Back Home in Taji

On the 11th I had a great meeting with my Iraqi counterparts that lasted 2+ hours and we got some key decisions made and each have our work cut out for us during these next couple of weeks. I am trying to get them to take a longer range look at what lies ahead not just what’s out there the next few weeks. Long range planning is key to lots of things and I am trying to get them to look out to the start of the new year and what we have to do know to make sure those things can be accomplished. Hell I’m already figuring out the itinerary for the 15 days of Rest and Relaxation (R&R) that the four of us will be spending in early next year!

The only sour note of my visit was one of the LTC's that I often eat breakfast with so we can watch ESPN Sports Center and talk about baseball while I am here in the IZ, had a negligent discharge. And no that's not something that happens during sex, but occurs when someone is clearing their weapon prior to entering the DFAC and a round gets fired. The reason we clear our weapons is so if for whatever reason we had to chamber a round because we were in the red zone or had our magazine in the weapon, we have to go to green status and make sure that 1) no round is chambered and 2) that we have no magazine in our weapon and 3) that our weapon is back on safe, so we don't shoot ourselves or one of our buddies. It takes about 10-15 seconds to clear your weapon the right way, because after you lock your bolt to the rear you need to do a quick visual inspection to make sure no rounds are in the chamber and to ensure you removed the magazine. Some of the guys out here think they are at the OK Corral and do it so damn fast there is no way in hell they even have time to check the chamber. Unfortunately for this LTC, three strikes and your out 1) he one did not remove his magazine, 2) he chambered a round and 3) he did not have his safety one and when he went to reholster his weapon he shot himself in the leg and the round came out by his ankle. Luckily there was a doctor nearby and he was transferred to the hospital down the street in a matter of minutes. He partially tore his artery in his leg and is in Germany right now and if all goes well will recover and not lose his leg. Beside that pain he gets an article 15 and a General Letter of Reprimand. As our OC's drilled into our brains at Fort Riley, slow is good, fast is bad when it comes to clearing our weapons. I would imagine that is a hard way to learn a lesson!

Flying home was interesting. After dropping off my linen at the billeting office and turning in the key I made the 1 mile walk to the PAX terminal at the landing zone it must have been about 103 degrees and with full battle rattle and my 40 lb ruck I was definitely feeling the heat. Luckily there was room in the terminal which is air conditioned. About 90 minutes before my flight time, they started cancelling some flights due to sand storms up north and the SSG told me that at the movement rate and direction of the storm my destination was in the path and sure enough about 45 minutes before the flight all flights north of Baghdad were put on weather hold. At about 2330 hours I asked what the chances were that the hold would be lifted soon and he told me that I would be better off getting some sleep and they booked me on another flight for the next evening. Back it was to billeting and luck would have it my room was still vacant so I was able to hit the sack late that night and tried my luck the following day. I called ahead on the secure line and was told all things were good to go. It must have been Groundhog Day because 30 minutes before the flight they announced a 1-2 hour weather hold due to sand storms once again, and the wait began! Luck would have it that the Ops Sergeant from the previous night was also working that shift plus he had to head north that same evening, so he began to call all the various ops centers to see which choppers based up north were still in the Baghdad area. It must have been my lucky night as there was one still down our way, so we left 90 minutes late and this one made a lot of stops more than I can ever recall, but it was a cooler evening and except for some anti chaffing flares while on approach to one of our locations it was an enjoyable but long flight home.

I gave a couple of GI’s a ride in my pickup and these guys were young sergeants who every day go outside the wire patrolling in the various villages and depending on the mission may actually end up going door to door hunting down the bad guys. It was nice getting to hear their side of the story and to find out what they go through each day. I definitely have a much easier job and living conditions than those guys do and am awe at what they have to do each day, and that these guys are professionals and know that they have a job that has to be done and done right and are very optimistic and upbeat about what they do! After calling Carmen telling her that I had just moved back up here for the time being it was way past 0100 hrs and time to call it a day!

Well that’s all for now, it’s nice to be back home or at least what I call home for now.

The Colonel