Iraq, News from my Cousin...his Title for this...."Long Road Ahead....Still"

Sent: Thursday, August 16, 2007 4:03 PM

Subject: Long Road Ahead....Still



Greetings. This update is long over due. I have had numerous concerned
people contact me asking if I am doing alright and I want you to first be
assured that I am fine and also thank you for your continued prayers and
support. It's been nearly a month and a half now since my last newsletter.
Although our schedule hasn't been strenuous at all, there is always some
kind of busy work to be done, such as vehicle maintenance, weapon's
maintenance, refresher classes, and all the other stuff in between.



I've been on the FOB now for a month and a half and I still have the same
distaste for life here as I did upon my arrival. There is an attitude, a
"fobbit attitude" (fobbit is person that lives, works, and operates solely
on the FOB, hence the name), that reaks of complacency. They act as if they
are completely oblivious to the war that is going on outside the wire. The
only thing that brings them momentarily to their senses is an occasional
incoming mortar or rocket. I was in the chow hall about a week after
arriving here when a mortar round landed inside the wire. There were people
diving under the plastic tables for cover. And then it was like the running
of the bulls in Pamplona, Spain as they all raced out the door to claim
their spot in one of the bunkers scattered throughout the FOB. It's almost
entertaining to watch. I wanted to stay in the chow hall and finish my meal,
but I got kicked out. Had to take it to go.



There was another incident witnessed that highlights the attitude of life
here on the FOB. Shortly after our arrival here, my company had a 100%
inventory on all sensitive items and issued equipment. We had it schedule
over three days early in the morning before to avoid the heat of the day.
The basketball court was the most suitable place to conduct the inventory,
only occupying the space for about an hour from about 0530 to about 0630.



The second day of our inventory a captain from another unit (I'll spare the
name of the unit for sake of embarrassment) approached my company commander
(CO, also a captain) and said he had heard complaints of us using the
basketball courts for our inventories because it was interfering with the
basketball league. He didn't stop there though. He continued on by saying
that us "light infantry guys" come back down here and think that we run the
show.



That was about the point when my CO just about lost it. He piped back that
his boys had been living in an out post for the past six months in a 100 by
200 foot living space. If we went outside that we put on our body armor. And
last he checked a basketball league wasn't much of a help at winning the war
going on outside the wire. The purpose of the war isn't basketall, it's
going after the insurgents and killing or capturing them. At this point the
other captain realized that he had the complete and undivided attention of
our entire company and began acting like he had just barked up the wrong
tree. So high-five for my CO for putting him in his place. But that is the
"fobbit attitude" that we are dealing with where creature comforts have
taken precedence over doing the job we came here to do, which is going
outside the wire, eliminating the insurgents, and trying to stabalize Iraq.



And that brings me to something else that makes the hair on my neck rise.
I'm not sure if this is some kind of new regulation or policy, but we have
been told that we can no longer call "insurgents" as such. They are to be
referred to as "accelerants". I'm not sure what the motivation behind the
change is, but I hope that it is not some way of trying to make their cause
sound more politically correct. In my eyes, if they fit the label of
"insurgents", use it. Anyone fighting against coalition forces will be
called an insurgent by me, and nothing less.



Our missions have been few and far between. But that is not to say that they
haven't resulted in making ground of our area of operation. I will highlight
one of them that we have done to give you an idea of what we are doing in
the area. Almost two weeks ago, at the end of July, my company had an air
assault mission (inserted by Blackhawk and Chinook helicopters) that lasted
26 hours. That night we cleared a small village that did not yield any of
the desired results that we were looking for, but a building in the area
served as our base of operations (patrol base) for the following day.



My platoon pushed out around 1000 with an IA (Iraqi Army) platoon leading
out. We made about a click and a half movement to another neighboring town
and then took contact in front of us. We had helicopters flying as support
for us. Due to our numbers and superior fire power, the "insuregents" all
started to scatter. We pushed farther into the town and were able to take
control of a nice cache of heavy weapons that consisted of a Dishka (Russian
.50 cal) that was set up as an anti-aircraft gun, multiple RPG's, a couple
of which were armor piercing, an RPG tube, an AK-47 and other machine guns,
and thousands of rounds of ammunition for the Dishka and smaller caliber
machine guns.



Nearly five hours had passed from the time we pushed off from our patrol
base, took contact, blew the cache, and returned back to the patrol base.
The temperature that day was hovering right around 130 (not a typo) degrees.
To try and put into words what temperatures like that feel like would be
difficult. We were all soaked through our equipment and had very little
energy left in us. We had been drinking water mixed with ORS (Oral
Rehydration Salts) packets that help take the hang-over feeling off of being
dehydrated. But there was not real way to escape the heat. Just got to make
sure you are eating, taking in salts and water to at least maintain some
kind of hydration.



I found a website that has a couple of videos for this mission. We have had
some military media guys attached to us on some of our missions and they
have been documenting some of our missions. The one labeled "Baker Co. Raids
Kudair" is the best video. There are a couple of others on the page that are
a bit longer but not nearly as concise. It will give you an idea of what our
missions are about, how they are developed, what exactly we are up against,
as well as a look at some of the guys that I am serving with. I hope that
you enjoy them.



http://www.dvidshub.net/?script=video/video_show.php
<http://www.dvidshub.net/?script=video/video_show.php&id=27175> &id=27175#



In addition to those videos, I found another one that was put together while
my battalion was up in Karmah, Iraq. This video highlights one of the many
raids that we conducted as a company during the month of March. All of the
footage was taken of my platoon specifically.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neXoIdTjxtg



There is hardly a day that goes by when I am not thankful for the many
people back home that are continually praying and suporting the troops over
here. I have received some incredible care packages from friends and family
all over the country, as well as people that I have never met before. I
can't thank you all enough for your support. And the prayers and words of
encouragement have been so meaningful. There are some serious prayer
warriors back home that faithfully lift me and my guys up. There is
definitely a hedge of protection around us and I feel that it is only made
stronger by your prayers.



Please continue to lift up the families of the soldiers over here. We are
coming up on our 11 month mark shortly. There are wives and children back in
the states anxious for their loved ones to return, as well as soldiers that
are deployed that are just as anxious to get back to their families. There
are also marriages that I fear are only going to be made more unstable in
the upcoming months. I've heard that the first six months after redeployment
back to the states is going to be the tell tale sign of whether the
marriages on the rocks are going to make it. Some of the difficulties they
have had are perceived as unreconcilable and they are willing to just throw
in the towel. It is really sad that it comes down to that. My advice to them
is to set their pride aside and seek some kind of marital couseling and be
encouraged that there are people praying for them.



Also continue to pray for the morale and motivation of the guys I am working
with. I'm not going to dwell on this subject too long. It is impossible to
impose a mental turn around when people are at their wits end. It causes a
little stress and strain on relationships, but nothing that can not be
overcome by prayer.



I've attached two pictures to this email that were taken recently. The first
is of my Fire Team, the guys that I am directly responsible for leading and
taking care of. From left to right in the picture is Specialist ******(Texas City, Texas), Sergeant **The Writer of this E-Mail from the front** (me), Specialist ******** (Bald
Knob, Arkansas), and Private First Class ******* (Federal Way, Washington).
Really good guys that I have enjoyed working with. They definitely make life
more exciting over here. They are all unique and their personalities are all
different, original, and contrast well. The second picture is of me on that
130 degree day with the Dishka that my platoon captured. As you can see,
soaked through with sweat.



I want to thank you all one last time for your continued prayers and
support. You all make my job over here easier to do and worth while knowing
that I have people such as yourself supporting our efforts back home. I do
hope that God continues to shower you all with blessings. Take care.



Soldier for God and Country,

****Name Removed****

(This is my Cousin and I did not have the chance to ask him about posting it, I have removed his personal info, but not changed the story otherwise. M. Emmett Townsend)

Malleus Dei



"When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through
rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of
oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you."
-Isaiah 43:2