Hi All,
In my last email home I told you I was at Kandahar (KAF) for a few days.
Well, my few days turned into almost two weeks. It felt like Gilligan’s
Afghanistan.
A few days after arriving at KAF I received an email from the leadership
here at Apache telling me that I was extending my stay at KAF so I could go
to the capital city of Kabul to escort newly trained Afghan Soldiers (ANA)
back down to KAF do be distributed throughout the 205th Corps.
There is a reason for assigning me this mission. The story is out of the
last graduating class over 30 ANA deserted before they could get them to
KAF. The Corps nor the ETT leadership wanted this to happen again so they
assigned a couple of us to escort them back to KAF. Was I happy about this
assignment? No! Here I am the senior intelligence officer for the Brigade
and suddenly I am in the personnel administration business. Four of us
received this lucky assignment.
I always tease anyone that was airborne qualified and ask them why they
would jump out of a perfectly safe airplane. It was made perfectly clear to
me on my way to Kabul. I was on a British C-130 with my colleagues. We
stopped at an Airbase in the Helmand area called Bastion. As we landed they
opened up the rear hatch of the airplane. I though the landing was a big
rough. As they spun the plane around and shut down the engines the British
soldiers were preparing to unload. How many of you have ever heard someone
say, “Everyone off the plane we have a fire!?” For the first time in my life
I heard those exact words. The crew was opening up both doors on each side
of the plane. I grabbed my rifle and backpack and headed for the door on the
right side of the plane. Guess which side the fire was on. You got it, the
right side of the plane. I jumped out the door to the ground in a cloud of
smoke. It seems as though the brakes heated up when landing. They had the
fire extinguishers out and the fire engines were on site; which makes me
wonder how long they new about this little problem.
So here we were in the heart of the Taliban Territory (Helmand Province)
sitting out on the side of the flight line while the British tried to
determine their next move to get us out of there. Because of the issue with
the plane it would take hours to fix it. The regulations state we could not
fly back on it to KAF until it was deemed safe by the technical experts.
Luckily, there was another C-130 on the flight line loading that was ready
to go. The RAF personnel ran over to the other runway and worked a deal to
get us and our luggage back on the plane headed back to KAF. Within 90
minutes we were airborne again back to KAF. The question of when we will get
to Kabul was on our minds.
We landed at KAF and a RAF female ushered us off the plane to the next
plane. Within a short time we were airborne again to Kabul. By this time it
was dark.
As we approached Kabul I could see the city lights. It is a different world
compared to southern Afghanistan. Kandahar City is dark due to the lack of
electricity. Kabul is lit up and slowly making progress. That just goes to
show you the Taliban influence on the south has caused severe set-backs in
modernization.
We exited the plane upon arrival at Kabul International Airport and were
met by the people from the training center. They showed us to the vehicles.
Another surprise awaited me. They were going to drive us to Kabul Military
Training Center (KMTC) in regular SUV’s. That is a shock to me. For the last
five months I have been riding around in up-armored vehicles. Needless to
say I was a little nervous. Again, the difference between Kabul and
Kandahar.
We arrived at KMTC around 9:30 pm, ate a sandwich, and hit the sack. It had
been a long day with a lot of flying.
The next morning we prepared for the day and decided to get some breakfast.
We were told the graduation had been moved up a day so we were looking
forward to getting to work and get these guys back to KAF. As we sat eating
breakfast in the dining facility we heard what we thought to be an explosion
outside. We all stopped eating and looked at each other. Sergeant Felix
looked at me and said, “Yes Sir, I heard it too.” We looked around and
everyone was still eating like nothing was going on. A minute later the
sirens started. That is when all chaos broke loose, except for us. We
sauntered on over to the bunker while there were people running around us. I
guess Kabul doesn’t get hit very often with any kind of mortar or rocket.
That morning someone launched a mortar that hit next to the mosque and
another one near the depot. These people were in complete panic. We must be
use to it. We took our place in the bunker until the all clear was given. It
was a big deal around KMTC.
At 1:30 pm we walked over to the KMTC Parade Grounds for the graduation.
The graduation was underway. It wasn’t supposed to start until 2:00. Colonel
Lyman was not happy when he arrived and the graduation was underway. Once
again the Afghan mentality superceded common sense and they just started
when they wanted to start.
As the graduation started I kept looking for the guy in the tuxedo and black
top hat that was running this circus. The six member band played on the pass
and review. I am sure there was a Kazoo in there somewhere. Then each
graduating company would march by. Now, I have been accused of being “overly
Caucasian” but I don’t hold a candle to the Afghans. Marching is quite the
chore for them; especially since they march with arms and legs flying. They
all did their pass and review to the sound of the kazoo and drums. We then
saw a spectacle of the “man dance” where a drummer comes out and the Afghan
Soldiers do some kind of dance. I don’t think rhythm or coordination is a
requirement to part of this group.
The next morning I found myself seated on an Afghan bus with Chief Griffith
and forty other ANA Soldiers. No, not an up-armored vehicle, not an armed
escort, but an Afghan bus. I could just see the investigation into my death
and the army leadership explaining to my wife why I was on an Afghan bus. I
am happy to say we made it to the airport without any issues. That is where
the fun began.
Let me tell you, trying to keep 193 ANA in line is like trying to nail Jello
to a tree. I was in charge of 60 ANA. I made it very clear that they were to
clean up after themselves and stay close. Trusting them is where I went
wrong. We had guys out wandering around on the flight line, making a mess of
the restrooms, and leaving a disaster wherever they stood. They did not like
me very much because I kept making them clean up their messes.
We boarded a Canadian C-130 with the 60 ANA and were airborne by 1:00 pm. I
held up a barf bag and showed them how to use it in case they get sick. They
all laughed and shook their heads. A bunch of them kept eating and drinking.
It was all smiles until started descending. That is when the barf bags were
a desired item by two or three of them.
We arrived at KAF with no problems an hour early than expected. I had the
Canadians call my Corps Headquarters to let them know we were on the ground.
They didn’t waste any time getting the vehicles over there to load them up
and take them to the ANA Camp. I breathed a big sigh of relief when we
dropped them off. I also swore revenge on Gerald and Adam for sending me on
that mission.
I think I spoke in my last letter about the large amount of people at KAF
right now due to the new people coming in and the seasoned veterans going
home. Bed space is a hot item on KAF right now. We were lucky to get bedded
down. The problem came with getting back to Apache with all the rest of the
new guys that just arrived in country assigned to 2nd Brigade. It would be
days before I would return.
The night before I returned to Apache I was in the tent talking with Chief
Griffith and Major Andy Price. We were talking about families, scouts, and
our kids. That was when we heard the whistle and explosion. We knew exactly
what it was. We all hit the floor. Chief Griffith laughed at us because Andy
and I were diving for the same place on the floor. He said, “There is an
entire tent here and you two are diving for the same four square feet of
space.” We stood up and ran out the tent to see the smoke a block away. The
Taliban launched a rocket that hit down by what we call the white house.
Thirty feet to the right and it would have taken out the white house. That
is where our logistics and administration people work. Another rocket hit
out near the runway. Luckily there was one minor injury. It will take years
for me to forget the sound of an incoming rocket. I have heard it enough. I
counted it up in my head and I have been rocketed or mortared over a dozen
times in my six months in country.
I mentioned that the new guys are at Apache. They are all Regular Army. They
have come in ready to show us how it is done. Anyone in the military knows
the contention between the active duty forces and the reserve forces. The RA
guys are having a hard time with the fact we are not an operational force.
We are embedded transition teams. These guys are having a hard time making
the transition. These guys have served in Iraq and Afghanistan as fighters.
Now they are mentoring and cannot make the mental transition. Plus, there is
a bunch of them. We have been running on a skeleton staff for the last six
months. Now, we have more people than we know with what to do. We are
tripping over each other. I volunteered to go home. That fell on deaf ears.
I am happy. I get to stay here at Apache as the Brigade Intelligence Officer
(S2). I have a Captain that works for me and I will receive an Air Force
person in a couple of days. My job is to be the senior guy over the S2 cell,
but my focus is to mentor the ANA while CPT Green will concentrate on
running the intel production of the shop. In some ways it is a load of my
shoulders. My cohort Adam Robinson has the same responsibility with the
Operations Shop. He is the senior guy but he concentrates on mentoring more
than anything. Adam told me upon my return the new team chief, LTC
Slaughenhaupt, kept us two here for continuity. Adam really wanted to go to
the 2nd Battalion (Kandak) with the rest of the Utah guys. I did too, but I
knew the chances were very slim due to the amount of Majors they have there.
I didn’t know what the future held for me and it really bothered me, hence
my bad demeanor in the last email. I am happy to have a job I know.
This week we break the 50% mark for time in country. It is nice to see the
end in sight. Granted, six months is still a long time, but with leave and
outprocessing I will have a little over 4.5 months left here at Apache.
Leave will be a month away from Apache. When I return I will have a little
under 90 days before they start the process to get us out of here. It is
nice to have an end in sight. The hard part will be getting through the
Spring Offensive with the Taliban. I am not looking forward to the upcoming
months. The coalition forces have had some good success lately. I hope the
trend continues.
Thank you to all those who have helped my family in my absence. My mom told
me I have a lot of IOU’s to fill upon my return home. I don’t know if I
could ever make it up to everyone that helped us out
All is well here right now. I will keep you informed as the adventures
continue.
First of all we want you to know that you are all in our prayers. We contemplate your sacrifice and your efforts to make a difference in the world, making it a safer place to live and we salute you for it.
There are those who have forgotten our cause and our reasons behind why you are there and why you do what you do. They fail to look at all the positive that has been accomplished by the US military. But, you need to know that we support you through thick and thin in all of your efforts to accomplish your mission. There are things about these wars that can never be fully understood except by those in uniform with their boots in the sand.
While I was there in Iraq, I personally saw soldiers who understood and lived the mission of Operation Iraqi Freedom, whether in the heat of battle or holding the hand of an Iraqi child in need.
You are on a mission of liberation, compassion and determination. I hope all the soldiers know that, even when it means putting their lifes on the line.
You are fighting for the freedom of the oppressed people in those countries. From the day the first troops landed until today, the mission has been liberation. The fact is that there is more freedom in Iraq and Afghanistan today than there has been in 30 years. And that includes the freedom to disagree with us if they desire.
Since the most ferocious part of the war was over, the military might of the United States and its allies have combined to help these people become leaders in stabilizing the Middle East. I know there is much yet to do and there is a long road ahead in trying to create stability and win the peace, but it is worth it.
As you know while nurturing a new democratic government in Afghanistan and Iraq, we’ve also been building hospitals, schools, roads and bridges, and numerous other things. And more than one soldier has tossed and turned in the night after seeing the suffering of the impoverished Iraqi and Afghanistan children. With clear vision of a brighter future, the mission has been one of compassion for the freedom of these people. In spite of what is reported with every roadside bomb, as you know most of the people are grateful we are there and they see a glimmer of light on the horizon after a long dark night.
The insurgency will win if we lose our resolve. We know exactly what could happen with any lack of steadfastness and thus our mission has been fueled by further determination to be victorious over our terrorist enemies. There are those who want to defeat the dawn of democracy. They are well-funded, organized and receiving assistance from outside the borders of Iraq and Afghanistan. Our military strength is the only moderating force preventing total chaos and anarchy, as these destabilizing elements continue their attacks. We must prevail, for there is much at stake. You are on the front lines of the war of good and evil, and we support you in this struggle.
My thoughts and prayers go out to all soldiers serving our country, who continue to put themselves in harms way defending our freedoms. I salute you and I continue to honor you by wearing the uniform as a member of the Utah National Guard.
We live in a complex world; a world full of diversity. While similarities do exist, our world is made up of entirely different people, billions of people, with different cultures, different religions, different traditions, different languages, different habits, different beliefs, different social/ economical status, and the list goes on. Unfortunately historically we as human beings have not demonstrated that we are competent in dealing with these differences and in most cases perhaps are more incompetent in relating to and understanding these differences. One need but look around at all the violence in the world to see how really inept we can be at understanding the dissimilarities that exist in the inhabitants of our world. More often than not these differences breed hatred, discontent, misunderstanding, contempt, disrespect, prejudice, and discrimination. All of which unfortunately lead to violence, conflict and war.
The war in Iraq is a perfect example of how difficult it is for the Western world and the Middle Eastern world to understand and coexist peacefully with each other. Each body of people is firm in their convictions and beliefs, unable to comprehend and tolerate the differences that exist between them. If you listen to the rhetoric and observe the behavior of the insurgencies in Iraq you can see how we are worlds apart in our beliefs, our expectations, and our interpretation of life. It is also apparent that fear of the misunderstood differences is the main driving force and catalyst for most of our problems.
The Iraqi people are caught in the middle between the Occupiers and the foreign fighters, confused about who the real enemy is. Our intentions are not clear. As the occupier we are misinterpreted, misunderstood, and distrusted. The Iraqis have been told traditionally that we are the infidels; occupying their country in order to take their resources. If you were to look around Iraq you would see the US troops dug into their fortified facilities Not the appearance of someone leaving in the near future. They are not sure what to think of us or their fellow Arab brothers who have come claiming to save them from western influence. How do they correctly interpret both of our intentions and motivations, when both appear to have their own agendas and both are to one degree or another disruptive, destructive and engaged in killing? .
How do we communicate our true intentions, when words aren’t effective? How do we communicate through the layers of culture, tradition, and religion so that our true hearts can be understood? What tools do we give our soldiers to accomplish this goal, while they are in harms way and just trying to stay alive each day? How do we gain their trust and understanding, so that we can win their hearts and minds, when there are so many differences?
So what is the answer, what is the solution? Surely it is not retreating to the safety of our own borders, leaving the people alone to fend for themselves against the insurgents, the Saddam leftovers, and the neighboring countries. Surely our message to the disadvantaged and underprivileged people of the world is not going to be everyone fight for themselves.
A Real Solution is Needed: We believe that industrialism is the answer
We all want to bring our soldiers home from Iraq and other places, removing them from harms way, but at what cost. For the sake of the entire world we need to finish what we have started. If no one else, then we must be the bastion and defender of freedom, protecting and fighting for the rights of all mankind. Someone needs to care enough or someday it will be us crying for help.
In order for this to be accomplished we must become competent in dealing with all our various differences, to the end that they are understood and accepted. We must figure out a way to communicate through the differences so that our real intent can be seen and appreciated. We must teach them the way to freedom through industrialism, for it is industrialism that will ultimately provide them with a future they desire for themselves and their posterity.
How industrialism works as a solution:
The exit strategy in Iraq needs to look like this:
There must be continuous Foreign Direct Investment within Iraq
Foreign Direct Investment must lead to job creation
Job creation must lead the existing youth bulge into a middle-class
Middle-class leads to better education for both sexes
Better education leads to better health care and lower birth rates
This pattern must be replicated throughout the Middle-East
America must continue to show its commitment to this end
Operation Give must continue to expand its ability to aid in this process
Dear Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, National Guard, Reservists, in Iraq, in the Middle East theater, in Afghanistan, in the area near Afghanistan, in any base anywhere in the world, and your families:
Let me tell you about why you guys own about 90 percent of the backbone in the whole world right now and should be happy with yourselves and proud of whom you are.
It was a dazzlingly hot day here in Rancho Mirage today. I did small errands like going to the bank to pay my mortgage, finding a new bed at a price I can afford, practicing driving with my new 5 wood, paying bills for about two hours. I spoke for a long time to a woman who is going through a nasty child custody fight. I got e-mails from a woman who was fired today from her job for not paying attention. I read about multi-billion-dollar mergers in Europe, Asia, and the Mideast. I noticed how overweight I am, for the millionth time. In other words, I did a lot of nothing.
Like every other American who is not in the armed forces family, I basically just rearranged the deck chairs on the Titanic in my trivial, self-important, meaningless way.
Above all, I talked to a friend of more than forty-three years who told me he thought his life had no meaning because all he did was count his money. And, friends in the armed forces, this is the story of all of America today. We are doing nothing but treading water while you guys carry on the life or death struggle against worldwide militant Islamic terrorism. Our lives are about nothing: paying bills, going to humdrum jobs, waiting until we can go to sleep and then do it all again. Our most vivid issues are trivia compared with what you do every day, every minute, every second.
Oprah Winfrey talks a lot about “meaning” in life. For her, “meaning” is dieting and then having her photo on the cover of her magazine every single month (surely a new world record for egomania). This is not “meaning.”
Meaning is doing for others.
Meaning is risking your life for others.
Meaning is putting your bodies and families’ peace of mind on the line to defeat some of the most evil, sick killers the world has ever known.
Meaning is leaving the comfort of home to fight to make sure that there still will be a home for your family and for your nation and for free men and women everywhere.
Look, soldiers and Marines and sailors and airmen and Coast Guardsmen, there are six billion people in this world. The whole fate of this world turns on what you people, 1.4 million, more or less, do every day. The fate of mankind depends on what about 2/100 of one percent of the people in this world do every day and you are those people. And joining you is every policeman, fireman, and Emergency Medical Technician in the country, also holding back the tide of chaos.
Do you know how important you are? Do you know how indispensable you are? Do you know how humbly grateful any of us who has a head on his shoulders is to you? Do you know that if you never do another thing in your lives, you will always still be heroes? That we could live without Hollywood or Wall Street or the NFL, but we cannot live for a week without you?
We are on our knees to you and we bless and pray for you every moment.
And Oprah Winfrey, if she were a size two, would not have one millionth of your importance, and all of the Wall Street billionaires will never mean what the least of you do, and if Barry Bonds hits hundreds of home runs it would not mean as much as you going on one patrol or driving one truck to the Baghdad airport.
You are everything to us, as we go through our little days, and you are in the prayers of the nation and of every decent man and woman on the planet. That’s who you are and what you mean. I hope you know that.
CHRISTMAS
Tuesday, December 21, 2004
Its Christmas
Just one year ago on Christmas day, amidst a barrage of mortar shellings, I was loading up a truck of boxes of toys to give out to 250 families, 800 children, living in what used to be the cells of a torture prison. I drove for several hours before reaching the prison in Kurdish territory near the Turkish border. Hundreds and possible thousands of Kurdish men had been tortured and killed by Saddams men within the walls of this cement structure on the outskirts of a small Kurdish city in northern Iraq. The families of these men, now fatherless and husbandless, had moved into the vary cells where their loved ones had died. On this a very special Christmas day I, with my small band of Iraqi helpers, went from cell to cell or house to house, as we passed out toys to so many wonderful little children all dressed up in their finest clothes politely awaiting the arrival of Chief Wiggles. I will never forget that day.
With only a few days left before Christmas I am sure that many of you, myself included, are bustling about trying to take care of all the last minute presents and details of putting together what we hope to be a perfect Christmas holiday. The next few days will pass before we know it, the presents will be opened, the feast consumed, Christmas will come and go, and we will resume our normal hectic lives. We will then spend the next week preparing for New Years Eve festivities, without skipping a beat, having jammed even more activities into what is already an overloaded schedule. After all of that the only things that might have changed are we are now further indebt, a few pounds heavier, and we now have more stuff to worry about.
Without hardly a thought the next two weeks will pass into oblivion, gone forever. So busily engaged in holiday activities that we perhaps will fail to notice those in need, those alone without family, those away from home serving their country, those without substance or shelter, those who might be depressed this time of year, or those down on their luck. With all that we will do over the course of the next two weeks, will we take the time to really give of ourselves. Will we even do the small things like smile, open a door, lend a helping hand, or wish others a Merry Christmas.
Before action comes thought and without thought we will allow this time, this opportunity, to pass without a plan for might we might have done. There is a world around us that we at times choose to ignore, a world full of needy people who wish for life to be happier, easier, rosier, and more of with than without. Many will say to themselves, I wish someone would stop by to say hi, I wish I was home for Christmas, I wish I had a turkey dinner. I wish I was warm, I wish I had a present, I wish someone remembered me.
Sometimes a simple card, a sincere hello, or a gift of love, can make all the difference in someones life. If we could but remember to spend a few minutes before it is over to really think of what we might do for others. If we could make a commitment to reach out to those around us who might be in need this time of year. If we could use our creative skills to plan a way for each of us to give something back to those who always give to us. Take time to think of a course of action for giving. You have to stop, pause for a moment, to really give thought to what we might do to feel the essence of the spirit of Christmas.
Now is the time to prove to yourself if you are a giver or a taker. Now is the time to sincerely give of yourself to someone in need. Just look around there are people in need everywhere we go. Find a way to pay back and to pay forward those in your life. Pass the spirit along as you create a positive balance in your own personal giving bank account.
Please dont forget the soldiers who are away from their loved ones during the holidays guarding your freedoms. Give whatever you can of your time, your money, your thoughts, or your love. Please plan to do something.
Chief Wiggles and the small gang of volunteers at Operation Give would like to sincerely wish all of you who have made so many magical things possible this last year a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Our deepest thanks go out to Angel, Doctor Hochman, and all the Tripolis who have done so many amazing things to give a new life for Tabby.
God Bless All of YOU.
Chief Wiggles
Doing it the wiggles way.
