Second Deployment - The Middle and End

As I had stated in the last part of my post, I was going to be prepared for this deployment. Man, it was great to have my own team and guys to this day I still love.

As odd as it is...we flew over in a plane even though we were a "MEU" and should have been on ships (I alluded to this earlier). But, this wasn't a huge deal although it was extremely hot on those planes especially wearing our gear and I think we even had our weapons with us. Just a little odd bunch of Marines on a commercial plane with our gear and the like.

I can't remember a whole lot about Kuwait except that I just can't believe people can live in that environment, it's inhospitable.

Our command element was put in place (as we all were for the time being) at FOB Kalsu (I would later come back to this base in my 3rd deployment to Iraq). It's a little south of Baghdad and I want to say maybe east of Iskandariyah. It did seem like we were there too long instead of being pushed up with 2/2 (2nd Battalion, 2nd Marines) Infantry Battalion in Mahmudiyah. As always, when you get bored Marines altogether...bad things happen. I was messing around with our Gunny and grabbed his knife from the sheath...he reached down and instead of grabbing my hand he enclosed his hand on the blade and I took it out of his grip. Left him with a huge gash in his palm and he had to get a bunch of stitches...my team and I were on a convoy to a new base within the day.

As we arrived in Mahmudiyah to take over from one of the west coast MEU team it was clear there wasn't a whole lot to the base. We had the normal things like showers, chowhall, haji mart (local Iraqi selling goods), MWR tent. But, just because we had those things didn't necessarily mean they were open all the time but hey...I loved living this way, it always excited me.

We lived and worked in a tiny shack away from a lot of the command things but close to the chowhall, computer tent and heads. As we first arrived, as was custom with my team, Frese went out to learn about the base and make contacts with people (he was my Assistant Team Leader and our people person). He never ceased to amaze me the people he would get in good with to help us out later on (fine example was with the supply chief who gave us brand new sunglasses). We worked with 2/2 for only a month or two and that part of the deployment is hard to remember (except the Commanding Officer coming to me and telling me my guys weren't wearing all the body armor gear they were supposed to be...).

A reserve infantry battalion out of Chicago, 2/24 (2nd battalion, 24th Marines) came to relieve 2/2. We were a little worried about having a reserve unit there with us, you have these pre-conceived notions about reservists that they are fat and lazy and not "real Marines". I tell you what, I've never worked with a better group of professionals in my life. A lot of them had done active time but what really made this group more professional and mature than most Marines is you would have Corporals who were maybe 35 years old and worked as Sheriffs or Deputy Sheriffs back home. So, they had the experience, the maturity, just the "right stuff" to be successful in what they did in the battlefield.

We didn't get hit much by indirect fire on Mahmudiyah, I think the terrorists in that area were just stupid really. They couldn't hit crap even though we were right there in the city pretty much. The reserve unit there decided to take a couple other towns where units had tried but failed continuously. Those towns were Lutifiyah and Yusifiyah, I believe it was Fox company that went to Yusifiyah and we weren't far behind to provide support. We spent a little time there at first only with our Humvee and a tarp as cover. They mortared us multiple times daily and these guys were very good. I know as we were there the first day or so an Iraqi police (maybe military) was hit as well as a Marine. They had to be medevac'd out. Not sure how much time we spent there the first day but it wasn't very fun.

As Fallujah 2 was about to start up we went back out to Yusifiyah, it was in November of 2004 and we celebrated the Marine Corps birthday ball out there. Still got mortared some but wasn't nearly as bad. We ate steak and crab legs for the birthday ball even though we were in a craphole of a place, they did that for us. As we were out there, a long firefight took place and some of guys acted as spotters for the snipers. I think we ended up spending a couple weeks out there or maybe a week, it went by pretty fast.

I spent the rest of the time back in Mahmudiyah and let me tell you about Iraqi winters...it's not warm. We'd wake up in the morning and our bottles of water outside would be partially frozen, we'd have to sit in sleeping bags while working because the heaters wouldn't work. It was much colder than many might think.

I loved this deployment but there were obviously some things that weren't so hot. I remember they closed the chowhall down on Thanksgiving so I had a Turkey MRE (Meals Ready to Eat) to celebrate. A lot of Marines got killed, the place wasn't called the "Triangle of Death" for kicks. We were all there during some of the most important holidays that families get together for.

I do miss the guys I was with, I don't get to see them very often if at all anymore. I'm glad some of them are still in the Marines so I have a better chance of running into them again.

We came back in February 2005, worked out well we went with the MEU instead of with Radbn since we would have been there for a year. That deployment prepared me for leadership more than I ever knew it would and it makes me yearn for more leadership roles.

That was also the deployment Amy became a born again Christian, I resented her at the time for it and didn't want to have anything to do with it. I'm glad God gave me another chance though and she helped lead me to the Lord. Praise God.