An Iraq Tale Vol 8: (Another Long Night, Thanks To Murphy)

I just wanted to say thank you for your service!!! :)

Hey Rob, thanks for serving our country. I am president of the Coors Veterans Group here at the Brewery, if you are ever in Denver, come by the brewery and I will set you up with a VIP tour and some colds Coors beer. If you can get me your APO,I can send you some girl scout cookies that were donated to our group. We just shipped 2500 boxes to about 35 different soldiers last week and we have a few left, so if you have a way to get me your address, I can ship you some. Take care and stay safe.

Just stumbled upon this blog and had to say how much I wish you well. As a mom of an army ranger, his second tour over and waiting for his third, I can't even begin to put in words how much you guys mean to our family. I pray for your safe return as with all our men and women. On another note, you're from Indiana, I'm from Ohio. Go Big Ten! And when my son was in high school, we got to go to Indianapolis with his football team. What a beautiful city! Stay safe and know that you are in so many people's prayers. I think it's great that you have this blog. You do a great job of telling us about the everyday things that go on over there that get completely missed by the media. Keep up the good work and come home safe. God bless you!! P.S. I loved how you kept your restraint from getouts,, but I have to say I absolutely loved the other guys response in defense for you. As a grandma, I would also love to meet that person face to face. He's lucky he's sitting behind a computer.

Just found the site, enjoyed your article alot. Helps me see what goes on over there. My brother 2Lt Adam Shevock is at Liberty w/ the 52nd out of Schofield Hawaii. Have you run into him? I hear its a pretty big base. Thank you and Gods Speed in bringing you back safe and soon!!!!

I read nothing in this story that does'nt happen in a real every day situation. You don't have to be a green suiter to make mistakes. Mistakes or miscues happen all the time. Ask the demolttion expert who is not here today to critique his mission because he was blown to hell!
Here's a hypothethical: Lets say there is a 10 step procedure that every demo expert must follow in order to deactivate a booby trap/IED etc. The demo expert is so experienced he can execute the process blindly 24/7...However, in the process of repetitive successful executions he becomes lets say...overconfident...He skips 1 step...then a little further on he skips a second step..then one day he encounters a situation where the enemy was waiting for this moment and sprung his trap....Our expert skip a key step and never knew what happened.
The lesson learned for the almost 100 mission soldier is when you get too confident and superior minded you may never again sit in on a mission crtitique session. Another reminder...repeat patrols and becoming familiar with same traversed routes become more dangerous the more you travel over them and at the same time schedule...Changing routes and schedules serve to throw the enemy off...force him to spread his resources or relocate and he will be the one to make the first mistake. whether you return to home base late at night or early dawn is immaterial. Getting back safely is the real ends of the mission.
Ciao
Yee Olde War Dog
PS: Experience: WWII, Korean War, 2 tours in Viet Nam (39 months combat time 24th Inf Div, Big Red One, 1st Air Cavalry Div) and worked as a tech rep in the middle East up through 1992 and had a chance to witness the Gulf War up close.

I salute the guys and gals that are today serving our country. Particularly when you are serving in a supporting role. It is most unglamorous and unpredictable. Extra care and attention to detail is very key! Good Luck!

Rob, I just wanted to say what a pleasant attitiude you have and it's men and women like you that make this country the wonderful place that it is. It really shows in your words how truly proud you are to be serving our country. I have a 17 year old son that absolutely cannot wait till he can serve his country and it makes me very proud. Thanks again for your sacrifices and most of all that great outlook that you have that makes us all proud to have people like you to show us what " pride " is all about. Stay strong and have a safe return home.

In Christ's love,

Lisa

As a Vietnam Era Veteran, I say we as a people need to hear more from the men and women who are now serving our country in Iraq and Afghanistan. Forget the Press, although I believe some of them are trying to bring us the truth, they aren't everywhere in Iraq. Certainly forget this administration they
are going to try to spin everything that's bad, for the Iraqi people and for our military. That is what they do. I hope and prayer we as a people will treat our Iraq Veterans better than we have treated the Korean Vets, the Vietnam Vets and the Veterans of the First Gulf war.

Its time as people to show our veterans that we truly understand that the price of OUR Freedom and Liberties is THEIR blood. We need to pay more attention to affairs of home so that our returning veterans can come back to an America that is financial sound, That does not depend on ANY country for OIL or holding our DEBT(China and OPEC). That makes sure its people are working, the American Manufacturing worked and Farmer are the most productive in the World. We do not need to control the world through brute force, We can control the world be feeding everyone in it and truly show them the success of America as a society. THAT will motivate them to create democracies on their own

God bless American and the Citizen who service it.

Lt. Col. with all due respect Sir. I appreciate your service, sacrifice and willingness to stand proud and tall for this country. I am sure that you are a man who commands respect from everyone in your unit. However, Rob has more than earned my respect which you Sir will never have. There is an amazingly huge difference between earning respect and commanding respect. You may think that your heart is in the right place but your attitude says otherwise. Please understand that your rank gives you a stated amount of respect. Rob,s attitude and heart will always outrank you exponentially. Rob, please continue doing everything that you do with the same great attitude and integrity that you have already displayed. Stay safe and return home soon. Thanks to all who are sacrificing for this GREAT NATION.

Rob: thanks for your insights! However, after scrolling through the commline, the thing that stands out most to me is your incredible forbearance with the posters. From hate-spewers to arrogant jarhead LTC's, your responses remain calm, cool and collected. You seek to return to dialogue, rather than degenerate into "colon stuffing" exercises with others.

Thanks for your service! From a former soldier (SFC, PDRL, VietNam era) to one who has much to live for, Godspeed!

Thanks... this gave me insight into what my son is doing. He's SPC Greer, 10th Mountain. I don't give never give out too much info about him... superstitious I guess.
But if you ever meet him... you will never forget him. I tower of a man... a man of men... Gosh, can't tell I'm his mom (LOL)

Viewing a detachment's mission as a microcosm of the national mission doesn't make a lot of sense.

It was that flaming liberal George Will who pointed out before we had a single soldier in Iraq that there was no precedent for a western power converting a Muslim nation to a secular western democracy and no reason to believe it could be done.

Nobody has yet made the case that even if we could pull it off, that the resulting Iraqi regime would look to us instead of Tehran for guidance

Nothing has happened in the past 4 years & 364 days to change Will's mind.

I want to start by saying that I am thankful for everybody that joins any branch of the military. As for me I joined the Army as an Infantryman. As an Infantryman that has been there and spent more time out of the wire than in the wire I don't understand what is so exciting about this story. I mean were you an escort or was it a supply run? I don't see how going from one FOB to another and back again having to take an alternate route is exciting. You didn't get shot at or almost blown up. You didn't kick down any doors and capture Insurgents. You just went on a little drive. I almost laughed at your 100 mission goal, you are going to be there for what 400 + days and you only want to leave the wire 100 times? That is border line what the Infantry refers to as a Fobbit. My unit (1-14 Infantry Golden Dragons) was the QRF for all of Iraq. I got to see all of the country Tuz, Najaf, Kirkuk, Samarra, Mosul and everywhere in between except for Fallujah and that was only because my unit was scattered between three cities when they asked for us. Anyway, Thanks for being in the Guard, somebody has to be.

I gotta give it to OIF 2. A 100 missions? I mean that is what most of us active guys achieve within 50-60 days. Its no a goal to reach a certain number of missions. The real goal is get the bad guys off the streets and secure your AO (area of operations). Not baby sitting unable units. Why dont you guard guys take a real fighting position for once. I am so tired of hearing how guard guys have the "worst areas in all of Iraq". Do you really think they are going to put second stringers in the star game? Not a chance. And, for those of you that say, yah but you guys are active. True, but we are just like you, have families like you, have bills like you, and yes (in the rear) have jobs like you. So please, if your going to write about something, think about the guys who are doing the real thing out here, working with people that shake your hand today or shoot you in the back the next. Or, how about the guys that kick in doors in search of guys who killed your battle buddies, knowing there is a real good chance their door is rigged. Those are the guys you need to write about. THEY put their lives on the line. THEY defend freedom.

Disgusted

Thanks for the blog. When my son calls he doesn't tell me about the war or what he's doing. He's words are, "mission - mission - missions with a few ambushes thrown in." This he said to his buddy, not to me. He tells me not to worry... he's okay unless I'm told different. You don't have to support the "head of our country" but come on... It's our sons, uncles, daughters, aunts, moms and dads that is standing for those who are weak and can not fight for them selves... My son turned down a football scholarship to join the army. His words were. "mom I don't love football, but I LOVE MY COUNTRY! I guess what I'm saying is, my son chose to join, my son chose to be in the infantry, knowing where he would go and knowing what he was in for. Proud??? HELL YES I'm PROUD of my son! Duty - Honor - Country! HELL YES! Stay safe 10th Mountain, 1/87, stay safe everyone...

Rob Thanks for the insight and your patience with those who have other views.
My husband is currently serving in Iraq from Tali ll. I'm very proud of him and all the defense personnel serving away from family and home. It is good to see the diversity of people who write on this blog, I'm hoping I can keep finding it. Unfortunately my husbands battle group are the last Aussies at Talill as our new government promised if they got elected they would pull them out. It's disappointing because many feel they are leaving before the job is done. But I can see why it needs to happen as our Australian soldiers are on so many fronts at the moment and we only have so many defense personnel, my husband was only home 9 weeks of last year and this year is looking about the same. Sometimes you feel like a single married person, but I have an awesome husband so it's worth the loneliness, sadness, prayer and concern. It's sad to see some of the negative media hyped reactions of people... like today I went past the army barracks and there were protesters outside with there hateful banners. It upset me a little I guess because of the cost I pay personally and annoyed me because of where they were outside of there work place and where some of the guys live. They weren't in front of the parliament house or those in real power who make the decisions. Makes no sense to me. Thanks for what you share here and letting me share too.

I think you guys are doing a great job over there. I also give you guys credit being able to stay up for hours or for the night just to get your job done. Also that you don't complain about it, you did it because of what you have to do and for the pride that you have. I give you guys respect for what you do out there for all of us to still have our freedom.

God Bless all of you doing that for us.

Rob i know first hand what kind of NCO you are and i would like to say Good job. I find that some times the brass get a little excited and try to square away a squared away solider with big words that are bigger than their boots. The problem with that is that they have time to practice placing those big words from there comfy oak desk and leather chairs. I don't point fingers at all officers but i will say try sitting in our burlap chairs and then lets talk about who is squared away.

Rob,
Yes, getting back to the FOB is what matters. My son-in-law didn't make it back to his. It's been nearly a year. I continue to keep all of you in my prayers. I'm proud to be an American and support all that you do. Most Americans do. Keep safe. Kathy

Yes, Murphy's Law exists for the Iraqis too. All those innocent women and children killed by Americans have experienced it firsthand.

Hey, Rob it's me again, you made MSNBC's web site under: Conflict in Iraq: A soldier's view. Way to bring the story home to us. A lot people get upset when someone thinks differently from them, but you have quite the talent in responding to these people. Keep doing it your way, its working! By the way I sent my brother homemade sugar cookies and it took 30 days to get there, but he said they were delicious, go figure! He must be hard up for sugar cookies! Let me know if theres anything you and your fellow soldiers need? {I also used the soldiersangels.com website and adopted a soldier on there} For any one reading this check out the site. Talk to you soon, Rob and stay safe, Godspeed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So I Just stumbled across your blogs today, via msnbc, and just wanted to send you a prayer or two and tell you what an amazing writer you are!!!

Stay safe!

Meghann

Well you see, jnealis, the Iraqis didn't invade America - America invaded them, telling them they need to be "liberated". Even Rob can't deny that being there might be a mistake. My priorities lie in fairness and human rights. Recognise that America has ulterior motives and try to assess things from other's points of view.

Yesterday I almost gave up defending what y'all do, I was so disheartened and fed up with the evil things people say that I just felt I was wasting my energy.
Today I stumbled across Newsvine maybe it was "divine intervention" I've spent the last three hours with tears streaming down my face reading all the posts and my faith in my fellow Americans has returned, I'm not sure if my comment is so much for you as it is for everyone else who has posted here, though I'd like to thank you for doing it and for so selflessly (is that a word?) serving my country. My Husband is deploying on 15 June to Iraq (camp Taji) I have read so many he's a murderer baby killer blah blah blah nonsenses that I wanted to scream, but to all of you posters in here thank you for letting me know that there are "more of us then there is of them" I have already saved you in my favorites and will be coming back often.... I will keep all of you in my thoughts and prayers stay safe.
Saluting those who proudly serve ....HOOAH....