The ADVON Is Here, The ADVON Is Here!

ADVON: The Advanced Party of an Army unit that is moving from one place to another. Responsible for preparing the area, gaining information, and coordinating with the Main Body for their arrival.

In other words...the relief is finally here! Granted there are only two of them - but it is a start.

Today my counterpart and the counterpart for the supply sergeant arrived. They are tired from the trip; North Carolina to Ireland to Qatar to Iraq in the last 48 hours. Neither of these men have been to Iraq before and I am empathic to how they feel. I took pity on them and kept the first day simple; a tour, a nap, dinner, a shower, and bed. Tomorrow starts the process of briefings and handing over information.

Although our unit is still in the game until the end a lot of our focus is now on making a transition for the new unit as seamless as possible. Until the Main Body arrives we will be showing the ADVON what "right looks like" in order to set them up for success.

It's hard not to be a little excited.

25:01:07:22

300 Feet Over Baghdad

Flying Over Iraq 
Helicopter rides are cool. They just are. They’re even cooler when you are riding, doors open, and just above tree top level above the hostile territory of Baghdad.

We planned an aerial recon mission over our area of responsibility. The purpose was two fold; first to document projects and muhallas from the air. The second was to do reward ourselves for nine months of hard work.

Standing at the PZ (Pick-up Zone) thirteen of us were lined up like tourists going a trip over the Grand Canyon. We all had our cameras out and ready to go. Within minutes, two Blackhawk helicopter came thundering in to the FOB. As soon as the crew chiefs were out of the birds we were walking under the rotors, still spinning at high speed; everyone instinctively ducked walking under them.

We all found our seats and strapped in with shoulder and lap belts. Amazing how tight and uncomfortable you are willing to make yourself when you know the doors will be open. I sat in the door seat, sitting backwards in the aircraft. You would think that in a war zone there would be some type of safety briefing on what to do if fill in the blank here. Nope. Either the pilots were that confident of their flying or that confident of us not surviving a crash.

Airborne 

With a surge of power we were all pushed down in our seats and we were airborne over Baghdad. The lowest we could fly was 200 feet. The highest we ever climbed to was about 300 feet. We banked and turned, at some points we were practically on our side, looking down, instead of out over the horizon. I could feel the gravity pushing on me as we yawed to make the turn tighter. I once spent a day with Pat at Cedar Point riding roller coasters all day long. That day couldn’t touch this one.

We flew over the homes of Baghdad. Seeing it from the air provided a completely different perspective of the city. The city is alive in so many ways. Seeing the mass of humanity, six million people in all; people in their schools, at their jobs, working on their homes, driving on the roads, and shopping in the markets indicated that the Iraqi people are far from being defeated by all of the recent changes that have occurred over the past 2 ½ years. Still there are many issues that are magnified from the air; trash in open lots and lakes of sewage was worse than I expected.

Urban Sprawl 

We flew over the Tigris, a nasty confluence of sewage, petroleum run off, and river water. Fishermen, working out of small boats made what living they could from the river. We observed irrigation canals delivering life giving water to the rural farms south of the urban areas. Huge swaths of green reminded me that the land is just as alive as the city is and that agriculture is still part of the future of the country.

Over the Tigris 

The entire time we were over Baghdad we kept clicking away. We flew to BIAP to refuel. I switched seats so that I was now facing forward. This leg of the trip was spent over the IZ. We buzzed all of the landmarks; the 14th Of July Bridge, the Embassy Palace, the Saber Arch, and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The IZ looks different from the air when you can see what is behind the 20 foot concrete walls that surround every building and compound. The capitol will be beautiful some day, once all of the security barriers are removed.

Aerial Tour 

Once we were done with the tour the pilot put the foot down on the throttle and we rocketed back to the FOB. Like school children after a field trip we were all giddy and excited and ran off to download and share our pictures. It was one of the highlights of the tour. Somewhere above the day I “commanded” a Bradley in the IZ, but far below the anticipation of the last flight out of here.

28:11:26:01

Some Thoughts On The Media

I will be honest right up front. I both like and loathe the press. I like to be interviewed and I like to be on television. Conceited, I know. I am at the same time distrustful of the media.

In my life I have been interviewed for the news a handful of times. During the course of this mission alone I have been interviewed by two TV news stations before I left; once in a “live via phone” interview during the election in January; once for a couple of seconds for my favorite news program, NPR’s “Morning Edition” in February; and twice by Army Public Affairs who takes footage and then turns it into stories for hometown news media. Most of the stories had a favorable slant to them.

Not all the attention I have received has been positive. Once, I was on the receiving end of erroneous report that I assaulted a 15 year old boy during the course of an arrest at his school (for those of you who don’t know; once upon a time I was in law enforcement). Although the initial story made the front page, the retraction, once the truth was made known, was buried in the back of the paper.

In Iraq we have every medium of the press waiting for the next news story. AP, Reuters, CNN, Al Jazeera and Arab news of every type, BBC, and all the networks are represented. They all have a job to do; sell the news.

However, that isn’t exactly right. I meant to say that they have a job to do; sell cars. Sell hamburgers. Sell cola, and clothes, and beer, and all the things that keep money rolling into the station. They are all blood thirsty hounds trading horror for profit. Don’t believe me? Would you rather turn into a story of American Soldiers building a water tower for local villagers or are you more apt to pay attention to the car bomb that killed X number of military and civilian. The latter makes you stop in your tracks. After all, your friends and loved ones are here and that thought of, “oh please let me here from Rich soon,” goes through your head when you hear about another dead American.

This may be over simplified but the news is a business. The news makes it profit not from the quality of the story but from advertisers, whether they are global entities or local shops. Ratings help the advertisers decide where they are going to spend their money. Ratings are decided by the viewership. The viewers tend to be attracted to sensational stories and attractive talking heads sitting behind desks. (Maybe this is why the All Grandmother Sewing Channel failed). Therefore, the news has a requirement to get you to tune in for the news, but to also get you to stay for the commercials and print add.

I am not trying to take away from venerated reporters and exceptional journalism, but in the wake of recent integrity issues in Newsweek, the New York Times, and CBS, doesn’t this ring a little true?

The press can be positive in their stories and does not always have to use murder, explosions, and brutality to boost ratings. They also know how to tug at your emotions. In February you remember that Brian’s brother David was killed in action in Iraq. A respected military columnist, Joe Galloway, wrote about David in Stars and Stripes. The story got picked up by NBC who attended the funeral (with the permission of the family). Then with the Army’s approval and the family’s approval, Dateline NBC did a story on the two brothers. They followed Brian back to Baghdad for a follow up here at the FOB. The story will air this weekend for Memorial Day.

The press can use stories for political issues. There is a debate in Congress over the roll of women in combat. A recent web based news journal highlighted our four female machine gunners. Such an article flies in the face of the “wisdom” of Washington and can be used as, pardon the pun, ammunition. With cable networks such as CNN and FOX taking up opposite side of the political spectrum, how can we not be jaded in our opinion of honest, unbiased reporting?

I have learned to work with the press because, like I said, I like to see my face on TV. I have seen and heard the words I have said not have the same meaning they did when asked and small comments or opinions taken out of context. When I have to deal with the press I prepare just as they do. I ask the questions before hand. I make them “cut” if I don’t like my answer. Finally, I am wise enough to stay “in my lane” and not talk about strategic level or policy level issues that I have no right to discuss. This last point is especially true for those of us in uniform.

Overall, I think the press has been favorable to the military since the war started. They have done an admirable job differentiating between politics and Soldiers. They highlight individuals and team successes. They give our families access to their loved ones in ways that help them understand our lives here better. They continue to portray those that serve honorably as heroes. For those reasons, I am glad the press is with us.

Our mission is done in a month and the press will be in Syracuse to meet us. I will be the senior ranking officer there. Lucky me; lights, camera, action.

30:16:17:22

Interpreters

Among the most important tools that we have at our disposal are the interpreters. They are as important as a HUMVEE, a rifle, or body armor. We simply could not do our jobs without them.

Interpreters come in many categories. The top category is the American born, Arabic linguist. These people are allowed upper level security clearances and usually work at the embassy level. The next level are Middle Eastern born, naturalized Americans, many of them former Iraqis, who return to make big money as translators. They work for Army personnel of high rank. Then there are local national interpreters. These are the translators we work with the most. Some live with us full time. Some come to work at 0800 and leave by 1600. All interpreters, regardless of nationality, are paid through a US defense contractor.

Interpreters are more than translators. They are informal cultural instructors. They help us get things off of the local economy; such as gifts, satellite TV, paint, rugs, and the list goes on. They provide information through their own lines of communication. They provide us a ground truth to what people are telling us. Therefore, interpreters are considered pariahs among some of there own countrymen. The local national translators who live with us do so because they are marked for death by AIF.

There is a rule, “Never trust your life to an interpreter.” Although true, it is hard not to build relationships on a personal level with someone who works with you every day. The relationship goes beyond business. They work with us, eat with us, live among us, and relax with us. Age groups usually stick to age groups. It is not unusual to find one or two local national translators watching movies with the enlisted. The older Soldiers and translators have their own “coffee clutch” and walking group. It is not unusual to find yourself talking about home, mom, apple pie, and Main Street, USA, without them telling you that is their dream to experience.

Interpreters range in their abilities. There have been many time that the local national that I am talking to speaks better than the translator working for me. However, the bottom line is that most Americans cannot speak Arabic, and therefore must rely on trust that the interpreter is saying what you say. You have to trust that they are not editorializing what you say, or worse, adding their own agenda to it.

There are numerous cases of interpreters speaking directly in front of us, extorting contractors. They tell them that they can get them the winning bid on a contract for a small fee. Because that is the way business is done in this part of the world the contractor readily gives up an extra amount of cash. After all, they are soaking the Americans anyway.

The interpreters are required to play by Western rules. When it is discovered they are dishonest in any way they are dismissed.

Such was the case last week when a local interpreter was discovered to be drawing two paychecks from two separate US companies, when in actuality; he was only working for one. A typical Iraqi, once he was exposed, he then attempted to resign from the one he was drawing a paycheck from but not actually working for. Before that could happen the employer he was working for fired him. The interpreter, having just been fired, then turned around and tried to work for the people he was going to quit. They fired him too.

The interpreter was none other than my former interpreter, Kahlid. Sweet little Kahlid. Kahlid; who taught me about Islam, Iraq, and how things work in this country. Kahild was as close to a friend that I have in this country.

I was not shocked by the news. Kahlid always worked his own angles to his own benefit. We looked the other way because of Kahlid’s talents as an engineer, linguist, and local who could gather information that we could not. However, blatantly lying and drawing two paychecks was beyond the grey area that Kahlid normally existed in.

I saw him out on his last day. He wished me and my family well. It wasn’t an emotional moment. Arab men do not show shame, nor do they admit guilt. We merely shook hands, smiled, and bid each other good wishes.

On a personal level I suppose that is the way I will leave Iraq; with a smile and good wishes.

And so it goes here.

32:07:48:22

Just Who Is In Charge Here Anyway?

We had a meeting among the Civil Affairs officers last week where we discussed the need to engage the local Sheiks and imams. After all, we have been meeting with them for a long time and they have yet to produce any kind of results that indicate a more secure Iraq. That begs the questions, who are the sheiks and imams? Are they important? If they are unable to affect change, then who can and how? Who is in charge here anyway?

Every other week we have meetings at the DC Hall. One day it is with imams. A few days later it is with sheiks. Imams are religious leaders that represent the Sunni and Shi’a faithful of the Islam religion. The sheiks represent tribal lineages that may date back decades or centuries. Both groups were largely marginalized in a secular, socialist, Ba’ath Party regime.

These groups are now looking for legitimacy in the new government. They are looking for a voice and a seat of power. Because we replaced Saddam they are looking to us to invite them to the table.

Our reasons for meeting these groups is simple, we need to measure the pulse of the people through them. We also allow them to voice their concerns over security and the future of Iraq. Naturally, they all want to be a part of that future. They also let us know there needs; immunity from arrest, keep Iraqi soldiers out of mosques, weapons cards for self protection, and, most importantly control over there muhallas for projects.

The sheiks are the worst. They boast 10,000 men – all ready to work at a moments notice. They claim control over security in their respective areas and put off responsibility of terrorist acts on “people who come in from outside”, meaning foreigners or Iraqis from Falluja, Basra, Tikrit. They go back to the same mantra, “if you give us power, we can solve the problem of security.” Of course there is where the logic falls apart. On one hand, if they don’t know who is committing the acts then how can they stop it? And if they do know who is doing it, then why won’t they stop it now?

The conclusion is that they are not the solution and to give them any kind of authority could be disastrous.

The imams are not as power or money greedy as the sheiks. Their primary concern is to keep Iraqi soldiers out of mosques and to seek the release of “innocent” citizens accused of terrorism. Regardless of their religious preference, some imams support terrorism through the use of the mosque as a storage place for weapons and a meeting place for planners. A raid early this year in a nearby mosque bared the evidence in a huge cache of guns. They claim to deliver a message of peace and support, but their own recorded words incite the faithful to take up arms against their own Muslim brothers in the Army, police, and security forces.

Not one imam has ever come forward to give the name of a criminal, let alone AIF. They too have proved that they are not part of the solution.

None of these men have shown any kind of true leadership or power within their own ranks. In a country where there were 500,000 paid informants during the time of the regime it is impossible to think that these men do not know the truth and the faces behind the black masks. If neither the sheiks nor the imams can affect change, then who holds the reigns of power? What people are out there still left to be engaged who can stand up and provide true leadership for this country’s people?

While it is true that the elections were very successful all they did was elect a central governing body. However, in places like Al Doura, Al Saidyia, and Rustimyia, the people are still looking for that representative, that voice of the people. Furthermore, there is no process in place for local representation, at least not yet.

It is likely that this will be a strong, top down, government instead of a power from the people government. By all indications, the former is what this country needs to succeed. Yes, it will be a democracy, but not like we expect it to be.

35:14:59:13

Photo Of The Day

This picture was taken on the FOB. The military contracts American firemen, with American firetrucks to provide 24 hour fire, safety, and hazmat protection. 

I took this picture for Dad, Andy, and my nephew Lucas.

37:18:07:06

Dinner Plans

I have not posted in a while and I need to catch everyone up on the latest here.

First, the Sergeant is in the United States at Bethesda Naval Hospital. I know that he is off a respirator for up to eight hours at a time. He recognizes and acknowledges his wife and daughter and can nod or shake his head to questions. The neurosurgeon believes it is a tremendous amount of progress in such a short time. A lot of my prayers have been answered for this man and his family and they have been answered. My faith continues to be renewed. Through indirect means the Sergeant’s wife has contacted us and thanked us for saving her husband’s life. That is the greatest reward.

Second, I am in charge of the Company while the boss is on a couple of days of R&R. There is a lot of tension among the officers right now. Tempers flare from time to time. We have been here long enough and we are all simply ready to go home. Dealing with the “issues” saps my mental strength. So, for the next few days I get to sit at the big desk and working to keep the place from falling apart. So far, no problem.

Next, we continue the plans for our re-deployment home. Most of the paperwork is completed, the awards have been written, and I continue to send boxes of non-essential stuff home. The advance group of our replacements is due here in two weeks. The main body arrives in less than a month. Although we leave in 41 days, the actual day I expect to walk through the door of my home is in mid-July. There is a process in Fort Bragg that we must go through before we go home.

Iraq continues to be a violent place. However, every day there are more Iraqi Army units moving into our area. Every night they go out and deal out justice. The people are still glad to see them here. Many of the suspected terrorists that we know are seen less often. Others, with murky ties to AIF, complain that the Iraqi military is too tough. To that we smile and tell them, “Well, you said we were not doing the job well enough. So, we found someone who could.”

Finally, I spent time today with an Iraqi acquaintance of mine. He is a lawyer and has done some work for me. He told me that many, many Iraqis are happy that the Americans removed Saddam Hussein from power. We talked about the future of the country. He, like most Iraqis, is hopeful for a better future. He said that he would like to invite me to his home for dinner but knows that we cannot do that now. Maybe in ten years the concrete barriers will be gone. Maybe then the concertina wire will only seen on farms to keep in livestock. Maybe then street intersections will have traffic police and not armed soldiers. I told my friend that I would come back to that Iraq. I would not have to wear body armor or ride in an armored truck.

We put our dinner plans on hold.

40:02:47:33

Photo Of The Day

Men make furniture by hand out in the open along a main street in Al Rashid, Baghdad.  

True craftsmen at work make furniture the way they have for generations. The furniture; head boards, end tables, couches and elaborate mirrors are all crafted by hand. Stands of wood are cut and bent into the desired shape and nailed into place. Each piece is then finished with stain and sold at the market.

(These men were futured in a NPR story back in February which had a brief clip from me.)

Photo Of The Day

If you see this woman, wish her a Happy Mother's Day! 

Mom and I were photographed in Fort Bragg in the days before my departure for Iraq. You cannot forget things like Mother's Day, even over here. Thank goodness for the Internet and florists!

47:06:33:34

Brave Men

Brave Men was the title of a book by Ernie Pyle, the famous World War II journalist, about soldiers in the European Theater. It was stories about common soldiers and the uncommon hardships they faced.

In my last post someone asked if all of the groups I listed were against us, then who is with us? I have met the brave men who are with us.

We roll out of the FOB as we kick up a huge dust storm as Up-Armored HUMVEEs and M-1 Abrams tanks and Bradley Fighting Vehicles enter into the never ending stream of traffic on the major highway. We are somewhat safe and secure in our armor as we maintain a safety bubble around us, never allowing a local national's car to get too close. Traveling in the opposite direction is a most unusual convoy. Brown Nissan pickup trucks and open sided cargo trucks filled with soldiers of the new Iraqi National Guard (ING).

The ING travel without armor in these convoys, with machine guns mounted into the floor of the trucks. Each man carrys an AK-47 rifle. Many wear hoods or face masks to protect their identities. They man posts on roads and overpasses, check points, and key buildings throughout the area of operation. They go into the neighborhoods where we would not and bring terrorists to justice.

In February, I caught my first glimpse of a T-72 (Russian) tank as Iraqi armor patrolled the main highway. At first sight I was a little shocked. I had never seen an operable T-72 tank; let alone one heading towards me with an Iraqi flag on it. Although it has taken time, the Iraqi Army (IA), different in their scope and mission from the ING, is becoming more of a force to be reckoned with here. They are proud of their names; Tiger Brigade, Falcon Brigade, and Wolf Brigade.

I spoke to the commander of the Wolf Brigade. He had just come down from a city to the north where his soldiers had "cleaned up". When asked what he was doing in southern Baghdad he looked at me through his cigarette smoke as if it was my first day in country. "We're here to kill as many terrorists as we can," he replied flatly.

Although not up to US standards of training and discipline, the new Iraqi Army and ING are effective in ways we never will be. These soldiers understand the Iraqi/Middle Eastern mind. They know the people and can identify the subtle dialect differences that indicate someone is not from the area. They are willing to use force in ways we will not. The allegations of heavy handed techniques are probably true. Iraqis understand “the stick” and respond to it. They can go into mosques without the international and Muslim reprisal our forces would. They get the job done the Iraqi way.

Both the ING and the IA are filled with the same types of men our ranks are; many are young men seeking the only work they can find. Others are cut of the fabric that many of the Soldiers I know are cut from. They seek to protect and rid their country from the disease that plagues it. They are patriots and heroes. They are well spoken, proud, and confident. They are serious in the face of their duties but smile wide grins and laugh when back on the base.

They are brave men who pay the same terrible price we do, maybe even more so because it is at the hands of their own people. The face the uncommon hardships of VBIEDS, snipers, drive by shootings, and enemy who enlist into their ranks only to betray them to suicide bombers.

And they are making a difference. The locals we speak to are proud of their new Army. They cheer when tanks and armored vehicles roll into the muhallas. They hope for the Army to be well trained and professional as well as respectful of the ordinary citizens. The people know that the more of them that they see the more the terrorists are afraid. They also know that there more IA and ING they see the less US and multi-national forces they will see.

In time the IA and ING will be the ones who are responsible for the security of this area and the whole country. By this time next year our force will be 2/3 the size it is now. Eventually we will probably have a token force and advisors and the Iraqis will man the ramparts of their own freedom.

Who is on our side? The answer is we are on theirs.

50:01:37:18

Who We Fight

Our goal to obtaining a stable peace is to kill or capture the enemy. An important point is to identify the enemy in order to do either of those two things. Who are we fighting and why? This isn’t a long diatribe about idealism and democratic, patriotic morals. This is an attempt to put a face on the enemy we fight.

Part of our responsibilities as Civil Affairs is to take atmospherics; to learn the attitudes, insights, and beliefs of the local populace regarding such topics as security, the economy, education, and essential services. These atmospherics are compiled and sent forward to Mother Army who gauges these man-on-the-street interviews and creates a better picture of Iraq.

One question we constantly ask is, “who are the terrorists,” and, “what is there motivation?” The answers vary so much that it really isn’t a secret or a surprise.

We are fighting the Ba’athists who were overthrown 26 months ago and are funding fighters against the new government.

We are fighting Sudanese, Lebanese, Iranians, and Syrians who all have an agenda if they can claim part of a defeated Iraq for themselves.

We are fighting right-wing Shi’a, bent on revenge for forty years of religious oppression with backing from Iran.

We are fighting the Sunni, who, although in the minority, still want the seat of power over all of Iraq and must keep the country in a state of unrest until they can solidify their political support.

We are fighting the poor who in the necessity to feed his family will make more money by firing one RPG or planting one IED than he will in a month of work; if he can find work at all.

We are fighting the uneducated who are easily persuaded that their religion calls on them to drive a car loaded with artillery shells into the infidel checkpoint.

We are fighting common thug criminals who use kidnapping and murder for profit.

We are fighting zealots who hate America and all it represents despite the genuine desire (by those of us in the military) to help the Iraqis and go home.

The answers we get depend on the areas we go to visit. In other words; the man on the street doesn’t know who the terrorists are. Or, maybe he does and won’t say. Maybe he can’t say. Maybe he is one of them. It is impossible to tell from their answers.

Who is the enemy? I really do not know.

52:01:52:44

Photo Of The Day

Signs of peace, signs of victory, signs of a future line the wall at Baghdad University after the election. 

54:01:22:52