Jim Spiri in Iraq

I had gone to sleep at about 1900 hrs that night after
having been up from about 0400 the night before with
Apache troop. I would need to be awake once again at
0100 hrs and make my way to Bravo troop for the
mission briefing. I would skip chow, fill up my camel
pack with fresh water, take a shower, set the alarm,
and sleep as much as possible for the next six hours,
for the mission ahead would be a 24-hour operation
involving some night walking in and out, through
terrain that would take us through plowed fields and
canal paths. This would be done to avoid IED laden
roads. IED's and pressure plate mines are also in
fields as well, I've been told, but we would take the
path most likely to be safest, although longer. I
needed my strength and rest. My feet were already
sore from trekking through fields that had irrigation
mounds to step over in the past days. I would lay
down and fall asleep thinking about the day I find a
whirlpool to soak my feet in. I am tired.

The mission briefing began on schedule at 0130. I had
been informed earlier about the mission and its goals.
We would go to the rural town of Adwaniya, come in
via foot patrol in the middle of the night from a
position we would drive to and leave the humvees, and
occupy a building without being detected. When
morning would come, we would remain in the building
which is near a mosque, and wait as targeted known AQI
individuals would be apprehended as the day wears on.
This is Adwaniya, and it has many AQI folks in and
around it. However, there are less than there used to
be, thanks to 1/40 Cav's work in the past year,
learning an area of operation that has taken a heavy
toll on some good men. This is where I would go on my
last mission from FOB Falcon before leaving. It is
the last lap for me, at the moment.

We headed out the gate and drove to a checkpoint where
we dismounted and gathered our things. All of us,
including myself, were carrying extra water and MRE's.
I had five extra liters in a pack that was loaned to
me as well as an MRE. The extra weight is cumbersome
to say the least, but being thirsty half way through
the operation is more undesirable. We got in our
lines and began to step out. Everyone had NVG's,
except myself, but the moon light was so bright, it
was relatively easy to see where to step. As usual, I
followed closely the person in front of me. As we
headed out, there is this long line of troops ahead
and behind me, all walking quietly heading into
dangerous territory. We would weave in and out of
farms and canal roads, palm groves and the like, all
the while keeping a close watch for IED's and pressure
plate mines that have been reported to be in the area.
The scene, like so many other treks on this journey,
was amazing and hard to describe unless you've done
this at one time or another. It is surely something I
will not forget. And these soldiers have done this
all the time for the past 12-months, and will continue
to do so, well into the winter before they redeploy
home.

There were times during the hike, that we would all
take a knee and wait as comms from the radiomen would
be passed down the line. Looking around it's hard to
imagine how stealthily we were able to move in this
area without being detected. In the far distance I
could hear dogs barking which made me wonder who else
might be alerted to our presence. But, much to my
surprise, we moved along unnoticed. Eventually we
came to the town of Adwaniya, and once again we all
took a knee. A few moved forward and then we all
headed in the direction of the building we would
occupy. We entered, quietly, spread out, set up
positions inside and waited for dawn to arrive. We
all remained quiet. Comms were set up and soon the
sun would be coming up. I was wide awake, but tired,
and rested in my place of waiting.

As morning arrived, we all could tell that it was not
summer anymore. Many commented how refreshing the
cooler weather is, albeit daytime still is warm with
temperatures climbing towards 100 degrees still, but
for not as long. And the sun goes down earlier having
turned the corner on the Fall solstice last week. Our
goal today was to capture as many AQI terrorists as we
could as they came into town from their rural dwelling
places. This was the plan. We had a list of names
and faces as well as some CLC members with us that
could identify particular folks. We also had some
Iraqi Army personnel with us as well.

At one point early in the morning, a middle aged man
came strolling into the building we were occupying.
He was quickly detained and come to find out he was
the father of two of the people on the list we were
here to capture. He would be with us for a while. We
were still unnoticed by the townsfolk and if we let
this person go, that cover would be lost. Eventually,
when the man did not return, some family members came
looking for him. We could hear voices calling his
name. A young man, about 20, came strolling in. He
was immediately detained. Turns out, he was on the
list, and his father was there sitting as we brought
the son in. In one sense, it was a bit humorous, but
serious at the same time. I kept thinking to myself,
if they all would just come in that way, what a nice
mission this would be. I mean, here it is, their
weekend, they take a stroll through the little town,
go to this building we're at, come in one at a time,
get snagged, taken to jail, and then we go away at
nightfall. Too easy.

Of course, things don't work out that way and the day
wore on. Across the street was a little fruit stand
of sorts and some young men were there to occupy it
and open up shop. It was reported that one of those
men were also on the list. We now would venture out
the gate and sprint to the fruit stand and raid it.
Now we were no longer hidden, but capturing what we
could would be what we would do. And it worked. Lt.
Rob Hamilton led the way with a few Iraqi soldiers and
some US soldiers. I was in tow as we sprinted to the
fruit stand. Three were detained immediately,
handcuffed and put on the ground as we ran towards
another structure where some others were seen running
away. They were captured as well. There was lots of
commotion. No shots were fired. We gathered up the
detainees and headed back to the building we were set
up in.

At this point, we decided to move to the building next
door which had some more tactical advantages for us
now that it was known through town we were present and
here to stay a while. Positions were set up on the
rooftop as well as strategic locations throughout the
building. Word had come down from some sources that
the AQI down the road had been alerted and were
telling the townsfolks to leave the area in
preparation for a mortar and rocket attack that was
being planned for our location. We prepared and
waited, yet nothing transpired. The time limit passed
and we were not attacked. Then more inforation came
down the pike that the AQI were planning for a later
time of attack and still we waited. Many vehicles
were seen with their belongins in tow trying to leave
the area. They were stopped and searched and all seem
to give the same lame answer. "Oh we're going here,
we're going there, bla bla bla..." and so on. No one
ever tells the truth, usually. We went back to our
building and waited still more. Nothing happened.

Periodically more inforamtion would come down that
this or that was being planned for us. Attack
aviation was overhead keeping a watchful eye on things
and still, nothing happened. The afternoon turned
into late afternoon, everyone remained firmly in place
always on the ready for what may or may not happen.

It was during this time that I got to watch and learn
how a Captain and a Lt. work hand in hand in this one
platoon during their mission at hand. It was here I
learned more about two soldiers who are not just
comrades but co-workers of the mission as well as
friends to one another. I would learn much from Capt.
Matt Sheftic and Lt. Rob Hamilton. Two men who
impressed me not with just their soldiering skills,
but their well coordinated teamwork that displayed in
every sense of the word, comradre at its finest.
There were critical decisions that needed to be made
throughout the mission. I observed how a sharing of
information flowed between them, discussed, and a plan
was formulated moment by moment throughout the
mission. It was a perfect example of the right hand
knowing exactly what the left hand was doing. I may
have seen two officers coordinating but I saw only one
soldier. It was like two basket ball players moving
down the court passing the ball back and forth going
in for the score, and by the time it transpired, one
could not tell who scored the points.

I first observed Lt. Hamilton giving the prayer before
the mission started. He read from psalm 27. It was a
good prayer. I would learn that Lt. Hamilton is from
Florida and went to school at Embry Riddle Aviation
School. He had his sights set on aviation. We talked
a lot about that, as he is here on the ground
detaining AQI terrorists. He is well liked by his
soldiers and has a way with everyone that just
displays a good natured person. He informed me much
about the area and how they have dealt with the
learning curve from the onset. He speaks volumes
about how he will bring up to speed those who replace
him. His knowledge of his AO is critical to the
survival of those that come behind him and his men.
He feels a compelling sense of duty to inform his
replacements with every thing he has learned here in
the past twelve months. He learned it the hard way,
on the job.

Captain Matt Sheftic is a big fella. He stands 6'6"
tall and just by his very stature, commands respect at
the onset of meeting him. He loved basketball and
played at university level in Vermont, where he is
from. He is one of five children, and the only male.
He had four sisters to watch out for, one of which
passed away six years ago. We talked at length of how
we both had similar tragedies in the loss of a loved
one. I told him how parents try to go on and he told
me how siblings try to go on. We both learned a lot
from each other on this point. He spoke much of the
losses his fellow soldiers from 1/40 Cav suffered and
he spent much time educating me on the battle space he
and his soldiers are responsible for. As I listened I
realized that this giant of a gentleman, is wise
beyond his years in military issues especially
concerning the war in Iraq and in particular his
immediate area of operation.

Throughout the day, both Capt. Sheftic and Lt.
Hamilton spoke to me about the situation here. It was
anothe education that I was receiving by just being
present. We talked much about history and military
strategy as well as human nature and the like.
Although the details are important, it was the level
of communication that struck me as impressive from
both these warriors. They know what's going on and
they have the experience to deal with it. They speak
in very high regard of their XO, Captain Braman, whom
I was fortunate to travel with on a recent air assault
mission. I came to the conclusion that the reason I
ended up coming to FOB Falcon was to cross paths with
these three warriors. I could not have left Iraq
without having met them, now.

What I learned from the three of them is what I
learned from my own son. How to listen to the
warriors. It may be the one most critical component
in all the strategy that can never be overlooked. In
my view, it must be practiced from the very top of the
chain of command always. I believe it is happening to
a certain extent, but I think it is possible that it
could be expidited a bit more these days. Wise is the
leader who disregards his own resume and heeds the
experiential advice of the warriors under his command.
I have said many times in my journey how what has
struck me time and time again is the wisdom of the
soldier. But I did not know as deep as I know now,
how sharp they really are. Had I not come to this
area of operation, I may have missed the forest
through the trees.

The operation continued throughout the late afternoon
as dusk approached. More information had been
received that a VBED was coming our direction to
attack. If that would be the case, there would be
massive casualties. Capt. Sheftic and Lt. Hamilton
took immediate measures to block off a road that was
the suspected route to be taken by the terrorist
driver. We pushed an old abandoned car that had
belonged to a AQI detainee from an earlier mission,
into the road and blocked the path. We carried
cinderblocks and placed them in and around the car so
as to impede further any traffic that would attempt to
make a run into us. The dusk soon turned into night,
and the VBED never came.

We prepared to mount up and as we did attack aviation
was heard overhead. From far away, six 155mm mortar
rounds were launched so as to provide some cover as we
made our exit from our location. Listening to them
whizz overhead and explode on impact, I once again
realized where I was. As we then began our exit, the
abandoned car was set abaze so as to keep it where it
was to impede the threat of VBED attacks. We slowly
pushed out under the now full moon lit sky. We left
as we came, quietly, taking a different way out.
There were soldiers in front of and behind me once
again. The walk was through fields for a while, the
hardest part. I was tired, and thinking that I have
only a short while to go. This is the last lap. I
kept hoping that I would not fall and twist my ankle
on the way out. I had come this far, learned so much,
this part of the journey was turning a page. I would
make it. Not a problem.

Eventually, we made it to our destination, the humvees
we had staged for our return. The Iraqi Army soldiers
went to their quarters. I shook hands with one of
them, whom I had noticed throughout the day. He was
older, and very good. He carried an MP5, and knew
exactly what he was doing. I looked him in the eye
and thought that one day, he will be doing this
without our assistance, maybe. Only time will tell.
We got in the humvees and drove back to FOB Falcon. I
had gone into one of the most hotly contested areas of
Iraq, and come out, just fine.

We arrived back at the FOB and I was dropped off at my
quarters. I would go see the soldiers I had just
journeyed with the next day, before I leave Falcon.
I'm done now with missions, for the most part. Now
it's time to deal with the adminstration side of
things that always gives me a rise in blood pressure.
But I can handle it, I think. After all, I've
traveled with the best our country has to offer. I
have learned to listen not just to my own son, but to
all the sons of America.

This is how to pass the torch.

Jim Spiri
Iraq