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America Redefined

The following posting is from Guest Blogger: Mike T.

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.

Guest Blogger Mike T: Pin it on Any Monkey

It has only been about 8 weeks now that I have been home and it is going well. I have returned back to work and am fully engaged in my duties. I have continued to monitor the war in Afghanistan with a set of fresh eyes, but still certain things set me back. My dear friend Troy sent me a piece about my last operational area in the 207th Corp (Click this link to see the story www.defenselink.mil//news/newsarticle.aspx?id=52210). The teddy bears and sunshine piece talked about the US Army and its ETT elements presenting awards to the ANA for the duties during a recent mission that was conducted.

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

ANA-Afghan National Army
CAS- Close Air Support
ANP-Afghan National Police
ETT-Embedded Training Team
PMT-Police Mentoring Team
Kandak- Afghan Army Battalion
CSTC-A – Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan
AAM- Army Achievement Medal
ARCOM-Army Commendation Medal
MSM- Meritorious Service Medal

** 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.

Guest Blogger: Mike T, You know when you’ve been at war to long when…

*Bouhammer Note, the following list was sent to me by my fairly new and good friend, Mike T. I meant to post this prior to going out of town this last weekend,  but I forgot. This demonstrates some of the weird, crazy, and almost never politically correct humor that soldiers whom walk through hell and back, sometimes have.*

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.

Guest Blogger, Mike T- Response to Bouhammer Plan

*Bouhammer NOTE- The blog below is an email I got from Guest Blogger Mike T. He highlights some great points here and I felt this really needed to be a blog entry in itself. I respect his difference in opinion with my blog entry HERE, and in rebuttal I will write in comment to this blog entry once it is posted.*

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)

Mike T Guest Blogger: The demons stay here

So everyone has been following the news, especially about our brothers back east from the 173rd (may they rest in peace). There is a state of panic and anxiousness where I am at. There are big plans in the works for things all across the country as I type this, but so far little response after the incurring attacks on US/Coalition Forces. We have officially become the “old” guys here on the teams and we are under our 60 day mark. All of us are trying to find our own ways to deal with our short-timers attitude and well to simply stay alive. I have been sidelined by an unexpected injury, a hamstring tear. My days of running missions for the last month are out of the question. The weird part is I do not feel guilty or as if I am missing out on something. My brethren here have been very supportive and well I think a bit happy about it. I have a new team (again) which is very common for the ETT/PMT studs to rotate in to fill gaps. This new team has been here only a short time but biting at the chance to deal damage to the bad guys with their ANA counterparts. I applaud them for their positive attitudes during this surge of violence. I was told to rest up, help with anything I can concerning the team, but most importantly enjoy the earned down time. I was going through with my team NCOIC about my NCOER, end of tour award, and all that other stuff you have to deal with. In doing so, I have accomplished over 100 combat patrols. To say the least they added up pretty quickly. My hair was blown back on that!!!
I saw that my post was also put onto The Sandbox.com with the great guys from Doonesbury. I want to let everyone know that since I have been back I have gotten a new found perspective. Rest and the love of family and friends has helped me back on a normal course. We all take steps to “get straight” before we head back to the real world. For me, this is the end of my Army career. After 11 years I am walking away for personal reasons, but before I do so, I have made a promise to make sure my mind, body, and soul have come full circle to put this all behind me as so many others have had to do. All of us, whether in Afghanistan or Iraq, regardless of how many tours have had to deal with demons. I came back here again to deal with mine. This time though, I can honestly say that they will stay here. For all those who have commented, supported, and read the posts….THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT. Michael

Back to War, a poetic rant by Mike T

*Bouhammer Note- It has been a very busy last 10 days since NY National Guard lost the first three of the five soldiers that she lost recently. I did not get a chance to conduct a virtual interview, but in its place I am posting this rant that I received from Mike T over the weekend. I talked with Mike T  on the phone twice over the last few days as he was home on leave. He sent this to me and I asked him if I could put it in a poem format as I felt it would flow well that way and he agreed. Since Mike T had to leave the USA today to head back to Afghanistan in order to finish his tour, I figured it would be a good day to post this entry from him. Even though it started as a rant, I feel it is really a poem in hiding.*

So we sit, in the middle of NJ, I listen to everything that happens around me.

I have Dead Kennedys and One Republic, Cicero.

I have something in my life.

There’s something in combat that you lose.

You look at the flowers, the literature. You look at your life.

There are things that you see that no one else can find.

You grow old, you grow tired. You find happiness. You call in an air strike.

You watch as somebody grows upon you. You just wanted her to know how you felt.

You’re tired of feeling like some used up bag of war. I am ready to stop and come home.

I get tired of telling her that she’s nothing but beautiful.

But you’re old, you’re tired, you’re beat up.

Yet you don’t remember what it was like not to drink a bottle of vodka and make excuses for your country.

You sit there and just say I’m sorry. How do you sit there and say I drank too much and believed too much? Because that’s what I did.

How do you sit there and say this shouldn’t have happened, but I did them? Part of my life that I can’t explain.

That’s it.

That’s what you’ve got. I’m sorry I blew up this village or shot down these people. It is what it is, right?

You come home on a c-130 to nothing.

To you, to this imaginary life. To a woman who loves me to no end.

I have music and I have art.

Everything stops when I get off that aircraft. And here I am, still missing everything. It’s never fair though.

It’s not fair to say what we want to say and do what we want to do because it just never is.

Last night I got to hang out with good friends, and tonight here I am, ready to argue again. If I have to do this, then they’re the ones missing out.

Sometimes I wonder if I gave up everything. I’m so pissed off. Find war is such a simple matter.

I’m not sure it’s that anymore. But what about my beach? My Ocean Grove? Having wine with my future wife?

What about the things that I care about?

What about the things that I gave up?

What happened to the things that I cared about?

What about the drafting table, Osaka, piancones?

Where is my rose that I left so long ago?

I sit here and sometimes wonder those things because I have a house and I have a family.

I have shot and killed, and the worst part is that my family thinks I’m a drunk. They think I’m a failure.

Sometimes I think if my new family thinks that too?

What do you do? How do you suffer? I’ve seen life. I’ve tasted art. Will we find our own way? I just don’t know how to do it anymore.

I’m tired.

So I write this, I sit here on my living room floor, my future wife typing as my German Shepherd sits with us.

But I can’t explain shit. Here I am, tired, worn down, beaten down. But I love my country. I love my ocean.

How do you explain what you have given up for 11 years?

How do you explain what you’ve given up for everyone else for 11 years.

I miss the times, I miss the art. I miss the humming in my life.

I’m tired of people shooting at me. That’s what it is.

I get to sit on my floor, drinking a beer.

I’ve got 48 hours left until I go back and I’ve got no excuses.

But I have rosemary wine, I have salty wind.

These are the things that people dream of. I have books that people imagine having.

And I have a fiancée that no matter what, I will jump out of a helicopter for, I will do anything for her because I can’t do anything about the war. So its back to war then back to my real job.

Mike T Guest Blogger: Lawn Maintenance Repairmen

Bouhammer Note; This may seem like a confusing post, but I am sure if you read between the lines and take your time with this, the true intent of Mike’s message can be see. Picture of Mike on mission at the end of the post.

The Lawn Maintenance Repairmen operate throughout Afghanistan. They are a special group that is entrusted to maintain and run key operations in the lawn department. They are frequently seen attending to the most specific details of their small piece of green area never really focusing on any other part of the lawn. They are constantly seen carrying all their required tools that are in pristine condition and seem content on rarely being seen and never heard. Their piece of greenery is cozy, comfortable, and unmatched by those who do not attend the greening portion of daily business here. They are an amazement to watch as they go from green spot to green spot as if they were floating butterflies. They are never distracted by the heat, lack of sleep, or lack of knowledge of their specific job, perception is reality to them and their superiors.

These individuals are rewarded by being allowed to cultivate in areas that they feel truly benefits the groundskeeper, keeping their grass perfect in the eyes of the HQ here, seemingly untouched by the reality that they are grounds keepers in the desert and well, there is no grass to attend too. They are a marvel because they plant seeds that never amount to any growth here, but they suck up precious water and other valuable supplies needed by those non-lawn maintenance types. It is a shame that grass can only grow in very specific areas here and even in key months of the year. The other amazing thing is that everyone knows this but they continue to tend to their little piece of plush green carpet.

If you have Lawn Maintenance Repairmen in a location near you, thank them for creating such a magnificent piece of disillusionment, but be forewarned they will criticize you for walking on their grass and questioning their true purpose. These individuals protect their precious existence by all costs and in the end the only thing you will end up with is a piece of dried out dead grass clumps, for they are the ones with the elegant piece of property here.

Note: When I tried to grow my own piece of green elegance, I was told I was out of my lane and my help in adding some more green to the area was scrutinized by the well qualified keepers of misperception and uselessness. I guess I just don’t have what it takes to have a green thumb around here!!!!

Village of Golestan, April 2008

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