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)