From a buddy of mine JUST BACK from Iraq

W

Wallew

Moderator
I was just emailed a video clip that appears to be filmed by a Chechnayan/Russian crew using handheld video camera. The authors name is Russian (it showed up in Russian cursive) shows an IED being prepared, then used to BLOW UP as an American convoy approaches. I tried to post the video. But it was not in the correct format (ie, it was a video, not a still pix).

OK, I was just updated by my buddy. He says the video is of a Chechnayan rebel blowing up RUSSIAN convoy in Chechnaya, not an AMERICAN CONVOY in IRAQ. Sorry about the misinformation, it was rather late when I posted it and I didn't read the email correctly. SORRY ABOUT THAT.

Here is what my buddy said:

This is the enemys' preferred method of attack in Iraq and Afganistan. I was less than 50 yards from one that went off in Sept. I got lucky that day, my ears still ring when I think about it though. This one in the film was bigger than the average one-the shells are artillery probably 152mm RDX loaded (pound for pound more powerful than TNT "AKA" dynamite) each Shell contains between 10-12 lbs of the stuff (it looks as though there were at least 3-6 shells used and they suit themselves to be very easily made into an IED a little C-4/P.E. 4, detonator and alot of times a cell phone. Notice the person run out in front that is a common ploy to get vehicles to slow down and bunch up in a kill zone so you IED (Improvised Explosive Device) can be more deadly.
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He apparently can't get to sleep tonight. He sent me another one:

Ladies and Gentlemen:

I have been giving thought about the fun things that I miss from Iraq. Here will be some problems.

Not having to take my rifle and helmet everywhere with me.

Not having to take my helmet to the way too hot "sweatbox" aka "Porta-john"

Running water

Private showers

Stupid officers (too many of those around)

Stupid Sergeant Majors (See above)

Driving like a madman down the center of all roads and training my machinegun on any suspicious looking vehicles (which is anything not U.S. or our allies).

Not hanging on white knuckled to my .50 caliber machineguns' grip and using my body as a pin-ball inside the cupola when my amored personal carrier driver decides to go "Dukes of Hazard"

Not waking up at any time of the night and having to go sit out and help EOD (bomb disposal technicians) find roadside bombs.

Not being a moving target for the bad guys to test their roadside bombs on!

Not running for cover when we take Iraqis out to help retrieve unexploded shell and bombs as they throw the stuff around.

Exploding stuff on a daily basis.

Food that is identifiable and tastes like food (Bless the civilian cooks and their efforts, but when you have a Pakistani putting orange sauce on your corned beef it just doesn't taste right, but it was better than the Army cooks of my brigade-Damn your eyes and souls for serving the reprehensible garbage that you tried to serve us-how do you burn food that comes in a boiling bag!!!!!!!!!!!.

Not having to tell someone everywhere I am going, including the toilet.

Not worrying about getting Diaharrea on a daily basis.

140+ degrees wearing body armor and a helmet. It is even more fun when you are a T.C. (track commander-the guy outside of the hatch on an armored personnel carrier) in the same heat traveling down a paved road and having hot exhaust blown in your face helps the temp go up by about 40 degrees.

Having the metal on your vehicle so hot that you cannot touch it.

My constant companion or 28 pound buddy aka. IBA (interceptor body armor).

Having the grips on my .50 machinegun so hot that the only way I could hold them was to have a piece of ice in my palms between the grips and my hands.

Being a gunner on a Humvee exposed for 10 hours on a humvee in December trying to stay warm at 75 mph.

Being in a 3 mile long convoy and seeing a plume of smoke up ahead and saying to your driver "Is that what I think it is" and then hearing on the radio "speed up IED attack ahead!"

Being in a smoke and dust cloud from an IED that went off on "IED Alley" (Improvised explosive device) less than 50 yards away whilst having shrapnel whizz over your head and tasting the TNT while it is burning in your eyes and having one ear ringing (lost an earplug earlier that day). And thinking "Wow, I am glad I decided to be lazy and sit down for a second because my feet hurt from "Gunning" (being the gunner) for the last 2 hours and not have standing upright" all the while while your driver has locked the brakes on the Humvee and you are travelling down the road sideways towards a bridge abutment.

Watching some Iraqi children so spoiled that they turn down water offered to them because it is to hot!!!!!!!!!

Hearing Mistah!! Mistah!! or Mistah, Gimme! everywhere you go.

Dodging rocks thrown at yourself in certain areas when you are gunning.

Being lost in Baqubah.....

Seeing some stupid sot (see comment under "sergeant major" above) walking around that never leaves the F.O.B. (Forward Operating Base) making sure that you aren't wearing white socks or that you are clean shaven. We started referring to these people as "FOBBITS".

Being on the Iranian border and saying "Stop!!, I think we are in a minefield!!!!" and also wondering if those last fence line of wire you passed through put you across the Iranian border.

Watching soldiers scramble for cover when you do a blast that contains about 200lbs of high explosives and realize you are a little to close and still in the frag zone....ooops!! (I did tell them to take cover beforehand though. When those first pieces of shrapnell came whizzing through the air I had ten people pressed up against me on the side of a humvee all of a sudden. Case in point when you see the Demo guy take cover watch what he does!)

Seeing this on the EOD teams shirt "Bomb Disposal, If you see me running catch up!".

And worst of all leaving your helmet upside down in the sun (FYI it has black foam padding on the inside) on one of those hot days then putting it on in a hurry.

I hope you all enjoy the above.
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Here he is in Afghanistan PRIOR to going into IRAQ.

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He doesn't look the same NOW, as he lost a ton of weight in IRAQ. Must have been the GREAT FOOD and MILD CLIMATE and all the beaches they got to hang out on, while pumping iron as he showed off for all the girls (yeah, right)
 
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That's EXACTLY what I said when I got this pix. But his 'guys' were given a lot of 'leeway' by their commander. Don't know why.
 
Give that man a ceegar. You are 100% correct.

I've always liked this photo from Afghanistan personally. But I'm a grade B movie freek. This was a few months earlier.

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Yeah, but he asked me NOT to go into particulars. When he stops by here in about a week, I'll ask him face to face if it's OK to tell his story. Otherwise, I respect what he asks me to keep quiet.
 
Maybe he's in some super secret double agent type mission right now.

Kinda negates the whole point of the picture though, now doesn't it. :D
 
Crosshair,

Because my buddy requested it. He works with Spec op guys. Hence why he was in Afghanistan and then Iraq.

I have written him MANY times and thanked him for his service to our country. Here is his response:

Ok, all is cool there now. Thanks for changing the photos around. And one thing that does not get told back to most people-No, thank you all for your support, it's nice to have a country full of people who appreciate what is being done and it could not be done as well with out all of your support.
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He's a really good guy and one of my best friends. GOD BLESS ALL OUR TROOPS, former, present and future for giving their all for US. Thanks guys!
 
This is a cool thread! Thanks for posting some word from the troops.


I have a question about your friend: Isn't he really worried about chemical/biological attacks, not shaving and all?
 
On more from my buddy:

I'll answer a few of the questions:

In Iraq I worked with a completely different unit and under regular army guidelines.

I had to shave daily, just like 99% of soldiers over there and had to uphold garrison grooming standards (only a moustache and a high and tight haircut).

Chemical weapon attacks were of minor concern in Iraq but as per SOP (Standard Operating Procedures) we had our protective masks and J-list suits available, and never more than arms reach away. In most cases though it does no good, the suits and gear are designed to protect other units after the fact and provide some protection after exposure. If there were any chem. attacks over there it might be one or two shells that were used as IEDs on accident. As far as I know none/if any have been used at all. In Afganistan it was not a concern.

In Afganistan I carried a captured M-3 "Greasegun", PPSH-41 and a few different AK's because I could and I don't care for the M-4 carbine (which is all that was availble). In Iraq I had an M16A4 (which I like more than an M-4 for the most part) but was trying to scavenge an AKM up until the end of my tour..

And thanks everybody again for your support
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One of the MAIN reasons he is not answering these questions personally, is like ME he is not a joiner. Unllike him, I can't keep from 'bragging' about one of my best friends and what he has done for me (and all of us).

He will be blowing through Denver in a week or so. We will then "Kill the fattet calf" and several of our gunsmithing buddies are going to get togther and listen to all the war stories and 'raise a glass' to all service men and women, past, present and future.

My Dad read several of the emails I forwarded to him. His response was, "Wow, it sure is a different war than what I fought, except the part about the officers"

My Dad fought in WWII. Battle of the Bulge and then on to Remagen Bridge. Sometime after that he was severely wounded by arty. Still carries HUGE scars on his shoulder from that, and multiple tiny scars on his legs from a tank round exploding near him in a farm house, as he took cover behind a large metal stove, but his legs stuck out.


MY dad NOW:

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And from my 'little' sister (who is married with two kids):

Dear Sir,
It is with great appreciation and respect that I send this email to you. Welcome Home. I am so extremely glad you are home safely.

I am the daughter of a WWII veteran who received two purple hearts and the wife of a now retired (Sort of) Customs/Homeland Security Pilot. Service to our country is very much a part of who we are in my family.

Your service to this great nation is so appreciated. You are one of the many everyday guys who make everyday decisions that have changed everyday for the better in what will become a free Iraq.

Your gracious humor is humbling. Your insight is overwhelming. Never, Never, Never stop telling people about what you experienced and who you were with in this battle for freedom. You are not just some guy.

You are no different than Paul Revere. He rode at a dead gallop for miles and miles outrunning British soldiers who tried to stop him from making a difference. I'm not kidding. I am sincere.

What would have happened if you had not been there each day? What would have happened if Paul R. decided to sleep in that night?

I salute you. I wish I could give you a warm hug and feed you something delicious. So call Jimbo and get him to cook something for you. I really do understand how you can burn boiled food. Jim is the Master Chef in the family.

Welcome home.
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When my sister FIRST got married, she and her husband stayed with us for a week to go skiing in the mountains. She literally 'burned water' on my stove one morning. HOW do you burn water? I don't know, but she did it. After quite a few years of marriage she is NOW a great cook. NOT as good as I am, but a great cook none the less.
 
Wallew, your buddy was on the Military Channel for some specops TV show, if I'm not mistaken (easier to tell when his face wasn't blocked out!)... is that why he has the facial hair, to be better accepted due to cultural reasons?
 
Notice the date on the video puts it about a month and one week before 9/11. I find it funny how I for one almost tend to forget such things occurred before that day in September. What a rude awakening for us as American's to realize that people did such things to other people before they did it to us. I don't really know what I am getting at here except that it is kinda weird to see this and know it never made it on an American media network.

It is also terribly frightening for me because I have a younger brother in Fort Benning right now and he'll be in Iraq most likely by June.

Again, thank your friend and tell him for God's sake, keep his head down and watch his six. We do appreciate his service and wish him a speedy and safe return home--with mission accomplished of course.
 
TR,
When he was in Afghanistan with Special Forces, his commander was fairly easy on the guys.

When he was in IRAQ, there was a completely different set of rules. High and tight, if you know what I mean.
 
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