Jim Spiri in Iraq

In between missions there are down times which I try
to fill up with other interesting subjects. Most
recently, I have been trying to discover what PRT is,
which I mentioned in earlier posts. They are the
provincial reconstruction team, run by folks who wear
suits and work for the Department of State. I have
tried three times to visit with them and so far, it
has proved fruitless. I caught some of them at the
chow hall yesterday, and once again mentioned that I
would like to spend some time with them. I felt as
though I was in a sound-proof room and speaking a
language that no one understood. Others around here
had told me it was hard to get them to explain what it
is they exactly do. I mentioned this to the PRT
members and again it was like talking to a rock. I
figured I would try again in the future, but, I'm not
anticipating anything of substance. Perhaps a call to
Ms. Condaleeza Rice, their boss might help. After
all, each of them is paid by the US taxpayer, it would
be nice to know if we're getting our money's worth out
of them. I know their suits are expensive.
I will keep the readers posted on this matter.

So, I again ventured to the Special Troops Battallion,
under the direction of Lt. Col. Hedstrom and Sgt.
Major Cook, both of whom are extremely helpful in
getting the word out of what their soldiers are doing
here in the war zone. This day I would spend the
morning of August 25, over at FOB Diamondback,
interviewing four soldiers whose task is to guard and
care for detainees that are picked up quite frequently
by those working the streets of Mosul. What I learned
is that the folks of Charlie troop, of the STB, have
an assignment that none of them volunteered for, but
all have come away with an experience that will last a
lifetime. It is for sure a thankless job, and one
that no one really wanted to do at first. I learned
much from these four soldiers and was glad I took the
time to see what it is they do.

Sgt. Cuevas, a 16-year veteran of the Army and three
of his soldiers were happy to sit in a room with me
for a couple hours the other day and open up a bit
about their assignments. Pvt. Owen from Espanola, NM,
Spc. McNeal from Tampa, Fl and Spc. McVickers (female)
were with SFC Cuevas, as we talked at length about
their jobs. They all had just come off of a 12-hour
shift and took time out to chat with me at length.

The first thing I learned was that NONE of them wanted
to do this at first. But, in the Army, you do what
you are told. They all picked up the ball and decided
to make the best of it. Sgt. Cuevas stressed from the
onset that what they each have done since then is
remarkable and in caring for the detainees, it is a
critical part of the mission that eventually leads to
some positive results. Treating each person with
dignity is the first and foremost advantage. The
point that each soldier in a way acts as a
mini-ambassador of sorts representing the USA is
something that all have gained in their daily job
duties. They all know that their individual contact
on an hour by hour basis with the detainees, is
perhaps the first line in establishing a positive
image of what westerners are like. Many of the
detainees have not ever come in contact with
westerners other than attacking them. These guards,
stand at the first steps towards resolving conflict in
the bigger picture.

I asked them all what was the hardest thing for them
in each of their daily routine. All of them responded
the same, more or less. "Just the daily routine of
being here day in and day out, doing the same thing,
is the hard part", each of them said. It is a job
that has no let up in it. They must each be prepared
for any and all things that could come up daily, while
at the same time, functioning in a role that could be
construed as monotanous. But, it is not that at all.

I then asked each of the soldiers what their plans are
once this deployment is completed. Sgt. Cuevas told
me that retirement is coming into view with four more
years to go. At 34, he has his sights set and by age
38, pushing 39, he hopes to either go into the US
border patrol or teach high school ROTC, something he
seems well equipped for. His performance as an NCO
has taught him much about leadership and passing that
on to the younger generation is something he finds
rewarding. Spc. McNeal, who came into the Army
wanting to drive trucks, recently re-enlisted for
another six years, while assigned to the job as a
guard at the detention facility. At 22, he has dreams
of owning his own trucking company, and is undecided
whether at the ten year mark if he will go for twenty.
There is time to figure that out later. Spc.
McVickers, who happens to married to an MP who is
currently deployed with her at Mosul, has not decided
what direction to take in the future. Right now, her
job as administrative specialist, keeps her busy just
learning the correct ways to spell all new names and
places unfamiliar to her.

But, Pvt. Jacob Owen is one that decided after this
assignment to pursue a career in corrections. He has a
couple jobs lined up on the outside working either in
Maine or New Mexico in corrections. He has taken the
experience he's gained here on this assignment and
turned it into a career. He's a big fellow,
physically, mild mannered and sure of himself. He
stated repeatedly that the shear experience of just
doing his job and taking the discipline from the daily
routine has shown him he can tackle whatever is thrown
at him. I see him excelling in the corrections field
once his time in the Army is finished.

I then asked each of the soldiers if in ten or twenty
years, would they ever consider coming back to Iraq as
a visitor? One by one they gave varried answers.
Sgt. Cuevas said, "that perhaps, when things calm down
coutrywide, it would be interesting to maybe see the
places he's worked and tell his family". Pvt. Owen
said that, "Iraq in general is not his cup of tea, he
prefers the areas where he grew up and does not see
himself ever visiting here again". Spc. McNeal was at
first not interested in ever returning but the more he
thought about it he admitted that maybe he would like
to see it in the future, but right now he's not sure.
Spc. McVickers talked much about how this country has
lots of history but whether or not coming back here is
still up for discussion.

It became apparent throughout the conversations that
each of these folks perform daily, day in and day out
a job that is tough, riddled with routine, but
critical to the mission. It was at first difficult to
be able to arrange a time to speak with them. Many
were concerned about the angle I would come from.
Once they and their leadership learned that what I'm
doing is historical in documenting their daily life
jobs, they all were more apt to speak with me.
Although, the apprehensiveness of what they say was
always ever present. This is due to the controversy
in the past concerning events that took place in the
Abu Gharab prison that happened years before most of
them ever joined the Army.

The simple fact is that these four, as well as all
their coworkers, have a job to do, and it must be
done. It is part of the mission, and they each, one
by one have found ways to turn "lemons into lemonade",
rather than mope around and complain. It is a
thankless job, but as Sgt. Cuevas told me, "the
leadership among them knows what they have done and
how they've performed. We only wish we could get the
word out a little more and recognize them for the jobs
they're doing".

I was happy to explain to SFC Cuevas, on the way back
to FOB Marez, "That's my job".

The four soldiers I met today, are part of the Special
Troops Battallion and are assigned to the detention
facility at FOB Diamondback. They work in a detention
facility, day in and day out, with people that are
there for one reason or another. Whatever reason the
detainees are there, it is not because they've done
something good. The soldiers know this, and yet still
must be level headed and disciplined. It could be
said that they themselves have a job that keeps them
in nearly the same environment as the bad guys. Yet,
they perform day in and day out for the mission at
hand. They have no time to complain. Guarding the
bad guys never ends. It is a 24/7 deal.

Jim Spiri
Mosul, Iraq
jimspiri@yahoo.com