Back to Kuwait

Shortly after returning to Iraq from leave, David headed to Kuwait. He will be there the remainder of his deployment. He's busy now setting up computers, and will be working the help desk as soldiers come through Kuwait for redeployment as they head back home to the states.

Home on Leave

David was home on leave for two weeks over Thanksgiving. Needless to say it was SO good to see him! Here's a little glimpse into his time at home:

Up in Duluth with Shannon

Thanksgiving in Willmar

A serious game of Axis & Allies

A little backyard football



Second Thanksgiving in Willmar!

First family pic in 10 months :)


They missed each other ...


Bonfire at the farm

Vikings game ... don't worry, David bought Shannon a Vikings shirt at the game.

Suffice to say, we made sure David wasn't bored while he was home. We are now counting the weeks until he is home for good!

U.S. Assesses Southern Security in Iraq

From the Assyrian International News Agency

BASRA, Iraq (UPI) -- U.S. military commanders note positive developments in the security situation in southern Iraq but point to lingering activity of Sunni and al-Qaida groups.

Army Maj. Gen. Richard Nash, the commander of Multinational Division South, and Iraqi Maj. Gen. Abdul Aziz, the commander of the 14th Iraqi Division, briefed reporters from near the port city of Basra.

Around 14,000 U.S. forces maintain a presence in the nine provinces making up the southern sector of the country.

A bilateral security pact between Washington and Baghdad calls for Iraqi forces to stand up as U.S. forces prepare for a withdrawal by 2011. Aziz hailed the progress of his Iraqi counterparts, noting many of the Iraqi forces are able to conduct routine security operations independently.

"Many of our checkpoints are now manned jointly by members of both Iraqi forces," Aziz said. "The training both sides have received and the trust built between them has been very positive."

Nash, meanwhile, said there was a rise in insurgent activity in the northwest districts in areas around Karbala and Babil provinces.

"We're looking into an (al-Qaida in Iraq) connection and Sunni extremist groups that possibly could be causing strife up there, tried to get sectarian violence started again," he said.

Al-Qaida-affiliated groups claimed responsibility for a series of high-profile attacks on Baghdad, including a weekend attack that killed more than 100 people.

© 2009, Assyrian International News Agency. All Rights Reserved.

Don Shelby Reports from Basra

WCCO-TV anchor Don Shelby and photojournalist Tom Aviles are embedded with the 34th Infantry Divsion Red Bulls this week over in Basra. If you are in the Minneapolis area you can watch his nightly reports on WCCO 10pm news.

For the rest of you, you can catch them online. Don and Tom are posting pictures and blog entries about their trip at http://wcco.com/donshelby/kuwait.iraq.tom.2.1282150.html. From that page you can also watch all the news reports and extra footage.

Don Shelby even watched the Vikings/Packers game with the soldiers on Sunday. But you won't see David in his purple Brett Favre jersey (that Nate and I sent him) in the footage - he reserves his own conference room where he and his buddies watch the games projected on the big screen in nice leather conference chairs. :) Mind you, the games are typically in the middle of the night - so it makes for a long day at work the next day!

In case you haven't heard, David will be home for a two week leave in November and will be home for Thanksgiving!

In Charge

During the month of September, David's commanding officer, Major Herms, was on leave and David was in charge. He spent the week before training. The three weeks she was gone were intense and very busy: 12-14 hour days, 7 days a week. He found it was pretty important he get enough sleep!

Sept 18-20 he had the opportunity to fly to Baghdad to welcome a new unit. Flew there on an Air Force carrier plane with 6-7 other officers. (Lt. Col - Maj.; David was the only Sgt.) While there they were taken on a tour which included one of the Palaces and the old headquarters. Pretty cool.

David will be home on leave sometime in November.

MWR Facility

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE BASRA, Iraq – The new Morale, Welfare, and Recreation facility located at the Red Bull Life Sustainment Area on Contingency Operating Base Basra opened for Soldiers after a ribbon-cutting ceremony Oct. 4.

The facility, which will be open 24-hours a day, seven days a week, offers Soldiers the opportunity to come and hang out with friends while enjoying some luxuries Soldiers do not usually have access to here, said Staff Sgt. Julie Lewandowski, MWR noncommissioned officer-in-charge.

The facility is currently equipped with televisions with Armed Forces Network connections, movies, video and board games, books, a foosball table and a massage chair. According to the Minneapolis resident, more is expected to arrive, such a pool table.

“It’s getting toward the middle of the tour, and it’s really important to build morale,” she said. “We wanted to go ahead and open it up for the Soldiers to enjoy.” The MWR is somewhere Soldiers will be able to go and relax outside of their rooms. “I’ve seen a lot of gloomy faces since I’ve been here,” she added, “but since Soldiers found out about this project, they seem excited.”

“Some Soldiers work 12 hours a day. So, at the end of their shift, they don’t necessarily want to be in their rooms,” said Spc. Matthew Gallagher, a mechanic with the 34th Infantry Division. “This is a place Soldiers can come to relax and kick back to build morale.”

General Nash Report

National Guard Newsletter:

Iraqi Forces Make Strides in South
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

Major General Rick Nash, commanding general, Multi-National Division-South, delivers remarks during the dedication ceremony for Po Valley Hall, located in the Executive Life Sustainment Area of Contingency Operating Base Basra Sept. 5, 2009. The facility will be used for special events and hosting guests of MND-S Headquarters. (Photo by Sgt. Frank Vaughn, Multi-National Division-South 9-8-9) Iraqi security forces are making tremendous progress throughout southern Iraq, the commander of coalition forces in the region said today.

Army Major General Richard Nash, who commands the Minnesota National Guard's 34th Infantry Division as well as Multinational Division South in Iraq, said the Iraqi army, police and border police are performing very well.

"The Iraqi security forces have had tremendous success in establishing security throughout the nine provinces of southern Iraq," Nash said in a video conference with Pentagon reporters today. The spreading security is encouraging local Iraqis to side with the government and has resulted in significant captures of weapons and ammunition, he said.

An operation in Dhi Qar and Laysan provinces took plates used in making armor-piercing roadside bombs, magnetic "sticky" bombs, rocket-propelled grenades, hundreds of machine guns, assault rifles, and thousands of small-arms rounds out of the hands of extremists, the general said.

"Additionally, over a hundred rockets, artillery rounds and mortar shells were collected from cache sites between the arid dunes of northern Maysan and the marshes in the south of the province," Nash said. "The Iraqi army is cementing its reputation with the citizens of southern Iraq as a catalyst for peace and adding to their security."

Most of these caches were exposed by tips from the concerned Iraqis who refuse to let criminals and terrorists erode security and economic opportunity in their country, the general said.

The number of incidents in the region has dropped to about 1.3 per day over an area containing more than 10 million people, the general said. Roadside-bomb attacks have dropped, but indirect-fire attacks -- rockets or mortars -- have increased, he said.

"Our mission here in Iraq is to build civil capacity and train and support our Iraqi partners in their mission to provide security for the Iraqi people," Nash said.

The way forward includes continuing to work with the Iraqi police, the Iraqi army and the department of border enforcement, Nash said. He said the division has military training teams embedded with Iraqi formations, and that the United States provides intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets along with medical evacuation capabilities. The division also has the first "advise and assist brigade" (the 1st Armored Division's 4th Brigade). The brigade's approach is a new way of working with the Iraqis, and the Americans are writing a new training book as they work alongside their Iraqi counterparts, Nash said.

The U.S. military does not provide logistics support. The Iraqis provide their own food, fuel, maintenance and ground transportation in his region, he noted. "We have also developed a good network of intelligence, and we share that with our Iraqi partners on a continuous basis," Nash said. "They have full knowledge of how we bring that information together."

The Iraqis are in the lead, the general emphasized, with American partners. "They get warrants for their arrests; they go in front of a judge," he said. "And the rule of law is well in place and embedded. And they're really doing a great job, and I've seen just magnificent improvement since we've been here taking over this area in May."


http://www.ng.mil/news/archives/2009/09/090909-Strides.aspx

Sergeant Kasperson

My little brother is a Sergeant! Earlier this summer David applied for an E5 (Sergeant) position at the unit in Brainerd. But, like many things in the army it seems, he didn't not hear back for sometime. A few weeks ago he actually found out, with little fanfare and somewhat by mistake. He was preparing some future planning documents and discovered his name on the promotions list. He inquired about it, and his superior said ... umm yeah I guess you are. So August 31 he received his new patch and pin at formation. The promotion takes affect now, but his job will not change until he is back home.

Here's what David had to say about it:

"Here are some pics from the formation on Monday morning. They give out awards and promotions, with the awards first. Mine was the only promotion this week, so it came last.

They call out "Specialist Kasperson report to the commander," you run up to the front, salute, they take off your old rank patch from your chest and the pin from your hat and put on new ones. You do an about face, face the formation, and they clap. You do another about face, salute the commander again and then fall back into the formation.

My hat looks a little funny because they put it back on your head for you and never do a very good job. It's to be expected. It was all over very quickly. There were a lot of congratulatory handshakes afterwards and for the next few days."

Needless to say, we're pretty proud of our little Davie! :)

Commander's Notes

by MAJ David Riha, Alpha Company Commander

Greetings from COB Basra, Iraq! Much has happened since my comments from last month.

The last month has been one of sadness and joy.

The Red Bulls lost three soldiers from the MP Company on 17 July 2009 as a result of an Indirect Fire attack on the COB. While many of us have assured our families that we are with a Division Headquarters, that we are seldom off of the COB and that we are distanced from the danger that surrounds us; the truth is that we are still in a war zone and there are people here that wish us harm. Soldiers tell their families this not as a lie, but to reassure their families and themselves that we will persevere. I have done the same. We strive as a unit, and a family, to improve COB Basra and keep each other as safe as possible daily.

I want to thank A Company for their caring and support of the MP Company, as our soldiers helped with several of their duties, assisted with the Ramp Ceremony and Memorial Ceremony to give the soldiers of the MP Company much needed time during this sad event.

July, as I said, was also a time of joy as many of our soldiers returned home for their Rest and Recuperation Leave. This will continue through December of our tour. I have heard of many happy homecomings, vacations, family time, friends and the rest and enjoyment of life’s simple pleasures. It is well deserved by all!

We have designated the first weekend of each month as a Barbecue Event, where we grill hamburgers, hotdogs and provide the usual picnic fare. The July event was particularly good with a 5K run, pie throwing that raised $160 for the FRG, and a parade. It has been a good thing and enjoyed by many. The volleyball courts and horseshoe pits get used quite a bit during these activities. It is also a good
opportunity for those who do not work together to talk.

We are now halfway through our deployment. We look forward to completing the next six months as we have the last. I continue to pray for our families, our soldiers and for the families of those who were lost.

Major Dave Riha

Life at Contingency Operating Base Basra

(From the 34th Infantry Division, Family Readiness August Newsletter)

Families –
I wanted to take a moment and update you on some of the personal safety measures we have in place here at Contingency Operating Base (COB) Basra.

We all know the dangers that are present in Iraq. The dangers are not always only outside the wire. Desperate insurgents use crude technology and tactics to indiscriminately emplace rocket propelled projectiles pointing in the general direction of COB Basra. Now that our forces are mostly out of the cities, rockets and mortars left over from decades of war remain one of the only ways our adversaries can attempt to attack us.

So, what do we do on COB Basra to protect ourselves?

First and foremost, force protection is the number one factor in every phase of operations in Iraq from mission planning and preparation to designing the new billeting areas now under construction at COB Basra to designing the new PX Bazaar area opening soon. In this article are some pictures of certain types of protective barriers and alert systems designed to keep our Soldiers safe during an indirect fire (IDF) attack. To explain the process, I will walk you through an IDF attack on COB Basra.

The first thing our Soldiers hear is a wavering tone over COB Basra’s loudspeaker system. This system is used only for announcing IDF attacks and other pertinent information regarding force protection on and around the COB. This tone is unmistakably unique and lasts for 3-5 seconds. It is immediately followed by a pre-recorded voice which announces “Incoming, Incoming, Incoming.” This is followed immediately by the wavering tone again. This cycle is played several times during each IDF attack. Our loudspeaker system technicians are constantly tweaking the system to ensure it is operational and that it is audible in every corner of COB Basra. These Soldiers are 100% dedicated to their mission of providing early warning to the Soldiers living at COB Basra.

As soon as a Soldier hears this wavering tone, he or she is instructed to immediately lie flat on the ground, face down, mouth open, and to cover their ears with their hands. Covering the ears prevents hearing damage and opening the mouth will offset the blast pressure created from an explosion and will prevent the rupturing of an eardrum in the event of an explosion at close proximity. Soldiers are instructed to remain in this position until the “all clear” is announced over the loudspeaker system. If a Soldier is out walking and the IDF alarm sounds, their immediate action is to hit the ground as described above. However, if they are within a short 3-5 second sprint from an IDF Bunker, they are encouraged to seek shelter under one of these structures described below.

This option for protection for a Soldier is known as an “IDF Bunker”. This is a 3-piece reinforced concrete system consisting of the bunker and two end caps as seen in the pictures. For additional protection, two layers of sandbags are placed on the top and sides of the bunker and end caps. Not all of our bunkers have the additional sandbags, but Soldiers are working hard each evening ensuring that every bunker in our living area is brought up to this standard.

Other types of reinforced concrete protection we use here at COB Basra are what we call “T-walls”. These are usually about 12 feet high and approximately 15 inches thick. T-wall sections are designed to interlock with the sections on each side and provide a 12-foot high, 15-inch thick, reinforced concrete wall surrounding our living and working areas. The most common place we have these is in Red Bull Life Support Area (LSA). This is where the majority of Red Bull Soldiers live and spend their time when not on duty. These walls surround each “pod” of 6-8 housing units. These walls also surround the Battalion and Company Headquarters buildings here at COB Basra.

Yet another type of protection commonly used all over Iraq and Afghanistan is the Hesco Barrier. This is a steel cage approximately 4’x4’ and 4 ½ feet high. In the picture, I am standing near a Hesco Barrier system consisting of two Hesco Barriers stacked on top of each other. The steel cage is lined with fabric and filled with sand. These barriers are very effective and used commonly in all force protection applications. Each individual Hesco Barrier is connected to its neighbor on each side with a spiral wire that is twisted down the seam of each barrier prior to filling the barriers with sand. This forms a solid wall of sand 4-feet thick and 9-feet high. The Hesco Barrier system seen in the picture is used in another area of COB Basra that houses Red Bull Soldiers known as Camp Charlie.

All of the protective measures I’ve described above would mean nothing if we didn’t have qualified Soldiers to ensure these measures get followed each and every time the IDF warnings sound. Our Non-Commissioned Officer corps ensures that their Soldiers regularly practice IDF battle drills and section accountability drills. Every Soldier at COB Basra knows exactly what to do when they hear the warning and are expected to follow what they have been trained to do in these situations.

Whether lying flat on the ground or in an IDF bunker, Soldiers stay in place until the “all clear” is announced over the loudspeaker system. This process could take a few minutes or a couple of hours as the “all clear” signal is not given until the IDF threat has been eliminated. Once the “all clear” is sounded, Soldiers of COB Basra are instructed to report to their designated rallying points to gain accountability of personnel and weapons. Upon gaining 100% accountability, we here at COB Basra roll up our sleeves, get back to work, and continue the mission we came here to do.

In conclusion, you should be proud of how your Soldiers are committed to protecting themselves – and their fellow unit members – while facing the danger of serving in a combat zone. My leadership team and I are doing everything we can to keep our Soldiers safe. Our force protection measures on COB Basra have improved every single day since we took control of the base in May. We have a long road ahead of us until we hand the base over to our follow-on unit and there will be improvements each and every day until then. And, as always, thank you for all your thoughts and prayers throughout the deployment.

CPT Markgraf

Fourth Soldier - Email from David

Dear All,
There was a fourth soldier injured in the attack. His name is Jake Benson and I graduated with him. He is already back in Basra. Check out the story on WCCO at the link: http://wcco.com/wireapnewsmn/Willmar.soldier.recovering.2.1096911.html
David

Three Soldiers - Email from David

Dear All,

After what happened last Thursday, our MP company was given some time off, and the rest of us have been taking on some extra shifts to cover for them. Yesterday I was working out at the front gate doing personnel search. No internet out there. It was a twelve-hour day out in the heat on my feet. Not something very easy to get used to in one day. So, I crashed when I got back. It's now Sunday morning here.

For future reference, if some- thing happens on base, there will be a blackout until the families are notified. That means all of our networks will be shut down, including the one at work and the private ones, such as the one I am on. So if you hear something on the news, you can safely assume it wasn't me, because you would have been notified before the news was.

Love, David

AP Notice - Three Soldiers Killed

Three members of the Minnesota National Guard were killed last week in an attack on a base outside of Iraq's second largest city [Basra - this is the base David is on]. This attack was the deadliest day for Minnesota U.S. soldiers since 2005.

The three deaths included Carlos Wilcos, 27, of Cottage Grove, Daniel Drevnick, 22, of Woodbury, and James Wertish, 20 of Olivia. All three were members of Minnesota National Guard's 34th Red Bull Infantry Division based out of Rosemount.

July 17, 2009
By Elizabeth Dunbar, AP

Three Soldiers Killed - July 16, 2009

FRG Leaders,

It is my sad duty to inform you that today the Minnesota National Guard has notified three families of 34th Infantry Division Soldiers that their loved one was killed while in service to the nation. These families are right now working with Minnesota National Guard Casualty Assistance Officers to Assist them with their current and future needs.

At the present time, out of respect to the privacy of the families involved, the identity of the service members and the circumstances of the incident are not available.

The full resources of the Minnesota National Guard are being utilized to assist the families, communities, and military members affected by this tragedy.

As more information becomes available the Minnesota National Guard will make further statements.

Sincerely, Lynda

June Notes

As of June 6, David has internet in his room. It has been up and down over the past month but is gradually getting set up and more reliable. David receives your emails on a daily basis now. Also, he has set up a Willmar phone number through Skype, so we can call him and there is no charge. The only catch is that he has to be by his computer! If you want to call him, contact me and I can give you his number or you can send and email to him and he can give it to you. Iraq is 8 hours ahead so between 11 am and 2 pm CT would be the time to catch him.

Here's a quote from David's email on June 10:

"The internet has been down in the living area for about a day now. People using torrent websites to download movies can kill the network single-handedly. My roomate (Dugger) is in the process of collecting MAC addresses and will lock people out if they don't have them in by Friday. This way he can assign IP addressed instead of having it done automatically, and track bandwidth usage. Then last night the network went down completely, and he now suspects that routers have been set up on the network (which is not allowed). He also suspects that a series of switches have been set up in a loop, effectively draining all of the network's resources. So the network worked for a few days, but through people basically sabotaging the network it will probably be down until he gets better control on the security."

David is enjoying the work he does... quite a bit of research, it seems. Also, lots of meetings, 1-4 a day, and he is often the lowest ranking person in the room. Lots of exposure and lots of challenges. He is even getting to experience management of people!

A couple weeks ago, he got to take a helicopter ride to a base 100 miles north and was able to see lots of countryside. First time off base since he arrived. Again, he was the lowest ranking soldier. Again, a great experience.

David started an online college course: "Computers in Society" which is required for his major. That is taking up some of his evening hours, even keeping him up late a couple nights to meet deadlines.

Most nights, David runs 3 miles after he gets off work (around 6 pm)and then has supper. The food is "not all that great." And yes, there is sand EVERYWHERE.

Iraqis' view of withdrawal

Important Day in Iraq: June 30, 2009

Pictures from David

David posted some pictures from Seattle, Kuwait, and Iraq on facebook. Click here to check it out.

Haircut - Email from David

Today is my day off. I woke up about 930 and walked down to where I work. There is a female sergeant in one of the radio tents outside that gives haircuts, so I got trimmed up. There is a barbershop on base that is run by locals, but you have to take a number and come back in a few days, because they generally take about a half hour per haircut. And they don't cut female's hair.

Then I headed inside to where I work to send these emails. (Dugger, my roommate who is the one providing internet service, is trying to get a time slot tomorrow to be brought into the network so he can start providing service to everyone in their rooms.) Later, I will be dropping off some laundry and working out. I also plan on heading down to admin today to get the rest of the paperwork together that I need to start applying for jobs.

Thanks for the emails, I like hearing about the day-to-day stuff in your lives. I had a dream about Grandma Kasperson the other day. She was telling me about a summer in the 90's... My alarm went off and I didn't get the whole story.

Love, David
(received 5-31-09... edited by Lois)

Article from LTC Hanson

From the May FRG Newsletter:
Division has settled into Contingency Operating Base (COB) Basrah. Effective 20 May 2009, the transfer of Authority (TOA) from the 10th Mountain Division to the 34th Infantry Division "Red Bulls" will be complete. The 24th ID assumes control of Multi-National Division South (MND0S), providing command and control over the lower nine provinces of Iraq. The Division also conducted a "Patch Ceremony" were all soldiers on this deployment are allowed to wear the right shoulder "combat patch." During the ceremony, MG Nash talked of the proud tradition of the 34th Infantry Division and the challenges that are ahead.

The quality of life on COB Basrah is improving daily. Construction is currently taking place on a new Chapel for Soldiers to worship, a new gymnasium facility for Soldiers to use for exercise, as well as numerous different Morale Welfare and Recreation (MWR) facilities to improve options for downtime. A larger Post Exchange (PX) is expected to open on or about 1 August 2009.

Many events are planned as Memorial Day weekend approaches to include a 12k run, a softball tournament, and a volleyball tournament. Culminating the weekend events is a live performance by the Minnesota-based band: Catch Penny.

Jealous of what you call summer ...

Email from David:

Hey!

I am jealous of what you call summer. What is that like? it was 118 here today. Next time you go outside, try wearing overalls and have a hundred hair dryers blowing at you on high, and you might get an idea of what it is like. I am pretty used to it, but today was especially hot. In Minnesota, you know it is cold when your eyes and the inside of your nose freezes. Here, you know it is hot when your eyes feel like they are starting to cook and shrivel away, and you have to squint to keep out the hot air even though you already have sunglasses on.

My days here are starting to get more routine. I wake up around 6, go eat and go to work from 7 to 5. I have anywhere from 0 (a good day, but rare) to 3 or 4 meetings a day. In between, I am trying to improve my understanding of a particular operation or doing research to present at the next meeting. Right now we are working about 7 different operations, so it is testing my organizational skills.

[The camp in] Basra was a British brigade headquarters up until a few months ago, and they didn't do much in the way of troop welfare type things. No internet or phone trailers, no MWR (Morale, Welfare, Recreation) type stuff of any kind, a chapel in the back of a DFAC, a gym in a series of tents connected by tunnels, three people in two man rooms for the first month (some still are, or are sleeping in tents) .... you get the idea. It's crowded.

My work has definitely been keeping me busy, so no complaints there. I am the Multinational Division-South (MND-S) G6 Plans NCOIC. MND-S is one of four divisions in Iraq. We encompass the southern nine provinces. The G6 is the staff section at Division headquarters responsible for communications and computer automation. The G6 Plans section assists the G5 (Plans) in developing operations orders that are more than one month out. We basically go to the meetings and determine if the plan they are creating is supportable from a comms perspective. If it isn't, we need to figure out where we are going to get more assets to cover the gaps.

Glad to hear you are doing well.

Love you!
David

New York Times Update on IRAQ

This article gives a synopsis of the situation in Iraq: 2001 to 2009. Let me know what you think, brothers of mine!

http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/iraq/index.html?inline=nyt-geo

"As 2009 opened, the war in Iraq had entered a phase the Brookings Institution described as "a kind of violent semi-peace.

...There was no question, however, that the nature of the war was changing. So was Iraq itself."

Internet - Email from David

Hey Everyone,
Glad to hear things are going well at home. You are not the only ones who have been having internet problems. The internet has been down here for a few days. Just came back up last night. Still no internet in the CHUs. So that means no facebook, no uploading pictures, no reading blogs, no skype... because all those things are blocked at work, the only place on the base to get online. I have been trying to get a new phone card from the PX but they haven't had them in since I got here.

On the plus side, I did get to move into my permanent room. My roommate is the one who is going to be setting up internet in the CHUs and they wanted to get him into his room as quickly as possible to allow him to begin setting up his equipment. He is on night shift, so I hardly ever see him, which is nice.

Also, until housing, food, and water are caught up (or at least not operating over 100% capacity), MWR (Morale, Welfare, and Recreation) is about on the bottom of the list of priorities. So, if there is any room left in my foot locker, it would be nice if you threw one of the frisbees in before you send it. I ordered some card games from Amazon yesterday but something to do outside would be nice.

Time is flying by some days; other days crawl by. It is hard for me to believe it is almost June! There are only two seasons here: hot and hotter. Right now we are in the hot season. It is hard for a Minnesotan like me to keep track of time going by with no seasonal change!

Hope you are all doing well. Love you!
David
(received 5-18-9... edited by Lois)

Job Title - Email from David

Hi All,
I am starting to get into more of a routine and feeling pretty comfortable with what I am doing. A few days ago, I went to my boss and presented her with a way we could get everything done in less time. That probably makes it sound better than it is, but it is really because I was getting a better handle on what I am doing and can do more on my own instead of waiting until my boss is available to work with me. So, now instead of doing 12-hour shifts (which often turn into 15-16-hour shifts) we are on 10-hour shifts with Sunday off. The meeting with her went well.

My job title is: MND-S G6 Plans NCOIC, or, Multi-National Division-South G6 Plans Non-Commissioned Officer In Charge. My boss is the MND-S G6 OIC, or Officer In Charge.

The G6 is responsible for communications and computer support at the division level. The Plans section is responsible for operations 1-6 months out. Each WFF (war fighting function) has a plans section that participates in OPTs (operational planning team), of which there are several over a period of time for each operation. The WFFs include the G6 (commo), the G3 (maneuver), the G5 (coordinate all the other planning sections and provide project leads for each operation), and others.

The G6 plans section consists of me (the NCOIC), my boss (the OIC), and two staff workers. One staff worker writes daily FRAGOs (fragmentary orders; a few pages long) which add to the Campaign Plan (100s of pages long). The other staff member works on weekly reports. I attend OPT sessions and do research. We all do other things, as necessary, like preparing slides, briefings, etc.

Love, David
(received 5-9-9... edited by Lois)

An Historic Event

May 2, 2009 -- BASRA, Iraq - Historic is a word that has been used often to describe the 34th Infantry Division Red Bulls' deployment to Iraq.

The deployment is historic in its scope. The Red Bulls' are a National Guard Division Headquarters commissioned to command a Multi-National Division in operations that are seen by many as unconventional at the very least.

The deployment is also historic in its timing. The stated goal of the current administration is to begin drawing down all combat troops in Iraq during the deployment of the 34th Red Bull Infantry Division.

Finally, the deployment is historic in its mission. The Red Bulls are commanding a division that is not engaged in conventional kinetic operations of war, but rather in transitioning power from Coalition forces to the Iraq Security Forces. Read more at http://www.theredbulls.org/article63.

Red Bulls continue to arrive in Basra

May 4, 2009 -- CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE BASRA, Iraq - Soldiers of the 34th Infantry Division continue to arrive here from Kuwait in support of Iraqi Freedom.

The 34th ID will replace the 10th Mountain Division and assume command of Multi-National Division - South after a transfer of authority ceremony later this month.

Read more and see pictures at:
http://www.theredbulls.org/article65.

Sunday: First Full Day - Email from David

I have a lot of catching up to do. I was away from my job and the ability to track changes on the ground since our exercise at Ft Lewis ended. Every day that I am away from my job decreases my situational awareness of operations that are happening in our area, which makes my job more difficult. I am going to have to walk away from it for today, though. I am coming in about an hour early tomorrow and don't doubt that I will be staying late again. I do anticipate that the tempo will slow some, or at least stabilize, as we go forward, however.
Love, David
(received 5-3-9... edited by Lois)

Obama Thanks the Troops

Email from David:

Obama To Troops In Iraq: "Thank You"

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/04/07/obama.iraq.transcript/

Basra

Al-Basrah is the capital of Basra Province. It is Iraq's main port and Iraq's second largest city after Baghdad. The city is located along the Shatt al-Arab waterway 34 miles from the Persian Gulf. It is 339 miles SE of Baghdad.

Moving Day - Email from David

On May 1st at 1600, we brought our bags out to be loaded onto busses. We were scheduled to fly out of Ali Al Salem at 2315 on a C17 (from McChord AFB). However, when we got there, the plane was grounded and they couldn't open the maintenance panels to fix the problem because of a dust storm. [Ali Al Salem is a Kuwait Air Force Installation with part designated for the US Air Force and it Allies. It is located approximately 23 miles from the Iraqi border.]

We went back to the holding area and didn't flyout until 330 on May 2nd. The flight to Basra was about a half hour. By the time I got to my room with all my gear, it was about 545. I threw all my bags down and went to eat breakfast, then off to explore a bit. I walked over to where I was going to be working and looked around, then headed back. I unpacked, showered, and finally got a few hours of sleep around noon.

We are all staying in CHUs (containerized housing unit) which are basically three-room units that are brought in on a truck bed and installed with a crane. Each room is designed for two people, but we are currently at three to a room while more are being installed.

Tomorrow will be my first full day of work.

Love, David
(received 5-2-9... edited by Lois)

Kuwait to Basra - Email from David

Hey all,
I made it safely to Basra and am getting settled in. Today is my first day at work and I am pretty swamped trying to catch up. Hopefully I can get caught up soon and have some time to give you all some more information.
Love you all, David
(received 5-3-9... copied by Lois)

Arrived in Kuwait!

David flew out of McChord Air Force Base, refueled Germany, and landed in Kuwait. After a few initial briefings, they ate and then started exploring the base. David writes: "Just imagine absolutely flat hardpan of dust and gravel as far as you can see, with zero vegetation." (Remember what he said about Ft Lewis? See blog #1)

Located 5 miles south of Tacoma, WA, McChord Air Force Base is primarily an airlift base, flying large transport aircraft that are used in international U.S. military operations. The base is also used by Army and Special Forces units from Fort Lewis, which is adjacent to McChord. The 4,616-acre base currently has 48 C-141 Starlifters, and over 6,000 employees. McChord is also the Western United States Air Defense Sector hub, one of a few regional NORAD points that monitor radar data for possible incoming hostile or smuggling aircraft.

Seattle Pass

Hi Everybody...

I'm Shannon, David's girlfriend. I was able to fly out to Seattle this past week to visit David on his four day pass and just wanted to share with everyone about our time out there.

First of all, getting to see him was fantastic. I didn't expect to miss him as much as I have, so seeing him and getting to spend some time with him was really really nice. When he walked into the hotel I pretty much ran up and jumped on him with hugs and kisses (all in front of a bunch of businessmen.... oh well). It was so good to see him.

The first night (Tuesday) we went out to meet up with a bunch of his army friends in downtown Seattle. It was nice to finally have faces to put with names. The following day (Wednesday) we went shopping in the morning, ate lunch at the Cheesecake factory, and then went to Pike's Place Market. Pike's Place Market is essentially this huge farmer's market with lots of stores and stands. Also, the first Starbucks is located there, which was especially exciting for me. :)


After the market we got ready and went out to dinner at the Space Needle. It. was. awesome. We met his friend from his unit and his girlfriend, Darren and Mayra, and we all four had a delicious dinner with the best view ever in the rotating restaurant.


Thursday David and I drove about 2.5 hours to Mount Rainier National Park. The park itself as well as the drive down there were so beautiful! We were lucky enough to have sunshine everyday of the trip, so it made for a gorgeous day to be outside and driving in the country side. I took SO many pictures that day so I'll just post a few.


Friday we took a ferry to Bainebridge Island and had lunch with Darren and Mayra. Before we met up with them we were able to walk around the Island and learn more about it's history. Apparently Bainebridge Island was the first place Japanese immigrants were taken from and put in internment camps. It was really quite sad to hear but also something neither of us knew. Anyway, here is a picture from the ferry ride.


That night David took me to the Metropolitan Grill for a nice dinner since it was the last night of the trip. We each had really really good steak. Plus, we got all dressed up which is always fun.


The next day (Saturday) I had to leave and say goodbye. It was NOT fun. The good news was that Mayra and I were on the same flight and switched seats to sit next to one another. We ended up sitting in a row with another girl who was out there visiting her boyfriend (and was also from St. Cloud like Mayra and I) in David's unit, so we all talked the whole way home. That was especially good for me since I'm afraid of flying. :)

So that's really all the updates I have. I hope you enjoyed it!