Rock and Roll Soldier

Been so damn busy driving these roads that the time has been flying!

It ain't too bad here. A little hairy, but nothing like the media would have you expect. I'm currently preparing for another mission. It's a good thing it's not too hairy, as I'm not confident in our damned equipment anyways.

Interesting stuff that's been going on:

- certain officers at brigade headquarters have decided that our Jolly Roger flag with IRR painted on it is offensive, and we can't fly it from our vehicles. Other groups have been allowed to paint all manner of stuff on their vehicles, but we're forbidden from our flag. The reason is that we don't want to seem aggressive like "raiders" or "marauders." They've been telling us all along that the key to not getting attacked is looking aggressive.

A tad hypocritical, eh?

They previously forbade us from wearing the patch identifying us as IRR, even when the regulation clearly states that "IRR soldiers will wear the IRR patch" and that units attached for the purposes of deployment are not considered permanently attached. They want us to wear the bull... i'll tell ya. I'm embarassed to wear it half the time. Especially after one of my platoon mates witnessing a gunner HIDING in his turret while under fire on a orientation convoy. Rather than shooting back. Also, a poor iraqi who was outside with a flashlight near his property was FIRED on by a machine gun... why you may ask? The gunner thought the flashlight or cigarette was a muzzle flash. What a friggin moron.

And now, from the "this is going in a letter to my congressman" files...

- Our medics are fairly well stocked, but there's one thing they should have that they don't. Super duper painkillers, like morphine. I was told by a medic that they haven't been "authorized" yet. So when someone gets their leg blown off or something, they have to scream in agony until the medivac chopper gets them. A nasty wound REQUIRES pain medicine. But instead, the victim will suffer for a while. Nice. I think the issue is that they don't trust us with narcotics

UPDATE: The issue wasn't authorization, it was that somehow the order was messed up. It's getting fixed very soon, according to my source.

- I watched a convoy of BRAND NEW armored HMMWVs rolling into a base with iraqi flags on them, to be given to the iraqi military. And yet we have busted ass vehicles <actual problems deleted for OPSEC reasons... Whoops> Once again... Nice. Now at least we know where the safety priorities are. Interesting side note: certain people who never leave post, but have some rank, have brand new armored HMMWVs as well.... yet the guys who are on the iraqi roads constantly have crap.

- List of useful items that have been banned by "higher":     "shoot thru" muzzle caps to keep our weapon muzzles clean, comfortable high tech boots, and infrared reflective american flag patches that dont stand out but can identify us as friendlies through night vision

<comments challenging my chain of command removed... not a good idea. Stick to the facts, Fitzer....>

P.S. I'm not the only guy that thinks the National guard's training isn't up to snuff. Check this out, from an LA times article May 8th

"Iraq showed what we have really always known, that the more complex combined arms operations that take extensive training and considerable experience are more difficult for units that get two weeks of training a year," said one Army general, who spoke on condition of anonymity because publicly criticizing the Guard is frowned on in the military. "We need to be honest with ourselves. Six months of preparation does not provide the same foundation as five, 10, 15 years of full-time experience."

NOTE: Had to delete some stuff that, upon reflection, was sensitive information. My opinion still stands though - people around here need to get their priorities straight.

In addition: the guard will be deploying 6,000 troops on the border. EXCELLENT idea. Finally, our military will be used for it's intended mission: defending our country.