Since the day I joined the Army, I have been doing one of really only two things. I came to realize this through the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. You see, we have had the opportunity to do so much, yet we keep falling so very short.
I Remember When I was at DLI (the Defense Language Institute) in Monterey California. It was beautiful there and I spent my days learning. I was learning such an interesting subject, and from such wonderful people. Arabic, that is how I spent my days. There was one Syrian, one Palestinian, and two Iraqi teachers. These people were wonderful and taught me so much, both about the Arab culture and about the language. It was during the end of my language training that I was called very early in the morning by a friend of mine who said turn on the TV. Numb is how I felt all that day as I watched the horror of September 11 unfold minute by minute. Every one of us soldiers wished we were there helping our fellow Americans.
I missed Afghanistan as well. I was busy training in Texas, where I learned the other aspects of my job (the non language aspects) and by the time I was at my final destination I already knew where I was going... You see for the whole first half of my enlistment I was training. I realize that we train for War so bear with me here. Training was all I had done, and I missed the War against those responsible for the atrocity that was 9/11. I was bound for a different place. A place that had little to do with 9/11.
At this place, you know of as Iraq and so many know of only as hell, I did the second thing. I was there the day of the invasion. In fact I was a part of it. I crossed the border only a few hours after the attack started and did so in my chemical gear. We fought and destroyed many, many people. I partook in War. It didn't end when we reached Baghdad. For 2 months I was there amongst the Iraqis every day, and when we were told we were going home all of us were ecstatic. We started our re-deployment briefings consisting of how to control yourself and not kill your spouse (in reality that was what the class was about but it was worded with much more political correctness), medical briefings about possible malaria cases, and many others.
You might wonder how I found myself in Fallujah a week after all those briefings that we took in what was then our base in Baghdad inside the Ministry of the Interior. Well, we had to take over this place from another unit who was too small and who hadn't just fought during the invasion. We took over operations from them because we were good at aggression. I spent my days in Fallujah and the surrounding places, like Abu Graybe (not the prison but the city), Al Khandaria, and the Jordanian hospital. There we all honed our skills of War.
Those were the two things that occupied my entire time in the Army (over 5 years, modest for some, yet quite a while for others who have never been to war). I was either training or at War.
Now I want to clarify two points before I go on. First I want to explain that I have met some really great Iraqis here in Iraq, and that I have done many good things for those that I could (I have never just gone out killing). The second point I want to clarify brings us full circle. You are probably cursing me right now, wishing you could yell into my face how soldiers are SUPPOSED to train then fight in Wars, and of course I can't and won't disagree with you (I am not a conscientious objector). However, I do want to interject something into your rant at me. We are more than just some trained War machines, we are citizens who have sworn to protect America. We are the ones (both active duty soldiers like myself and national guard and reserve) who could have been there helping those in the Gulf Region. We are the ones who should have already found and captured Bin Ladden in Afghanistan.
So many want to know why I came back to Iraq, even though I have been involuntarily extended (stop-lossed) and I don't believe in the War here. I came because I do honor my country and the contract I have signed (even if my enlistment time is not honored by the Department of Defense). When I enlisted back in 2000 it was to serve the American people in their time of need. Like so many others here in Iraq who feel so bogged down, I wish I could be there in Louisiana helping those who so desperately need us right now. Perhaps if we were home we could have saved more lives, filled more sandbags, and brought peace to the city. I am sorry that I can not be there. From the bottom of my heart I pray for all of you who have been affected by this storm.
From a soldier in Iraq to the American people,
Sgt Zachary Scott-Singley
16 comments:
Impressive. I have liked it very much.
Thank you explaining the complexity of what being a soldier is. Civilians who have never served don't get it.
only tragedy BushCo seems to recognize is Bush's sinking political standing. They reach a new low. Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) reports on BushCo faking levee repairs for a photo-op:
[T]he greatest disappointment [regarding the federal response] stands at the breached 17th Street levee. Touring this critical site yesterday with the President, I saw what I believed to be a real and significant effort to get a handle on a major cause of this catastrophe. Flying over this critical spot again this morning, less than 24 hours later, it became apparent that yesterday we witnessed a hastily prepared stage set for a Presidential photo opportunity; and the desperately needed resources we saw were this morning reduced to a single, lonely piece of equipment. The good and decent people of southeast Louisiana and the Gulf Coast - black and white, rich and poor, young and old -
deserve far better from their national government.
Dutch viewer Frank Tiggelaar writes:
There was a striking discrepancy between the CNN International report on the Bush visit to the New Orleans disaster zone, yesterday, and reports of the same event by German TV.
ZDF News reported that the president's visit was a completely staged event. Their crew witnessed how the open air food distribution point Bush visited in front of the cameras was torn down immediately after the president and the herd of 'news people' had left and that others which were allegedly being set up were abandoned at the same time. The people in the area were once again left to fend for themselves, said ZDF.
these are the words of a us senator and a german tv crew: its all faked for bush's photo op of his visit to the disastor in louisiana. this is what we have come to. this is what are leaders are. god help us
Zach, I think our ideal of America has proven to be a farce. This administration is no different than the PRI of Mexico who pilfered the government coffers, handed out contracts to friends, and oppressed its people. Our government is made up of a bunch of mobsters. They hire their incompetent friends to do the most important jobs so they will hand out contracts to their friends, further enriching the rich at the expense of the nation. They truly don't give a damn about America or Americans. They only care about money.
I've become so incredibly cynical this week, seeing a city I lived in just weeks ago lay in ruin, my former neighbors and friends abandoned and left to die. I would expect such things in the third world where the governments care about their own pocketbooks, not the people they are supposedly governing. The shroud has been lifted and our government's grotesque heart has been exposed. These people running our government are the animals. They are heartless.
Our only hope is for this administration to be impeached, all of its cabinet and directors fired. They are corrupt, callous, and worse, criminally negligent. This has been a crime against humanity. They have got to go.
Stay safe, Zach. Take care. We need you here to help us. It's too much.
Just one thing Hurria, we did not elect him twice...The first time he didn't win but the PR machine was already spinning and then 9/11 happened, and all questions of his legitimacy vanished into thin air...Don't ask me how after 4 years of him people thought he could actually do the job. The issue of homosexual marriage and a bunch of extra right wingers voting was probably/sadly the big reason he got in.
~Hillary
That's right, Hillary. The man was not elected in 2000. He was a thief then and he's a thief now.
Hurria, I agree with you completely. It's not the first of his crimes against humanity, but I hope it's his last. I worry like you, though, that nothing will come of this either. Most Americans are asleep. They don't see a connection between politics and actions. It's incredibly ignorant. They don't blame Bush for his failures, just point to the failures themselves and laud Bush for his "leadership," whatever the hell that means now. It's complete insanity. They treat him as if he were a god to be worshipped, not as the incompetent, arrogant man that he is.
He and his administration should be held accountable for these crimes and sent to jail. They deserve nothing more.
Snag>
There is no "French debacle" in Rwanda. France has no specific link with that country, which is a former Belgian, not French, colony. No French troops were localized in Rwanda. The massacre of Tutsis by Hutus is a terrible tragedy, and nobody in the world reacted. It's a shame that we should all share. Unfortunately it's not the only one (Red khmers in Cambodia, etc. etc.).
Zach>
Great post. Take care.
Snag>
Well, Tutsis have been killed mostly with machetes. Don't think any training from the French army has been needed to perform that tragedy.
But anyway, I totaly agree with you, on the attitude of France and all former colonial powers in Africa (and Asia, and Middle-East...), and on the fact that "any of our governments are capable of making monsters". Alas.
Get ready for a new batch of recruits as the military recruiters decend upon the Katrina evacuation centers. Would not surprise me if the recruiters threaten to have assistance cut from those who do not enlist. Mark my words.
-roamer in mich
we wish you guys were here helping us out, too.
i heard that the 500 troops stationed in iraq were sent to louisiana. this came out moments after Bush said, "heck! we have enough troops to handle both iraq and louisiana!"
on another note, it's
interesting that Bush forgot to mention the troops we have in afghanistan. i guess because no one in the media talks about afghanistan anymore, bush doesn't think it's important to remind us of the "progress" going on there, like he does with iraq, and now louisiana.
interesting that liberals don't protest our presence in afghanistan but we question our presence in iraq.
I just found your blog through the Ignorant Hussy's blog. Reading through it for 20 or 30 minutes, I can already tell that you're part of the best of America. There are a lot of people, like you, who are working to "fix" the Gulf Coast disaster, so don't worry too much about that - you probably already have enough on your plate. Appreciate your honest commentary.
That's a great post zack! Don't worry too much about being here, like d.k. says you've got enough there to worry about. And it doesn't look like there was any lack of hands to help only that the puppetmasters kept the hands from getting to help. Things are coming together now though for those abandoned by FEMA. We'll get it done sarge!
Good Post
For 20 Ohio Marines
[A Tribute from Butler, Pa.]
Did you feel the wave of sympathy
surging across the Pennsylvania line
and out to you,
the families left behind?
We know.
For we saw your boys
here among ours,
in our streets jogging,
in cars, in shopping malls,
in our churches, at picnics,
and High School proms,
and not too long ago
on the Fourth
as lads on Main Street
watching soldiers pass,
and even then they straightened
when the flag unfurled.
We saw them at gates
embracing parents
wives and families,
grandparents too
and friends who couldn't let go—
turning then to leave
with head held high,
yet looking back
at the ramp,
one last time.
Twenty, they reported, had fallen—
snatched from us, from us now so far.
We weep with you.
For yours are ours.
The west coast has many units which could deploy to parts of the US in cases of emergency. In fact we keep hearing of the OP-TEMPO but never get called. Reserve units and Guard units should be mobilized and deployed for disaster relief. It would give many troops real world experience and a greater appreciation for their fellow countrymen.
ach, I don't read many blogs but someone should read yours to President Bush.
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