Theodore's World

National POW/MIA Awareness Day

U.S. POW/MIA’s Who May Have Survived In Captivity
This listing contains the names of 324 STILL UNACCOUNTED FOR U.S. personnel from the Vietnam Conflict. Approximately 300 of these personnel were last known alive in captivity in Vietnam and Laos, last known alive, out of their aircraft before it crashed, or their names were passed to POWs who later returned. A handful of the cases involves incidents where the aircraft was later found on the ground with no signs of the crew.
This listing is based on all-source U.S. intelligence and casualty reports, information provided by POWs who were returned, lists of POWs and/or last known alive personnel prepared by the Defense Intelligence Agency, and other information made available to the Vice-Chairman, Select Committee on POW/MIA Affairs. (The difference between 300 and 324 accounts for known incidents where one or more unidentified crew members were captured from a crew of more than one, or the aircraft was found with no trace of the crew.) Based on the high number of MIAs at the end of the war who are still unaccounted for (currently 1,170 persons for whom the USG does not know their fate), it is probable that a significant percentage of the MIAs NOT on this 324 list actually survived their incident and could have been captured. Apparently, only the Vietnamese and Laotians would know their fate, as the U.S. Governemnt does not. GIVEN THIS REALITY, THE LIST OF 324 NAMES WHICH FOLLOWS IS AT BEST CONSERVATIVE.

“We call your attention to this small table, which occupies a place of dignity and honor near the head table. It is set for one, symbolizing the fact that members of our Corps are missing from our ranks. They are referred to as POW’s and MIA’s.
We call them comrades.
They are unable to be with their loved ones and families tonight, so we join together to pay our humble tribute to them, and bear witness to their continued absence.
This table, set for one, is small, symbolizing the frailty of one prisoner, alone against his or her suppressors.
The tablecloth is white, symbolic of the purity of their intentions to respond to their country’s call to arms.
The single red rose in the vase, signifies the blood they many have shed in sacrifice to ensure the freedom of our beloved United States of America. This rose also reminds us of the family and friends of our missing comrades who keep the faith, while awaiting their return.
The yellow ribbon on the vase represents the yellow ribbons worn on the lapels of the thousands who demand with unyielding determination a proper accounting of our comrades who are not among us tonight.
A slice of lemon on the plate reminds us of their bitter fate.
The salt sprinkled on the plate reminds us of the countless fallen tears of families as they wait.
The glass is inverted – they cannot toast with us this night.
The chair is empty – they are not here.
The candle is reminiscent of the light of hope which lives in our hearts to illuminate their way home, away from their captors, to the open arms of a grateful nation.
Let us pray to the supreme commander that all of our comrades will soon be back within our ranks.
Let us remember and never forget their sacrifices. May god forever watch over them and protect them and their families. “

This week General David Petraeus will report to Congress on the recent progress in Iraq. When General Petraeus testified six months ago, he was the victim of personal and vicious attacks by ultra-liberal groups. MoveOn.org took out a full-page ad in the New York Times calling General Petraeus a traitor.
The truth is most Americans do not approve of MoveOn.org’s actions, nor do they support MoveOn’s radical positions on many issues. So this time as he testifies before Congress, we want General Petraeus and the troops he leads to know we stand with them.
Join Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell in thanking General Petraeus by signing this special thank-you card at this website.

To a true American Hero,
Rest in Peace and may God bless and take care of you and your family. Your sacrifice will never be forgotten. ~ Wild Thing

NAVY MA2 MICHAEL A. MONSOOR

080403-N-xxxxX-002 – In an undated file photo provided by the U.S. Navy, Master-At-Arms 2nd Class (SEAL) Michael A. Monsoor participates in a patrol in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Monsoor has been awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for diving onto a grenade to save his teammates in Ar Ramadi, Iraq on Sept. 29, 2006. Monsoor also received the Silver Star for his actions in May during the same deployment in 2006 when he exposed himself to heavy enemy fire to rescue and treat an injured teammate. A White House presentation ceremony is scheduled for April 8, 2008. Photo courtesy Monsoor family (Released)

President Bush Attends Medal of Honor Ceremony for Petty Officer Michael A. Monsoor, U.S. Navy
CLICK Video to watch Ceremony

Summary of Action Petty Officer Second Class (SEAL) Michael A. Monsoor For actions on Sept. 29, 2006
US Navy
Petty Officer Michael A. Monsoor, United States Navy, distinguished himself through conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as a Combat Advisor and Automatic Weapons Gunner for Naval Special Warfare Task Group Arabian Peninsula in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom on 29 September 2006. He displayed great personal courage and exceptional bravery while conducting operations in enemy held territory at Ar Ramadi Iraq.
During Operation Kentucky Jumper, a combined Coalition battalion clearance and isolation operation in southern Ar Ramadi, he served as automatic weapons gunner in a combined SEAL and Iraqi Army (IA) sniper overwatch element positioned on a residential rooftop in a violent sector and historical stronghold for insurgents. In the morning, his team observed four enemy fighters armed with AK-47s reconnoitering from roads in the sector to conduct follow-on attacks. SEAL snipers from his roof engaged two of them which resulted in one enemy wounded in action and one enemy killed in action. A mutually supporting SEAL/IA position also killed an enemy fighter during the morning hours. After the engagements, the local populace blocked off the roads in the area with rocks to keep civilians away and to warn insurgents of the presence of his Coalition sniper element. Additionally, a nearby mosque called insurgents to arms to fight Coalition Forces.
In the early afternoon, enemy fighters attacked his position with automatic weapons fire from a moving vehicle. The SEALs fired back and stood their ground. Shortly thereafter, an enemy fighter shot a rocket-propelled grenade at his building. Though well-acquainted with enemy tactics in Ar Ramadi, and keenly aware that the enemy would continue to attack, the SEALs remained on the battlefield in order to carry out the mission of guarding the western flank of the main effort.
Due to expected enemy action, the officer in charge repositioned him with his automatic heavy machine gun in the direction of the enemy’s most likely avenue of approach. He placed him in a small, confined sniper hide-sight between two SEAL snipers on an outcropping of the roof, which allowed the three SEALs maximum coverage of the area. He was located closest to the egress route out of the sniper hide-sight watching for enemy activity through a tactical periscope over the parapet wall. While vigilantly watching for enemy activity, an enemy fighter hurled a hand grenade onto the roof from an unseen location. The grenade hit him in the chest and bounced onto the deck. He immediately leapt to his feet and yelled “grenade” to alert his teammates of impending danger, but they could not evacuate the sniper hide-sight in time to escape harm. Without hesitation and showing no regard for his own life, he threw himself onto the grenade, smothering it to protect his teammates who were lying in close proximity. The grenade detonated as he came down on top of it, mortally wounding him.
Petty Officer Monsoor’s actions could not have been more selfless or clearly intentional. Of the three SEALs on that rooftop corner, he had the only avenue of escape away from the blast, and if he had so chosen, he could have easily escaped. Instead, Monsoor chose to protect his comrades by the sacrifice of his own life. By his courageous and selfless actions, he saved the lives of his two fellow SEALs and he is the most deserving of the special recognition afforded by awarding the Medal of Honor.

080314-N-3404S-115 Pentagon, Washington, D.C. (March 14, 2008) – Medal of Honor prepared for presentation posthumously to Master-At-Arms 2nd Class (SEAL) Michael A. Monsoor who sacrificed himself to save his teammates during combat operations in Iraq, Sept. 29, 2006. Medal is pictured with the Navy Special Warfare (SEAL) Trident. The parents of Master-At-Arms 2nd Class (SEAL) Michael A. Monsoor will accept the nation’s highest military honor on behalf of their son during a White House ceremony April 8, 2008. Monsoor is the first Navy SEAL to earn the Medal of Honor for actions in Iraq and the second Navy SEAL to receive the award since Sept. 11, 2001. Monsoor is the fifth armed forces service member to receive the Medal of Honor since the beginning of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. U.S. Navy photo by Mr. Oscar Sosa (Released)

US Democratic presidential candidate New York Sen. Hillary Clinton poured disdain on assurances by the top US general and diplomat in Iraq that US policy was working and demanded an orderly troop withdrawal .

Demonstrators from the group Code Pink stand in line to hear the testimony of US Army Gen. David Petraeus, Commander of American forces in Iraq, and US Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker before the Senate Armed Services Committe on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. US lawmakers Tuesday grilled the top US general in Iraq amid fierce fighting on the ground.

Obama stammering and babbling away. “Uh uh uh uh.” Both Gen. Petraeus and Amb. Crocker are starting their answers with: “As I said before. . . “
Then B. Hussein Obama called for a “diplomatic surge” including talks with US foe Iran, to help stabilize the situation in Iraq. Then he called for more pressure on the Iraqi government to embrace political reconciliation and a regional “diplomatic surge that includes Iran.”
“We should be talking to them as well,” Obama told the top US General in Iraq David Petraeus and US ambassador to Baghdad Ryan Crocker.
“I do not believe we are going to be able to stablize the situation without that.”
“I think that increased pressure in a measured way, in my mind, and this is where we disagree, includes a timetable for withdrawal. Nobody is asking for a precipitous withdrawal.”
“We all have the greatest interest in seeing a successful resolution to Iraq,” Obama told Petraeus and Crocker.
“I continue to believe that the original decision to go into Iraq was a massive strategic blunder, that the two problems you pointed out, Al-Qaeda in Iraq and increased Iranian influence in the region are a direct result of that original decision.
“That’s not a decision you gentlemen made. I will not lay it at your feet. You are cleaning up the mess afterwards.”
VIDEO of B. Hussein Obama

Vets to press lawmakers on Iraq
The Hill
More than 400 veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan will be storming Capitol Hill on Tuesday in support of the military operations in Iraq.
Vets for Freedom, a nonpartisan, not-for-profit Washington organization composed of combat veterans, set up more than 300 meetings with House and Senate lawmakers. The group supports keeping U.S. troops in Iraq.
The visits coincide with much-awaited testimony from Gen. David Petraeus on the situation in Iraq, and will be jump-started by way of a press conference Tuesday with presumptive GOP presidential nominee Sen. John McCain (Ariz.), the ranking Republican on the Armed Services panel.
Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) and Rep. Jim Marshall (D-Ga.), who have supported continued military operations in Iraq, are also expected to attend the press conference.
The veterans will argue it is important to listen to the military commanders on the ground instead of politicians, said Pete Hegseth, the group’s executive director. He said most of the meetings in the Senate are with the senators themselves and not staff.
The veterans on the Hill Tuesday will highlight progress in security and a decline in sectarian violence, as well as political progress. “We are winning. We can win,” said Hegseth, who received the Bronze Star and Combat Infantryman Badge for his service in Iraq in 2005.
Democrats have been criticizing the administration for signaling it will not continue to withdraw troops after July, when the number of soldiers in Iraq will reach the level it was at before a “surge” in troops last year. Petraeus is expected to recommend a halt in troop withdrawal after July, and Democrats are expected to press him on an exit strategy from Iraq.
The Vets for Freedom stop on the Hill comes at the tail end of a bus tour through 14 cities and 21 states.

THIS is directly from Vets for Freedom
Senators McCain, Lieberman, Graham & Rep. Marshall to Address Hundreds of Veterans from Iraq and Afghan Fronts
WHO/WHAT:
More than 400 members of Vets for Freedom will gather on Capitol Hill to hear words of support from various Senators—including presidential hopeful Sen. John McCain (R-AZ)—before individual meetings with their legislators.
Vets for Freedom (VFF) is a non-profit, non-partisan organization established by combat veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is the largest U.S. organization of its kind, with 44 state chapters and some 22,000 members. Its mission is to educate the American public about the importance of achieving success in Iraq and Afghanistan and to compel Congress to listen to the Generals on the ground. VFF supports policymakers from both sides of the aisle.
WHY:
Tuesday’s gathering will provide a unique opportunity to get first-hand perspective from recent veterans who came from across the U.S., to spread a message of support for the troops, and to support General David Petraeus as he testifies before the Senate Armed Services Committee about progress in Iraq that day.
Included in the group are Bronze Star, Silver Star and Navy Cross recipients at the tail end of the VFF National Heroes Tour.
The educational bus-tour spent the last three weeks rolling through 14 states and making 21 stops sharing stories of success in Iraq. Among the rotating group of elite heroes on the bus are the commander of the battalion that found Saddam Hussein; a Navy SEAL famous for being the sole survivor of the most deadly mission for NAVY special operations since WWII; a Marine who kept rushing back into a building to save his peers despite being severely injured, and others.
WHERE:
8:00 a.m. Pre-event interview-availability – Upper Senate Park, Capitol Hill

” So much of todays political foreground is about getting our troops out by people who are at home, yet it seems so few are actually listening to the voices from the people who are or have been in country and who see the results of our blood, sweat, tears and sacrifices. I’ve met and spoken with many first and second tour vets who would return and or are hoping for the opportunity to go back. It seems only one candidate (and I’m not campaigning here) speaks of staying the course and of the importance of victory. We’ve become a nation of instant gratification, of bloodless wars and little will to endure. So while the candidates, the medai and the liberals hail the 4,000th life lost mark as some type of victory, they conveniently forget that our forefathers sufferd many times that number in a matter of hours, yet the nation as a whole had the intestinal fortitude to carry on and see the end in victory. SSG W.Little CO H, RTS, 278th ACR “

Wild Thing’s comment……..
I am so proud of our Vets!! I am in awe and all I can say is a huge thank you!

Gathering of Eagles Capitol Hill After Action Report from Chris Hill, National Director
Following the 10am News Conference on Capitol Hill today, GOE visited 437 Congressional offices in support of the troops and their mission.
Chris said that “probably half of the offices were happy to see us,” with “one quarter apathetic and one quarter passive-aggressive.” Predictably, Southern Democrats and Republicans were more typically glad to see GOE representatives.
Overall, more than 200 in the House of Representatives gave a positive response to the Eagles.
Vets for Freedom will be doing follow-up lobbying Capitol Hill on Tuesday, and the VFW follows through on Friday, with all groups having coordinated their position papers, standing and speaking as one.
One of the best stories of the day was from the House side. State of Washington U.S. Rep. Brian Baird (D) recently came back from a visit to Iraq. His firsthand conclusion now is that, despite steadfast opposition to the Iraq mission, that we’ve WON and he was glad for the visit. The truth is getting out!
A Florida Congresswoman’s office the Military Liasion came out of a back office, wanted to be sure and not miss the visit, glad to have knowledgeable people visit.

Haditha: Still a Lie
By Michael Reagan
Frontpage
You’d hardly know it if you relied on the mainstream media, but the government’s case against the Haditha Marines took another body blow last month that may be the beginning of the end for this whole sorry attempt to severely punish eight heroic United States Marines for doing what they are trained to do.
In a surprise development on the day Lance Cpl. Stephen Tatum’s court martial was scheduled to begin, all charges against him were dropped without explanation.
Tatum, facing charges of reckless endangerment and aggravated assault that could have sent him to prison for 18 years, was the fifth Marine — and the second of three enlisted men — to be exonerated, leaving only one enlisted Marine still facing court martial.
Tatum’s exoneration should come as no surprise to anyone familiar with the real facts in the case. During an ambush by insurgent forces in Haditha, 15 civilians and nine insurgents were killed by Marines of Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines. The incident began when an IED explosion killed a Marine and wounded two others. In the wake of that explosion, a squad of Marines came under insurgent gunfire.
The 15 civilian deaths, which came during house-clearing operations, were the result of a time-honored insurgent tactic of hiding themselves among civilians when ambushing U.S. forces, hoping to score a propaganda coup when the civilian shields are killed in the ensuing crossfire.
Full details of the incident on November 19, 2005, were supplied in great detail to the entire command structure the very night of the engagement, and the incident was regarded for what it was — a tragic result of an enemy ambush. No further action was required or taken.
Months later, however, Time magazine published a story reporting that the Marines had gone on a rampage, wantonly killing innocent civilians to avenge the death of their fellow Marine killed in the IED explosion.
Using Time magazine’s fallacious account of the civilian deaths, Pennsylvania’s Democratic Rep. John Murtha went on a rampage of his own, telling every media outlet that would listen that the Marines had committed “cold-blooded murder.” He first claimed that his information came from a briefing from the Marine Corps Commandant, but when that claim was disproved he admitted that his source was Time magazine.
Murtha’s charges were broadcast far and wide, and before any investigation of the incident could get underway, the media joined Murtha in finding the Marines guilty of a massacre.
In the ensuing media firestorm that broke out, many news reports here and abroad compared the Haditha deaths to the infamous My Lai massacre during the Vietnam War.
Neither Murtha nor the mainstream media bothered to check Time’s sources — two known insurgent propagandists and insurgent-friendly Haditha residents living under the guns of insurgent killers who were the only authority in town.
It wasn’t because the real facts were not available to any reporter willing to investigate the Haditha case, yet only one news source bothered to look into the case.
As early as May 31, 2006, NewsMax.com had begun to poke holes in the case, and from that time down to the present, NewsMax (and FrontPageMag.com – Eds.) continued to report the truth about Haditha and defend the Marines who were innocent of the charges eventually leveled against them.
Yet all this time, the media and Rep. Murtha continued to peddle the insurgent lie that a massacre had taken place in Haditha, even though all murder charges had long ago been dropped in favor of lesser charges.
There was a crime, but it was the media and Rep. Murtha who committed it against heroic Marines whose careers have been destroyed and some of whose families were bought to the edge of bankruptcy defending their sons.
Thanks to NewsMax readers, who contributed over $500,000 for their defense, some of that burden was lifted.
And thanks to John Murtha and the leftist media, these Marines can now join my Dad’s wrongly accused Secretary of Labor Ray Donovan in asking where they go to get their reputations back.

.

Wild Thing’s comment……..
I LOVE it and Michael is right too, the crime was committed by media and Rep. Murtha !!!! Time mag. & old bag of gas Murtha should be sued for every penny these families can get out of them. That demented old traitor and the traitorous Times rag should go down in disgrace for the dispicable accusations leveled against our men in uniform.
I really really want to see both Murtha and McGirk get their just desserts. I cannot stand looking at either one of them.

….Thank you Mark for sending this article to me.

An M109A6 Paladin fires its 155mm Howitzer from Badoush prison, just outside Mosul, Iraq, in support of ground forces in Mosul, Iraq, on March 29. The Howitzer, belonging to Howitzer Battery, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment from Fort Hood, Texas, is firing illumination rounds to expose enemy movement in Mosul. Photo by Spc. John Crosby.

King of Battle Still Reigns
By Spc. John Crosby
115th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
MOSUL
The urban terrain of Operation Iraqi Freedom limits the use of large cannons and field artillery units. The days of all out destruction and artillery raining down from the skies seem to be over.
But there are still uses for these Soldiers and instances in which destruction with precision accuracy is vital to the U.S. Army’s mission success.
The Redleg Soldiers of Howitzer Battery, 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment are one of the few field artillery units executing their area of expertise in Iraq today.
The term “Redleg” comes from a time when Cannons were much simpler and the field artilleryman’s uniform was much different. The Army blue uniform for artillerymen had a two-inch red stripe on the trousers and horse artillerymen wore red canvas leggings, distinguishing themselves from other Soldiers.
The Cannons used by Redleg Soldiers were towed by man, horse or mule, providing no protection to the crew operating it. Misfires, muzzle bursts and exploding weapons were not uncommon. Accuracy and reliability were questionable.
Today, the U.S. Army’s M109A6 Paladin self-propelled 155mm howitzer is a tracked vehicle that can reach out and touch a target accurately from 30 km away.
Howitzer Battery uses several strategically placed Paladins located at Badoush Prison located just outside the northern Ninewa province city of Mosul, to support ground troop movement in the area. They conduct an average of three fire missions a night from the combat outpost there, mostly illumination rounds.

“Our role is to support troops in contact with indirect fire, whether it be with 155mm high explosive rounds, Excalibur (guided munitions) or illumination rounds,” said Howitzer Battery Fire Directions Chief, Staff Sgt. Gustavo Martinez.

“We can use guided munitions to support any task or mission and pinpoint areas or buildings,” Martinez continued. “We use illumination rounds to light up an area at night to limit or reveal enemy movement.”

The Paladin is operated by a four man crew consisting of a driver, gunner, cannoneer and chief of section. Howitzer Battery crews work 24 hour shifts in the Paladins at Badoush, on call to support ground troops in contact. After a 24 hour shift, the crew will take 48 hours off to conduct maintenance, chores and guard duty around the combat outpost.
Paladin Gunner, Spc. James Simpson, of Howitzer Battery said working in such a tight quarters with his fellow teammates can lead to skirmishes at times but nothing to serious. His crew works together fluidly.

“You get to know your section and work together really well,” said Simpson.

Still, such a work schedule can lead to boredom. The crews of Howitzer Battery conduct training between fire missions to keep busy.

“We get a lot of training done, more than we did back in Fort Hood,” said Chief of Section, Staff Sgt. Freddy Perdue of Howitzer Battery. “You gotta do something while we’re all in there together for 24 hours straight. But we enjoy our jobs helping the people out there, especially the maneuver forces.”

Perdue said he enjoys doing what he was trained to do. While many Redlegs are taking on the role of a foot soldier in Iraq today, Perdue and Howitzer Battery are carrying on the Redleg legacy.

“Being in the war we are fighting now we can adapt to anything,” said Martinez. “A lot of the guys in our battery are doing infantry tactics and things of that nature. As far as the field artillery guys that are actually doing the field artillery mission, it’s important. You never know. There could be a patrol out there that comes into direct contact with a large group of insurgents and we are here to help by providing indirect fire in a matter of minutes.

Wild Thing’s comment……..
Goodbye terrorists! Sending you back to Iran and Syria asap!

Sgt. Cody Gaeta, radio operator, Personal Security Detachment, Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, NATO International Security Assistance Force, monitors his Marines as they protect other Marines from the battalion during a heavy machine gun shoot, here. Gaeta’s experience in Iraq was helpful in keeping the nerves of his Marines in check during their first excursion off base.

A Marine with Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, NATO International Security Assistance Force, escorts an armored vehicle outside of their Kandahar Province, Afghanistan base. The Marines began going outside the wire to test fire their heavy machine guns, mortars and rockets.

Outside the Comfort Zone: 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit Marines Leave the Wire for the First Time
By Cpl. Randall Clinton
24th Marine Expeditionary Unit Public Affairs
KABUL, Afghanistan
“Condition one on first load.” It feels surreal as the command echoes over the radio. The Marines understand the words, but are obviously still coming to terms with its meaning as they force rounds into their weapons.
There is a new sense of urgency in the way the driver grips the steering wheel, the passengers stare out windows and the radio operator strains to hear each new message.
Each piece of trash blowing around the Afghanistan countryside is an Improvised Explosive Device, each movement of the locals is suspect, each boarded up window hides a sniper – the mind plays awful tricks on man. All vehicles stop. The radio mutters “possible,” as in possible IED. Marines don’t flinch, but in this moment you realize the frailty of life. As soon as you process that “possibility” the convoy continues. Somehow the farther out the vehicles travel the easier it is to digest, anxiety turns to alertness – this is outside the wire for the first time.

“It was like, I have no idea what is out there. I have no idea what is going to happen,” recounted Pfc. Conan Hudson, turret gunner, Personal Security Detachment, Battalion Landing Team, 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, NATO International Security Assistance Force.

From his seat he would see it all transpire, his mind already racing with possibilities.
Skewed reality.
Maybe Marines have unique perspectives about life and its limitations. They are “born” at recruit training, reciting the names and accomplishments of heroes — Dan Daly’s stamina, Chesty Puller’s bravado and Jason Dunham’s sacrifice. So when they talk about driving into a war zone to practice firing machine guns, their perspective of danger is slightly skewed.
Perched atop an armored humvee in a gun turret he did the basics, “I made sure my ballistic shield was clear and my weapon was good to go. That’s all I had on my mind. As long as that was good, I’m good.”
The built-up anxiety of a seven-month pre-deployment training cycle, coupled with weeks spent preparing for missions, unleashed fury on Hudson. Once outside the gate it was “exactly what I’ve seen” and yet completely unreal.
These were the first 24th MEU Marines leaving the wire and Hudson was in front.

“It is extra scary because you are the first one who sees everything,” he said. “Visibility is bad; there is dust, especially for the gunner. You have no windows, no shields, you just have to take it all in and look out for these (insurgents) guys.”

He was searching the vast Afghan desert for everything and anything.

“I had, like, super hearing and super sight,” he said.

This was different from every other humvee ride Hudson had ever been a part of… this was real. “It’s your life! Back (home) no one is shooting at you,” he said, explaining his amplified awareness.
But he is here, not ‘back there,’ and his vision is essential for more than just himself. “I’m the eyes for the whole convoy. I’m the first one, so I’ve got to look out for anyone on the side of the road, IEDs, potholes and wires.”

“Man, there are too many potholes,” he quipped, still feeling the bruises from being tossed around.

Hudson’s vantage point allowed him to view the terrain, scanning for danger, but that’s not what he saw.

“At first it’s like, you’ve got ears and eyes and all you are thinking about is bombs, guns, enemy, enemy, enemy; when you see those (Afghan) kids you are like, ‘wow.’ It changes your mind, but you have to stay focused no matter what.”

Making it real.
While officially named mission 001 and 002, the Marines of BLT 1/6 hesitate to use a word that conjures memories of their firefights inside of Iraq’s worst neighborhoods. So the name might be a misnomer, but delve deeper into the psyche of these men and you find that putting boot to ground, or in this case powder-thin dust, is an important threshold to cross.
Week after week, more Marines arrive at the base. More Marines wait for the call from their commander, ordering the start of operations. When the time came for the first contingent of Marines to break from the weapons maintenance, acclimation hikes and rules of engagement classes, the question of if they wanted to go never came up – this is what Marines do. They were going.

“Today was just a test fire of (M203 grenade launchers) and (M2 .50 caliber machine guns),” said 1st Lt. Micah Steinpfad, executive officer, Company A, BLT 1/6, 24th MEU, ISAF.

Steinpfad is cautious about calling this a mission, comparing this to the hornet’s nest these Marines walked into during their last deployment to Iraq would be unthinkable, but this was the first chance for his Marines to get outside the camp.

“The more you can push Marines out, get them talking to the local people, the more they start to comprehend what is actually going on out here. The closer they get to the enemy and civilian populations, two very different things, I think the more real this becomes … the more real their sacrifice becomes,” he explained.

Butterflies and bullets.
As the Marines rolled out to the range, they got a first-hand look at the Afghanistan country-side and instantly compared it to their pre-deployment training.

“At first it was kind of nerve racking, I mean you get all this IED training on what can be hidden. There was a lot of trash, so lots of places to hide stuff. (My) imagination was kind of running wild,” said Lance Cpl. Erick Harber, humvee driver, Personal Security Detachment, BLT 1/6, 24th MEU, ISAF.

Harber, in enemy territory for the first time, realized that all the training in the world couldn’t prepare him for the baking flour-like dust that covers the country.

“When we were back at Camp Lejeune, we were rehearsing and stuff, but you don’t get the dust you get here. I mean there were a few times (here) we ran into dust clouds and couldn’t see in front of the hood of the humvee. It’s tough and your mind is a lot more active,” he recounted.

So how long did it take the 19-year-old, Columbus, Ind., native to get accustomed to the dirty, bumpy and slow driving required to navigate the unique landscape? About halfway through his first mission.

“I was a little nervous at first, but once I got out there, especially once we started heading back, it got a lot easier,” he said with more than a hint of pride.

Sgt. Cody Gaeta, an Iraq veteran, explained that confidence is contagious and exercises like this help it spread.

“If I see my guys have more confidence then it will build more confidence in me towards my guys, knowing I’m doing a good job training them on what they need to do,” explained Gaeta, radio operator, PSD, BLT 1/6, 24th MEU, ISAF.

Gaeta experienced the fear of leaving camp for the first time as a lance corporal in Iraq.

“I was pretty scared,” he said, but noted that his first mission was slightly more disorienting than the mid-day movement to a machine gun range. “I was with a (reconnaissance) battalion so we did a little bit more than a normal battalion. Plus, we went out at night and it’s a lot harder to go out at night because you can’t see.”

“The more we went out the easier it got,” he said, a lesson he hoped his Marines picked up on this day. “It helps when you say “you are going out today,” and you get to leave. Even if it is like how we left today – for a short period. It’s a lot better than spending that short period in the tents.”

The ride home.

“On the way out there it was a little tense because it was my driver’s first time ever having to drive in this (outside the wire), and then on the way back he knew there wasn’t anything that was going to happen. It was a tension breaking that eased his mind a little bit,” explained the 4th-year Marine.

Focusing the Marines on their upcoming tasks was also on the mind of Cpl. Timothy McLaughlin, commanding officer’s driver, PSD, BLT 1/6, 24th MEU, ISAF.

“It is kind of hard, because you need to keep their mind the right way. Don’t let them get complacent. (Going outside the wire), it keeps them where they are not bored,” he said.

Standing exposed, miles away from your fortified base, is a feeling shared only by those who have done it, a right of passage in an infantry unit. The experienced train the next generation of fighters, prepare them as best as they can, but it seems to be understood that some things need to be experienced, not taught.

So when Hudson thinks about an inexperienced turret gunner turning to him for guidance he quickly responds, “Make sure your weapons work, and make sure you have eye protection because of the dust. There are sandstorms that come out of nowhere.”

It’s nothing profound, just the basics, because the last thing a Marine needs to do is over think the situation.

“Basically you just have to experience it for yourself,” he reasoned.

McLaughlin understands that axiom now, after having lived it in Iraq.

“I didn’t know what to expect until I got out there and my training kicked in, and then you are used to everything,” said McLaughlin, a field radio operator during his last tour.

Steinpfad, with combat experience from BLT 1/6’s Iraq deployment, explained that the entire battalion can learn something from stepping off-base, not just their newest Marines.

“I don’t think it matters what deployment you are on. You build off past experiences and I think every time you push outside the wire you learn something new. Whether it be on your first deployment, halfway through your first deployment, doesn’t matter if you are halfway through your third deployment,” he said. “The enemy is always adapting, and you always have to adapt to those changes. As the enemy continues to change, we will continue to learn as we push out… every single time.”

Wild Thing’s comment…….
Awesome! God bless our troops and keep them safe. I am always so glad when there is something to share about our troops in Afghanistan. There is a lot of information out there, but I will always be VERY careful about what I post about. It is so important not to post things that could put our troops in more danger.

ZODIAC PATROL – U.S. Marines carry Zodiac boats into the Euphrates River below the Haditha Dam in Iraq to conduct security patrols with Provisional Security Forces. The Marines are assigned to Company W, 3rd Battalion, 23rd Marine Regiment.
U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Tyler Hil

Wild Thing’s comment……..
The name of the second photo at the site was called The Circus. I sat here looking at it and felt so happy. Here is a child, that has no fear, he knows the soldier is his friend and has been there to make life better. HE knows and yet those in our Congress want to make it that we are insurgents like a few have said. I would bet my lilfe that this wee child does not think of this American Hero nearby is an insurgent but a superman that came to resuce his country.