thedrifter
07-09-08, 10:01 AM
WEDNESDAY JULY 9, 2008
Last modified: Monday, July 7, 2008 11:26 AM CDT
Moustache is sign of wisdom and maturity
This is #40 in a series of “letters home” from a local Marine deployed for a second tour in Iraq
By Staff Sgt. Isaac Weix, Special to The News
An Iraqi policeman complimented me on my moustache today. This was not a new occurrence; in fact nearly every time I go out I get some positive reaction to it. It then occurred to me that I have not explained why I grew a moustache.
In Iraq a moustache is considered a sign of wisdom and maturity. All men who can grow them have them. You are given more respect if you have one, so those of us who have the most direct contact with Iraqis grew our moustaches. It is a small thing that is representative of how we are better able to work with the Iraqis by understanding the minutia of their culture.
If you watch the news, things are heating up here in Al Anbar. The reason for this is we are about to hand over control of the province to the Iraqis. There was a bombing here recently that killed three Marines from my regiment. It is getting harder for the enemy to pull off attacks like this and get away with it. We had the organizers in custody in a matter of days, thanks to the help of our Iraqi counterparts.
It has not damaged the momentum we have though. The city of Fallujah is now basically off limits to coalition traffic. We are now limited to the periphery and only go into the cities when requested. Reconstruction projects are moving at an extremely fast pace. I am kind of disappointed that I can no longer drive through Fallujah when I feel like it because I liked to see the progress on all the projects.
Tomorrow I will go on route reconnaissance to find alternate ways around the cities that I was previously able to drive through. Along with that, I have been tasked to pick up some humanitarian assistance food to distribute to needy families in the area. There is still unemployment so we pick up the slack on the neediest of families. I’m not a big fan of giving food directly to people; I have seen it create dependency, then animosity. I am a big believer in “teach a man to fish.”
Weix, an Elmwood native, serves with the 24th Marine Regiment out of Madison as a platoon sergeant for Weapons Platoon, “G” Company, 2nd Battalion.
Ellie
Last modified: Monday, July 7, 2008 11:26 AM CDT
Moustache is sign of wisdom and maturity
This is #40 in a series of “letters home” from a local Marine deployed for a second tour in Iraq
By Staff Sgt. Isaac Weix, Special to The News
An Iraqi policeman complimented me on my moustache today. This was not a new occurrence; in fact nearly every time I go out I get some positive reaction to it. It then occurred to me that I have not explained why I grew a moustache.
In Iraq a moustache is considered a sign of wisdom and maturity. All men who can grow them have them. You are given more respect if you have one, so those of us who have the most direct contact with Iraqis grew our moustaches. It is a small thing that is representative of how we are better able to work with the Iraqis by understanding the minutia of their culture.
If you watch the news, things are heating up here in Al Anbar. The reason for this is we are about to hand over control of the province to the Iraqis. There was a bombing here recently that killed three Marines from my regiment. It is getting harder for the enemy to pull off attacks like this and get away with it. We had the organizers in custody in a matter of days, thanks to the help of our Iraqi counterparts.
It has not damaged the momentum we have though. The city of Fallujah is now basically off limits to coalition traffic. We are now limited to the periphery and only go into the cities when requested. Reconstruction projects are moving at an extremely fast pace. I am kind of disappointed that I can no longer drive through Fallujah when I feel like it because I liked to see the progress on all the projects.
Tomorrow I will go on route reconnaissance to find alternate ways around the cities that I was previously able to drive through. Along with that, I have been tasked to pick up some humanitarian assistance food to distribute to needy families in the area. There is still unemployment so we pick up the slack on the neediest of families. I’m not a big fan of giving food directly to people; I have seen it create dependency, then animosity. I am a big believer in “teach a man to fish.”
Weix, an Elmwood native, serves with the 24th Marine Regiment out of Madison as a platoon sergeant for Weapons Platoon, “G” Company, 2nd Battalion.
Ellie