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August 07, 2004
Partings
My son, Lance Corporal Shane Conrad, has been home for several weeks on predeployment leave. We've had a wonderful visit - they've been bouncing back and forth between various family members, making contacts and memories. We had a wonderful dinner out, thanks to the generosity of a former Marine and his wife who have never met my son but support him and all our troops. Last night, we gathered at his dad's house for a farewell BBQ. (For those who care, all smoke, no sauce. It was wonderful.) This morning, he and his wife are returning to their home base at 29 Palms - it's been wonderful having them home but he has a job to do and a mission to complete with the help of his brother Marines. He is fully motivated to finish the task that they began last year - his battalion was the first over and the last to return.
Eleven months later, they will once again travel around the world, this time to the Al Anbar province. The Marines who have been there since March have done an awesome job of helping the Iraqi people bring stability to their country. They are ready to come home to a well-earned rest. And the 1/7 has been training hard and is ready to go at the end of August. Prayers for their safety and protection as they return to a war zone would be deeply appreciated.
Posted by Deb at 08:29 AM | Comments (10) | TrackBack
August 06, 2004
Hollywood Marines
This term has often been used to provide some good-nature ribbing aimed at those Marines who went through boot camp at MCRD-San Diego. Now, there's more to the appellation. Here's the scoop from Lance Cpl. Heidi E Loredo:
Arabic music echoes through the narrow trash-strewn streets of a mock Iraqi village on a sunny afternoon. Saddam loyalist posters and raggedy clothes for sale are posted on shacks built on dirt-paved roads plagued with donkey droppings and broken glass. A mock Iraqi family stands outside their home shouting anti-America slogans while Marines patrol the area.A bomb explodes and sends fragments in every direction and for a brief moment the Marines seem paralyzed by the shock. What do they do next?
Marines from 2nd Battalion, 24th Marines, from Chicago, participated in military operations in urban terrain July 27-28 to prepare for their upcoming deployment to Iraq. The training placed the Reservists in a simulated Iraqi town inside Strategic Operations, a training site located on the 11-acre lot of Stu Segall Productions, San Diego's only TV and movie studio.
"Strategic Operations is a training facility that prides itself for being different than any other facility," said Stu Segall, owner. "We use the magic of Hollywood to simulate a real-world training environment for tomorrow's threat. We combine movie-making techniques with the realism for training needs."
My son has spent many hours in MOUT training at March Air Force base and in abandoned base training at 29 Palms. This faciity kicks it up a notch.
The 12,000 square foot tactical training area includes a drug lab, school house, bomb lab, alley and adjacent MOUT facility. Some rooms are equipped with interchangeable floor plans to provide variety in the training scenarios. The lot is specifically designed for law enforcement and military training and is not open to the public.The shoot house, also called the "kill house," is another feature the facility offers. The "kill house" is a simulated residence fully furnished complete with front yard and security door used for repeated breeches. The home is equipped with furniture, operating lights and real-life surroundings like the laundry on the floor and the dirty dishes in the kitchen sink. The rooms offer overhead viewing catwalks and are available in each scenario. There is also a bomb lab with a complete display of interactive simulated improvised explosive devices.
"We've installed doors that open the wrong way to trap the Marines when they storm a building," said Segall.
The highlight of the lot is the MOUT facility. The facility sits on a four-acre lot. Both the exterior and interiors of these moveable buildings can be easily changed to simulate urban areas in various parts of the world.
"We tried to simulate an Iraq village exactly how it is, from the items they sell on the streets to the animals that are loose and running around in the streets," said Segall. "We provide role players to add to the experience forcing the Marines to react to every little thing they do. All personnel in the unit are free to participate in the training evolution instead of being role players."
And OIF veterans add to the realism:
Strategic Operations also provides professional wound artists that create grotesque and convincing wounds."We had Marines who lost limbs in the war come help us," said Segall. "They would go out on patrol with their squad, a bomb would explode, and we'd pretend they lost a leg. The rest of the Marines had to learn how to quickly react to the gushing blood and screams, but at the same time they had to be constantly aware of what was going on around them."
Segal and his team aimed to re-create the fog of war whether it was sound, smell, smoke or explosions from the rocket-propelled grenade to the Arabic writing on the wall.
"When a squad is out on patrol and an improvised explosive device explodes in front of a Marine, the rest of his Marines experience a shock," said Segall. "Here we train them to quickly react and automatically think of what they must do next. When it's all done it takes around two minutes to set up again."
"This is more realistic than March Air Reserve Base," said Sgt. Jonathon Welms, a Chicago, native. "Despite the narrow space, this setup is more productive than any training we've received. I'd rather do this since it is real-world training that is more believable. Having rounds come back at us compared to the cinderblock MOUT facility at Camp Pendleton makes it more real. We're going to be new combat-efficient leaders. The simulations build the privates first class to be better leaders so they are not afraid to stand up and take charge."
Posted by Deb at 02:14 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
Memories of Boot Camp
Donald Sensing, from One Hand Clapping, watched as his oldest son Stephen went off to boot camp last week. Matthew, a former Marine writing at South End Grounds is tracking his progress through boot camp through a retrospective of his own boot camp memories. Here's part of his introduction to the weekly series:
Sometimes Boot Camp, especially in the Marine Corps, is maligned for its rigor and arcane traditions. I remember Moms of America came by one day while we were doing LINE training (a martial arts type hand to hand combat). They objected to our use of the word "Kill" as we executed movements. Our Drill Instructors obliged the visitors by ordering us to scream "Death."I hope that as you read this weekly excursion down memory lane you see that everything that happens on Parris Island - or any other military proving ground - does so for a reason. The transformation from snot-nosed kid to United States Marine is a dramatic one. It doesn't happen by accident and the process of the transformation has been honed over 229 years of developing the world's most elite fighting force.
So why did we yell "kill" as we executed movements designed to kill or injure another? Because if you're going to do that, you have to desensitize yourself to your actions. You are trying to kill someone who is trying to kill you or your comrades.
Combat is messy business. Training for combat shouldn't be a garden of roses.
I also hope you gain an appreciation for what our military endures even at its most basic levels. Boot Camp was no picnic but it was easier than some of the things I did later in my brief and less than legendary career in the Marine Reserves.
This series will be well worth reading for anyone interested in how boot camp works. Here's an excerpt from this week's post:
The forming DI's pep talk left me feeling like I could run through a wall. I met that wall. His name was SSgt. Spitzer. He was about 47 feet tall and built like a brick outhouse. I thought SSgt. Kopp from our opening night on the Island looked like a tank. SSgt. Spitzer made him look like a Yugo.He wanted to know why my uniform was wrinkled and why I was wearing go-fasters (running shoes). I assumed that he already knew that I had to sleep in my cammies for two nights without the benefit of an iron in the morning and that everyone who showed up with me was ordered to leave our boots packed and wear go-fasters. So, I stumbled and stammered something that he didn't like so he dumped by seabag and began to destroy its contents.
Amazingly, five DI's were doing the same thing simultaneously to 47 mortified recruits. It was like each of them were actually 10 different people. As I write this, I am having trouble coming up with the words to paint the carnage that was unfolding before my eyes.
Suddenly, they were gone. Disappearing into the room from whence they came. All about me lay the contents of our neatly packed ALICE packs and seabags. Every bottle of YES detergent that we brought with us was crushed and empty. The deck had turned from concrete grey to YES blue.
The DI's had established the pecking order. They were the kings and we were subjects. They were the lion and we were the poor yak who couldn't quite get away. They were the hammer and we were the nail. Insert your own metaphor here.
We knew that they were in charge and that try as we might, we would never please them. We would always live in terror. The very sight of them would bring back haunting memories of this moment. They had begun to tear us down. Soon they would lay the foundation and begin to rebuild.
Drill instructors have 12 weeks to take groups of individuals and turn them into a cohesive team, where the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. They bring out the best that each recruit has to offer while simultaneously discarding bad habits learned over a lifetime of self-indulgence. My son told me afterwards that if kids went through Marine Corps boot camp at the start of high school that this country wouldn't have a high school drop out problem. Or, many of the other problems that plague society.
Posted by Deb at 09:53 AM | Comments (1)
August 05, 2004
Update from the 24th MEU
Col. Ronald J. Johnson, commanding officer of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, talks with Sheik Hisham Al Dulaimi, a tribal leader in the Iraqi province of Northern Babil, during a recent meeting in Baghdad. The two discussed ways of enhancing security and stability in the province, where the MEU assumed operational responsibility July 29. The man pictured in the middle is an interpreter. Below, Col. Johnson updates friends and family of the 24th MEU:
We have arrived in Iraq. In successfully moving all our Marines and sailors up from Kuwait, we have cleared our first significant hurdle. Sadly, we had not yet completed the transition before we suffered our first casualty. Lance Cpl. Vincent Sullivan, an infantyman assigned to Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines, was killed by an enemy mortar round July 23. We mourn his loss, share his family’s grief, and ask you to remember them in your prayers.As we move forward, security is a top priority. Not only will we harden our operating bases, we will patrol actively outside the gates in search of the enemy. The hostile forces we face are criminals trying to exploit a country in transition. They hope to intimidate the good people of Iraq and scare us off. We do not intend to wait for these thugs to terrorize the neighborhood. To the greatest extent possible, working with the Iraqi authorities, we will engage them on our terms. We will seize and maintain the initiative, letting nobody stand in the way of our efforts to assist the Iraqi people.
Many of you may have heard that living conditions here are well short of luxurious. If it makes you feel any better, they are considerably better than they were last year, as roughly half of us can attest. Most of your Marines and sailors already have showers, two hot meals daily, air-conditioned tents, incoming mail and email access. Those who do not, will soon. We are making improvements every day. The welfare of your Marines and sailors, together with the accomplishment of our mission, remains my paramount concern.
Now that we are all here, we can update you more frequently on our activities. I aim to share a few thoughts periodically. Additionally, as long as we maintain our connection to the Web, you can expect fresh photos and news articles each day. Thank you for your patience and prayers during the transition. And thanks for the letters and packages, which we are now receiving regularly. Please keep them coming.
Posted by Deb at 01:34 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
Godspeed, Recruit Sensing
Another Marine in the making, Donald Sensing's son Stephen is immersed in the rigors of boot camp at Marine Corps Recruit Depot - Parris Island. Congratulations to the Sensings for raising a son who is willing to put personal comfort and convenience aside to provide service to his country. It's no small sacrifice, and some families sacrifice more than others. Stephen's grandfather retired from the Air Force. Stephen's father retired from the Army.
Last week, Recruit Sensing stood on the yellow footsteps at Parris Island with other recruits, normal kids who enjoy extreme sports, loud music, and fast cars. By now, he's well into his first week of training. He's met his drill instructors who are tasked with taking individual civilians and turning them into the best trained and most effective fighting force in the world. He is learning the customs and courtesies of the Corps and the rich history that defines why the USMC continues to be an integral part of our armed forces on the shores of Kuwait and in the deserts of Iraq and Afghanistan. These recruits are the lastest chapter in a proud history; Guadalcanal, Guam, and Iwo Jima. Inchon. Chosin. Belleau Wood. Fallujah. And in 11 weeks, one of the newest Marines will escort his parents through the museum at Parris Island as their own tour guide, sharing this history without notes. He will know it, just as he will know his weapons. He won't have a choice; his drill instructors will see to that.
The boot camp process transforms recruits. It brings out hidden strength. It changes them, like heat changes coal, iron ore, and limestone, into steel. They are steeped in the Corps values of honor, courage, and commitment. And, the end product is bigger, stronger, better than the individual elements. This is put to the test during the Crucible. In the field of metallurgy, a crucible is a container in which raw materials are heated to a high temperature and transformed into something more than the original contents. The necessary properties of a crucible are that it maintain its strength and structure under extreme stress and that it not react in an undesirable way with its contents.
In the Marine Corps, the Crucible Event tests the mettle of Marine recruits who have completed seventy-eight days of boot camp. Over a timespan of 54 hours, they march 40 miles while carrying 40-pound packs and wearing ammo pouches cartridge belts, and canteens. They overcome a series of obstacles through cooperation and collaboration. They endure increasingly demanding conditions while experiencing sleep deprivation and hunger. In the process, they are transformed into the few, the proud, the Marines.
When the Sensing family gathers, eleven weeks from today, to watch their son as he is awarded the title of United States Marine, it will be a defining moment in their family history. And their son will be one more link in the history of the United States Marine Corps. Oohrah!
Posted by Deb at 08:48 AM | Comments (2)
August 04, 2004
Signs of the times
It's not unusual to drive through blue-collar towns and see much evidence of patriotism - flags, banners, signs. But upscale neighborhoods are usually different. Unless the home belongs to a family member of a Marine or soldier. Here's the home of another Marine Corps Mom whose son is a currently deployed battalion commander. She lives in "very liberal" Ithaca, NY . . . but so far, positive comments outweigh negatives 4:1.
Posted by Deb at 01:38 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
Mattis and his Marines
Most reports of military life in a war zone come from the troops. Here's one by Pamela Hess, a Pentagon correspondent who wears a "straw hat, long skirts, braids" instead of camouflage.
. . . the worse conditions are, the better Marines seem to like it. Marines at a dusty outpost on the Syrian border take great pride they are not serving instead at "Camp Chocolate Cake," as they refer to Al Asad, home of the 7th Regimental Combat Team. Everything here is relative. To an American eye it is downright bleak. But inside row upon row of plywood buildings it is cool. A Marine doesn't care how hot he gets as long as he knows he has a cool place to sleep, I'm told.An air conditioned place to sleep is one of the things 1st Marine Division Commander Maj. Gen. Jim Mattis requires for his troops.
Just one of the reasons his troops would walk through fire for him. Here's another:
"He leads from the front," one Marine noted in the cool and noisy morale, welfare and recreation tent at Camp Blue Diamond. It has a pool table, a ping pong table, foosball, Nintendo, a large-screen TV, 20 Internet monitors, a library filled with cast off magazines and paperbacks, and a seemingly perpetual dominos game that somehow the Marines have turned into a full contact sport.When Mattis' "jump platoon" goes out in a convoy - it is regularly attacked and has been hit by improvised explosive devices at least twice - it is not uncommon for the general to have his head out the turret, assuming the same risk as the gunners, say Marines.
A lieutenant colonel gave a more specific example of leading from the front: when the Iraqi-led Fallujah Brigade was created, Mattis decided it needed a test run to see if the native force could actually keep order in the city after weeks of fighting. He sent a Marine convoy through town to see if it would be shot at. He was in the convoy.
For a number of reasons, morale isn't as much of a problem with Marines as with other troops.
Late one night, a female officer was leaving the command operations center when she said pleasantly to a corporal standing guard: "How are you, Marine?"The corporal was completely alone in the pitch-black loggia of one of Saddam's former palaces, and would be there for hours more before he was relieved.
"Motivated!" he thundered back, cheerily, from the dark.
As a mother whose USMC son will be returning to the Al Anbar province later this month, knowing that my son serves under this type of leadership is hugely reassuring. I'll still worry; I'm a mom and that's my job. But I have utmost confidence in his leadership and not all mothers can say that.
Posted by Deb at 01:13 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
Operation Homecoming
Warriors have always been writers. And now, there is support for those with a story to tell. The National Endowment for the Arts is sponsoring Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience, a program for U.S. military personnel and their families. It will preserve the narratives and memories of the American troops that protect and defend our country in wartime.
In coordination with all four branches of the Armed Forces and the Department of Defense, the Arts Endowment is sponsoring writing workshops for returning troops and their families at military installations from Alaska to Florida, New York to California, and numerous sites in between. The workshops also will be held at overseas bases. Taught by some of America’s most distinguished novelists, poets, historians, and journalists, these workshops will provide service men and women with the opportunity to write about their wartime experiences in a variety of forms — from fiction, verse, and letters to essay, memoir, and personal journal. The visiting writers, many of whom are war veterans themselves, will help the troops share their stories with current and future generations.
Here are excerpts from three unedited manuscripts received so far:
3 A.M. With the VFW
By Sgt. Michael Thomas
As I walked off the plane, I was taken aback: in the small, dimly-lit airport, a group of elderly veterans lined up to shake our hands. Some were standing, some confined to wheelchairs, all wore their uniform hats. Their now-feeble right hands arms stiffened in salutes, their left hands holding coffee, snacks and cell phones for us.As I made my way through the line, each man thanking me for my service, I choked back tears. Here we were, returning from one year in Iraq where we had portable DVD players, three square meals and phones, being honored by men who had crawled through mud for years with little more than the occasional letter from home.
These soldiers – many of whom who had lost limbs and comrades – shook our hands proudly, as if our service could somehow rival their own.
The Cat in Iraq
By Ryan Alexander
She came to me skittish, wild.
The way you’re meant to be,
Surrounded by cruelty.
I did not blame her.
I would do the same.A pregnant cat, a happy distraction
Some sort of normal thing
Calico and innocent.The kittens in her belly said feed me.
And I did.
Three Thousand Antoinettes
By Captain William Toti
And then came the moment I’ll never forget. She blinked and asked, “Doctor, am I going to die?” Wham. Just like that.That was a question that I had never imagined myself having to answer. I looked around our little triage area on the side of the road. The first injured man I had come across was no longer conscious and was doing poorly. Another young lady was standing nearby with severely burned hands, screaming hysterically but otherwise alright. The man we carried up the hill most recently was still screaming and was being attended to by a couple of EMTs. And here lie this woman, with no one to attend her but me. What should I say? Should I tell her I wasn’t a doctor?
The anthology is scheduled to be published in the late fall 2005. It will feature poems, letters, personal stories, memoirs, journal writing, etc. from troops who have served in OEF/OIF and their families. Further information can be obtained from the Operation Homecoming website.
Posted by Deb at 12:44 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Another Mama Speaks Out
Mamamontezz has a must-read letter to our troops in response to Joe Roche's lament over Fahrenheit 9/11's impact on our deployed troops. Here's a snippet, but do read the whole thing.
The motives of any person who would download this film, burn it to a disk, and mail it to a young, exhausted, and vulnerable man or woman far from home doing what has to be the world's most difficult and thankless job have got to be questioned by sane and rational people. Any person who would do this is nothing less than thoughtless and cruel. I liken this behavior to telling "dead baby jokes" to a couple who has recently lost an infant, or amputee jokes to someone who is still learning to use his newly fitted prosthetics.Michael Moore has an agenda, a very specific agenda, which he promotes with this film: The overthrow of a sitting president for the purpose of weakening this country and her military. He is Jane Fonda in a fat suit. He very obviously cherry-picked those he interviewed and then edited what was said in such a way to make their words as damning to their fellow fighting men and women as possible, and to undermine all sense of duty, honor, and patriotism in each of you, as well as in as many of us who remain at home as possible.
Spc. Roche is right that the youngest of you is the most vulnerable to his deceits, and because of this, you have been targeted for his venom. By undermining your confidence in yourselves, in your NCOs, in your officers, and ultimately in your Commander-in-Chief, he forwards his agenda and comes ever so much closer to accomplishing that which he prizes and seeks so openly. By turning your pride and spirit into despair and anger, he destroys you and all who depend on you. He knows and depends on the fact that when you begin to question yourself, you become a danger to yourself and to the man or woman who stands beside you, and you become a liability to your comrades, to your unit, and to your mission.
She finishes up with this call to action:
It is up to each of us to counter what this man has done, and to heal those who's hearts and minds bear his bitter wounds. Do what's right. Send your support. However small or insignificant you may think it is, there is no such thing. Tell someone you support them and the job they're doing in your name, in our names.
Amen.
Posted by Deb at 11:57 AM | Comments (5) | TrackBack
August 03, 2004
It's a girl!
Matt from Blackfive has a birth announcement posted. Born yesterday, 7 lb. 13 oz., 20 inches. The vital statistics don't do her justice. She's beautiful. Please go add a comment - I'm sure the thread will be printed out for her baby book.
Posted by Deb at 06:40 PM | Comments (10) | TrackBack
The Original Oregon Cowboy
He's talented, charming, and cute as can be. And he's a former Marine.
Adam Marshall, winner of Country Thunder USA�s �Young Guns� national finals competition, also won the hearts of the folks in attendance at the Marine Parents United conference in Indianapolis last Saturday night, performing a number of songs from his first album, The Last Marshall. This album, available through his website, holds 9 songs that were written on scraps of paper in fighting holes dug while Adam was deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Come Home As Fast As You Can, the first single from his album was released nationally this week. The liner notes on the CD state, "I used to close my eyes and imagine being home with my family.... the letters... the pictures... the memories... that's what kept me going." The song title comes from letters sent to him by his mother and sister - come home as fast as you can. It's the prayer of every family member for their Marine at war.
In a bit of downtime between firefights just outside of Basra, the Marines decided to write a song. Although only only a few Marines preferred country music, two of them held the rank of Sergeant, so a command decision was made. Dissenters were told, "If this place was a democracy, we wouldn't be here." The subject of the song was a no-brainer. Marines cherish their women and spend much time thinking about them, writing to them, waiting in line for hours to make a 5 minute phone call home. Because no Marine wants to be wrong, or worse, have to admit that he was wrong, the guys decided that they needed a song that would say it for them while they were scoring points with flowers and candy. The result was the 5th track on the album, "Honest Man".
Adam thanked the Marine Corps Moms in the room for their support, saying "They got your back. There's nowhere they can't reach." A voice called from a back table, "And there's nothing we don't know." Adam paused, then said, "That's really true...and that's why I got along so well in the Marine Corps." Yep. Before there was boot camp, there was Mom.
His debut single,Come Home As Fast As You Can, is slated for nationwide play very soon. Starting September 1 (East coast) or September 3 (West coast), please call your local country radio station and ask them to play it. The support of Marine parents helped him to win Country Thunder. The larger community of troop supporters can help his single climb the charts.
Once you hear his single, you'll want more. Order his album here. A portion of his album sales will be donated to the USO.
Posted by Deb at 01:31 PM | Comments (2)
August 02, 2004
Words to live by
Here's a list of suggestions for troops arriving in Iraq. It's written by a soldier for soldiers but Marines facing their first deployment will almost certainly find something useful here too:
If you're a new guy to the unit, learn as much as you can as soon as you get there. If they hand you a TM or FM, memorize it in its entirety. A lot of people will want to help you out when you get here, take advantage of that. Stay the fuck away from people that have negative attitudes. Avoid these bad apples like the plague. For example people who brag about how many article 15's they have, or guys that start off every sentence with: "Man, this is bullshit..." or "Fuck The Army." or "I aint doin shit" or "Fuck this shit." You start hanging out with shit, you're going to end up smelling like it.Remember, if the enemy is within range, so are you.
Whenever you find an IED, weapons cache, or a stack of old Artillery rounds that are just sitting there in plain sight, automatically think it's a decoy and be prepared to be ambushed.
Its not a question of IF you'll get RPG'd or IED'd here in Iraq, it's a question of WHEN. When it happens, look around and make a mental note of every single person you see standing around. Try to memorize those faces. Because, the next time you get hit, and you see the same faces standing around watching, that should tell you something. Tell your chain of command, "Hey, those same guys were hanging around at the last place we got hit" And detain those guys ASAP for questioning.
When you get hit with an IED, expect to be ambushed with small arms and RPG fire immediately after.
The number one advice I have for people coming to Iraq is become very good friends your interpreters. They will help you out a lot out here. Learn as much as you can from them. They know this place better than anybody else, they have their ears to the streets, they will tell you where the dangerous neighborhoods are, what to look out for, what to do and what not to do. Listen to them.
Learn as much Arabic as you can. You can get a speak Arabic in 10 days crash course CD off Amazon. Constantly practice your Arabic as much as you can, on the interpreters, contractors, shop owners, whoever.
On patrols, they're constantly going to tell you to scan rooftops for possible attacks. But also be aware that, they also like to fire RPG's from the corners of the buildings and disappear in the streets. Be aware of that.
Know the maximum affective ranges of your enemies weapons, and be aware of that when you're scanning. When on patrols, reverse the situation in your head, think: If I was going to attack us, where would I do it from and how. These people are geniuses when it comes to playing dirty, they've been fighting for like that for years and years.
Always assume that somebody is watching you, because they are. And always assume your going to get hit, and in your head think: if something happens right now, where would I go and what would I do. Always be at least one step ahead.
Always expect the mission to last way longer than it's supposed to and plan accordingly. One time they told us this mission was only going to last 48 hours, and we were out in the field for almost 3 weeks. If you smoke always bring at least a carton. That was you don't have to worry about running out of smokes, and when everybody else runs out and starts turning into nicotine addicted crack addicts, you can charge 10 to 20 bucks a pack. And yes people will happily pay that for a pack of smokes in the field.
This one is going to be a hard one to explain, but I'll do my best on this one. Everybody here owns an AK47. One way to help tell if the person holding the AK47 is Friendly (like an ICP or ING) or Foe is by his body language. Example: the "bad guy" with an AK47, will be crouched down in an attack position, sneaking around with an AK up ready to fire. He's in a threatening position, being sneaky. An ICP or ING, wont move his body like that. He'll usually be in a standing up position, more relaxed, walking around. I can explain this one better verbally and in person.
Situational awareness. Always be aware of your surroundings.
If you're a new guy, don't complain about shit, cuz nobody wants to hear it. (oh my feet hurt, I'm tired, I dont wanna, stuff like that.)
Not everybody here is a bloody terrorist. (This doesn't mean put your guard down and think everybody here is your fuckin friend either, they're not) Target identification is key. One time we were doing a raid on a house, and we blew the front door up with some explosives and it woke up some Iraqi who lived down the street, who was a police officer during the day. And he came out in civilian cloths and an AK47 to investigate what the hell was going on. He lived, but he almost didn't. I'm not going to tell you what to do in a situation like that, that's up to your chain of command, but make sure you know your PLT's S.O.P's and ROE's inside and out for situations like this, so when you get here, you know exactly what to do in situations like that if they come up, which they will.
It's still Iraq. It's just as dangerous now, as it ever has been. People are still getting killed here every day, and every time you leave the FOB your still entering the concrete jungle that's filled with people who would love to kill you, by any means necessary. Always have your guard up, and never get complacent.
These are, literally, words to live by. My son is facing his second deployment and I'm printing this out to give to him. He'll tell me he knows all this stuff already, but I don't care. I'll tell him, "read it again".
Posted by Deb at 05:59 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 01, 2004
These boots were made for dancing
We're still at the Marine Corps Parent convention and will be heading home today . . . got in far too late last night to update anything. And we slept in far too late this morning to do anything but post this picture:
From left to right, Marine Corps Moms Connie, Linda, Janise, and Deb.
Posted by Deb at 07:12 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Update from Camp Babylon
Major Danyluk sends an update from Camp Babylon:
"I want to thank everyone who responded with packages for LtCol "Robbie" and his men. I have been away from my base camp for a couple of weeks, but when I came back this morning there were already a couple dozen packages that had rolled in."
Major Danyluk reports that the Iraqi National Guard troops who work with our troops, and their families, can use care packages from us. If you have a few bucks and a few minutes, consider putting together a gift to the men and women who are forgoing personal gain to rebuild their country and create a brighter future. It's not an easy task. But we can help. By reaching out on a personal level, you can show the true face of America - generous, supportive, and a true friend - to those who have the same hope for their future that we enjoy today.
If you would like to send a care package to the Iraqis who work side-by-side with our Marines, Major Danyluk reports that the Iraqis have developed a system to divide items up in order that they can be distributed equitably amongst the Iraqi troops.
What to send? Non-perishable food items, office supplies, toys for their children, toiletries for their wives. Nation-building can happen, one person at a time. If you'd like to help, e-mail me at deb at Marinecorpsmoms.com - you can make a difference.
Posted by Deb at 07:08 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Update from Major Bellon
The Green Side has been updated. Here's a snippet:
We have been very active since my last update. Fallujah remains a closed city but we have made real progress in targeting and destroying the enemy where we find him. We know that our efforts have been effective and have a significant effect on the extremists inside the city. At the same time, we have gotten better at communicating our desire to improve the lives of the average citizens should they elect to cooperate.The city remains divided. It is a lawless sanctuary for all kinds of criminal and enemy elements. It has a history of being relatively incorrigible and Iraqis from outside the city regularly tell us that "the only solution is to level the city." The history of the city and the animosity of other Iraqis toward it has cultivated a level of xenophobia that results in astounding levels of paranoia and isolationism.
Today the city is dominated by three different elements. The most dangerous are the extremists who are religious ideologues. These would be your classic Islamic Terrorist who's twisted view of the world is one that cannot coexist with anyone who does not only agree with their beliefs, but who willingly submit to the severe limitations of individual freedoms that the beliefs entail. To be frank, these elements will never accept a peaceful coexistence with free people. Their rhetoric and will to enforce their extremist beliefs are mutually exclusive with anything but direct conflict. We will be fighting them until a clear winner is determined.
Read the rest here.
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