Sunday, July 30, 2006

For the War or Against the War




I am nearing the end of the line for Mosul. This has been a very productive and enjoyable visit. Being a fan of Ernie Pyle, I am very honored to have worked with the Indiana National Guard. I spent a lot of time in Northern Indiana growing up. My mother was from central Indiana.

I should have lots of articles online in the next two weeks from this job. Next stop, triangle of death. I saved the worst for last. It's what I wanted to see. I came here to get in the shit. And I have it.

I am approaching 10 months in the middle East and I feel it. I thought I would want to stay here. I think the thing that drives me to leave here the most is the need for women. Women I know, or want to know. Afghanistan was filled with whores, gold diggers and very attractive Afghan women locked behind burkas and an oppressive culture.

So I am heading back to the states. I plan on hitting Burning Man, mostly because I can visit the most of my friends in that one spot and save me self running around the US to track then all down.

I try not to forget that my goal is to work in art. I really don't like journalism and do not plan on doing it for a career. I will be writing my book this fall and hopefully selling it. But I really don't want to be stuck in a hole as a writer. I hope I can sell some books and pay back everyone I know and have a little money left over, then maybe get a movie deal.

I made this slide show of some of the paintings I did. I also made the music in the background. The first is all me, the second, Andrea and I, and the third, a Mindless Thuggs Demo.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dORw4RTYbL0

Lately I have been inspired by my good luck here. I sort of feel like I can do anything. I just can't die while I am over here. So I thing in October 2007, I will come back from the war, and do some work in music. I want to get a tour bus, and band, and tour around. I've had enough friends do it. That is what I want to do. But I am not going come back from the war until my buddies in the Nevada National Guard come back. I mean, I'll be back for a month or so this fall, but I will return this October for another year.

Interviewed the General in charge of all the Iraqi Police in the Mosul area. He is at the top of this blog. Here is a little video clip of him. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAQS4BGXz_o

I also attended an Iraqi Police Graduation. The video is not that great. I put a song I did with a Creamy Goodness, a band I had in Seattle. The song is drunken Tai Chi Master.

I think I am getting a cold. Or at least a sinus infection. . .
A friend of mine I met here, another journalist, has a saying I like. There are people for the war. There are people against the war. Then there are the people in the war. That is what I feel like. I am in it. I want to get out of it and come back to the states and try and a perspective on it all.

Walking around here I am aware that I probably will be back in the US in three weeks. No more blast walls, 120 degree weather—No need for kevlar, a helmet or any of the things that are normal to me now.

This is something I wrote that will be out. I removed the name. The Army is still reviewing it for release.

“Feeling the Heat in Iraq”



Mosul, Iraq—This summer is hotter than ever for ______ City resident _____ _____. Based at Forward Operating Base Diamondback, _______ serves with the Indiana National Guard as a Sergeant.
______, 32, volunteered to go to Iraq. He arrived with the 2nd Battalion, 150th Field Artillery Regiment of the Indiana National Guard in January. His unit is know as the “Raiders” and trains the Iraqi police in the Mosul area.
The weather in Mosul hovers over 110 degrees most days. The insurgents have also cranked up the heat across the nation of Iraq with daily attacks on the Iraqi people. On 3 July, Staff Sgt. Paul Pabla was killed by sniper fire in Mosul. Pabla, 23, was from Fort Wayne.
“I felt that I could be a real help to the younger troops,” he said. “I can help them and the people of Iraq.”
Iraq would be in “big chaos” without US help, said Brigadier General Wathiq Mohammad, through an interpretor. Wathiq, 48, is a Commander of Iraqi Police in Mosul. He added that he is pleased with the help he receives from the Indiana National Guard.
_______ is an assistant squad leader in the 3rd platoon and truck commander of his Humvee. He helps train the Iraqi Police in weapons cleaning, tactical check points (TCP), vehicle searches, person searches and muzzle awareness.
Traveling to various Iraqi police stations and training centers is all part of the job.
“I am outside the wire 40 hours a week for work,” he said. His missions may be day or night. Like all the other soldiers he is deployed with, _______ works almost everyday.
_______ signed up for the Army Reserve 15 years ago. Eight years ago he switched to the National Guard.
“I signed up was for a better future for my family and to serve my country,” he said.
Originally from Pontiac, Michigan, _______ moved to ______ City four years ago with his wife, ________ and their four children.
_______ works for the Indiana State Prison as a supervisor for license plate manufacture.
“I had a lot of experience in metal work,” he said. “I beat out a whole bunch of guys to get that job.”

BOOTS ON THE GROUND

The barracks occupied by the Raiders are former Iraqi military buildings. Many of the soldiers have spent their spare time fixing up the place. Decks, shade structures and painting have been added over the last six months and construction continues. Rooms have the Armed Forces Network for television and internet access is available for an additional fee.
While settling into his barracks this spring, _______ witnessed something that he said defines his tour of duty here.
Around noon, his company was in formation. An explosion occurred about one mile away in the city of Mosul.
“We had heard explosions before, but something was different.” he said. “Later, we heard over 40 people were killed.”
_______ put on his ballistic gear and went to the roof of his building. He saw a small mushroom cloud over the city.
Volunteering for this deployment put him in with a number of other soldiers that did not know each other. Although the unit activated is the 2nd Battalion, 150 Field Artillery Regiment, soldiers were selected from the National Guard across the state of Indiana.
“There are a lot of different changes here for the guys,” said _______.
Being a squad leader, _______ deals with soldiers that are upset, even crying. He said that at those times, he has to be at his strongest and keep them focused on the mission.

NEVER BE IN A HURRY

The day started like every other one, a briefing before the departure from FOB Diamondback. _______'s convoy assumed the lead position. Another was to follow shortly after.
The driver of _______'s Humvee had to use the bathroom. It was an emergency and took 20 minutes. By the time _______'s convoy departed, the other convoy had assumed the lead position.
They were hit by an Improvised Explosive Devise (IED.)
_______'s convoy stopped short of the destruction.
“This was our first IED experience,” he said. “It scared us all.”
No one was hurt, fortunately. Improvements on armor and personal safety equipment are on going. The incident sticks with _______ because he knows it could have been his Humvee.
“This mission showed me never to be in a hurry,” he said. “You know what an IED can to do to you. It can be deadly.”

Reflections After Taking Leave

_______ recently returned to ______ City on leave. He arrived in Atlanta with 200 troops. He was impressed by the reception. The crowds of traveling people at the Atlanta airport clapped in unison for the troops as they departed the plane.
Back in Mosul, _______ is thankful for all the people that support the soldiers. He also expressed his thanks to God.
“The younger troops here are growing,” he said. “To me this mission is more than helping the Iraqi police.”
_______ wants to make sure that all the soldiers know that if they can make it through this, they can make it through anything.
Besides missing his family, _______ is an avid fisherman, and looks forward to leaving the desert so he can fish for steelhead and coho salmon.

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