[shelfboy1]

thanks for serving food looks good any chance of buying some of those guns semper fi

[KliersLC]

Originally Posted by calstyl2

that place looks so barren, no vegitation or color, even our deserts have some color

It just depends on the area you are in. Some parts don't have any vegetation, and some parts look like socal. I haven't been to the mountains, but I hear there is vegetation in that region too. Most of the populated areas that are within a few miles of the rivers have a good amount of vegetation--palm(ish) trees and some sort of really tall grass or reed as well. Randy or Darin can fill you in a bit more as it has been a little bit since I was there and I don't make a concerted effort to remember the details

[Walton]

Randy, I thouroughly enjoy reading your postings of your mission in Iraq. Thank you .
Our family fully supports you, and the rest of the troops in your mission of liberation, and fighting tyranny.

[swank60]

Originally Posted by PacToy

So we did some more classes with the Iraqi IPs today. Teaching them weapons handling safety and patrol tactics.

Then we went on patrol through the area. All was normal. Well, as normal as it could be, I guess.

The young Iraqis we work and train with are great. They are motivated, they look up to us, and are really trying to do good. After this last night patrol that I just got back from, the young Iraqis joined us for our nicotine break. They were off duty and tired as they had duty all day and then patrolling with the Marines but they had to come and stay with the Marines as long as we were still at the police station. They wanted to talk and learn. These young Iraqis are the future of Iraq and sure does feel good to do right by them. Show them they can make a difference.

1st pic) Iraqi IPs being trained on tactics.

2nd pic) Today's meal

3rd pic) A cool ambulance.

With these younger guys - how do you all communicate with them? Do you have a translator, or are you all speaking some sort of mix between Iraqi and English? (What language do they speak over there, anyway? Is it Arabic or Farsi or what?)

I'm asking because I heard an interesting interview (again with the NPR) with a guy who produced a new documentary - it's like 12 hours of different documentaries put together from a ton of different people. One of the documentaries was done by a crew from Frontline, and they followed a mixed group of Iraqi and US soildiers and police - it was some kind of weapons cache raid - and the film crew was rolling on the Iraqi guys and they were chatting and smoking. When they went into editing, they had a translator look at the footage (I'm assuming it was in editing - I got the feeling it wasn't done on the spot) and the Iraqi guys were saying things like "Yeah, this isn't the real cache, the really big haul is actually at my mother's house…"

Do you ever get that vibe from the guys you're working with? Like they know there's a communication breakdown and they kind of take advantage of it?

Also, do you get any vibes on the tension between the different factions, Like are the guys you're training - is there a Sunni/Shia mix? Or is it only one group of the other? On the news the big focus now is the ethnic tension as being the root of the major violence - what's your take?

Hope you don't mind me asking all of this. This is about our only shot at asking someone on a daily basis about the suck, so I want to jump all over it.

Stay safe! Hope they keep feeding you like that, too. Looks like you're still eatin' good in the 'hood!

[swank60]

Oh yeah - and the shot of the passport - Extra friggin' cool.

I could sit down and put one of those together in about 1/2 a day it looks like. The counterfit thing sucks, too. They were saying in the story I heard that some people were paying up to $500 each for those things, and probably 4 out of 5 of them were actually usable - the others are so bad no one would think of even using them, so they'd just be out the $500...

[PacToy]

First let me say Thank You for all the support we are receiving from mudders. I come to ih8mud to get away from all that is happening every chance I get. Usually at night when we get back from a patrol I'm all amped up and my mind is racing. It takes me a bit to settle down and go to sleep. During that amped up time I have made these post. It is me just posting of the events that occurred during the day. I'm very happy to see that mudders enjoy the posts and further more I hope I can give you all a small insight in my small part of these events in our lives.

04-12-07
Today I had to go to the Desert Wolves (Border Patrol) border fort to hunt down some missing gear we had ordered for the IPs. Then had to race back to meet the general that was coming in to do what generals do when they come to small places like ours. We wasted a good bit of our time standing by to possibly take the general on patrol out in town. The end result for me was I stood around in all my gear for nothing then had to play catch up on the rest of my duties. Oh, well, such is life.

So this evening we went to the IP station gave a few quick classes, did a personnel and weapons inspection and took 7 IPs on patrol. I got to tell you I get more and more impressed by their abilities every time we take them with us on patrol. Remember, these are the young ones (18-30 y/o)who are looking up to us. I see good things coming out of them. I'm holding on to my opinions of the older males for now.

1st pic) Working our way up to the border fort.

2nd pic) Border fort trucks. They had a few FZJ-100s too.

3rd pic) The general is arriving.

[PacToy]

Originally Posted by swank60

With these younger guys - how do you all communicate with them? Do you have a translator, or are you all speaking some sort of mix between Iraqi and English? (What language do they speak over there, anyway? Is it Arabic or Farsi or what?)

I'm asking because I heard an interesting interview (again with the NPR) with a guy who produced a new documentary - it's like 12 hours of different documentaries put together from a ton of different people. One of the documentaries was done by a crew from Frontline, and they followed a mixed group of Iraqi and US soildiers and police - it was some kind of weapons cache raid - and the film crew was rolling on the Iraqi guys and they were chatting and smoking. When they went into editing, they had a translator look at the footage (I'm assuming it was in editing - I got the feeling it wasn't done on the spot) and the Iraqi guys were saying things like "Yeah, this isn't the real cache, the really big haul is actually at my mother's house…"

Do you ever get that vibe from the guys you're working with? Like they know there's a communication breakdown and they kind of take advantage of it?

Also, do you get any vibes on the tension between the different factions, Like are the guys you're training - is there a Sunni/Shia mix? Or is it only one group of the other? On the news the big focus now is the ethnic tension as being the root of the major violence - what's your take?

Hope you don't mind me asking all of this. This is about our only shot at asking someone on a daily basis about the suck, so I want to jump all over it.

Stay safe! Hope they keep feeding you like that, too. Looks like you're still eatin' good in the 'hood!

Yes, we have translators. When we want to conduct business we use the translators. If we are speaking personally with a young Iraqi their English is about like our Arabic but all involved usually get the jist of things. If not we get a translator.

Yes, we always get "that vibe" from the older ones who are in charge of something. Always seems to be alternative motives hidden within. We have to be cautious at all times.

Bad vibes between the factions? Oh, Yeah! Our Iraqi general is a Sunni. Our sister team of Marines are with a Shia general. There is no love between the two generals. Yep, the Sunni and Shia are killing each other. It's crazy and frustrating.

[PacToy]

Originally Posted by swank60

Oh yeah - and the shot of the passport - Extra friggin' cool.

I could sit down and put one of those together in about 1/2 a day it looks like. The counterfit thing sucks, too. They were saying in the story I heard that some people were paying up to $500 each for those things, and probably 4 out of 5 of them were actually usable - the others are so bad no one would think of even using them, so they'd just be out the $500...

Sounds pretty accurate.

4 out of 5 are usable because even the genuine ones have very bad quality control. All the Iraqi passports except the G series are suspect.

We have a whole box full of fake or altered passports.

I could go on forever about Iraqi passports. The new Iraqi G series are very good though.

[calstyl2]

how many of the IP's are ex Iraqi military?, and is there any Iraqi military presence besides the IP's??

love the updates and thread, be safe

[PacToy]

1st & 2nd pic) The general is leaving. A bit of relief and now we can get back to our duties.

3rd pic) Iraqi IP barracks. For some reason they shuffled us over to watch this girl in jeans dance around on TV. They were giggling like little schools boys. It must have been the Iraqi playboy channel, I don't know.

[beaufort-fj60]

how many sats does the gps pick up over there. Are you guys using trimble receivers? Cool pics

[krzyabncanuck]

I can answer the last one even though i am not there anymore. I took my personal GPS and it did just fine if not better than the military issue.

If you all want i got some pics of Stan / Pak , and Iraq from a few years ago you might like to see.

[calstyl2]

Originally Posted by krzyabncanuck

I can answer the last one even though i am not there anymore. I took my personal GPS and it did just fine if not better than the military issue.

If you all want i got some pics of Stan / Pak , and Iraq from a few years ago you might like to see.

yeah bring them out cause our media sure does very little to show what life is like on the ground there

[Poser]

Originally Posted by krzyabncanuck

If you all want i got some pics of Stan / Pak , and Iraq from a few years ago you might like to see.

That is exactly why this was put together Darin, please do.



Thank you.

[landcrusher909]

hey brother i got youor email thanks and we are all here for you and everyine over there

[GOZ 2 11]

Life on a aircraft carrier hardly compares the being in the dirt in Iraq. Most of the hazards come from the ship it self...you're basically living in a large machine with 5000 of your closest friends. When the popcorn machine breaks and the galley serves us chicken for the fifteen-billionth time and I think life must really suck, I think of all our Army and Marine Corps brothers and sisters digging foxholes in the dirt...suddenly I feel spoiled.

Attached is a pic of my killing time during a CBR (Chemical/biological/radiological) drill just after the was started in April 03.

Keep your head down Pactoy...let me know if you need any dated porn

[Red Herring]

Originally Posted by krzyabncanuck

I can answer the last one even though i am not there anymore. I took my personal GPS and it did just fine if not better than the military issue.

If you all want i got some pics of Stan / Pak , and Iraq from a few years ago you might like to see.

Abso-freaking-lutely!








And Randy,


Those are AWESOME pics! Thanks for sharing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Q: Those bullet proof view stations on the Humvees, are those used for temporary lookouts? Or are they becoming the standard issue?

[Campfire]

My deepest thanks for serving our country and keeping us informed.
I pray you return to your family safe and secure in the good ol USA.
And if you're ever out here on the west coast around Norcal, send me a PM and I'll hook you up with one of the best Firehouse meals you can think of. Might not be as good as that spread over there though...

[projektdotnet]

Thanks for all the pictures, suprised I missed this thread earlier. Thanks to all the soldiers who volunteer to keep the USA free

[krzyabncanuck]

Q: Those bullet proof view stations on the Humvees, are those used for temporary lookouts? Or are they becoming the standard issue?[/QUOTE]

Not to cut in again but they are becoming standard issue now for the gun trucks that are outside the wire all of the time for the gunners. It is to keep the gunner alot safer during an IED or small arms fire / indirect fire.

[PacToy]

Originally Posted by bull

Nice pics! When do you get to come home?

So far we a scheduled to return to CONUS around the end of this year. Everybody on our team expects a in country extension to come about the time we are to rotate though.

[PacToy]

Originally Posted by calstyl2

how many of the IP's are ex Iraqi military?, and is there any Iraqi military presence besides the IP's??

love the updates and thread, be safe

I don't know the exact number but I know there are a few of them that were in the old Iraqi army.

There are the Desert Wolves as they call themselves that patrol the border that are not too far away.

[PacToy]

Originally Posted by shelfboy1

thanks for serving food looks good any chance of buying some of those guns semper fi

I know of a Marine who bought a couple British Enfields from the locals and sent them back. The AKs and PKs forget about it.

[splitshot]

Who's keeping an eye out for you're cruiser for you? Thats an awful tempting looking rig to leave in the wrong hands

[PacToy]

04-13-07

Today we started off with a patrol out into our area. We had a bigger than normal patrol for us. We went out and did our thing, gave some classes and instruction to the IPs and came back plus 2. Then this evening we did our night patrol with the IPs we are working with, nothing unusual on the evening patrol other than the normal shady cats ducking and dodging our patrol.

Not a lot to report on our activities today. So therefore I will show a few pictures of our area.

1st pic) This was our patrol this morning just before we stepped out the wire.

2nd pic) It's sign.

3rd pic) This is a picture of the line of vehicles coming into Iraq from Syria. The rock in the foreground is Syria.

[splitshot]

All that trash, reminds me of Mexico.

[PacToy]

04-13-07

I should also mention that today was very windy a lot of rain and cold. It all made for some unsual colors in the sky. So here are a few pics from today's sky and sunset over Syria.

[PacToy]

04-13-07

Sunset.

[beaufort-fj60]

cool pics

[SLOwag]

3rd pic) This is a picture of the line of vehicles coming into Iraq from Syria. The rock in the foreground is Syria.

Interesting looking border checkpoint, I never would have envisioned it that way.

All of those vhicles are loaded down with a lot of stuff. What are they bringing, supplies they can't get in Iraq?

I'm enjoying reading the personal side of your day-to-day life, it might be routine for you but it gives us over here a perspective that we aren't getting anywhere else. Thanks