First Blog from downrange, or hurry up and Kuwait

by: EyesOnly

Sat Dec 26, 2009 at 04:37:35 AM EST


Greetings to all from the sands of Kuwait.  As many vets of OIF and OEF can attest, this has to be one of the worst parts of deployment.  The early morning, the mandatory training, the last minute things that come up.  Honestly, it is just a standard Army day.

However, something happened while here that got the attention of many, if not all of the Soldiers here.  The announcement of the pregnancy policy by the MND-N Commander.  As has been thoroughly blogged and discussed here, many of us were in utter shock at this.  Well, here comes the answer from the leaders here on the ground.  This article, which was printed in the 26 December 2009 edition of the Stars and Stripes brought it to my attention.  

While reading the article, I caught the little nugget that on 01 January 09, MNC-I will become USF-I.  In other words, Multinational Corps Iraq will become United States Forces Iraq.  That development started me thinking that it sounds an awful lot like USFK, or United States Forces Korea.  That begs the question, what is the long term plan for Soldiers in Iraq?  Are we structuring ourselves for a Korea like tour, where Soldiers will go for a one year hardship tour?  My concern is that while we are drawing down our forces, we will continue a presence in the region.  If that is the case, we need to hold our leaders accountable at all levels to be honest brokers of the long term plan.

Otherwise, things are dusty as always.  I will try to blog again once up north, and keep all apprised of the goings on in Iraq.

EyesOnly :: First Blog from downrange, or hurry up and Kuwait
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Deployment (0.00 / 0)
"Welcome to Hell!" That's how my company commander greeted us when we arrived in Kuwait, so I know how you feel. You can read more about that here: acitizensoldier.blogspot.com/2009/07/welcome-to-hell.html

I'm glad you noticed the little change to USF-I and made the correlation USFK, as well. I thought I was the only one! I served a hardship tour in Korea, was home with my family for a year (thankfully) and now I'm here in Iraq. How long will it take for tours in Iraq to become "normalized" like Germany, Japan, or Korea? How many more countries can we occupy before realizing we are spread too thin!?

Thanks again for bringing attention to this issue. Take care in Kuwait and be safe once you come up north.

- Naveed

http://aCitizenSoldier.blogspo...

www.twitter.com/aCitizenSoldier


Just thinking that there no longer is a MultiNational Corps in Iraq so (0.00 / 0)
the change to USF-I makes sense.

On the other hand I caught this story about 230 members of IA Guard making it home on Christmas Eve after travel delays from Ku-Wait.

http://www.kcrg.com/news/local...

At the very end of the vid is a statement that members of the 132nd won't return to active duty for 15 months. If this is true, tempo is predicted to stay the same through 2011.


Regarding how long we will stay, that has been determined by the Iraqi government (0.00 / 0)
I wrote about this last September as the SOFA talks were drawing to a close.  Prime Minister Maliki has mandated that all troops be out by 2011.


On Monday, he stretched the timetable to the end of 2011 but said "all" U.S. troops had to be gone by then - no trainers, no logistics troops, no residual force. "No foreign soldiers will stay on the land of Iraq" al-Maliki said. And as for the Bush administration's tortuous new phrase "time horizon," he's not biting. An al-Maliki aide told the Associated Press that the phrase is "too vague." The Iraqis want a concrete date.



"No U.S. soldier ever dies in vain because they're carrying out the missions of their commander in chief. And we honor all the service that they've provided." - Barack Obama

Eyes Only (0.00 / 0)

Keep your eyes open and be safe.  Happy and Healthy New Year.

I'm reading a wonderful book now about the surge in Iraq, in
which my son served, and learning so much about what really
happens to you all.  The book won the Pulitzer Prize and is by
Finkel called THE GOOD SOLDIERS.

My son, who retired this past spring as a captain, served in Ramadi as a 1st lieutenant; he told me nothing, ever.  

I have to believe that something extraordinary is possible. (Mrs. John Nash)


USF-I/USFK (0.00 / 0)
The correlation of these two and it actually happening is a scary thought.  My S. KOR. tour taught me that the natives do not want or appreciate our presence -- but they want the financial goodies we always provide.

But as Chris LeJeune wrote, we do have a soft timetable in Iraq, and I can't see the OB administration reneging on that one.


Thanks (0.00 / 0)
I appreciate all of the comments made, and Chris, I do agree that the timetable seems to be in place for the withdrawal of all US forces by the end of 2011.  I just tend to tread lightly with regards to what that will look like.  Semantics and politics are strange bedfellows, and while I think we will all be gone, the fact that the HQ in Iraq is restructuring to USF-I causes me some concern.  I hope all is well, and happy new year to all.

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