You can never imagine that it would happen, but with one short-sided comment or blaring scream you are there. A slam of the front door, a dropped phone call or the worst of all, that empty feeling that things would never be the same are signs of an ending relationship. Somehow you promise to be respectful, but with a personality like mine, answers are what I am looking for. For her, it was the yearning for a different life. So how does it happen? I am not really sure, one minute you are toasting each other and the next fighting over the stupidest thing possible. Your anger grows and her despair is ever apparent. Your eyes are opened as if someone split your forehead open with a crowbar, that’s how amazing and dramatic the feelings you have eventually become.

So what’s the point of this whole thing? A year has gone by since I departed my old life, my ex-wife and a life that seems a blur in the rear view mirror. A friend was killed, a war rages and we are still here fighting for whatever we think is important. I walked out that door knowing deep down that I would never return, knowing that some much time was wasted by pleading, arguing, negotiating for nothing.

I look back now and know that the decisions made were not easy for either of us. They had to be made regardless though, and now the outcome. What I find amazing is that no matter what, I will say one thing; I didn’t follow the typical path of an ex-husband. I left it, the ink dried and I packed my bags, grabbed the dog and went north. Not knowing what was going to happen, but the point of this is to let you out there know….Get Livin’ or Get Dyin’.

There aren’t any easier answers, but one tool we have in our kit is survival. I went through the bottle; I blamed myself, and everything in between. Without the very close circle of family and friends, I would be DEAD. Yes I said it, DEAD.
No one has the answers for you, I know that now. Whether it was putting a bullet in my own head or getting back on the plane back to Afghanistan, as a dear friend said…”you’re dead already”.

I will admit my mistakes, pay for my sins and most of all, understand I didn’t or wasn’t successful as a husband. I do know though, that was the longest drive to the most unfamiliar place I have ever been too…home. After many long hours in the middle of the quiet night, I decided to go home. I had to open my heart, my hands and say I am sorry. Saying sorry has never been hard, the hard part is that it seems forgiveness has never come easy for those mistakes.

With all that behind me, we are now in May 2011 and I will admit that every morning I stare into the mirror and an overwhelming amount of pride comes over me. I survived; I wasn’t a causality or a statistic that most thought would become of me. I took all that I learned over the past 13 years and applied it. I got my shit together, identified the immediate threats, worked out courses of action and drove the fuck on!

I hold no ill will, it had to be done. Was it my way? No, but you can’t dictate how life is going to deal those cards, you just got to pony up and hope for the best. You dream that whatever it is inside of you will prevail, it will be positive! So like I said, you really only have one choice….GET LIVIN’ or GET DYIN’.

This is dedicated to all of those who stood vigilant in the night with me, answered the midnight phone calls and offered up sound advice and a good hug…you know who you are.

“What a shame to judge a life you can’t change”- Dedicated to all those out there trying to figure it out after so many years of difficult service.

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• 

I am still trying to figure out how there seems to be two very different implementations of this phrase in our country. There is the one have I just spoken of and the other, let’s take overpaid athletes who are considered elite. Why is this? These are our heroes? These are the people that we envision as elite because they can do what so very few can? Ok…I get it. Then what about the men and women of this country (the 1%’ers as I like to call them) and what they do that so very few can? Elite right? Nope…sorry…apparently too many in the general public think they are not. Yet a football player who is paid a disgusting amount of money to play a child’s game and even sometimes be allowed to act like a child is considered elite.

At rallies, coffee shop chatter, social media sites, and even media sites themselves I have read and heard hundreds of times how returning veterans should not be treated like heroes, role models, or elite Americans. How did we get here? How are children in awe of a 6’1 quarterback who has been accused of domestic violence and other interesting charges as a hero and not that PFC from Wyoming who just completed a combat tour, endured a hellish environment and survived just so that athlete can make millions never mind the security of our nation. Even if that PFC didn’t ever leave the FOB (Forward Operating Base), he or she went and did something very few in this country could. I no longer care about FOBBITS or who does what or doesn’t. This is about recognizing that our veterans and current service members are an elite class.

I am not bashing football players (I love the Giants) but any athlete or actor I don’t care. If they are given the privilege of being called elite, then holy hell so should our men and women who are, have or will serve this nation. These are the people that put their country first and not their own safety, financial gain or self interest. We have our fair share of screw ups in the military, but why aren’t children encouraged to serve their country in a capacity like the military or even government work? Why do we look at as if it was a prison sentence? Next time you see a individual who is in uniform or know someone who has served at some point in some capacity, look to your child and say…that’s an elite person!

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• 

There is no easy way to admit that sometimes things get past you. Someone once told me that if a person has to throw a brick at you to get your attention, then you are moving too fast in life. My brick hit and punched a hole through my chest. It caused an awakening that has been teetering in my head and heart for a while. There are so many reasons and causes for things in my life, but I have stood the line many times before and followed my beliefs and this is no different. Maybe I am saving myself or someone is helping me, either way everyone has to be saved at some time. My time is now and I am here with open arms.

I do not blame all my problems on combat, is there a relationship there? Of course, but who I am and what I do is because of free will. The past twelve years of my life and the events that have occurred in that time frame have shaped who I am today. I have struggled to find out who I am and what I want, all this to include distancing myself from certain friends and most of my family. I held to my beliefs and truly felt that I was right, not so much now. I have struggled to understand my parent’s decisions, I have failed to see the views of others and take them into consideration, and I have allowed my aggression and intensity to push people aside and misconstrued it as a passion. I have been overzealous on the matters that purely simplistic in nature and vowed to make them right. I have failed to grasp both the love and friendship languages that many needed to hear. I have caused disruption in people’s lives because I put the war, the military, and my own beliefs first.

I have crawled my way back into therapy with an open heart and mind, I need to listen, need to understand that some of those quirks are hurting people. I need to come to grips with who I am and what I want to change and what I want to keep about myself, let’s call it taking inventory. Not everything will go and not everything will remain. I have told my therapist that I wanted to lighten the intensity inside of myself, what seems to be even keel to me is not to everyone around me, most of the time it triggers apprehension and forces people to deal with issues that they don’t care about or don’t want to talk about. The Doc says to me the other day “Mike you’re a very intense person, but what you fail to realize is that it can make people feel like your attacking them instead of simply talking to them.” I sat back in the chair and pondered that and felt upset, not upset for myself, but everyone that I have made feel that way. I felt this pain in my stomach as if I had purposely attacked someone and failed to realize it. I told him I wanted to focus on that for the next few months, to work on it in my personal and professional life. He agreed.

Some where along the line I have let my colors slip from me, it’s not because I have fallen out of love or wish to be alone. It’s because I lost focus of what is truly important to me, I have held such contempt for certain people in my life that I never gave myself a chance to forgive them and them to forgive me. The day I realized my colors were running I knew that certain drastic and deep changes had to be made for myself, by myself. I am not sure if they will help my situation, but if I don’t do this now, I will never get off this path. People sometimes say that you need a crisis in your life to take stock in what you have and if it is worth losing, if it’s not, then is it worth fighting for? I believe in my heart it is all worth fighting for now. I have never allowed myself to be truly vulnerable, well times are changing. I am not sure how many of you have had to reach out and say I am sorry for the absurd actions you have done, but the other day I did. I spoke to my father; it has been almost two years now. I did not apologize on the phone, he is a man that believes that should be done in person, I agree. We spoke, he told me how he was still angry with me about not inviting them to my wedding or separating myself from my nieces and nephews. He also told me that I had a death wish, that was hard to hear. He did not mean I wanted to go and do flips of the Empire State Building, but my continuing adventures overseas. I am not a soldier anymore, I am accepting of that. He told me, “son you have to be around, your war is over, you have to be a man who is there for your family, provide stability” he also told me that I needed to realize that my life has new meaning and I need to embrace it. To find what I love and be with it, simply stop leaving us what it comes down to.

After an hour of speaking with him, he told me he was not ready to see me yet, but in time that would change. A new color added.

I have taken off the emotional body armor and it feels as if a thousand pounds has been lost. The past few weeks I have enjoyed slowing down, concentrating on my Master’s, seeing some friends and their kids. This past weekend I talked to someone whom I lost touch with. I asked them for forgiveness for my judgments against them. I am eager to speak with my brother and do the same. I miss him; I have missed his life and that of his family.

At work, I have some options, but in the end I am realizing that I do enjoy myself and my teammates. Not everything is going to be perfect and the move will be difficult, but what I have is pretty damn good. I asked my boss, who is a good man; to simply let me take some time to work on my small projects, travel a bit. He loved the idea and asked then what, I told him, well let’s just worry about that when the time comes. I no longer have any interest to move to another job with another agency. It isn’t perfect here, but I have roots and those roots are growing.

Some heed warning that this is a knee jerk reaction; to me it is something more. That brick that hit me, well it was a wakeup call. As I looked at the damage it caused which were minor, compared to what would be the outcome if these changes were not made. As I said, being vulnerable is new to me, and it’s vindicating to say I am scared and I need help. There are no pills, no booze that could fix this all. It is honesty, faith, hope, commitment and that small voice inside that says I love you.

It is hard to hear someone tell you that they don’t believe you or that mistakes have been made. Honesty is truly difficult; I guess that’s why so many people shy away from it. I am neither martyr nor victim; I am alive and awake…now. I have missed a few things, I have said some horrible stuff, but I am remorseful for those. I have no control what will happen in certain aspects of my life, but I will stay the course. I want to, I have to.

Some of my colors have dulled; some have gone away…maybe forever. I challenge you to look at your life, take stock of your colors and to be a better person. We are all casualties from something, but it should not dictate how we live our lives.

As I write this, I am filling out a Mother’s Day card for the first time in three years. I also received a text saying let’s talk from my brother. I admitted that I failed to see the little things that make you happy. All of this can be changed if all who are involved want to. I opened the door with my family and they have asked me to walk through it…time will heal this.

Colors of your life can be as vibrant as you want them to be or as dark ugly as well. In chaos comes clarity. I know where that brick came from and the dent that it has left will remain as a constant reminder for me to live my life with passion, honesty, compassion, love and tolerance.

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• 

I departed through the main gate to my vehicle and turned it over, realizing I had forgotten my cool guy sun glasses and returned once again to retrieve them. Upon doing so, the vehicle was modestly warm and I hoped in. It was now 0730(L) and I was departing for my mission of the day…going to work! The funny thing was, I was wearing Armani grey slacks and white shirt with a dark blue Mens Express tie. The vehicle was my SUV, but the glasses were still “Cool Guy” Standard Issue Oakley’s! That sentry I happened to find passed out while on duty was my German Shepherd pup and the PT room was actually at PT room, but not filled with soldiers, only my wife. I have left the battlefield behind me about a year and half ago, somewhat of a physical distance from Golestan located in the Southern arena of the Stan.

My gun truck in now my silver SUV and my weapon is a cell phone and blackberry, not very intimidating but almost as effective. As I said, my uniform is what I like to refer to as boardroom armor. I no longer need to rely on OPORDS to get things done nor do I need to be reminded that I must shave and keep a neat military appearance; civilians do not mind beards and a bit longer hair. My problem is I think I left most of it back in the Stan! The battlefield is now in the boardrooms, teleconferences and last minute trips to “other areas” where my peers are at. The closest thing to an IED (Improvised Explosive Device) is the garbage can on the side of the hallway. Pieing the corner is a thing of the past, I know whip around the corner without a care in the world.

The day consists of a quiet lunch minus the feces blowing onto it, people not trying to kill you, and well my favorite, being inside a controlled climate. My C2 Center is now a comfortable chair, cherry desk, and all the lavish amenities any man would care for. I can come and go as I want without interference or worrying about the locals peering at me and reporting mine and others movements. I do not have to negotiate for supplies nor do I have to smell shit everywhere! That is a plus no matter what! The major and minor operations are mostly peaceful and respectful in nature, people are there to get along and help. The terms please and thank you ring out like a shotgun blast, the echoing of laughter is easy to find. A piece of mind for anyone who has worked in OEF/OIF would appreciate it.

They day draws to a conclusion as I depart from the building with a steady ray of sunshine to escort back to the vehicle, checking in with Household Six to make sure I do not need to do an emergency resupply before I head back to the house. All is good and I am green to go! Upon my arrival I am met with a bark of excitement and eagerness to play by the pup. I pet the cat who is eagerly awaiting his dish to be filled. I continue to Charlie Mike by walking the perimeter with Duke (the pup) and enjoy what seems to be the quietest part of my day. We break to pick up the mail and head towards the house. I shower in a clean bathroom that lacks the Afghan “touch”, dress, and head downstairs to begin creating an exceptional meal for my wife of less than one year.

As she arrives, the aromas of tonight’s meal beckons her for attention and in response a smile and a long kiss. In my mind it seems that boardroom warfare seems more desirable than its predecessor.

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• 

In this podcast, which is actually #13 on this site (not #12 as I stated in the podcast), Scott, Mike and I talk about a variety of topics dealing with Afghanistan. We cover the use of National Guard and the important role they have played in the war, some of McChrystal’s policies and even the current hot topic of the photo by the AP of the dying Marine last Friday.

As you can imagine, the connectivity from Afghanistan is not always the best but Scott’s connections holds up well until the end of the podcast. I hope you can take some time to listen to the three of us talk about some of the current hot-topic and important issues with Afghanistan.

Bouhammer Roundtable with Troy, Mike and Scott

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• 

He asked me to send him to war which sent me back on my heels.  He stated it was his time and that I had done enough and he has done little.  We sat drinking beers and pondering the universe, but all that could come of it was that I had done my time and he had not. 

I have known this man for years; he was truly a good friend, like the friend that I could count on one hand type.  He watched over Nicole while I was gone myself in Afghanistan and never did I think twice about it.  My heart dropped when he told me this, I thought about six different ways to tell him that he didn’t need to go, but yet all he could come back with was why me and not all the others?

I stared in amazement and said it wasn’t his duty and yet he came back again and raged that he was like all the others and it was his time.  My mind raced to think about the excuses that I could use, but nothing worked.

I hung over his truck and screamed at him, begging him that it “wasn’t his war”.  It was mine; ours, the ones who went out there and came back under-appreciated and misunderstood.  That is our bond, maybe being selfish, maybe scared that I wouldn’t get him back.  He has watched over me for so long that I forget the time we met.  This war is hard, its unpredictable, it’s for those who are willing to climb the mountains, walk the deserts, able to look to the skies and know that no one is looking back at them.  I don’t want Joe to endure that, he is better than that. 

I rode home tonight with Nicole and felt the rush of the Jersey shore on our faces and I am not sure that I can convince him to do other than what he wants.  I stared into her eyes and wished for an answer and she could simply say it’s not your war anymore; it is his if he wants it.  What scares me more than anything else is being there, God forbid, if the word comes and the chaplain is at the door like in the movies.  Have you ever seen At War, the ramp ceremony, the scene in We Were Soldiers? Christ I couldn’t do it! Not this time, not with him or his family, they mean too much.  I would rather go back myself; at least I know I am good at it. 

As we sat there tonight I told him to accept the wind, the smell of the ocean, the quietness of his neighborhood, because god damn it would be the last time until he  got his ass home that he would ever feel it again, but every day over there that is all he would think about.  I feel like I cannot prepare him or ask anyone who has been there to do the same thing and feel good about him being successful. 

Fuck I hate this, those who have not gone want the chance now.  Of all the times to do this, they choose now!  It is a horrible time in the Stan and my god damn best friend wants to be in the shit.  So I said ok, I will do it. I will put you in touch with those that are going over, but I am not going to god damn like it. To those who have been left out of war, here is your chance to join those who suffer nothing less than the pain they have inflicted.

MT

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• 

When I was eighteen I awoke one morning to realize America was changing, but I was not so sure how. Fast forward eleven years and I am now seeing it clear as day. America is redefining itself in a way that only the future citizens of this country shall know.

We are a country of whiners, complainers, and blamers. For the past few generations our country has grown into those who earned to those who expect. We have raised our children to seek instant gratification, to worship fifteen minute of fame media whores, and to believe that our country is the root of all evil. Our society believes every child should be special and earn a trophy or you should not be held accountable for your actions; it’s someone else’s fault as the saying goes. We teach our own to break the little rules because no one cares about them and if you’re caught deny and lie until it hurts.

We are a country of law suit fanatics, artists of guilt, and simply uneducated individuals. In this country we have more lawyers then we do law enforcement personnel or teachers! We paint scenarios of racism in this country as a free check to do what ever you please. Is there racism, of course, but not unlike any other country has to deal with. When people stop feeling guilty for their own personal beliefs and ideas, which this country was founded on, maybe the guilt, will recede and we can start being honest in this country. The uneducated is directed to those who read only half of the story, those who truly are not privileged to the information about what goes on inside and outside of this country because YOU DO NOT NEED TO KNOW! No other country has a Freedom of Information Act. Why do Americans feel that they have the right to know everything because I can honestly tell you that you would not sleep for a week if you did?

My country is crumbling before my eyes and there is nothing I can do about it except to educate myself and others, embrace change, but most importantly when my soul weakens to look up at the red, white, and blue and hope it is not too late.

We are a country that sat on Washington DC and booed our former President, the same man we re-elected. I ask you to think, what would you have done differently? Not every decision was the right one, many mistakes were made, but he made a decision. That is the problem in our country as well, we like to think we would have made a better decision, but once again the President, cabinet, Congress, and Senate all had knowledge of these decisions. Are people that blind to think the President goes around making decisions and that’s set in stone? Read the papers yesterday, President Obama is now facing the same issues with the Congress and Senate as President Bush did.

Why is it in this country people feel self-entitled to everything? Is it that we have to much access to technology, information, or are we that naïve to think we deserve for the simple fact of being Americans? Why do people latch onto whatever is the popular trend, listen to actors and believe everything that comes out their mouth concerning politics, engage in radical ideas on how everyone must be equal. Nothing in this world is equal, it is physically impossible. Our country was born out of the want for competition, the opportunity (not right) to succeed, and the willfully understanding that future generations would have to understand the past to change the future.

So I sit here and I struggle to look out my window and see America. I am not rich, I have a modest home, I have served my country in time of peace and war, I earned my college education on my own dime, donated my spare time to charities when possible, obtained a job in the civilian sector, and found someone to love. I struggle with being blamed for acts that occurred more than two hundred years ago, I am second generation American. I struggle with taxes for social programs for those who choose not to take care of themselves. I struggle that 50% of my income is taken away from me. I struggle to listen to people who believe think outside America the world is perfect or that their people out there who want to do harm to us just because they can? Why is that so hard for people to believe?

A man in my position is about to become the highest tax bracket, will never see any special programs, scholarships or tax breaks because of my color or gender. I watch illegal citizens get better health care than myself and fellow veterans. I am accused of being rich because I have a decent job, accused of keeping others down, accused of spreading Mr. Bush’s policies and destroying our image to other countries.

To all those reading this, as I tell my future wife we must remain vigilant, must keep our faith in our country… (Nothing to do with religion). We must think back to those difficult times from the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the multiple conflicts, the 1960’s when our country was tearing itself apart, and now. Change is coming and so many have asked for it, what happens to our country and to those who truly believe so much change is coming and it does not happen? Will you riot; will you blame someone else like you are so good at? I ponder this everyday. To those brothers and sisters in arms, to those who support us, and to those who do not regardless we will remain on our watch until everyone is home and if there is a time were this world will only know war in a past tense. Mike T.

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• 

I knew the team members and I knew the mission. I was sidelined for my last 40 days or so due to an injury but helped prep the team for this specific mission. Upon their departure I was their CAS Coordinator as well as their Aerial Re-Supply Specialist Coordinator. Besides these duties I advised the team about operations in the area, updated intelligence, and so on. I did it because even though I was not going to be there I was supporting them and their mission. Ok no big deal it was my job and responsibility.

I hope you pay attention to that last line, as the point to this article is this…what the hell are the ANA/ANP doing that they deserve awards? What chaps my ass is that I listened to the radio transmissions and read the reports of that operation as it went on; the farthest thing from the truth is that they deserved medals. I understand we need to reward the childish like antics of the ANA/ANP because if we don’t then they don’t want to play anymore (i.e defend their own country). I have seen Americans do heroic things or simply go beyond their basic duties and receive nothing (not even a verbal recognition). I have seen interpreters doing amazing things or lay their necks out for the ETT/PMT’s and simply get a kick in the ass while some dumb ass officer tells them that they aren’t getting a visa to the USA.

The people mentioned in the article blasted the very same Kandak on the way they conducted business. Half of the ETT team was disliked by the Kandak soldiers because the team knew they weren’t ready for operations, which was told to me by their S-2/3 on several occasions. What the hell were they doing giving this Kandak and its soldiers awards? Good US soldiers/NCOs’/Officers are being left high and dry when CSTC-A denies awards or even closer to home, our own 207th Corp never turns the paperwork in.

It sounds like business as usual over there, it is a shame that our men and women (unless of significant rank) are awarded AAM’s or ARCOM’s. Hell men were awarded MSM while in a combat zone, someone might want to check on that regulation**! The ANA/ANP have a long way to go before they start earning US-issued awards for heroism or simply doing their job. Speaking from experience, it is better to be passed over for an award then receive one that everyone knows you don’t deserve. I have a good friend in that area of operation who is a Captain, (one of the best I have gotten to work with) like many he will walk out of there with nothing while the ANA/ANP that have left us in the middle of an operation, ran from combat, and even tried to kill us earn awards…amazing.- MT

** Page 56 of the US Army Regulation 600-8-22 titled Military Awards (dated December 11th, 2006) states the following in a footnote after the section on Combat awards: Approval of the MSM and AAM in the area of combat operations is rescinded. These are peacetime-only decorations.

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• 

Put together by the guys from my team who are spread out across the countryside!

You know when you’ve been at war to long when:

10. Indirect fire hits right outside the camp walls and your only reaction is “damn it, I heard they are out of chicken wings!”

9. Every disgusting foul remark can be made towards each other and nothing will be thought of it…except for some FNG* standing behind you listening in horror.

8. You get exicted that the air conditioner works but your radios just went down and all hell is breaking loose.

7. You can PMCS** your truck without the manual.

6. When coffee, nicotine, and fear no longer help you get through a mission.

5. Every uniform you have is three different colors and has been sewn up at least four different times.

4. When you forget your own zip code to mail something home.

3. Every response to someone who never leaves the camp but continues to bitch at you for something is EAT A D^^K!

2. You get less sleep in a secure compound then you do in your truck in an overwatch position.

1. When you walk into the Joint Operations Center full of officers while singing under your breath-

***My AK-47 brings all the boys to the yard,
And their like “It’s better than yours”
Damn right, It’s better than yours,
I can teach you, but I have to charge

I know you want it…
The thing that makes me,
What the guys go crazy for,
They lose their minds, The way I wind,
I think it’s time… MY AK-47 BRINGS ALL THE BOYS TO THE YARD!

And you don’t even skip a beat!!!!

*FNG- F@#$#ng New Guy
**Preventive Maintenance Checks and Services
***Sung to the tune of Milkshake by Kelis.

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• 

Over the past five months or so and many conversations on the phone while I was home on leave we have found a common ground to agree on about this war. For the first time I sat and stared at your last post and thought very hard about my response. I will say that I have to disagree with you on the duration time frame. Throughout the course of these wars we have seen different ideas and plans succeed and fail. What we are dealing with now is what many call the Security/Infrastructure Investment Problem.
What this problem is has multiple prongs within itself, let me explain. Everyone knows without security, infrastructure which includes schools, bridges and roads, free markets, civil services, and a multitude of other daily life necessities are either loss completely or are hampered in a very serious way. Without investment from within the country or outside interests, Afghanistan will continue to harvest poppy for the world. They have to; it’s their only true exportation that secures income. So how we do we accomplish both? How do we keep continuity of the unit in its respective AOR? How do we keep pressure on the enemy while building the infrastructure? These are hard questions to answer let along the other hundred or so that are right behind them.
I have looked at what I will simply call the Troy Structural Plan; I figured it needed an official name to it! Let it be known I do like some of your ideas, but overall I think we are missing some key ingredients. Socially our country could not or will not tolerate this. It is nice to hear about recruitment amongst the services, but if you look closely at the numbers, somehow every service either hit its mark or scored at 101% for the quarter, amazing how every service except the Marines had the same numbers. The generation behind me has been listening to anti-war slogans and agendas since day one. This started almost 5 years ago for Iraq and even though not so much for us here in Afghanistan, they are leaping out of their cars to the recruiter stations. This generation has been blasted with what I like to call the “Me Syndrome”, what is it in for me, why would I go there if my own country cannot fix its own problems, or even the fact that our own Senators and Congressmen have spoken to them telling them that if they study harder they won’t have to go to Iraq. They believe in instant gratification, I can say this; I am part of that generation.
Another hampering factor in the plan, the Army has come up with the Reset and Stabilization Period Programs that allow re-allocation of manpower and equipment. This process usually takes up to one year, now look at this closely and you will see at least three major contractors who help the Army along with this. If we are to prolong tours with the equipment I can tell you that FSR’s (Field Service Reps) will be losing money left and right since those units will stay in country. General Motors earns millions to help “reset” units that have returned, they aren’t going to want to lose that money. We have big business to deal with, oh and just a tidbit, we have one FSR for our entire RSIC here. That might indicate they aren’t big fans of being downrange.
In order to have these units stay here, the biggest problem that needs to be solved is the Rules Of Engagement. Back in WWII and even the earliest points of Vietnam, the ROE’s served to help the soldier, not hinder him. You could be four major divisions in here, but if the ROE’s do not change, what is the difference? There was no such thing as collateral damage until the middle of Vietnam, more or less. Now we come 1000 meters to a mosque or a village and a quarter inch of shrapnel hits something we are paying thousands of dollars. You have entire BCT’s running through the battle space tearing the areas up hunting for bad guy’s commanders are going to be standing tall in front of some stars. The thought process here and even in Iraq is fight with white gloves on, take it to the enemy but don’t do to much damage.
You spoke of understanding from the families of soldiers and how on active duty we are soldiers 24-7, I agree with that. In this day in age, families are tired of disruption as well, but what is to say that being gone 3 years compared to 15 months doesn’t do any less damage, matter of fact probably more. We all think of the GI’s returning home after WWII triumphantly with their ladies waiting for them, realistically it wasn’t like that. It is now known that many came home to nothing, wives got tired of waiting, children welcomed home a stranger. Our communities were much stronger than then now and they still had a very rough time with it.
Humans need consistency that is a fact. Our technology allows us to keep real world time in communications with our families, but physically we have a new generation born with an absence. These children of the modern day warrior are no different than those of the WWII. Their fathers and mothers have been gone not once, but twice or more.
So what do we do about this problem? There is no true answer to solving the problems of this war in Afghanistan. We have decided to take on the burden and fight against an ideology. You no amount of soldiers can kill an idea. After seven years of this, reversing the course may cause more damage than good. Some side bar items for you.

All of the problems of trying to rotate people back every 12 months, millions of dollars in costs relating to moving personnel and equipment and not to mention the loss of intellectual knowledge of the battle-space and people in the battle-space- Reality is that the big business interest of moving personnel and equipment set up by contractors with the approval of Mr. Rumsfeld has allowed the Army to fall victim to dependency and by law to fulfill those contracts already established per contractor. Intelligence is lost on the battlefield everyday…I will not go into specifics because of OPSEC.
All of the problems of trying to rotate people back every 12 months, millions of dollars in costs relating to moving personnel and equipment and not to mention the loss of intellectual knowledge of the battle-space and people in the battle-space can all be avoided if we got off of the Vietnam 12 month and out mindset.
When I was active duty (for almost 10 years) I knew that was my job. I was a soldier full time, 24/7/365. I had nothing else on me schedule. I trained year around, all hours of the day and through holidays and weekends. When you are a soldier, you are a soldier all the time. If Desert Storm combat actually lasted 2 years instead of a few weeks, then I would have expected to stay, not rotate back. So why do we expect that now?
Reality is that during Desert Storm you still have the 7th ID, 24th ID, and even some parts of the 9th ID. Missing three major divisions now, including 2 Bomber Groups from the AF, three Aircraft Carriers from the Fleet, and multiple smaller SF unit types, that was a different time. Then you could draw on other forces, the Army was much larger and more conventionally structured. A soldier is a soldier, that has been stated, but lets face it…THEY ARE PEOPLE. After awhile people grow tired and the soldier has been failed at almost every corner in the past 7 years. From Walter Reed, the VA, and even by its own citizens. Our soldiers are more educated and in tune with the political atmosphere. We understand our mission but in the end, what is there to come home to? Homelessness is up by 30% amongst our newest veterans, 20% of suicides alone this year were by females, unemployment is the highest in the country for veterans. They have endured their tours and have performed exceptionally. Where are our ticker tape parades that Desert Storm and WWII got? The individual soldier is responsible for baring the weight of war upon their shoulders, but in time that weight becomes too much. Three year tours can not and will not help anymore than what we are doing now.
In all fairness to Troy, I do support his actions and writing though. Even though I do not agree with everything he says, he is trying to think outside the box for solutions for our men and women in uniform. I applaud him for that, unlike so many who are quarterbacking this thing from the Hill. So Troy, once again you have made a great argument in your writing! Keep on keeping on! – Mike (ETT MEMBER in Afghanistan/2nd tour)

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