Okay, the title is from a song by Led Zepplin that I have happen to love. It’s called the Immigrant Song. I thought it was an appropriate start considering where I am now. Especially with the “ice storms” this place has experienced before I got here.
2008 January 5
Well, I got another mission. In early December, I received word that I would be going on a mission to Iraq. I was excited and nervous at the same time when I was told about it. This is something that I have always wanted to do and at the same time dreaded as well. You could say the full gamut of emotions has gone through me on this one.
You’re probably thinking well, Jim, this is what you signed on for twenty-three (23) years ago. And you are right about that so I am not sniveling about that. Or you’re thinking well you have experience at all of this since you were a platoon leader/staff officer in KFOR. Well, you are somewhat right. I had to deal with people out in sector, and even an incident with an UXO (Unexploded Ordnance), and lead a platoon of Soldiers as well. (Fortunately, I only had one Soldier hurt the entire time. There is no worse feeling then having to walk into a hospital to check on of your injured Soldiers.) But the fact is I was never what I would term as being “shot at” the whole time. And not a single Soldier died while I was there. I can remember three (3) shots being fired in anger the whole time by the entire Brigade while I was there and that was due to a Platoon Leader over reacting one night during an illegal weapons confiscation. And believe it or not I enjoy my job, but I hate being away from my wife, family, and friends. That’s the part I dread most on these trips.
I was rather amazed by the support I received from friends and people that I didn’t even really know when I was in KFOR. I came home and would have people come up to me at hobby events and say “You’re that guy! I/We thought your letters were awesome! Thank you for your service!” I would be so stunned by it all that I didn’t know what to say at times. I didn’t want to come off as arrogant or unappreciative in any way, but at the same time I just didn’t know how to even say “thank you” in return as I was simply so stunned when people came up to me and were wishing me the best. To all of you who did so, I simply hope I was appreciative enough as I really was happy to hear from you and I hope to hear from you again. If I didn’t respond to the standard you expected of me, then please accept my humblest apology as you deserved better then you got that day. Support like yours makes it all worth while. And to be honest I have never really thought I was that great of a writer. I just try to tell a good honest story about what really happened and little else. I am sure I drive English teachers crazy when they read my stuff due to the errors I make sometimes.
I also found that writing the letters and talking to people was very cathartic. It helped “get it out of my system” on top of all that. And the e-mail conversations it generated gave me a “social life” outside of the “base camp” as well.
So now we have Iraq. It is actual combat. I have had the honor to work with and for people who have been there and done that there so that helps. One of my commanders was a Battalion Executive Officer for one of the tank battalions that did both “Thunder Runs” through Baghdad in 2003. He even was good enough to sign my book “Thunder Run” by David Zucchino. You simply can’t work for better people like he is. So with that in mind, I can at least build off of their experiences. And I have done my best to keep in touch with friends of mine that are currently over there as well. (You don’t want to be a native female and live in Afghanistan. Theirs is a terrible life as but one example. Under the Taliban, women there are treated just about like cattle. And I thought Albanian women were treated poorly considering.) I can tell you that I feel more at risk driving to work every day then I did in KFOR and I hope to have that same feeling in Iraq as well. We will see.
And then there is the controversy regarding the whole situation. I can tell you that as far as I am concerned I am just a Soldier in this situation and I go where the country sends me. Soldiers are supposed to be “A-political” and not have opinions on wars. That is easier said then done. No matter what though, when ordered we move out and we don’t get to make the decision as to whether this is our war or not. (Those Soldiers that try to make such decisions should be court marshaled immediately in my book. After all, this country is run by civilians and you don’t want a military to have to make those kinds of decisions for you.) We signed on to protect the country and follow the orders of the President per the US Constitution no matter what party is in charge. Hopefully, that party won’t leave us hanging out to dry in the process. Wars have their costs which will always be a dreadful price to pay so we all just need to sit down and get used to it. As Thomas Jefferson said, “The Tree of Liberty must be sometimes watered with the Blood of Patriots.” It really is about values such as LOYALTY – DUTY – RESPECT SELFLESS SERVICE – HONOR – RESPECT and PERSONAL COURAGE. It really is about one of those deals where if you have to ask – you will never understand. I just hope my beautiful wife and kids understand as I march to the “sound of the guns” every time there is an opportunity to do so. Theirs is the worst as I am always busy when on “Army Time,” buts its them that are waiting for that seemingly occasional phone call, e-mailed photo, or a glimpse of their Soldier in the TV background. And I hope when I have a grandson on my knee that I can tell him that I wasn’t working in the “rear with the gear” like this was going on. I could never look at myself in the mirror again if I were to do something like “play it safe” when our country is at need. And I really believe in the statement made by Stephen Decatur, veteran of the Barbary Pirate wars, “"Our Country! In her intercourse with foreign nations may she always be in the right; but right or wrong, our country!"
Personally, I think it’s worth it and I will be d*mn*d if I will take my twenty year retirement when all of this is going on. Whether 9-11, WMD’s, or Albanian / Serbians / Shiite’s / Sunni’s / Kurds (a modern Auschwitz – I have been to Dachau and it was a sobering experience in itself.) in a ditch some where as your “Casus Belli” then so be it. I just don’t see any honor in doing something like retiring during times like these so I am here to stay no matter what happens or what people may think of it or me in the process. If Americans are in “Harm’s Way,” then its time to support the nation and move out. Some people think it’s about money, what they don’t realize is that the people who have that kind of money will make money no matter what industry they invest in via the Stock Market. Heck, I have a “fully diversified” portfolio and I will make money off of it whether we have oil, ethanol, biodiesel, or even solar power.
I have been on the ground talking to people the night after some irresponsible politician shoots off his mouth and had to answer the resulting questions with local people. It is not fun and makes me want to curse that politicians name every time it happens. It really is true that “local third worlder’s” do pay attention to the news. Like it or not, what they see of the USA is literally the DC beltway and the Paris Hilton gang. They do have satellite TV and in some cases internet. (I literally saw “mud huts” with satellite dishes and have the photos to prove it so don’t think it doesn’t happen.) Heck, in some cases they have better public news access then does the average US Soldier on the ground. (The only satellite TV I had in KFOR was at the DFAC (Dining Facility) and it wasn’t something I had all day to watch or the ability to pay attention to while trying to eat, do my job, and have more important conversation with my fellow Soldiers. And I didn’t even have a TV in my room till about six months into the rotation.) But I can guarantee that “Joe Third World” is paying attention to his satellite TV and if he is then so is the enemy in what ever form he may be. And that same enemy is smart enough to try and shape public opinion using the very words the irresponsible give them as ammunition. Especially when you couple that with a press corps that is more concerned about producing sensational stories so they can sell more advertising then they are telling the full story or even in some cases the truth about that is going on in this world. (Loose Lips really do Sink Ships.) Now by all means I would never encourage anybody to give up their “First Amendment Rights” during such a time as that makes us no better than the enemy. (After all, I believe in the entire US Constitution and not just convenient pieces of it.) But I will say use your rights responsibly. You can’t yell “fire” in a crowded movie theater. Nor can you encourage people to kill somebody in an unlawful manner either. That’s called “Manslaughter” and that is a Felony offense in most states. So again I encourage you to use your First Amendment Rights, but think before you actually use that right is all I am asking.
My mother taught me quite well about “how if you don’t like it, then don’t read/watch it.” Mom worked for the Clinton Administration in the Department of Transportation and is probably out on the campaign trail right now working for them. So keep that in mind when you wonder how I was brought up. (Remember this, when you hear about how not enough politicians children are serving as I am one of those “children.”) No matter what party you vote for, we are all still Americans here. I can literally thank Mom for my understanding and interest in American Politics and my faith in the Constitution. (I got my work ethic from Dad. Dad was the guy who had my brother and I out cleaning the Hog House during Christmas Break. It hardened us and gave my brother and I the work ethic we have today.) I joke now a days that the “tractor had more rights” then my brother and I did when growing up. After all, it got to “sleep in the barn.”
So keep that in mind as I consider myself just another “Joe Six-pack” who wants to be able to go to work, come home, and make a living with out it being stolen from him by the government. I don’t have any deep search for meaning in my life like the “coffee latte crowd” seems to want so badly. I have found what I want. If only the rest of the world was as lucky as I am.
Now we get into things like secrecy. I tell my nine year old son that “Only Mean People Keep Secrets” and I personally believe that. We have lots of “mean secrets” in this world. We use “secrets” to either protect us from evil so we can monitor its actions better or use “secrets” to do harm to evil. And the “Defense Bureaucracy” classifies everything. There is Unclassified, FOUO (For Official Use Only), Secret, Top Secret, Top Secret with SCI, and those are just the classifications I know of. I have a clearance and had the investigation for it. It’s really not that big of deal and I didn’t even consider it to be invasive at all. Heck, I still don’t understand why people get so up in arms when we talk about background checks. Mine was actually very helpful for my job while some of my friends were about ready to “wig out” when they had to do similar checks. As one friend put it “he bleeds red, white, and blue.” (Bless you, Maura.) To some (and Hollywood) I am sure it all sounds very sexy and “James Bondish.” I can assure you there is a lot of really boring drivel out there that is classified for what I am sure somebody thinks is very good reasons. Personally, it bores the heck out of me.
What does this mean? Well, I dealt with classified stuff in KFOR and never once told you about it as that’s the rules. (I assure you; it would have put you to sleep and not been a very entertaining story anyway. In Hollywood, the process may sound sexy but I can assure you it’s actually pretty boring.) And I am sure the same will take place in Iraq. So please bear with me on that issue. I promise to tell you all about what is really going on as long as it doesn’t violate classifications nor compromise Soldiers privacy. I am sure you can understand why that is.
My beautiful wife and I also went out and bought a new DELL Laptop computer with a video camera built into it and a new Blackberry PDA as well. I set up for the first time an Army AKO (Army Knowledge Online-It happens to be the largest “corporate e-mail network in the world per wikipedia.) dependent e-mail account for her so we can send video’s back and forth and chat via secure Instant Messenger on AKO. We can also send five minute video’s now as well so I can at least see my beautiful wife’s face now and then as well. That’s a big plus in my book. I also set up AOL Instant Messenger and Skype so we can talk that way too. The only problem I see with all of this is the time zone differences as Iraq is eight hours ahead of Cincinnati at this point. But thanks to the PDA I can now text people as well. I never thought I would ever get into texting anybody as I find Cell Phones pretty annoying on a whole. When I want to be away from phones, I mean I want to be away from phones and other electronic devices period. But now I have it in case I need it to communicate with home and during times like these, that’s really important.
The hardest part of all of this has been saying good bye to my beautiful wife. I really don’t mind being on deployment, but I really hate being away from my beautiful wife. I miss her when it’s five minutes let alone five or more months away. She keeps the “home fires” burning for me and I can’t say enough about all the good things she does for our family and me. There are reasons that I call her the “Household Commander” and she has more than earned the title. I can honestly say I would do anything for her if she asked me to. She really does make me that happy.
So with that in mind, it’s not the deployment I fear as much as the being away from home for another year that I fear. So please e-mail my beautiful wife your support when you can at Pam.Leach1@us.army.mil. She is what makes all this possible and she deserves the credit for it more than anyone else does.
In the last month, I have spent a lot of time getting ready to go. I spent a week in Atlanta, Georgia and some time in Birmingham, AL as well. We had to do what the Army terms as SRP where they check and make sure all of our paperwork is up to date. As far as I am concerned this is a painful process. You move from station to station sitting with a clerk and make sure one form at a time is complete and up to date. They reverify your emergency data is up to date. Verify your security clearance. Make sure your pay is correct. Have a conversation with the Chaplain if you want it. And it goes on. And the process is done several times to make sure everything is properly done.
While in Atlanta, I actually had complete strangers come up to me twice and pay for my meal and those with me. I never in my life have ever expected something like this. It was really nice and from complete strangers no less. It’s nice to see and meet people like this wherever you go.
Now after a couple of days of getting final preparation together, we finally left Atlanta for Fort Riley, KS. The going away ceremony here was really nice. I wish my family could have been here to see it. One of our Soldiers sang the “Star Spangled Banner” for us all. When this is done well it makes me want to “tear up” at times as the national anthem really means something to me. And this was no exception. I hate it when I see Americans sitting down when the flag goes by or not bothering to even cover their heart when the anthem is sung. It makes me wonder where we have failed such people in their lives. Or why they appreciate their countries national symbols so little. People have died for that flag and what it represents to them since 1775. The very least people could do is stand up when it passes by. Or cross their heart when the anthem is sung. It really isn’t too much to ask of anybody in my book. We had the “Patriot Guard” there as well and they escorted us all the way to the airport. The police here even shut down the freeway so that we could pass through safely and be escorted by the “Patriot Guard” the entire route. We not only had police escort but a helicopter overhead as well. Our local Soldiers were amazed by this. Judging by their reaction to it all, evidently when the Atlanta Freeway is shut down it is a pretty rare event here.
Once we were at the airport, we waited for the plane and then boarded it. From there we flew to our destination at Fort Riley, KS. I have been here twice before. I was there once to get ready for a trip to Germany in 1986 with the 1st Infantry Division (A Company 1-63rd Armor) and a second time in 2000 when I broke my foot at OCS. (I spent nearly a week walking around military map courses on a broken foot so I could become a US Army Officer with out having to be washed out of the process. Obviously, I was successful despite the pain. And I can honestly say it was worth it.)
7 January 2008
Well, now I am Fort Riley again. Fort Riley has a lot of historical significance about it in US History. It was the Kansas State Capital for a while. It was also the “School of Light Artillery” and most importantly in my book the “the School of the US Cavalry.” For African-Americans, the “Buffalo Cavalry” or 9th and 10th Cavalry was based here for a while as well. And then, of course, General Custer had some of the less glamorous incidents in his career start here as well.
Fort Riley is also the home of the 1st Infantry Division otherwise known as the “Big Red One.” The “Big Red One” was formed in WW I out of several Army Brigades. Its troops took the town of Soissons then. During WW II, the division fought at in Tunisia, took Omaha Beach, and helped the plug the gap at the Battle of Bulge. Note this is the same Omaha Beach where the famous quote was uttered, “"Two kinds of people are staying on this beach, the dead and those who are going to die-now let's get the hell out of here." The division then spent nearly five years in Viet Nam. It participated in the Gulf War, Bosnia, and has spent two tours in Iraq.
The last couple of days we have had records reviews, equipment issues, and medical reviews. Medical and other paperwork reviews are pretty boring. I really hate medical personally. Especially when they go through our shot records as I hate getting poked like that. This time, I received Typhoid, Small Pox, and started the Anthrax series. Ick!
But let me tell you about equipment issue. It’s called the RFI (Rapid Field Initiative) and it was like Christmas in the Army. I got new uniforms, boots, t-shirts, socks, long underwear, hats, and field gear. (The field gear was awesome as I even got a pistol holster which looks pretty good. I had to buy my last pistol holster as the Army issue holster at that time was useless in my book.) I have never seen nor ever been issued so much new equipment in my Army career. Needless to say, I am pretty excited about this. Heck, all the stuff was brand new and I could actually see a practical need for it for once. (Usually, there is something idiotic and useless in every set of equipment issued by the Army. Not this time.) This time I was actually excited about what we received. Heck, I figured I was going to have to buy a lot of this stuff. Not this time, this beats the heck out of KFOR when I had to go overseas with second rate gear when better was available at any Military Surplus store such as US Cav or TactialTaylor.com. I just hope I can find a way to keep this stuff for the rest of my Army career and if at all possible I will be happy to do so. Even the rifles are amazing. We have M4’s with “dot sights, IR Lasers, and Surefire flashlights even.
11 January, 2008
After signing for the Teams Equipment, we headed over the Training FOB (Forward Operating Base.” There we set up our barracks and got ready for the next day. We have had classes on COIN (Counter-Insurgency) and Cultural Awareness. Both were quite interesting. Some of this I already knew but it was good to have it reinforced by the instructors.
COIN is literally a case of “killing them with kindness.” Local people that trust us will turn over the bad guys or drive them out of their neighborhoods. The best way to describe COIN work is the quote I learned, “Counter-Insurgency is armed social work – an attempt to redress basic social and political problems while being shot at.” It’s by David Kilkullen in his paper “28 Articles.” People simply don’t realize how much social work the Army does. Heck, I did social work in KFOR, Louisiana, and will be doing more now in Iraq.
The USA was born from an insurgency. Only about a third of the country wanted to be a separate nation. A second third was the Tories and the last third were just willing to go which way the wind blew. With out French help, we would have been loyal subjects of the British Empire a good dealer longer then we would have wanted to be. Ask any United Empire Loyalist who was told to leave after the revolution and they will tell you that it is perfectly American to be told to leave for Canada if you don’t believe in the United States of America.
We had the “intolerable acts” which incensed our countryman and gave us the following COIN principles:
A. Vulnerable Population (that 33% I mentioned earlier)
B. Leadership available for direction (ask Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson, and George Washington to name but a few.)
C. Lack of governmental control.
So in Iraq we have the same COIN principles against a segment of society that is essentially chasing “black helicopters” that aren’t there to chase. They seem to think they can be part of producing a “Fourth Caliphate” and return Islam to its pre-Mongol “Golden Age.”
And we have had cultural training as well. Islam has many paradoxes. Women are actually revered in Islam. They are supposed to be kept covered in order to protect their purity from the wondering eyes of other men. They are the holders of the family honor. Fathers have the right to kill their own daughters if they are caught in an adulterous relationship, premarital sex, or even raped as it is seen as the way to regain the families honor. It seems to be quite a paradox. And it’s all in the name of honor. (Yea, it makes my head spin too.)
The main difference between Sunni and Shiite is how the succession of the Caliph was decided at the “Battle of Karbala.” The Sunni under the Umayyad’s wanted to elect their Caliph. The Shiites felt it should be a blood relative. The Shiites, who lost the battle, were literally put to the sword here.
Islam, up until the Mongol sack of Baghdad, was the cradle of civilization as Christian Europe was still recovering from the “Middle Ages” as we know them. Europe clashed with them over Spain via the Reconquista and the Crusades via invitations from Eastern Rome and a mad caliph who decided to “purify” Jerusalem as well.
And incidents in Iraq are literally down 60% since the troop surge last spring/summer so the strategies in place with the COIN doctrine in place appear to be working. However, anything could happen. The enemy may lie low and try to influence the American elections when summer and fall approach. (They succeeded in Spain so don’t think it couldn’t happen.) I am sure the press will be happy to report it if it does.
And just think this is the tip of the iceberg as I can’t write to you about everything and I have at least two more days of this training along with language training. And to think we still have combat skills, force protection, technical and tactical training, and Advisory skills as well to practice and learn.
Right now I share a six man bay with three other Soldiers. We live out of wall and foot lockers, and whatever comforts of home we could bring with us. Showers are down the hallway and we have it good compared to some of the other bays as they have different mission requirements. The PX is close by and there is a laundry mat about five buildings down. Food at the DFAC (dining facility) has been pretty good. I just hope to get some more PT done so I can get in better shape. On Sunday, I plan on putting my new helmet and body armor together. That will be a real treat as it is all brand new gear.
I will try to keep you posted as things progress as I really do enjoy hearing from my friends while on deployment. It brings a little bit of normality to all of this. And please feel free to ask questions along the way. It’s all on the table as long as it doesn’t violate Operational Security in the process. I am sure you can understand why that is.
Stay in touch,
Jim
or
James Leach
CPT, Armor
My front is pushed back. My right gives way. Situation excellent! I am attacking!
- Ferdinand Foch, c.1916
============================
Immigrant Song Lyrics by Led Zepplin
A-ah-ahh-ah, ah-ah-ahh-ah
We come from the land of the ice and snow
from the midnight sun where the hot springs flow
The hammer of the gods will drive our ships to new land
To fight the horde and sing and cry, Valhalla, I am coming
On we sweep with, with threshing oar
Our only goal will be the western shore
A-ah-ahh-ah, ah-ah-ahh-ah
We come from the land of the ice and snow
from the midnight sun where the hot springs blow
How soft your fields, so green
can whisper tales of gore, of how we calmed the tides of war
We are your overlords
On we sweep with threshing oar
Our only goal will be the western shore
S-so now you better stop and rebuild all your ruins
for peace and trust can win the day despite of all you're losin'
From: "Leach, James J CPT RES USAR" <james.leach1@us.army.mil>
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Received on Sat Jan 12 21:46:05 2008
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