Up Close and Personal

Smile pretty for the gun sight...

UCandP

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Grenade Attack on Highway

The vehicles involved were Brig. Gen. Carter Ham's convoy on it's way to a meeting Sunday morning with a local Iraqi security commander. The general's aide, Capt. Phil Mundweil, suffered a small cut on his hip from flying shrapnel, but otherwise no one was hurt in the 9:20 a.m. attack on Sunday morning. Gen Ham is a Brig Gen with the Stryker Brigade Combat Team.

The incident is under investigation because it appears that the General's convoy and his vehicle were specifically targeted. This means that "somebody" told "somebody else" where to be and when to be there. I believe we have a "snitch" in the Iraqi security force.

The grenade was tossed from an overpass on the highway, hit the pavement and rolled along the left side of the Humvee the General was riding in when it exploded. The general's aide seated in the back of the "up-armored" Humvee was struck by two pieces of shrapnel. One fifty cent sized piece of metal made it between the door panel and the frame and became lodged in the Captain's protective vest. The other piece penetrated the vehicle and was lodged in the Captain's leg.

Operational Security - Grenade Attack

He didn't want to tell me all the details - "Operational Security" he said, (personally I think he just didn't want to write that much) but he informed me that his Stryker narrowly missed being caught in an explosion earlier today.

The Troop had business to take care of in Mosul so they made a trip up the highway from Tal Afar to Mosul today - couldn't tell me a thing about that either, more operational security. Guess they didn't go bowling. On the way back they met a second line of US vehicles heading towards Mosul. A Humvee full of Soldiers, and somebody important, passed his Stryker and just as they passed by the "bad guys" threw grenades at th passing Humvees. One exploded under a Humvee. The bad guys know that their chances of inflicting casualties is greater if they wait for the lighter, less armored Humvee or a truck instead of the heavier Stryker.

He said that right after it went off he had wished it had exploded under them instead of the Humvee. He said that no one would have been injured if that was the case. As it turns out, the Humvee was able to limp down the highway after the explosion and no one was killed. I'd say there were some lucky Soldiers today.

First reactions caused everyone to flinch and duck their heads but even before the asphalt and Humvee parts finished raining down everyone had their heads back up trying to locate the perpetrators to get a little pay back. Unfortunately they were unable to locate any one in the vicinity.

The Strykers are equipped with one of two defensive weapons. Either a 50 Caliber machine gun or a 40MM grenade launcher. Both weapons are "ball" mounted on the top of the Stryker and are remote controlled. The sights on these weapons are electronic and telescopic so they can locate targets at a greater distance and the weapons can be fired from inside the Stryker to provide covering fire for troops on the ground. The Strykers had their weapons systems moving from side to side and up and down trying to locate a "target". He said it looked like a swarm of angry green scorpions.

The radios and text messaging systems were going nuts too. He said all in all it was a pretty exciting afternoon on the highway between Mosul and Tal Afar. Told us to watch the news tonight because they should have some information about it.

48 On - 24 Off

Chatted with the Soldier for about five minutes this morning. He didn't get on chat right away this time - was too busy sending and reading email - (plus looking at car ads - wants a new Mustang). He said that they have been doing 48 hours on and 24 hours off. He's not too happy about it. He said staying alert for 48 hours at a crack is hard and then you are completely shot for most of the 24 you're off. He was signing off and going to bed when I talked to him.

They are doing lots of patrols and some guard duty. The bad guys do most of their "work" at night. Setting up roadside bombs and that sort of stuff. So the Strykers go out - quite a distance from where they are based - and search for anything unusual - 48 hours at a crack, constantly on the move. He said that it seems like Stryker Brigade has found and disarmed about 200 roadside bombs since they've been there. That's impressive! But scary too! Some of the guys call these 48 hour patrols "trolling for whoop a$$"

The Strykers are fast and quiet. Iraqi's refer to these soldiers as "ghosts" because they appear from no where. Traveling through the night with no lights, using night vision equipment, patrols have surprised many "insurgents" as they are setting things up. "Insurgents" quickly become "detainees" when the SBCT is on patrol. Modern science helps them out as well - the Brigade is equipped with forensic kits. Suspected "shooters" are given a once over by the equipment which detects gunpowder and rocket propellant residue. Helps distinguish the good from the bad. When there are a lot of civilians in an area it can get pretty confusing.

It's too late, she's gone...

It's too late, she's gone.
It's too late, my baby's gone.
Wish I had told her she was my only one.
It's too late, she's gone.

It's a woman that cries,
So I guess I've gotta hide my eyes.
Yes, I will miss her more than anyone.
It's too late, she's gone.

Eric Clapton

Hasn't Given Up

He hasn't given up. He tells me that he still talks to her whenever he can. Sends her email and letters. He thinks that he can "correct" what's wrong. He told me that if he can talk to her he knows that he can make it right again.

He told us when his leave is suppose to be starting. He'll spend (waste) some of it in Northern Minnesota I'm sure.

From what I've heard he may not connect with his girl at all. Her family is planning a cruise for about the same time. Just his luck that the two "vacations" will overlap.

Tal Afar

It's Tuesday evening in Iraq. Just talked to our Soldier on line.

He's comfortable for the time being. They are in Tal Afar - 1-14 Cav Headquarters. Heated rooms, hot showers and hot meals. Down side? They spent the last 48 hours on guard duty. It's raining - (no more snow - they got 4 inches total though) - and the temps are in the 30's to 40's (good by Minnesota standards). They sit outside the perimeter of the camp in their Stryker with all the hatches open. He said that even with the heaters running it's still just a big cold metal box. Plus the fact that everything is wet...

He said that the scenery is really beautiful especially right after the snow they got the other day. Everything was white. He thinks it will be really pretty in the Spring. Northern Iraq is mountainous - (some mountains rising to over 7000 feet) - the area where he's stationed is rolling hills with some higher rocky elevations. The north experiences more rain and snow and stays much greener than the rest of the country. He says it's camera country.

Taste of Home

Over the last twenty-four hours or so Stryker Brigade territory in Northern Iraq has experienced something that he's very familiar with. Freezing rain and drizzle mixed with snow. News reports say that there are two to three inches of heavy wet white stuff on the ground and more arriving off and on. I've read that locals and soldiers alike are taking advantage of this wintery weather to begin pitched battles. Snowball fights...

The cold rain and drizzle are making life difficult for our soldiers though. Soldiers are like postmen. Neither rain nor sleet... you know the drill. Soldiers are coming back from patrols and perimeter duty soaked to the bone and shivering from the cold. They aren't much more comfortable even if they don't have to go out due to lack of heated quarters, outdoor toilets and room temperature showers.

Please send Stryker Brigade some warm thoughts - who knows it might help.

The stupid ones...

The Stryker Brigade recently took over operations in Northern Iraq from the 101st Airborne Division.

The Stryker soldiers—wearing brand-new advanced combat uniforms and new-style helmets with high-tech communication gear, level-2 first-aid packets, and every new-issue gizmo to roll off the production lines in pouches that took up all the lash points on their body armor—were given little more attention than glances and professional courtesy by the soldiers in ragged DCUs with their blood types written in faded scrawls on their boots as if to say, "Welcome to Iraq, Mr. High-Speed; ready to SP (start patrol)?"

Little conversation and less advice passed between the two groups of soldiers. The best advice came during an early briefing when one of the Stryker soldiers asked for an assessment of the people they would be fighting - their strong points and weak points.

The reply was short and to the point, "All the stupid ones are already dead."

It's a standard saying among Soldiers in Iraq, but it is probably the most important warning they’ll hear.

Tired...

A very close friend said once that her parents were delaying planning the wedding, figuring the "kids" would get tired of each other and move on.

(His mother waited 20 years for that and never did accept his wife.)

Maybe they were right - her parents that is. Maybe they knew she would grow tired of him and leave. But I guess I can't see it yet. Talking to them you could sense that it was more than just "puppy love" - at least I thought it was more than that.

Dating Another

He's heart broken - again. She has started seeing another...

Blue Eyes Blue

I thought that you'd be loving me
I thought you were the one who'd stay forever
But now forever's come and gone
And I'm still here alone

'Cause you were only playing
You were only playing with my heart
I was never waiting,
I was never waiting for the tears to start

Thanks to Eric Clapton

Losing The One You Love

I've come to a realization - sometimes it's not only the person who is dumped in a relationship that feels the pain. When you accept someone into your life and come to think of them as family the pain of seperation is a lot like the sorrow you feel when someone close to you dies.

The ties are severed suddenly. And then you start to see little reminders around the house of what once was - of what may have been - and it hurts.

You even feel the same emotions. First sorrow that the person is gone, not in your life anymore and then the anger because you feel so helpless.

I can only imagine what our son is going through right now. I pray that he keeps his focus and doesn't end up getting hurt.

Guess we should have known...

Now that I think back, I guess we should have known something wasn't right. We went shopping at the mall during Christmas break and took her with us. Things didn't seem right. She wasn't comfortable with us. It just didn't seem normal - usually she is so bubbly and out-going. On that trip she was quiet - withdrawn. Guess we should have known...

Love is Lost

It's really beyond belief. His girl has called off the wedding - not only that she has told our boy that she wants to date other people and that he should too. Like that's going to happen where he is.

She talked to him on instant messenger today and broke the news to him. I was on line at the time and he sent me an email and told me what was happening. I can't believe that anyone - no matter how insensitive they are - would break off a relationship four days before Valentine's Day. He's in a war zone and now has to deal with this on top of everything else. I'd say this is cruel and unusual punishment.

Needless to say he was devestated but tells me he won't give up. He loves her with all his heart and soul and knows that they can work it out. Obviously she has no feelings for him what so ever to do this to him. There can't be any bit of love left in her heart.

We loved her like family - even going to visit her at college - spending a weekend with her. We treated her like one of our kids.

What are the chances that this can turn out good???...

Ditch Diving

The kid told me the other day that he has probably ruined his chances of becoming "somebody" in this man's Army. Here's that story.

When on patrol the platoons are taught to keep the spacing of their vehicles just right for operational security. Not too close together and not too far apart. As speed rises the space increases, as they slow down they close up more. Always watching "fields of fire" and "avenues of exit".

On one such patrol out in the country a car attempted to pass the line of Strykers as they raced down a highway. On coming traffic caused the car to move in between the last Stryker (his) and the rest of the patrol. Once "embedded" the car's driver couldn't see well enough to pull out and pass again. The car's driver slowed down and was bobbing and weaving trying to see when to pass. The Stryker commander gave orders to "bump" the car from the road so that they could close up to the rest of the patrol.

Here's the bad part - depending on you're point of view. The kid dis-obeyed a direct order. He had been watching the car closely as they sped down the highway. Inside were a man, woman and a child. He could not bring himself to use the Stryker as a "weapon" to knock the intruding car off the road. Instead, he shifted the 20 ton, ten foot tall armored vehicle into eight wheel drive and did a ditch dive. He sped around the car with the Iraqi family in it on the right side of the road. The car was able to safely slow down and the Stryker was able to safely swing back onto the highway. Disaster averted.

And because he made a morally sound decision, prevented the potential unnecessary lose of life and did what he felt was right he was chewed out by the vehicle commander and told he was being written up. (He did say that he doubts he'll actually be written up since no real harm was done and after everyone calmed down he got a thumbs up from the vehicle commander.)