Who knows the truth?

As I was surfing through several news sites yesterday, I read a couple of editorials I found interesting. One, from National Review, detailed a tour of Iraq by conservative radio talk show host Michael Graham. During his tour, he spoke to at least 100 soldiers on the ground throughout Iraq and Kuwait. All, according to him, support the war and believe we are ultimately winning. The other editorial, from my hometown StarTribune, had a very different view, believing that our swift departure from Iraq is the most likely way to ensure progress here. I have always believed that when you hear widely divergent views, the truth lies somewhere near the middle, and that is probably the case here.
What angered me about the Strib's editorial was not it's conclusion, although I do disagree with it. I was appalled at the implication that the soldiers in Iraq are somehow shielded from the reality of the war: It's "not politics that blind him from seeing the real Iraq," she said. "The [Green Zone's] maze of tall blast walls and miles of concertina wire obscure the view, too."

Pardon me? The soldiers fighting this war are blinded from the real Iraq? I am shielded from the real Iraq by nothing more than a SAPI plate and a pair of WileyX's. I deal with hundreds of Iraqis a day. I have dealt with Iraqi civilians, Iraqi soldiers, and have been inside Iraqis homes. I have lost friends. My unit is rebuilding and expanding a nearby school, and we are maintaining and improving this FOB, which will be turned over to the Iraqi Army in short order. How dare a journalist, from the comfort of a hotel in the Green Zone, make the implication that we are blinded from the real Iraq! Whose opinions of the violence are really more valid, that of the journalists risking their lives to chronicle it, or the soldiers risking their lives to fix it?

I wonder if the Strib's editorial board, when faced with the reality that most (but admittedly not all) of the soldiers in Iraq believe we are making progress, made the decision to attempt marginalize our experiences by finding an excuse to discount them. Yes, we have a Burger King, we carry pictures of our families who we do miss terribly, and we surround our FOB's with blast walls and concertina. The Strib says children aren't going to school, but I see them in school. The Strib says we are making progress in drips and drabs. Progress is progress, and if you are patient, a bucket can fill a drip at a time.

So who knows the truth? I choose to believe my own eyes.

Back on my FOB

The return trip from a wonderful 15 days of R&R is a voyage that I believe is designed to inflict the maximum agony possible on soldiers. This may be to get our heads back in the game, to get us thinking about our jobs and not dwelling on how wonderful it is to be away from here for even a fleeting moment. Or maybe it is just bureaucratic laziness on the parts of those soldiers and contractors whose job it is to move soldiers back "up north". Either way, it's a journey to be endured, not enjoyed.
After the pain of saying goodbye again to MDW (My Darling Wife) and our kids, a task that never gets easier or less painful, the journey began. I flew from Minneapolis to Dallas on a commercial flight and connected there with a military charter to Kuwait. As an aside, the veterans groups in the Dallas area that assist soldiers on leave in the DFW airport are SAINTS! Helpful, appreciative, and generous. I cannot thank them enough. Anyway, after a halfhearted attempt to miss the flight and get a night in a Dallas hotel on the Army's dime, I boarded a Military charter flight to Kuwait. I scored here, as an E8 Master Sergeant, I got one of the few First Class seats on the 18 hour flight! It all went downhill from there. We landed in Kuwait 18 hours and 8 time zones later, and boarded busses for the 30 minute ride to Camp Doha. It was about 10:30 at night local, I have no clue what time my body thought it was. Our first stop at Camp Doha was at a warehouse where we were re-issued our Body Armor and Helmets. I hadn't missed those 35 pounds at all. We then formed up according to our final destination in Iraq. I had departed Iraq via BIAP (Baghdad international airport) and was under the impression I would return via BIAP, but at this formation all of us bound for my FOB (Forward Operating Base) were told that we would be returning via another airbase, Balad. No problem. We moved into a large auditorium for a return briefing and to get our flight schedules. I requested a flight to Balad and was told to be back at 9:00 am for my flight. Great. We picked up our baggage and got billeting. They "stored" us in huge warehouses filled with bunks, and because it is a 24 hour operation, they never shut off the lights. So, by now it is about 0230 local time, and I have no idea what my body clock thought. I got about 4 hours of sleep, then headed of to find out about my flight. That is when I discovered that flights to Balad were backed up 5 days. 5 Days! In a warehouse under blazing lights on a postage stamp of a camp with nothing to do. The only way to get out faster is to go to every "roll call" for flights to your destination and hope someone doesn't show up so you can jump in their seat. Not a very effective strategy, but you gotta try! That was not successful. 4 days later, 1LT K, my traveling partner, and I thought we were finally getting on a flight. His name gets called, mine doesn't. Turns out I am not even on the waiting list! I proceed into a major First Sergeant like rage, which doesn't get me on the flight but does get me assured that I will be on the next one. Another LT told me later that day that my name was called at a roll call for BIAP! That certainly explained why I was not on the Balad list. I check that evening and I am again assured I am on the next flight out in the morning. So at 0700, I check again and I am NOT on the list for the 0800 flight. This time the problem gets fixed, probably out of fear of my reaction if it's not, and 6 hours and an uncomfortable C130 ride later, I am back in Iraq. In Balad, a very helpful E4 schedules me for a flight the next night and gets me billeting in a room with a light switch! Finally, a decent meal, a good night's sleep, and a flight that leaves on time. And I had to go to Iraq to get it. 24 hours later, I am back on my FOB, far more appreciative of it's limited charms. Who knew.

Launching, christening, inauguration, birth, the First Time.

I just returned from my mid tour 15 day R&R leave, and as I talked to my Family and Friends, a common theme emerged. Several times I heard variations of this question: "You must be really busy over there. Are you getting my Emails?" Yes, yes I am. I just do a horrible job of replying to them in a timely manner. So I decided to attempt a new method of staying in touch. This Blog should give me a forum to keep everyone who is interested in what I am doing updated, and give me a forum to run my mouth about whatever particular issue is bugging me that day. Everybody wins!
So, to those who have emailed, written, and sent those oh so wonderful and appreciated care packages, THANK YOU! I have received them, and I apologize profusely for not doing a better job of keeping in touch. I invite you to please visit this site often, and comment, especially with your questions and suggestions for future post topics. Also, does anyone have a copy of "HTML for Dummies" laying around that they aren't using? I need some help!