Boots on Ground

04DEC07

            My deployment begins at 2200 hrs 04DEC2007 at Schofield Barracks Hawaii.  I give my last hugs and kisses to my girlfriend in a dark Schofield Barracks parking lot and away she drives.  My Duffle Bags, Ruck sack and Carry on bags are so full of essential gear for Iraq that they are literally bursting at the seams.  

            I am tired and excited to be deploying to Iraq for the first time.  I am the Executive Officer of a 55 man company, you might think of me as a VP of a business.  As the Executive Officer my roles and responsibilities include supplying all logistical needs for our Company such as, maintaining accountability of men, weapons and equipment, ensuring all equipment and personal are properly maintained to allowing mission success, and acting as the Commander in the absence of ours.  

            I love the job, I love the people, the opportunity to influence lives and the high demand of responsibility placed on a young leaders shoulders can be matched no-where else.  

            The unit I will be deploying with is the 25^th infantry Division, Stryker Brigade Combat Team (SBCT).  This is the fifth Stryker Brigade in the Army and the only Stryker Brigade in HI.  We have been fielding and training with our equipment for over two years.  We have deployed to the Big Island for training and all the way to FT Erwin, Southern CA for training. 

            What is a Stryker?  The Stryker is the Army’s newest piece of equipment for fighting the war on extremism. It is a eight wheeled highly mobile weapon system capable of driving easily over speeds of 70 MPH for over 300 miles.  There are many variants of Stryker all with a specific mission set to include the Infantry carrier, Medical ambulance, Mortar carriers, Fire Support Vehicles, MGS or Mobile Gun Systems (tank), and the variant I work most with now the Anti Tank Anti Armor variant to name a few.

            Strikers are fully loaded in every since of the word with AC, thermal sights, joystick like machineguns, they can even be equipped with TV’s X-Box and microwaves.       

              

On 04DEC2007 the rain was poring relentless.  At the Company Area on the night of our deployment mothers, wives, girlfriends and children played and lazed at the Company Area as we made our final preparation.  Senior NCO’s checked and re-checked all bags and equipment.  Nothing was left behind no piece of each soldiers equipment not thoroughly inspected.   

            The mood and attitude was light laughter and stories are told by all.  Loved ones held each other close for the last time.  It will be 15 months before they are able to physically be together again.

Busses arrive 0200 05DEC2007, wives give their last hugs and kisses for this year and the Hammers do what they have done time and time again.  NCO’s give instruction and guidance and Soldiers execute.  Bread Trucks are loaded with duffle bags, rucks sacks and equipment.  Soldiers work in the poring rain not affected by the wet or cold.  Tiered weary soldiers lumber onto busses and 380 Service Members of the Tropic Lightning are taken to Hickam Air Force Base final destination Iraq.

             We are crammed onto the busses like cattle.  No extra seat is available and oversized bags with individual weapons must be carried on laps.  Soldiers don’t complain, this is not the first bus we have been on in with these such conditions and frankly I don’t think we would know what to do if we had it any other way. 

            No one stays awake as the rain pores and our Pilipino driver miraculously gets us to the air port in one piece. 

            At the Air Field we are greeted by a General he shakes each one of our hands wishes us luck and says “See ya when you get back”.

We are given one cookie, one slice of cold pizza and one cup of juice for morning breakfast just before boarding.  The standard Army safety brief for flying is issued no carrying martial art weapons, and no knives with blades larger that three inches no loaded weapons or explosives.    

            After just enough time to find some hard floor to lye down on and get comfortable the announcement is made bored the plane.  Once again we are standing in a line that doesn’t move overloaded with equipment, uncomfortable, tiered, and hungry, a fine morning for any soldier.  The coined Army saying “Hurry up and Wait” is in full effect.

            Once on the plane and equipment put away, engines start and we are ready to go. No seatbelts are checked nor are we asked to turn off electronics or put seat trays in the upright position.  It was such a privileged feeling to put the seat back no seatbelt for take off.

            Our first stop is Anchorage Alaska turbulence is so bad that stewards and soldiers alike are thrown around the plane.  We are white knuckled griped for the last hour until landing.  My father has always told stories about his younger days in Alaska as a Park Guide and it has always been a dream for my brother and I to visit the state.  Once one the ground we were not allowed off the plane but my view from my small port hole was incredible.  There are countless islands to explore and endless white cap mountain ranges.  There is snow on ever peek and the air is crisp and clean.  It is easy to see that one could spend a life time exploring Alaska. 

            We sat at the Alaskan airport for over an hour as the plane is fueled and re-serviced.  The cold crisp air nips at Hawaiian skin and blood.  There was not an extra blanket to be fond on our plane. 

From Alaska we fly over the ocean leaving the State bound for Europe, next stop Amsterdam.  Once arriving at Ampsterdam the announcement is made that we would be allowed to exit the aircraft.  We have flown a total or 17 hours at this point and stretching the legs and seeing the airport is on everyone’s mind. 

            We rush the exit again standing in a long line that doesn’t move.   Once off the plane we find that we have been locked into a small glass room that over looks the air field.  No fresh air no walking through the airport.  Immediate soldiers begin to fulfill their nicotine cravings and the small glassy room becomes filled with smoke.  The smoke is so bad man move back to the plane for refuge and fresh air.  No one is safe though, as the plane is serviced air is sucked from the small room through the plane and out the doors.  Many get sick and light headed. 

            An hour later and two chess games under my belt the plane is loaded and we depart for another 5 hours for Kuwait.  We arrive safely, 20 plus hours later and a two hour bus ride followed by the impossible job of finding our personal equipment at 0400 in the morning with 380 people.  Around 0530 06DEC2007 we are settled into our new living location, a long canvas tent with OD Green cots.  Home sweet home until 23DEC2007. 

06DEC2007   

Moral is high, this post has lots of small shops and activates for soldiers to explore. The wind blows constant and the sky is never really blue but more like a grey haze.  Our tent is established and solders are busy doing small things to keep busy.  Many sleep.

 No real work is done and the war doesn’t seem real.  There is little talk or concern about the enemy and country that is less than a few miles away.  Video games, and Ipod pass most of the time. 

It was only a few hours here before I felt like a stranger in a strange land.  The locals all look like the stereotypical bad guy.  We have been told there is no treat here and even though we all have weapons we have no live ammunition.  I trust no one and everyone seems suspicious.  I think if I had some live ammunition I would feel a little more secure.