So I don't know how it happened, but all of December flew by and I didn't even make a blog entry! Sorry for all of you out there that were waiting in anticipation. (It seems like all of my blog entries start this way.) I will do my best to catch you all up, though. I arrived in Kuwait on November 18th but got stashed there for about a week before making it up to Iraq. I was on three different bases/camps while there: Ali al Saleem, Camp Virginia, and Camp Buehring. It was an interesting place... very desolate. It was more of a desert than where I am now. One day we were taking a bus to the range to test fire our weapons (to make sure they still worked after flying over from the states) and this herd of camels started running across the road right in front of us. We had to slow down to keep from hitting three of them. Apparently, some of the Bedouin peoples that live out in the deserts have large herds of camels that they have trained to respond to calls. They will wait for U.S. convoys to be moving through the area and then they will call the camels to run in front of the buses. If one of them gets hit and is killed, then the U.S. government has to pay for it... and if it is a female, the U.S. has to pay for it and every calf it would have potentially had over the course of its life. Crazy, huh?
Well, I finally met up with the 448th Civil Affairs Battalion at COB SPEICHER in Norther Iraq. It is a former Iraqi Air Force Base (and former home of the Iraqi AF Academy) that is on the outskirts of Tikrit in the Salah ad Din province. At first I was assigned to the Headquarters Company (HHC) of the 448th CA BN without a specific job, but was soon tasked to take control of the S6 shop (signals, communications, and computers). The CA BN supports the main effort in Iraq by embedding CA Teams within maneuver units (Army combat arms units) out in the field. So in that respect, HHC of the CA BN provides logistics and administrative support to those CA Teams who are spread all across the theater. As the S6 of the CA BN, I was directly in charge of a section of five sailors who were Information Technology specialists and Radiomen back in their regular Navy jobs. Indirectly, I was in charge of the communications and signals support personnel from five subordinate CA companies spread across Iraq from Baqubah to Mosul. The BN S6 job is normally held by an O-4 (Major), but at the time I took over there wasn't even an officer in the section. I held this position just long enough to begin my "battlefield circulation" with trips to Balad (Camp Anaconda), Baqubah (FOB WARHORSE), and Samarra (FOB BRASSFIELD-MORA). In the end, though, the Army had sent me to Civil Affairs school for nearly three months to qualify me as a CA Officer, and as the BN S6 I was not being employed to my full potential.
A little more than a week ago, word came up from one of our subordinate units, Alpha Company of the 490th CA BN (A/490), that one of their team leader positions had become vacant. The call went up to the Battalion Commander to send me down, and almost overnight I was reassigned. Fortunately for me, A/490 is also located on COB SPEICHER and so I didn't have to pack up and move. I am now the Team Leader for A/490's CAT-11. The company has about five Civil Affairs Teams (CATs) that are farmed out to different maneuver units who are stationed in this region of Iraq. Operational control (OPCON) for my team has been transferred from A/490 to the 3rd Battalion-7th Field Artillery Regiment (3-7 FA), while our parent company retains administrative control. The 3-7 FA makes up one of the battalions in the 3rd Brigade Combat Team (3BCT) who in turn works for the 25th Infantry Division (25ID). The 3-7 FA, then, happens to be from back home in Hawaii (headquarted at Schofield Barracks).
Having said all that, my CAT-11 works for the 3-7 FA whose Area of Operations (AO) includes all of the Salah ad Din province. In the last week, I have visited several different locations within our AO with the different company and battery commanders from the battalion. In some cases we have met with the local leaders and security personnel and in a few others we have just stopped in residential communities to interact with the locals nationals. I get a big kick out of seeing all the children. They are always happy and excited to see us (and very eager to get the free stuff they just know we came prepared to give away). My mom sent me a bag of blow pops that was specifically designated in her handwriting as what we call "Humanitarian Aid" or just "HA". On one trip I went thru those and two bags of jolly ranchers, poptarts, a pack of pens, some soccer balls, and a few notepads. They would have stripped us clean if we didn't have to leave. That is the fun part of the job. The "not fun" part is the paperwork, project nomination process, contract negotiation, and did I mention the language barrier?
Don't feel too bad, though. I have had some fun since being at SPEICHER. I played in a softball tournament, attended a free Aaron Tippin concert, met and got autographs from some WWE wrestlers and beauties, went to a free Granger Smith concert, and attended an early screening of the movie "The Spirit." In that last one, I got to meet and talk with Dan Lauria, one of the actors from the film, for almost twenty minutes. You all might remember Dan Lauria best as the dad from "Wonder Years." He as a really awesome guy to talk to... very friendly and very very sincere. He actually served three years in Vietnam as a Marine Corps infantry officer.
Well, I have written enough I think. It is getting late here and I have an early day tomorrow. Thanks to everyone for your Christmas cards, letters, and care packages. Thank you especially for your prayers and support. If I could make a special request, I would as for you to pray for the soldiers in my team - Alex, Ali, and Matera. They are all from the Dallas, TX area. Let me tell you one thing about that - I sure am glad that the Cowboys lost on Sunday, because I don't think I could have gone another three or four weeks hearing about the Cowboys. You better not tell them that, though, because they would hate me forever. :)
Happy New Year!
-Jonathan
P.S. I will post pictures when can get my computer to an internet connection again... that way I can prove that I met the dad from Wonder Years!
11/17/08
On my way!
Later!
11/12/08
Veteran's Day
Well, I have again let a significant period of time go by without really updating my blog. Sorry to those of you (Mom and Jenna) who check every single day expecting something new. :) I have now completed four weeks of army mobilization training at Camp Atterbury in Edinburgh, IN. I am currently at the brand new Indianapolis airport waiting for a flight to see Jenna in Portland. We are meeting in the middle so that each of us spends less time traveling and more time together... not to mention it is significantly cheaper than one of us flying round trip. As of last week, we didn't even know that I would get one last opportunity to take some leave. As I was leaving for the airport today, I finally started to realize that my trip to the desert is right around the corner and I really started to get anxious. The reality that this time I really will be saying goodbye to Jenna and will fly to the opposite side of the earth really began to set in. I have to admit that I started to get sad and had to change what I was thinking about really quick.
Camp Atterbuy certainly has been an experience. The first three weeks were a combination of weapons qualification and range shoots, HMMWV drivers training, cultural sensitivity and basic language training, chaplain's briefs, JAG brief's, combative skills training/sparring, land navigation, and endless powerpoint briefs. During that time we were not allowed off base, didn't get weekends off, and had to carry our weapons with us everywhere we went. The only exception to the offbase policy was a military bus that went on weeknight trips to the nearest Walmart for those individuals that needed supplies that the little base PX didn't have. Camp Atterbury is an Indiana state training facility but will soon become a full-fledged Fort as half of the Army's mobilization sites across the country are re-consolidated. There are quite a few National Guard units that mobilize out of CA - my favorites while we were there were the ones from Alabama and Tennessee just because of how they talk. There is also a state penitentiary in the middle of the base for lesser offenders. It is weird to see them walking freely all over the base picking up trash unsupervised or doing doughnuts on the gravel roads in there lawn mowers when they think no one is looking. Camp Atterbury also happens to have a Navy SEAL detachment that specializes in sniper training. So while it seems like it is a happening place, it is still out in the middle of nowhere with very few comforts usually found on a bigger military installation. The one oasis was a superb USO that was right next to our barracks. (By the way, for anyone looking to volunteer or contribute to a good cause, the USO has to be right up there at the top. If it wasn't for the volunteers that kept the lounge open from 0800 to 2200 EVERYDAY and the people and businesses that donated food and drinks and entertainment to us the entire time we were there, I would have gone crazy. There isn't a single service member mobilizing through Camp Atterbury at this time that doesn't appreciate all the effort of the volunteers and donors... they kept us sane.)
Our last week was a field training exercise out at one of the FOBs (forward operating bases). It was a continuous training event designed to simulate our "down range" operations. It was kind of like my field training exercise at Fort Bragg except that this one was more focused on teaching us about coordinating FOB logistics, providing FOB security, and planning/executing convoy ops. The days we were out there were our coldest at Camp Atterbury. It got down below freezing most nights. (I know this because the port-a-potties were frozen over with a thin layer of blue ice in the mornings.) So yeah... port-a-johns, heated tents (with two temperatures: too hot or too cold - nothing in the middle), and a 200 yard walk to the showers at night (which always had hot water but the flow rate of a water fountain). There was a changing room with hooks where you could hang up your weapon, post your battle buddy to watch your weapon, dart across the chilly night air in a towel to the shower trailer, and then run back to guard your buddy's weapons while he showered. It was an experience! I liked convoy planning, but had the opportunity to be a convoy commander, truck commander , driver, and dismounted gunner. It was all fun to me! I especially liked dismounted patrols because we got to interact with the "locals" and occasionally got the opportunity to engage the enemy. We conducted medevacs, hasty recoveries of a disabled vehicle (rapidly hooking up a pre-staged tow strap from your bumper to the rear bumper of another vehicle), and combat life saving (applying tourniquets, initiating saline locks, and administering IV's).
Well, my flight is almost here... not long til I get to see Jenna! I will go ahead and wrap this up. I probably won't make another entry until I am in Kuwait, so feel free to write back whenever. I don't know how assured my internet access will be once I am there, so I will do my best to respond to each one of you as I get the chance. I hope everyone is healthy and happy, and is looking forward to the holiday season. I know that I am excited about spending my first Thanksgiving and Christmas away from my family, friends, and hemisphere. Thanks for the words of encouragement and prayers. Keep 'em coming!
Camp Atterbuy certainly has been an experience. The first three weeks were a combination of weapons qualification and range shoots, HMMWV drivers training, cultural sensitivity and basic language training, chaplain's briefs, JAG brief's, combative skills training/sparring, land navigation, and endless powerpoint briefs. During that time we were not allowed off base, didn't get weekends off, and had to carry our weapons with us everywhere we went. The only exception to the offbase policy was a military bus that went on weeknight trips to the nearest Walmart for those individuals that needed supplies that the little base PX didn't have. Camp Atterbury is an Indiana state training facility but will soon become a full-fledged Fort as half of the Army's mobilization sites across the country are re-consolidated. There are quite a few National Guard units that mobilize out of CA - my favorites while we were there were the ones from Alabama and Tennessee just because of how they talk. There is also a state penitentiary in the middle of the base for lesser offenders. It is weird to see them walking freely all over the base picking up trash unsupervised or doing doughnuts on the gravel roads in there lawn mowers when they think no one is looking. Camp Atterbury also happens to have a Navy SEAL detachment that specializes in sniper training. So while it seems like it is a happening place, it is still out in the middle of nowhere with very few comforts usually found on a bigger military installation. The one oasis was a superb USO that was right next to our barracks. (By the way, for anyone looking to volunteer or contribute to a good cause, the USO has to be right up there at the top. If it wasn't for the volunteers that kept the lounge open from 0800 to 2200 EVERYDAY and the people and businesses that donated food and drinks and entertainment to us the entire time we were there, I would have gone crazy. There isn't a single service member mobilizing through Camp Atterbury at this time that doesn't appreciate all the effort of the volunteers and donors... they kept us sane.)
Our last week was a field training exercise out at one of the FOBs (forward operating bases). It was a continuous training event designed to simulate our "down range" operations. It was kind of like my field training exercise at Fort Bragg except that this one was more focused on teaching us about coordinating FOB logistics, providing FOB security, and planning/executing convoy ops. The days we were out there were our coldest at Camp Atterbury. It got down below freezing most nights. (I know this because the port-a-potties were frozen over with a thin layer of blue ice in the mornings.) So yeah... port-a-johns, heated tents (with two temperatures: too hot or too cold - nothing in the middle), and a 200 yard walk to the showers at night (which always had hot water but the flow rate of a water fountain). There was a changing room with hooks where you could hang up your weapon, post your battle buddy to watch your weapon, dart across the chilly night air in a towel to the shower trailer, and then run back to guard your buddy's weapons while he showered. It was an experience! I liked convoy planning, but had the opportunity to be a convoy commander, truck commander , driver, and dismounted gunner. It was all fun to me! I especially liked dismounted patrols because we got to interact with the "locals" and occasionally got the opportunity to engage the enemy. We conducted medevacs, hasty recoveries of a disabled vehicle (rapidly hooking up a pre-staged tow strap from your bumper to the rear bumper of another vehicle), and combat life saving (applying tourniquets, initiating saline locks, and administering IV's).
Well, my flight is almost here... not long til I get to see Jenna! I will go ahead and wrap this up. I probably won't make another entry until I am in Kuwait, so feel free to write back whenever. I don't know how assured my internet access will be once I am there, so I will do my best to respond to each one of you as I get the chance. I hope everyone is healthy and happy, and is looking forward to the holiday season. I know that I am excited about spending my first Thanksgiving and Christmas away from my family, friends, and hemisphere. Thanks for the words of encouragement and prayers. Keep 'em coming!
10/25/08
9/3/08
Go Navy! Beat Towson!
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