Unexpected visit elevates spirits

[thedrifter]

Unexpected visit elevates spirits
Submitted by: 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing
Story Identification #: 200451954724
Story by Staff Sgt. Houston F. White Jr.



AL ASAD, Iraq (May 19, 2004) -- The spirits of the Marines and Sailors of 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing were lifted here, May 17 and 18, during a surprise visit from the Honorable Mr. Gordon R. England, Secretary of the Navy.

Making stops at various locations throughout the air base, the Baltimore native spent time speaking to, taking photographs amongst and answering the questions of 3rd MAW personnel, as well as experiencing a taste of everyday life here.

"I had two purposes for coming to Iraq," he explained. "My primary purpose was to thank all of our great men and women for their service to America. This was an opportunity for me to get eyeball-to-eyeball to thank people for their efforts and their sacrifice.

"The second reason I came was to be on the ground to get a better understanding of exactly what's happening in our sector," England added. "I get a lot of briefings all the time, but it's much better if you've been here and can relate it to what you've seen."

Maj. Gen. James F. Amos, commanding general, 3rd MAW, expressed his appreciation for England's visit.

"The Secretary is a great American and it was indeed a privilege to have him here to speak to our Marines and Sailors and give them his vision for the Department of the Navy's role in the war on terrorism," he said.

According to Lt. Gen. James T. Conway, commanding general, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, the journey the secretary made into harm's way was an encouraging gesture that made a lasting impression.

"It's great for him to get out with the Marines and Sailors and let us know that we have his support, as well as the support of the nation. I think Marines feel that if someone comes this far to visit and shows his kind of appreciation that it's a positive thing and it's received very well from a morale perspective," he added.

Many of the Marines and Sailors of 3rd MAW echoed Conway's sentiments.

"First of all, he's a civilian, and it's always good to see a civilian who's in our government and is siding with the military come over to get the word out to us. For me it's motivational and good to go that he can take the time out to do this," commented Gunnery Sgt. Robert E. Kaup, quality assurance chief, Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 16, Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd MAW.

"Morale is high and the people back home appreciate what we are doing," added the 41-year-old native of Philadelphia.

"I think it's a great morale booster to have the Secretary of the Navy come visit us," said Petty Officer 1st Class William W. Breeding, corpsman, Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 466, MAG-16. "It shows that senior leadership knows what we're doing out here, that they care for the mission and that the people mean something to them."

"It's awesome that he takes the time to talk to everybody and take questions," remarked Lance Cpl. Deena J. Weissberg, dynamic component mechanic, MALS-16, from Poughkeepsie, N.Y. "It's a nice reminder that they're still thinking of us back in the states."

Conway also revealed that in addition to moral support, England has provided tangible sustenance to Marine forces in Iraq.

"He has been one of our biggest proponents for equipment and things we need," Conway stated. "He figuratively poked me in the chest before we came to Iraq, demanding to be constantly informed about equipment needs.

"Major portions of the new equipment we have, and a host of other equipment, is based on that man's willingness to give us what we need to do the job," he emphasized.

England's appearance was so well protected beforehand, that his sudden presence was as much a surprise for Marines and Sailors, as it was a treat.

"I actually just found out an hour before we came over to hear him speak," recalled 21-year-old Weissberg. "I saw the Secretary at the chow hall yesterday (May 17), but I had no idea he was going to be talking to us today.

"I would say that in my time in the service, it would be highly unexpected to see the Secretary of the Navy in a forward-deployed area. For a member of the civilian leadership to come out is great and it means a lot to us," added Breeding, a 35-year-old from Parkersburg, W.Va.

Perhaps the I MEF commander summed up the occasion best when describing both the lengths to which the Secretary was willing to go to fulfill his duties, as well as the value of his journey.

"(England) knew that there was a certain amount of physical risk involved by making this trip, and yet he made it anyway," said Conway, "so we're proud of him for that.

"Visits of this nature can sometimes be painful; other times they are very worthwhile. I definitely consider this one to be in that latter category, emphatically," added the general.

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/200451955415/$file/1-SecNav-lr.jpg

Secretary of the Navy, the Honorable Mr. Gordon R. England, thanks the Marines and Sailors of Marine Wing Support Squadron 273, Marine Wing Support Group 37, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, for their service to America in Al Asad, Iraq, May 17. The secretary visited various 3rd MAW commands during his two-day trip to the forward deployed area. Photo by: Staff Sgt. Houston F. White Jr.

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/B15F7664BD597B5785256E990035C738?opendocument


Ellie

[thedrifter]

Three more Pendleton fatalities named

By: North County Times staff and wire reports

CAMP PENDLETON ---- Defense Department officials released the names Tuesday of three Camp Pendleton Marines killed last week in Iraq.

Pfc. Brian Cutter, 19, of Riverside was found unconscious May 13, according to the department. He was later pronounced dead in the Al Asad region, west of Baghdad, Iraq. The cause of his death is under investigation.

Cutter was assigned to the 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force.


Pfc. Brandon Sturdy, also 19, of Urbandale, Iowa, died May 13 while under hostile fire in Al Anbar province in western Iraq. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force.

Lance Cpl. Bob W. Roberts, 30, of Newport Ore., was killed by hostile fire Monday in the Al Anbar province. He was a member of the 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force.

Little information was available Tuesday about the men.

A Lutheran church in Urbandale posted a photo of Sturdy on a Web site asking for prayers for fallen servicemen.


http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2004/05/19/military/19_33_365_18_04.txt


Ellie

[thedrifter]

On outskirts of Fallujah, Marines find peace on dance floor
Submitted by: I Marine Expeditionary Force
Story Identification #: 200451912234
Story by Lance Cpl. J.L. Bush



CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq (May 1, 2004) -- The sounds of Latin tunes blared out the door and the faint smell of sweat emitted from couples dancing for hours while black lights and glow sticks faintly lit the room. It may sound like a normal dance club, but there is nothing normal about “Club Fallujah.”

A few miles from the city where heavy fighting took place only weeks ago, Marines, sailors and soldiers danced into the night while sporting their camouflage utilities on May 1.

It is a big change to go from dodging bullets one day just a few miles away in Fallujah, to moving and grooving the next.

"We try to create an environment that is comfortable, and is a touch of home in a harsh environment," said Suzanne Raku-Williams, the area MWR manager, from Sussex, England.

Kellogg, Brown and Root, Inc. representatives and Marines are taking care of the service members stationed here by improving conditions at the MWR center.

The employees of the KBR recreation center spend much of their day providing for permanent personnel and transient units.

Pfc. John Gonzales, an artilleryman with Echo Company, 2nd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, and a Woodland, Calif., native said, "It's always good to have the opportunity to get in touch with family back home and do personal business on the Internet."

Currently, the recreation center offers movies, video games, a library and a full weight room along with many other amenities for the personnel here.

Salsa night at the recreation center was the first in a series of weekly dance nights scheduled this month.

“It helped to relieve a lot of the stress we have out here, and gave a lot of us a chance not to think about where we are,” said Lance Cpl. Imelda Vega-Sanchez, a cook with I Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters Group field mess, and a Rexburg, Texas, native.

Meetings are being held between KBR personnel and unit MWR representatives to get the word out to the Marines and sailors here on new projects like spades tournaments, 10-kilometer runs and dance nights starting in May, according to Raku-Williams.

Units are pulling together resources to support the MWR Center with items like chairs, horseshoes and more televisions. One unit even supplied non-alcoholic beer for their cooler.

"It's nice to have something cool to drink for the troops,” said Raku-Williams.

The main problem facing the MWR program has been the lack of space to set up the kind of events and centers planned for, said Chief Warrant Officer 3 John F. Kauffman, the I Marine Expeditionary Force liaison officer to MWR.

The Seabees of Navy Mobile Construction Battalion 74 are working on renovating the dilapidated base theater, and hope to be able to start showing movies in the near future, according to Kauffman.

Camp Fallujah has been deemed a long-term base, and the units here are trying to set up accommodations for the troops in camp now and for future personnel. This includes planning for more programs and activities, according to Raku-Williams.

Shipping crates packed with sports equipment, televisions and games have begun to arrive, according to Kauffman.

The plan for the next six months is to create another gym with a full-scale basketball court, a weight room and an aerobics center, according Raku-Williams.

"We want to do a good job for the troops," she said.

Although far away from home, the Marines and sailors here have a little something to help them remember what they’re fighting for.

“It makes me feel more comfortable, and reminds me what peace is like,” said Lance Cpl. Patrick McKenzie, a Dallas native and machine gunner with 1st Reconnaissance Battalion Headquarters and Service Company.


http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/20045197433/$file/salsalo.jpg

Cpl. Adrienne R. Norris, a 3rd Radio Battalion Arabic linguist, and an Albuquerque, N.M., native and Cpl. Joel E. Paula, a 3rd Radio Battalion administration clerk, salsa dance at Camp Fallujah, Iraq, May 1, 2004. The dance is one of several recreational events hosted by the Camp Fallujah Morale, Welfare and Recreation department. (Official USMC photo by Lance Cpl. J.C. Guibord) Photo by: Lance Cpl. J.C. Guibord

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/D9C62EE6836EDBF685256E99001D8863?opendocument


Elllie

[thedrifter]

HMH-465 lifts F-7 in TRAP training
Submitted by: 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing
Story Identification #: 20045192186
Story by Staff Sgt. A.C. Mink




Al Asad, Iraq (May 19, 2004) -- Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 465, Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, and a helicopter support team from Combat Service Support Company 117, Combat Service Support Battalion 7, Combat Service Support Group 11, 1st Force Service Support Group, joined forces to show there's no limit to what they can deliver on the battlefield.

The Marines combined their skills to move a Chinese F-7 Airguard, May 14. The F-7, which was located in a high-traffic area here, was to be moved to an area of the air base where there was less chance of it being tampered with by curious personnel. The HMH-465 "Warhorses" lifted the dual-point-loaded jet and proved the air and ground crew's skill when it comes to Tactical Recovery of Aircraft and Personnel in a mission they could be called on to perform on the battlefield.

According to the Federation of American Scientists' Web site, www.fas.org, the F-7, built by the Chinese, is a less-expensive version of the Russian MiG-21.

The original Russian design, and subsequent versions from other countries, was extremely light and maneuverable, built for exceptional reliability and low cost of operation.

Lightweight is relative however, according to the site www.combataircraft.com, the aircraft weighs more than 11,000 pounds.


"This validates our heavy-lift capabilities and only (CH-53E Super Stallions) do (the external portion of) Tactical Recovery of Aircraft and Personnel," said Maj. Adam Hyams, a pilot from Miami with HMH-465.

The "Warhorses" respond to TRAP calls to rescue coalition aircrew or large aircraft that have been downed by mechanical difficulties or enemy fire.

Getting a downed aircraft steady under the thundering Super Stallion's rotors isn't an easy task and requires every Marine on board to pitch in. This mission is only possible through exact coordination between pilots and enlisted crewmembers. It's a mission tailor-made for the Super Stallion, according to avionics technician and aerial observer for HMH-465, Sgt. Robert A. Torres .

"It's our job to back up the pilots to ensure the aircraft is correctly configured for the mission," said Torres, whose family is split between Monticello, Ga., and Galloway, Ohio.

"This aircraft was designed around a crew concept," agreed Cpl. Kenneth W. Shamblin, crewchief, HMH-465, and native of Cincinnati. "With that total crew concept, we work together to get it done."

Hyams and co-pilot, 1st Lt. Molly J. Woodruff, a 26-year-old Pocatello, Idaho native and 2000 Naval Academy graduate, said they rely on their enlisted crewmembers to make the lift.

The dual-point external mission requires the use of two separate hooks, and has to be perfectly choreographed between the aircrew and the HST Marines on the ground.

"Corporal (Shamblin) is our eyes and ears in a mission like this," Hyams explained. "We can't see the load. Dual-point externals are one of the most difficult tasks we do."

The mission actually began hours before the aircraft took off. The helicopter crew checked and re-checked equipment, fulfilling requirements to do a power check and also a hook check.

"This is what we're trained to do," Woodruff said. "We make sure it's done correctly, because safety is a priority."

The HST Marines worked feverishly on the ground preparing the load. Once slings and lines were in place, the massive helicopter moved in and hovered over the foreign jet.

This mission, although a delicate balancing act, isn't anything new to the air and ground crews. They often work together lifting large and bulky loads including vehicles, large shipping containers and artillery pieces.

Still, the pilots didn't treat the mission as routine.

As Hyams and Woodruff worked to carefully "shoot the load gently on the ground," Shamblin and Torres fed matching external cargo carrying slings through the bottom of the hellhole, an opening in the bottom of the CH-53E designed specifically for lifts. Underneath, the HST Marines scrambled to attach the dual-point system cables around the F-7.

The tension grew as the CH-53E powered up, tightening the lifting cables. The F-7 load jarred the helicopter as one of the cables slipped.

Hyams and Woodruff eased the load back to the ground as pilots and aircrews swapped directions over the communication system.

"Forward, left," the voices crackled over the intercoms. "Easy left, easy right...steady." They continued in a confusing litany that would be virtually incomprehensible to the untrained ear.

As soon as the jet was back on the ground and the helicopter rose to a safe level, the HST Marines rushed back in, making quick, precise adjustments to the cables.

The second go-around was successful. The HMH-465 crew, who recently adopted the nickname of San Diego's "Original West-Coast Choppers" inched the F-7 off the ground. Both birds were airborne.

Immediately, the wind, which was hard on the ground, multiplied as the helicopter gained altitude and increased its speed. The enlisted crewmembers watched through the hellhole as the cables beneath the aircraft began to twist, and the F-7 began to swing.

"(The F-7) started to rotate," Woodruff said. "But we were able to correct quickly."

The aircraft stabilized and the crew continued on to complete the mission.

The cause of the initial problem was the control surfaces, or "ailerons," on the Airguard were not pinned, causing an excessive rate of rotation, according to Hyams.

"Using the techniques and procedures in which we, as (Super Stallion) pilots, are trained, we were able to keep the load under control and transport it safely to its destination,"
said Hyams.

The F-7 was lowered to its new home in an external area of the air base, where it will be used for further training.

Dirty and tired the crew hasn't quite finished with their mission. Directly prior to departure, the crew received a "FRAG" - or fragmentary order to drop some infantry Marines in the desert, which tacked another leg on their mission. Look for parts 2 and 3 of this story titled "Ready for some Recon: HMH-465 drops them in the dirt" and "CSSC-117 HST Marines hook 'em up."

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/200451922357/$file/01-F7lift-lr.jpg

A CH-53E Super Stallion from Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 465, Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, lifts an F-7 Airguard, the Chinese version of a Russian MiG-21, from the ground at Al Asad, Iraq, May 14. The external lift mission resulted in the use of the Super Stallion's dual-point lift system to move the aircraft to a less-populated location aboard the Air Base. Photo by: Sgt. Nathan K. LaForte

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/A607F5FE376E7EE085256E9900229DBF?opendocument


Ellie

[thedrifter]

U.S. Marines select Israeli communication devices for forces in Iraq
By ISRAEL21c staff May 16, 2004


An army is only as good as its field computers. That's the thinking of the U.S. Marines anyway, who have selected an Israeli-developed battle-reinforced handheld computer to distribute to its troops in Iraq and elsewhere.


Tadiran Communications said its Florida-based subsidiary Talla-Tech won two contracts worth a combined $11.5 million to supply the Tacter-31A Rugged Handheld Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) to the US Marines. The contracts add to $15 million orders Talla-Tech had previously received for its rugged palm computers from the U.S. armed forces.

Tadiran says these orders, and others for thousands of tactical computers for supply to the U.S. and other armed forces, place Talla-Tech at the forefront in the ruggedized personal computers sphere. TheTacter-31A, the subject of the latest order, is a version of the PDA suitable for harsh ground conditions, with a tactical modem allowing communications via military communicators.

The navigation capacity of the PDAs, which weigh less than a kilogram, is based on an installed GPS receiver. The modem allows soldiers in the field to receive updated reports on the status of the battle and his own location, as well as the location of friendly and enemy forces. It also enables communications between the forces and the command echelon.


The Tacter is "basically a Compaq iPAQ on steroids," according to Talla-Tech spokesman Jim English. With the PDAs' modular design, hardware and software can be reconfigured for specific missions. The PDAs will be used for a variety of applications by end users in both the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Army. It's capable of providing situational awareness in a handheld or vehicle-mounted operation with use of the embedded military Global Positioning System (GPS) and tactical modems. The rugged computers will be delivered over a period of six months beginning in July.


Besides their internal battery, these rugged PDAs feature external military or commercial battery capability to provide over 30 hours of operation, which is quite an enviable standard for the civilian PDA user. The devices run Microsoft's Pocket PC 2002 operating system and feature commercial off-the-shelf technology for easy availability and cost containment.

Unlike conventional PDAs, however, they can survive a drop of up to six feet and resist water leakage down to one meter. The military devices allow even gloved soldiers in chemical or biological warfare suits to easily handle the units, and if capture is imminent, sensitive data can be quickly deleted.


"Thousands of our RPDAs have been supplied to U.S. and other armed forces throughout the world," Hezi Hermoni, president and CEO of Tadiran Communications, said in a statement. The awards are a result of the company's R&D investments and positioning worldwide as a prime supplier of rugged computers and communications terminals, he added.

The order for the Marines comes on the heels of a previous $12 million award to supply RPDAs to various branches of the U.S. military, the company said. The Israel Ministry of Defense (MoD) also recently awarded a tender for the supply of 1,000 rugged pocket-size computers, similar to the RPDAs ordered by the United States, along with accessories, it added.

RPDAs that can function in harsh field environments and withstand electro-magnetic and radio frequency interference can provide soldiers increased situational awareness and secure, immune communications, the company said. The pocket-sized computers offer navigation, tactical digital messaging, remote radio control, GPS, wireless local area network (LAN) and Bluetooth capabilities, it added.

The unit has a modular design that is suitable for use in bright daylight and can be modified for specific missions. The RPDA can be configured to provide pilots with flight data and pre-flight checklists, while enabling communications with ATE systems for pre-flight inspection tests.

According to PocketPC's Barry Shilmover, Talla-Tech is currently the leading supplier of Pocket PC-based Rugged PDAs for tactical military operations.

"Their success lies in the agility of its team in listening to a customer's unique needs and producing new solutions quickly. Since the R-PDA's introduction just over one year ago into military markets, Talla-Tech has produced five variants of the original model, has launched a commercial derivative of the unit and is preparing to introduce other models that build on the success of the first. Talla-Tech has introduced a multi-dimensional barcode scanner attachment, integrated spread-spectrum radios and other technologies in response to various customer demands."

Tadiran Communications Ltd., is recognized worldwide for its advanced, field proven integrated communications and computer solutions for the modern battlefield. Tadiran Communications' products address every echelon, from the individual fighting soldier through the squad and platoon up to the division and corps level. Its products deliver the reliability essential for the combat arena and are offered in every configuration demanded by battlefield units. More than three decades of experience support Tadiran's ranking as a leader in its field, with equipment and systems deployed in the Israel Defense Forces, the US Armed Forces and the armies of over 40 nations.

Tallahassee Technologies, Inc. (Talla-Tech). is a wholly owned subsidiary of Talla-Com, Tallahassee Communications Industries, Incorporated (Talla-Com) both of which are located in Tallahassee, Florida with more than 85,000 square feet of ultra-modern manufacturing and design facilities. Both companies are leaders in the design, development and production of military and commercial communications equipment, rugged military computers and rugged personal digital assistants.

http://www.israel21c.org/bin/en.jsp?enPage=BlankPage&enDisplay=view&enDispWhat=object&enDispWho=Articles%5El687&enZone=Technology&enVersion=0&


Elllie

[thedrifter]

LETTER FROM IRAQ
Battle cries and reflections

By Tony Perry, Times Staff Writer

FALLOUJA, Iraq — For three weeks straight, the Marines of the 2nd Battalion, 1st Regiment, 1st Marine Division faced daily combat. Seven were killed, more than 100 were wounded and all came away changed forever. In those days of fighting, more than one-third of the 150 Marines of Echo Company were wounded. Purple Hearts could not be ordered fast enough.

The voices of those in the battalion during and after the fighting speak of pain, loss and fellowship — and, sometimes, of frustration:



On combat

"He had plans for the future. We'd talk about his plans, but now it's different, for all of us."

— Marine Cpl. Howard Lee Hampton, about his friend, Lance Cpl. Aaron Austin, one of the seven killed in combat



"There's no place I'd rather be than here with my Marines. I'll always remember this time."

— Austin, two days before his death



"With men like the Marines of Echo Company, we'll never be defeated. America will always be free."

— Capt. Douglas Zembiec, commander of Echo Company

"There were times when I thought to myself, 'This is really bad. This is reality, not a movie.' That's what it was: reality."

— Pfc. Tyson Pennock



"I'll remember that screaming the rest of my life. It wasn't a loud scream like a scary movie, more like a long moan full of pain. I knew he was hurt but I thought he might live. Then the screaming stopped and I saw him with a peaceful look on his face. It was the worst day of my life."

— 1st Sgt. William Skiles, on attempts to evacuate a dying Marine during a firefight



"The younger Marines used to laugh at me when they saw how fast I jumped into a hole when I heard a mortar coming in. Then one day a round landed 5 meters away from us. After that, they didn't laugh."

— Gunnery Sgt. Timothy Baldwin



"Their tactics weren't as high-speed as ours. They pretty much didn't know what they were doing. They got some lucky shots, though."

— Lance Cpl. Jerod Brown



"Let's see: two arms, two legs, one head, all still connected. It's been a good day."

— Maj. Gen. James N. Mattis, commanding general of 1st Marine Division, after completion of the first peaceful foray into Fallouja



On abuses at Abu Ghraib

"It's going to make a big flat tire on our 18-wheeler. It affects everybody and hurts all the good we're trying to do here. We're trying to make a future for these people, but we can't if they think we're bad people like that."

— Lance Cpl. John Hannam



"It's such a delicate thing here, and this is definitely going to hurt things. How stupid could [the prison guards] be? We're Americans, we don't do those things. A lot of Iraqis are mad at us now that shouldn't be."

— Pfc. Corey McGriff



"Overall I think the Iraqis are going to realize we're here to help them and get them free. But in the short run, this hurts, bad."

— Lance Cpl. Michael Jacobs



On being Marines in Iraq

"We are men of violence, but we are not violent men."

— Lt. Col. Gregg Olson, commanding officer, 2nd Battalion, 1st Regiment, 1st Marine Division



"If we have contact, do not spray and pray. We are not Navy SEALs. Be selective in your targets and use an appropriate amount of fire."

— Staff Sgt. Frank Ortega



"Keep talking, lieutenant, we'll get you out of there."

— An enlisted Marine after another enlisted Marine broke wind loudly

"We knew we were going to stir up a beehive, we just didn't know how many bees there were going to be."

— Master Sgt. Isaac Sanchez



"It's like sausage: ugly to watch being made. We'll see how it tastes when it's over."

— Mattis on the chances for peace in Fallouja


http://www.latimes.com/features/lifestyle/la-et-perry19may19,1,5893943.story?coll=la-headlines-lifestyle


Ellie

[thedrifter]

What's Needed in Iraq
Soldiers are up in arms over up-armoring.

BY BRENDAN MINITER
Tuesday, May 18, 2004 12:01 a.m. EDT

"We spent the entire day running through a gauntlet of IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices). Four in all. These were big rounds, not soda cans. They were mortar rounds and 152/155 mm artillery rounds. Big explosions. I was inside the blast radius on the first one, but no scratches. By the Grace of God we have no casualties. We put armored doors on all of our vehicles, and the reinforced glass on the windshields worked. I pulled golf ball size pieces of shrapnel out of the windshield that were stuck in it, but did not penetrate."


--Sgt. Maj. Dale W. Miller,
First Battalion, 24th Marines
The above dispatch was sent from the frontlines to thank Marine acquisition officers for "up-armoring" their vehicles before shipping them out for Iraq a few months ago. "Myself and several other Marines are alive and grateful to you all for spending the money," Sgt. Maj. Miller wrote in an e-mail in March.

As the Abu Ghraib scandal swirls around the Pentagon, this is also a message many soldiers in Iraq hope isn't lost on Donald Rumsfeld. There's a war on, and chief among the soldiers' concern is whether they will get the gear they need to win. The Marines have at least some armor plating on all of their vehicles, but they could use more and thicker steel plates. Meanwhile, many Army vehicles in Iraq remain unarmored, and some soldiers are complaining about not having the plates they need for the protective vests they wear.

A soldier put it bluntly to Mr. Rumsfeld and Gen. Richard Myers at a town-hall meeting in Iraq last week: "The question is, are we going to get up-armored Humvees?" The soldier, who identified himself as a member of a unit operating in "five of the six red zones in the country," noted that the doors on their Humvees "are not as good as the ones on the up-armored Humvees. . . . We lost some soldiers due to them." Another soldier asked, "Do we foresee an increase across the board so we maybe can get more additional armored kits, or armor, hazard pay, weapons, basic health and comfort items for soldiers overseas?"

Gen. Myers's answers were not encouraging. He said there are about 1,400 vehicles that still need armor plating in Iraq, and although production is ramping up, the military can turn out only enough armor kits for about 220 to 225 vehicles a month. At that rate it will take six months to meet the military's combat needs. "It's not a matter of resources; it's a matter of how fast can we build these things and get them over here," he said.




You wouldn't know this from the news coverage following Thursday's Senate Armed Services Committee hearing. The hearing was convened to discuss the administration's request for an additional $25 billion to fund operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, but it quickly turned into a political slugfest. Mainly the attacks came from the Democratic side. Ted Kennedy, Hillary Clinton and Jack Reed spent their time grandstanding, mostly about Abu Ghraib.
All of this made for nice political theater, but that doesn't help the soldiers on the ground. The big problem, Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz explained to Sen. Susan Collins, is that the Pentagon doesn't have enough flexibility to shift money around to meet emerging needs. That's been an impediment for everything from getting more armor to equipping and training Iraqi security forces. This country hasn't lost its industrial base yet, and, as House Armed Services Chairman Duncan Hunter noted recently, many steel mills in America are operating well below their capacity. So there's little reason armor plating couldn't be quickly rolled out if it were a priority.

That's one reason why while the senators were grandstanding last week, Mr. Hunter's committee passed a bill to require the secretary of defense to meet requests from the field within 15 days. Getting armor on the Humvees is a "good example of something that needs to be fast-tracked," Rep. Jim Saxton (R., N.J.) said in voting for the legislation.

Abu Ghraib is the outrage of the moment, but what the soldiers need and need now is armor. Ask your congressmen and senators what they are doing about that.

Mr. Miniter is assistant editor of OpinionJournal.com. His column appears Tuesdays.

http://www.opinionjournal.com/columnists/bminiter/?id=110005092


Ellie

[thedrifter]

A Marine sees what defeatists don't
By Ben Connable
RAMADI, Iraq — This is my third deployment with the 1st Marine Division to the Middle East.
This is the third time I've heard the quavering cries of the talking heads predicting failure and calling for withdrawal.

This is the third time I find myself shaking my head in disbelief.

Setbacks and tragedy are part and parcel of war and must be accepted on the battlefield. We can and will achieve our goals in Iraq.

Waiting for war in the Saudi Arabian desert as a young corporal in 1991, I recall reading news clippings portending massive tank battles, fiery death from Saddam Hussein's "flame trenches" and bitter defeat at the hands of the fourth-largest army in the world. My platoon was told to expect 75% casualties. Being Marines and, therefore, naturally cocky, we still felt pretty good about our abilities.

The panicky predictions failed to come true. The flame trenches sputtered. Nobody from my platoon died. Strength, ingenuity and willpower won the day. Crushing the fourth-largest army in the world in four days seemed to crush the doubts back home.

Twelve years passed, during which time America was faced with frustrating actions in Somalia and the Balkans. Doubt had begun to creep back into public debate.

In the spring of last year, I was a Marine captain, back with the division for Operation Iraqi Freedom. As I waited for war in the desert, just 100 miles to the north from our stepping-off point in 1991, I was again subjected to the panicky analyses of talking heads. There weren't enough troops to do the job, the oil fields would be destroyed, we couldn't fight in urban terrain, our offensive would grind to a halt, and we should expect more than 10,000 casualties.

Remembering my experience in Desert Storm, I took these assessments with a grain of salt. As a staff officer in the division command post, I was able to follow the larger battle as we moved forward. I knew that our tempo was keeping the enemy on his heels and that our plan would lead us to victory.

But war is never clean and simple. Mourning our losses quietly, the Marines drove to Baghdad, then to Tikrit, liberating the Iraqi people while losing fewer men than were lost in Desert Storm.

In May of last year, I was sitting with some fellow officers back in Diwaniyah, Iraq, the offensive successful and the country liberated from Saddam. I received a copy of a March 30 U.S. newspaper on Iraq in an old package that had finally made its way to the front. The stories: horror in Nasariyah, faltering supply lines and demonstrations in Cairo. The mood of the paper was impenetrably gloomy, and predictions of disaster abounded. The offensive was stalled; everyone was running out of supplies; we would be forced to withdraw.

The Arab world was about to ignite into a fireball of rage, and the Middle East was on the verge of collapse. If I had read those stories on March 30, I would have had a tough time either restraining my laughter or, conversely, falling into a funk. I was concerned about the bizarre kaleidoscope image of Iraq presented to the American people by writers viewing the world through a soda straw.

Returning to Iraq this past February, I knew that the Marines had a tremendous opportunity to follow through on our promises to the Iraqi people.

Believing in the mission, many Marines volunteered to return. I again found myself in the division headquarters.

Just weeks ago, I read that the supply lines were cut, ammunition and food were dwindling, the "Sunni Triangle" was exploding, cleric Muqtada al-Sadr was leading a widespread Shiite revolt, and the country was nearing civil war.

As I write this, the supply lines are open, there's plenty of ammunition and food, the Sunni Triangle is back to status quo, and Sadr is marginalized in Najaf. Once again, dire predictions of failure and disaster have been dismissed by American willpower and military professionalism.

War is inherently ugly and dramatic. I don't blame reporters for focusing on the burning vehicles, the mutilated bodies or the personal tragedies. The editors have little choice but to print the photos from the Abu Ghraib prison and the tales of the insurgency in Fallujah. These things sell news and remind us of the sober reality of our commitment to the Iraqi people. The actions of our armed forces are rightfully subject to scrutiny.

I am not ignorant of the political issues, either. But as a professional, I have the luxury of putting politics aside and focusing on the task at hand. Protecting people from terrorists and criminals while building schools and lasting friendships is a good mission, no matter what brush it's tarred with.

Nothing any talking head will say can deter me or my fellow Marines from caring about the people of Iraq, or take away from the sacrifices of our comrades. Fear in the face of adversity is human nature, and many people who take the counsel of their fears speak today. We are not deaf to their cries; neither do we take heed. All we ask is that Americans stand by us by supporting not just the troops, but also the mission.

We'll take care of the rest.

Maj. Ben Connable is serving as a foreign-area officer and intelligence officer with the 1st Marine Division.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/2004-05-18-connable_x.htm


Ellie

[thedrifter]

Marines Help Step Up Iraqi Workforce

BLUE DIAMOND HQ, AR RAMADI, IRAQ--THE WAY AHEAD:

The 1st Marine Division is currently focused on destroying Anti-Iraqi Forces in the Al Anbar province. Simultaneously, the Marines are establishing patient, persistent presence in the key areas throughout the province while supporting the development of competent, trustworthy, Iraqi Security Forces and conducting civil military operations.

CIVIL MILITARY OPERATIONS:

Employment opportunities for Fallujans continue to grow due to Coalition-funded restoration projects.

The Fallujah Liaison Team expects to have four separate Iraqi contractors working in the city as part of the Fallujah Cleanup and Restoration Contract. The FLT plans call for an initial hiring of a 1,200-man workforce in the city. Coalition leaders expect that workforce to increase as contractors get settled and increase their hiring capacity.

The total workforce employed by Coalition-led projects is in Fallujah is 2,880.

Marines picked up 36 wheelbarrows, picks and shovels for farmers in Al Kharma. These tools will be distributed in the coming days as Marines return to acquire more.

Civil Affairs teams in Ramadi paid out a contract for 503 soccer balls, 5 ball pumps and 20 soccer nets.

In western Al Anbar province, Marines paid $16,000 for damages caused during recent fighting with terrorist forces. Marines also provided toys and school supplies to local Iraqi children.

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/releaseview/64A53745D6340CA785256E97005F5B29?opendocument


Ellie