A Year in the Sandbox

2007-06-16T19:21:00.000+04:00

So, after a few weeks, I have returned to the United States. I'm now settled back in at FT Lewis, Washington. I'm facing a bunch of medical boards now. Not quite sure what the result would be. Could be separation from the Army or....who knows!!! I can't really get any straight answers from anyone. I dove straight into a bureaucratic nightmare!! I have the contact information to that program in Germany. Contact Mark McGuire at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center. His e-mail is mark.mcguire@amedd.army.mil . Also, you can find out more information at www.landstuhlhospitcalproject.org . These people are great. I know everyone is still looking for ways to help. I highly recommend this and I can attest that it directly helps wounded soldiers coming back. I have relayed to the guys over there if they need anything. I will let everyone know if there is anything else they need. I believe things will start winding down for them relatively soon ( in a few months). They will be packing and slowly moving back through Kuwait for about month, which I'm sure will be a relief. I'll update when I know more about this medical boarding stuff. I become more confused every time I inquire about it. If you have any problems with contacting these people in Germany, please let me know. I can help.

2007-06-02T21:21:00.000+04:00

Sorry for the lack of updates lately. I'm still in Germany. I guess sometimes it takes a while to get things moving. They wanted the doctors in theater to talk with the doc here before I go anywhere, but I see myself moving to the states relatively soon. In the mean time, they are keeping me busy with swearing in navy enlistees. It was actually a pretty funny story. I'm in my PT uniform and these Navy recruiters walk up and are asking for an officer to swear this guy into the navy. Everyone points me out. I'm like "what did I do?" Then I'm really uncomfortable because everyone else is in full dress uniform and here I am in PTs swearing this guy in. They did give me a cool coffee mug and pen though. I will post about this place tomorrow, but the hospital here at Landstuhl has a place called the "Chaplains Closet." They receive donations from the states with all kinds of stuff. Its an amazing thing. Most of the Soldiers coming into Germany don't really have much with them. This place gives clothes, toiletries, etc. to these Soldiers immediately. The Army does give a clothing voucher to buy clothes, but not everyone can go out and buy stuff. This is run by some great people. I'm getting their contact information tomorrow and I'll post it when I get back. This is a really great service to the wounded Soldiers that are evacuated here.

2007-05-24T20:41:00.000+04:00

Ok, here is the health update with a little back story so it puts it into perspective. Around December I was having some stomach pains and sorts. I thought it was the wonderful diet I was on at the time. With the stubborn/hardheadedness I inherited from the Smith side of the family, I didn't seek treatment until mid-February. They thought it was just a little indigestion and this sort, so I didn't put much thought into it. Well, months later the symptoms persisted. I was home on leave and I was convinced that I need to get some tests run. This was a very good idea. This resulted in a long list of fun GI problems that I'm sure most know quite well. The doctor from the states recommended I seek more testing in one area becuase of some irregularities. He was right on from the start (as it ended up). When I returned from leave, the docs there were spurred into action with the recent results. With my request, they did everything they could in theater before they had to evacuate me. The tests that were recommended could not be done in country (I had to go to Germany or the states). Through process of elimination, the treatments agreed with the initial diagnosis that it was Celiac Disease or Celiac Sprue. I was quickly evacuated to Germany due to rapid weight loss associated with the symptoms. I'm currently down about 20 lbs, but recovering well. After long hours of testing and a billion blood draws, they pretty much confirmed that I have Celiac Disease. The docs here are very thorough and are doing every conceivable test related to this to confirm that it is this. Celiac Sprue is an autoimmune disorder where the person effected has a permanent toxic reaction to gluten based foods (wheat, rye, barley, and oats). This includes alot of the processed foods as well, such as canned soups, chips, etc. The only treatment is a permanent gluten-free diet. A life-time change, yes, but far from the end of the world. Yes, italian cuisine will have to be put aside, but I will find something to take its place. Another big hit was the barley side, which takes me away from all those nice regional ales in the northwest. Oh well. The docs here don't really see this. I've been told its common, but they are asking me questions that I wanted to ask them. So, its going to be a learning experience. As far as my career in the service, I am more uncertain. The docs have said it means I'm immediately and permanently non-deployable, which in a war-time army is not good. I am sure there is a job somewhere that will take me though. I have made it clear that I will accept any job back in my unit if I can go back and support my men, even if I can't lead them out of the wire again. I don't think its likely, but I will continue to hold my breath while I wait for their response. A more likely destination for me will be Ft. Lewis, WA, where I will reside until the unit redeploys in November. From there is even more uncertain. I am sure answers will be coming soon, but for now, I'm playing the waiting game in Germany. It was and still is very difficult to leave my men in this way. I made a committment to them to stay throughout the deployment. I have had some time to accept my course though and I will continue to support them in any way I can from whatever destination I end up at. I would ask everyone at home to continue to think about the Soldiers in Iraq. 2nd Platoon still has five months in Iraq before they redeploy and many more Soldiers are arriving everyday. My time in the Sandbox may be ending prematurely, but I will surely retain the memories from this last year for the rest of my life. I love you all and I will probably be seeing many of you soon.

1LT Stephen Smith

2007-05-24T20:27:00.000+04:00

I wanted to share this. I'm bored and I was perusing the news. There is still hope out there for idealists. Read this story.

http://edition.cnn.com/2007/LAW/05/23/coca.cola.sentencing/index.html

2007-05-22T18:15:00.000+04:00

Doing some homework into German beers. Excellent dunkel and yes, now I know how to pronounce dunkel. The long debated controversy over the correct pronunciation is over. So, this "vacation" is also full of doctors appointments. Kitty was able to take a train from France and meet me this weekend. I barely escaped a bunch of football hoolagans, but thankfully I bought the home teams scarf, so I passed as one of them. Otherwise, I should know whats going on in the next few days. I will update as soon as I know.

2007-05-18T16:16:00.000+04:00

Hey Everyone,
I am currently in Germany doing some testing for some stomach problems they couldn't do in theater. I'll know more next week and will post it as soon as I know whats up. Sorry for the lack of posts lately. It has been somewhat frustrating and busy the past few weeks.

2007-05-07T10:55:00.000+04:00

I have some recent news I wanted to pass along. It happened in our area, so I thought it was of interest.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/05/06/iraq.main/index.html

2007-05-03T12:38:00.000+04:00

Some UH-60 Blackhawks taking off. Its fun to watch them come in...until you get sandblasted in the face. Then the fun stops and you have sand everywhere. I think being a pilot would have been alot better. You HAVE to get 8 hours of sleep every night. That is awesome. I think that is a brilliant idea. They should extend that policy Army wide. Check the headline news for a few weeks. I think the platoon and myself are getting some poster child time doing some cool guy stuff.

2007-05-02T21:14:00.000+04:00

Um.....yeah. Just thinking in this one I guess. Yep, 10 months running on 11 months now. Updates are hard to come by. We are not in the best of living conditions right now. A warehouse fits the entire company, so your packed in pretty tight. Otherwise, same as always. Still in Baghdad and still busy. The surge is in full effect now as well. Units are everywhere. Troops are everywhere. A lot more people.

2007-04-19T11:03:00.000+04:00

And I know this is what we have all been waiting for....at least me. This is me relaxing on vacation. Kitty on the right. In good ol' Gainesville.

2007-04-19T11:00:00.000+04:00

Here is me trying to get the mike adjusted. A natural I might say. It took me about 5 min. I think thats pretty good.

2007-04-19T10:54:00.000+04:00

This was at the Perry Rotary Club meeting. They honored 2nd Platoon there. Very nice. My Dad is to the right. When I first got back on leave, he started talking up a storm about this amazing presentation I had...then I had to quickly put something together. I had a good time though.

2007-04-18T10:44:00.000+04:00

This is not political. I just thought this was awesome. To get the president to do the gator chomp. Thats right. The white house is orange and blue.

2007-04-18T09:24:00.000+04:00

I'm back from leave now. I was so excited to get back that I jumped in the first sandpile I saw and started rolling around. Ok back to reality. It was great to get a dose of reality again while on leave. I have some pictures. I will get them posted soon. I had the pleasure of speaking with a few of people that have donated to our unit. I know I didn't see everyone, but it was great to shake a few hands. Yes, I have been extended. I should be back in the fall. Hopefully, before the florida/georgia game in late october. Looking forward to that though. 5 more months. It was funny on leave. I kept talking about events that occurred and I would repeatedly refer to them occurring a year ago. Then my friends would say, "no that happened two years ago. I would say no its not and that would go on for a while. Then I would realize that it actually did happen then. Point is, you lose a year over here. Its like everything is put on hold until you return. Its the wierdest thing becuase you just kind of pick up where you left off. Not really progressing at all in that year. Its difficult to explain. I'll get some pictures posted soon.

2007-04-02T02:15:00.000+04:00

Charger Company's new home. No its not living in the tanks. There is a large tank littered field though where we are living now. This picture does not give it justice. It gives you and understanding of how large an arsenal Iraq had.

2007-03-30T21:33:00.000+03:00

This was from our clearance operations working with the National Police in Baghdad recently. The kids mob you all the time.

2007-03-30T21:30:00.000+03:00

This is me about to enjoy a delicious can of soup that is self-heating. Its actually has an ingenious design. It uses baked limestone and water to heat the can of soup. Made in Florida and the soup isn't that bad. You can see the anticipation on my face is just killing me.

2007-03-30T21:24:00.000+03:00

Well, I'm officially on leave now back in the states. Its nice to be back, a little weird at first. I don't think me driving after not driving for 9 months will be a good thing either. We will see. I am playing catch up now. This is SSG Butler just outside Sadr City. We were staging at this place. Of course, he doesn't look excited, but he really is becuase he has his DVD Player.

2007-03-25T20:37:00.000+03:00

Charger Company lost another brother on the 21st of March. SSG Derrell Griffin was a Squad Leader for 3rd Platoon. That is Greg's Platoon for those that have helped him out. I always liked SSG Griffin since he arrived at the Company a few months ago. He was extremely driven, intelligent, aggressive, and always had something to discuss. I mean, he always wanted to discuss philosophy, politics, and anything else you could think of. He will be missed greatly. We honor him over the next few days. I ask that you have a moment of silence for SSG Griffin and his family.

2007-03-25T20:26:00.000+03:00

This is me talking with the Iraqi National Police. Somewhat of a counter-terrorist paramilitary organization. Not like your local police. I thought I was looking pretty studly (is that how you spell it?). Some of these guys are very good at what they do, Iraqi standards of course, others...well you know the deal.

2007-03-25T20:18:00.000+03:00

Well, this is me and my good buddy. You all know him as M. Sadr. You know he really isn't that bad of a guy. I thought this picture was really well done. I meant look at the brush strokes. Well, busy up to leave. Will be on a break back in the states in a few days. Recently been knocking on Sadr's front door. Somewhat of an honor to be one of the few guys working in his city and everything. Not a good place by any means though.

2007-03-17T09:21:00.000+03:00

I like the camouflage, even though everything is brown here....Oh well, they will get it right eventually.

2007-03-14T16:39:00.000+03:00

This is usually my face after a 15 hr operation. And they call me the funny guy too. Actually my new name is "johnny english" now. Don't ask. This came about just after my other name "white phospherous." Definitely don't ask about that one.

2007-03-14T16:31:00.000+03:00

This is SSG Bulter hard at work pointing out defensive....just kidding, I told him to look important so he is pointing into the distance. This guy is great though. Reminds me of a current day Rodney Dangerfield.

2007-03-12T15:24:00.000+03:00

Yep...more sitting. This was a photo from operations down in southern Iraq. Land is pretty desolate once you move about a kilometer away from the river systems. My RTO is sitting next to me.

2007-03-12T15:18:00.000+03:00

Sitting, doing nothing. Yep. Getting pretty hot here now.

2007-03-06T14:54:00.000+03:00

I have another thought as well. In my position now, I am running all over this country. I have worked with most of the units here. Its funny, nine months already. I look at some of the new guys and I'm like "did I do that the first time I went out?" Pretty funny. I guess its just funny here though. Its crazy how quickly you pick things up here. You really develop that additional sense.

2007-03-06T14:49:00.000+03:00

Although I am having difficulty getting interesting pictures at this time, I wanted to direct you to a website with picture from my brigade. Again, my Battalion is 2nd battalion, 3rd infantry regiment.

http://www.dvidshub.net/?script=general/general_search.php&table=images&type=&query=stryker&page=1&perpage=

2007-03-02T16:12:00.000+03:00

I wanted to take minute to thank everyone again for keeping up with this blog, posting, or just checking it every so often. What I thought initially as a way to keep my family informed has really become a drive for me. Its great maintaining contact with some semblance of the real world. Also, just a note to a few people. Matt Glisson. E-mail sometime. Haven't heard from you in a while. Scott, you too. I made it to 200 lbs. I trying to hold my Adonis image as best as possible. Its hard to with all this ice cream here though. 200 lb party will occur on leave though.

2007-02-24T13:41:00.000+03:00

Its crazy. The Iraqi Army have tanks. Yes they are old, but still.

2007-02-23T19:15:00.000+03:00

A picture from operations recently. Thought it was a pretty nice picture. No, I'm not 225 lbs. Kitty is spreading lies again. Mr. Gainesvilles are going to kill me when I get back. Congrats Kara. I hope to be back in the states by then. Russia and cruise it is.

2007-02-22T08:55:00.000+03:00

Officers of Charger Company. Last time we had a picture with our old Commander. This is right after an awards ceremony and the change of command. From left to right. Greg, Jordan, CPT Brent Clemmer, Justin, Adonis (thats my new name), and Lance.

2007-02-19T15:56:00.000+03:00

Here is another article in reference to the Baghdad Plan. Our part, clearing operations. One of my buddies is quoted a few times. LT Harbick. Funny guy. On another note. One of my Squad Leader's was on Fox News with Heraldo. That guy just makes me mad looking at him. I thought they kicked him out anyway.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1786653/posts

2007-02-18T15:19:00.000+03:00

Another picture of the Fun Run. CPT Clemmer, my old Commander is on the far left.

2007-02-18T15:11:00.000+03:00

Picture from Najaf. Mortar positions. Those are 60mm. You see the eerie dust storm that morning. I guess its eerie due to what we saw that day, but still just weird.

2007-02-16T08:03:00.000+03:00

I have a few more links to you. They were passed my way and are coming from a source that would be reluctant to paint a rosy picture of this War, so I will say that it is pretty good news.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7431218&ft=1&f=1001

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/14/world/middleeast/14cnd-iraq.html?_r=1&hp&ex=1171515600&en=58dfc2399c6d3bbb&ei=5094&partner=homepage&oref=slogin

Thats it for now. Back to work.

2007-02-11T08:39:00.000+03:00

This was a picture from a Company Fun Run honoring SFC Henkes. My guys all have shirts from this race called Kid One, which raises money to transport poor children to hospitals for treatment. SFC Henkes ran the race the previous year and they dedicated this year's race to him. We ran our own race in conjunction with theirs. These are my guys looking good. My Company Commander is sitting on the Stryker third from the right. My Platoon Sergeant is second from the right on the Stryker. cough cough, I'm on the far left looking swole.

2007-02-10T09:28:00.000+03:00

This was our after the big battle victory picture. Completely uncoordinated and it took four times to get a decent picture.

2007-02-10T09:15:00.000+03:00

So, we were driving around, enjoying the ride, then I observed this. This was a group self inflicted flailing. Kind of opened your eyes. Didn't really say anything, but I had to take a picture. Its a shock to us. But hey, if flailing yourself is your thing...sure.

2007-02-08T13:57:00.000+03:00

We were knee deep in Ashura, a religious period for the Shia sect. Alot of people everywhere. I saw people beating themselves. I believe it was to honor Husayn, but if I'm wrong, then I am. Interesting though...

2007-02-08T13:53:00.000+03:00

Rolling into Karbala. Probably saw this place on the news a few weeks ago.

2007-02-08T13:45:00.000+03:00

Here are the pictures from the past few weeks. This is down near Karbala. A big change in vegetation. Iraqi Army HMWV in front.

2007-02-02T17:01:00.000+03:00

I wanted to link some articles that were written about my Company's actions. There are two I found so far. The second was history in the making I guess. Almost surreal when it happened. A real experience that I will never forget.
http://www.strykernews.com/archives/2007/01/30/strykers_sweep.html#more

http://www.strykernews.com/archives/2007/01/30/iraqis_coalitio.html#more

Hope this helps understand what I'm saying all the time.

2007-01-31T08:33:00.000+03:00

This is an old pic from Baghdad. A Stryker variant behind the gate. The past few weeks have been almost surreal, as if I was in a movie. We are joking about it now. What actors would play us in our movie. Pretty funny, they keep saying Keane Reeves for me. I don't agree. I was hoping for a different direction.

2007-01-19T15:34:00.000+03:00

Rolling around. There have been a few thoughts that I wanted to add for some time. It is easy in war to hate a people in general, especially when you do not interact and talk with them on a daily basis. Creating a personal link quickly burns through this hate usually, but war really brings it out. I do really care about my job and the successful accomplishment, which is sought after daily. I find myself forced to turn off the compassion in general as we conduct operations. Its just the nature of the job. But its easy to slip into this hate and very difficult to overcome. One thing that has always helped me is talking with people. I've talked with hundreds of families. I've heard every horror story you can imagine. I've heard every fallacy you can imagine. Regardless, it pays to talk with them face to face. Then there is that one person who shows you hospitality that comforts you in a way. It definitely gives you a breather. On another note, every so often people ask me why I joined the Infantry. I usually don't have a quick response that is definite. I wanted to do something exciting is usually my retort. I now remember a good answer for this question. When I finish with days of operations with little sleep and ridiculous hours, there is no other comparison to the state of complete exhaustion that I feel after these times. There is no other sport or job that I can recall that compares to this. And you fight it sometimes just to try and fight the sleep, but it eventually brings you down, falling into a coma like state. Its the best sleep you will ever have. Or its the best meal you have ever had. Its great.

2007-01-19T15:31:00.000+03:00

I have been extremely busy lately. Wait. I swear I have been. Good times.

2007-01-12T13:46:00.000+03:00

Yes, I had a chance to see the National Championship game. Very nice. Go Gators.

2007-01-10T10:34:00.000+03:00

I just wanted to add another comment. I walked into a ridiculously nice house in the middle of this mess. It was incredible inside. I talked to some others that have been here before and they said they remember that area. It was nice before, but the infrastructure has deteriorated so severely that roads are difficult to come by.

2007-01-06T17:05:00.000+03:00

Welcome to a great day in Baghdad. This is after a day of rain. Excellent. So, what is it like in a typical day? I will attempt to summarize my experience, but it really won't do it justice. Business as usual, suddenly a big mission comes up. You have little time. Sleep, which is obviously not the priority, tends to not exist. A few hours, restless I might add, full of thoughts on what you missed or what you need to review in the morning. The morning is a fight to wake up, coupled with a sharp nervousness. Your set, boom (This signifies you starting the actual mission.) . From there is easy. Your in the zone. Nerves are fine. You're talking to people, working plans on the fly, adapting, constantly monitoring the situation; change of mission, you roll to an area you have never seen and master it; change of mission, your jumping from roof to roof; change of mission, your talking to more people, constantly adapting, changing what you do, planning on the fly. You're there, you're focused. You get back. Everyone is quiet on the ride back. Could be exhaustion. You return and sit down. Everything hits, you crash. The pain from that fall when you misjudged the jump, the fact that you should have drank more water, but forgot. Its almost relaxing. Its feels good in a way. A sense of accomplishment. Just a few thoughts. Tomorrow is another day.

2006-12-31T13:11:00.000+03:00

Happy New Year

2006-12-29T15:26:00.000+03:00

Christmas wasn't too bad. There was plenty of everything. Thanks again to everyone. Happy New Year.

2006-12-29T15:22:00.000+03:00

One of my squad leaders, Staff Sergeant K., handing out Christmas cards to the guys

2006-12-29T15:16:00.000+03:00

They may have kept us busy over Christmas, but we celebrated anyway (a little late). It was package after package that arrived. I am amazed at how much showed up. Thank you everyone for giving these guys a Christmas.

2006-12-29T14:59:00.000+03:00

The Army put us in the best accomadations possible for Christmas. Yes we were busy and it was something else. Baghdad is much different from Mosul.

2006-12-22T23:41:00.000+03:00

So, we are officially in Baghdad. This is one of my soldiers in the foreground. The swords are the entrance to a military parade field. I have another picture that shows the grounds much better. I just liked this one. On another note, please keep the Henkes family in your thoughts and prayers this Christmas. We will be remembering him here and celebrating in his name. I would ask for everyone back home to have just a moment of silence in honor of his memory and his family. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

2006-12-22T23:35:00.000+03:00

The guys getting packages and some cookies someone baked. Sorry, I am now refraining from posting any names. I don't want any negative attention brought on anyone. Its really just operational security I guess. I want to thank everyone who sent packages for the holidays. I have spoken with my parents and I believe I have received most of the packages already. The cookies were delicious as well. Also, any new packages sending out. If you can please put my units address as the return address, instead of yours, I would feel much better. I don't trust anyone out here and I don't want to bring any risk to anyone back home. Please contact my parents for the address.

2006-12-22T09:42:00.000+03:00

Rolling around the FOB

2006-12-16T23:29:00.000+03:00

And finally my new home. Its actually not too bad. I've added as much comfort as possible. As long as I watch the game on the 8th of Jan, I'll be good. I'm in this tent with 7 others. I've "acquired" furniture, but I still have the pleasure of sleeping on a cot. You know, I kind of like this better. Its like college all over again. Well, not really, but its not bad.

2006-12-16T23:26:00.000+03:00

Some Marines passing us on the road, while traveling to Baghdad. Looks like a beast, but I think I'll stick with my Stryker.

2006-12-16T23:22:00.000+03:00

I like this picture. We had driven all night. This is an operation we did recently. The sun was just coming up, which is the coldest part of the day. I was waiting for the sun to thaw me out. My hands had been long frozen. That is the good old Ma Duce (.50 Cal Machine Gun) outlined. As you can see, nothing much there. A few farms here and there.

2006-12-16T23:19:00.000+03:00

This was a football stadium. Now its just a cool image of a bombed out complex. Gets boring to see after a while though. Wanted to shout out to Kitty for graduating, along with Stas and Marianna. Also, Stas congrats on the new job. Good luck man.

2006-12-16T23:12:00.000+03:00

This was a quick stop on the way down south to Baghdad. I would say it was nice to get out into the country, but there was nothing to see, but sand.

2006-12-16T23:02:00.000+03:00

Me with all the guys just before leaving. They were eating a form of marshmellow on a string. It had the consistency of rubber, but it tasted very sweet. I exchanged farewells and headed back to pack my bags (figuratively).

2006-12-16T21:14:00.000+03:00

Me saying my goodbye to my buddy, a LT in the Iraqi Army, just before leaving Mosul.

2006-12-14T23:12:00.000+03:00

Hello everyone. I'm having difficulty with the internet currently. I have arrived safely in Baghdad. I was well greeted by the familar smells of human decay as I entered. The Base here is something else. It has palaces everywhere....except where they put us which is the armpit of Baghdad. Tent city it was for us. I'm not complaining. If I can get the internet to accept the pictures then I will show you what we have done. I will update as soon as I can fix this.

2006-12-02T11:42:00.000+03:00

Thanksgiving with the Iraqi Army. The Iraqi Army LTC on the left. We brought some of the new guys with us as well.

2006-11-23T11:44:00.000+03:00

Sorry this picture is a bit blurry. This is one of the Iraqi Army guys I always see daily. He is one of those guys you usually talk to briefly, but he is always very nice to you. One day we just sat down and talked for hours. I was asking him about his life. He is two years older than me, has 13 years in the Kurdish Militia (Peshmerga) and has two kids. I told him it seems he has already lived an entire life and he has plenty of more years to go.

2006-11-23T11:39:00.000+03:00

What you see here is typical of greedy Iraqi children. You throw one piece of candy to a kid from your Stryker and a mob immediately forms. They then proceed to fight over that one piece of candy or whatever you throw out. It really becomes a mob though, especially if you pull a soccer ball out. If they don't get something, they want a dollar. Giving to the parents generally goes over much better. They seem to appease the mob of kids much better. So, on this day of thanks, what am I thankful? I am thankful for all of you, your continued care for the well-being of me and my soldiers. I'm also thankful for warm water. I had my first warm shower in weeks. Cold showers get old very quickly.

2006-11-22T01:26:00.000+03:00

Picture with one of my Team Leaders. He controls 3-4 four guys. The news has been broken to some of you. We will be moving down to Baghdad at some point in time, doing something. Yes, I can say this. No, I have no idea whats going on. As far as I know now. I'm still in Mosul and I'm still doing the same stuff day in and day out. Happy Thanksgiving to you all.

2006-11-16T01:12:00.000+03:00

A picture with my Platoon Sergeant and Squad Leaders. The senior leadership of the Platoon. I apologize to everyone. I have no pictures of my promotion ceremony. I will describe it though. We were called up rather abruptly (myself and a fellow Platoon leader in my Company). The Battalion Commander says some words about us accomplishing what took him 25 years to accomplish, i.e. command in combat, purple hearts, etc. Then he turns to me after pinning my new rank, "1LT Smith, your up, say some words." I just smiled and said "I think since I'm still a LT that it would be better if I just didn't say anything at all." That got a great round of applause and cheering (obviously a joke). But it was a good time. On another note, just another observation that is much more dismal, yet just as important. Motivation is so difficult to maintain in this environment. When you put all your efforts into the preservation of your men's health and well being, success is inherently tied to mens' lives. Regardless of where we are, the network of friends stays close and we are able to keep up with each other, even if we are not in direct contact. The untimely death of friends is so difficult to get over, especially in this place. Something goes wrong or it just happens. Another soldier killed. It literally drains the motivation and causes you to second guess yourself. Simple actions become impossible tasks. Reactions we all have experienced. I've been through it more than once unfortunately and most others have or will go through it in some point in time. Why do I go on about this? I'm not sure. I would imagine it haunts us all. Here it is something that we just accept. It just happens. Yes, to some degree its the futility that exists, but its more the reality of war.

2006-11-13T17:15:00.000+03:00

This was only part of the feast they prepared for us. This is towards the end of the meal. You can clearly see that we have not even made a dent into the food. Afterwards, officers and honored guests sat in the lounging room. They proceeded to bring us chai after chai. It seriously just hurt. Then they brought us fresh fruit to eat. I was sickened by even the thought of eating anymore at this time. Its Kurdish tradition and really of this entire region to give to others something that you have great abundance of. Food is a clear example. So they feed you until you are hurting. The Colonel came up to me at one point when I was just staring at the food wondering if I took another bite I would die. He told me it is tradition to wait until the guest does not want anymore food and then make him eat some more. Sitting there in the lounging room afterwards was very relaxing though. We could only laugh. It was just great to relax.

2006-11-13T17:10:00.000+03:00

All of us grouped outside of the Colonel's house. Yes, that is marble. It was a very nice house, I'll leave it at that.

2006-11-12T15:26:00.000+03:00

We had a change to walk around the downtown market. It was packed and decent. An interesting time. I walked from tea place to tea place. I'm telling you, the tea is great (probably due to the large amount of sugar)

2006-11-12T15:18:00.000+03:00

So, they took us up into the mountains. We stopped on top of one moutain. Good view. They told us about a village over the mountain behind me that was subject to gas attacks by Saddam. They went into how they fled into the valley below me and hid in the caves, while Saddam's army searched the area to trying to find them

2006-11-11T21:42:00.000+03:00

The Iraqi Army Colonel took us to his summer house, which was situated on a hilltop with a nice view of the surrounding mountains. In this picture, I was eating grapes from his vineyard. Delicious, I must add. Very relaxing. I could see myself sitting on this porch, enjoying the view for quite a while.

2006-11-11T14:38:00.000+03:00

This is a picture of a Kurdish garden. You see the difference is great. They place alot of fruit/wine related plants in these gardens.

2006-11-11T14:32:00.000+03:00

I took this picture when we stopped for a short period to look at the dam again. This typical of the landscape of the entire region.

2006-11-11T14:26:00.000+03:00

Behind the Dam

2006-11-10T23:43:00.000+03:00

So, we jumped into a number of vehicles. I jumped into a Landcruiser with a bunch of my guys. I look over at the Iraqi Army soldier, I smile, he hands me his Dragunov sniper rifle and I place it down next to me. As soon as I saw this guy, I knew this would be a good time. He was a very nice host (driving us around). He was the Colonel's sniper/bodyguard. Dahok sits in a valley. The damn, I believe, is on the north side. This is a picture of that dam, which is larger than this picture shows. So, this guy leans over and insists that I call someone to tell them I am in Kurdistan driving around. So...I called Kitty...sorry everyone else. They took us to a basic training camp for the Peshmirga. I mean there were Peshmirga everywhere along with police. So wierd though. Everyone waved. Next they took us to the Colonel's summer house. This, I will reserve for tomorrow...have to sleep...

2006-11-10T23:30:00.000+03:00

So, where did it start. We took a trip north in our Strykers. It was a cold morning. It was fine after your hands lost feeling. We arrived in Dohuk early in the morning, which is shown in this picture. What you can see in the background if you zoom in, is the Kurdish flag painted on the mountain. At this point, we dropped our gear and cleared our weapons. A bit wierd I would say. The change was almost immediate though. The air was clean, the people waved, the infrastructure was decades ahead, and best of all, there were no worries of people shooting at you or attempting to blow you up. How did we know this? The Iraqi Army we work with are Peshmirga (the Militia of Kurdistan). There is a set number placed on by the Iraqi Government, but there is still a great deal in comparison to the total population of Kurdistan. We were treated as honored guests and I know we were not the first. There were a many people that spoke english. It was definitely akward at first though.

2006-11-10T20:46:00.000+03:00

Whats this? I just made a visit to Kurdistan. It was amazing. My commander was invited to lunch with an Iraqi Army Colonel. We made a day out of it. It may take a while, but I will try and post as many pictures as possible. You really have to see all of this.

2006-11-07T15:33:00.000+03:00

Heading into a house to talk with some people. Little things will either set you on the right path towards getting what you want from people or the exact opposite direction. I take my gloves off to shake hands and glasses off to look them in the eye. This helps a great deal, but obviously within mission constraints. Inside a house, its not a problem. Its the little things that reap great rewards here.

2006-11-06T10:38:00.000+03:00

I don't remember if I have posted this picture before. Its a great picture though. An Iraqi Army soldier with one of my squad leaders, waiting for me to stop talking to this family inside.

2006-11-05T09:08:00.000+03:00

Platoon Sergeant after a meal with the Iraqi Army

2006-11-03T23:11:00.000+03:00

That same night that I was mad at my radio. An Iraqi Army soldier with one of my team leaders. Just as a note, I go on a rant occassionally. These are more depictions of the frustrations that we face here and are not meant to offend anyone. Its simply the thoughts that circulate in our heads daily in this fight.

2006-11-03T23:01:00.000+03:00

Not a very good picture, but the real thing was a nice view. We were driving back to the FOB with the Mosque in the background. I had to get a quick picture.

2006-11-02T20:03:00.000+03:00

Conducting some ad hoc medical training with the Iraqi Army. These guys are great. I truly respect these guys. They are motivated and really impress me. I think its really how we treat them on a personal level that makes the difference. Treat them with a little respect and they will go far.

2006-11-02T19:45:00.000+03:00

A long night. Conducting ops throughout the city. This is one house we were in. I'm not too happy with the radio right now.

2006-10-30T19:17:00.000+03:00

Here is another random picture. I do have a story to relate. A look into Kurdish culture. I was up in the Iraqi Army command post today to tell them we were there if they needed any help with anything. One of the soldiers approached me and we shook hands. I began to pull back, but he did not let go. Instead he began to speak to my interpreter (TERP). My terp said "this man thinks you have a pretty face." I was like "what did you just say?" "Oh, sorry wrong translation, he said you remind him of his best friend back home and he likes you for this." Terps sometimes give some crazy translations. It is common for men to kiss each other on the cheek when they have not seen each other for a long time here. It is also common to see men holding hands who are good friends. Eventually, I was able to withdraw my hand and even knowing this cultural attribute, it was difficult to overcome my American personal space. These are stark differences between cultures and it can become very uncomfortable at times. However, understanding is key to working with these guys.

2006-10-29T17:42:00.000+03:00

This is Mosul after a half a day of rain. This is definitely no joke with flooding. That is about waist high at that point where it meets the highest point on the Stryker.

2006-10-27T17:25:00.000+03:00

I have reached the point now, where friends have been made with many of the Iraqi Army guys we work with on a consistent basis. They continue to impress me everyday. Some stories and some of the actions I observe amaze me. Their bravery is like nothing I've seen before. It almost borders on having a death wish. Examples would be low crawling up to an IED and cutting the wires to disarm it. Their ingenuity is impressive as well, though I cannot go into detail, you will have to take my word for it right now.

2006-10-26T22:45:00.000+03:00

One of my team leaders sporting it in one of the variants with a star wars turret (its electric). It passes the time to spin around in it. Ma Duce mounted on the turret as well. May I say, the best weapon we have.

2006-10-26T10:50:00.000+03:00

This is me enjoying some nice cinnamon chai. I am telling you. This stuff is amazing. I don't know what they do with it, but I have repeatedly asked them what their secret is. They say its nothing special, but I don't believe that. Anyway, it was a nice end to a good Kurdish meal and a welcomed remedy during flu season.

2006-10-24T20:11:00.000+03:00

My guys working on our vehicles in the motorpool. I can't express my gratitude for the person who developed these vehicles. They have saved my life on numerous occasions. These are truly impressive vehicles and can take a serious punch.

2006-10-22T13:12:00.000+03:00

This was out in the country. Talking on the radio.

2006-10-22T00:52:00.000+03:00

Not a good time to get stuck. We got out in record time though. What you don't see is the other Stryker stuck next to it. Yes, two Strykers in one spot. Don't ask.

2006-10-22T00:45:00.000+03:00

This was at the end of the day when we made headline news. I look very tired in this picture, but I can remember the adrenaline running through me.

2006-10-20T22:37:00.001+03:00

I had a few thoughts that have been cycling through my head these past few weeks. As a leader, I am confronted with challenges on a daily basis. You learn from mistakes, adapt and move on. At least, these are the basic tenants I go by. Some challenges are greater than others. The hardest challenge (i.e. intangible enemy) that I am fighting right now, here in Mosul, is ourselves (relative to American society as a whole). How am I to explain to these guys that they are doing an amazing job over here, when all I hear and see on the news is our failure? Of course, these are just opinions that I observe, but do they understand the ramifications of their actions? Clearly not. These people, who do not believe in what we are doing here and consider it a failure, cannot, in any regard, still support the troops. To support our troops, but not the war, is a two faced statement, and irrevocably illogical. We, in regards to us soldiers, are inherently connected to the success and failure of this war. If you support the troops, then you will support their actions and be behind them regardless of the cirmcumstances. We have shown, once again, that we are our own worst enemy. I cannot explain this war to my soldiers, when our own people criticize what we do and consider it a failure. Why do we glorify the insidiuos and cowardice behavior of deserting soldiers, when they should be considered what they are, cowards? Please, let me digress for a moment. This is not a commentary on retricting people's right to free speech and so forth. This is not a war mongering commentary. In fact, after my experiences, I can confidently state that I would be more cautious and reluctant then before commencing any military actions, unless the conditions are clearly set. I believe the underlying problem is that American society does not understand the power of words. I would guess that it is easy to comment on something you don't understand. However, this does not mean that people should not discuss this war. Though I do believe that education, experience, and a cautious use of words would rectify much of the damage already done. Why do I take this so personally and seriously? The moral of my men has a direct impact on whether they will live or die each day. I choose to live and so does everyone here. Despite this desire, demoralizing conditions do great harm, in regards to keeping my men safe. These conditions lead to complacency, which will, at one point, lead to another tragic event that I don't want repeated. In summary, I implore you, as a collective group, to consider your thoughts before you speak and understand that your comments have a lasting effect on real people that fight this war on a daily basis. As a side note, this is social satire. Please do not consider it directed at anyone that has supported me, my soldiers, and my family throughout this time. I will always remember how all of you, family included, helped your troops through these difficult times. I will continue the fight as always.

2006-10-19T20:38:00.000+03:00

I saw that we made national headlines today. I like how they don't report about anything that actually went on or even think to ask anyone questions. I guess a three second video clip explains this war in its entirety. My fault. I forgot. Some close calls today, everyone is fine, the guys performed superbly. I hope all are doing well. I read every comment posted and appreciate all of them.

2006-10-18T17:03:00.000+03:00

My guys being goofy on the road. Here is the lesson of the day. If the tea is served to you luke warm, don't drink it. I have been fighting a terrible case of food poisoning ever since I foolishly did this. The water here is not the most sanitary. I should keep that in mind next time.