The first time around in Iraq, I had the honor of serving in the 101st Airborne on the Invasion. I would be lying if I said I do not miss the excitement that was unique to the Invasion. Everyone I have met that went on the “run and gun” ground assault race to Baghdad, with stripped down HMMWVs, in unbreathable NBC suits, surrounded by 140 degree heat ,with very little water and no air conditioning, tends to compare every other bad event in our life to that year. I was completely undertrained and underequipped, but I was simply too ignorant to know the difference. That was the first time.
On November 3rd of 2007 I happily left the oppressive heat of Kuwait and went back to Iraq for the second time. I remember the date exact as it was the same day that I got the call on my cell phone that my second Son, Gabriel, was born. Due to some serious differences between my boss and I about how he treated the Soldiers, I was asked to take an assignment as the Squadron’s, (it was a Cavalry, i.e. light Infantry unit) public affairs officer. My mother was a union boss and my father was a militia leader so I guess I was just not built to shut up and mind my own lane. The sunny side of the incident was that it gave me the freedom to step away from a life as a TOCroach or Fobbit, (to those unfamiliar with the terms please see “Bob on the Fob”) and go Soldier. Some of what I wrote went through sites like DVIDS and can still be seen online if you Google hard enough. But I digress.
Lesson 1: Know your neighborhood
h/t Sam Culper
