New Job update...

A day or so ago, I recieved an update about my new job here.  A lot of us are due to switch out and this is a part of the whole "officer career progression" ensuring that as soon as an officer gets good at his job, he gets moved.  Lol.  Anyway, most probably I will be going back to 2-82 FA to be an FDO.  For those who haven't been paying attention to my mini lectures, that's a Fire Direction Officer.  He is charge of the brains of the gun battery.  It's not the job I wanted, but it's a stepping stone to get to a Platoon Leader job.  The overwhelmingly good thing is that I'll most likely be working for the CPT who is my current boss.  (Not the company commander, but the Task Force FSO, who I get along with extremely well.  There are some downsides, like he knows me and what I'm capable of, which means I'll never be able to get away with anything, but, that'll be good.  The good things are that I know how he thinks and what he expects, so there won't be the normal confusion that comes with having a brand new boss.  So, I'm pretty excited.)  It looks like the switch will come sometime in mid-October when the senior first lieutenants become Captains and have to move out of their current jobs.  I'll definitely be glad to move, for reasons I can't really discuss using this forum.  And the other really cool thing is that we are probably going to be able to shoot our guns to qualify while we're here.  I can't wait to hear the sounds of friendly artillery.  Well, that's about all that's going on here.  It's been fairly quiet here this morning.  Well, except for 6 mortar rounds that impacted in the International Zone.   And I didn't even wake up for them.  I must be getting used to this.........   B

Something must be in the air over here...

I think there's something in the air over here driving people out of their minds.  We've had a division sergeant major relieved, a division commander relieved, 3 battalion commanders relieved, and untold others moved since we've gotten here.  There is something about this situation that has caused a crazy amount of stupidity.  Doing things that are just DUMB.  I can't really go into it, but things that they should KNOW better.  I mean, some of these people have spent 20+ YEARS in the army.  They should know better by now.
Not to say that the stupidity factor isn't already high (Donk, I know you can back me up on this one) but man, what were they thinking?  I'm just amazed.  Behavior you would expect out of some private with no more sense then a concrete block.  Absolutely amazing. 
And for a great example of the normal level of stupidity.  (We were talking today and if they made a movie of things over here, no one would believe it.)  An Iranian National came to the checkpoint with information about nuclear weapons in Iran.  But he only spoke Farsi, which has some Arabic elements to it.  So, we could kind of tell what he was saying.  He wanted to give us the information but also to surrender to the United States Government here.  Guidance from higher said to take his statement and hold him there.  As long as possible.  So, I ask, why do we want to hold him after he gives his statement?  Higher says, cause we're trying to find someone that speaks Farsi.  Ok, makes sense.  BUT HE WANTS TO SURRENDER.  Give himself up.  And we're just messing around.  I even asked about the State Department getting involved and got told to stay in my lane, dumb lieutenant.    And yes, we are the greatest army in the world.  And no, I have no idea how.  B

VBIED...

For those of ya'll who have caught the news today, a pretty massive vehicle borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) exploded at the checkpoint my unit is responsible for. No Americans were killed and only one slightly injured but we lost 2 of our fellow Iraq brothers in arms. They gave their life in the ultimate sacrifice for their country. There are very few acts more noble than that. They will be buried with honors as if they were one of us.
As for me, I'm exhausted after spending all day on the checkpoint and am going to get a shower and some much needed rest. (It was 127 degrees today.) Hopefully tomorrow will be quiet and we can all get back to work. B

Wannabe tanker...

Part of being a Fire Support Officer is getting attached to a manuever company. In my case, I am attached to a Tank company. When we first got here, they did not have any tanks, it wasn't believed that they would need them in the Green Zone. The higher powers that be decided we needed tanks, so they shipped them FedEx from Fort Hood. Now that they are here, they have to be outfitted with all their proper gear, including tank main gun rounds. This is where I come in. I really am a wannabe tanker. It was my first choice for a branch (Armor) and something I always wanted to do. We were short on manpower yesterday, and so I was asked to help load main gun rounds. The round is about 100 pounds and 2.5 feet long. Not too heavy at first, but carrying and then lifting them onto the tank sure gives you a nice workout. (Yes, I am sore.) Also, add to that, it was around 120 degrees outside when we were doing this. Quite the workout.
AND while we were out there, the Captain walked by and said to me "THIS is outside. Trees, sun, sky." I couldn't believe he busted me out like that, ESPECIALLY cause the reason I spend so much time inside is that I'm STILL making badges for HIM. I guess no matter where I go, I'll end up being a computer doing something. It's my lot in life. ;-) Which is perfectly okay, I like A/C. B

Very very quiet...

So, I really have nothing much to talk about or discuss. It's been really quiet here lately but the tension everyone was feeling is gone. I think everyone is starting to hope that things really have calmed down and the Iraqis can go about rebuilding the rest of their country. I have to say, today was just about the hottest day since I've been here. We sat outside for about an hour and I was TOTALLY soaked by the time we got back. It was insane how hot it was.
Somewhat funny story for ya'll. The uparmored suburban rolls into the Green Zone (just about the safest place in Iraq) and stops just past the gate (inside the GZ). They all get out, wearing just DCUs, and move to the back of the truck. Opening the hatch, they pull out their OTVs and Kevlars, put them on, get back in the truck, and drive away. Someone tell me what sense that makes? Driving around the red zone with no protection, but put it on when they get in the GZ.

Happy 4th!

Happy Fourth of July!!! Woo hoo! As much as I wish I were back in the States standing over grill cooking up some sweet steaks, I can't help but think it's pretty cool to be in Iraq today. I keep thinking of that scene in the Great Escape where the Americans celebrate the 4th in the midst of the British inside a German POW camp. Not that I think that I'm in some sort of prision camp (well, maybe a little), the parallels are still there. Supposedly they are roasting several goats and a pig for a semi-party tonight. I hope I get to attend that shin-dig. As for Baghdad and the International Zone (someone decided that the term "Green Zone" connotated that there are different areas of safety in Baghdad and could be offensive ), it's been rather quiet. I hope that the bad guys don't decided to launch fireworks of their own tonight. That sure would put a damper on things. And maybe they'll even launch the million dollars (yeah, they bought a million dollars worth of fireworks) worth of fireworks tonight. That would be quite a show, especially since every Iraqi with an AK would slap in a mag of tracers and let em fly. Lol. I hope everyone enjoys their Fourth and remembers to eat a couple steaks and throw down some beer for the troopers over here in Iraq. B

Drops?

It is now the second of JULY (thanks, Dad) and it's another quiet day here in the Green Zone. I didn't wake up to explosions or gunfire. I never thought I'd say this, but this quiet is kind of disconcerting. It looks like we're preparing to resume normal operations and it seems that this is a year 2000-ish bust. I'd hate to be wrong, but I'm hoping more now that ever that this quiet will be sustained. The going theory is that everyone is waiting to see what this new government does with it's newfound power. I, along with everyone else, am hoping that they do the right things and get this country back on its feet. They have all the tools, including HUGE oil resources. (I wonder sometimes how much oil I'm sitting on right now.) If we can keep the bad guys at bay long enough, Iraq could really come out of this way ahead.
Anyone being reading/hearing about Saddam Hussain's trial? Yeah, it makes for some pretty interesting and funny reading. The asked him what his name was, for the record, and he said "Saddam Hussain, President of Iraq." Lol. He claims he is the rightfully democratically elected president of this country. Riiiiiiiight. The article I read says that the tenant of his defense is that under Iraqi law, the president cannot be deposed by an illegal invasion. Hmmm, I wonder who wrote that law? And what would be a legal invasion? (I think you could call America's current infestation with lawyers a legal invasion. :-) ) Saddam Hussain is going to go down hard and protesting the whole time. One of the Iraqis interviewed said they should burn him alive, and let dogs loose on him. Ouch. Another said they should do what he did and kill off his entire family. (Oops, didn't we already do that?) I don't think most Iraqis like him very much. And as long as the ones who do keep strapping bombs to themselves, that problems should be dealt with soon enough. Anyways, time for chow. Later. B