View from the ground

Today I went with a convoy to visit a couple of other FOBs. We took several trucks and Hummers to deliver food, fuel, ammunition, water, lumber, and other stuff. We also transported some soldiers from the Finance section so the soldiers could work on pay problems, and could get some cash. One of the guys had a canvas briefcase full of cash, which he handed out to cash checks, for as cash advances.

Word from an old soldier; NEVER get a cash advance. You pay will be screwed up for months, or more. Guaranteed.

Anyway, crossing the Iraqi countryside by vehicle was different than from the air. First thing I noticed, the sheep herds are bigger than I thought. 50 to 1oo sheep was pretty common. Also, some of the sheep were actually goats. The area still smelled like oil. Take the lid of a can of motor oil and sniff it, and you will have a very good idea what it smells like in our area. Homes still appeared to be mud huts,but did see lots of nice flat-topped, large homes as well. Saw quite a few folks living in tents.

Although we drove for only 30-45 minutes, we went through 6 checkpoints. It would be tough to go very far with a bomb in your truck. Our military convoy just sailed through them, but all the civilian cars stopped. We bullied our way down the road. We drove down the middle, and the oncoming traffic had to pull over for us. (They drive on the right side of the road here, like in the US) We would not allow vehicles to trap us, or get caught up in our convoy. Once, we pulled to the left around a slow moving truck, and thus took up the other lane. An oncoming car had to screech to a halt and pull off the road.

We drive in the middle to avoid IEDs, as much as possible. However, that is kind of difficult. We are to watch out for carcasses, or heaps of trash, or boxes, or cars along the road, or piles of rubble, all of which can hide an IED. The problem is, this country is seriously in need of an adopt a highway program; it is amazingly trashy. Thus, every few yards something that could hide an IED. Can't stop for it all.

Also, our driver is busy driving. I'm sure he was watching for IEDs, but his first job is to drive, and he was constantly swerving around some slow driver, or to avoid a huge pothole, or to go through a check point, or something. The other guy in the front also looked for IEDs, I'm sure, but he was also talking on the radio, watching the vehicles behind us in the convoy to make sure they didn't get strung out, and watching the computer screen up by his face which contained the computerized map and GPS.

I tried to watch for IEDs, for a while. In the back seat, I could see the door post, and the window post, and the head and helmut of the guy in front of me, and the computer screen, and the snorkle (air tube for the engine), so I couldn't see anything ahead of us. I looked out my side window, but it is only about a foot square, and we drive 55 mph, so at best I'd just see something as it flashed by. We have to wear eye protection, and I had my ballistic sunglasses, which were great until the sun went down. After dark I just gave up and hoped for the best.

It was kind of cool as we pulled out. I felt a bit like Kid Shaleen in Cat Balou. Put on my gloves, strapped on the body armor, buckled the seatbelt, put in the combat earplugs (can hear normally, but if an IED goes off, they will stop your ears from rupturing), donned the eyewear, locked magazines into my M4 and M9, jacked rounds into the chambers, and pointed the rifle across my lap toward the window. (We leave the window up until we have to shoot; better IED protection). Ready for bear. The guy manning the .50 cal MG above also charged it, and was swiveling back and forth, looking for trouble. Lots of firepower in our convoy.

My driver got hit by an IED last week, driving a truck. Was not hurt, but was definitely impressed by the concussion. Said, "I didn't use to believe in earplugs, but now I think they're the most important part".

Couple of guys were joking about how the US is the world's peace keeper (soldiers). Said one, "Were an armed peace corps." Another replied, "We're the militant wing of the Salvation Army."