It seems strange to me to talk of combat as an amazing experience, but it was. To come out the other side of an experience like that, knowing that you performed well is the amazing part. During the actual combat, I felt no fear, I was acting from a completely different place and fear was simply not a factor. During combat I simply acted the way I had been trained, things needed to be done, and I did them.

There was also a very surreal aspect to that day, colors were brighter, my vision seemed sharper, senses more acute, and time stretched and flexed in unexpected ways. I think that the most disconcerting thing was that my sense of distance was out of whack. Things that were distant appeared much closer than it actually was. On the range with my M203 (Grenade Launcher) I am really good at judging distance to targets, I was not so good when I actually needed it. I was able to adjust, but still it was disconcerting.

I wish that we never needed to engage in combat, I would prefer that we as individuals and nations could always resolve things in a peaceful manner. I wish that no one ever had to give their lives for the things they believe in, I would prefer that no one ever needed first aid. I also believe that we saved lives in the long run, by making sure that those insurgents would never again plant a road side bomb, or recruit young women to be suicide bombers.

We hit the ground about 04:30 and as we were moving across a field towards the village, there was gunfire about 500 Meters to the northwest of us. The Aerial Reaction Force, Special Forces ODA Team took fire from small arms on the ground, they returned fire then peeled off as an Apache with it’s 30′s running hot took out the threat on the ground. We continued through the field towards our objective, moved into a dry canal and pushed up towards the village.

Just after Dawn I set up my Loudspeaker on a small berm about 70 meters from the edge of the village and broadcast a surrender appeal. The IA (Iraqi Army) continued on into the village, and met no resistance. The MTT and I moved into the center of the village and set up a Temporary Tactical Center, and awaited the othe MTT’s with their contingent of IA’s. Once we were all settled, I took some pictures, of the MTT’s, of the Apache’s overhead, of the IA, and of me with the IA General, and of the burning house. Shorlty after we all linked up, a couple of the IA decided to set fire to a house that had been previously blown up, and commenced dancing and celebrating. The IA General joked and asked why I was taking a picture of the burning house, I said, “Because I am going to tell my friends back at the base that you and I fought and killed many insurgents together.” We Both Laughed, (Little did we realize) A seargent with the MTT and I moved over that direction to investigate.

On our way to the burning house I noticed some obvious bed down site, at a glance I noticed some papers lying near one of the beds. I checked to make sure the papers weren’t booby trapped, and as I picked them up the Sergent with me asked what the were. “Not sure, but it looks kind of like homework”. Then we proceeded to where the house was burning, and stopped to chat with some of the IA to find out what was going on. Then the gunfire erupted on the other side of the village, about 150 meters away,
The Sergent and I moved back to the tactical area, and once there I pulled security off to one side of the building while most of the MTT member moved off towards their respective groups of IA soldiers. Back at the TAC were myself, another Sargent fromt the MTT and a Captain from the MTT with a radio. There were also four IA’s.

After a few minutes we got word that an IA soldier had been wounded and we needed to set up a HLZ for the Medevac, the Captain Moved off with two IA soldiers and I volunteered to go with them to set up the site. I moved ahead towards an open field, and grabbed the signal panels from the Captain and began laying them down. Just as quickly I was picking them up in the few moments before the Blackhawk Landed, Once the wounded soldier was evac’d, we all moved back to the TAC site where I again pulled security.

IA were taking heavy fire from a HESCO Barricade, they couldn’t shake the insurgents there loose. The MTT called in Air Support and two apache’s responded first with there 30mm and then with two hellfires a piece on there second pass. Problem solved.

We got another call that 203′s were needed to clear a building and courtyard. I have one, so I moved to link up with the Captain who had made the request, moving towards the mosque in the village I found the Captain and another Sergent with a 203, and the three of us moved up to a wall and commenced clearing the courtyard with 40MM HEDP, about 9 rounds in all.

We heard more gunfire to the north of us, so that same sergent and I, along with a Major from the MTT went to check it out. We moved in bounding overwatch towards a compound, then along its’ wall towards the large gate on its’ southern entrance. I was first through the gate. There was a large courtyard, even a palm tree, several IA soldiers bisected the courtyard from east to west, and all of them were facing the north wall where there were two doors and a couple of small windows. I noticed two more doors on the southeast corner, and based on very recent experience figured that the IA may not have cleared them. As I moved towards those doors I saw out of the corner of my eye and insurgent pop out of a door on the northeast corner, before I could bring my rifle to bear he was dropped, almost vanishing in a hail of gunfire from the IA, I quickly cleared the two small rooms on the southeast corner and turned to check on the IA. Insurgent was down, and had a grenade in his right hand with its’ pin still in. No interpreter with me but I still managed to convey to them that they needed to secure the body.

Hearing yelling from outside the compound on the east side I peeked over the wall, then turned to the Major and Sergent who had followed me into the compound and yelled, “you have a group of IA Soldiers running north across the fields”

We headed back out the south gate and over two the fields and followed the IA, they were chasing three insurgents north towards the canal. As we moved across the field I heard the Major yell “Shit, he’s been hit” and looked just in time at two IA soldiers coming towards us to see one of them fall to his knees then over on his side. I ran over to him to help.

The downed IA soldier had a through and through to his upper left arm which broke the bone and nicked the artery resulting in massive blood loss. As carefully as I could, so as not to further damage his broken arm, I applied a tourniquet, bandages the bullet holes and tried to secure his arm to his stomach with another bandage. Just then the Major was directing me to another downed IA soldier.

I moved to the second soldier, he was lying on his side with a single GSW to his lower left back, just above the pelvis. I applied a quick bandage and got one of the IA soldiers there to apply direct pressure while I secured the bandage. I then got two of his IA buddies to carry him to our HLZ for Evac.

As I moved towards the landing zone I saw that the first IA with the GSW in the arm had been set down on the ground and was screaming. His arm had come loose while they were carrying him and was flopping around. He saw me and began screaming in English, “oh my god mister, oh my god” over and over again. I knelt by his shoulder, and grabbed his good hand and held it while saying in Arabic “enshallah, khula zaein” calmly, over and over again until he settled down a bit. We had nothing to splint it with, but I grabbed his belt and undid it, and once one of the IA’s realized what I planned, he helped me secure that arm across his stomach again, then they watched carefully as I pantomimed how to properly carry him so that his arm would stay where it was. We moved both soldiers to the landing zone, and just a few minutes later the birds were back to carry them to safety.

Things had settled down a bit, the IA had killed at least two of the insurgents in the canal, and think they got the third one as well.

The guys that had stayed back at the original TAC site had moved it, and we went to the new location. When we got there, they had already moved all of our packs, including my loudspeaker manpack, which they told me should be a two man carry.

About an hour later the remaining CF forces showed up, including my PSYOP Truck with my guys in it. (I had split them off to the second part of the mission which they battalion I supported changed when we in the first part came under heavy fire.

All told, there were 7 insurgent KIA (this includes two idiot suicide bombers in a more northern village who tried to flee but were detonated by the Apache’s with 30mm’s. There were also 3 Iraqi Army Soldiers who were wounded, but will be fine. There were no Coalition casualties at all.

A few days later one of the MTT Captains stopped by my Detachment Headquarters to talk to my OIC. That Captain asked my Major if I was always that calm, My Assistant Team Leader was there and said,” Actually it is a little like being in a Foxhole with Ned Flanders. Hi-Diddly-OH Jihadarino

I saw combat in Afghanistan, but not like this. What happened there was so remote in both time and space compared to this. It was a good fight that day, and those IA Soldiers have a lot of heart.

There is much that I have not blogged about, simply because there were things that I wasn’t able to discuss at the time. I will however get caught up. For now it is just good to be home.

Aunt Willma, Uncle Earl, I want you to know that I still sometimes think about the “Noah’s Ark” you gave me when I was small, complete with all the little plastic animals.

I love you both, and wish I could be there to celebrate your 60th Anniversary.

I sincerely hope that the people of Iran can get through this as peacefully as possible. I fear though that peace at this point may not be possible.

So to the people of Iran, my thoughts and hopes are with you.

Thank you Dad

Given the right motivators some people will go to incredible lengths to gain or retain membership in a particular group. We have all heard stories of torment and humiliation undergone by people attempting to join Fraternities and Sororities in College.

Prestige is important to most groups, and measured in various ways, but in the end boils down to the desire to be a member of the winning team. Members want to feel a sense of prestige, a sense of something gained just by being a member. Sometimes Prestige is conveyed upon the group by one or more very charismatic leaders who become group heroes. Sometimes Prestige is found in the sheer size and activity of the group, though they can grow so large that they breakdown. Sometimes Prestige grows out of the fact that only a few people “Have what it takes” to become a member.

The value of Exclusivity is a difficult thing to pin down. For many, group that includes everyone has no value at all, if it did then we should all be happy with simple assured membership in the Human Race. There is an upper limit to how large a group can be and still retain value as a distinct group. There is a lower limit to how small a group can be, for a group of one is not a group at all. But the optimum size is difficult to determine and depends on the particular group. Mega Churches may be so enticing to their followers precisely because it is easier to feel a part of something much larger than yourself when you see thousands of other people who claim allegiance to the same group. Other groups have value precisely because the have a very few select members creating a greater sense of individual prestige amongst the members.

A groups value can also be thought of in terms of what the members get out of being with the group, both intrinsicly and extrinsicly. Street Gangs provide a sense of “Family” as well as a sense of Protection, and percieved opportunites at some type of success. Religious groups can help provide a sense of community along with the promise of saving your immortal soul.

Necessarily we have looked at fairly extreme examples of Group “Value”, but the basic principle hold through all kinds of groups.

It is important to remember that if an individual Highly Values membership in a particular group, then they may be willing to take actions they would not consider for a group with a lower value.

Lot’s of fancy language, to ask a simple question. What would you do for your Family? Your friends? Your Boy Scout Troop?

So how can the ABT justify their behavior? Personally I think that there is no Justification, there are however identifiable patterns that can lead to the type of behavior exhibited by the ABT.

Lets talk In Group/Out Group. Most of us have experience with In Group/Out Group, Cliques in High School are a prime example. The sometimes terrible things that various groups in High School would do to each other, “Popular” kids picking on “Nerds” are not the only example. We see this same kind of behavior in most areas of our lives, even into adulthood. Most of the time it is somewhat harmless, and just a means of individuals gathering with others that they identify with in some way. However, when those groups believe that there is something particularly valuable about membership in a their group, they will often highlight that percieved value by pointing out the differences between them and other groups. In the case of ABT this might be as simple as “I am going to heaven and You are going to hell” Typically there will be several things that a person has to be in order to be part of the group, some groups may require that a person meet only a few of the criteria for membership, and other groups require the individuals meet all of the requirements. But key, is that in order for the group to be important, there must be people who are not in the group. For some, the value of the group rises, the more exclusive the gorup is. In the minds of many, a group that includes everyone has precisely zero value.

I surely belong to groups, I belong to a group of US Americans, I belong to a group of Soldiers, I belong to a group that is my family. I also have always tended to look for the value in the individuals within the group, rather than the value of the group itself. I also do not belong to groups that require me to believe that every other group is wrong.