One Marine's view from Iraq

[thedrifter]

One Marine's view from Iraq
THE NEWS STOOPER

So there we are watching good ol reliable CNN……….well it was worth a shot to fool you but you are all too smart for that and know its not reliable. A continuous replaying report came on how multiple government facilities and bases were attacked in downtown Ramadi, Iraq on Thursday. They continued to show video of masked men shooting down a street (which should be criminal, if a US reporter cooperates with and films the enemy at their location and aides them in any way, he should be tried for treason and executed in public if found guilty). But wait a second, the report and video don't match, but who back in the states would notice so lets role this footage and fool the sheep who follow our every word. They are too stupid and they won't know. Its video of anywhere but Ramadi. How do we know?? oh because we were downtown Ramadi when all the "attacks" were suppose to have happened. The markets were active and small children were out and about even yes, around the US bases. No bases were attacked and nothing was out of the ordinary as the BIG time news station was reporting. But, they weren't alone. Yahoo reports like this one with little to no meat to the story was also released but now has been altered to read different as they know they were taken to the cleaners. "Insurgents attack government facilities" what a wad of monkey crap!!

America if you didn't believe us in the past, this should do nothing but reinforce how we are saying that the enemy is trying to get to you all at home to go south and demand us to come home before the job is done and that the media is soooo off mark. This just proves we are making huge gains here. Why? Because the real blind sheep…….the big time news agencies bought the trick, line and sinker from the terrorists. They fell for the oldest trick in the book, taking news tips from the enemy and paying them big cash to allow camera men to tag along with them. Yea great idea because a camera might look like an RPG to a Marine far enough away. It's a clever technique that the US invented. Counter pysops is one way to buy out "reliable" sources to submit story's to the press. This is now proof of how desperate the big time news agencies are for bad gauge on the US campaign in Iraq. They have no news so they pay for whatever may come down the line. Lowering their contacts and standards they knowingly purchase news reports and film events from the enemy. Their fat ass reporters that never leave Baghdad buildings sit in a nice protected building and never come where the fighting is. But when its time for their 45 seconds of fame interview on Clown Network News they walk outside and record a breaking news update. Ever notice how clean those reporters are? You don't stay clean running around while bullets are being fired at you. When they do come out for more than a day they hide themselves in hummers and under their ill fitting helmets that slope down and cover their eyes, that is if they don't have it on backwards, that's a sight to see (I got to get a picture of one of them for ya). I swear they must eat big bowls of dumbass before they depart so that they can ask the most retarded questions to troops. They sound like Jane Freaking Fonda herself when they open their mouths. There are a couple reporters that "live" with the troops to get stories, not many but Im quickly loosing confidence in their ability as well since MSNNBC ran the above story as "Breaking News" and then had some cluster screwball that was an "embedded reporter" (traitor) living with the troops, talking about how Iraqi forces arnt even materializing. Holy BAT **** Robin, Im in the wrong work. I should start a news agency called "No **** news" and when I don't have anything to report I would print "I no **** don't have a damn thing to say" at least it would be honest news unlike these walking frauds.

But nope these brainiacks are vomiting so much crap faster than they can validate it. Seems to be a reoccurring event huh? I can just hear two bonehead reporters talking now….. "hey bob I hear there were attacks in Ramdi today, really I didn't get up until noon so Im not sure and you know we haven't had a story in awhile so let me call a guy I met last week carrying an AK47. He gave me this Iraqi cell phone and he will give us the word on the street. You know we need to send some material back to the clown network so our ass's can continue to grow while we are out here playing Nintendo." Hand me that box of Twinkies would ya? Great I'll bring my camera and get some footage of them shooting at American troops! Great idea you're a swell guy bob". Music from the "Leave it to Beaver" TV show begins to play in the background.

Its now so very obvious that the president has just landed a size twelve Monkey Stomp on the insurgents and wayward sheep's chest. With his release of the Iraq Plan the media is dumbfounded and the ones that can read are now scratching their fat asses and saying hummmm sounds like a good plan. Well no kidding Dick Tracy, wake up get on a weight loss plan and smell the freaking roses. If you haven't read the plan do so by clicking here. I'm going to print off hard copies and mail them to all of the news agencies in huge romper room style print just so they cant say they don't know what we are talking about. They can have nap time after they read it.

Apparently, now every time you see a news story, your going to have to ask yourself. "I wonder what really happened" because as you already know, they have lost their most valuable characteristic, credibility and this proves your continuously getting news from the enemy!

We got small arms fire just off the base, gotta go help Marines that are making real news.…….if you see any reporters tell them to drop the Twinkies, follow the cigar smoke and head this way!

Semper-

Capt B out……….

[thedrifter]

ONE TEAM ONE FIGHT
By Captain B in Iraq

I face combat operations. Its dangerous but so is crossing the street in any downtown city. Its all how you look at it. You back home are facing combat operations as well. Look at what is happening in our home. I hear of Merry Holidays? What the hell is that???? In my short life I thought it was Merry Christmas. When did the slap on the table happen for that one to change? I didn't slap the table but maybe its time we do slap some things around.

I don't get it who (ACLU) told everyone that its ok to change history anddelete the words on a recent monument dedicated in DC that removed the word "God" from the presidents words? Who was the one who said "lets stop saying the Pledge of Allegiance in schools"? Who is the one that is taking your freedom away through the court systems?

Me and my Marines are over here kicking the living dog**** out of scumbags who want to see us demoralize from within so that THEY can run America and it be one nation under Allah! Sorry scumbags its not gonna happen while Im here and YOU don't let it happen back there while Im here either!

Here is a "No **** Breaking News story" ITS Christmas because it is Jesus's Birthday, celebrated different by different religions and that's fine but it's a religious holiday. If you don't believe in it, don't celebrate it, get coal, I don't care! However, we arnt going to change it nor other holidays because we are afraid of offending you. If your offended……..pound sand I don't care. I respect other religions even Muslim but you don't see me telling them not to play their loud 5 times a day Muslim prayer over their loud speakers forcing it down my neck do you?

Next thing youll here is that I cant take the American flag into battle with me because it would offend the enemy………or better yet we wont be able to sing the National Anthem at baseball games. I tell my Marines when we are back in the states and they do something that might not seem like a big deal, "That's how it all begins, you wear the wrong color t shirt and they next thing you know you are putting in live rounds when you should have blanks in your weapons during training exercises." It may seem small but it roots and gets very serious quick! Its like loading your pack with gear. I like to say ounces are pounds meaning the little ounces build up quickly to add on pounds.

This is the same thing, Merry Holidays, no pledge to allegiance, no National Anthem, what are we coming to? Your Marines are fighting for what you and they believe in here and around the world. We have core values of our country that we don't want changed.

One person can make a difference "ounces make pounds" and by telling your congressman you can show them it matters to you to by voicing your opinion. THEY work for you and don't ever forget that. We are a United team. Are you on the team?

[thedrifter]

Notes from a hometown hero

Wilson County News
30.NOV.05

Thank you warriors!

We get a lot of letters of support from all ages. Remember: letters are great. You don't have to send us a huge package. We love it, but don't forget that this whole thing is about "support."

We will respond to letters, but please be patient as operation commitment comes first. Also, remember to put your return address on your card in your package so we can write you back.

Your Marines have been busy as ever and making great gains, closing escape routes and capturing many listed terrorists through Operation Steel Curtain in the west. Terrorists dressing as women, dropping their weapons, and blending have only delayed their capture as, Marines continue to outwit their opponents.

Recently we celebrated the Marine Corps' birthday and Veterans Day. We received many letters of support and encouragement; they were awesome and helped out a lot.

Below is a short portion of one warrior's Veterans Day experience. Please remember that all year our country is full of heroes who deserve to be recognized on more than just one day!

I have heard from friends from all over the globe these past few days with well-wishes and reports on our fantastic troops. I cannot believe that some within our borders presently waver at support and we are once again hearing the effusive cries of self-defeatism which were so common during the Vietnam era.

We were "greeted" by these idiots at airports as we returned from our tours of duty and even heard their shouts from our hospital beds here in the United States as we recovered from wounds. I heard them in Bethesda, Oakland, and San Diego, and got into a 'tussle' with a couple of the unwashed in Portland, Maine. (Wish there had been a couple more, as I didn't even work up a sweat).

Where do we get such idiotic people who can't see far enough ahead of their respective noses that they refuse to recognize that if the battles aren't stopped in places like Iraq, that we will be bound to fight them much like the French are these days along their parks and streets?

But I digress, as my purpose tonight is one of apology for being late with my own best wishes for our Corps' 230th birthday greetings to all Marines whom I have had the honor and pleasure of serving with and knowing, and for those who came before us and provided us with our legacy, and these magnificent Marines who now serve throughout the world and continue to uphold the traditions in what is truly a fantastic manner. And to our sailors who so valiantly share our burdens by our sides … our "Docs" are also special to us at this time and we honor them as well!

Of course, on Veterans Day, we honor all who have served …especially those who have given the ultimate sacrifice for our beloved country. I attended a very well-done ceremony at Luckie Park with Patti yesterday. New C.G., MCAGCC, and the Sergeant Major were there in Dress Blues "A".

Brig. Gen. Stone gave a good talk that was very well received by all present. Many local folks came up to me after the ceremonies to wish me well, etc., and to say a few words after the events of the day. All was nice but something was missing.

I took Patti home as wind was getting high like it does out here in the desert …

I drove to our local cemetery and had the entire place all to myself … Not a single soul anywhere to be seen.

I went to the special Veterans Section, newly dedicated when I was the mayor of Twenty-nine Palms. Some of the graves had American flags on them and some had Marine miniature colors now flying in a very stiff breeze. There were some miniature flags also scattered among graves throughout the cemetery, where families buried their loved ones before the new section was dedicated a few years ago.

I managed to get to every grave bearing a flag and paid my respects at each one. They were from every branch of our armed forces but, by far, mostly Marines.

Would you believe that for the entire time that I was at the cemetery - over an hour and a half - I was the only person visiting in that entire place! Despite my crippled legs, I managed to visit and say a thank-you and a quick prayer at every grave with a marker and rendered a good salute and the thanks of our nation.

My only companions were the birds in the air and a few rabbits munching on some of the fresh flowers that families had ordered for some of the graves. Not one single soul showed up to say hello to their veterans or kin while I was there. How sad!

I kept my composure until I returned to my car and then, like a fool … I allowed my eyeballs to sweat a bit! I couldn't help but think about how close I had come to not making it to see the Marine Corps' birthday this year or to be able to walk around to pay tribute to these veterans who had come before us. It just got the best of me for a few moments.

Sorry to bore you with some personal "stuff" but this kinda got to me yesterday.

Good night Lobo and Frank …and all friends. May God bless and continue protecting all of our Marines and sailors and all of our fighting men and women, wherever they are throughout the globe.

Also… May God give wisdom to those who send them forward into battle from afar. We are already blessed with terrific leadership where the rubber meets the road and where the warriors are trained and led. I believe they are better than we ever thought of being!

Continue to support your troops - all of them, all the time!

Semper Fi.
Capt. B.

[thedrifter]

Patrolling Haqlaniyah
On patrol with the Raiders of Kilo Company in Haqlaniyah
By Bill Roggio

HAQLANIYAH, IRAQ: The drive from Haditha Dam to Haglaniyah was fast and furious. The night starts with a ride in the back of an open 7 ton transport with a crew from Sky News and a team of Marines. The convoy roared down the roads at high speed during the night in blackout conditions, making turns a truck that large had no right making. The trip from the dam to Raider Nation, the foward position of Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion,1st Marines, was low key save some interesting driving.

Raider Nation is one of four outposts in Haqlaniyah. The bulk of the company is stationed at Raider Nation, along with a platoon of Iraq soldiers. The other three outposts are Black Hole to the north of Haqlaniyah, TCP to the west, and K3 to the south. Lima Company sits to the east of the river in Barwana. Kilo Company’s three outposts contain a platoon of Iraqi infantry and one squad of Marines who acts as advisors in addition to their duties.

Checkpoints have been established into and out of the city, which allows Kilo to monitor traffic. The Raiders have cleared each house in the city since Operation Rivergate, and over 35 significant weapons caches have been discovered in the process. One find contained over 100 large caliber artillery shells. The Raiders also agressively patrol the desert regions to the west and south of the city to interdict insurgent mortar teams.

Haqlaniyah is a markedly different town than Husaybah. The residents are more educated, and there are many professionals who work at the dam or in other industry in the area. The streets are cleaner, the people’s dress is more western and there are more expensive cars on the road.

Residents of Haqlaniyah Speaking with Interpreter.

The Marines based out of Raider Nation aggressively patrol the city jointly with Iraqi Army troops. Today I walked the city with 1st Squad from the Raider’s 2nd Platoon. The squad is led by Corporal Joe Sanchez, a tough Marine who is on his third tour of duty in Iraq.

Today’s mission was to escort a psychological operations team from Detatchment 930, Company A, 9th POV out of Ft. Bragg, North Carolina. Contrary to the common negative perceptions about their mission; psyops responsibility is to provide information on local elections and information on the Coalition’s reconstruction efforts. A campaign of deliberate misinformation would render the unit inneffective.

The the psyops team is lead by Sergeant Rivers, and today’s assignment was to distribute leaflets and place posters on the walls with information on the election to the residents of Haqlaniya. Sgt.Rivers was adament that this was a job for the accompanying Iraqi troops; “This is their election, and they need to do the work.”

The Iraqi units based out of Haqlaniyah are raw troops, fresh out of training. The Marines here do not speak as highly of them as the tough Iraqis of the 1st Divison they fought with in Fallujah. But there is an understanding that the Iraqi troops they work with are in their infancy, and there is much room for improvement.

Iraqi Troops Hanging Election Posters in Haqlaniyah.

On today’s patrol, the Iraqi troops were not quite as disciplined as those I walked with in Husaybah, but they were capable. They enthusiastically hung the posters and handed out the election flyers to the numerous residents they encountered. Afterwards at the squad’s debrief, Cpl. Sanchez stated “the Iraqi troops performed their mission out there today.”

The walk was relatively uneventful. Two shots from what is belived to be an AK-47 were heard, but their origin was not determined. A car that was on a watchlist for acting as a getaway vehicle in a past shooting was identified, and weaved out of the traffic to elude the patrol. Lance Corporal Randy Lake gave chase on foot, and the psyops Humvee attempted to pursue, but the car escaped.

Just a week ago mortar and small arms fire was common at Raider Nation. The past few days have been quiet in Haqlaniyah and the surrounding areas.

1st Squad, 2nd Platoon, Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines.

Ellie

[thedrifter]

GRAY AREA

The scumbags on defiantly on their heels, IEDs (improvised explosive devices) and IDF (indirect fire) are picking up. I know what your saying if the bad guys on their heels how come attacks are picking up? Well because we are in their heads and every where else and they are being forced to fight. Much like, fish in a barrel. They can’t turn around without bumping into to an Army “jo” or Marine. What a world!

I find Iraq very surreal. Take yesterday for example. The day began as I was awakened at 0400 by the artillery pieces firing 12 sporadic rounds in support of troops in contact and counter artillery. As the day went on I had to PT (physical train) (yes, we stay in shape even in combat) and began just as our mortars opened up and fired 8 rounds right over my head to impact just 300 meters off the base to destroy a few wanna be terrorists. Then just when you have shook your head in disbelief of this place and continue your day a good size gunfight erupts near the base and we call in cobra helos and Harrier jets to do multiple gun runs onto a building with a half dozen terrorists inside who just attacked an observation post and want to meet their virgins. The distinct loud blurb of the 120mm gatlin gun on the nose of the attack helo got everyone’s attention. Ahhh finally time to relax and have a stoag, NOPE small arms and RPG attack on the other side of the base. The smell of explosives in the evening……ahhh almost as good as a stoag!.

Many people leave comments (thank you very much by the way) and send emails about what they can send us, what do we need. What do we need? Really? Its more armor right…..nope. Its more troops right?..........nope. Its gotta be the stooper idea of pulling us out of here, right?..........mention that again and someone’s getting hurt, NO.

We simply need your support. Think back during past holidays. How many American flags have you seen flying? Cmon think!!!! Oh I know you see the usual holiday decorations and flags at the post office and bank but how about your work place, neighbor’s house or even your house? Im not trying to drive up my stock in American flags but the fact that they arnt that expensive and cost about as much as a lunch at McDonalds why don’t you have one flying??? Well???

By flying your flag you show your support for your warriors past, present and future. The American flag is feared in many places and still stood strong after many of America’s battles to include WWI, the Beirut bombings on the US Embassy, Iwo Jima and at the Pentagon after it was attacked on Sept 11th. It is a powerful symbol that you and your fellow Americans have believed in and died for what it represents. In Afghanistan we did one mission where we flew in and established blocking positions and check points to disrupt, capture and kill insurgents and Al Qaeda forces in the area. When we inserted in Marine Corps CH-53 large Helos, the locals and even former Muj ran into the mountains like a bad reenactment of a Monty Python show. While witnessing this we thought it was because there was enemy in the area and they knew there was a gun fight a coming! But only after talking to some of the local tribesman we found out that they thought we were Russians invading again and were running for their lives. Once we learned this we positioned an American flag over our position and the locals came out of the wood work. Once they saw the American flag they knew things were going to be ok.

My old neighbor that lived next to me was from Saudia Arabia (sleeper cell) and had a small flag pole on his porch with a faded torn American flag. Big freaking negative and I tried the typical approach by brining it to their attention that their flag was torn and faded and perhaps they should replace it. Not knowing English I got the normal smile and head nodd from the woman in the Burka. So I bumped it up a notch and being the “friendly” neighbor, I gratefully installed a new stitched beautiful American flag on their pole, saluted it and posted. Thinking they would get the hint. The next day her “husband” took it down and we never saw it again. Hey, it’s a free country and if you don’t want to show your appreciation ok, but to reject the offer and deny the respect of the stars and bars……… I better not hear a single ***** from you on any other topic about this country or you can stand the hell by.

The American flag, a simple symbol that says “Land of the free home of the brave”. A representation of what we believe in and a simple way for YOU to show that you support us and the country. What would potential terrorist think if they went past a street with the stars and bars flying on everyone’s porch? You should make your neighbor feel like major donkey crap for NOT having one displayed. Do you remember after Sept 11th how every news paper put a full page as the flag in the following days paper? Why did they stop that?? So here you go Mr Newspaper companies, Im calling you out, you want to talk the talk and have your reporters do so called “support the troops” stories? Well then lets walk the walk, and start printing US Flags in the paper. If not everyday, then how about Fridays OR for my ACLU readers how about every SUNDAY? Yes, I like that every Sunday toss out those worthless crapy advertisements that paperboys all over the world are cussing you out over and replace it with a full page color American flag What, are you skeeered? Afraid of the repercussion?? Well tell your complaining bed wetters to pound sand if they don’t like it or if they think it infringes on their “rights” (see previous Blog entry, window licker if your that slow) and tell them perhaps they should go to either coast and jump really far into the ocean and leave this great country. It’s very simple, you’re either with us or against us, there isn’t any gray area here.

Time for a C-Gar!
Semper Fidelis from Iraq!

posted by Capt B at 2:22 AM

[thedrifter]

One Marine's View from Iraq

THE FEW THE PROUD

What the heck is up with you Marines a man asked me once. I asked what do you mean? He continued and said you guys have this indescribable bond that even though you may not even know each other personally you automatically are great friends and start talking like you haven’t seen each other in awhile regardless of age, rank or gender and take care of each other as if you were brothers. I laughed and told him yes, it’s a respect thing I guess. We recognize each other as Marines and know the training the other has gone through and earned. When I was enlisted (Corporal) I stayed far away from Officers as possible. They are the “dark side” and will crush you for something or another. But since I had been an enlisted Marine and now Officer I would never ask them to do anything I haven’t done already or wouldn’t do with them. As an Officer you do everything with and for your Marines. As the same goes for any senior rank you take care of the young Marines first, its our “law”. Young Marines always eat first before Staff Sergeants and junior officers eat before senior officers. Not all branches do this but Marines do and when I was enlisted I had the goal to be an officer and promised myself that I would always take care of the enlisted Marine.
We were out in Afghani once and had hot chow arranged special air deliver to us that night . Thinking they would get hot chow a few of the men ate their single ration MRE (Meal Ready to Eat) at about lunch time. We were positioned on a 10,000 foot hill and when the time came for the aircraft to arrive the helos called and notified us of the inability to reach us because we were positioned too high for them to reach and the altitude was to thin for them to fly in. So knowing the men have to eat, the Staff Sergeants and Officers gave up their chow for the Marines. We put the junior Marines first.

In combat, wars are won by the young Marines in the mud in the alleys fighting head to head with the enemy. Granted Officers are in sync with their senior enlisted Marines and formulate the plan but it’s the team leaders who execute and determine if the plan will be a success or failure. As an officer you are responsible for whatever your men do or fail to do. With training, respect and love like they are your own kids you sharpen them to razor sharp non stop so when the time comes that they are deployed to Iraq to enforce the nations policy, you know their capabilities, and they know yours and you are successful at defeating the enemy regardless of the situation. Our bond is a brotherhood, a gun club and some even go to the extent of it being like a mafia. It will always be that way because Once a Marine Always a Marine. There are no former Marines, only dead Marines.

We were in a small village were we knew their were enemy soldiers hiding waiting for us. As we began to move towards the village the enemy small arms fire began with the distinct soundd of the Russian AK47, the Marines began to maneuver spread out and attack moving toward the reinforced enemy and into the oncoming gunfire. One squad moved and began suppression as another unit moved to kill the insurgents. An advancing Marine exposeshimself and gets hit in the leg and is down in the open. His is bleeding badly and is in the the middle of the street. His First Sergeant (senior enlisted in a rifle company) sees the Marine and without hesitation exposes himself to enemy fire runs down the middle of the street to retrieve the downed Marine. He tries picks the Marine up over his shoulder but he is too heavy with all of the gear and he has no time to ponder as bullets continue to be fire at them He drags him back behind a rock where the corpsman begin treating him for his wound. A tourniquet is applied and he will be ok but perhaps not if the 1stSgt didn’t act quickly without care of himself and retrieve the Marine before another round could have mortally wounded him. There are hundreds of stories as this but we as Marines never leave a man behind, never despite the danger.

We as Marines care for one another, police our own and hold each other accountable for our actions. We are Marines by choice, we don’t make policy we enforce it and we do it together as one team, one voice. Apparently this is something Senator Murtha has forgotten. He isn’t caring for your Marines or America. He isn’t speaking with one voice and by pulling out of Iraq or Afghanistan before we are done is treason. He continues with his damage control techniques but it to late Senator. As I sat next to him in Haditha Iraq during his visit and he pounded on the table with his closed fist and stated we are behind you and we want to finish this. Well Sir you finished this alright although Im not talking about Iraq, Im talking about your career and your respect. You have lost the respect of the brotherhood. You have failed to take care of your junior Marines Sir! You have to live with that on your conscious. I would rather be dead than disrespect all of the fallen Marines as you have.

I guess what that guy in the beginning witnessed was the American spirit and the brotherhood of the Marines. Someone who has earned the title of The Few and The Proud and kept it.

May God continue to Bless America. Captain of Marines.

COMBAT UPDATE
Iraqi Army Soldiers, U.S. Marines and Army Soldiers from 2nd Brigade Combat Team (28th Infantry Division) concluded Operation Gashshaar (Skinner) in central Ramadi today. The operation began on the evening of Dec. 7 and was the seventh disruption operation conducted in Ramadi since Nov. 16 to set conditions in the city for successful elections December 15. The operation netted four weapons caches and several detainees and also two command initiated rocket systems designed to ambush passing convoys in central Ramadi. The combined forces also discovered a roadside bomb that the insurgents planned to use in the rocket attack.Iraqi and U.S. forces also disrupted terrorist plans when they discovered an insurgent bomb making factory in the center of the Ramadi Shopping district. Artillery and mortar rounds, timers and remote detonators were found in the bomb making facility. The previous operations conducted by the Iraqi Army and U.S. Forces in Ramadi recently were: Operation Panthers, Bruins, Lions, Tigers, Shank and Rams. Details concerning Operation Skinner were not provided earlier due to operational security.

posted by Capt B

[thedrifter]

12-12-05
With an NCO in Iraq
By Richard F. Miller

Mr. Miller is author of Harvard's Civil War: A History of the Twentieth Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry as well as A Carrier at War: Shock and Awe Aboard the USS Kitty Hawk (Potomac Books, 2005). He was an embedded journalist in the Gulf during OIF I and more recently, in Baghdad and Fallujah.

Few would dispute that a competent noncommissioned officer corps is sine qua non to a successful military. As a Civil War historian embedded with a Marine Corps unit at Camp Fallujah, Iraq, I was especially interested in how modern NCOs—as distinguished from commissioned officers—established their moral authority and fitness to lead as well as demonstrated competence with the weapons, vehicles, and communications systems operated by their squads. Until I began embedded assignments, such phrases as “fitness to lead” or “moral authority” were, in a military context, only vicarious concepts that I principally derived from reading Civil War soldiers’ letters and diaries. As for understanding various combat technologies, I relied chiefly on Internet-sourced histories and diagrams and the occasional television documentary.

Largely because Civil War tactics were chiefly line of battle warfare—in which lieutenants and captains, often leading in advance of the line, were the most visible focal point in combat—soldiers’ letters mention these officers more often than sergeants or corporals. Yet there is much from that war that today’s NCOs would instantly recognize. For example, Article XIII of the 1861 Revised U.S. Army Regulations required that each company be divided into four squads, each of which were placed under the command of a sergeant. While officers had general responsibility for the storage of equipment as well as the bathing of men “once or twice a week,” (feet were required to be washed “at least twice a week”) it was NCOs who “will be held more immediately responsible” for these things as well as others— that their men “wash their hands and faces daily; that they brush or comb their heads” and that “those who are to go on duty put their arms, accoutrements, dress, &c. in the best order.” Moreover, in Civil War combat, NCOs often commanded the skirmish lines that were critical in developing the enemy’s position; carried the colors that formed rallying points as well as continuing proof of the regiment’s cohesion during battles; oversaw picket posts that constituted a camp’s early warning of an approaching enemy. NCOs also comprised the ubiquitous file closers who, standing just behind the battle line, ensured that soldiers remained in place and fired as ordered. (Technological specialization, which would eventually distinguish the Civil War NCO from his modern counterpart, had already begun to appear in the 1860s. NCOs operated telegraphy and military railroads.)

Of course, shoulder-to-shoulder battle lines have gone the way of smooth bore cannon and load-in-nine musketry procedures. In Iraq today the platoon, often led by NCOs, remains the standard for the “routine” patrols tasked with fighting the insurgency. Close observation of one of these platoons gave me an opportunity to observe a working example of how critical the NCO is to the current war effort.

Portrait of a Marine NCO: Gunnery Sergeant Jeffrey V. Dagenhart

I was told to present outside the CP of Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion 8th Marines at 16:00 for a night patrol assigned to the 2nd Platoon. Up-armored Humvees were just arriving—ultimately the patrol would consist of five such vehicles—and soldiers milled about, smoking, dipping, and chatting. I approached one man and introduced myself. It was a fortuitous choice because I received an immediate introduction to at least one Marine Corps NCO. “You’re lucky you’re with us, man,” 19-year-old L/Cpl Doyle Derrick from New York declared. “Gunny Dagenhart is in charge. He is the best Marine. Takes good care of us. Puts us before him any day. Times [are] that he’ll show up and work and let us sleep. He’ll get us chow, man.” A few of Derrick’s comrades had drawn closer, curious about me and perhaps hoping that L/Cpl Doyle could elicit some interesting details. They got very few of those although when I distributed packs of cigarettes and chewing tobacco from the States they received something far more useful. But what I received was much more useful to me—a general nodding agreement with the Lance Corporal’s assessment of Dagenhart. It was significant because the qualities Doyle stressed were not extracted from the familiar images of Hollywood Marines, but rather, from the mundane details of daily life among professional soldiers.

In a few moments Gunnery Sergeant Dagenhart appeared. I was instantly struck by the disparity in age between him and the twenty men forming his patrol. Dagenhart was 35 years old, with almost 15 years in the Marine Corps (the oldest soldier I would meet in the platoon was just 23). The human math was straightforward—by itself, Dagenhart’s decade-and-a-half would probably have entitled him to a modicum of respect from his men; but his extra years were “Marine years” during which he had grown to maturity inside the Corps and had repeatedly solved problems and processed experiences which many of his men were now encountering for the first time. The age disparity was an abyss, a thing that would prevent the Gunnery Sergeant’s men from considering him as only a peer; compared with this, rank was a mere formality. Different men would emphasize different reasons for confidence in Dagenhart, but all comments shared one aspect: a heartfelt conviction that the odds of returning home unscathed would be considerably improved by carefully listening to the Gunnery Sergeant’s instructions, closely observing his “style,” and vetting his anecdotes of past deployments for lessons in survival, comfort and pain-avoidance.

I, too, observed Dagenhart closely. His erect posture and determined gait, while “military,” was not overdone and he moved comfortably. Despite the mud from recent rains, the degraded quarters (we lived in the shells of barracks once used by Saddam’s sons to train dissident Iranians during the Iran-Iraq War), his uniform was clean and neat and his boots brushed; his accoutrements were in order, adjusted and fitting well; his weapon was slung correctly, his goggles perfectly centered on his helmet. This might suggest a parade soldier; but I came to know this man as a fighter and no martinet; quite the contrary—Dagenhart’s neatness, cleanliness, and the need to be properly accoutered satisfied something more than a personal predilection—he must dress, stay clean and be properly equipped for the entire company, that no man in his command could have any excuse (other than his own shortcomings) for not appearing precisely the same. If the “Gunny” can do it, they can do it—which is why the Gunny must do it. As Lt. William Joseph Hardee wrote in 1855 in Rifle and Light Infantry Tactics, the standard tactical manual used by both sides during the Civil War, “A non-commissioned officer should be always observable from his bearing, cleanliness and attention to the details of duty, and all the qualifications which go to make up a good soldier.”

What invested Gunnery Sergeant Dagenhart with an exemplar’s authority was that unlike the officers, he shared living quarters with his men. When I followed him as he collected his patrol I was invited to enter the “hooch”—Marine Corps’ slang for quarters. Compared with my own miserable quarters made more so by the recent weather, entering 2nd Platoon’s hooch was like walking into a cocoon. It was warm inside, by bodies living closely as much as by any heat source; the light was soft, enough to read but no glare. As soon as Dagenhart enters, the blaring rock music was turned off, and faces previously buried in magazines, staring at photographs or reading letters now upturned and brightened. “Waz’up Gunny Sergeant?” was heard, casually yet somehow not casual. Dagenhart answered amiably but his remarks—a weather report, details on the patrol, and the delegation of work assignments—was listened to with an earnestness that perhaps many of these recent teenagers had not experienced before enlisting. He paused for the few moments he knew it would take his men to rise from their sacks and gather around him. He announced that the weather would be cool but no rain; the patrol would depart at 17:00 and return—maybe (and as the Gunnery lingers on the word ‘maybe’ his men wearily nod)—by midnight. Their job will be one that they’ve performed a hundred times before but can never be routine. “Tonight’s mission,” he informs his men in a matter-of-fact voice, “is MSR security. We’ll be patrolling MSR Michigan between here and Abu Ghraib to insure that no IEDs or insurgents will attack US or Coalition forces or Iraqi civilians.” His voice contained a hint of some distant solemnity which struck me as entirely appropriate—nearly 80 percent of U.S. casualties have resulted from IEDs, usually concealed by the roads and intended to blow passing patrols into eternity.

Required Skills—In Part

Established in 1898, the rank of Gunnery Sergeant dates from a time when half the Marine Corps was permanently deployed aboard ships; according to one history, a Gunny “denoted a shipboard sergeant proficient in small arms, signaling and naval gunnery.” This specialization simply reflected technological advances in warfare; soon, Gunnery Sergeants were overseeing electric mines, and electronic signaling including radio and telephone operations. Yet during this period of increasing specialization, it was understood that the Gunnery Sergeant would maintain some combat-technology expertise (often ordnance) while leading other men, as opposed to becoming a specialist working alone. Indeed, to prevent misuse of Gunnery Sergeants, it was decreed during the 1920s that they were prohibited from duty solely “as clerks, orderlies, chauffeurs, or any type of duty connected with messes, commissaries, post exchanges, guards or police.”

The extent of Gunnery Sergeant Dagenhart’s required skills was apparent in the configuration of the Humvees lined up for our patrol. Every vehicle had a rooftop turret; behind three of these bristled .50 caliber machine guns; two vehicles boasted the clumsy looking but lethally accurate turret-mounted TOW (Tube Launched, Optically Tracked Wire Guided) missiles. In the trunk of one vehicle was a M136 AT4 recoilless rifle (an anti-armor weapon). Moreover, because this was a night patrol, Dagenhart’s skill with NVD equipment (night vision detection) and interpreting the Blue Screen—a GPS informed visual communications system that provided real-time readouts of current location, friendly forces and bases—would be especially critical, to avoid both wrong roads as well as the dreaded “Blue-on-Blue” incidents (friendly fire). Dagenhart’s familiarity with these systems was displayed as he supervised—from memory—his men in checking fuel, ammunition, batteries, radios, and weapons’ systems; ascertaining that every vehicle had ample supplies of food, water and first aid; that all weapons were disarmed until exiting the camp, and a hundred other items that must be on hand, or stowed, or left behind.

All of these were the skills required mostly for operating, maintaining, or bringing “things.” Yet even now, within the (relative) safety of Camp Fallujah, just before Dagenhart gave the order to “Mount Up!” there were hints of other required skills, born of some mysterious combination of constant training, long-honed instincts and simple luck. As I climbed into my assigned vehicle, I noticed a sign posted on the rear of one Humvee, which declared in English and Arabic: “STAY BACK 50M OR YOU WILL BE SHOT!”

Ellie

[thedrifter]

Letters From the Front
Fox News
Monday, December 12, 2005

1st Lt. Brian Donlon granted FOX Fan permission to publish letters he sends home to family and friends as he serves the United States of America overseas in Iraq.

December 10, 2005

Just wanted to give you a heads up that I got hit on the 8th. Had an RPK (Kalashnikov light machine gun) in a combined ambush punch a round through my right quad. I will be off crutches in about five days and back with my guys in about seven or eight. I am recuperating with my Company back at Baharia in the meantime.

— 1st Lt. Brian Donlon


November 5, 2005

To All:

Letters will probably not follow each other so quickly, but things here have finally slowed down. Between acquainting ourselves to this area of operation, the October 15th referendum, and the heightened insurgent activity during Ramadan, October was a very difficult month.

Living conditions here are good. We live at an abandoned Baathist lakeside resort and the Marines have about five men to a cottage. Chow is good and mail comes regularly. Packages tend to get here in 5-10 days, while oddly, letters take about two weeks or more. "Moto-Mail" — e-mails sent and then printed out — come within 24 hours and are a real blessing, keeping everyone in tune with events at home.

The weather here has changed from very hot to quite cool. When we first arrived, temperatures were routinely over 100 degrees. Much has been said of the heat over here, but suffice it to say that once inside an armored HMMWV, sitting in full body armor, windows closed and the heat of the transmission beside your leg, you feel a bit like a chicken in a rotisserie. Goggles fog up, your weapon becomes hot to the touch and you long for even the slightest breeze. The first month in country, the sweetest part of every day was when I re-entered friendly lines late at night, opened my window and felt relief from air that was merely in the upper 90s. Temperatures now are in the low 50s at night and the mid 70s at noon. This would be welcome weather but with it has come with sandstorms, occasional rain and a bitter wind that makes everything feel much colder.

The terrain varies greatly, from sparse desert sands to thick palm groves along ancient canals. War has made its mark here. It is like visiting a Civil War battlefield a year, rather than a century, after the final shot was fired. One is constantly reminded of the timelessness of this place. One morning, while watching a road from atop a hill of deep silt, I chanced upon the site of an abandoned archaeological dig. Foundations of small houses, the remains of a well, the worn stone of a pathway, all that remained of those who were here two hundred or two thousand years ago. Other times, we find dilapidated British Enfield rifles and German Mauser rifles, manufactured in Iran, some carrying ammunition bearing a stamp of 1938 with Nazi eagle and swastika on the brass, reminders that we are not the first between the Tigris and Euphrates.

This fight is a difficult one. The challenge is that the war is truly about winning the hearts and minds of the Iraqi people. Fallujah is strategic both geographically and politically. Located east of the intersection of the main road to Syria and the main road to Jordan, Fallujah is the last stop before Baghdad. For the foreign fighter, this is a path of choice. Here, despite fatuous claims of a great bloodletting of American warriors, the Muj lost the battle last year with the spectacularly poor results of every conventional stand against our forces. For these reasons, there is a concerted effort to retain or regain, respectively, control of this area and its population.

Some days our lives are like that of a police officer, other days that of an aid worker, and others as killers seeking a single target. This constant change of context is not easy. Mistakes and happenstance cause damage quickly; the second and third order effects of each error engendering a negative perception. War is not scrupulous in who suffers. I met a boy who was shot through the knee while asleep on a summer night last year, innocent victim to a gun battle two miles distant between a convoy and the Muj. Another time, we watched an Iraqi vehicle inexplicably careen out of control at high speed, flipping several times. Rushing to the scene, we pulled the man from his vehicle, provided first aid and summoned the police. As we helped this man, accusing eyes peered from every car that passed, blaming us, guilty by association with this accident.

The simplest human emotional response to such events is expression of pity, sorrow and ultimately, resignation to frustrated surrender. It is just such a reaction that the insurgents anticipate and exploit. My Marines have to remain constant professionals, controlling their emotions, managing fear, anger, pity, and boredom; often choosing to kill or not to kill at 60 MPH at night from the turret of a HMMWV. This is an incredibly cerebral battle. It is not easy, especially with little sleep and the exhausting day-in, day-out slog of work, to reason through it all. Absolutes do not work. You can neither sympathetically drop all guards nor angrily point guns in every face. Every Marine must be ready to be a "Good Cop" or "Bad Cop" at the drop of a hat. Against this, conventional warfare, for all its complexity of maneuver and firepower, seems so much simpler. In a conventional war you can give truth to Tacitus's maxim that Roman conquerors would "make a desert and call it a peace." The existence of a front and a rear, clear enemies, straightforward goals and simple rules make a conventional war checkers to this game of chess we play. I am sure I have said nothing new here, but I believe these challenges bear repeating because despite all we face, my Marines have performed marvelously. Two noteworthy examples I want to share:

Corporal Derek Burchfield from Tennessee was in the truck with Sergeant Adams when he was killed on October 15. A week later, Corporal Burchfield was attacked again, this time when his vehicle ran over a mine. The armored HMMWV saved his life, but he was wounded in the right leg. Knowing he was hit, he nonetheless continued to lead his Marines, refusing medical attention, hobbling around the wreckage setting security. He did not accept medical attention until I arrived and took command of the scene. Two days later, he begged me to be included in an operation to catch an IED triggerman and off he limped after the enemy.

One of the biggest challenges we have here is the wear and tear on the HMMWVs, exacerbated by constant use and the added weight of armor. Without the vehicles my platoon cannot accomplish its mission. Over the last month, three of my Marines, Sergeant Matthew Fontenot from Louisiana, Corporal Markoe Beachley from Maryland and Corporal Justin Wess from Ohio have worked in their off hours, often through the night between back-to-back patrols, to keep the trucks running. They have learned on the job to rebuild transmissions, replace half shafts, suspensions, alternators and through a myriad of repairs build a "Monster Garage" of vehicles that often resemble a scene from "Mad Max." Without their work, the platoon would have failed in its mission long before now.

I share these stories for two reasons: First, to show the inspiration that these men give me daily. Heroes like these keep me in the fight. They humble me to do my job with the same passion that they do theirs. Second, because the underlying theme I see in my Marines is that of tenacity. It is this same trait that we seek to articulate to both civilian and insurgent through our words and actions. The message is simple: attack us, wound us, kill us, blow up our trucks — we will keep coming back and will only leave when we choose to. The day Sergeant Adams was killed the platoon was spread over some miles distance. Hearing of his death, I ordered a link-up and we immediately drove back into the area of the ambush. In the final minutes of his life, as he was evacuated, Iraqis along the little dirt road through the palm grove had laughingly mocked the speeding convoy. That afternoon, the second time we left, no laughing was heard behind us but many tears, and three of those involved in his death rode as prisoners in the back of our trucks.

In light of what I continue to see here, I cannot help but find relevance in Winston Churchill's comments about the battle of Gallipoli many years after World War I had ended and the battle, his inspired brainchild, was deemed an utter failure: "Searching my heart, I cannot regret the effort. It was good to go as far as we did. Not to persevere — that was the crime."

All right, enough from me. God Bless, and thanks for keeping me in your thoughts and prayers. For all those who have written me: I will try to communicate with you more regularly. Thanks again for all your support. I could accomplish nothing without your support.

— 1st Lt. Brian Donlon

October 1, 2005

To All:

I write this letter after a little over a month operating in and around the city of Fallujah. I am sorry I could not write sooner but communication is much more restrictive and the days much longer than on my last deployment. I get to the Internet and a phone maybe once a week. I am lucky, as some here only communicate with home once a month. We routinely work 18-20 hour days so time is an extremely valuable commodity.

This is the third time I have attempted to put pen to paper. At first, I couldn't find the time to sit and write. Then, in my second attempt, I struggled to coherently piece together all the events which had occurred in so short a space of time. I wrote a letter I never sent on October 13th, a few days before the constitutional referendum. Looking back, I am thankful I never sent it because frankly, I didn't know what I was talking about and it was all pretty much a collection of vain-eloquent tripe.

On October 15th, my platoon sergeant was killed by a roadside bomb while conducting security between two polling sites. His name was Sergeant Mark Adams and he was from Raleigh, North Carolina. He was 24 years old and was without a doubt the best sergeant I have ever worked with and the best platoon sergeant I have ever had. For those who know, I arrived in country with about 80 Marines. Realizing the extremely high operational tempo here, we split the platoon and spread the leadership across the board. I chose Sergeant Adams as my Platoon Sergeant because I knew he was an exceptional leader of Marines. I would like to share a few things about him:

Sergeant Adams left the Marine Corps a little over a year ago, completing his four years of service and attending NC State. At some point in his second semester he realized how disconnected he truly was from his college peers. He realized that he still aspired to lead Marines in combat. Sending off his sons to the trenches of World War I, Teddy Roosevelt advised his young namesake on the eve of departure that "it is best to satisfy the heart's desire, and then abide the fall of the dice of destiny." I cannot think of a quote that better describes Sergeant Adams. Many fear a draft, complain of constant deployments, or begrudge the recall of our reservists, National Guard and inactive ready reserve. The only recall Sergeant Adams answered was the recall inside his own heart.

The first time I met him was early in the summer when he showed up with long hair, dressed like a frat boy with that casual, carefree attitude of the happy times when life lacks tangible consequences. Within a minute, he turned serious and said that he wanted "to get into the fight." After lunch and an hour's conversation, I was convinced that his words were not idly spoken, and that he was perfectly suited to lead men into harm's way. Sergeant Adams was the kind of non-commissioned officer that makes the Marine Corps what it is. He led by example, was firm but fair, knew and loved his men dearly, and was absolutely selfless. His loss was like the loss of a limb to me, and like the loss of an older brother to my platoon. Sergeant Adams was killed while leading from the most dangerous place, from a place where he was not required to be as platoon sergeant. He died leading from the turret of a HMMWV (High-Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle) so that a tired machine-gunner could rest.

Some would argue that Sergeant Adam's life was not worth what we are doing here. Some would say that the constitutional referendum and the democratization of this country are not worth the life of one American. These accusations dishonor Sergeant Adams and cheapen his sacrifice. I will not pretend to speak for his family, their burden is one to which I can never give adequate words. I will speak though for myself and my Marines. Knowing the kind of man that he was, our hearts thunder inside us, telling us that if he had to die, Sergeant Adams died as he would have chosen, leading from the front, from the most dangerous place, from what is called the "cone of aimed fire." In other words, where the mujahideen are trying their very hardest to kill you.

In the last conversation I had with him, looking over a map, discussing the area he would enter the next day, he became adamant that he was tired of being afraid of the enemy, he was tired of walking on tender feet:

"We're Marines, sir. Fifty years ago we beat a better-trained, better-equipped enemy without armored HMMWVs and body armor. We can take these guys. We gotta get after these guys, gotta hunt them down where they live. We can beat them. We can't try to avoid them."

I'm not sure what I meant to accomplish by this letter. I am not trying to inflate my experience or claim it is unique -- here death is common for both Iraqis and Americans. Many of my peers have suffered greater losses than I. I'm not sure if I write tonight for myself, for you all, or for Sergeant Adams. I guess I write because watching a BBC broadcast I heard that "only five people died yesterday" to give the Iraqi people the right to vote. As I sat in my chair, a chill passed over me, "only" seeming particularly sharp and hollow in the description of so valorous a loss of life. I guess I wanted you all, my friends and family, to know a bit about one of these men of honor, to know that for all the numerical reckoning of a "quagmire" and rumors of "low morale," that the man I knew, respected and loved, died a hero in my eyes because he fought here only because he knew it was the right thing to do. Sometimes your heart tells you what is right, sometimes a voice speaks inside and guides you, despite all the eloquent conjecture of every panel of second-guessers, arm-chair quarterbacks and purported experts, Shakespeare's "one ten thousand of those men…who do no work today." I will never forget Sergeant Adams' willingness to leave all the comforts we take for granted, those simple pleasures he already so richly deserved for his service. His willingness to enter the fray with full knowledge of the potential costs, to gamble all, to hold nothing back, will stay with me the rest of my life.

God bless and thank you for all your thoughts and prayers.

— 1st Lt. Brian Donlon

Ellie

[thedrifter]

Letter From A Battlefield Hospital

Received this letter via COL (ret) Joel Leson. It's a must read. LTC Barnes is someone you should know:

Letter From A Battlefield Hospital, Scott D. Barnes, LTC, MC, USA

Date: Tuesday, 13 December, 2005 17:42

Well, as promised, with this letter I have kept my commitment to do better in keeping you informed of what I was doing over here in Iraq. Since I had only sent one letter previously, with this update I have doubled my correspondence. Again, if there is anyone else you think would want to get a copy of this letter, please feel free to pass it along.

I had every intention of trying to get this out just around Thanksgiving but very soon after that holiday, things seemed to pick up at work and I have just been trying to keep pace with the influx.

November has been an interesting month. Certainly not as busy as October but patients would come more in waves than a steady stream. During the month of October, the 86th Combat Support Hospital (CSH) was the 3rd busiest trauma center in the world! You read that correctly, only the trauma centers in Miami and Los Angeles did more work that we did. Just think of all the trauma hospitals in New York, Chicago, Baltimore, Dallas, Philadelphia, Washington DC, and those in Europe, Asia, and Central/South America.most of which have 5-10 times the number of staff which we have here. It's amazing what you can get done when you eliminate the burdensome task of JCAHO (hospital regulating organization) and the exponentially expanding administrative tasks that have grown like Kudzu (weed that has overtaken much of the highways in the southeaster US) as they choke off efficient patient care. That and the fact that if you work 24 hours a day and live in the hospital while being locked down to about two square blocks seem to help us see more patients...

...This is medical and surgical care practiced the way that many doctors dream. You see problems, diagnose the condition, quickly plan the operation, and you just do it. Patients don't wait, doctors don't wait, OR staff doesn't wait.it is amazing! We all love it and if it weren't for missing our families or dealing with the occasional rocket and mortar attack, most of us would not want to leave.

I have had the privilege of being adopted by the neuro team. We have world class care here. COL Ecklund is the chief of the neurosurgery program at Walter Reed, COL Ling is the only neuro-intensivist in the entire department of defense (he actually works at Johns Hopkins neurosurgical ICU teaching most of the military's critical care and neurology residents as they rotate through), and COL Mork is the anesthesiologist dedicated to the neurosurgical cases. As a number of head injuries involve eye injuries, it is a somewhat natural pairing. This has afforded me an incredible opportunity to be involved in quite a number of neurosurgical cases. COL Ecklund has shown me how to drill some burr holes in the skull and screw on plates to hold the bones after the case as well as closing up the scalp incisions over the craniotomy at the conclusion of the case. I can operate on the eyeball and use suture much finer than human hair.but to be a surgical assist to such a master as COL Ecklund has been inspiring. These soldiers, civilians, and even prisoners have no idea how fortunate they are to have such skilled hands at work in their case.

The integration of the whole team approach is one of the greatest factors in settings this experience apart.within minutes of a patient hitting the doors of the emergency room you have a general surgeon, neurosurgeon, oral-maxillo-facial surgeon, urologist, orthopedic surgeon, and an eye surgeon all examining and conferring on the way to best care for a patient. The nursing staff, the OR staff, the radiology techs.everything.it all just appears. Sort of like magic.a couple of doctors get called, word starts to get out and the machine starts working. The medics start drawing blood, the radiology techs arrive and start shooting pictures, the administrative personnel (yes we do have some!) start preparing the necessary paperwork, the anesthesia providers coming around like all of the other doctors, blood products from the blood bank starts to appear, and often the chaplain arrives. It really is beautiful to watch if you have a chance to sit back and really see what is going on.

Too often we don't see it because we are knees deep into the moment. We need to be reminded by those outside. Last month, the commander of one of the MP brigades asked to have a service for the OR/ER personnel that have meant so much to this unit over the duration of their deployment. This unit had been hit so hard week after week. Almost 40% of their members have been impacted by injuries. They had been such frequent fliers that we have become brothers in this struggle; the unit commander and sergeant major often join us in the operating room as we work on their men. This closeness and unity of purpose is not commonly seen between the medical corps (docs and the like) and the line units (real soldiers).but in this setting we are brothers. These line units no longer see us as detached, primadonnas who sit in a luxury white hospital while they train in the mud and dirt.they see us in our environment and see the same faces when they come in on Monday morning as when they come in at midnight on Tuesday and again on Thursday night. They ask if we ever get any sleep and how we can keep going.my answer is always the same, "Sergeant, when you are on combat operations, when was the last time you slept and how do you keep going?"

When the unit Sergeant Major told me that they do it because they don't want to let down their buddy next to them because he is depending on that help and they do it because they know that if they get hurt, they feel sure that the medical machine will not let them down. I told him our answer was similar for how we can operate the way we do.I don't want to let down my neurosurgeon or my general surgeon who depend on me for helping with the eyes (a lot of the neurologic function in an unconscious patient comes from the eye exam and in a severely traumatized eye that can be difficult to asses even for an eye surgeon) and I don't want to let down that soldier who puts his life on the line in part because he put his faith in our ability to put him together if he gets broken.

We work two sides of the same street but when we meet it is under the most difficult circumstances. When those young MPs roll in after having been torn up by IEDs (improvised explosive devices) and their lives are in the balance the family pulls together. The unit leaders come into the OR and the jobs are less defined.you just look for something that needs to be done and you do it. One young sergeant was badly broken and rushed to the OR. The IED had done its intended job and shredded this courageous American everywhere that wasn't covered by body armor. He was dying, but we weren't going to let him go without a fight. He had no immediate eye injury, so I just went to work getting the blood and hanging it on the infusers since those that usually do this were otherwise occupied. We kept pouring unit after unit into him but he was loosing it as quickly as we were able to get it in. The trauma surgeon and the vascular surgeon cracked his chest and started going after his injuries to try to stop the hemorrhaging. His heart stopped a number of times. The trauma surgeon held his heart and kept squeezing to aid in circulation while the anesthesiologists were infusing the medications needed to restart the heart. The two unit commanders were right there voicing their support and praying as they were watching the team. Two major injuries were found in the carotid and subclavian artery but too much damage had been done too much blood had been lost, and too much time had passed before his injuries could be repaired. We went through 45 units of blood. His heart stopped 7 times and we were able to restart it 6 times. When it became clear that we would not win this battle and that this young sergeant had gone into that good night, we turned off the machines and monitors, the chaplain stepped forward, and the unit commanders, nurses and doctors closed into a circle and we asked for the Lord's mercy on his soul and for God's peace with the family that will soon find out what we already know. This hero paid the ultimate price while doing his country's bidding.

I walked out onto the hospital roof which has been my refuge after such cases. I usually stay closer to some cover because I don't want to give snipers any target practice but this time I went over to hang over the rail looking down into the parking lot/patient receiving area. This is where the men usually gather to wait for news on what happened to their buddies (we don't have a waiting room). I will never forget what I saw there.for the strength of the emotion but also because I have seen it now too many times. About 30 soldiers hanging out in various groups, some talking, some joking, some smoking, some tossing a football, some catching a few winks.but just doing what waiting soldier do. LTC T (their commander) walked out to the group who immediately jumped up and gathered around the boss. I couldn't hear what was said from the roof, but I knew that commander had a difficult message to deliver. I didn't have to hear the words, these warriors' actions said it all.some just there motionless, some grabbed their buddies and just let the tears run down their dirt-stained faces, others unable to contain their anger, went to find a wall and began hitting it. The commander and sergeant major moved through their guys, reaching out to each one with a hug or supportive arm. Sometimes I can put all the damage and suffering behind me; my years in medicine have introduced me to death and in some ways I can detach myself. But to see this effect on his brothers in arms, transformed my previously detached self and turned on my humanity. In the ER and the OR, I can be the professional doctor.but on the roof, I become a human again. Under the cover of darkness I feel the pain of what I've seen.

Once the sergeant's body was prepared, his fellow soldiers came through and paid their last respects. This will always be the hardest part of my time here.to see these rough men break down at the sight of their fallen comrade. These leaders and subordinates file past their brother, touching him and paying their respects, shedding their tears, hugging their surviving brothers.then in a most amazing display of professionalism, they wipe their tears, put on their gear, and walk out of the hospital back to their unit and start their patrols all over again.

So the Sergeant Major asks how can we go without sleep and how can we operate for hours at a time. After seeing the heart of his soldiers, how can we not?

Under His Omnipotence,

Scott

Scott D. Barnes
LTC, MC, USA
Theater Ophthalmology Consultant
10th Combat Support Hospital, Baghdad

[thedrifter]

THE PROUD IRAQI PEOPLE

From Capt B's Blog

Iraqis have begun going to the polls to vote for the first permanent Iraqi parliament since the fall of Saddam Hussein. As many as 10 million people are expected to cast ballots in the historic election. Violence was reported almost as soon as the polls opened -- a roadside bomb went off in Ramadi, and another blast was reported in Baghdad. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.-CNN

Despite CNN's Anderson Cooper reporting from "Ramadi" (BORRRING) and additional reporting from CNN above, voting here and around Iraq has been conducted flawlessly. In the insert above they report all the negative they can possibly muster with "a road side bomb went off in Ramadi" Yea, no kidding rocket scientist, it was one of many IEDs in Ramadi that went off today which is a daily event that happens in this area. They should move around in the streets and they will probably hear sniper fire as well. What else they didn't report as that when those IEDs went off the Iraqi people in line waiting to vote didn't budge or flee. It's very sad that they have to try to highlight any miniscule possible negative activity about the work your Marines and Soldiers are doing while your service members continue to risk their lives to make things happen for Iraq. Anderson Cooper was in a voting facility in Ramadi interviewing Iraqi citizens and appeared to be in the way, blocking the voters from trying to submit their votes while he did his report. CNN reporter says: Well bob it looks like this thing is going to happen pretty smoothly, Yes it does Anderson but lets sabotage this polling site and we can be the first on the scene to report the deficiencies in the American forces……sounds good……...praise Allah!

The villages and polling areas were basically locked down and denied and vehicular travel to eliminate and chance of SBVIEDs (Suicide Born Vehicle Improvised Explosive Devices, aka 20 arty shells in a car trunk). In many locations medal detectors outlined entry ways to voting sites and Iraqi soldiers provided security with US forces reinforcing them. As the picture shows in this post taken in Husaybah, the Iraqi people are voting! This is a major slap in the face for the insurgency. Although it didn't start today it actually began back in with the successful elections in Oct. This is where a major blow was dealt to the insurgency and their overall demise began to show. Like back in Oct, today proved that although still scared, the Iraqi people were fed up with the insurgent intimidation and wanted a change. Now, in Dec the Iraqi Army successfully voted yesterday and today the entire country was able to vote freely and without intimidation.

From the insurgency view, America has not only won the fight in the street but now it has pretty much won the Iraqi people over as well. Insurgents can't stand to see Iraq become independent and grow. The mere fact that men, women and Iraqi soldiers are voting means the insurgency is on its way out, it reinforces the beginning of their end for the insurgency. We see people coming freely to the voting sites, we see a different Iraqi, one who wants a change and is doing their part to make it happen. Today was a huge turning point for Iraq as a free country and rightfully proves that the democrats back in the states missed the mark and are dead wrong. They defiantly don't "Get it". To follow their plan and pull out US forces when they initially wanted to would have prevented today from happening like it did quiet, without injury and successful. Iraq is becoming free and independent through democracy!

Along with the Iraqi people, I would dedicate the success of today to all of the fallen servicemembers. For their service & sacrifice has made today possible. They will never be forgotten!

NO **** NEWS

Iraqi Security and Coalition Forces helped pave the way for hundreds of thousands of Iraqi citizens in Al Anbar Province to vote in today's National Parliamentary Elections.

Voter turnout was robust throughout the province, with preliminary reports indicating that a far higher percentage of the predominantly Sunni population participated in today's elections than did in October's Constitutional Referendum. Overall, there were few security incidents reported in the Province, and the murder and intimidation campaign that kept many people from the polls during previous votes never materialized.

"Today's vote exceeded all expectations," said Assistant Division Commander, Brig. Gen. James L. Williams. "What we saw today was the result of months of hard work by the Iraqi government, the US Ambassador and his staff, the international community, particularly the IECI and Iraqi and Coalition Forces. Most of all, it clearly demonstrates the resolve of the local Iraqi people to take their rightful place in the democratic process."

In the provincial capital of Ramadi, where only several thousand citizens took part in the Referendum, tens of thousands of voters lined the streets to vote today. Residents were observed dancing, singing and waving the Iraqi flag in a rare display of national pride. Members of both the Iraqi Army and the Iraqi Police provided security throughout the city while Coalition Forces remained largely on the outskirts in the event they were needed for an emergency. It is still too early to tell what percentage of voters in the city actually voted, but the numbers are expected to be much higher than they were during the Referendum.

In Fallujah, where an estimated 90% of voters participated in October's Referendum, voter turnout in today's elections was similarly high. As in Ramadi, Coalition Forces turned over much of the responsibilities for securing the vote to Iraqi Security Forces. In Karmah, on the outskirts of Fallujah, a polling site that was bombed by insurgents yesterday was quickly repaired and operational by the time the polls opened today. There were no casualties reported in the incident.

Elsewhere in the province, in cities like Husaybah, Karabilah and Ubaydi, voter turnout was steady throughout the day. Until a few weeks ago, this area near the Syrian border was largely under the influence of al Qaeda in Iraq-led insurgents. Recent Iraqi and Coalition operations such as Steel Curtain and Iron Fist were instrumental in clearing these cities of insurgent fighters. The permanent security presence left behind in this region is seen as a crucial step towards preventing insurgents from establishing a stronghold in the area again.

"No one can look at what happened in Al Anbar today and still deny progress is being made," said Williams. "Overall, attacks against local citizens and Iraqi and Coalition Forces are down, voter turnout is much higher than before and the people are finally beginning to see the fruitlessness of supporting the insurgency. Credit has to also be given to the bravery of Governor Ma'moun, Governor of Al-Anbar Province, to encourage his Sunni population to vote through their tribal leaders' encouragement. While we still have a long way to go, we have made remarkable strides since last January's elections, and now have the potential to establish a real measure of order and security in the Province."

posted by Capt B at 5:48 AM

[thedrifter]

THE HOLIDAY SEASON

Capt B's Blog

I finally get a break from the shopping! We have been running around every mall crowded people everywhere trying to find that particular gift. This place is really crowded. Now we are finished, can we relax now? Are we done shopping for the day? If I have to play lead blocker through the mall anymore or sit outside another dressing room Im gonna die. No puke, no puke then die. We will probably go out to dinner tonight get some chow maybe go for a walk. I sit here and can smell the new Christmas tree, so fresh and nice, with white lights and all kinds of cherished ornaments on it which we have been keeping for sometime. Tada the tree is done, another master piece! Ok not by me but I supplied plenty of support and encouragement. The weather is nice and holiday spirit is everywhere. These bowls of candy around the house are going to turn me into a big fat a$$, its ok I’ll go a little further next time I run. We head out for dinner, to the local steak house. The chow is awesome, holiday music on the radio, friends and conversations are better and its so good to see everyone and they all look great. We get done with a great dinner and head for the house and its suggested we go check out the Christmas lights around the neighborhood. We all pack in a couple cars and head out in the December chill. They are lights everywhere. Are we driving through the International Christmas Light Contest neighborhood? That deer made out of sticks just turned its head and winked at me. These guys aren’t messing around. Flashing houses, bright trees and perfect Christmas trees showing through house windows. Its getting late and we decide to head home. We get a nice pot of coffee on and the house is filled with smells of the holiday as music echoes through the house. There is that dang bowl of candy again………I trouble shoot a string of lights on the tree that has been kicking my butt and on then off then they come back on. It’s the end of another fine day and I think how lucky I am to be here with friends and family.

I take a walk outside to check out the weather as it starts to rain, this is the first rain Ive seen for a year here as it turns to hail. Im not at home anymore Im here still in Iraq, with a different family, the Marine family. Another milestone has been achieved and the elections are a success. A country is in motion with democracy and freedom and the last years work is paying off although we have paid a price. There are no lights here except for the few strings Marines have put up from care packages, and the occasional illume artillery round fired in the night sky. I guess there is a special glow from the chemlights that line the walkway but they defiantly aren’t the holiday type. There are no crowds except for the locals on the street in the city and they aren’t shopping. The IEDs and other explosions echo though the area now days. Im not sure if it’s the cloud cover or what but now when there is an explosion it echoes through the area for a few seconds unlike before. Counter battery rings out and dang that first one always gets ya, at least I wasn’t in the head this time. Sporadic fighting continues around the area but nothing crazy. Marine’s morale is high and everyone has accepted the fact that this is the only family they will be sharing the holiday with and actually that’s not a bad thing. You could say it doesn’t bother you to be away from home on the holidays……. you could say you’re a liar too. However, we are a disciplined force and know we have an important job to do. That job requires discipline, commitment and sacrifice. Sacrifice in the hundreds to those who won’t ever go home, ever. Where ever there is injustice in the world we will go there. Wherever there is an evil dictator killing his own people, we will go there. Why? Because as US Marines that’s our job and that’s what Marines have been doing for over two hundred years. We will fight our nation’s battles in any climb and place and anytime of the year. That young Marine standing post in the chilly desert night knows it’s the holiday season as does that young Marine who is on his second dozen convoy mission through the worse area in Iraq. The Soldier on a lonely checkpoint out in the middle of nowhere with nothing but his team and gun truck, they know it’s the holiday season too. The tanker, the pilot the warrior. They all know it’s better to give than to receive. A simple concept that they and their buddy’s have proven with blood and sweat. A simple concept that many “Don’t get”.

We are a proud military, a volunteer military who take pride in what we do for a nation that is great. This holiday season, cherish what is yours, smell the trees, have fun with family, take walks, have some egg nog and a stoag for us and enjoy your holidays. Although we had rather be home, know that we will finish what needs to be done and you can rest in peace, your Marines are on guard this holiday season.

Merry Christmas & Semper Fidelis

Capt B

[thedrifter]

Purple passions
By Oliver North
December 18, 2005

RAMADI, Iraq.

The defeatists back home didn't think it could be done. But today, the Iraqi people, only recently liberated from a repressive dictatorship, held their third election in a year.

After first choosing a transitional government in January, they returned to the polls in October to approve a constitution. In both cases, they turned out in great numbers under the threat of violence. Today, millions of those same Iraqi citizens trekked to one of thousands of polling places around the country to vote for candidates that will form a 275-member National Assembly, which will take office on Dec. 31.

On Election Day, I was with the Marines of 3/7, atop an outpost in one of the most vicious neighborhoods in this very violent city of Ramadi. It was once a stronghold of Sunni terrorists, but thanks to these Marines, no longer is.

The election began at 7:00 a.m. with a bang, and the Marines were ready. They responded to the improvised explosive device (IED) and afterward, for a time, the streets were nearly empty. But imams, sheiks and local leaders urged people to get out and vote. The turnout was dramatic. One local imam told his followers, "God will bless you with a great life if you go out and vote." That and similar messages were broadcast from mosques all around town.

At the end of this historic day, there was not a sound of gunfire, but instead, as the polls closed, there was a call to prayer. It was even an occasion for celebration as the neighborhood children were in the streets, after dark, playing soccer with equipment given to them by American troops.

Capt. Brian Grant told me the turnout was "an overwhelming success." Indeed it was. Lines wrapped around the block and extended for hundreds of people. Ten polling places ran out of ballots and had to send for more. The safe environment provided by the Marines, with the help of Iraqi security forces and local religious leaders, gave citizens the confidence to go to the polls without worrying about their personal safety.

It is nothing short of remarkable. Because here in Ramadi, which is the capital of Iraq's largest province, and the heart of the Sunni Triangle, there has been tremendous opposition from the jihadists who did everything they could to prevent this election. In fact, in this area during the last election, less than 5 percent of the people turned out to vote.

The violence is caused mostly by the IED -- a terrible thing that remains the terrorists' weapon of choice. The Marines were confronted with several earlier in the week, but the good news is that Ramadi's security is much better today than just a few months ago when I was last here.

It is better partly because there are now many more Iraqis providing security in this area, which was not the case during my last visit to this region. In fact, only a few months ago, there were no Iraqi areas of responsibility in this city. Today, there are Iraqi Army troops operating right next to soldiers and Marines. Now, they have their own areas of operation, with some logistic support from the Americans.

As Lt. Chad Cliver told me, the Marines of 3/7 "work very closely with Iraqi Army troops as well as Iraqi police." Over the last several months, they have spent time training the Iraqis who are making a lot of progress -- so much so, Lt. Cliver says, "Before we leave here, we will have turned over most of Ramadi to the Iraqis themselves."

That kind of steady, persistent progress made by American troops over here accounted for the successful election. In the week leading up to E-Day, numerous Marines with whom I spoke expressed confidence the day would be a success.

I asked Lt. Col. Roger Turner, the commanding officer of 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines when I first arrived here, if he thought the terrorists could be held in check and the elections would actually take place. Col. Turner was confident, saying, "I think it will take place [because] the people of Ramadi very genuinely want to participate in elections." He explained the terrorists are desperately want to disrupt the day but their violent tactics are backfiring and they are being "overtaken by events and the momentum that the democratic process starts to gain here."

When Election Day was over, I asked Lance Cpl. Jeffrey Heath if the day was a success for the Marines. His reply:

"Absolutely. This is why we're here -- to help the Iraqi people gain the kind of freedoms that we take for granted back in the States."

A profound and inspiring explanation from a brave and dedicated Marine. If only the optimism so abundant here in Iraq were more prevalent in Washington.

Oliver North is a nationally syndicated columnist and the host of War Stories on the Fox News Channel.

Ellie

[thedrifter]

Marines Report on the Elections
Black Five

Received these two emails via Seamus a few days ago (couldn't post due to hosting issues). The first is from Captain Steve in Iraq. Here's part of it:

...We're hearing the same here on the ground. Even the Sunnis (who boycotted the last major election) are turning out in droves. WE ARE MAKING SUCCESS! Also, today I met a middle aged American of (I believe) Iraqi descent who has been here for a year acting as a translator for the military. He was all smiles talking about how he'd probably aged ten years in the last year working his ass off, but that today the number of Iraqis going to the polls proved it was worth it. His comment I loved the most was, "Today, democracy is perpetuating itself." Cool.

Steve

And this is from a Sergeant Major who has some concerns about the media:

...We had a little rocket fire this morning. Nothing too bad. 1 Marine was wounded. I heard the shot, the whistle and the boom. I told these guys it was incoming, but, they found out soon enough. I was watching CNN and they show you all these insurgents on the street shooting and running around. With the subtitle "election day in Iraq -- polls now open". Well the footage is over 1 year old. It is very calm here. There is sure to be a few attack but let me tell you the polling stations are packed...

Ellie

[thedrifter]

THE PRESIDENT
From Capt B's Blog
Dec. 19, 2005

The Honorable Mr Bush gave his Address the Nation speech Sunday night. It was a great speech and said what many of you are saying with one voice. In past blogs I mentioned "one person can make a difference" and many of YOU are doing that. The President apologized and took responsibility (democrats look that up it's a new word for you) and stated "It was the right thing to do" and he is right that it defiantly was the right thing to do. However I don't think he had to apologize. Lets help the left sided thumb suckers remember Sadam killing those hundreds of Kurds in his own land with a variant of mustard gas and cyanide. (Note: Mustard gas, yea its WMD.) A truly horrific, painful, slow technique used to kill people. They may not have had it when we went into Iraq but they defiantly had it before we went in as they stalled the UN inspectors to move the stuff.

No the President is right on the money with what he said Sunday night. All of the thumb suckers would be complaining right now if Sadam was still in power and had orchestrated several attacks similar to the 9/11 attack on the US. All we would be hearing is why didn't we take care of him earlier?? How could this have happened? That's the way the thumb suckers are. We do the right thing and they want the left thing.

Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) in Afghanistan have included many service members who were honorably in the military and deployed to these region to carry out the president's order. What gets me are the naysayers who went to Iraq or Afghanistan or perhaps only Kuwait and are now out of the service and bad mouthing the president and out for their gain. One for example is Tammy Duckworth, who launches her Democratic campaign for Congress today, said she would have not voted to authorize the war that cost her both of her legs and mangled her arm. Though President Bush's decision was a "bad one," the Army helicopter pilot said in an interview with the Chicago Sun-Times she was "proud to serve."

Duckworth, 37, a political rookie, faces a three-way March Democratic primary battle for the 6th Congressional District seat being vacated by Rep. Henry Hyde (R-Ill.). She is quoted saying "I think the war was a mistake," she said. "I don't think that I would have voted to go to war. I still went. I don't agree with the decision to go. But, you know, I thought it was my duty as a soldier to serve my country, and I actually volunteered to go. I was proud to serve. But, you know, I think that that decision was not a good, was a bad one."

Your duty? Ahhh here is a thought; if you don't go you are susceptible to criminal charges under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. You didn't volunteer as a National Guard helo pilot to go to Iraq when your unit is deployed. The government spent billions of dollars to train you as a pilot, your freaking going sweetheart regardless of what you "thought". I can't believe this lady and others who are crawling out of the wood work to run for diplomatic seats and other offices and bad mouth the President. So much for their professionalism.

Duckworth and many others down talk their President while they are out of the service. You didn't hear them *****ing and complaining when they were making that tax free money or living in government housing or getting all those paid holidays. "I volunteered" excuse me while I yak up my lunch. She makes it sound like she did extra curricular work for a school project and now should be elected because she's an "A" student.

Your dedicated service members here believe in what they are doing. They know what they are doing and they didn't decide to get an "A" in Social Studies and make it sound like they were seeking extra credit. Most these boys became men here being something they believe in and for something they believed in. Fighting on the ground in one capacity or another everyday while people run around and bad mouth their commander in chief and say things like "I think the war was a mistake,".

Lets look at the mistake Mrs Duckworth. A dictator leader who slaughters his own removed. The use of WMD extinguished. Thousands liberated from the communism style leadership. A government who was fronting major terrorism activities throughout the world i.e. Bin Laden. New lives established for the thousands, schools, economic improvements and the end of torture for the weak. Oh and did we mention the whole freedom & democracy thing?? OK Mrs. Duckworth you're right it was a mistake.

We still have a lot to do here in Iraq. Although the elections are over, unrest and insurgency attacks still exist. Marines and Soldiers are fighting everyday and continuing to eliminate pockets of insurgents throughout Iraq. We have made a huge gain by the recent elections where over 70% Iraqis voted. When was the last time the US had 70% of Americans vote in our own election??? Its been a long time. So I don't see this campaign a mistake. No I see America taking the fight to the enemy before they come to our shores again and murder thousands and we need your support to finish the job.

"Next week, Americans will gather to celebrate Christmas and Hanukkah. Many families will be praying for loved ones spending this season far from home - in Iraq, Afghanistan or other dangerous places. Our nation joins in those prayers. We pray for the safety and strength of our troops. We trust, with them, in a love that conquers all fear, and a light that reaches the darkest corners of the Earth. And we remember the words of the Christmas carol, written during the Civil War: "God is not dead, nor [does] He sleep; the wrong shall fail, the right prevail, with peace on Earth, good will to men." - The President

We are here doing what is right, just and true. We are making big gains in a shorter time than expected and we have reduced terrorists groups around the world. This may be One Marine's View, but it is no mistake.

Semper Fi, time for a cigar.

[thedrifter]

Report from Fallujah: Courage under fire
Marine Moms

Another email from the front (passed along by JHD), this one by a wounded Marine who provides excellent insight into the third iteration of this war as his men engage in "fighting the enemy, protecting the innocent, aiding the weak, defending one another".
To All:

I was growing concerned that the increasing tempo of operations leading to the December 15th elections would prevent me from writing home prior to this watershed event. Luckily and unluckily, events have provided a few days for me to reflect on my experiences and pen a few thoughts. For those who did not already know, I was wounded on December 8th. My platoon was protecting a logistics element inside Fallujah when we were caught in an ambush. A rocket struck my vehicle to no effect, the armor saving the two Marines inside from harm. Both walked away from the attack with just their "bells rung" and even the truck will return to duty in a few days. When the rocket hit I was outside the vehicle setting security with another Marine. We immediately came under small arms fire from a machine gun some blocks away. We were able to fight our way out of the ambush but in the process I was shot in the right thigh. I am in good physical condition, back with my platoon, just a little sore. The wound was clean, punching through my quadricep muscle without hitting femur or femoral artery. Unfortunately, I will be on crutches for at least a week before I can fully return to duty.

Recent weeks have been very successful for the Battalion. Shortly after Thanksgiving we conducted a large operation resulting in a number of enemy caches uncovered and insurgents captured. The Marines are becoming increasingly proficient in our area of operations and with the incumbent tactical success, morale is very high, even considering the Holidays. As the recent pronouncements suggest, the enemy has identified our area as a strategic focus in the coming weeks. The October 15th elections, with the exception of Sgt. Adams's death, featured almost complete calm for the city of Fallujah.

We defended a high voter turnout for both Sunni and Shia. While the vote was an overwhelming "no" to the Iraqi Constitutional referendum, largely due to Muj intimidation, so long as the populace chose to express their dissent through the democratic process and not with violence, than the election was a resounding success. I do not think that the Muj will allow December 15th to pass similarly undisturbed. Regardless, there are many signs of success here. One of the most notable is the Iraqi Army. I have operated with them and argue that the issues of administration and discipline they face are not fatal but merely endemic as in other Third World militaries I have trained beside. Not that our own military history has always enjoyed the same spirit of volunteerism, high morale, low desertion, rigid discipline and extraordinary combat efficacy as now. The Iraqi Army battalions here are very brave, almost to recklessness. They are always eager to tangle with insurgents and bring an enthusiasm for combat rivaling that of my Marines. The most valuable capability they bring though is their understanding of the cultural context of the people. Where we might search a home for hours or interact with a village for several days before we comprehend the inner workings of the village, an Iraqi Army patrol, as Iraqis, already know where to look for hidden weapons, they can quickly sift out the wheat from the chaff of information, the "head man" from the "loud mouth" and the "poor illiterate farmer" from the "local man of esteem." To best illustrate how considerable this is, allow me to explain some difficulties I routinely encounter.

Day here begins before the sun rises and after it falls. We patrol in and out of the firm base to and from our assigned sector for the day, sometimes driving with no ambient light using only night vision goggles. It's exhilarating when through my left eye I can see the green of the goggles, the sides of the roads rushing by, the infra-red headlights illuminating everything clearly for several hundred meters while through my right eye I can only see black with the roller-coaster consciousness of blindly hurtling into darkness. The adrenaline rush rivals coffee to start the day. We normally patrol to sectors of the city or surrounding countryside where recent contact has occurred or where enemy presence is suspected. Experience makes it possible to template where the enemy likes to hide equipment and munitions. Experience has also made more apparent what is normal and abnormal, a difficult feat two months ago when literally everything seemed out of the ordinary. While mistakes still occur, my Marines can now look down a stretch of road and quickly point out the one or two things that are not quite right. The one challenge that experience has not yet made us equal to is working with the Iraqi population. I cannot speak Arabic beyond a few sentences but I have learned enough of the vocabulary and gestures that I can understand what I am being told. Many of our conversations are predictable. My favorite is the "I know nothing." It goes something like this (Arabic purists please forgive, I have written these phonetically):

Me: "Salaam" (Arabic Greeting) Him: "Salaam" Me: "Shlonak" How are you). Him: "Zien" (Good) or "Mu Zien" (Bad - when they say bad they always point with their hand at our vehicles and Marines setting security around with a tone of annoyance). Me: "Wane Eish?" (Where do you live?) If he points at the ground or the area around I ask with an inquiring tone "Biet" (House), usually they point to their house.

At this point my Arabic is almost exhausted so my interpreter, by far one of the bravest man I ever met, begins a pre-planned spiel on why we are here, and exchanges pleasantries, asking about local crime and any needs of the population. We ask about crime because one "black ski mask gang", native or foreign, is like another, bouncing between "Mujahadeen" (Holy Warriors) and "Mujarem" (Criminals) as the mood suits them. The wants of the population are always one of two things, either electricity or water. Water is usually the more prevalent of the needs.

I listen politely to the requests for water, power and security and promise to do what I can to get these to him. Usually the man I am talking to thanks me (Shukran), and I say "You're Welcome" (Afwan). Pleasantries complete I ask him whether he has seen any strangers. The answer is always "No." At this point, any English speaking ability the man has immediately disappears, from "Oxford to Al Anbar" faster than 0 to 60. I then ask, "Have you heard any loud noise, seen
anyone with guns or anyone acting strangely?" The answer is always
"No" repeated multiple times, two hands waving in front of his face and head shook side to side. Usually he invokes Allah's name a few times to testify to his honesty.

My favorite trump card to play is then to ask them what they were doing yesterday (the time of the attack) and then walk them to the crater of yesterday's attack, or in some cases, the still smoking crater from that day's attack. Of course, their response, now much more vociferous in its physical emotion is still "No, I know nothing", vocabulary I have learned well, coupled with an even more strident invocation of Allah. Eventually my interpreter uses the facts in front of us to verbally persuade them to admit what they saw. For an Iraqi Army unit, quicker to scent duplicity, these interactions are immeasurably briefer and often more successful.

I do not mean to say that no Iraqis help us ever. Quite the contrary. There are those rare brave souls whose hatred for the Muj or for the situation in general, willingly step forward and help us. These men, like my interpreter, are true heroes. Usually though, most Iraqis will not assist without a relationship developed over time, trust gained by longevity and the provision of basic necessities. They do not want to risk all without demonstrated staying power and proof positive you can impact the local situation. My life was saved by one such man about a month ago.

In some cases they request the impossible but often it is easy to make changes on their level. In one instance, I visited a water starved village. After an hour of the mayor recounting the figuratively and literally "dry" history of the village, he finally explained that their water source had been stolen by a neighboring town who had tapped into the piping to increase their irrigation supply. This was an easy fix, as people usually do not say "no" when ordered by a Marine patrol to turn off their pirated water flow. The second and third order effect of such fortunate interaction is immeasurable.

With all this said, the challenge of working in the cultural context is a pleasant intellectual hurdle to overcome, possessing an intimidating and stimulating duality. Far more difficult to overcome are the daily battles my platoon contends against complacency and fear. It is easy to become complacent here. Creature comforts increase, familiarity breeds relaxed vigilance, Marines start counting down the number of days until we go home and suddenly the mistakes I mentioned earlier occur. Similarly, fear creeps into the
subconscious. The difference between Marines new in country and combat veterans is that a veteran knows that unlike film depiction, you don't see the sniper, you hear a -crack- and a Marine falls. At the moment of detonation, you don't see the IED that explodes under or beside you. You never see the dramatic blaze orange ball of flame,
just the terrifying mid-sentence thunder of the blast, the instantaneous cloud of dark smoke and the overwhelming force of the overpressure from the charge pushing through the armor and shaking your entire body. The wounded do not cry out when they get hit. It all happens too suddenly to say a word. It's this knowledge, that everything can change in less than a heartbeat that gives combat Marines a bit of an edge, a confidence tinged with alert nerves. What carries my platoon through these struggles is the courageous leadership of my Non-Commissioned Officers, my Corporals and Sergeant, hardened perfectionists.

An example of the impact and heroism that these NCOs have is Sergeant Isaac Luna of Kansas. Sgt Luna is a vehicle commander in another platoon in the Company. In the last month we have had sniper attacks on stationary units. Several have been killed and injured by this threat. A few weeks ago while operating in the city, Sergeant Luna's crew came under fire from a sniper. Private First Class Kimungu of New Hampshire was wounded across from his vehicle, the round penetrating his helmet. Though the shot was followed with a burst of small-arms fire, without a moment hesitation and with complete disregard for his own safety, Sgt Luna rushed into the open street, administering a pressure bandage to PFC Luna. Though completely exposed, Sgt Luna did not abandon his position until relieved by the platoon corpsman, HM3 Cruze from the Bronx. Throughout, Sgt Luna remained in the street, securing the wounded Marine. This courage under fire is what NCOs bring to the fight.

Examples like Sgt Luna's are important to me because they defy the alleged norm of human conduct. A recent essay I read contrasted the artwork of Mary Cassatt, glorying in simple beauty, with the more aesthetically erratic work of Joan Miro. The author sought to disprove the theory of critic Theordo Adorno that the horrors of modern war, exemplified by the Second World War, had forever thwarted the ability of art to convey the wonder of everyday human existence. This argument, carried to its logical conclusion, would point that in the face of brutality, the triumph of the human spirit over evil is now rendered impossible; that no action or expression can ever again convey humanity's finest qualities. I bring this relatively obscure argument to light because I think it is emblematic of the mindset that no good could come of what we do here. I will not lie, there are days where the things I see, the things I do, infest my heart with doubt.

No one said war was a pleasant thing. Time and time again though, it is Marines like Sgt Luna who cleanse my soul. They have seen death at its ugliest, in the face of the wrecked body of a child. They have seen their brother in arms carried away in their final moments. They have faced fatigue, fear, boredom, complacency, a lack of personal space and home-sickness. Yet for all their adolescence of years, they continue to soldier on as "warriors for the working day" with the dark humor of combat infantry. I don't know whether they understand or care about the politics of this war. I have never asked them. All I do know is that I have seen them at their best and worst, as they have me. As much as they would rather be home, enjoying Holidays with their family (for most of us this is our third Holiday season away in three years), they seemdemigods when they can see the difference they make. Whether it is fighting the enemy, protecting the innocent, aiding the weak or defending one another, they are at their highest when most directly challenged. While I cannot paint, I wish I could because in those often unheralded moments, I see something approaching the sublime, despite what all the naysayers, cynics and critics might claim.

I know this was a very long e-mail, largely because I am stuck in my "dry dock" for a few more days. To everyone thank-you for the outpouring of thoughts, prayers, letters and packages I receive. Special thanks to the citizenry of Tinley Park, Illinois, whose generous outpouring of care packages have ensured yet again a Merry Christmas for the Marines here. I will try to use the next few days to write back to those who have sent letters and e-mails. Thanks again and God Bless.

Semper Fidelis,
Brian Donlon




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