thedrifter
05-10-08, 07:37 AM
Bombs, Bullets and... Barns [Steve Schippert]
Yet another report from Iraq via John Donovan. This time a Navy officer and a Marine gunnery sergeant team up to assist struggling Iraqi farmers—industrious desert growers who lack not skill, but basic resources.
That’s right, they asked me stay on the General’s staff to do farming. The good news is that I’ve managed to extend myself past sheep and now have visited poultry and fish farms. Its up to the big leagues once I get to see the dairy cows.
To help, the Marines gave me a Gunnery Sergeant. A good man typical of the breed. We met and he said “Sir I don’t know why I have this job, I wanted to run convoys but they said since I grew up on a farm in Michigan I had to do agriculture. I didn’t learn anything as a kid, I just did heavy labor, and spent most of time trying to get out of that!”
I just smiled and said “Gunny, you and me are going to get along just fine.” We have a great officer/NCO relationship. I think big strategic thoughts and he stands on people’s necks until it happens.
Seriously though I don’t think that I’m missing anything because I don’t have an agricultural degree. The issues here are pretty straightforward.
You have to love their working relationship while admiring their adaptability to the task(s) at hand. Bombs, bullets or barns, our forces have to amaze you. OK, so maybe there aren't many barns in Iraq. But there sure are a lot of good military men and women willing to think of such things and devise crafty solutions. Here's hoping they are provided the resources needed.
Supplemental, anyone?
No rush. Take your time, gentlemen. Resources (and pay) are overrated anyway, right? Imagine if the Senate's payroll were in jeopardy. And whatever would we do if there were no funds for congressional junkets for tea with Bashar Assad?
Perspective and priorities, people. Or, perhaps that's exactly what we are witnessing . . . Just a guess.
http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/05/update_3_from_t.html
Ellie
Yet another report from Iraq via John Donovan. This time a Navy officer and a Marine gunnery sergeant team up to assist struggling Iraqi farmers—industrious desert growers who lack not skill, but basic resources.
That’s right, they asked me stay on the General’s staff to do farming. The good news is that I’ve managed to extend myself past sheep and now have visited poultry and fish farms. Its up to the big leagues once I get to see the dairy cows.
To help, the Marines gave me a Gunnery Sergeant. A good man typical of the breed. We met and he said “Sir I don’t know why I have this job, I wanted to run convoys but they said since I grew up on a farm in Michigan I had to do agriculture. I didn’t learn anything as a kid, I just did heavy labor, and spent most of time trying to get out of that!”
I just smiled and said “Gunny, you and me are going to get along just fine.” We have a great officer/NCO relationship. I think big strategic thoughts and he stands on people’s necks until it happens.
Seriously though I don’t think that I’m missing anything because I don’t have an agricultural degree. The issues here are pretty straightforward.
You have to love their working relationship while admiring their adaptability to the task(s) at hand. Bombs, bullets or barns, our forces have to amaze you. OK, so maybe there aren't many barns in Iraq. But there sure are a lot of good military men and women willing to think of such things and devise crafty solutions. Here's hoping they are provided the resources needed.
Supplemental, anyone?
No rush. Take your time, gentlemen. Resources (and pay) are overrated anyway, right? Imagine if the Senate's payroll were in jeopardy. And whatever would we do if there were no funds for congressional junkets for tea with Bashar Assad?
Perspective and priorities, people. Or, perhaps that's exactly what we are witnessing . . . Just a guess.
http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/05/update_3_from_t.html
Ellie