In Focus: Dust Storms

Since the last week of June, we've had ten or eleven dust storms.  Some of these storms have been so bad, the dust so thick, that you couldn't see beyond 200 feet in front of you.  

Before I came to Iraq, during my stay in Kuwait, we had a sand storm.  The difference between a sand storm and a dust storm is you can feel the sand in a sand storm.  The dust in a dust storm you don't feel.  You can smell it and taste it and it grates on your teeth.  But you can't feel it. 

The dust is reddish orange in color and fine like talcum powder.   It seeps through crevices, finding its way into living quarters.  After 8 straight days of dust storms, my a/c filter was completely coated in dust.  I cleaned it the week before.

When Vice President Biden visited, he did an interview with George Stephanopoulos on the patio of Gen. Odierno's quarters.  By the time the interview was done, in less than ten minutes, our eyebrows, eyelashes and hair looked like someone dusted us with orange powdered sugar.

While waiting outside of Gen. Odierno's office the other day, I talked with the Iraqi Minister of Justice, who was also waiting.  We discussed the dust storms.  He has lived here all his life and does not recall dust storms like we've experienced in the past few weeks.  Many speculate that the 5 year drought Iraq has experienced is the main culprit behind the storms.

They say we can't bring dirt or rocks with us when we redeploy to the U.S.   Make no mistake about it, whether I want to or not, I will be bringing Iraqi dust with me to Virginia.

Out of the Cities

Probably the most important event to occur during my time here in Iraq has been and will be the pull-back of U.S. combat forces from Iraqi urban areas on 30 June. This day placed a marker in history of when the Iraqi people took over the security of their country.

It was a day of celebration for Iraqis as they took one giant leap in their maturity as a sovereign nation. It was also a day of pride for American troops as they beheld a transition that could not have been possible without their service and sacrifice.

Unfortunately, some Iraqis chose the day as an opportunity to lash out at America's "occupation" in Iraq. To a casual observer, this is an insult - a slap in the face - to the American forces here. However, it is one more condition that proves that the Iraqis are free to speak their minds, unlike under Saddam Hussein, and that they are fully engaging in the democratic process set up by the efforts of America's finest.

Let me explain - in January 2010 Iraqis will go to the polls and vote for their national representatives. America-bashing is playing to some constituencies in Iraq. It is actually a good sign that political leaders in Iraq are choosing to wield influence through a democratic process rather than through violence.

As for the violence, the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) are doing their jobs. They are being tested, but that was expected. But even with this testing, the level of violence being seen here is the lowest since 2003. Here's hoping and praying that the ISF, with the training, advice and assistance provided by American forces, will be able to continue to provide the conditions necessary for Iraq to progress to a stable and secure nation.

Catching up and going forward

It's been over a month since I've been able to update this blog. The reason for this was I filled in for General Odierno's Deputy Public Affairs Officer while he was home visiting his family for R & R. This meant I moved over to Camp Victory to work at the MNF-I headquarters. Unfortunately, there is no public (free) Internet access there. So my blogging was hampered due to the lack of connectivity.

I'm now back at the Embassy and will be here for about a week before moving back to Camp Victory permanently. The DPAO is redeploying and I will be taking over his duties permanently while also fulfilling my role as Legislative Advisor. Thus, over the next week I will make updates of what has transpired here for the past month. Once back at Camp Victory, I will resume my blogging via my Facebook page.

Time of Transition

Four weeks and three days have passed since my arrival here in Iraq.  It is amazing how time past seems to be going faster than time future.  It feels like I arrived here yesterday, but my departure date is so distant.  I suppose the most important thing is to stay busy, which I am trying to do.

I've had three congressional delegations visit thus far which have provided some great opportunities to see Baghdad from the air and road, in the day and the night.  I've also been to Joint Base Balad which is about 60 miles north of Baghdad.  Take a look at the pictures to see some of what I've seen.

Last night as I was leaving my office at 9pm, my eye was caught by the moon.  Then I noticed the sky seemed to have an odd blackness to it.  It took most of the three minute walk from my office to my CHU to realize there were no stars even , but one, even though the sky was cloudless.  Rather the stars are hidden by the dust and smog.  In fact, the atmosphere is such that you can look straight into the sun about an hour before it sets.  It is just a white dot in a beige sky.

June is going to be a month of transition here in Iraq as US forces honor the Strategic Framework Agreement with the Government of Iraq to remove all "combat" forces from Iraqi cities by June 30.  The truth is we're already out of most cities except Mosul and Baghdad.  As Gen. Odierno pointed out yesterday, we will fully comply with the agreement and leave these two cities as well.

What we will watch now is whether the Iraqi Security Forces can keep violence to a minimum.  Our troops will continue to train, advise, and assist if called upon.  But as we move towards and beyond Parliamentary Elections next January, American forces will continue to draw down in order to meet the president's order to remove all "combat" troops out of Iraq by 31 August 2010.  The burden is now and will be on the Iraqi government and security forces to ensure that democracy holds here.

Sensing Iraq

Tomorrow will see my three week mark here in Iraq.  Tuesday will end two months of my one year deployment.  Only ten to go.

Over the past few weeks, I have had the opportunity to make a few trips out of the International Zone, formerly known as the Green Zone, into the Red Zone.  Some trips have been via vehicle convoys while others have been via air in UH-60 Blackhawks.

Let me describe my experience using my senses:

Smell - The smell here is of dust.  Not the dust in your house, but rather the dust you may remember as a kid when you played in the dirt in the summer time.  Remember that distinctive smell of dry dirt?  That is the smell here.  We've had two dust storms since I arrived and we are currently experiencing our third.  The air is constantly permeated with dust and, thus, the smell.

Sight - Things you see here are date palms, eucalyptus trees (not the eucalyptus that you by dried at Michael's), and brown buildings.  Every building is pretty much the same color, which is the same color as the soil.  However, what they lack in color they make up in architecture.  Some of the buildings here are beautiful with handcrafted materials, carvings and interior art work.  The Iraqis certainly are gifted in this.  For our security, there are T-Walls everywhere.  T-Walls are made of concrete and stand about 12 feet tall, 5 wide, and 1 foot thick.  They do not add to the aesthetics of Baghdad, in fact they detract, but they do keep the enemy out.

Sound - There is a constant hum here - at least on the military facilities.  Generators and air conditioning units make up the background noise.  You hear the same birds chirping as you hear in any city - pigeons, doves, sparrows - and some you've never heard before.  Other than that it is pretty quiet, except for when the enemy lobs a mortar or fires a rocket.  Then things get noisy for a moment.  Fortunately, those sounds are rare.

Touch - The one thing you feel here is the heat.  Yesterday, it was 114 degrees in the shade, about 130 in the sun.  There is a breeze, but it feels like someone is pointing a hairdryer in your face.  It does not make you feel cooler at all.  You've heard the phrase, "chilled to the bone."  Well, here you are warmed to the bone.   

Taste - As far as taste, all I can say is it tastes like America.  I've really only eaten at the Dining Facility and a couple of pizza joints.  So I can't provide anything other than that, other than to say we lack nothing when it comes to food and drinks.  It's all free and it's pretty good.  They say when you come to Iraq you get fit or fat.  I now know why.  Be assured I'm working out almost everyday in order to win the battle of the bulge.

Settling In

It has now been nearly two weeks since I arrived in Baghdad.  Those of us who went through training together and have ended up together in the International Zone (IZ), formerly known as the Green Zone, are figuring out where everything is, who everyone is, and what we're supposed to be doing.

I've enjoyed meeting the folks here - military, Defense Department civilians, contractors, State Department civilians and security personnel.  I'm amazed at the number of people who are here and live in the DC area.  I'm also amazed at the number of Navy personnel that are serving.

In the coming months, many people will get to go home and see their families while their replacements begin their tours. You can definitely tell those who are getting ready to depart - their is lilt in their step and a smile on their face.  But I've not met anyone who has regretted their time here.

One thing I'm having to get used to is, in Iraq, Thursday and Friday make up the weekend.  And the Embassy staff takes off on those days as well.  For the military, there is no weekend.  You work everyday for a minimum of 12 hours, but you try to take a little time here and there to take care of personal things like washing clothes and getting your hair cut.  You take an hour or so everyday to work out, too.

Establishing a routine is something I am trying to get nailed down, but everyday is just a little different.  But the variety helps make the day go by a little quicker.  And that means it feels like I'm getting a little closer to home.

Finally, Baghdad!

After five weeks of training in South Carolina and the deserts of Kuwait, I've finally made it to Iraq.

On Monday evening we departed Kuwait on a C-130 aircraft and flew to Baghdad International Airport (BIAP).  At BIAP, I said goodbye to the rest of the people I trained with - they went to get in-processed over two days, I was taken to a depot where, at 2 a.m., I boarded an armored shuttle to get to the International Zone as fast I could in order to meet with LCDR Matt Miller, whom I was replacing.  Matt, God bless him, is on his way home.

Matt met me in the IZ and took me to my temporary sleeping quarters for the night.  I got in bed at 4:15 am.

Tuesday, I hit the ground running at 0830.  Matt picked me up and took me to the New Embassy Complex (NEC), my home for the next year.  Let's just say that the NEC is an oasis.  Everything here is new - a gym, exchange, dining facility, swimming pool, and offices.

My office is better than anything I had before going to work with the Armed Forces Marketing Council.  Everything is modern.

That is, except the living quarters.  I live in a CHU in CHUville.  A CHU is a Cargo Housing Unit - basically it is a cargo container converted into a small apartment.  I share my CHU with a British Army officer who will be going home soon for the birth of his first child.

On Tuesday a sand storm blew in.  Now, we endured a sand storm in Kuwait - the sand actually blew and pelleted us.  The sand in Iraq is more like talcum powder - so fine you can't feel it.  Nonetheless, it got on everything and in everything.  You smell it and taste it.  It is going to take getting some used to.  Let's just say I'm glad I have a Netty Pot to help clean out the nasal passages.

I've been busy since arriving and will be so over the next few weeks, which I hope will help time move quickly.

How fast can you wait?

On Saturday morning, after five weeks, we completed all of our training in preparation for our deployment to our final destinations. Our final training evolution consisted to two nights in the desert conducting close quarter marksmanship with our weapons and convoy training focusing on counter-ied techniques.

Friday was an interesting day: we awoke at 0345 to be in formation on the range at 0500. I've never experienced 80 degrees at 0400 before, which was an indicator of how hot the day would get. By 1000, it had to have been nearly 110 degrees (and we were dressed in body armor) and only got hotter as the day progressed. That is until about 1500 when the hot winds blew in a sandstorm.

Just imagine sand in your ears, eyes, nostrils, mouth and every other part of your body. The uniform covers everything but faces and hands, but the sand finds a way inside. Our training site had no showers, so by the end of the training evolution, my scalp was covered in sand. Not a pleasant feeling.

Except for the oil here, I don't know what would possess anyone to live here. I guess to each his own - for me, give me trees, water and something, anything with color other than just brown/tan.

We are still in Kuwait waiting for transport to our final destinations, which is getting tiresome. I'm ready to do the job I was called to do and wasting days for transportation seems to be, well, a waste of time and money. I hope this is my last post outside of Iraq. I've waited as fast and long as I could, but don't want to do it any longer.

So this is what a desert looks like...

Hello from Kuwait!

I arrived hear late yesterday after travelling nearly 18 hours from Columbia, SC. We have been getting settled in to our tents and acclimated to the time difference and weather. Today it is in the 90's with a nice breeze and light overcast sky and almost no humidity. It is actually bearable.

I grew up in the Northeast Louisiana delta where it was flat. But LA has nothing on the flatness of this place. I guess what makes it moreso is the fact that I haven't seen a tree since I arrived. The tallest plant I've seen here is the 8 inch center piece in the dining facility (DFAC) which is fake of course.

Interestingly, a lady bug landed on my uniform this morning. I guess it thought the green on my uniform was a leaf.

The camp here has many amenities: McDonalds, Starbucks, a PX, AT&T call and internet centers, and USO and MWR (morale, welfare and recreation) facilities.

I'm now in the USO tent using one of their computers. I'm very thankful to the USO and its dedicated volunteers for their support of those in uniform, providing us opportunities to reach home.

Walking over, I stopped by a line of uparmored humvees to look at the counter-IED equipment on board the vehicles. This equipment included many items with which I became very familiar working at Joint IED Defeat Organization, such as the Rhino and CREW (electronic jammers).

An Army sergeant showed us around his vehicle. This sergeant has been here for a year and just volunteered to continue leading convoys in country for another tour. May God bless him and those like him who continue to serve when they have the opportunity to go home to safety.

The next few days are "acclimation" days. We will have a few briefs during the day, but mostly get our bodies used to the temperatures and time change. Then we head into the desert for more training. Then its off to do the jobs were called to do.

In Focus: Intercepter Body Armor

Of the many items that I have been issued since being mobilized, there is one with which I absolutely have a love-hate relationship.  It is the Interceptor Body Armor, or IBA for short.  (The military shortens the name of everything.)  I've nicknamed mine "The Beast."

The Beast consists of eight pieces:  a vest with front and back armor plates, two side plates, two upper arm protectors, two side protectors, and a neck protector.  Put together The Beast weighs about 50 lbs.

While wearing The Beast, I feel like I have a 50 lb kid standing on my shoulders wearing roller blades.  It is uncomfortable, limits movement, slows walking and running, and moves the body's center of gravity higher, which requires getting used to balancing with it while bending, walking, running and shooting.

I dread putting on The Beast and look forward to removing it at every opportunity.  Along with The Beast, I have a helmet that weighs 4 lbs, knee pads, elbow pads, a pistol belt, holster and 9mm, along with an M-16 rifle.  I also wear a Camelbak, which holds about a gallon and half of water.  The gear together comes in at about 70 lbs.  Given I weigh 145 lbs, the gear increases my body weight by nearly 50%.

However, I know why I have to wear The Beast - it may save my life.  In past wars where warfighters were not issued body armor, for every one killed, two to three were wounded.  In our current conflict, the ratio is one in nine.  Body armor is saving lives where, without it, many would have sustained fatal injuries.

These past two weeks have also given me great empathy for those soldiers and Marines who stand watch for hours on end wearing their IBA in 135 degree heat.  It has been in the seventies here in SC during our training.  Normally, these conditions would be comfortable, but with an IBA, it gets hot quickly.  

So say a prayer for those men and women in Iraq and Afghanistan whose job requires them to wear these devices for hours in the oppressive heat, while maintaining a focus on their mission.  It's just one more reason why they are all heroes.

Weapons Training

Many of our training evolutions over the past week have been focused on weapons training and qualification for the M-9 9mm Beretta and the M-16 semi-automatic rifle.  We've shot over 200 rounds each at targets as close as 9 meters and as far away as 300 meters.

Firing a weapon is somewhat of a science.  It is amazing the difference a zeroed rifle makes.  Once the sites were adjusted on my M-16, I was able to hit a 4 centimeter target 25 meters away with three rounds, twice. (See picture)  Once you do that, your rifle is sited in, or zeroed, and you're ready for qualification on the ranges.

The biggest challenge in the weapons training has been lying on the ground in my battle armor, helmet and protective eyewear and trying to aim at the targets.  The challenge lies in the fact that the battle armor pushes against the helmet, which pushes against the protective eyewear.  Since I have to wear prescription inserts with the eyewear, they get pushed out of the line of sight due to the chain reaction.  Thus I am unable to clearly see the target through the sights.

Without the garb, I hit the 300 meter target 5 out of 5 times.  With the gear, I missed all five times.  That was frustrating.

Fortunately, over the next few days we get to go to the range and work on our ability to hit moving targets.  I'm looking forward to the challenge and overcoming the gear issue.

The reality is there is a 99% chance I will never fire a weapon once I am in country.  If I do, then many layers of security have broken down.  However, I'm glad to have had this training in order to build the skill and confidence to accurately fire my weapon if necessary.

Weapons, Armor and More

It think its Wednesday evening at 2200 (10pm). I'm certain of the time, but the days are harder to keep up with for they seem to just run into each other.

Today started at 0430 to get ready for a 0515 muster. It takes forty five minutes to get up, make the bed, brush teeth (showered the night before), put on uniform and boots, put on all of the body armor which weighs about 50 lbs, gloves, helmet (4 lbs), knee and elbow pads, then gather the M9 pistol and M-16 rifle, lock up all of you personal belongings and, after making a last check to make sure everything is neat, finally head out the door with 5 minutes to spare.

The days have been long and tiresome, but educational. On Monday, we were issued all of our gear and began getting it organized and ourselves acquainted with the thousands of dollars of equipment that is meant to protect us from the enemy, engage the enemy if necessary, and keep us warm, dry and hydrated. Yesterday, we learned basic battle field first aid, weapons immersion, handling and cleaning, as well as radio communications guidelines. Today, we began handling the weapons, went through a couple of computerized firing simulations for the weapons, drove Humvees, and began siting our rifles.

We finished this evening at about 5:30 pm, but still had things we had to do to get ready for tomorrow, which will have us undergoing a trial qualification on the M9 9mm pistol and siting-in of the M16 rifle.

We still have two weeks left with so much more to do. I just hate it has to start at 0400 tomorrow - 5 1/2 hours from now.

It's NARMY Training!

Yesterday, Saturday, 4 April, I mustered at 0700 at the NMPS site, said goodbyes and gave hugs and kisses to Theresa and Sarah, loaded a bus and rode seven hours south to Ft. Jackson, SC where I will spend the next two and a half weeks doing Army Training.  I am one of about 300 sailors who have been sent here from all over the country to learn how to shoot, move and communicate in a war environment.  Given we are all Navy sailors undergoing Army training, the training is affectionately called NARMY training.

Interestingly, I met one man wearing an LSU shirt who is from Rayville, Louisiana and another man from Tennessee who is an LSU fan even though he graduated from Arkansas.  There are also quite a few folks from the DC area, some who I've known for a while, and one person from Florida whose family who owns a company that does business with the military resale community.  So I'm having a good time getting to know a lot of new folks.

As difficult as it is to deploy (there never is a perfect time to do so), I have met a few folks whose deployment comes at a very difficult time.  There is one LCDR I've gotten to know whose wife just delivered their second son two days ago.  He wasn't there at the delivery and, because he received a smallpox vaccination, he will not be able to see his newborn son before he leaves for his seven month deployment to Djibouti.

I've also met a few folks I will be working with over the next year, so in a sense we have become battle buddies as we prepare for the road ahead and that preparation begins at 0500 tomorrow.

NMPS - a week of paper, shots, and law

On Monday, 31 March, 0730, I arrived at the Navy Mobilization Processing Site (NMPS) in Norfolk for my first full week of mobilization.  I arrived not knowing exactly what was going to take place, but as this week has progressed, I am very glad the Navy has injected NMPS into the deployment process.

Being ready for mobilization is not an easy undertaking.  In order to be ready for deployment, a Reservist must be medically cleared with all required vaccinations for the county to which he or she is deploying, all administrative paperwork must be up-to-date, wills must be up-to-date, powers of attorney must be provided in order that the Reservists affairs can be taken care of while he or she is deployed, gas masks must be fitted and issued, eye glasses must be issued, the Reservists Common Access Card must be up-to-date, security clearance must be up-to-date, all on-line training must be completed, along with a few other items.

Getting all of these items done before deployment is not always easy, especially since some things must be current as of 90 days prior to deployment.  So I am very glad that the Navy created NMPS to help us work through all of these items in an expedited manner.  And I'm very proud that the system is working well, which I cannot say for most things I've encountered in dealing with the military.

I have probably filled out nearly 15 different forms over the past three days.  I haven't written this much by hand since before I bought my first computer.  I've signed my name and written my SS# more times than when I signed my last mortgage documents.

But one of the benefits is that when I have completed my items for that day, I have been released until the following day.  Since I have been able to get my things completed by noon the past two days, I've been able to spend more time with Theresa and Sarah.

We have two more days at NMPS then we head to Ft. Jackson, SC for two and half weeks of, what Bill Murray characterized in the movie Stripes, "Army training, sir!"

Beginning Life as a Sand Sailor

On Friday, 27 March, 0730, I began a new life as an active duty sailor.  I was blessed to be able to check in remotely, which means that, instead of driving 200 miles to Norfolk on Friday to check in at the Navy Operational Support Center (NOSC) at Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base, then sitting in Norfolk until Monday with nothing to do all weekend, I was able to drive 57 miles to the NOSC at Andrews Air Force Base, check-in and go back home for the rest of the weekend.

On Sunday, Theresa, Sarah and I drove to Norfolk where I would report the next morning for mobilization processing.  We are blessed to stay with our good friends, Greg and Janet Sandway, in Chesapeake for the week.  This is providing us more time together before I leave on Saturday for training in South Carolina.  

I am honored to serve my country.  I follow in the steps of many millions of Americans who have gone before me to defend freedom and democracy around the world.  In Iraq, I will be serving in an environment that has been secured by countless American Soldiers, Marines, Sailors, Airmen and Coast Guardsmen who have served valiantly over the past six years.  Every American should be proud of these brave men and women and the incredible work they have done under challenging circumstances.

I look forward to my service and subsequent return home to Theresa and Sarah.  The thoughts, prayers and encouragement of friends and family mean more than anyone can know and they will serve to strengthen the three of us as we sacrifice together during this deployment.