Situation Report
Let me give you all an update on what is going on here in Iraq for me and the platoon that I lead. Lately we have been given extra duties to take care of on top of our already busy PRT schedule. We typically roll out 5 or 6 days a week performing our responsibilities as PRT escort and security but in addition to that we have been given numerous CIDF missions as well as QRF missions. CIDF stands for counter indirect fire meaning our platoon goes out and patrols a specific sector or objective to prevent the enemy the ability to emplace and fire indirect munitions, aka rockets or mortars. CIDF missions are not difficult in the least considering the very simple nature of the task we complete while we are out driving around yet they add to the amount of time we are at a high sense of alertness. QRF, quick reaction force, missions however, are much more taxing and stressful.
Let me describe the longest day my platoon went through so far this deployment. The other day we went out on a mission that took us to a courthouse in a town that is approximately 90km away from the base. For the environment we are working in that is a really really far away objective considering most of what we do takes place in the city. When looking at the planning alone for a trip like that it takes great thought in ensuring my guys are prepared. We need to bring extra water, extra food, extra tools, and most of all extra fuel for the vehicles. My Platoon Sergeant and I have to debate the decision to take HUMMWVs or MRAPs and weight the consequences of both. Not to mention I have to do a map and aerial reconnaissance of the route and area we are going to in order to ensure I can navigate the vehicles on all roads and decide upon the best route to take and egress from. On top of everything required for this mission, in the back of my mind is the fact that once we do return I need to get my guys time to rest and refit because we go right onto QRF standby status in case we are needed.
Now here goes the day. We woke up extra early to get all the vehicles ready for the trip. We left ontime like always and rolled out to our link up location with the Iraqi escort to find that they sent us Iraqi Police instead of Iraqi Army. Everyone here that is involved with the planning process and coordination knows that the Iraqi Police is only used within city limits due to their jurisdiction and resources and if we are traveling anywhere outside the city we need IA. Already a problem! We sat for almost 2 hours waiting to link up with an Iraqi Army escort for them to tell us that we were going to roll unilaterally and had permission to leave. Keep in mind we are now 2 hours late for the PRT and have been up and running for almost 5 hours. For this missions we took 1 HUMMWV and 3 MRAPs because of the distance and number of people we were escorting. It took us 2 hours to get to the objective location once we finally left and let me say that as awesome as MRAPs may seem they do a lot of damage. We must have taken down at least 10 power lines going there because of how big the MRAPs are and how low the Iraqis hand their lines over the streets. That was not good at all but what can we do, we have a mission and when there are a limited number of ways to go from point A to point B you take the best one possible and accept the consequences. Thats what I did and nonetheless we may have pissed some people off. Anyways, we got there 2 hours late, because we left late, and the meetings and tours lasted about 2 hours themselves. By the time we left it was so late already chow at the cafeteria back on base was already closed so the majority of my guys were forced to eat MREs. Not the most moral boosting thing to have after a long hot day outside the wire. But wait, it gets better.
On our way back from the objective we are moving, I mean driving incredibly fast trying to get back to base as quickly as possible when the HUMMWV overheats. Guess who is in the HUMMWV, I am, leading the convoy not only a the convoy commander but also in the lead vehicle, double duty (lead from the front right!). When a vehicle overheats you have a few options, the least favorable but most safe is cutting off the A/C to save power. So for about 20 minutes we were forced to drive with no air conditioning and suffer from the heat, NOT FUN AT ALL. It however, was the right choice to make as I will explain later.
Finally as we are getting close to the base I hear over the Battalion radio a distress call come through about another platoon convoy that got hit with an IED. Im listening to the call and everybody scrambling around to figure out what unit is going to respond to the call and where they are in location to the area of operation. We get through the gate and rush back up to Command Post so my guys can drop me off and go refuel all the vehicles so we are ready if they need us. I walk into the office and 3 of the 5 other Platoon Leaders are sitting around talking about how they cant go because they need time to get ready and they have guys at the gym and some just got off a guard shift and their vehicles dont have fuel, making excuses. It took my platoon 15 minutes to get fuel and pick up 10 more cases of water for our vehicles and coolers and be ready to go back out if we were needed. I looked at all of them, including the Commander, and told them all they were being lazy pieces of shit and that I would go back out and take care of whoever it was that was out there waiting for help, because at that time, nobody knew if anyone was hurt or if a vehicle had been destroyed or what. So, after being out for almost 10 hours already, me and my guys went back out to go help recover this other unit of guys.
While we were rolling back out, with 4 more vehicles added to my convoy to include EOD and mechanics, I got a call over the radio from the Battalion S-3, the guy responsible for operations, thanking me for responding so quickly and giving me an update of information. About 30 minutes into the trip to the new objective I was given an air asset to help with visual identification and radio communications. The air asset was awesome because while we were driving we came across a group of 4 men on the side of the road digging a hole and burying something in it. I had them check it out to see what was going on and they eventually concluded it was Iraqi Police building a new checkpoint, but hey, I would rather be safe then sorry. Eventually we got to the unit in distress and assisted in their aid. Details about the incident I cant say but let me just say they were relieved to finally have some American there to support them and bring them back home safely. We blocked up so much traffic during the hour it took to recover the vehicle onto the back of a truck that it looked like NYC in rush hour. People were everywhere, outside their vehicles, trying to pass in the wrong lanes of the road, driving off the road in the dirt, literally cars were everywhere trying to get around or see what was going on and we had everyone stopped. You gotta do what you gotta do! No matter what the rules are or what the regulation states, the safety of an American is more important than anything else and that means owning the situation and everything around it. When it was all over it was 17 hours later and my platoon was exhausted to say the least. The kicker to the whole thing, my Commander was pissed at the way I acted when I had walked into the office, understandably, and made me turn in my daily report that night before I went to bed. I got yelled at of course, I get yelled at all the time, but would I really be a good leader or learn anything if I didnt?
That was probably the most eventful day we have had since my last post. Other than that we go about business in the same routine manner, switching up the positions and jobs the soldiers have in order to stay sharp and on our toes. Everyday that goes by brings us closer to the day we can go home, and I know everyone is looking forward to that day. Until then, we have something else to look forward to that is approaching a lot sooner, JULY 4! Yeah no fireworks to watch, loved ones to hold and kiss under the stars, or festivities to enjoy, but we have each other and we are safe. What more can any of us ask for?
Monday, June 28, 2010
Monday, June 14, 2010
14 JUNE
Why is this date important?
I am sure many of you are wondering what the significance of such a day in the middle of June and let me tell you that not a single soldier here in Iraq today will ever forget this day. It along with a few other specific days may be the biggest moral boosters that the Army has decided to recognize.
14 JUNE 1775 - The birthday of the United States Army.
14 JUNE 2010 - All soldiers stationed in a war zone are allowed to consume 2 BEERS in honor of the aforementioned birthday of the US Army.
Now of course most of you know I rarely drink and if I do decide to allow myself the opportunity beer is usually one of the last things that I would choose to do. Many people in my platoon also know this information and therefore approached me with purchase propositions. I casually turned them all down as it is the right thing to do not to take money from soldiers, especially my soldiers (except when I kick their asses in poker, shhh!) so instead I sneakily slid the beers across the table to my dear Platoon Sergeant, who when not in a war zone, is an alcoholic. Wrong choice you think? No, not only is he the highest ranking guy I serve with so the perfect candidate, but being an alcoholic means that his body would be able to handle drinking the extra 2 beers whereas most of the other guys would have shown significant signs of being tipsy and inebriated. Ahhh, so you see, it was the perfect person to give them to and of course in return I receive much appreciation for the kind gesture. He will repay me somehow in someway eventually, maybe!
So now you all know why this day will be remembered by all those currently serving overseas in a war zone. That reason and the fact that we finally have reliable AIR CONDITIONING! Give it up for the air conditioning, WOOT WOOT!
Now signing off, 1LT Aaron Raymar.
P.S. Smile, because it can always be worse. You could be in the middle of a god forsaken desert in 124 degree heat right now sweating so much that you are literally drinking 10lbs of water each day!
I am sure many of you are wondering what the significance of such a day in the middle of June and let me tell you that not a single soldier here in Iraq today will ever forget this day. It along with a few other specific days may be the biggest moral boosters that the Army has decided to recognize.
14 JUNE 1775 - The birthday of the United States Army.
14 JUNE 2010 - All soldiers stationed in a war zone are allowed to consume 2 BEERS in honor of the aforementioned birthday of the US Army.
Now of course most of you know I rarely drink and if I do decide to allow myself the opportunity beer is usually one of the last things that I would choose to do. Many people in my platoon also know this information and therefore approached me with purchase propositions. I casually turned them all down as it is the right thing to do not to take money from soldiers, especially my soldiers (except when I kick their asses in poker, shhh!) so instead I sneakily slid the beers across the table to my dear Platoon Sergeant, who when not in a war zone, is an alcoholic. Wrong choice you think? No, not only is he the highest ranking guy I serve with so the perfect candidate, but being an alcoholic means that his body would be able to handle drinking the extra 2 beers whereas most of the other guys would have shown significant signs of being tipsy and inebriated. Ahhh, so you see, it was the perfect person to give them to and of course in return I receive much appreciation for the kind gesture. He will repay me somehow in someway eventually, maybe!
So now you all know why this day will be remembered by all those currently serving overseas in a war zone. That reason and the fact that we finally have reliable AIR CONDITIONING! Give it up for the air conditioning, WOOT WOOT!
Now signing off, 1LT Aaron Raymar.
P.S. Smile, because it can always be worse. You could be in the middle of a god forsaken desert in 124 degree heat right now sweating so much that you are literally drinking 10lbs of water each day!
Friday, June 11, 2010
Time Flies
I apologize to everyone that has been reading this blog and trying to follow everything that I have been going through while deployed overseas. I have not been doing very well trying to keep up with and maintaining a routine of posting new stories and information about what is going on over here. The last post I made was over 2 weeks ago and in that span of time an incredible amount of things have taken place. The best part about being incredibly busy is that it makes time fly and go by really fast. The worst part is that being busy, along with the ridiculous heat and the tedious tasks I deal with as platoon leader, make me very tired. Therefore, time to come over to the computers and get on to access the internet and in essence the blog become very limited to say the least.
Let me start off by saying that in the last 14 days we have had about 11 missions that have taken up most of the day if not the entire thing. On the 3 days we have had off we once were on "Standby QRF Duty" which means that we had to have our vehicles geared up and all personnel ready to roll out the gate on a 20 minute notice in case something happened to any of the other patrols that were out that day or any other incident that would need American support. Its annoying because you cant go and do anything and you have to be prepared for the entire 24 hour period of time. The other 2 days we had off were our maintenance days so we really did not have off and they actually are worse days than when we have missions. They suck really bad because our guys have to sit around the motor pool working on the vehicles and or waiting for the mechanics to be ready to take us into the bay. Whats crazy about it is that at this exact point in time I have 8 M1151's or HMMWVs and 3 MRAPs that I "own." But at any one period of time only 4, maybe 5, of my HMMWVs actually are operational. The MRAPs have had absolutely no issues so far except for the fact that they are huge and we can't roll them into downtown Basra because the power lines in the city hang down too low and will get destroyed by the MRAPs. Brilliant right?!
Now you all get to hear about the best part of the past 2 weeks. I will call it "Iraqi Sabotage." So just like most Government contracts, multiple companies bid to try and win the right to honor the contract and serve it for a specific period of time. Well there is a company on this base that is pretty much responsible for servicing everything from electricity to housekeeping. One contract covers everything that needs to be done here. Well, the company that has been handling everything for the past 2 years just lost the bid on the contract to a new company. In retaliation, the old company sabotaged almost everything. Im talking destroyed generators, cut circuits, damaged circuit breakers and boxes, rerouted power lines and switching stations, cut water lines, removed piping and tubing, all kinds of nasty horrible things in order to set the new company back and make them look bad. The result of all this was felt by us, the American Soldier, nobody else! At first it took a while for the effects to hit the system so we went about 3 days where the power went on and off and fluctuated somewhat regularly every few hours. It was annoying but tolerable. Then the shit hit the fan literally and the whole base shut down. Everything went out and cut off, Im talking power, air conditioning, and water. Most places we back up and running within the day, well mainly the important places and places with important people. Of course that did not include the whole camp that 1-68 is living in. Our tent was without power, air conditioning, and running water for almost 4 straight days. On the third day it went on and off a few times and then cut off completely again. The worst part about the whole thing is the air conditioning. I can deal without having any power because thats not that big of a deal, we all have flashlights. I can deal with no running water because we have water bottles and tons of wet wipes. No air conditioning sucks! Picture 120 degree heat all day long wearing all of your gear getting to come back to a tent that is close to 100 degrees itself, no relief, and the lowest that the temperature drops at night is still in triple digits! Not fun, just not fun at all. Plus, we had no cold water or gatorade to drink so everything was just a complete disaster for those days. A total mess to say the least. Luckily everything is fixed now and working again. We have all utilities and electricity back online and functioning so we have not had any problems recently. Lets hope that pattern is the one that keeps up for the future.
To end with some positive news, today I lead a high priority and VIP mission which went very well from our end. Although we did run into a few hicups, who doesn't, everything at my level and the platoon level ran well and went off without any problems. We took out a 1 Star Brigadier General, 2 full bird Colonels, and a US Ambassador with us today to meet up with the Iraqi equivalent of the head of the Port Authority. It was very interesting to say the least. A young up and coming 1LT leading a patrol with all these seasoned veterans in it, I might easily have been the youngest guy in the entire patrol too. Its funny to think about but an honor to get the opportunity to lead them all and have their faith in my guys.
Let me start off by saying that in the last 14 days we have had about 11 missions that have taken up most of the day if not the entire thing. On the 3 days we have had off we once were on "Standby QRF Duty" which means that we had to have our vehicles geared up and all personnel ready to roll out the gate on a 20 minute notice in case something happened to any of the other patrols that were out that day or any other incident that would need American support. Its annoying because you cant go and do anything and you have to be prepared for the entire 24 hour period of time. The other 2 days we had off were our maintenance days so we really did not have off and they actually are worse days than when we have missions. They suck really bad because our guys have to sit around the motor pool working on the vehicles and or waiting for the mechanics to be ready to take us into the bay. Whats crazy about it is that at this exact point in time I have 8 M1151's or HMMWVs and 3 MRAPs that I "own." But at any one period of time only 4, maybe 5, of my HMMWVs actually are operational. The MRAPs have had absolutely no issues so far except for the fact that they are huge and we can't roll them into downtown Basra because the power lines in the city hang down too low and will get destroyed by the MRAPs. Brilliant right?!
Now you all get to hear about the best part of the past 2 weeks. I will call it "Iraqi Sabotage." So just like most Government contracts, multiple companies bid to try and win the right to honor the contract and serve it for a specific period of time. Well there is a company on this base that is pretty much responsible for servicing everything from electricity to housekeeping. One contract covers everything that needs to be done here. Well, the company that has been handling everything for the past 2 years just lost the bid on the contract to a new company. In retaliation, the old company sabotaged almost everything. Im talking destroyed generators, cut circuits, damaged circuit breakers and boxes, rerouted power lines and switching stations, cut water lines, removed piping and tubing, all kinds of nasty horrible things in order to set the new company back and make them look bad. The result of all this was felt by us, the American Soldier, nobody else! At first it took a while for the effects to hit the system so we went about 3 days where the power went on and off and fluctuated somewhat regularly every few hours. It was annoying but tolerable. Then the shit hit the fan literally and the whole base shut down. Everything went out and cut off, Im talking power, air conditioning, and water. Most places we back up and running within the day, well mainly the important places and places with important people. Of course that did not include the whole camp that 1-68 is living in. Our tent was without power, air conditioning, and running water for almost 4 straight days. On the third day it went on and off a few times and then cut off completely again. The worst part about the whole thing is the air conditioning. I can deal without having any power because thats not that big of a deal, we all have flashlights. I can deal with no running water because we have water bottles and tons of wet wipes. No air conditioning sucks! Picture 120 degree heat all day long wearing all of your gear getting to come back to a tent that is close to 100 degrees itself, no relief, and the lowest that the temperature drops at night is still in triple digits! Not fun, just not fun at all. Plus, we had no cold water or gatorade to drink so everything was just a complete disaster for those days. A total mess to say the least. Luckily everything is fixed now and working again. We have all utilities and electricity back online and functioning so we have not had any problems recently. Lets hope that pattern is the one that keeps up for the future.
To end with some positive news, today I lead a high priority and VIP mission which went very well from our end. Although we did run into a few hicups, who doesn't, everything at my level and the platoon level ran well and went off without any problems. We took out a 1 Star Brigadier General, 2 full bird Colonels, and a US Ambassador with us today to meet up with the Iraqi equivalent of the head of the Port Authority. It was very interesting to say the least. A young up and coming 1LT leading a patrol with all these seasoned veterans in it, I might easily have been the youngest guy in the entire patrol too. Its funny to think about but an honor to get the opportunity to lead them all and have their faith in my guys.
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