thedrifter
03-08-06, 11:38 AM
Reservist helps build new Iraq
'The average Iraqi is longing for freedom and a democratic government,' says Pine City man.
Jim Pfiffer
March 8, 2006
Iraqi election workers needed U.S. Marines to safely escort them to the polls in October and December.
The voters depended on Marines to protect them from suicide bombers while they participated in the nation's historic elections.
Marine Reserve Col. Mark Frampton of Pine City helped provide that security during his six-month tour of duty when he commanded a Marine supply base in El Taqaddum (ta-CAY-dum) about 30 miles west of Baghdad.
In addition to the election security, the base for 5,000 Marines provides supplies and equipment - bullets, beans and Band-Aids - to troops fighting insurgents.
Mark helped build a new government and a new nation.
Building things is Mark's avocation and vocation. As a kid, he loved watching dump trucks and heavy equipment from a nearby construction company chug past his Pine City home. It's no surprise that he became a civil engineer, married his hometown sweetheart and started his own small company - Frampton Construction in Pine City.
But Mark puts his country above his business. That explains why he has been a Marine reservist for 22 years and a colonel for three. He served in Operation Desert Storm in 1991.
This time, he didn't just fight in Iraq. He helped rebuild it.
The Marines, under Mark's command, constructed a camp to train Iraqi election officials. They nicknamed it Voterville.
"The fact that over 70 percent of the populace turned out to vote is resounding," Mark says of the election.
Not surprisingly, Mark believes the United States belongs in Iraq. His belief is not merely based on patriotism. He has witnessed the thanks of the Iraqi people and seen the improvements Americans have helped bring about in Iraq.
"The average Iraqi is longing for freedom and a democratic government," Mark explains. "They realize they are enjoying a better standard of living - from running water to electricity. They have embraced this whole idea that they want to stand up for themselves and control their own destiny and government without our help."
The help includes educating and rebuilding the country's infrastructure.
"I'm not saying the Iraqi people are stupid, but after 30 years of going backwards, as a society under Saddam - there was no education, no improvement within the country from infrastructure to schooling. They did nothing."
Those changes, though, won't happen overnight.
"It's not like you can go to the drive-up window at McDonald's and say, 'I'd like some democracy,'" Mark says. "The problem with people here in the U.S. is they live in a world of instant gratification. They think we can snap our fingers and a democratic government will instantly happen."
Mark's proud of the work he and his Marines accomplished. The base worked with civilian contractors, building everything from roads to dams.
"I'm like a public works superintendent for a municipality," Mark says.
But few public works superintendents carry weapons or face rocket and mortar attacks. They were a regular occurrence at the supply base. A rocket killed a Marine on the base shortly before Mark arrived in September.
Fortunately, much of the explosives are old and do little damage.
"The terrorists are desperate to get their hands on anything that goes boom," Mark explains. "They get some of it from Rockets 'R' Us."
Accurate or not, the attacks added to the stress and monotony on the base, where daytime temperatures hit 115 and dropped to around freezing at night. Dust storms and the din of helicopters and C-130 transports made the base a noisy place.
The country is just as clamorous. Terrorist and insurgent fighting continue, and the nation is nearing a civil war in sectarian fighting between Shiites and Sunni extremists. Mark doesn't know how long the U.S. will remain in Iraq.
"I think things accelerated, with the elections, to speed up our timetable of withdrawing," Mark says. "I don't think we'll have a big military presence there in five years, but who knows. You don't know what may happen next."
Mark says morale is incredibly high among the troops. Most of them believe we belong in Iraq.
That's why Mark had mixed thoughts about leaving Iraq.
"I felt like we were almost there, that we almost accomplished what was needed in Iraq," Mark says. "It's like you can almost see the top of the mountain. Almost like I hated to leave, felt like there was more I could do personally."
Welcome home, Mark. You're a hero. You will never stop building.
Jim Pfiffer's Real Life column about people, places and life in the Twin Tiers appears Wednesdays and Fridays. You can reach him by e-mail: jpfiffer@stargazette.com.
Ellie
'The average Iraqi is longing for freedom and a democratic government,' says Pine City man.
Jim Pfiffer
March 8, 2006
Iraqi election workers needed U.S. Marines to safely escort them to the polls in October and December.
The voters depended on Marines to protect them from suicide bombers while they participated in the nation's historic elections.
Marine Reserve Col. Mark Frampton of Pine City helped provide that security during his six-month tour of duty when he commanded a Marine supply base in El Taqaddum (ta-CAY-dum) about 30 miles west of Baghdad.
In addition to the election security, the base for 5,000 Marines provides supplies and equipment - bullets, beans and Band-Aids - to troops fighting insurgents.
Mark helped build a new government and a new nation.
Building things is Mark's avocation and vocation. As a kid, he loved watching dump trucks and heavy equipment from a nearby construction company chug past his Pine City home. It's no surprise that he became a civil engineer, married his hometown sweetheart and started his own small company - Frampton Construction in Pine City.
But Mark puts his country above his business. That explains why he has been a Marine reservist for 22 years and a colonel for three. He served in Operation Desert Storm in 1991.
This time, he didn't just fight in Iraq. He helped rebuild it.
The Marines, under Mark's command, constructed a camp to train Iraqi election officials. They nicknamed it Voterville.
"The fact that over 70 percent of the populace turned out to vote is resounding," Mark says of the election.
Not surprisingly, Mark believes the United States belongs in Iraq. His belief is not merely based on patriotism. He has witnessed the thanks of the Iraqi people and seen the improvements Americans have helped bring about in Iraq.
"The average Iraqi is longing for freedom and a democratic government," Mark explains. "They realize they are enjoying a better standard of living - from running water to electricity. They have embraced this whole idea that they want to stand up for themselves and control their own destiny and government without our help."
The help includes educating and rebuilding the country's infrastructure.
"I'm not saying the Iraqi people are stupid, but after 30 years of going backwards, as a society under Saddam - there was no education, no improvement within the country from infrastructure to schooling. They did nothing."
Those changes, though, won't happen overnight.
"It's not like you can go to the drive-up window at McDonald's and say, 'I'd like some democracy,'" Mark says. "The problem with people here in the U.S. is they live in a world of instant gratification. They think we can snap our fingers and a democratic government will instantly happen."
Mark's proud of the work he and his Marines accomplished. The base worked with civilian contractors, building everything from roads to dams.
"I'm like a public works superintendent for a municipality," Mark says.
But few public works superintendents carry weapons or face rocket and mortar attacks. They were a regular occurrence at the supply base. A rocket killed a Marine on the base shortly before Mark arrived in September.
Fortunately, much of the explosives are old and do little damage.
"The terrorists are desperate to get their hands on anything that goes boom," Mark explains. "They get some of it from Rockets 'R' Us."
Accurate or not, the attacks added to the stress and monotony on the base, where daytime temperatures hit 115 and dropped to around freezing at night. Dust storms and the din of helicopters and C-130 transports made the base a noisy place.
The country is just as clamorous. Terrorist and insurgent fighting continue, and the nation is nearing a civil war in sectarian fighting between Shiites and Sunni extremists. Mark doesn't know how long the U.S. will remain in Iraq.
"I think things accelerated, with the elections, to speed up our timetable of withdrawing," Mark says. "I don't think we'll have a big military presence there in five years, but who knows. You don't know what may happen next."
Mark says morale is incredibly high among the troops. Most of them believe we belong in Iraq.
That's why Mark had mixed thoughts about leaving Iraq.
"I felt like we were almost there, that we almost accomplished what was needed in Iraq," Mark says. "It's like you can almost see the top of the mountain. Almost like I hated to leave, felt like there was more I could do personally."
Welcome home, Mark. You're a hero. You will never stop building.
Jim Pfiffer's Real Life column about people, places and life in the Twin Tiers appears Wednesdays and Fridays. You can reach him by e-mail: jpfiffer@stargazette.com.
Ellie