LTC Mohammad Hussein

This entry is meant to be an obituary for LTC Hussein.  Enough time has passed from when he was killed that I don't think there are any operational issues involved.

LTC Mohammad Hussein was a Tajik born in the northern provinces of Afghanistan.  He had been fighting in one way or another, as had many Afghans, for his whole life.  He was the battalion level commander for the Afghan National Army headquartered with B Troop, 6-4 CAV.  There wasn't much to know about LTC Hussein initially, he was wary of US troops from his past experiences.  But with time he began to show what kind of man he truly was.  He cared for his soldiers, really cared about their welfare and their training.  He was quick to laugh at ridiculous situations (of which in Afghanistan there are plenty), but somber and serious when the situation called for it.  He held a strength that was visible, people recognized it and respected him for it.  LTC Hussein had been fighting in the eastern provinces for the whole war, since the Taliban was driven out, before there was a formalize Afghan National Army.  He had been targeted before to be assassinated, and the enemy almost killed him with a targeted IED.  They wanted to kill him because he cared, because he was a good soldier who wanted to protect the people who couldn't protect themselves and because he was a true leader who inspired his soldiers to fight when they thought there was no point and to do the right thing despite the difficulty.  Despite all the challenges he faced as a commander, he would just listen to everyone talk and then once they were done he would speak very calmly and quietly, with respect to each position, and tell his soldiers and everyone else who was there exactly what needed to happen.  I had the opportunity to speak with him personally on many occasions and in addition to being a model soldier and officer he was a kind man who did the right thing no matter how difficult.  He was killed on April 5, 2011 by an IED made specifically for him.  He had gone to visit the place where an officer of his, a friend, had been killed the year before.  The enemy waited until they saw him pay his respects, get into his vehicle, and then they murdered him and two of the soldiers he was with.  His death was a loss, not just for his military and Afghanistan, but for everyone who fights against the enemy.  He will be remembered.

Night Duty

Working at night is not easy, even for someone who is a night person.  Very little happens at night even here.  There are people moving here, and the occasional vehicle there, but overall most everything still happens during the day.  Only in great cities like New York or Chicago are people as active at night as they are during the day.  I like the nighttime.  Somehow it feels like a different world.  The time, unfortunately, passes quite slowly.  There seems to be more hours to think about home, and how much I want to go back.  There is a job to do here, but I feel that it is mostly done and time for us to hand it off.  I know the outcome, as I did before I left the US, but it doesn't change that very little is still happening here.  We can spend more money, more lives, and more time to improve the lives of the people here but ultimately it is a band aid for which there is no permanent solution.  The people in this part of the world are very set in the their ways, as unforgiving as the mountains which cover this country.  No amount of anything we give, or do, or say will change that fact about them.  It is the same for my position here.  Nothing I say or do will shorten the time here, and not much can improve my standing.  It is limbo.  I laugh because when we got here there was so much to improve upon.  The last people to be in this place literally went backwards, leaving projects in disrepair and destroying any good will that had come to this place.  There was building to do, and it took months of hard work to develop our position.  But now that we are established and complete it is just a boring routine of the same day over and over again.  The mission is done, and now we should be going home.

Mrs. Fritz's Class

We received some mail today that might possibly be the best thing I have ever seen.  In addition to the THREE boxes of random goodies they sent to me (including 48 colors of crayons and UNO cards!!) they also each wrote me a short letter telling me what they have thought of my service.  I am amazed at these kids.  One boy, Patrick, who is 10 years old, told me an epic tale of how his basketball team overcame their opponents in overtime to win the championship.  His last sentences: "Thank you for serving our country.  I don't think I could ever in my whole life serve for our amazing country because I don't have enough courage to do that.  Thank you again.  Bye!"  Honestly I never considered it to be a courageous thing I am doing.  Maybe its not that I have the courage myself to do this, but that each one of these kids and all the people at home give me that courage with their hopes and prayers and well wishes.  I have a few more excerpts to add in.  Eddie has a great story about him and his friends doing a Spongebob Squarepants song in the talent show.  He ends with "I truly admire the way you fearlessly fight for our country."

Leena loves dogs and just recently got a new puppy, a black and white terrier mix named Max.  She ends her letter; "You really work hard.  We all appreciate you and right now I admire you.  You're a role model to me.  you fight for your country.  You show you're a true American.  you don't care what happens, you know you have the strength to defeat anything.  you are an amazing person, a true citizen, and a true soldier."  These words mean so much more to me than any newspaper editor or self-serving politician.  I have never felt so supported by total strangers.

Calvin loves chess and came in first during the Chess Tournament.  Jalen loves the Chicago Bulls and is happy they are in the playoffs.  He ends his letter with "Thank you for protecting us from danger.  I appreciate your time for fighting to keep our freedom.  You are very brave and bold for doing this."  Riley likes to go to the movies and Extreme Trampoline, his favorite team is the Blackhawks.  Mine too, I hope they can win another Stanley Cup when I am home to watch it!  Ava is going to get a shelter dog when her dad graduates dental school.  She loves dogs and has a hilarious tooth joke at the end of her letter.

The last letter is from the teacher Janice Fritz.  She explains how excited the kids were and how much they would like to write me back.  I know that by the time I mail a letter they will be on break so now I will try to get a call out to them at school.  She ends her letter, "Thank you so much for serving our country.  I would think being away from home for so long, and in such a stressful situation, would be extremely difficult."

These are the reason I fight.  These letters, these wishes are what give soldiers the courage to fight every day for every inch on the most bleak battlefields on Earth.  The love and warmth from home can still be felt 10,000 miles away in Afghanistan.

Bittersweet Victory Is Still Sweet

Who knew the death of a mass murderer would cause so many Americans to be upset?  Am I celebrating in the streets like an idiot?  No.  But I don't fault those people for a second to celebrate the end of the fear they have been feeling for the last 10 years.  The fear that every day might be another plane in another building or a bus exploding in the streets of their city.  That was Osama Bin Laden's legacy, that even though he wasn't there in our face, the fear was.  That is exactly what terrorism is.  Terrorism is making your target so afraid they will bow to whatever your wishes are.  Some have argued that Osama Bin Laden aimed to turn us from some righteous saint into the enemy we hate.  That by celebrating his death we are the mirror image of those fundamentalists celebrating the attacks on 9/11.  This argument couldn't be more flawed.

To begin with, in Muslim nations around the world was an outcry against the murder of thousands of innocents on 9/11.  There were leaders, both religious and political, in every major city giving their support to the United States and declaring how wrong those attacks were.  There were fundamentalist Muslims hiding in the hinterlands celebrating the murder of thousands claiming it was but the first step against the decadent West.  Did Muslims celebrate the death of American government employees or military personnel who were killed in terrorist attacks in foreign countries?  Of course, and this is to be expected when the local national population of those countries views our presence as occupation.  But 9/11 was not the death of military personnel occupying a foreign country.  It was the deliberate murder of 2,977 people.

There seems to be this impression of the United States as being "above" the actions of other countries.  As though the United States hasn't cut its own bloody path through history.  American citizens have rejoiced the death of their enemies in the streets just as much as any other country.  Osama Bin Laden didn't make us do that.  He didn't have some master plan to make us this way, we have been this way for 235 years.  Since when has the US been a country of reluctant violence?  This is a country just as violent as any other.  I would never say we have an "orgasmic euphoria" when it comes to violence however.  Celebrating the death of a mass murder in the streets doesn't count as "orgasmic euphoria".  In fact, I see it more as though they are celebrating their freedom from the fear inspired by his actions.

Terrorism is one of the most evil and awful actions in this world.  An act inspired purely to terrify someone so you can get what you want.  The goal isn't to inspire your enemy to love violence, in fact it is just the opposite.  By my calculation Osama Bin Laden poked the wrong bear.  He thought by attacking us on our own soil he was bringing the fight to us.  He was right, he was just wrong about the outcome.  Every terrorist thinks his actions will result in an unrelenting terror that forces the victims to do whatever he wants.  Osama Bin Laden picked the wrong victim it seems.  But his attacks came with a cost.  People in this country did live with a constant fear since 9/11.  With his death they finally have a day without looking over their shoulder.  I don't think that its such a bad thing.

Going on Leave

In less than a week I will begin the process to go home on leave.  I am excited but also nervous.  I am excited to see my friends and family, but nervous to leave in such a delicate time.  It is the beginning of the fighting season and I just want to make sure nothing is missed.  Out here it doesn't take much a of a mistake for it to be costly.  I don't like to get bored so I have planned quite a bit for my time at home.  But to me it seems like not much compared to all the stuff I do most every day.  So it will be an experience.  Not much here to report, so this entry will be brief at least!

Neglect Makes the Heart Grow Stronger

It seems that I have been too busy to write.  It will probably be this way from now on.  The fighting season has begun here, I can safely say that.  I expect to be busy in the coming months.  I will try to write when I can, how much I can, but be warned it will be in snippets.  A lot has been happening this past month.  I have had to do a lot of work in order to help my soldiers and myself get organized and ready for the fighting season.  There are things we as a fighting force are missing, and a process (long and aggravating) to get what we need.  I hope to be going on more missions to bring my expertise and knowledge directly to my brothers in the platoons.  At this point it is more about how much firepower and knowledge we can bring to the battlefield to destroy the enemy.  I think many Americans see Afghanistan as a place similar to Vietnam, at least in the sense that the enemy is hard to pinpoint and equally mixed into the population.  This is true and false.  The truth is, there are regular bad guys who are Afghans fighting Americans.  There are Afghans who are criminals and have no stake in the war aside from the money they can steal or take by force.  Then there are fighters from every where who have come to this battlefield to kill US soldiers.  I don't like that, in fact, the idea that some asshole came to this country to intimidate good people and kill innocent people makes me very angry.  And just like Bruce Banner, you wouldn't like me when I'm angry.  I tend to spend all my time figuring out a way to kill that guy.  These aren't locals who are defending their land or their people, these are murderers who think they can do whatever they like because they are Muslims.  In fact, they are making good, faithful Muslims look terrible because of their bloodthirst.  It is just a small pet peeve I have.  In either case, be aware that a battlefield exists here, a very tangible battlefield where we can tell friend from foe (most of the time).  And don't worry, it isn't like me to back down from an enemy that makes me angry.

Time is Always a Factor

I meant to write this last night when I worked all through the night.  Unfortunately, I had actual work to do which took precedence over my blog.  But there is something to be said for getting work done.  I am getting more done each day, and more information is being processed and analyzed than ever.  Time is always a factor though.  I find myself counting the minutes and even seconds I spend on tasks.  I counted the minutes of a presentation just to judge how much I would need to shorten it.  A lot of people get offended when I am short with them.  Or they think I take it personally when they give me a hard time about something.  The fact is I am so busy I don't have time to joke, or to be polite.  I know there is some knowledge out there that says it doesn't cost anything to be polite but I beg to differ.  It costs time, everything does.  I find myself rushing to the next thing and scheduling things back to back in order to be more productive and get more shit done.  I got ragged on during dinner a few nights ago, and I was like "yeah ok whatever" and turned to walk away.  They called me back just to assure me they were joking.  I wanted so badly to be like "I don't have time for this" but I just said ok so I could walk out faster.  It isn't time friendly to argue or discuss something trivial for me.  I think there was a time when I thought I had some time each day.  But now it keeps getting sucked away.  But on the other side our operations are growing by leaps and bounds.  I am confident this will be a defining part of our time here.  The infrastructure we create for this area, tactically, will be unmatched throughout the surrounding area.  Sleep is overrated anyways!