I earned my jump wings in July 99 before moving on to Ft Stewart, Georgia during CTLT (Cadet Troop Leader Training). There I served with the best mechanized infantry division in the United States Army, the Rock of the Marne. They were the most well-trained, technically and tactically proficient team I had ever seen. They had the best of both worlds, the Mech they learned in Germany, and the light they got by virtue of their belonging to the XVIII Aiborne Corps.
I graduated from West Point on 26 May 2000, and was commissioned as a second lieutenant (commonly referred to as a butter bar) in the Corps of Engineers.
After graduating with Engineer Officer Basic Course (EOBC) class 07-00, I went back to NY to marry the love of my life, Megan. We married in the West Point Catholic Chapel on 11 November 2000 (Veteran's Day - a safety precaution because of the shady leave situation).
We drove cross country to get her stuff back to Fort Leonard Wood, where I took a job as an XO for A/35th En Bn. While there, I worked with the best drill sergeants in the United States Army (all due respect to the Sand Hill Drills at Fort Benning).
The 35th gave me some good experience. It showed me what not to do as a commander, and gave me some good mentorship under one of the best Bn XOs I have ever worked with (thank you, sir), a good Bn Commander, and the best CSM in the army (CSM Jones, you know who you are. Thanks for showing me how good a CSM could be. Now I'm spoiled and want them all to be so good).
After serving my time there, I moved across post to the 5th Engineer Battalion, where I served as an Assistant Squadron Engineer (essentially the planning liaison fom our company to the 3d ACR Squadron we were supporting). I took 1st Platoon in B/5 in the middle of the first field problem because the regular platoon leader had a family emergency.
I led 1st platoon through that field problem in Pinon Canyon, CO, and at NTC a few months later (August - at the time I thought it was hot - I didn't know what hot was).
When we got back from NTC, we received word that we were going to join TF Ironhorse and 4th ID on the Northern Option through Turkey into Iraq. My platoon was to be the first TF IH unit in country, and the first unit in the army across the Tigris.
One of my team leaders was tasked with taking the battalion commander and CSM across the border to check on some firefighters we had sent into Iraq early. Some reporters went with them and wrote an article that made the poor guy look like a total goof and took out of context comments from the BC that made it look like the soldier didn't belong in the army. My wife and I had to clean up their mess, and I was not a happy camper. Those reporters lost favor with my soldiers in a big way. The funny thing is, they didn't understand why.
I was set to be a platoon leader, leading my platoon into combat, but on the night before we were going to roll, the battalion commander pulled the XO and I aside. He had a special mission for our XO, and I was going to have to take over. I did.
We still ended up being one of the first units into Iraq for TF Ironhorse.
We trailed 1-10 CAV by about a day. A/5 was their support.
We went North through a war-torn Baghdad and my 577 struggled into the Taji Military Industrial Complex, just north of Baghdad. Soon, we were the only US Forces there.
B/5 quickly established a perimeter around a tremendous installation. The Iraqis had looted this place like every other, and confusion abounded. The best way to describe Iraq when we first got into country was like the Old West - everybody was packing, and rules were in pretty short supply.
It was here that we ended up securing an Iraqi Firetruck, loaded to the top with weapons and ammunition. We took old Iraqi vehicles and created walls, used concertina wire, and basically closed the whole place off, which wasn't easy. Some outstanding NCOs and soldiers made it happen.
After breaking up the black arms market in town, helping secure Taji for 4th ID DIVARTY (who took over the place in late April/early May), and serving as the Mayor Cell for what ended up as a northbound convoy way station, we moved on.
It was during this time that my M577 was destroyed by Iraqi munitions, when a freak accident set off OBJ Tinderbox (apt name, eh?). Our maintenance crew, led by SSG Clayton Nagel, did a bang up job of taking a Kuwaiti M577 that had been stolen by the Iraqis during the Gulf War and moved to Taji, and turining it into the best M577 I have ever seen. This vehicle had probably not moved in 12 years, but they made it purr.
Sapper was home for a long time, serving up memories of Donkeys and the people who rode them trying to steal munitions to sell to the Kurds, crazy Iraqis doing anything and everything to make a buck, and Doc Ali, our translator who still owes me another Cuban Cigar. I had the benefit of two outstanding Ops Sergeants, who showed me what it meant to stand up in the face of adversity. You will always be my brothers. The place got hot right about when I had to go, as enemy forces began firing rockets at us.
I left to join up with the 223rd En Bn of the Mississippi National Guard, at the bequest of our Group Commander. I was amazed by the good things that I saw, and disgusted by the bad things that I saw, and I will leave it at that. National Guard soldiers are some of the absolute best. They deserved better leadership than they were dealt. I could go into detail on the many scandals and tricky lives some of their leaders were living, but I won't. Suffice it to say that my soldiers were awesome.
I got the chance to be a platoon leader again in the 223rd, which I was more than happy about. My platoon sergeant was top notch, and he showed me some things about platoon leadership that I didn't know. I think I finally got it right, Joey, what do you think?
I learned a lot from the junior enlisted and NCOs, as well, some of whom were Vietnam vets that had a great deal to bring to the fight. My gunner, a former MP, was certainly one of the best I have ever seen. He could literally peg a Haji at 300+ meters with his SAW from the top of our truck. I wouldn't rather have another soul covering my butt from the bad guys. Thanks, Kev.
I went back to the 5th, where I worked in the 3 shop before we came home. Tim, brother, you kept the boat floating.
I made it home by the grace of God and help from some of the best soldiers on earth.
Thanks to everyone that served their time East of Eden with me, and to my brothers that laid down their lives there.
