2003 Combat Deployment Preparation - Commanding Officer's Comments

 2003 - Greensboro, NC - I was the Commanding Officer of Communications Company, HQ Battalion, 4th Force Service Support Group. We were preparing for deployment as part of what would become Operation Iraqi Freedom.

These are notes from one of the many talks I gave to our Marines as we prepared.

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Challenges we face as we prepare for combat

Fear

                Physical danger

                The unknown

                Courage is not the absence of fear, but the acceptance of risk and rising to face danger with firmness of purpose and a determination that you will prevail.

                Fear of dying- each one of you is going to die at some time, it’s just a matter of when.  You could die tomorrow in a auto accident.

The fact is that if you look at historical odds, you are very likely to not have any sort of injury, much less get killed.  The greatest danger to you is getting sick or in an accident, and those are risks you have some control over.

                Our job is to make the other side die for their country.

                Combat is a horrible thing, the thought that you are a part of taking another human life is a sobering thought and an awesome responsibility.

                You’ve got to believe that you are going to be OK no matter what happens.

                There are no atheists in foxholes.

 

Uncertainty- Will they fight, give up, use chemicals? How long will we be gone? We don’t know, but we have to be ready for whatever we face.

Exhaustion-You will be tired, but you’ll do your job anyway. Lack of sleep can makes you prone to deadly errors.

Homesick – The best thing we can do is to do our job completely and quickly, so we take care of business and get everyone home.

Why do we fight

Must first accept the fact that there are some things worth risking your life for.    This is all about Sept 11^th, our nation has been attacked and don’t think for a minute that the Iraqis weren’t involved at some level.    

Protect our nation and the ideals that our country stands for.

                                Freedom, Opportunity, Achievement

                                Representative government

                Protect our families.

                Protect each other.

 Who we are fighting:

A homicidal dictator who has taken what was once one of the most advanced countries in the Middle East and turned it into a wasteland.

A government who has been responsible for the invasion of their neighbors.

Have used chemical and biological weapons against their own population, killing tens of thousands.

A regime who poses a direct threat to the security of our country.

 Our unique position in history

USMC is without a doubt the most lethal fighting force in the history of the world.

The area we are going to has been the site of battles since time began. 

We follow in the literal footsteps of the Greeks, Romans, Persians and many of the other of the world’s greatest forces.

Hundreds of years from now, they will still tell the stories of the Marines.

You are a part of that story.

 As reservists you are unique, you get the call when the nation really needs you.

               

The Reward

Everyone has been to the movies, we’ve all seen stories of struggle. This is real life. Our society has become soft, preferring to watch action over being part of it.  Many think about doing great things, but never makes it to the fight. You are in a unique position, you are real- life heroes.  

One day, when you are old, you will look back over your life and think of all the things you have done, and you will remember this day, the day when you were afraid but did your job anyway.  You will look around and be proud that you did something real, something larger than yourselves.  You will think of how you were a part of something worthy of a movie, and you will be proud.  

You’ll be proud when your grandchildren sit around your chair and ask you to tell the story again about how when you were young, you were sent halfway around the world to join in battle.  

You will be proud that you stood shoulder to shoulder with your fellow Marines, that when you were afraid, you held your head high, kept your honor and did the job your country depended on you to do.

Chapter Four

Consider that before long you will be nobody and nowhere, nor will any of the things exist that you now see, nor any of those who are now living. For all things are formed by nature to change and be turned and to perish in order that other things in continuous succession may exist.

Marcus Aurelius

 

The small town where we lived was named Badin, and it was nestled on the edge of the Uwharrie Mountains, beside a lake named after the town, Badin Lake. The Uwharries are one of North America's oldest mountain ranges, thought to have formed around 500 Million years ago. With peaks at one time soaring to heights of 20,000 ft, higher than the present Rockies, they have been worn down by eons of wind and water to their present stature of large rolling hills, with the highest being around 1,100 ft above sea level. Before the arrival of Europeans to the area, Native Americans made their home by the river that runs through the mountains, now known as the Yadkin. The rock of the area was of such a quality that it could be formed into exceptionally durable knives, tools, and arrowheads. It was also plentiful, being found in large boulders strewn through the forests, fields, and river. On the outskirts of where the town now lies, the Native Americans had setup the largest weapons factory in the southeast overlooking the Yadkin River, and evidence suggested it flourished for over 10,000 years before they vanished to disease, war, and relocation sometime in the 16th century. The fields and forests still turn up arrowheads, tools, and occasional axe heads from the native operations.

            Badin Lake had been built by the French in 1913 to serve as a source for hydro-electric power for their planned Aluminum plant in Badin. A soaring dam, the largest dam in the nation until the completion of the Hoover Dam in 1934, was built at a section of the river called the Narrows, where the normally wide Yadkin river cut a narrow channel in the valley between two ancient, worn mountains. Prior to the construction of the dam, the Yadkin river flowed freely all the way to the ocean. Badin had always been a company town, most of the residents either worked, or were connected to the Aluminum plant in some fashion. With their country under attack by Germany during WWI, the French left in 1914, selling all property and operations to a local power company who completed construction of the dam.

 In 1918, the Spanish Flu hit the community hard, especially the young. Dozens of lives were lost in the small community, and a special cemetery was constructed outside of town for many remains. I'd often ride my bike by the cemetery, by then overgrown and on the edge of a forest. I thought about the kids who died from the flu, and what the community would be like if they had lived. It seemed so unfair for them to be struck down before they could live life. I wondered what life was like in the town in the aftermath of such a devastating event. How had people kept on going after such tragedy and loss? Over the years, I came to see that these people were hearty, and they took what life gave them and kept on going. Resilience in the face of hard times had been a theme of this place since the earliest days, testing and refining the character of its people.

            The Aluminum Company of America (Alcoa) later purchased the entire operation. Alcoa became a good steward of the town, providing well-paying, middle class jobs that served as the backbone of the local economy. Aluminum was the wonder metal that spawned a new generation of vehicles and aircraft in the early twentieth century, replacing the heavier steel that had traditionally been used. Lightweight, durable, and relatively inexpensive, the demand for Aluminum was steady. A steady stream of raw materials needed to produce Aluminum was delivered by a railway that came right into the plant. The production of Aluminum was a non-stop process, with shift changes announced on a public-address system that could be heard throughout the entire town. The process of creating Aluminum required a tremendous amount of electricity to turn the raw bauxite into finished aluminum.  The dam at the Narrows proved so effective at generating electricity, that more dams were built along the Yadkin River. Eventually, Alcoa would own four (High Rock, Tuckertown, Badin, and Falls) Hydroelectric power became a profitable secondary business, with excess power being sold to Duke Power Company. As demand for electricity increased due to use of air conditioning, appliances, and manufacturing, this secondary line of business was spun off into its own company named Yadkin, Incorporated.

            With broad streets lined with pin oaks, a state of the art water treatment plant, a small downtown area, and a school, by the 1950s Badin was home to a few thousand residents. It had once been a booming town, boasting of the largest theater between Richmond and Atlanta. It had a grocery store, pharmacy, school, library, doctor's office, and a beautiful golf course complete with a sprawling club house on a hillside overlooking the tidy white apartments constructed by the French. By the time I was a boy, life in the town had slowed. The theater had been torn down in 1959 and replaced with an unpretentious US Post office. Many of the residents were nearing retirement, enjoying the peace and quiet of the restful village.  As with most small towns in the US at that time, the details of your life and lineage were well known. Everyone in the area knew you, your parents, and many knew your ancestors going several generations back. Most likely you were related to many in the community by either blood or marriage if you went back far enough.

In a place of prominence across from the Post Office, on a grassy lawn adorned with dogwood trees was a granite monument. Beneath the outstretched wings of an eagle carrying a banner labelled “Honor Roll” was a brass plaque with the words:

In honor of the 
Men and Women 
of Badin, 
North Carolina. who
served their country
in World War II and
in memory of those
who gave their lives.

G.F. Biles J.P. James
J.B. Davis, Jr. C.M. McDaniels
J.D. Huneycutt R.L. Moir, Jr.
C.J. Hunter R.T. Robinette
T.R.Venters

 

I felt I was growing up in a time that was a footnote to history. Noble Indian warriors, inspiration for the characters of Uncas and Chingachgook, had disappeared from centuries of war, disease, and famine, leaving only arrowheads and fragments of stone tools. Daniel Boone no longer explored the banks of the nearby Yadkin River, and the French had retreated to Europe. The wild, rugged landscape where giants of men had once roamed was now tame, the adventures and opportunities once afforded were long gone. I had arrived too late, long after their footprints were lost to the ages. I saw evidence of onetime greatness in the scaling dams, massive aluminum plant, and monument to soldiers who won WWII. I read and heard stories of the War of Independence, and the tragic valor of the Civil War, but those times had long passed.  It seemed the energy, initiative, and dynamism of our forefathers had passed with it. Our ancestors had been ambitious, industrious, bold, and courageous. I imagined it was like living in the British Isles a hundred years or so after the Roman Empire collapsed. In the shadow of Hadrian’s wall, they could see remnants of a great people, but those remnants were only a dim reflection of the greatness of the heroes who had once thrived.

Chapter Thirty-Five

 

Thirty-Five

 

“I am the punishment of God. If you had not committed great sins, God would not have sent a punishment like me upon you.”

Genghis Khan

 

In the early thirteen century the Mongols had exploded across Europe and Asia, conquering much of the known world in the largest empire in history. Defending armies had been swept away by the advancing horde in a string of wins going back to the Empire’s beginning in 1206. Intending on completing his conquest of Asia, Mongol Emperor Kublai Khan sent emissaries to Japan with a letter demanding their surrender. They didn’t respond, and in 1274 he gathered a fleet for an invasion. Kublai’s warriors, like those of his grandfather Genghis Khan, had known nothing but victory and anticipated a route against the small nation. The Japanese Imperial Court coordinated defense preparations as the people prayed fervently for deliverance. The invasion came, and the Japanese warriors stubbornly resisted, but were beaten in a series of initial battles. Japanese reinforcements were expected to arrive the next day, and the Mongol forces decided to spend the night on their ships rather than risk being trapped on the shore. During the night, a sudden storm with heavy winds arose and wiped out the Mongol Fleet. The thankful Japanese referred to their savior as the “Divine Wind”, or “Kamikaze” in their language. The Mongols would try again in 1281, but by that time the Japanese warriors were better prepared and won a decisive victory. The surprise victory against the Mongols became a celebrated part of Japanese history and martial tradition. A culture of the warrior, known as Bushido, took root and would drive the development of a proud military tradition in the country. The warrior culture, initially focused on defending the homeland, would later enable an empire of expansion that would rule large swaths of territory on the Asian mainland. The victorious land of the rising sun would not again face the serious prospect of a conquest by an external power until they were visited by American warships in 1853.

During the 1930s, the Japanese Empire had steadily spread through the Pacific. Their “Greater East Asia Coprosperity Sphere” was nothing more than cover for a grab of land and resources of the region ruled by the island nation. The Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) troops were ruthless and brutal, seizing assets and generally ruling the occupied areas harshly. Southeast Asia was one of the most resource rich areas of the Asian continent, and it was a treasured prize for the imperial government. A day after attacking the US at Pearl Harbor, on December 7th, 1941, the IJA invaded Thailand and forced them to ally with the growing empire. In 1942, the IJA attacked the former British Colony of Burma, seizing it and beginning the construction of a railway to carry material to support their war against the allies. The proposed railway would run from Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, to Rangoon (now Yangon), the capital of nearby Burma. The project was a massive effort, with the railway to cover 258 miles through harsh terrain that included jungles, rivers, and mountains. Around 61,000 Allied prisoners of war (POWs) would eventually work under harsh conditions to construct the railroad, with an estimated 12,000 of those dying in the hellish camps. A British cemetery containing many of the dead was built on the banks of the river Kwai at the town of Kanchanaburi, where a bridge had been constructed by POWs for the railroad to pass.

True to its name, WWII saw the US and its allies fighting desperate battles against the Germans and Italians in Europe, and their Axis partners the Japanese in the Pacific. While the Army and Army Air Corps (early US Airforce) carried out the effort in Europe, the Navy and Marine Corps led the fight in the Pacific. The Japanese Empire controlled most of the Pacific from their home island, well protected by rings of island fortresses and a juggernaut of a navy that had just given the most advanced fleet in the world a bloody nose. The initial Japanese victories at Pearl Harbor, Guam, and Wake Island were followed up by continued expansion and defeat for the US.

In the Philippines, which had been a US Territory since it had been seized from the Spanish during the war of 1898, American and Philippine forces clashed with invading IJA soldiers. This first major land battle in the Pacific resulted in one of the worst defeats in American military history as the IJA forced the surrender of a combined force of 76,000 Philippine and American soldiers. The Allied forces surrendered unconditionally, expecting treatment in accordance with long standing international law. The Japanese response was a reminder that this war would be different than any other that the US had fought. The Japanese code of Bushido demanded that warriors fight to the death. Surrender, even in the face of overwhelming odds, was considered the resort of cowards. This code was applied to their own troops as well as their enemies.  An enemy who surrendered could expect vicious treatment. Allied POWs were forced to conduct a two-week forced march over distance of 60 some miles to a central camp that became known as the Bataan Death March. Conditions were horrific as the entire group, including the sick and injured, were herded in the blazing sun without food or water. Any stop or hesitation would result in being brutally beaten, bayonetted, or a favorite “sport” of the Japanese, beheading by sword. In their 1937 invasion of China, one IJA officer won a contest by murdering of 100 Chinese by decapitation. The Death March amounted to the systematic and tortuous murder of thousands. Of the initial 76,000 prisoners, only 54,000 would reach the destination. Thousands more died of disease and starvation.

Allied planners in the Pacific designed a strategy of steadily working their forces closer to the heart of the Empire, forcing the Japanese into a shrinking defensive perimeter.  The US gained momentum in the battles of Coral Sea and Midway, striking avenging blows against the Imperial Navy. An offensive strategy of “Island Hopping” began, as Marines and Soldiers conducted amphibious landings on fortified islands. IJA defenders stubbornly guarded every inch to the death, their Bushido culture preferring death by combat to capture. Americans steadily moved closer to the main island of Japan with wins at Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Saipan, and Guam. As their defensive perimeter shrank Japanese resolve and fanaticism stiffened. Special attack units, named Kamikaze after the savior from the Mongols, turned their planes into fuel and explosive laden missiles that would slam into allied positions and ships. US casualties mounted with every assault on the well-entrenched IJA islands. US forces came increasingly near to their sacred homeland and the Japanese rightly worried about being pounded by strikes from long range bombers. The island of Iwo Jima was taken next. It had been heavily fortified with bunkers, artillery, a network of tunnels, and around 20,000 IJA troops who would tenaciously fight to the death against over 100,000 Americans. Victory came after a bloody assault that would cost 26,000 American casualties, including 6,821 combat deaths. The combat was described as "a nightmare in hell" by an observing war correspondent. (6) The iconic flag raising at Mt. Suribachi by six Marines would forever become part of our nation’s glory. Serving as a gateway to the homeland, it’s loss would throw the door open to a full invasion of the homeland.

Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz said, “The battle of Iwo Island [Jima] has been won. The United States Marines, by their individual and collective courage, have conquered a base which is as necessary to us in our continuing forward movement toward final victory as it was vital to the enemy in staving off ultimate defeat.... Among the Americans who served on Iwo Island, uncommon valor was a common virtue.”

In early 1945, the Japanese Imperial Command became increasingly alarmed as and war turned against them. Deprived of their colonial resources, fuel had become short and their war effort suffered as the allies closed in. However, they still had the largest and most heavily armed battleship in the world at the time, the Yamato. The massive ship displaced over 72,000 tones and had nine 18” guns, larger than the 16” guns of the largest American battleships. An order was given by the Imperial Command that the Yamato be dispatched south on a desperate mission. It was to become a massive Kamikaze ship, beaching itself on the sand of the next battleground and using its guns to try and turn the tide of the war, or at least do as much damage as possible to the allied forces. The order was printed and read by the ship’s Executive Officer, Jiro Nomura. 2000 Japanese sailors gathered on the deck and listened as Nomura read what amounted to a death sentence for the young seamen. In a show of respect and obedience after hearing the order, the men bowed towards the palace of their Emperor, then in the direction of their ancestral homes, and then joined their voices in songs of pride from their mother country. The next day, the sixty-seven midshipmen on board for training were sent home. Nomura later said that, ““We couldn’t bear to take them along on an expedition into certain death.” The Yamato headed south towards the gathering storm. (9)

Next on the list for the Allies was the Island of Okinawa, located about 350 miles south of mainland Japan. This Island was different from Iwo Jima, in that it was home to around 300,000 thousand civilians. It featured several large airstrips, a port, and ample staging areas that would be needed for the coming heavy bombing and invasion of the homeland. The approaching battle would transform it into even more of a nightmare of death and misery than Iwo Jima had been, with staggering losses on both sides. In a now familiar process, an armada of allied ships arrived, including aircraft carriers, battleships, destroyers, amphibious landing craft, and cargo ships. The approaching Yamato was intercepted by the American carrier Yorktown, destroyed and sent to the bottom of the sea in a doomed battle. It was reported that in his final moments, the captain of the ship, Admiral Kosaku Ariga tied himself securely to the post holding the ship’s compass so his body wouldn’t float away after the ship broke up. He then gave the traditional warrior cheer of “Banzai” three times before disappearing in a massive explosion (9)

Allied ships began a heavy naval bombardment of Okinawa, designed to destroy IJA armaments and fortifications. The ships pounded the Island as around 150,000 battle hardened Japanese troops prepared for a fight to the death against around 200,000 troops of the allied force. Over the period of April 1^st – June 22^nd, 1945, the invasion and subsequent land campaigns became the bloodies battle of the war in the Pacific. 82,000 Americans became casualties, of which over 12,500 were killed or missing in action. Estimates of IJA deaths were over 140,000. 1,500 Japanese Kamikaze pilots scarified themselves for the empire, plunging their planes into enemy ships and troop positions. Their deadly attacks, together with the flying shrapnel, shells, and bullets would earn the battle the nickname of “The Typhoon of Steel”.  Unrelenting, the Americans steadily progressed across the island, retreating IJA troops warned civilians that the Americans would torture, rape, and commit other atrocities when they arrived. In documented accounts by survivors, they told families they should commit suicide to avoid a worse fate. When available, grenades were provided to carry out their gruesome directive. In a final act of desperation a few miles southeast of the Okinawan capital of Naha, trapped and terrified civilians would leap to their deaths from southern cliffs rather than face capture by the advancing Americans. Those who didn’t commit suicide were amazed when the victorious troops treated them kindly, even offering candy and cigarettes. Estimates are that between a quarter and a half of the residents did not survive the battle.

 

Take a moment and consider the casualty numbers from the assault on a single island during WWII. Soviet leader Joseph Stalin was once reported to have said that “A single death is a tragedy; a million deaths is a statistic.” There’s something about deaths in large numbers that render them hard to process. Each death was its own tragedy. A son, a father, wife, daughter, or brother forever gone. Each death represented the end of hopes and dreams, the dashing of plans, and a heartbreaking answer to offered prayers. The sheer extent of suffering and loss that war brings is overwhelming if you consider it in human terms instead of numbers.

After the carnage of Okinawa, final planning for the invasion of the Japanese main islands was placed in high gear. The plan was called Operation Downfall, and massive casualties were expected as the IJA had proven they would stubbornly defend every inch of barren rocky islands in the ocean to the death. It was accepted that they would defend their homeland with even more ferocity. Estimates of expected American casualties ranged upward to 1 Million. It was a terrible price to pay, but the Japanese Empire had to be completely defeated. No outcome other than a complete and unconditional surrender would ensure peace in the future. In Washington, plans were drafted for the care of the wounded, and an order was given for a stock of Purple Hearts to be created for each. (7) Hundreds of thousands of Americans began staging on Okinawa for the coming assault on mainland Japan. One thing was certain about the next few months, the lives of hundreds of thousands of Americans and Japanese were going to be cut short in an unprecedented spasm of violence.

Chapter Thirty-Four

 

Thirty-Four

 

“Each man's death diminishes me,

For I am involved in mankind.

Therefore, send not to know

For whom the bell tolls,

It tolls for thee.”

John Donne

 

The Marines of TBS were surprised, but thankful, even if a bit disappointed they wouldn’t get the chance to deploy for the effort. While the outcome of the war was never in doubt, this had been one of the most lopsided victories in history. While even one American death is too many, the action had resulted in 147 US military combat losses, a low number given the massive presence in the area of operations. Iraqi military deaths were thought to be at least 20,000 (5), possibly many more. I felt bittersweet relief. Tennyson’s poem had ended a stanza short. There would be no gallant charge for me, no glory, or chance to prove my courage in combat. This feeling was immediately and greatly outweighed by the fact that the horror of the war was over. I wouldn’t write letters home to grieving parents or identify charred remains of men I had known. I wouldn’t visit my men in the hospital, then walk outside, shaking with grief over their suffering and debilitating injuries. I wouldn’t go to funerals and watch as valiant spouses struggled to hold back tears as their young children tried to figure out what happened. I couldn’t help but also think about the Iraqis. Just a few years earlier, they had fought bravely against our foes, the Iranians. Most of them were probably good men, born into an impossibly difficult situation living under the regime of the dictator Hussein.

With all sincerity, I was overjoyed the dirty business was over quickly with a minimum of American casualties. I knew that large wars in American history tended to come roughly in twenty-year cycles, just long enough for the public to forget how expensive they were in blood and treasure. The US had deployed half a million men to the theater of operations, the largest combat deployment since WWII. It would be a long time before military action of this magnitude happened again.

Now that the threat of a mass extinction of Lieutenants had passed, we wouldn’t all be going to the infantry. It was time for us to make decisions regarding our future. In addition to becoming qualified as a leader capable of directing the combat activities of a unit of Marines in the field, every officer is assigned a primary Military Occupational Specialty (MOS). A young Lieutenant could continue on to the infantry (The Queen of Battle), or choose other combat arms specialties such as tanks, combat engineering, amphibious assault, or artillery (The King of Battle). Other options were not considered as glamorous but were critical to the mission of the Corps. Additional fields such as intelligence, logistics, financial management, supply, communications, and motor transport were available. The choice of MOS had huge implications for future career paths and duty assignments, and the needs of the Corps at the time would dictate how many of each MOS was available. The process was straightforward. Lieutenants would submit a list ranked in order by preference, and a formula that included class rank and staff input was used to make the assignment. In order to ensure a quality spread among fields, the unit was divided into thirds. The top Marine in every third would get his first choice, and so on down the line to the last Marine at the bottom of the last third. I was somewhere in the middle of the pack. Like most Marines, I was initially attracted to the Infantry, but as I learned about other paths my interest grew in combat engineers (building things and blowing things up), and tanks (leading a platoon of tanks that blew things up). As the US was the sole remaining superpower in the world and had just trounced Iraq in a lesson surely watched by other nations, I thought the near-term prospects for high intensity conflict had vanished. News commenters talked extensively about a dramatic reduction in military spending and staffing, with the expected savings known as a “peace dividend”. I expanded my list to include one MOS choice that might better translate into a civilian career. I figured I would put it on the list and trust the Lord to lead the process in the right direction. One of the instructors for our company was a First Lieutenant, and he had told me about his MOS of Data Systems, designated as 4002. He explained how the Marine Corps was doing innovative things with computers in the field as well as in garrison. Every unit, including infantry divisions, now had computers, and they were becoming critical to operations. The Corps needed officers who could figure them out and make them work. I thought back to the contents of the plain brown box that had once spread out over the kitchen table in the Badin apartment years before. I printed 4002 on the third line of my choices. In an example of how small the Marine Corps is, many years later I would find myself saluting that same former instructor during a change of command ceremony as I took over from him as CO of a unit that would deploy for the second invasion of Iraq. His wise advice had changed the course of my life in ways I couldn’t comprehend at the time.

Data Systems Officers course consisted of three months of immersion into computer systems. We learned basic components and architecture of systems, programming, and how to network groups of computers together. Much like I had taken to Scouting earlier, I took to computers. While I didn’t care much for programming or working with the large mainframe systems, the small systems used by deployable units captivated me. One additional choice was needed before I joined the Fleet Marine Force (FMF), and that was where I preferred to be stationed. That was an easy choice, I wanted to stay in North Carolina and be stationed at Camp Lejeune. By this time, I was travelling to Chapel Hill to see Elizabeth as often as possible. From the very beginning, there was something special and familiar about her, like I had known her all my life. After meeting her a few times, my family universally approved. Ashford pulled me aside once and advised, “She is a good-looking young lady, but she is going to be a beautiful woman.”

 

“She's got a smile that it seems to me
Reminds me of childhood memories
Where everything was as fresh
As the bright blue sky

 

Her hair reminds me of a warm, safe place
Whereas a child I'd hide
And pray for the thunder and the rain
To quietly pass me by”

Axel Rose

 

My first choice of Camp Lejeune housed one of the three active duty Marine Expeditionary Forces (MEFs). The three MEFs were designated by Roman numerals. I MEF was based at my birthplace of Camp Pendleton, II MEF was a couple of hours east of Raleigh at Camp Lejeune, and III MEF was forward deployed on the far side of the Pacific and stationed on the island of Okinawa, Japan. Elements of each MEF would regularly pack up and deploy for training and real-world missions, but they would always return to their permanent home. Each MEF included subordinate Marine Expeditionary Units (MEUs) that would deploy on Navy ships or planes to hotspots around the globe. The MEFs were part of the Fleet Marine Force (FMF), which is the warfighting, deploying part of the Corps as opposed to the administrative, planning, training, and logistical support elements that don’t typically deploy. Operating in the FMF was said to be the most challenging, exciting, and rewarding part of a Marine’s career. A few weeks later the Lieutenants of Hotel Company learned their assignments. I was headed to the FMF. On my next visit to Chapel Hill, Elizabeth and I discussed my assignment, and how it would impact our relationship. I left her apartment a little earlier than usual that Sunday afternoon. Instead of heading directly to Quantico, I drove to campus on a mission.

Chapter Thirty-Three

             Thirty-Three

 

“There’s always one more thing you can do to influence any situation in your favor—and after that one more thing, and after that…. The more you do the more opportunities arise.” 
-  Moore -

     At our base in Quantico, the young lieutenants followed the news with occasional interest, but mainly focused on becoming experts in our new profession. Instruction progressed from hand-to-hand combat training using Pugil sticks, knives, and “weapons of opportunity”, to more advanced topics designed to prepare us to lead men in combat situations. We progressed from controlling small fire teams, to squads of 16 men, and on to platoons of 43. We learned tactics for offense and defense. We patrolled for hours through the dense Quantico forests, and spent sleepless nights developing operational orders, planning missions, and checking defensive positions. We learned how to employ claymore mines, grenades, and C4 explosives. We spent more and more time outside, and external factors became a small inconvenience to be dealt with and incorporated into planning and operations. Rain, snow, ice, heat, cold, bugs, poison plants, snakes, spiders and other nuisances and distractions were eclipsed by completing the mission and taking care of the Marines in our charge. We learned very simply that “leaders are responsible for everything that happens or fails to happen.” Excuses, reasons, or explanations for nonperformance were not to be accepted, as lives would depend on our every decision and action. I remembered back to my earliest experience as a leader at the railroad cut.

Most our field training occurred during the late Fall and Winter months, when the Northern Virginia forests were cold and wet to varying degrees. I came to appreciate the value of the useful and well-made equipment we had been issued, and I especially cherished the heavy overcoat known as a field jacket. It was made of tightly woven cotton that had been treated to repel rain, with a soft warm inner liner and an additional thicker removable liner for added comfort. It came with a rain hood that could be quickly extracted from its normal position in a pocket behind the neck, and there was even an optional cold weather hood that could be snapped on to the collar. Spacious pockets on the outside could hold gloves or a snack, and inner pockets could hold papers or even a hand warmer. It didn’t take long for me to think of someone who needed one badly. Before my next break, I went to the “cash sales” store on base where uniform items could be purchased and bought a new field jacket for Damps. I proudly presented it to him when I arrived, and he loved it. I hoped the fact that it was a gift from me would override his stubbornness about braving the elements, and it would keep him from catching a deadly chill while he roamed the land of the farm.

Our training at TBS continued with intensity. We learned to operate weapons commonly used in Marine combat units, from small machine guns to shoulder fired missiles. Instruction was given on calling in air strikes from jets far overhead, artillery rounds from supporting units, and fire from naval guns far offshore. The concept of combined arms was stressed, where enemies are presented with deadly fire from multiple directions and methods, shattering their will to fight. A successful graduate of TBS had the knowledge to serve as the conductor in a symphony of destruction.

The most valuable skill developed at TBS wasn’t a single course though, and it wasn’t provided by a period of formal instruction with a neat class outline. The mountain of books and articles we had been issued contained treasures of wisdom and experience from men who had been through what we would face. They became our instructors as we assimilated the hard-won lessons they had learned in the trenches, forests, and jungles. From our time in the field, we gained experience operating in stressful conditions resembling those of wartime, we learned to work through and solve problems. The technical knowledge provided more tools for the process, but the true lesson was how to engage one’s mind. It was to be innovative where most would have been intimidated. We learned to think clearly and rationally even when we were stressed from being short on sleep, frustrated, or sick. We learned how to deal with “friction”, which was defined as that invisible force that makes things you thought would be easy, difficult. Those situations you knew were going to be tough, friction would render seemingly impossible. The invisible force was anticipated and accepted, as its influence would be felt by the enemy as well. The challenge was learning to operate effectively in a fluid environment where friction was not only present, but often ruled supreme. It was the sneering demon who laughed when your radio wouldn’t work or your vehicle wouldn’t start. It would chuckle when weapons jammed, ankles twisted, or grid coordinate were written down wrong. We learned that even when we thought we were adequately prepared and confidently believed we had it under control, there was always “one more thing” that could be done to influence the situation, or to provide a small advantage that might make the difference between success and failure. Rifles and grenades were important implements of our craft, but our most valuable weapon was our brain.

We were issued manuals with pictures and descriptions of the weapons and vehicles used by the Iraqis.  I bought a book of Arabic phrases and listened to lessons on tape during my intermittent weekend road trips to Chapel Hill to see Elizabeth. Over a long weekend for Christmas, I visited home for a welcome break with my family. We talked about how things were going and the situation and speculated on how it would play out. Before I left, Grandmother and Damps told me how proud they were of me and gave me some money to get anything I needed. On the drive back, I considered many things, one of which was about the best use for the money. It didn’t take long to decide. The day after arriving back in Quantico, I walked to the small equipment store on base where I had ordered my Mameluke sword, and bought a brand new Marine Corps fighting knife, known as a K-Bar. The knife had a 7’ blade with a menacing point. From the tip down, the blade featured a convex curve that gently sloped into the flat main cutting surface and continued down from there to the grip. The other side of the blade sloped upward in a concave manner from the tip for about two inches, then the sharp edge turned into a bunt square top. Designed for close personal interaction, both sides of the blade sported shallow “blood grooves” to allow rapid drainage of fluids resulting from a jab.  Short but sturdy flanges stuck out above the richly dark wooden grip to protect the hand from a deflected enemy blade sliding down, and USMC had been cleanly stamped into the metal right above the handle, perpendicular to the blade. The butt end of the knife was a hard cylinder of steed with rounded edges ending in a flat bottom. More so than a rifle or other long range implement of death, this was a man’s weapon that would have brought an approving smile to the grizzled face of the Spartan king Leonidas himself. I honed the blade to razor sharp perfection as I had learned in Scouts, treated the leather sheath with a generous coating of mink oil, and proudly strapped it on my web belt.

As the January 15^th deadline approached, the mood at TBS became increasingly serious. Now over four months into our six-month training schedule, we were told that the expected allied invasion to expel the Iraqis from Kuwait would result in heavy losses for the first units to slam into the Iraqis. Hundreds of casualties were expected, many of them would be Marine Lieutenants. A likely scenario briefed was that we would graduate early and be assigned as infantry officers to fill in the gaps. A few of the Lieutenants dropped out, others simply disappeared with no explanation, but most stayed. I was haunted by grim visions of Marines under my care bleeding, blown apart, or choking on poison gas.

 

“Cannon to right of them,

Cannon to left of them,

Cannon in front of them

Volleyed and thundered;

Stormed at with shot and shell,

Boldly they rode and well,

Into the jaws of Death,

Into the mouth of hell

Rode the six hundred”

Alfred, Lord Tennyson

 

When the deadline expired, and Saddam’s troops were still entrenched in Kuwait, military action by the US and coalition partners began. First with air strikes, then with massive artillery barrages and naval gunfire, the Iraqis were pummeled hard as coalition ground units moved into their assault positions. A series of small actions began across the border, and President Bush issued a 24-hours ultimatum for the Iraqis to leave Kuwait. The ultimatum was ignored, and on February 22^nd, large scale combat operations were initiated by coalition troops as Operation Desert Shield transitioned to Operation Desert Storm. The ground war kicked into high gear, with Army and Marine units rapidly surging across the border and into Kuwait and Iraq. Some of the largest tank battles in history resulted in overwhelming US victories as US leadership, expertise, advanced weapons systems routed the Iraqis. On February 27^th, the Marine Corps fought its largest tank battle ever as the First and Second Marine divisions and a US Army Brigade slammed into 14 Iraqi divisions in the area. Retreating Iraqi vehicles streamed by the thousands out of Kuwait for the expected safety of the Iraqi borders. US airpower pounded them from above, leading to the road being called the “Highway of Death”

The overwhelming US victory led to immediate calls for a halt to the fighting on humanitarian grounds. World opinion quickly turned against the US for what was perceived as piling on. Negotiations began as the Iraqis regrouped, and US combat operations ended 100 hours from when they began. Saddam had lost, but he was not beaten and would cause trouble in the region until his death in 2006. Within months, he began a campaign of extermination and terror against various groups inside the country that he believed didn’t support his rule. Deep in the bowels of the Pentagon, planners began working on scenarios to finish the job completely.

Questions To Ask A Prospective Employer

 

Questions a new sales rep should ask a prospective employer

Selecting a new job is one of the most important decisions a young person will make. A job can turn into a lifelong career that is fulfilling and rewarding, or it can be a complete waste of time for months/years until you decide to make a move. Below you will find a few questions to help someone entering the job market to evaluate a potential employer. Don’t be shy about asking these questions. You are preparing to spend a large percentage of your life working for an employer. You have every right to ask questions to make sure it is a good fit. Being well informed helps you make a good decision, and it is in the best interests of the employer as well. A failed hire is very expensive in many ways, and unfortunately most employers don’t do a great job of making sure the position is well suited to the person. Be sure and ask questions in a respectful and sincere manner. Take notes, be interested. There are many more questions that will come up, but these should get the conversation flowing.

Good luck!

  

Duties/expectations

Can you provide me with a list of the specific duties of the position?

How will my performance be evaluated?

Who will I report to?

How long has that person been in the job/industry?

Will I have an opportunity to meet my supervisor before moving forward?

 

Who does my supervisor report to?

How long has that person been in the job/industry?

Will I have an opportunity to meet this person before moving forward?

Is there a scheduled team meeting on a regular basis?

Will I have a one-on-one meeting with my supervisor on a regular basis?

 

What are the typical work hours?

How much weekend work is involved?

How much travel is involved?

Will I have an office or work from home?

Will I be given an allowance or reimbursement for cell phone/Internet service?

Will I be provided with a computer?

Is there a defined geographical territory that I will be assigned?

Is there a specific industry vertical (medical, biotech, manufacturing, etc) or market segment I will be assigned?

Will I sell a specific product or service, or will I sell all the company’s offerings?

What training will be provided?

What are the specific products or services I will be selling?

Who is the manufacturer?

Who do you buy from?

Am I replacing another rep, or is this a new position?

What happened to the last rep?

Tell me about reps that have been successful.

Tell me about reps that have not worked out?

Tell me about your marketing department/efforts.

Tell me how the marketing department supports the sales team.

Can I see some of your promotional material?

What do you attribute the company’s success to?

How is the company’s market changing?

How is the company evolving?

Who are the company’s main competitors?

Who are the company’s main clients?

 

Company

Can you share the company’s formal mission/vision/values statement?

Who owns the company?

Describe the company organizational structure for me.

Are there formal job descriptions for each position?

Does your company have an annual business plan? If so, can I review?

How is the company funded?

How long has the company been around?

Is the company profitable?

Has the company ever had any tax issues?

Has the company ever been party to a lawsuit?

Is there any pending litigation against the company?

Are there any changes in ownership being planned or contemplated?

Can you share some financial metrics from the past couple of years?

Is the owner involved in the day-to-day operation of the company?

Are any of the owner’s family involved in the day-to-day operations of the company?

Will I be required to sign a non-compete or any other type of employment agreement?

Can I review it before moving forward?

Does the company have a policy handbook that I can review prior to moving forward?

Do you conduct a background check on your employees for criminal history?

Do you conduct drug screenings?

How does the employee gather/report/take action on employee feedback?

Can you give me an example?

Can you tell me about turnover? What percentage of the company’s employees left in the previous year?

 

Pay/Benefits

Will I be on commission or salary?

If commission, please explain the compensation plan in detail, including all sources of income.

Is commission based on volume of sales or gross profit?

Are there “accelerators” for exceeding targets?

How often is commission calculated?

Will I have access to the commission calculations?

Will I have access to metrics showing my performance during the reporting period?

How much of a lag is there between the reporting period and the payment of commissions?

Is there any type of situation that would trigger a “claw back” of commission?

When was the last time the commission plan changed?

How did it change?

Are there any plans to make additional changes to the plan?

If so, is there a “ramp up” period while I learn the business?

If so, what is that salary?

Is it a “draw” on future earnings, or is it a true salary?

Is there a 401K plan?

When would I be eligible?

Is there a profit-sharing plan?

If so, when would I be eligible?

Does the company contribute a matching amount?

If so, how much?

What is the health insurance plan? Who is the carrier and what is the specific plan?

How much of the premium will I have to pay?

What are the co-pays on typical medical issues and medications?

What is the vacation/sick leave plan?

How are holidays treated (do I have to use vacation?)

Any other benefits?

Chapter Thirty-Two

 

Thirty-Two

 

“Alea iacta est!”

(The die is cast!)

Julius Caesar

     Saddam Hussein’s Iraq had invaded the nearby nation of Kuwait a couple of weeks after I graduated from Officer Candidate School. As I recovered at the farm from the broken foot, I eagerly watched the news and read the account of the worsening situation. The two countries had long argued over various financial, border, and political issues, but the main sticking point was the Iraqi claim that the Kuwaitis were stealing their oil. They had learned that the Kuwaitis were placing oil wells near the border, and instead of drilling straight down, were slanting their wells under the border, and into the vast oil reserves beneath the Iraqi desert. In his sometimes awkward manner of speech, President Bush had stated that “This will not stand, this aggression against Kuwait.” Iraqi forces quickly overran their smaller neighbor, completely occupying it and then announcing that it was now a permanent part of the Iraqi nation. The entire world became tense, as the expected peace from the end of the Cold War was shattered. As most of the oil that powered the global economy flowed from the region, the disruption was a concern for countries of the entire world, especially the United States. The Iraqis immediately launched a campaign of verbal attacks against Saudi Arabia, which was located just on the other side of Kuwait. It was obvious that the Iraqis were on a land grab in the region, seeking to expand their power, influence, and territory by military force. If not stopped, the Iraqis would have the world economy in a chokehold.

Within hours of the invasion, the United Nations Security Council passed Resolution 660, which condemned the military action and demanded withdrawal of Iraqi troops. Additional resolutions were subsequently passed, authorizing sanctions and a naval blockade. While sanctions are often a tool to bring a recalcitrant nation back into line, a naval blockade amounts to an act of war, and the world steadied itself. Led by the US, the UN passed Resolution 678 which gave Iraq until January 15^th, 1991 to withdraw their military from Kuwait. It also authorized member nations to use "all necessary means" to force Iraq out of Kuwait if they didn’t comply. As I recited the Oath of Office in front of the naval armory in Chapel Hill, an order from the Pentagon directing the largest call up of reservists since Vietnam was being implemented. Our nation braced for war. Iraq at that time was no pushover. In the 80s, they fought a desperate struggle with their neighbor Iran, and their military included competent and combat hardened veterans. Their total military force was thought to be over half a million troops, including 68 ground combat divisions, hundreds of Soviet heavy battle tanks, thousands of long range artillery pieces, and both fixed and rotary wing aircraft. Trained by our Cold War enemies, the Soviet Union, they used a tactic called a “Fire Sack” to channel their enemy into a trap where they could be decimated by mass fires from heavy artillery. They also had large stores of deadly chemicals, which they had used to deadly effect against the Iranians only a few years earlier. To put it in perspective, the entire Marine Corps contains 3 active duty divisions, although our divisions are substantially larger and better equipped. Saddam’s power in the region had made him reckless and arrogant. Much like my old friend Porkchop years earlier at camp, he thought his strength was no match for his smaller neighbors. Just like Donald showed up to put the bully in his place years ago, justice was about to show up in the form of US troops, aircraft, and ships that streamed into Saudi Arabia and the Persian Gulf.

The US deployment to Saudi Arabia, known as Operation Desert Shield, continued and intensified. The eldest son of a Saudi billionaire watched with growing anger as western troops entered the holy land that was home to his religion’s most sacred sites. Osama Bin Laden’s visceral outrage against the US was ignited and would transform into hate, simmering over continued American presence and involvement over the next decade.