers or just dumb white guys, say the two Marine recruiters, following poor black young men and trying to fool them into joining Bush’s military. I know a lot of Marine recruiters and Moore must have worked very hard to edit these two into the idiots they come off as. The recruiters I know, and most likely these two Marines as well, are bright, dedicated and kind. But then, as someone who has made a lot of documentaries myself I know what can be done to get a point across when you want to. Moore could make the Pope look like Hugh Hefner. Michael Moore is a very good film maker. He’s just not a very good person.
In all cases the men and women of our military are stripped of dignity in Moore’s movie. They are portrayed as either mindless killers or manipulated victims, never heroes. The only military personnel given more than a ten second out-of-context sound bite are the soldiers and Marines Moore finds who are against the war in Iraq. They get to say things about how killing makes you lose parts of your soul. But the problem is that Michael Moore is not really interested even in them. He is interested in politics and is using these men as a stick with which to beat the president.
What is so dishonest in his movie is that Michael Moore wants to have it both ways. In one interview he says that America is a great country. But for the rest of the movie he tells us that we are a nation of easily led fools with a fascist/victim military. Moore wants to stir up the anti-war crowd on the one hand by showing soldiers killing babies to rock music, and exploit the sympathies of the American middle class for our men and women on the other hand by showing a crying mother whose son got killed.
(Note to John Kerry: If you really love our military denounce Moore’s portrayal of our men and women and tell America that you don’t want our votes if they have to be generated by sinking to Michael Moore’s level. Do that and I’ll vote for you, I’ll even work for you!)
It is unfair for a movie maker who will make tens of millions of dollars this year from attacking Bush to sandbag some 19 year old Marine, who is making $18, 000 a year. Moore has all the intellectual and technical weapons Hollywood could give him and a huge team backing him up. The 19 year old soldier has a high school diploma. Michael Moore is a bully.
Our military men and women deserve better. So do their parents. Moore has misrepresented us. For every mother who hates the President for her son’s death there are fifty others who want us to win in Iraq so their son’s deaths won’t have been in vain. Maybe they are deluded but Moore should at least have represented the bereaved parents fairly.
Here are some things I’d like to explain to Michael Moore:
These days the military is the last place you can’t opt out of your commitment when the going gets rough. Many young men and women who signed up did so out of a desire to serve our nation. Most of us military parents see that the military has made our children and our families’ better less selfish people. Our men and women have their bad days and their good days, but most of all they are loyal to each other; black or white, male or female. They get through each day motivated by taking care of the man or woman standing next to them.
Last word to Michael Moore: It’s not cool to spit on your military, even metaphorically, even if the French do like you for doing it. You can help bring down Bush without stooping to this.
My son did not join the Marines because he had no other options. He was another "middle-class white kid" who looked at his choices and decided that he had something to offer his country. I would have happily paid his tuition at any college of his choice. His choice was the United States Marine Corps. He wanted to be the best. He is.
I wonder what Michael Moore's reaction would be if his child chose to enter military service.
Posted by Deb at 07:28 AM | Comments (128) | TrackBack
July 04, 2004
4th of July through a Marine Corps Mom's eyes
Today we have the freedom to celebrate the gift of liberty that was given to all Americans by Americans on the 4th of July, 1776. I celebrate that my son chose to serve his country and to rise to the challenge of becoming a US Marine. On October 8, 2001 when he left for bootcamp I was not in agreement with his decision. I knew, as a mom knows, that my son would change and that his strong values, commitment to his country and family, and his integrity would lead him to places and events that would no doubt put him in harms way.I was right and I was scared.
Bill courageously served his country in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom last year. Now, as Corporal Riecke, he is a vehicle commander with 3/7, Weapons Co.and once again deployed in Iraq. He is very proud of his fellow Marines, our country, and the commitment we have to help all people around the world. Bill has stated many times "I would not change a thing, if being in Iraq fighting this war means my family is safe and free I will stay here." And although he is shot at and under attack daily he continues to stand strong that people should have the chance to live free and without fear.
Our Marines and soldiers have courageously given their all this past year. They have given up their freedom and put their lives on hold for the safety of us all and for the people of Iraq. I will celebrate with my family, minus one, this 4th of July, but this year I will celebrate our sons and daughters who unselfishly and bravely serve their country.
Posted by Deb at 10:17 PM | Comments (2)
A 4th of July message from Commanding General Paxton
As with all patriotic holidays, the Marines take celebration of this country's freedom and independence from foreign rule seriously. This message is from the Commanding General of the Recruit Depot in San Diego:
As we pause to celebrate the birth of our freedom and independence this Fourth of July weekend, we should all consider the significance of this date in our history. On this day, we commemorate our independence as a nation. We can reflect upon our humble beginnings, and marvel upon those brave Americans and their courageous deeds that helped ensure we could one day witness the United States being recognized as the greatest democracy ever known.Like the Marines of today, our forefathers were well intentioned, dedicated and highly motivated. They were determined to settle this land known as the Americas and build a republic founded on the tenets of individuality, freedom, and equality. They established our government to look after the greater good of all people, while maintaining the basic, personal freedoms of life, liberty and
the pursuit of happiness.Reflecting on our past and future, I believe it?s important for each of us to consider our individual responsibilities and contributions to our great nation. More than a hundred years ago, a famous journalist named Elmer Davis said of our country, ?The republic was not established by cowards, and cowards will not preserve it. This will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave.?
There is no doubt in my mind that our nation will forever remain the home of the brave as long as Americans such as yourselves staff our ranks. America has always depended on the courage and character of her people in the military, and our military has never let our country down. The sacrifices and hardships you and your families bear clearly illustrate our individual and collective resolve to ensure that the ideals of freedom and democracy will burn brightly for all to see, today and tomorrow.
So, as you head off to barbecues, or the beach, or simply relax with your friends and loved ones, remember the significance of this day in our history. As Americans, we have much to be thankful for.
I ask also that you pause and remember our fellow brothers and sisters serving around the world, many in harms way, who cannot be with us today. Be proud of them, be proud of yourselves, and be proud of the tremendous job we all do in the service of our country.
Have a safe weekend; you deserve it. Semper Fidelis!
Sincerely,
J.M. Paxton Jr.
Brigadier General, U.S. Marine Corps
Posted by Deb at 08:42 AM