The Price of Freedom

Seriously, every present I got was perfect for my use in Iraq. Good looking out! Those of you who actually received yours from me, I hope you liked it!

So I am really lucky that I was hooked up with all this stuff in my room: a couch, a bed, a tv and dvd player, etc. I know what you're thinking...go ahead and make this picture your screensaver. I won't mind!!! Thats was probably only funny to me, but I'm in Iraq! Give me a break!!! 

So this is the mud that I will speak of. It is everywhere and actually makes me hungry because it looks like snack pack pudding spread all over the place! 

My fabulous room. All kidding aside, I live like a king (relatively speaking of course!) 

My prestigious neighborhood. You know you're all jealous of the extra sandbag anti-mortar round fortifications! 

Honestly, who would have thought that this guy would be the fourth highest ranking person in a 450+ person battalion, fly the premier attack helicopter in the world, and be off on his second combat deployment in this C-17 aircraft? I never really figured it would turn out like this.

Taji is just like I left it, with minimal improvements. In a weird way, it feels like I have never left. Like I am stationed here and I just deploy back to Texas for 18 months at a time. The DFACis still quite a hike, but the iced coffee is still very worth it. I am with a handful of really great guys that I deployed with last time.

We were talking today about the noises being the same here. Aircraft are taking off over the trailers all day and night long. We got here during the beginning of the rainy season which is at least cooler than the rest of the year, but is plagued by rain and mud and sandstorms. All of which suck enough for me to wish it was summer. 

After some very interesting strategic level movements, yours truly arrived in FOB (Forward Operating Base) Taji, Iraq 8 days ago. I have not been able to post due to what we call a "commo blackout." When anyone from this FOB is killed, all internet and phone lines are turned off to prevent the next of kin and families from being notified improperly/inappropriately. With technology today the way it is, could you imagine finding out your loved one was dead on some Joe's MYSPACE? That would be very bad and for these reasons, I am not readily available to communicate. If it's any indicator if how things are going here, I would just say that for a variety of reasons, of the 8 days I have been here only about 12 hours have not been blocked out.

The good news is that I now have a mailing address. It follows here:

CPT Paul J Daigle
HHC, 1-227th Aviation Regiment
Unit 5010-0010
Taji, Iraq
APO AE 09378

I dropped off my first three letters today/tomorrow and I am looking forward to hearing and receiving letters or care packages. Many people ask what I would like or need. I can get pretty much anything out here, but it's all almost like back home. For my friends and I (seeing as I have much fewer number of Soldiers than last time), we are planning on sharing anything we get rather equitably. I personally am on a diet (I'm down to my target 185 lbs. again--that was quick!) and there is plenty of junk food to eat, but my guys love candy!

I personally like pictures from family and friends to hang up on the wall, new music, any Clemson stuff (didn't remember my flag this time either! damnit...) cigars, sugar free red bull (no longer available here!), magazines like maxim, national geographic, time, the economist, newsweek, etc., healthy snack food, sugar free drink mixes, and things of the sort. I am kind of a fan of Grey Goose Vodka and Seagram's Tonic too. Oops did I say that out loud?

Well now that the internet is back up I will be sure to catch you all up on what's going on with me. Hopefully I can post some pictures after I consult with our Operational Security experts. Thank you so very much for my thoughts and prayers. Peace out.

Our second stop was in Iceland and I was originally pretty fired up about it until I found out that they closed off a wing just for us and not a single thing was open. The weather was really nice though and the air was very clean (so much so that it was immediately noticeable). Our first stop was Illinois somewhere but unfortunately I was racked out hard on the plane. I didn't even know that we had stopped! Our third stop was in Germany and they had a couple of vendors there. I got some food and some interesting beverages, but most importantly I scored some postcards to send home to the family.

This picture is of my cot in my Kuwaiti "residence." Mine is the first one on the left of the foreground. I share this place with 75 other dudes but luckily for me, I don't spend a lot of time in this place.

Well I am on my 20th hour of duty day so it is high time for me to get some sleep. I'll post any good pictures as they come.

Paul

Well, after a long break, I have officially returned. I originally planned to update everyone in the two months prior to our deployment, but I will admit I was completely overwhelmed. I worked everyday until at least 2000 (8 p.m. for you non-military types) in preparation for our Battalion's deployment to Iraq.

As an Assistant Operations Officer or "Battle Captain" as we are affectionately known, my job has two roles. Prior to deployment, it is my charge to ensure that every Soldier has had the appropriate amount of training in all aspects of the military in order to be prepared for combat operations. This training ranges from being proficient with individual weapon systems to being able to put a HellFire Missile into a building over 4000m away with bullets flying in your face. We have had a plethora of classes and small group discussions on everything from team tactics to Iraqi cultural awareness. And for every segment of these training events, it is my job to coordinate for briefers, facilities, transportation, status tracking, etc.

Once we move into theater, I change gears and keep my aircrews (including myself) in the fight by providing situational awareness, mission briefings, air-ground integration, and airspace deconfliction. I will manage a certain amount of team missions at once to acheive the ground commanders' objective of defeating the enemy and restoring peace/democracy through lethality and agility.

We arrived at Camp Beuhring, Kuwait about two weeks ago and began the grueling process of RSO (Reception, Staging, and Onward Movement). This month is filled with briefings, last minute weapon validations, and the logistical operations that will successfully move our Battalion forward into Iraq. I am currently working about 18-20 hour days as well as flying once or twice a week to become environmentally qualified (i.e. learning how to land in the dust). The long days are helpful in keeping me from thinking about what I have left at home, but every night before I go to bed I have to hold back the tears. My responsibility to my Soldiers also helps since for many of them, this is their first time. I can see on their faces the extreme separation anxiety that plagued me on my first deployment. It makes me stronger knowing that they need me to be their leader.

This Battalion has some more time before we move north and begin to integrate ourselves into the fight. There are many things left that we must do to ensure a smooth transition as we occupy our battle space. I would like to thank all of those who keep us in their prayers and thoughts. As soon as I have an address for myself, I will post it. For those of you who wrote me last time, you know that I always write back no matter how little free time I may have. God be with all of you back home.

Out of these books, A Walk In The Woods was absolutely the best. It follows Bill on his quest to hike the entire Appalachian Trail with a fat, out of shape friend from his youth and a curious fear of the American Black Bear. I laughed my ass off reading this book and true to reading a Bryson piece, started planning my own hike for one day.

I'm a Stranger Here Myself is about Bill's trip across America. He travels from small town to small town searching for the perfect quaint old city. It is one of his slower books, but we've all been to a lot of these towns and let's face it, there's no words you can use to spice up Murphreesboro, TN or Seeley Lake, MT.

Neither Here Nor There is another inspirational travel piece. Bill's "Eurotrip" prompted me to google an image of every place in the book so I could get a better feel for his adventure. I am planning on spending my Mid-Tour (R&R) Leave in Europe and rest assured, I will be following the path of Bill Bryson.

The Mother Tongue is probably the hardest Bryson book to get through. This could be for two possible reasons: One, that any book on the derivation of all languages couldn't possibly be entertaining or Two, I was sitting in a tent out in the field and it was 14 degrees outside and hailing. Nonetheless, it was a very rewarding read that finally pushed me into signing up for an online Latin class!

Most of my adult birthdays have sucked. Some examples: On my seventeenth birthday, I spent all day at MEPS inprocessing for my enlistment into the Army. My eighteenth birthday was the first day of class at Clemson, where I didn't know anybody. My twentieth was at AIRBORNE school. My twenty-third was my NVG checkride in flight school (the only part of flight school that you actually fly at night until AQC). My twenty-fourth was on a plane to Iraq. I think you can see where I am going with this.

This time I have planned my leave (Army vacation time) around my birthday because O.A.R. is opening for the Dave Matthews Band in Dallas. That's a birthday present!


























So far a few guys from work are going with Beth and I. We're getting lawn seats for $50 a piece. Anybody that wants to go is welcome. If you are from out of town and would like to see me before OIF V/VI gets a hold of me, this is the perfect opportunity. I will pick you up and drop you off at the airport. And if you want to stay longer than a weekend, there's a place for you in my guest bedroom. Call me!

I know I haven't posted in a week, but you have to understand that I spend most of the day fighting evil (and by evil of course, I mean my boss). It's pretty tiring, really. So usually when I get home, I play with my son until his bedtime, then I watch TV with my wife until I fall asleep on the couch. Wash, Rinse, Repeat. Everyday is like Groundhog Day as far as the ritual is concerned. Wake up, drive to work, PT, drive home, Shower, Shave, Eat, Drive Back to Work, Work, Lunch, Work or Fly, Work, Drive Home from Work. Siiiiiigggggghhhh...The good news is my block leave date is coming up very soon. Speaking of which, anybody that wants to see me before I go back to Iraq: 7-21 August is when I will be on leave here in Texas. The family and I have flown around the country a dozen times since my last homecoming and we plan on staying here this time. I have a guest bedroom with your name on it. Feel free to visit! In fact, check out my next post. My birthday weekend is going to be a hell of a time and you're all invited!

Flying in Iraq

This video is a short clip from my tour in Iraq during OIF II. We were conducting MSR Security along a high speed avenue of approach from a certain city to another certain city during a certain major operation. Could I be any less specific??

Photo of Western Wall (last remaining foundation from the Second Temple of Solomon
and the Dome of the Rock Islamic Shrine) borrowed from David Titherly. Thanks!

"Rut Row Raggy..."
An all out "open war" has been declared by both Israel and Hezbollah. What does that mean for the United States?

Well for starters, we have long been allied with the Israeli State since its very foundations. The US has donated over $90 billion to Israel, more than any other nation has donated to Israel in the world. They are a financial investment ally. They are strategically located in the Middle East. Their enemies, Islamic Fundamentalists, are our enemies (therefore making us friends as the saying goes). I have a unsubstantiated feeling that our early appeasement of Hitler and our later discoveries and eventual liberation of Nazi death camps may have weighed heavily on our conscience and solidified our resolve to aid Israel. Many key leaders in our government are Jewish and, while there is a huge difference between Jews and Israelis, a certain bond has been established between Jewish-Americans and their homeland.

"Oh...That Little Guy? I Wouldn't Worry About That Little Guy..."
Our support of Israel in fact goes deeper than most know. After doing a little inspired research, I found some events that are somewhat disturbing. Apparently, we have overlooked certain "incidents" that would otherwise create a terrible furor in our land had they been perpetuated by any other group of people:

The most incredulous incident is a direct military attack on a US naval vessel. On June 8th, 1967, Israeli Defense Forces launched a sustained air and sea based attack on the USS Liberty, killing 34 US naval personnel (I just can't bring myself to write "seamen," sorry...) Have you heard of this? I must have missed that class. Israel later declared the event a tragic accident. Apparently, they mistook our Technical Research Vessel for an Egyptian resupply freighter. So they say. Key personnel in the US government tend to disagree:

"I can tell you for an absolute certainty (from intercepted communications) that the Israelis knew they were attacking an American ship." -- NSA Deputy Director Oliver Kirby

"That the Liberty could have been mistaken for the Egyptian supply ship El Quseir is unbelievable" -- Special Assistant to the President Clark Clifford, in his report to President Lyndon Johnson

So, yeah, the fact that we have overlooked this event says a lot about our very close ties to Israel. And to be fair, this is not an isolated incident to be sure. We have commited equal atrocities in other countries (presumably on accident) many of which are spoken of in one of my more recent reads, Lies My Teacher Told Me, by Dr. James Loewen. I am not trying to defend Israel's brutal attack on the Liberty, nor our own forays in the name of democracy, but I feel it is necessary to put into perspective. The world's governments are FULL of shady business!

The honorable mention of our ability to "turn the other cheek" for our allies is the mulitple cases of espionage that have led to deportation rather than prosecution. I don't believe the conspiracy theories that Jewish Americans in our government are trying to create a Zionist footprint on our soil, but I do believe that Israel would not turn down anything that would secure their place in the Middle East as rightful owners of Jerusalem (even if it means spying on their best friend). It's all about self-preservation, holmes.

With all this being said, we continue to veto any UN proposal to condemn Israeli retaliation against Islamic extremists.

The Short Answers

To what level will we go to assist Israel against her enemies? Will we commit forces? Highly unlikely.

Will we continue to piss off Islamic Terrorists with our unwavering support of their worst enemy? Absolutely.

My Views
This newest conflict makes me pretty nervous. Hezbollah in Palestine is supported by Hezbollah in Lebanon, who is supported by radical Shiites in Iran, who have close ties with North Korea. That is just an ugly combination. Uncle Jimbo has a link referencing this subject on Blackfive that will make you chuckle nervously.

As far as Israel goes, it is a land that has been possessed by many owners. Jews, Christians, and Muslims (not to mention Pagans and Romans) have layed claim to the same parcels of land for over thirty centuries. It will forever exist in turmoil. When two religions are sworn enemies of one another, how can they possibly have peace? Especially since their nations are founded and remain guided on the principles of their religious beliefs. Thank God for our separation of Church and State!

Personally, I am a Roman Catholic. But I truly admire some of the tenets of Judaism. The most inspiring is that, at least in Hacidic circles, not everyone is supposed to be Jewish! I know, can you believe it? And it gets better: even non-Jews are offered a place in "Heaven." Wow! That thought brings tears to my eye. Christians spend half of their life and money trying to convert heathonous masses in the darkest places of the world so that they may join Jesus in Heaven and not rot in Hell with other non-believers (to include Muslims, Buddhists, Jews, etc.), while Islamic fundamentalists under Sharia would kill every infidel had they the logistics to do so to purify the world according to Allah's Will (oooh, especially those Zionists next door-them first!)

I may be somewhat overexaggerating, but you get the point. Bottom line, the Jews are not trying to take over the World and convert all along the way, unlike the insurgents that have tried to kill me personally on occasion (by the way). While Israel may use tactics that are sketchy or even immoral (which we are all guilty of from time to time, but I am not condoning it--it is still reprehensible), while they may spy on us (we always seem to catch them though), I fail to see why we shouldn't always support Israel for the sake of our own preservation in the Middle East.

Their enemies (Muslim extremists) claim that the Holocaust never existed and that the Zionist pigs are trying to take over the world. I just don't see it. I have been wrong before, but I just don't see it. What I have seen is Islamic extremists who desire to make everyone Muslim or dead. And in essence, try to take over the world.

So my final verdict is: In the battle between Islamic fundamentalist extremists and the State of Israel, we must remain steadfast in our support to our current ally. We do not need to send troops or even weapon systems. But we must represent them as an ally and either back them up when they are doing what we would to defend our country or let them know when they do something horrible and hold them accountable.

I welcome your comments...