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September 30, 2004



Media perspective by a journalist

Tim Chavez, reporter for The Tennessean is one of my heroes and this story is one reason why. He quotes LtCol Jim Rose who is currently working in Samarra. Here's an excerpt:

"Samarra is a beaming success story over here," writes Lt. Col Jim Rose, a Tennessee Marine whose parents live in Old Hickory. "We were getting ready for a take-down there right after Najaf. We told the locals, 'Hey, see what happened in Najaf? Is that what you want? Cause we're coming.' It took the locals about two days to get the bad guys out."

Rose is based in the Sunni Triangle. That's where most U.S. casualties occur, where the Sunnis are supportive of terrorists coming in. Fallujah is there, along with Samarra and Najaf, where Marines drove terrorists out of one of Islam's holiest shrines.

Rose verified a message I received from another Marine officer in Iraq. He provided perspective missing in the media: "Those achievements, more than anything else ? account for the surge in violence in recent days ? especially the violence directed at Iraqis by the insurgents. Both in Najaf and Samarra, ordinary people stepped out and took sides with the Iraqi government against the insurgents, and the bad guys are hopping mad. They are trying to instill fear once again."

Rose asked: "Why isn't the media covering Samarra?"

Instead, we get what reader Jim League of Smyrna complains about. He cited a picture and story featured at the top of Page 13A in Saturday's Tennessean:

"The perhaps 100 protesters get front-and-center billing, and the impression is that all of Iraq is unhappy. What is missing is perspective. Imagine a foreigner perusing the front page of The Tennessean. He reads about a 15-year-old-boy being chained to his bed for six weeks. Would he be justified in believing that all parents in America constrain their children? If he had no perspective and if his impression was selectively reinforced by subtle media or political pundits, this could be possible."

Exactly. And what we get on TV is also just one side. Consider this story Rose saw reported: "I was going through the battle damage assessment at my desk with NBC's Today on the TV. The attack occurred in the middle of the night. I had the footage of the attack on my computer, and here's Katie Couric (or whoever hosts it) showing the same bomb location.}

"I had pictures of the bombed vehicles, which is how I knew she was talking about the same location. The next shot is kids being carried into a hospital. We had eyes on this for a long time. If there were kids in there, they were toting weapons or the terrorists used them as human shields. ?"

"I went to our Combat Operations Center and walked into them watching the same thing. I verified what I thought and spoke with our intelligence guys. They said the whole thing was staged and probably old footage. They track the footage and have seen repeat footage shown in the past. They also said to look at the footage and see if it makes sense. More often than not, it doesn't ? pulling a child from rubble with relatively clean clothes. "

Is NBC wrong and the Marines right? Americans deserve both sides to make up their minds.

"The Najaf shrine ? HUNDREDS of dead women and children were brought out after Sadr left," Rose wrote. "They (Sadr's supporters) rounded them up during the battle and brought them in to be executed. Why? Because they anticipated the Americans would eventually enter the shrine and walk into a media ambush. We never went in. The people of Najaf love us right now because of that. They hate Sadr and want him dead."

''Have you heard that one yet (in the media)?''

No we haven't. We just get one side. That's bad journalism ? by a news media acting in concert with Kerry.

Posted by Deb at 03:54 PM | Comments (1)





Two hugs a day

Cheryl, new Marine Mom, is getting extra support at home:

I am a relatively new Marine mom. My son, Alex, is stationed at Camp Pendleton at SOI but has already been told they will be going to the sandbox, so I read all the posts and sit and worry and pray about the future, not just for my son, but for all our troops. But, I have to tell you something that happened this week that gave me strength.

I have four other children besides my Marine. My youngest, Eric, is 6 years old and he idolizes his big brother. In fact, when Alex was home on leave, Alex and another Marine walked Eric to first grade. They were on their way to their high school to talk, so they were dressed in their dress blues. All the problems Eric had with older boys picking on him on the playground went away when those boys saw Eric escorted by two handsome young Marines. Alex stayed until school started and answered their questions and let them touch his uniform. Since Alex stands 6'4", he looked like a giant standing next to all those first graders!

Anyway, I love to watch the Waltons and the other day the show was on where Ben is in a Japanese prison camp and then the family finds out he is alive. I'll admit it, I cry about that stuff! Anyway, I had tears in my eyes and Eric asked me if I was sad because I missed Alex. I said, "well, I'm really kind of crying about this dumb show, but I really do miss Alex too." Then Eric hugged me and said, "Did Alex sit on your lap and hug you when you cried when he was little like me?" I said, "Yes, Alex used to sit on my lap and give me hugs too." Eric looked incredulous and he said, "Alex was once little like me and he sat on your lap?" I said, "Yes, but now he's too big to sit on my lap."

Eric hugged me tight and said, "Mom, don't be sad. I'll give you two hugs a day - okay? One from me and one from Alex until Alex comes home." And, each morning and each evening, he does just that - he hugs me one for him and an extra tight hug that is from Alex.

It made me realize that this just doesn't affect me, it affects the rest of our families too. Sometimes I tend to have tunnel vision and think that I'm the only one lying awake at night worrying and praying. Hugs from Marines are great, but so are hugs from little brothers of Marines!

Any hug is great, but I'm still partial to Marine hugs.

Posted by Deb at 03:26 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack



September 29, 2004



Dragon's Lair

Here's another update from USMC Major S. in Afghanistan:

Dear Family and Friends,

Afghanistan's voter registration window ended last month. It is a very exciting time to see democracy blossom and a nation come to life. The success of voter registration was remarkable with over 10 million people registered. The performance easily meets the United Nations' minimum requirement in order to meet legitimacy. In the province in which I work, they needed 380,000 registered to meet the minimum requirement. The final number put them over the goal with over 450,000. Even with so many people registered, many were complaining that they couldn't get their voter registration cards. The UN ran out of card laminate and pre-printed card stock.

The local Afghan leadership supported the process unseen like any emerging democracy before it. It is rule by gun in Afghanistan, but many took it too far. Afghan Militia Force checkpoints started asking people who wanted to pass to show their voter registration cards. If they couldn't produce it, they had to pay. This is Afghan democracy with a spin. These incidences are not widespread in the country, but it happened enough to get reported fairly often. Women were also registering to vote, but nowhere near the numbers of men. At best, the females registered were somewhere around 15%. Still a long way to go, but it is a start.

One of our soldiers started talking to some school age children while we were on a mission the other day. The kids had their school bags with textbooks with them as they walked home from school. He asked to see one of the textbooks and was shocked at what he saw.

The book had several pages in it with pictures describing math. Remember the picture textbooks that show 2 apples plus 2 apples equals 4 apples? The book had the same thing, but only it had 2 machine guns plus 2 machine guns equals 4 machine guns! The picture math continued throughout the book with hand grenades, knives, and bullets.

This curriculum was generated during the time of the Taliban. New curriculum and new textbooks have not been completed and printed yet, so they are using the old textbooks. There are still a few hardliners in the transitional government, so this is not happening as quickly as it could.

With curriculum such as this in existence.some US citizens don't get it as to why we are here. The Taliban were teaching their kids to be terrorists at the most basic level.

We've completed a trip last week that marks a milestone in my travels here. We conducted a mission located where known Taliban live and where we get extensive "troops in contact." Since we were traveling in a high threat area, we rode almost purely in up armored hummvees. There is a certain sense of security you feel when riding in these trucks. We received a timely shipment of brand new up armored hummvees the week before. These trucks are awesome. At over 12,000 pounds of armor, they can protect you from bullets, grenades and most road side bombs. A turret in the top has a gun mount for offensive capability. To top it off, the 6 cylinder turbo charged diesel can really move the heavy vehicle. This is pretty surprising considering the vehicle is 6 tons plus when loaded with men, equipment and supplies. I was definitely safer riding in these trucks than my Toyota Landcruiser.

The trip had many highlights. Of course, we ate more goat and rice with plenty of chai (tea). My mission was to talk to police commanders, district chiefs and tribal leaders about the upcoming elections and the status on the reconstruction effort. The secondary mission was to look at some schools and roads that needed to be rebuilt.

One highlight of the trip was a visit to a hydroelectric dam up in the mountains. The mountains are a portion of the Southern end of the Hindu Kush, which eventually ties into Mount Everest. The scenery was incredible. The dam was built by the US before the Soviet occupation and generates power (intermittently) to the Southern part of the country to include the city of Khandahar. The teal blue color of the water looked so refreshing compared to the miles of parched soil that stretches across the horizon. We did not take a dip, it was not exactly a recreation area with all of the unfriendlies around.

We drove out of the mountains and slept in the middle of the desert that night. It was actually peaceful. A slight, warm breeze could be heard more than felt. Other than that, almost nothing could be heard. It was as if the desert was dead. While on guard watch, it was comforting to hear a US jet patrol the skies as well as the occasional pass of an unmanned, armed drone aircraft operated by a US soldier via remote control hundreds of miles away. It was also an indicator that we were in the dragon's lair of Afghanistan. This is where what's left of the leadership of the Taliban have their homes. You could just feel that it just wasn't quite right there. We fully expected to get rocketed that night, but nothing happened. Another quiet night in a combat zone is always welcome.

We made our way to a town in this region to where I've been to before. I needed to check on some wells that I had contracted for a month earlier. After rolling into town, the district chief greeted me with an invite to more chai. We sat outside on straw mats, sipped tea, and talked about current events in his district. The mud walled compound was saturated with armed men. US soldiers covered the perimeter with a few on the inside to provide for my personal security.

Inside the compound, over 50 men armed with AK-47 machine guns milled around. Half of the men that came with us as were from the Afghan National Police and the National Directorate of Security (Afghan version of the soviet KGB!). The others were the district chief's men. He was pro-coalition, so I felt fairly comfortable with so many men with guns around. Taken out of context, the sight would make most people shudder with frigid fear. It was like a scene from an Indiana Jones movie. Dirty, rough looking Afghans armed to the teeth!

Somehow, a man not with any of us slipped into the crowd. He approached the mat and sat down inches from my face. He was dressed in different clothing and started speaking Urdu, which is spoken mostly in Pakistan and India. He was not an invited guest. The district chief thought he was with me and I thought he was with him.

After a few moments of getting this straightened out, local policemen attempted to remove him. A lot of pushing and shoving, but the police were not being successful. The man started kicking and punching and the situation escalated. The scene made the Rodney King beating look like a tickle fight. We had the beating stopped and the now unconscious man was hauled off to an Afghan jail. It was a tense few minutes, but ended fairly quickly. What surprises me most is why a man would be inclined to attempt to get into a meeting that he was not invited to and not leave when asked, with so many armed men around! Thankfully, the mission ended successfully with no one save the uninvited guest getting hurt.

I've attached a few pictures.


The first one titled "Kajaki Lake" is where the dam is located. I did not add special effects to the picture, it really is that blue.
The picture titled "Mitch and Hazara Kids" is our cook's kids. They were not shy and very animated to watch.
The picture of "Musa Kalay HS" is a high school that is in ruins but still being used. I'm in the process of getting the existing structure bulldozed and a new building built.
The last picture is me and some of my new closest friends, yeah right! These guys are about as crooked as they get, but they are the local leaders of a nearby town and I have to work with them. The other American in the picture is a Marine that I work closely with.

I hope you enjoyed the update and the pictures. I look forward to hearing about news from the "real" world, so feel free to drop me an email.

Khuday pe aman (Good bye)
Mitch S.e
Major, US Army
Civil Affairs Officer
Lashkar Gah Provincial Reconstruction Team
Operation Enduring Freedom- Afghanistan

Posted by Deb at 12:37 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack



September 28, 2004



Report from the Sandbox

Greyhawk has arrived and here's what he saw today at the Dining FACility (DFAC):

But here's what I noticed in the DFAC today: young faces. Young determined faces. Not much older (but far wiser and much more mature) than the crowd at a high school lunch room. You can tell without asking what these guys think. They look you in the eye. And if you can stand to look back you'll see into the eyes of the undefeated. There is no quit here, no early out, no cut and run. These are young men with an ugly job, America's finest sent to do our worst and best, and they make me feel old and inspired all at the same time.

So here is the first impression of your fine young sons: They walk straight and tall with heads held high in this war-torn world, in this sagging land. I wish you who can only read of defeat trumpeted in your newspapers or on your TVs could have walked among them and seen this for yourselves.

I read where someone said George Bush and Dick Cheney are the only people in America who think Iraq is going well. That may be so, but I don't believe for a minute they think it's a picnic.

And I saw 300 young Americans in Iraq today who didn't look like quitters.


Posted by Deb at 08:04 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack





Operation Santa Update #3

Thanks to everyone who has called or e-mailed to offer help and sponsorship of our troops. Last night, an enthusiastic group of volunteers gathered at Crawfordsville Grade School in Sweet Home Oregon to work on Operation Santa. KVAL, a TV station in Eugene, OR visited - click on the picture to read their news story:

KVAL reporter Jodi Unruh talks with Pamla Winslow about Operation Santa

For KVAL viewers who saw the broadcast and would like more information, check these links to the stories about Operation Santa that are posted on this website:

Operation Santa overview
Operation Santa Update #1
Operation Santa Update #2

This entry will be updated later today with more pictures. Thanks so much to the Crawfordsville community for showing up en masse to work on this project.

Posted by Deb at 10:30 AM | Comments (4)



September 27, 2004



When prayers are answered……

Last Monday, Sept. 20th, I flew to Palm Springs - just the first stop to my final destination of 29 Palms, California. The much anticipated and long awaited reunion was finally happening. It was my first trip alone, a small but mighty welcome home committee. Since this was the return of my sons second deployment and our second “reunion”, I was prepared for the hotel check-in, meeting the anxious and excited parents and families, getting my security pass to get on base, camera in hand, and posters to make those “welcome home” signs.

Buses filled with weary and excited Marines had already arrived. Families had come and gone and new families had arrived to continue the wait for our courageously brave Marines. And, for all of us prayers had been answered.

Celebrations were happening. Parents from platoons gathered in the hotel commons and together made signs and nametags and shared stories about their Marines. The excitement was intoxicating. I sat watching as this “family” grew as more parents arrived and information flowed in as to the estimated arrival time. Here we were just hours away from having our children home. Prayers had been answered.

By midnight another group of buses had delivered to waiting families another company of Marines. And, the “hot-line” message had changed. Weapons Co. was due to land at 3:30 am. By 7:30 am several hundred parents, children, sisters, brother, aunts and uncles, wives and grandparents anxiously waited with signs, banners, balloons and cameras. The Marine band played as we were notified that the buses were now on base. Again, we waited and just with the knowledge that these Marines were so close the tears began to flow. It wasn’t long before those big white buses were heard and seen. As they approached the staging area, screams and shouting was the only thing to be heard.

It was Tuesday morning, Sept. 21st when Bill, my son, stepped off that bus. I immediately saw him, even in the sea of desert khaki, and without hesitation I made my way to him. He heard my voice as I called his name before he saw me. And, like most moms, my emotions took over and nothing was getting between me and my “mission” to hug my son. My prayers have been answered.

A hotel commons becomes a place for creative hands and happy families to make name banners with pictures of their Marines
Along Adobe Rd. runs the sentiments of those who have patiently waited back home.
Luis and Andreas were excited as they waited for their uncle to return. It was a challenge not to lose those balloons.
Kids played while waiting for the buses.
And the band played on.
I think this happy Marine has his hands full.
My Marine, my son.
The sea of C-bags and packs. Finding the right green bag is bit of a challenge. This is like the airport with everyone having black luggage.

Posted by at 03:31 PM | Comments (318) | TrackBack



September 26, 2004



Gold Star Mother's Day

Proclamation by the President of the United States:

Whereas the preamble to Public Resolution 123, 74th Congress, approved June 23, 1936 (40 Stat. 1895), recites:

Whereas the service rendered the United States by the American mother is the greatest source of the Country’s strength and inspiration; and “Whereas we honor ourselves and the mothers of America when we revere and give emphasis to the home as the fountainhead of the State; and

“Whereas the American mother is doing so much for the home and for the moral and spiritual uplift of the people of the United States and hence so much for good government and humanity; and

“Whereas the American Gold Star Mothers suffered the supreme sacrifice of motherhood in the loss of their sons and daughters in World Wars”

and Whereas the said Public Resolution 12 provides:

“That the President of the United States is hereby authorized and requested to issue a proclamation calling upon the Government officials to display the United States flag on all Government buildings, and the people of the United States to display the flag and to hold appropriate meetings in their homes, churches, or other suitable places, on the last Sunday in September, as public expression of the love, sorrow and reverence of the people of the United States for the American Gold Star Mothers."

“Sec. 2. That the last Sunday in September shall hereafter be designated and known as “Gold Star Mother’s Day,” and it shall be the duty of the President to request its observance as provided for in this resolution.”

Contact information:

The American Gold Star Mothers, Inc.
2128 Leroy Place NW - Washington, DC 20008
Phone: 202-265-0991
Fax: 202-265-6963
E-mail agsmoms@aol.com

Posted by Deb at 08:31 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack





1/7 Alpha Company Update


Dear Wives, Family Members, and Friends,

We are now coming to the end of our first month in Iraq. Just in this short time the Battalion has been put to the test. As many of you already know we have taken KIA’s and WIA’s. I can assure that the best in medical care is being given and in a speedy fashion. As a Company, Alpha has had some close calls but has had no casualties thus far. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those injured and killed in Weapons Company, and Bravo Company.
A special thank you goes to Dawn Rowe who has served as Alpha Company’s Key Wives Coordinator. She was invaluable during our preparation and deployment ensuring that the key wives; wives and family members of Alpha Company were also ready for this deployment. Her husband Maj. Rowe was killed in Action soon after arriving in theater. We will miss her hard work, devotion and special touch that she put into her efforts. A pavilion was constructed for the Marines so they can get out of the sun, eat chow, and hang out. It is named in his honor and will remain when we leave as a lasting memorial to a man that trained many of the Marines in this Company.
Christina Pirtle is stepping up to the plate and will be the new Key Wives Coordinator. Please support her in her efforts to serve the Company.
Congratulations go out to Cpl Clarke from 3rd Platoon and LCpl Medina from Weapons Platoon. They were recently selected by the Battalion for Combat Meritorious Promotions.

I will continue to take pictures of your Marines and post them on this web site. Some Marines have evaded me so far, so if you haven’t seen your Marine yet it won’t be long before you do.

Continue to support your Marine by snail mail, e-mail and packages. These are a force multiplier and will keep them in good spirits.

You can be confident that the Marines of Alpha Company are performing their mission in a highly professional manner. Even though they are very busy, and tired they have not forgotten those left behind. From all of us here in Iraq we thank you for your support.

Semper Fidelis
1stSgt Weir

Posted by Deb at 05:57 PM | Comments (7) | TrackBack



September 25, 2004



Why I'm not sleeping much these days

This is part of an e-mail I received this morning from my son:

I've been shot at more times than I can remember, mortered more times than I can count, had a rocket shot into the house I was sitting in and the other day I got blown up along with the rest of my fire team by an I.E.D. my A gunner and my team leader took shrapnel (dont worry they'll be fine)

One month down. Six more months to go.

Posted by Deb at 04:57 PM | Comments (6) | TrackBack





Update from MSSG 31

Via Marine Mom Lynne Holland-Kelley, here's a September message from LtCol James A. Vohr:

Since I last updated we have offloaded a considerable portion of the MSSG in Kuwait and gone ashore for sustainment training at the Camp Udari range complex. For the Marines and Sailors used to operating in the semi-tropical environment of Okinawa and the Pacific, the desert landscape provides a significantly different backdrop. Temperatures, while not as hot as they are in the middle of the summer are still quite high and the wind seems to blow constantly during the afternoon. During the evening the winds diminish and the temperature drops to about 30 degrees Celsius (don't ask me what that is Fahrenheit), but it is not bad.

While ashore we will continue our training, while providing combat service support to the MEU. Training for the MSSG began with the operation of the Port Operations Group, spearheaded by the Landing Support Detachment, executing flawlessly. The live fire ranges are good and there is plenty of room to do anything else we need to get accomplished. Being off the ships also provides an opportunity to get our equipment operating and perform preventive maintenance checks.

The living spaces, provided by Army support are excellent and interesting. Marines are billeted in large tents designed to withstand the desert wind and hold up to 60 Marines sleeping on cots. The food is better than normally expected in a field training environment and nobody wants for quantity. Motivation is high and as always, I'm proud of the Marines and Sailors.

Thanks for all you do to support our Marines and Sailors
Sincerely,
J. Alex Vohr


And since nothing warms the heart of a Marine Corps Mom faster than seeing a picture of her handsome son, here are a few pictures sent take aboard ship before they landed in Kuwait:


Marines begin staging their equipment in preparation for NEO training.
Marines of MSSG-31 fire the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon.
Marines of MSSG-31 practice close quarter drills while firing the M-16A2 service rifle.
Assistant Operations Officer for MSSG-31, a.k.a. “the Godfather,” takes a quick break between naps.
Supply and Motor Transport Marines aboard a helicopter during “NEO” training.
A Marine from the BLT stands watch upon approach to Singapore.
Commercial ships were plentiful in the busy straits of Singapore.
The MSSG-31 Commander and Sergeant Major out supervising the M249 SAW live-fire shoot.

Posted by Deb at 04:06 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack



September 24, 2004



War Games

Via Instapundit, here's a link to photos taken by a Marine who recently returned from his second deployment. In his words,

"They are pictures from my office, mostly at 30,000 feet. I took pictures doing my job so my friends and family could see a portion of what I see and do on a daily basis. I also believe in what I did and did it so my kids can have a chance at growing up in a moderately peaceful world within a secure nation."


Here's one; go here to see the rest.

Posted by Deb at 11:16 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack





Afghan Air Conditioning

Here's a recent update, complete with pictures from Major S., currently deployed as a Civil Affairs Officer in Afghanistan.

Jorge ye? (How are you?)

Here's another chapter in my travels in Afghanistan...

Several weeks ago, we received information that anti-coalition militants were specifically targeting me. Even being in a third-world country, satellite communication technology allows for pretty decent communications not only amongst ourselves, but among terrorists as well. On one recent outing, the locals were able to physically track me down after only a few phone calls, even though I was over 100 kilometers away! This was a real wake up call. We thought we had taken all of the precautions. Somehow, we were setting a pattern and spotters were reporting our location. In order to foil the spotters, we started leaving in the middle of the night and driving "black out" or with no lights with night vision goggles on. The most difficult thing when driving with night vision goggles is getting used to seeing with limited depth perception and virtually zero peripheral vision. Imagine looking through a paper towel tube with one eye shut and driving down the freeway and you get a good feel of what it is like.

During one recent late night trip, we were traveling along a farm road rolling at a little over 30 miles an hour when a dog the size of a horse comes up from behind our vehicle. Cujo's bark/growl/gnashing of teeth were this raspy sound only heard from rabid dogs from the depths of hell. After being on edge with the recent security situation, I nearly wet my pants. My immediate reaction was to shoot and I swung my rifle around. Luckily for the dog, the speed at which we were traveling quickly put it behind us. I avoided a very embarrassing moment that night. I don't think the men would let me forget the day that I shot Rover!

Last week was a very rewarding experience and makes up for many of the horrible things that I see here. The hospital in Lashkar Gah is very rudimentary and quite barbaric. It doesn't have the familiar smell of disinfectant like most hospitals in the US. Instead, a musky odor hangs heavily in the air.

I befriended the Doctor in charge of the hospital and we have had many great talks about the health care system (or lack of one) in Afghanistan. I asked for a list of equipment that he needed and he provided one. Among the extensive list, that he provided was an autoclave. His current method of prepping instruments was by boiling water and the technique is simply not adequate. Secondary infections were common due to the lack of a tool to sterilize equipment and hence the strong musky odor in the hospital.

We located a container of medical equipment donated by an organization from the U.S. It was just sitting there with little information. Without knowing what it was, we claimed it and began an inventory. Among other things, we found a jewel in the pile of gear, two autoclaves. We delivered the equipment last week and the visit was very touching. The Doctor was nearly in tears and I was moved. With the addition of the sterilization equipment, I'm sure we just advanced his medical technology 70 years in one day. I finished the visit by handing out personal hygiene kits (soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, washcloth, etc.) to each patient in the hospital. It was an incredible sight. The pain and happiness that I saw that day made for a very strange mix of emotions.

A couple of weeks ago, a gentleman came to our gate requesting to speak with us. I don't talk to every Mohammad, Akmed, and Ullah (Tom, Dick and Harry) that comes by, so my sergeant handled the visit. It turns out that the man speaks English, is an Afghan-American and runs a non-profit organization that is building a school nearby. He is originally from the area, but has relocated to America; Portland, Oregon to be exact. After learning this, I decided to visit to see what he was about and how I could help. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to talk to someone from home.

It turns out that Dr. Kharoti, was in the country for a month while he made repairs to a school in the village where he came from. He's been coming for the last several years, slowly rebuilding the school. His son and daughter were both with him this trip and they are college students in the US. It was nice to talk to Americans again. We dropped off a huge school supplies box (paper, pencils, chalk, maps, books, etc.). They were completely shocked just by the school supplies and very grateful for the gift. (Little do they know that I have a shipping container of the stuff and I give it away all of the time!) After conducting an assessment of the school, I determined that I could help. I sent a construction contractor the next day to provide me cost estimates. As of this writing, work has started on the repairs of the school.

I recently returned from a four-day romp through the desert. We met with local tribal leaders and police commanders. My goal was to make new friends and establish points of contacts in preparation for the elections. Many of the places we visited were unspeakably dirty, broken buildings that served as the equivalent of a county administrative building and sheriff's office. One building we visited had no roof and two sides blown out. The locals piled boards along the roof and one of the sides and layered it with a prickly bush commonly found in the desert (a tumbleweed). Every 15 minutes, a kid with a bucket would douse the tumbleweeds with water. The water would evaporate and cause a cooling effect. Afghan air conditioning! It was a welcome retreat from the 122 degree weather that day.

The district chieftain invited us for lunch. We soon learned a disadvantage to Afghan air conditioning. When the kid emptied the bucket, the water would disturb the frogs stacked nose to tail at the base of the water laden tumbleweeds and hop out onto the table (Afghans eat on the floor.). You soon got used to the frogs, but you had to look down to make sure you knew what you were picking up while you ate and talked. It sounds unbelievable, but it's true!


Here's a few recent pics.


The first one is of me and a Police Chief in one of the districts I've visited recently. The short guy to my left is a hard core mujahadeen (freedom fighter). I called him my "Afghan Marine" because I thought his uniform looked like a US Marine uniform from World War II.
The other picture was taken at a school that I'm helping to rebuild. The woman is Sultana and is Dr. Kharoti's daughter. She's pre-dental college student in the US.

Thanks for all of your great emails. Keep 'em coming!

Khuday pe aman (Goodbye)

Mitch S.
Major, US Army
Civil Affairs Officer
Lashkar Gah Provincial Reconstruction Team
Operation Enduring Freedom-Afghanistan

Major S. reports that he'll soon be coming home but we may hear from him a few more times.

Posted by Deb at 09:22 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack



September 23, 2004



A visit to Landstuhl

Diana Hartman is an accomplished writer who is married to a Marine and lives in Stuttgart, Germany. I've known her as an online friend for almost two years and always look forward to her words. Here is her account of a trip earlier this week with other Marine wives to visit wounded troops at Lanstuhl:

the marine wives trip to landstuhl today was wonderful...there were 6 marines in the hospital today, and of those, one wounded in combat...the wounded marine is doing well...while i cannot be specific about the wounded or the reasons for the other 5 being there, i can tell you for myself and as the liason office explained, they are just as sorely in need of attention and good will...this was never more clear than after our visits...walking the wards and up and down the halls seeing young men and women my son and daughter's age was difficult...it was hard not to go to each and every one of them to hug them and kiss them on the head and fetch their favorite beverage and a nice warm blanket from the dryer, or whatever they wanted, you know like a mom does for a sick child no matter how old they are...
it was more exhausting having to pass by wounded than it was to stop and hang out with someone for a bit...but we didn't have nearly enough time and all of them had checkups and cleanups and whatnot, and that meant visitors had to go either for that moment or until another time...

all of the marines, from the liason's office to the patients, were happy to have us there passing out goodies, magazines, books, and toiletries...we visited each marine by introducing ourselves, swapping hometowns, learning about each marine's background, and having them go through the bags of stuff to get what they wanted and needed...they all, younger and older alike lit up like children when the bags were opened for them...it was both heartening and distressing to see how much of a difference a little thing like a magazine or a hershey's bar can make in someone's life...

quite a few marines had shipped out earlier for the states so there weren't as many marines there today as would be on another day...this is why the wives will be visiting them again and again...

as of yesterday's post office check there was no mail on this end (meaning my p.o. box), but mail from the states can take anywhere from a week and a half to two weeks, and packages as much as three weeks to get here which is why i specifically requested a seat on the october 7th visit...i don't have pictures from today's visit because the bag with my camera, water, and lunch didn't make it to the van...

i will make sure the camera goes all the way to landstuhl on the 7th
the liason office knows i will be there on the 7th and that i will be bringing things from marine moms from all over the united states...they were very excited to hear this; a few grew quite soft in the face at the mention of marine mothers responding so quickly and generously to the request...several assured me that they personally would be there when i arrived with the other wives to help get the donations to the everyone...

the marine corps liason's office at landstuhl has a unique and impressive system for tracking their marines...when a plane lands, all wounded are regarded as soldiers on the manifest...the marines from the liason's office go through the plane and find out just which ones are marines and make sure they are marked by clothing and followed all the way from the plane to treatment to their hospital room...the roster is updated daily and rechecked frequently so that there is no crack for any of the marines to fall through...
the marines we visited today were very grateful for the visit...they were talkative and excited about having stuff to read, view, and listen to on the cd players...

the number of donations coming into the marine liason's office doubles every couple of weeks...groups from all walks of life have responded to the request for donations, and this has directly and postively affected the quality of the stay for each of the wounded...when dvd players, cd players, and game systems (like x-box) are donated, these are made available to all wounded, not just marines...

between the marines themselves and the liason's office we compiled a list of things that they are in special need of at this time but first a little info before i proceed with the requests...

-when the wounded fly into landstuhl, they are often wearing an army undershirt...while this might not seem like a big deal in the grand scheme of things, it is a very big deal to marines...if able, they tell the liason that they want to take the army shirt off...the liason team will often have a few non-army shirts available and will cut the other shirt off if tubes or ties are in the way...while there are other shirts for them to wear, the marines prefer a marine undershirt or a marine t-shirt...they don't like sitting up in their beds or making their way around in a shirt that marks them as anything other than marines...

-when hands, fingers, arms and/or shoulders are wounded, fine motor skills suffer (the ability to hold a pen or thread a needle)...occupational therapy plays a big role in helping the wounded regain and strengthen these skills...among the more popular ways to do this is modeling -- car models, airplane models, etc...both snap-tite and traditional modeling kits allow them to redevelop their strength...

-those who are newly learning to get along with one arm or hand or whose injury limits their use to one arm or hand are unable to floss their teeth with conventional floss...floss handles like the one shown here allows these individuals a form of independence and cleanliness that they thought was lost to them...
-while dvd's are pouring in from all over, music cd's from all genres are in short supply...
-while there is more toothpaste available than you could shake a stick at, toothbrushes and floss are in short supply...

with that, i submit the following list of requests from the both the liason's office and the marines themselves...

*car, airplane, etc modeling kits and accessories (both snap-tite and traditional)...
*cd's -- all genres and/or concert dvd's...
*plain grey t-shirts with black lettering saying USMC or other marine corps t-shirts and undershirts -- all sizes (this is something that can be acquired by those who are near a marine corps exchange or are able to shop online at a marine corps clothing site)
*toothbrushes
*floss (see above link for reference)

these are items they are in special need of at this time, but of course they are most grateful for all the cards and letters and the donations of candy, magazines, books, dvd's, and anything else you think they might like...

as i post, it is about 1:30 east coast time...it's about 7:30pm here in germany...
while it was a long and emotionally exhausting day, i'm very glad i went and i very much look forward to going again...i'm going to go hug my children and husband, call my daughter in ca to tell her how much i love her, and then hopefully i will be in a better frame of mind to take a nap...


Read more of her writing here. And if you'd like to send along a few items for our wounded Marines, contact Diana here: msdusmcd@yahoo.com

Posted by Deb at 08:52 AM | Comments (4)





Another boots-on-the-ground viewpoint

Another e-mail from Hugh Hewitt's site, this time from an Army captain:

Dear friends, In the wake of all the unbelievable things that are being said about this war right now in the media, I thought that I might pass along a couple of things that won't make it to the news.

First, I would like to remind you all about the actual size of this country. It is roughly the size of California. Baghdad is the biggest city with a population of about 6 million, so it is a little bit bigger than Los Angeles. The reason why I tell you that is because the media is leading you all to believe that this entire country is "tumbling into complete chaos." Please don't believe that! What is happening in Baghdad and parts of Fallujah and Sammarah (A combined total population of 7 million) does not reflect what is being done around the whole country. It reminds me of the time when I was stationed at Fort Ord, CA early on in my Army career. I was talking to a friend of mine from back east and she said, "Don, are you alright? I mean, are you safe?"

A little puzzled, I replied, "Yeah, I'm fine, why do you ask? "

"Well, I heard about all the violence that is happening lately in Los Angeles and I wanted to know that you were OK," she said.

"Uh, thanks, " I said with a smile that must have went right through the phone. "You do know that Los Angeles is almost 350 miles away right?"

But she had never been to California. To her it was all the same. But ask a person who lives in Northern California and they will tell you that their part of the state is VERY different from Southern California.

And the same is true in Iraq. What is happening in Baghdad does not reflect what is happening in Southern Iraq where the UK brigade are continuing to "win the hearts and minds" of the people in Al Basrah and Al Hillah. Or ask my friend Jake who is stationed near An Nasiriyah. In one of his emails to me, he sent me a picture of him riding on a camel and this statement, "Here's me doing some crazy stuff with some of the locals. They are great people and so friendly. 90% of this country are people like these who simply want a safe country to live in. "


You see, the violence that is reported in and around the largest city in this country overshadows the incredible things that are being done by the Republic of Korea Army in the northern town of Irbil. Does anybody out there know that currently Iraq is the 2nd most heavily mined country in the world and that there are over 130 demining projects going on in the border towns between Iraq and Iran? Do the reporters do stories about the half a million tons of captured enemy ammunition that we have destroyed, never to be put into the hands of evil men again? Or the thousands of minefields that are being cleared everyday so little children in cities like Irbil, Kirkuk, and Halabjah can play and run in the fields with no fear of accidentally stepping on a mine ?

For security reasons, I can 't disclose all the operations that are going on right now, but you need to know that we are still here, are in the fight, and are ready to do whatever it takes to see this country succeed. And I still believe, with all my heart, that the majority of people here want us here. They may feel like we are occupiers, but they also understand it is necessary for the time being . I guess I don 't know how else to say it. It's just frustrating because I 'm the one over here. I see the work that we are doing. I listen to the daily operations briefs. I read the intel summaries. And I can say as a former history major who studied all of the major wars we have fought in, this is not another Vietnam. Even though I am just a Captain on a Corps level staff, you have to take my word on that.

But let me get back to the original reason of why I am writing you.

Last night at Bible Study, many of my friends were praising the Lord for some "near misses." There was my dear friend Erika , a signal officer for one of the military intelligence battalions on post. She shared that their sister battalion had made the decision to drive to the qualification range about ten miles from base. Well, in light of the insurgent activity that has happened in the last week, you can probably uses what happened. Their convoy was attacked with an IED and small arms. Through tears of joy, she told us about her friend who was the convoy commander. The explosion from the IED sent shrapnel through their vehicle. One piece went right past his head so close that he heard the whistling of it in his ear. It dug three inches into the back of the vehicle. Miraculously, no one was hurt.

Then there was our friend Gary who has to travel down to the International Zone (IZ) every day. As you may have heard on the news, we have had a surge in VBIEDs this month. Last Saturday, there were two that exploded within 30 minutes of each other on a two mile stretch of road going to the IZ. Gary told us that he praises the Lord for His protection because he missed the first VBIED because it exploded 10 minutes before him, and the second exploded 10 minutes after him. He just wanted to praise the Lord for the angels that God had around his vehicle and that He is the one who controls time as well.

But my favorite story to tell you is the one that Natalie shared. She told us about a convoy that was traveling in Baghdad yesterday and it was hit by an IED. Unfortunately, one of the vehicles was so close to the seat of the explosion that it injured two of the soldiers in the vehicle. A Mercedes who had passed the convoy, saw the explosion in his rear view mirror and turned around to double back. When he got there, he got out of his car to help. The soldiers, all pulling security now as the medic tried to tend to the wounded, pointed their weapons at him, unsure of his intentions. The Iraqi man put up his hands and said in broken English, "I'm here to help!" He pointed to his cell phone in his hand. "Please tell me who I should call for help." The soldiers lowered their weapons and gave him the number to call. In the meantime, another vehicle came up behind the convoy. An Iraqi man ran over to the exploded vehicle where the soldier lay on the ground. With his hands raised as well, he told them, "I am a doctor, please let me help." With tears in her eyes, Natalie told us that he probably saved that soldier's life.

My friends, I know that there are evil people over here. Zarqawi and his men seem to have this country in a terror that is something out of a B-rate horror movie, complete with machetes and beheadings. But they are a minority that knows how to play to the media! And these evil people don't simply target the military. Were they to do so, I might have a little respect for them as they would consider themselves Freedom Fighters attempting to fight their formidable foe. But they don't care who they fight or who they kill. They lash out at anyone who does not believe the way they do - to include innocent Muslims.

A couple of days ago I received an email from a friend expressing her concern for the bombings that have been going on over here. Her simple question was, "Will it ever end?" To that I say that I believe it will end. When? I don't know. But I stand with my Commander-in-Chief and say that we should stay the course. The only exit strategy we should have is one where Iraq is a free, democratic, self-governing country in good relations with its neighbors, and its citizens enjoy the freedom of traveling the highways free of exploding cars, and devoid of terrorists who have come to see Iraq as their playground.

Finally, below my signature block, I have included an interview written by an Iraqi web blogger named A.Y.S. He was swimming in the Olympic Pool in Baghdad recently and ran into an Iraqi Soccer player. I thought his last comments on how he wishes the media would report everything - good and bad - was great. If you get the chance, I would encourage you to read it, and maybe check out his website, www.iraqataglance.blogspot.com .

Thank you all again for your continued prayers and encouraging responses. Whenever I get down, I think about all of you, and I'm proud to be here serving for you. May God continue to bless our great nation, and may He give you peace.

Your faithful soldier in the Lord,

Don "

Akreem Sabeeh

Yesterday I was in AlHurriya Olympic Swimming Pool together with my friends, while we were there, the Iraqi soccer team alternates entered the place with the goalkeepers coach Ahmed Jasim.

I met one of the players, Akram Sabeeh, the goalkeeper and talked for few minutes, then I asked some questions and told him that I'd publish his words on the internet and he's agreed, so I gladly began my questions:

A: What do you feel when you play now? I think there's a difference than those days during the ex-regime?
Akram: look, I was seriously afraid when I was playing, they were really horrible days under Uday, I was afraid to do anything that might be misunderstood and the result would be the jail.
Now, I feel free when I play soccer, I feel that I'm playing to improve myself and never afraid of anyone.
A: So you feel that you are free now?
Akram: of course free.
A: Have you ever been jailed?
Akram: Yes, for 10 days.
A: what for?
Akram: Because I shouted at the referee!
A: Isn't it a humiliating act to be jailed for this reason?
Akram: Yes, but Uday was enjoying doing so, I might be lucky to be jailed only, other players were being beaten severely, tortured and many other brutal acts, you've heard about that?
A:Yes..let's forget what was Uday doing... what about the economical status?
Akram: my salary was 20$ and now it is 200$.
A: wonderful..multiplied by 10..
Akram: Yes, I can think in my future now!
A: So what was wrong with other Olympic players, they were so upset when they were shown on the TV after each game, they kept repeating: occupation, targeting the cities..etc, they blamed on the Americans for that, what do you think?
Akram: Well..they were saying this cause they were watching what was going on in AlNajaf and previously in Fallujah, they felt that the families were being killed everyday.
A: And do you believe that?
Akram: we are watching all of that on the channels.
A: Have you ever watched some good news regarding Iraq on those channels?
Akram: Frankly...Never!
A: So those channels intentionally collect the bad news and exaggerate in most of them and play with our emotions to achieve their goal, and they've succeeded in that with some people..if they are honest they had better look at the good changes also.
Akram: Yes, you are right, we cry and get angry as we watch those channels!..........................
Unfortunately, Akram's friend called and we've finished our conversation..
Akram: Excuse me..I have to go now..nice to meet you..
A: Thank you very much Akram..

Well, I could ignore all those questions, and ask him directly showing some bored and upset facial expressions: 'DO YOU ACCEPT..what's going on in your country now? Chaos, explosions, bombing the cities...what do you think..isn't it miserable?' !! I could make all the conversation full of hatred and pessimistic views!

I mean, you have to hear the question of the reporter and the manner of asking the players before you judge the players' opinions. Those journalists ask according to what they want to hear or according to what is needed from them.

The reporters should be honest and fair in dealing with the people in Iraq, it's a temporary critical period, and they have to help and support the Iraqis to stand against terrorism and build their country. Unfortunately, there are few of them."

Posted by Deb at 08:26 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack



September 22, 2004



A Montana Marine Mom Speaks

From Hugh Hewitt - if you're not reading him every day, you should be. Here's an e-mail from a Marine Corps Mom, sent to a USMC Major in Baghdad who wrote an essay on why most media reports should be taken with a pillar of salt:

Sent: Tuesday, 21 September, 2004
Subject: Thank you from a Marine Mom!

Dear sir: I'm a marine mom from Helena, Montana. My son (____) is in Iraq right now. Sometimes I feel like I'm the only one still supporting the mission over there after all these negative reports hit the airwaves. John Kerry just adds fuel to the negative fire! It makes me crazy to listen to him talk. He just doesn't get it! You just summed up my sentiments of this whole operation. I thank you for helping me stay strong in the continued "fight" at home to keep the troops morale high by standing by them. I absolutely agree with everything you say by what ____has written in his letters. He said that he has a huge respect for the Iraqi National Guard because they are trying so hard to make a better life for the Iraqi people. He also told me not to listen to news reports that the Iraqi people don't like them. He said even the places they've gone where most people didn't like them to begin with, they gained their respect by the time they were done there. After the people watched them standing back and getting shot at as they guarded the Iraqi's while rebuilding hospitals and schools. He said the people start to realize what the USA stands for. They are not there to be aggressive, they are there to show them how to stand up for themselves. He said there's been many times they've been shot at and they don't shoot back unless absolutely necessary just to build the trust of the people and the ING. They take orders from the ING in those situations and he said the ING is starting to feel some confidence in themselves. His quiet humor amazes me. He said "Sometimes it's a little nerve wracking hoping their aim has gotten better..... but it all seems to work out and is worth it to see the ING gaining confidence in themselves" He said it's been an amazing process. ____was sent to Najaf in August and was helping tranport troops (both marines and ING) to the Mosque in his Amphibious Assault Vehicle. The storming of the mosque was called off at the last minute, but ____said he was impressed with how hard the Americans and Iraqis worked together. He told me it was something he can't even describe and that I will never even imagine and that if we back down now the Iraqis would be totally devastated and never trust us again.

On a final note: I am always amazed at the lack of whining of you marines! The only thing ____has complained of is missing the upcoming Monday Night Football game between his beloved Dallas Cowboys and the Washington Redskins....ha! Anyway, I appreciate articles like yours! Keep em coming!

________- Helena, Montana

Proud Mom of CPL _______, Camp Lejeune
24th MEU

This could have been written by any of the Marine Moms that I know. And I appreciate that this proud mom took the time to put her thoughts on paper for the rest of us.


Posted by Deb at 09:48 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack





A Marine Cobra Pilot writes

USMC Lt. Kevin Brown, a Marine Cobra pilot and 2001 graduate of the United States Naval Academy, wrote the following letter in response to a question from his father. It's excellent reading and reminds those who have forgotten, just what happened on September 11, 2001, and why it's crucial that we keep it in mind.

Dad, you asked me what I would say to America from Iraq on 9/11 if I had a podium and a microphone. I have thought about it, and here is my response. Your Son, Kevin

September 11, 2004
Dear America,

"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." -George Orwell

The Marine Corps is tired. I guess I should not say that, as I have no authority or responsibility to speak for the Marine Corps as a whole, and my opinions are mine alone. I will rephrase: this Marine is tired. I write this piece from the sands of Iraq, west of Baghdad, at three a.m., but I am not tired of the sand. I am neither tired of long days, nor of flying and fighting. I am not tired of the food, though it does not taste quite right.

I am not tired of the heat; I am not tried of the mortars that occasionally fall on my base. I am not tired of Marines dying, though all Marines, past and present, mourn the loss of every brother and sister that is killed; death is a part of combat and every warrior knows that going into battle. One dead Marine is too many, but we give more than we take, and unlike our enemies, we fight with honor. I am not tired of the missions or the people; I have only been here a month, after all. I am, however, tired of the hypocrisy and short-sightedness that seems to have gripped so many of my countrymen and the media. I am tired of political rhetoric that misses the point, and mostly I am tired of people "not getting it."


Three years ago I was sitting in a classroom at Quantico, Virginia, while attending the Marine Corps Basic Officer Course, learning about the finer points of land navigation. Our Commanding Officer interrupted the class to inform us that some planes had crashed in New York and Washington D.C., and that he would return when he knew more. Tears welled in the eyes of the Lieutenant on my right while class continued, albeit with an audience that was not very focused; his sister lived in New York and worked at the World Trade Center. We broke for lunch, though instead of going to the chow hall proceeded to a small pizza and sub joint which had a television. Slices of pizza sat cold in front of us as we watched the same vivid images that you watched on September 11, 2001.

I look back on that moment now and realize even then I grasped, at some level, that the events of that day would alter both my military career and my country forever. Though I did not know that three years later, to the day, I would be flying combat missions in Iraq as an AH-1W Super Cobra pilot, I did understand that a war had just begun, on television for the world to see, and that my classmates and I would fight that war. After lunch we were told to go to our rooms, clean our weapons and pack our gear for possible deployment to the Pentagon to augment perimeter security. The parting words of the order were to make sure we packed gloves, in case we had to handle bodies.

The first Marine killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom was in my company at The Basic School, and was sitting in that land navigation class on September 11. He fought bravely, led from the front, and was killed seizing an oil refinery on the opening day of the war. His heroism made my emergency procedure memorization for the T-34 primary flight school trainer seem quite insignificant. This feeling of frustration was shared by all of the student pilots, but we continued to press on. As one instructor pointed out to us, "You will fight this war, not me. Make sure that you are prepared when you get there." He was right; my classmates from Pensacola are here beside me, flying every day in support of the Marines on the ground. That instructor has since retired, but I believe he has retired knowing that he made a contribution to the greatest country in the history of the world, the United States of America.

Many of you will read that statement and balk at its apparently presumptuous and arrogant nature, and perhaps be tempted to stop reading right here. I would ask that you keep going, for I did not say that Americans are better than anyone else, for I do not believe that to be the case. I did not say that our country, its leaders, military or intelligence services are perfect or have never made mistakes, because throughout history they have, and will continue to do so, despite their best efforts. The Nation is more than the sum of its citizens and leaders, more than its history, present, or future; a nation has contemporary values which change as its leaders change, but it also has timeless character, ideals forged with the blood and courage of patriots. To quote the Pledge of Allegiance, our nation was founded "under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." As Americans, we have more freedom than we can handle sometimes.

If you are an atheist you might have a problem with that whole "under God" part; if you are against liberating the people of Iraq, Afghanistan, Asia, all of Europe (twice), and the former Soviet bloc, then perhaps the "liberty and justice for all" section might leave you fuming. Our Nation, throughout its history, has watered the seeds of democracy on many continents, with blood, even when the country was in disagreement about those decisions. Disagreement is a wonderful thing. To disagree with your neighbors and your government is at the very heart of freedom. Citizens have disagreed about every important and controversial decision made by their leaders throughout history.

Truman had the courage to drop two nuclear weapons in order to end the largest war in history, and then, by his actions, prevented the Soviets from extinguishing the light of democracy in Eastern Europe, Berlin. Lincoln preserved our country through civil war; Reagan knew in his heart that freedom is a more powerful weapon than oppression. Leaders are paid to make difficult, sometimes controversial decisions. History will judge the success of their actions and the purity of their intent in a way that is impossible at the present moment. In your disagreement and debate about the current conflict, however, be very careful that you do not jeopardize your nation or those who serve. The best time to use your freedom of speech to debate difficult decisions is before they are made, not when the lives of your countrymen are on the line.

Cherish your civil rights; I know that after having been in Iraq for only one month I have a new appreciation for mine. You have the right to say that you "support the troops" but oppose the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. You have the right to vote for Senator John Kerry because you believe that he has an exit strategy for Iraq, or because you just cannot stand President Bush. You have the right to vote for President George W. Bush if you believe that he has done a good job over the last four years. You might even decide that you do not want to vote at all and would rather avoid the issues as much as possible. That is certainly your option, and doing nothing is the only option for many people in this world.

It is not my place, nor am I allowed by the Uniformed Code of Military Justice, to tell you how to vote. But I can explain to you the truth about what is going on around you. We know, and have known from the beginning, that the ultimate success or failure of the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as the future of those countries, rests solely on the shoulders of the Iraqi and Afghani people. If someone complains that we should not have gone to war with Saddam Hussein, that our intelligence was bad, that President Bush's motives were impure, then take the appropriate action. Exercise your right to vote for Senator Kerry, but please stop complaining about something that happened over a year ago. The decision to deploy our military in Iraq and Afghanistan is in the past, and while I believe that it is important to the democratic process for our nation to analyze the decisions of our leadership in order to avoid repeating mistakes, it is far more important to focus on the future. The question of which candidate will "get us out of Iraq sooner" should not be a consideration in your mind. YOU SHOULD NOT WANT US OUT OF IRAQ OR AFGHANISTAN SOONER.

There is only one coherent exit strategy that will make our time here worthwhile and validate the sacrifice of so many of our countrymen. There is only one strategy that has a chance of promoting peace and stabilizing the Middle East. It is the exit strategy of both candidates, though voiced with varying volumes and iffering degrees of clarity. I will speak of Iraq because that is where I am, though I feel the underlying principle applies to both Iraq and Afghanistan.

The American military must continue to help train and support the Iraqi Police, National Guard, and Armed Forces. We must continue to give them both responsibility and the authority with which to carry out those responsibilities, so that they eventually can kill or capture the former regime elements and foreign terrorists that are trying to create a radical, oppressive state. We must continue to repair the infrastructure that we damaged during the conflict, and improve the infrastructure that was insufficient when Saddam was in power. We should welcome and encourage partners in the coalition but recognize that many will choose the path of least resistance and opt out; many of our traditional allies have been doing this for years and it should not surprise us. We must respect the citizens of Iraq and help them to understand the meaning of basic human
rights, for those are something the average Iraqi has never experienced. We must be respectful of our cultural and religious differences. We must help the Iraqis develop national pride, and most importantly, we must leave this country better than we found it, at the right time, with a chance of success so that its people will have an opportunity to forge their own destiny. We must do all of these things as quickly and efficiently as possible so that we are not seen as occupiers, but rather liberators and helpers. We must communicate this to the world as clearly and frequently as possible, both with words and actions.

If we leave before these things are done, then Iraq will fall into anarchy and possibly plunge the Middle East into another war. The ability of the United States to conduct foreign policy will be severely, and perhaps permanently, degraded. Terrorism will increase, both in America and around the world, as America will have demonstrated that it is not interested in building and helping, only destroying. If we run or exit early, we prove to our enemies that terror is more powerful and potent than freedom. Many nations, like Spain, have already affirmed this in the minds of the terrorists. Our failure, and its consequences, will be squarely on our shoulders as a nation. It will be our fault. If we stay the course and Iraq or Afghanistan falls into civil war on its own, then our hands are
clean. As a citizen of the United States and a U.S. Marine, I will be able to sleep at night with nothing on my conscience, for I know that I, and my country, have done as much as we could for these people. If we leave early, I will not be able to live with myself, and neither should you. The blood will be on our hands, the failure on our watch.

The bottom line is this: Republican or Democrat, approve or disapprove of the decision to go to war, you need to support our efforts here. You cannot both support the troops and protest their mission. Every time the parent of a fallen Marine gets on CNN with a photo, accusing President Bush of murdering his son, the enemy wins a strategic victory. I cannot begin to comprehend the grief he feels at the death of his son, but he dishonors the memory of my brave brother who paid the ultimate price. That Marine volunteered to serve, just like the rest of us. No one here was drafted. I am proud of my service and that of my peers. I am ashamed of that parent's actions, and I pray to God that if I am killed my parents will stand with pride before the cameras and reaffirm their belief that my life and sacrifice mattered; they loved me dearly and they firmly support the
military and its mission in Iraq and Afghanistan. With that statement, they communicate very clearly to our enemies around the world that America is united, that we cannot be intimidated by kidnappings, decapitations and torture, and that we care enough about the Afghani and Iraqi people to give them a chance at democracy and basic human rights.

Do not support those that seek failure for us, or seek to trivialize the sacrifices made here. Do not make the deaths of your countrymen be in vain.

Communicate to your media and elected officials that you are behind us and our mission. Send letters and encouragement to those who are deployed. When you meet a person that serves you, whether in the armed forces, police, or fire department, show them respect. Thank the spouses around you every day, raising children alone, whose loved ones are deployed. Remember not only those that have paid the ultimate price, but the veterans that bear the physical and emotional scars of defending your freedom. At the very least, follow your mother's advice. "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all." Do not give the enemy a foothold in our Nation's public opinion. He rejoices at Fahrenheit 9/11 and applauds every time an American slams our efforts. The military can succeed here so long as American citizens support us wholeheartedly.

Sleep well on this third anniversary of 9/11, America. Rough men are standing ready to do violence on your behalf. Many of your sons and daughters volunteered to stand watch for you. Not just rough men- the infantry, the Marine grunts, the Special Operations Forces- but lots of eighteen and nineteen year old kids, teenagers, who are far away from home, serving as drivers, supply clerks, analysts, and mechanics. They all have stories, families, and dreams. They miss you, love you, and are putting their lives on the line for you. Do not make their time here, their sacrifice, a waste. Support them, and their mission.

Posted by Deb at 01:27 AM | Comments (8) | TrackBack





1/7 Update from Al Qaim

The First Team has been on the ground in our area of operations in western Al Anbar province for 3 weeks now. On 11 Sept we formally took control of the mission here and said goodbye to 3d Bn 7th Marines as they begin their trip home. We are grateful for their help in taking over the mission, and we wish them all a safe journey home and a happy reunion with their families.

While I cannot pass on specifics, the general locations of the battalion have not changed since my last update. Baker Company and their attachments are still at Camp Gannon in Husaybah, and the rest of the battalion task force is at Al Qaim working and operating in the towns of Karabilah, Sadah, and Ubaydi. While it is a fact that the areas we operate in are hostile and very hazardous, the Marines and sailors of the battalion are already highly proficient in identifying the dangers, protecting themselves and innocent Iraqis, and eliminating the threats. The courage, discipline, and skill of these young men reduces the risks and never ceases to impress me every day.

By now I'm sure you have all learned of the battalion's losses. On 3 Sept Capt Rowe, Lt Winchester, and LCpl Wilt were killed in action, and GySgt Trujillo and LCpl Laymanleary were wounded. On 15 Sept, LCpl Drew Uhles was also killed in action by an IED in Husaybah. In that same incident, LCpl Graham Walker was wounded, but thankfully he has already returned to the battalion and is expected to recover quickly. Our thoughts are always with our fallen heroes and our prayers go out to their families to grant them peace in their time of suffering. The loss of these men is painful for us all, but know that we will always carry on because that is what our comrades would want us to do. It is to honor them that we continue our mission.

Please understand that when events like this occur your Marine or sailor may not be able to contact you by phone or e-mail. We must restrict communications until after the next of kin have been properly notified. I know that nothing is more comforting for you as hearing your loved one's voice, so rest assured that I will not cut off communications unless it is absolutely necessary.

As always, you are all in our thoughts and your prayers sustain us. Every one of us looks forward to the day we return and are reunited with our families. Until then, thank you for your continuing support.

God bless you and
Semper Fidelis
LtCol Chris Woodbridge


Posted by Deb at 12:56 AM | Comments (767) | TrackBack



September 21, 2004



Update on Operation Santa

Almost completed and waiting to be filled.


Santa's elves are working hard! We have volunteers from all over the United States to help make the holidays merry for platoons of Marines who will be away from friends and family over the holidays. I?ve mailed out patterns and directions for Christmas stockings to more than 30 crafty folks, and now have project guidelines and sample press releases available to be downloaded from this website.

Right click here and select ?Save Target? for Project Guidelines.

Right click here and select 'Save Target' for sample Press Release.

If you are interested in coordinating Operation Santa for a Battalion, the guidelines should answer your questions. You will help recruit clubs, organizations, church groups, schools, etc. to fill platoons in your assigned battalions. We?ll help you. Currently, we have the coordinators for the following battalions:

1/7 ?-Deb Conrad and Connie Riecke - e-mail deb@marinecorpsmoms.com or Riecke@marinecorpsmoms.com

We also have platoon coordinators for several other battalions but need overall coordinators. These include 1/2, 1/4, 2/10, and possibly 3/5. Please let me know if you are interested in helping to find platoon coordinators for other platoons in these battalions. As folks show interest, we?ll add more battalions.

Platoon coordinators will take primary responsibility for filling individual stockings for each Marine in the platoon and enclosing a personal letter or card. They will also send a box of gifts to be shared by the entire platoon. This could include board games, DVDs, holiday treats, etc. - much like a family holiday back home might feature. If your club, organization, workplace, congregation, etc. would like to sponsor a platoon of Marines, please let me know. We'll hook you up.

For Portland, Oregon area folks who would like to help us sew, we've dropped off a supply of stocking patterns and directions at one of my favorite fabric stores:

Mill Ends Store
9701 SE McLoughlin Blvd
Milwaukie, Oregon 97222

I've been shopping there since I was 18 years old - excellent selection of fabrics and wonderful, community-minded staff. You can also drop off finished stockings there - they've offered to collect them for us.

My son's comment about this project's effect on his brother Marines, "This will bring a smile to their faces on Christmas Day" is all the motivation I need.


Posted by Deb at 12:41 AM | Comments (15)



September 20, 2004



Welcome home Warriors of 3/7

Photo by Cpl. Randy Bernard
The Marines of 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, gathered to listen to Sgt. Maj. Wayne R. Bell, the 1st Marine Division sergeant major, tell them that their actions did not go unseen. Bell praised the Marines for their hard work, and determination to get the job done.

Marine Mom Connie is at 29 Palms tonight, waiting with other parents, wives, and friends who will welcome 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines home tomorrow morning from the al Anbar province of Iraq. These heroes made a difference to the people of Iraq and deserve a warm welcome home - please add your comments to this thread and we'll make sure they see them.

Here is a wrap-up from Cpl. Randy Bernard:

3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment has spent the last seven months operating out of Al Qaim, Iraq, successfully completing each mission.

Their mission was to improve the way of life for the Iraqis by removing insurgent threats and finding materials and locations used to make improvised explosive devices.

"The quality of life for the basic Iraqi person increased greatly," said Sgt. Maj. Daniel A. Huff, the battalion sergeant major, 42, from Bellevue, Neb. "There hasn't been a day gone by when I don't think about how well the Marines perform on a day by day basis."

With their mission now in the hands of 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 3/7 moved back to Al Asad for a little bit of rest before heading back to 29 Palms, Calif.

To help send them off, the 1st Marine Division sergeant major, Sgt. Maj. Wayne R. Bell, gave them a few words of bolstering encouragement and praise.

"Every time I am around these Marines, I feel like I am standing in the shadow of greatness," said Bell, 47, of Boston. "They will be read about for a long time."

Bell congratulated the Marines for doing a great job, and for serving the Marine Corps honorably in a time of war. He said there were two kinds of Marines, those in Iraq, and those going to Iraq.

Bell also addressed issues and the importance of voting, now that the Marines would be going home. When questioned about unit awards, he responded that there was already paperwork in the process for the humanitarian service and an Iraqi campaign medal for the Marines of 3/7.

With all of the formality out of the way, the Marines of 3/7 didn't seem to care about the medals or all of the praise, they were just eager to get home.

"We completed our mission we were assigned to do, now we are looking forward to heading home and being with our families," said Huff.

"We worked hard and we tried to do the best we could," said Lance Cpl. Clinton N. Shumway, 25, machine gunner with Company I and native of Atlanta. "We found a lot of IED materials and the people making them. I think we improved (the Iraqis') opinion of Americans. I wish 1/7 the best of luck, and I can't wait to see my wife and two kids."

"I think it was a decent thing to come out here," said Cpl. Charles E. Flockhart, a team leader with Company K. "I actually extended for 10 months to come back out here."

Flockhart, 25, from Newport, Tenn., deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom last year. He thinks that coming back and helping the Iraqis was a good thing.

"Seeing the kids wave at you and smile definitely made it all worth while," said Flockhart.

Posted by Deb at 08:10 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack





24th MEU update from Iraq

Col. Ron Johnson sends along this September update from Iraq:

Greetings, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Another month down. As the summer turns to fall back home, the 24th MEU is well into our own Fall Campaign here in Iraq. We’re advancing, steadily but surely, toward three objectives: the restoration of security, the revival of Iraq’s social and economic engines, and the reformation of its political system. All we do here revolves around the central goal of enabling this proud people to overcome decades of tyranny and fear in order to live in liberty and peace.
In the nearly 45 days since we assumed operational control of Northern Babil, we have conducted countless patrols, some 30 cordon-and-knock searches, 15 precision raids, and four citywide sweeps on the punks who are preying on Iraqis. We’ve rounded up dozens of detainees, several of them serious criminals and ists.

Our efforts, heartbreakingly, have come at a cost. During the past month we mourned the loss of Lance Cpl. Dustin Fitzgerald, Cpl. Barton Humlhanz and Sgt. Edgar Lopez. We will never forget them nor their heroic sacrifice for our country.

As we continue the fight, our overwhelming goal is to turn over security responsibilities to Iraqi forces. Their task will be to destroy the network of ists, thugs and thieves tormenting the Iraqi people. We are training the ISF and supporting them in every endeavor. Their confidence and capabilities are growing. They are increasingly taking the lead in conceiving, planning and executing offensive operations. The more they step up, the farther we will fade back, continuing to provide the support they require until we are no longer needed here.

And once the Iraqi security forces fully emerge, the ists know that their day is done. Abu Musab Zarqawi, our number-one target, acknowledged as much in his recent memo to Al Qaeda: “Democracy is coming. There will be no excuse thereafter for ism in Iraq.”

Three years ago today, we entered a war we did not choose but could no longer ignore. Nine days later, the president assured the American people that while the course of the conflict ahead was not certain, its outcome was. We reaffirm now what he vowed then:

“we will not tire, we will not falter, and we will not fail.”

Please keep the faith, as you are our pillars of hope and love.

Semper Fidelis,
R.J. JOHNSON
COLONEL, USMC


Posted by Deb at 01:28 PM | Comments (10) | TrackBack



September 19, 2004



Rumsfeld's Patriot Day message to the troops

September 11 was the third observance of Patriot Day, a day set aside to remember and honor those who perished in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Here's the address by Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld that was broadcast over radio to troops at home and abroad:

I value this opportunity to talk to those of you serving in our armed forces, and I want to thank you, personally, for your commitment to our country.

As you know, this week we lost the thousandth servicemember in Iraq. Some ask whether the global war on terror is worth a thousand American lives. It's an understandable question, but the answer should be clear to all who have studied our nation's history.

And I want you to know what I believe the answer is to that question.

First, we need to recognize that we passed the thousandth casualty mark in the global war on terror a long time ago. On September 11th, 2001, alone, we lost over 3,000 men, women and children. Since that time, the extremists have killed many more innocent men, women and children all over the world.

While some may feel we have been at war only since September 11th, the enemies we face have been at war against us for a good deal longer. Terrorists attacked the World Trade Center in 1993. They bombed our airmen in the barracks at Saudi Arabia, they attacked Americans at our embassies in East Africa, and they killed the sailors aboard the USS Cole.

During that same period, Saddam Hussein's regime tried to assassinate a former U.S. president, regularly fired at American and British aircraft that were flying in the Northern and Southern No-Fly zones over Iraq, and Saddam Hussein was, of course, paying the families of suicide terrorist bombers $25,000.

President Bush was faced with a choice – to confront a repressive dictator plotting to get his regime out of the international inspection and to amass the world's most lethal weapons – or wait until Saddam had succeeded. The president was faced -- as presidents always are -- with the risk of acting versus the risk of failing to act. But after September 11th, our country could no longer accept the risk of failing to act.

Because of your courage and commitment, some 50 million people from Afghanistan and Iraq are now experiencing freedom. Other regimes that also sponsored terror now support our cause.

Because we are eliminating the havens of those who seek to terrorize our nation, our country is safer today. And that is why the important work you are doing is worth the cost, and why it is so deeply appreciated.

Throughout history, brave Americans have come to the defense of our freedom. Today, that task falls to you.

Over my decades of service, I have been fortunate to meet a great many of our servicemen and women. And I always come away impressed – impressed by your dedication, by your professionalism, and by your devotion to our country.

With you on the front lines in this global struggle against extremists, this global war on terror, I know we will not falter, or tire, or fail, or yield. Our country is deeply in your debt.

May God bless you all, and may God bless America.

Donald H. Rumsfeld


Posted by Deb at 12:12 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack





Brig. Gen. Paxton reflects on the importance of 9/11

BrigGen Paxton commands the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego. Here is his essay on September 11:


Marines, Sailors and Marine Civilians,

September 11th will forever be a date America will mourn and never forget. As we take time today to recognize the tragic events of that day, we should all reflect on the importance of 9/11 and how it has changed our lives.

During the three years since September 11, 2001, we have been steadfast in our solemn duty here aboard MCRD San Diego to recruit and transform the very best young men and women this country has to offer into United States Marines. The recruits who have marched across this parade deck over the past three years have played a crucial role in defending freedom and fighting terrorism throughout the world. Many of the young men and women we continue to recruit and make into Marines will ultimately go into harm?s way around the world in the ongoing global war on terror.

The past 12 months in particular have seen many Marines make the ultimate sacrifice abroad, so that all Americans may continue to enjoy freedom and security at home. Throughout Afghanistan, the Horn of Africa, and Iraq, Marines have displayed heroic valor and determination in the face of a ruthless and cowardly enemy determined to attempt to keep freedom and peace from innocent people.

Places such as Ramadi, Fallujah, and Nasiriyah now take their rightful place in Marine Corps lore with Belleau Wood, Iwo Jima, and Khe Sahn as historic battles where Marines of today have continued to uphold their time honored reputation as the world?s finest fighting force.

This date will forever remind us of how precious the freedom in our country is, the importance of preserving our freedom and way of life, and how our mission at the Depot is crucial to ensuring this country never again experiences the catastrophic events of September 11th. As we pause to remember all who have given their lives on and since September 11th, let us be ever vigilant at the mission we have as Marines and the ultimate task we have as Americans in preserving freedom and democracy.

Semper Fidelis,
J. M. Paxton Jr.
Brigadier General, U. S. Marine Corps

Posted by Deb at 12:00 PM





Of phone calls and e-mails

Parents of deployed Marines are never far from a phone. I sleep with my cell phone and have been known to stop in at a phone store to beg for a quick recharge when I'm away from home and my phone battery runs low. My students know that I do not turn my phone off during class and if my son calls, we take a break until he's done talking.

Last year, I received frequent phone calls; this year e-mail seems to be more convenient. The lines are shorter to the internet center than to the phone center. Until this morning. The phone rang and it was my son. What an incredible uplifting feeling to hear his voice again. Reading words on my computer screen as I read and reread his e-mails pale in comparison to a real-time connection and hearing him say, "I'm fine, Mom."

It's rough over there. Frequent mortar attacks, constant vigilance for IEDs, and his battalion has lost some good men. Since all communication out is shut down when there is a fatality, it's been a few days since the guys were able to call or e-mail.

The people in his region of the Anbar province are very different than the citizens of the holy cities of Najaf and al Hillah where he spent seven months last year. But he also said that 10% of the people were causing the problems and that there were many families who just want peace. They are going after that 10%.

And there is a small but significant difference between reading "I love you, Mom" and hearing it over a phone line, even half a world away. Thank God for Alexander Graham Bell. He's one of my historical heroes.

Posted by Deb at 11:40 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack



September 18, 2004



What happens if my son or daughter is wounded in action?

Photo by Cpl. Veronika R. Tuskowski

Capt. Paul D. Avellino stands in the same spot where he was injured by a rocket blast May 29. The crater above him and the scars on his head are reminders of that day.

A question that many Marine parents have is how they will be notified if their son or daughter is wounded. Here is one Marine mother's experience with the casualty notification process as related by USMC 1st Lt. Eric M. Knapp

She had just got home from a long day at work and was sifting through the mail when the phone rang.

Elizabeth Avellino picked up the phone when she saw the words 'US Government' displayed on the caller ID. She had never seen those words displayed before, and like many families who have gotten a similar call, never wants to see them again.

"When I answered the phone, Lt. Col. Mike Melillo identified himself and said he was from Camp Pendleton," said Elizabeth, 54, and the mother of two. "He told me Paul had been injured in Iraq by a rocket attack. At that point, I didn't hear anything after that."

Captain Paul Avellino had been walking to the showers from his barracks room here May 29 when a rocket smashed into a wall near his head.

"I heard the explosion, but it didn't quite register right away what it was," said Avellino, a 28-year-old intelligence officer by trade. "It felt like someone poured a bunch of water on my head. I got some shrapnel in the head and chest."

Avellino was rushed to the base battalion aid station by an Army soldier who had been walking nearby.

"They put me down on a stretcher. Everyone kept talking to me to make sure I was conscious," explained Avellino.

Senior Chief Petty Officer Robert L. Spencer, the senior corpsman on the scene, kept talking to Avellino for two reasons: one, to make sure his mental functions were not damaged by the blast; two, to get the necessary information to report him as a casualty.

"We treated his wounds, bandaged him up, put some dressings on him, and wrote out a casualty tag, which has all the patient's information," said Spencer, 41, of Marietta, Ga. "As people would come in, the adjutant would jot down their information and made sure she had all the accurate information: name, rank, social security number, type of injury and unit they were attached to."

Obtaining all of that information is necessary so the unit can report the casualty to their higher headquarters, but more importantly, so they can track the casualty and notify the family.

"The adjutant should be actively engaged by the first responder that provided care for the Marine to find out the extent of the injuries," explained Gunnery Sgt. Marco A. Rico, who tracks casualties for the 1st Marine Division. "She would prepare the official Personal Casualty Report that is sent in to us here. At the same time her section would be gathering his personal information to relay to the rear so his next of kin can be notified."

That duty fell to Melillo, the executive officer of 11th Marine Regiment, Avellino's parent command.

"He was very supportive," Elizabeth said. "I was running around the house screaming and crying. He tried to calm me down by talking about Paul and said he knew Paul would heal quickly and he would pray for him."

After Melillo gave her all the information he had on her son, he answered Elizabeth's questions and offered her any support she needed.

"I felt that if there was anything I needed I could call him," Elizabeth said. "I felt I had the support of the entire Marine Corps if I needed it."

The Avellinos' story is not uncommon, and neither is the care that was provided to each of them throughout the casualty notification process. However, notification for very seriously injured Marines, and those that are killed, has additional steps.

For serious injuries and death, the PCR is forwarded up the chain of command to the headquarters of the Marine Corps. A PCR contains a Marine's personal information: name, rank, social security number, unit, time and date of incident, extent of injuries, and where he is being treated at.

There is a balance, though, in including too little or too much information in the PCR the family receives.

"Our general's intent is not to provide information where the enemy can retrieve it and get an accurate assessment of the force they are inflicting on us," Rico said. "When we do our PCR everything is in general terms."

Understandably, some families want to know exactly when, where, why and how their son or daughter was injured.

"That is where the unit comes into play," Rico explained. "The battalion commander, company commander or platoon commander will write a letter and explain exactly what happened to their son or daughter."

The Marine Corps has another crucial element to providing information to families and giving them comfort in their time of need, though.

"In cases of very serious injury or death, the (Marine Corps) will assign a CACO - a casualty assistance officer - to make notification to the family," Rico said.

"Many families do not know what's involved with getting a Marine home, getting therapies, or getting through medical facilities before he's discharged," Rico added. "Or they're not aware of how a deceased Marine is processed within the Marine Corps. That's where the CACO comes in."

The CACOs are Marines who are hand-picked from the Inspector Instructor staff stationed across the US, whose primary job is to train and instruct reservists. The CACOs are assigned to a family the minute the PCR is received and often stay in close contact until the family buries their loved one or is rehabilitated, as in the case of a severe injury.

CACOs can be sent out alone, in pairs or be a whole team. Chaplains often accompany them on the visits.

"They have refined the process to an art form," said Rico, who has served as a CACO. "Every single I&I staff knows we're out here and have their procedures in place and their designated CACOs. There's always gas in a van ready to go. Their Dress Blues are hanging up in their office ready to go. It's just amazing."

Fortunately, Elizabeth did not get a knock on the door by a CACO that day. A half an hour after Melillo gave her the bad news, her son called her from a hospital in Iraq.

"I remember she started crying," Avellino said. "I was just trying to reassure my mom everything was alright."

Avellino's mother di