Team Infidel
Forum Spin Doctor
Orange County (CA) Register
September 24, 2008
Pg. B1
By Gordon Dillow, Register columnist
Haditha, Iraq -- Marines aren't paid to be pacifists.
So perhaps it's not surprising that some Marines here are actually a little disappointed that the situation isn't more "kinetic" -- that is, that they aren't seeing more action.
That may be difficult for civilians to understand.
From the civilian point of view, the fact that the violence level in Iraq is at its lowest point in years -- U.S. combat casualties are a tiny fraction of what they were two or three years ago -- is a blessing.
After all, who in his right mind would want to be in combat? Certainly I'm not disappointed that, in contrast with my previous trips here, this time I haven't yet heard a single shot fired in anger.
But that's why we are civilians and they are Marines. For Marines who are warriors by training and temperament, particularly the younger ones who have yet to earn the coveted Combat Action Ribbon, the lack of someone to fight can be frustrating.
Pfc. Greg Otis, 19, is on his first tour in Iraq and has seen no combat. The Humvee "up-gunner" with Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines from Twentynine Palms, puts it this way:
"I was kind of hoping it would be different, more action. I've got a buddy (another Marine) who's in Afghanistan, and he says they're seeing (enemy contact) almost every day. He kinda rubs my face in it."
Again, it's difficult for the civilian mind to grasp. But you have to remember that virtually all of the younger Marines here, the privates first class and lance corporals and corporals, enlisted after the war in Iraq began more than five years ago. They knew when they joined up that they'd be heading for the war zone. For many, particularly the infantrymen -- the "grunts" -- that was the reason they enlisted in the first place: to test themselves in battle.
And even some of those who have seen combat, and therefore probably ought to know better, say they'd prefer more "excitement."
"I wasn't prepared for this," says Cpl. Matthew Habermann, 23, of Soldotna, Alaska, with 2nd Battalion, 11th Marines from Camp Pendleton, who earned his Combat Action Ribbon in combat in Ramadi in his last tour but has seen no action this tour. "It's kind of boring."
True, some older, perhaps wiser souls understand the true price of combat.
Navy corpsman Derek Correa, 25, of Biloxi, Miss., now based near Qaim, treats injured 2/11 Marines and says he's pleased with things as they are.
"I expected a little more (enemy) contact," "Doc" Correa says. "But I'm happy I don't get to do my job" treating wounded Marines -- because so far there haven't been any in his unit.
Of course, the Marines pride themselves on being adaptable. If their mission is to support Iraqi security forces and help build the infrastructure and economy, as opposed to fighting, that's what they'll do.
"I'm an infantry officer, but my job now is to work with Iraqi security forces and help promote the rule of law," says Lt. Chris Parks, 26, of Birmingham, Ala., who was an enlisted infantryman at the start of the war in 2003 and is now a platoon commander with 3/7's I Company -- "Psycho Ico!" -- in Haditha. "I'm glad we're in an area where it's more likely we'll all come home."
And to those young hard-chargers who think they'd rather be in combat, here or elsewhere, Parks offers this age-old bit of military wisdom about wishes coming true.
"My old platoon commander used to say, 'If you get into combat, pretty soon you'll be saying, "I wish I was where I was when I was wishing I was here." ' "
Still, many Marines are torn between the visceral desire for action and the sensible desire that they don't get into a fight -- and that they and their buddies all come home safely.
Capt. Zachary Webb, 29, who grew up in Orange and now flies Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft out of al-Asad air base, sums it up like this:
"There are two lines of thought. One: Is it good that Marines are accomplishing their mission without a lot of (enemy) contact? Yes. Two, are we Marines who would like to see more action?
"Yes."
Like I said. Marines aren't paid to be pacifists.
September 24, 2008
Pg. B1
By Gordon Dillow, Register columnist
Haditha, Iraq -- Marines aren't paid to be pacifists.
So perhaps it's not surprising that some Marines here are actually a little disappointed that the situation isn't more "kinetic" -- that is, that they aren't seeing more action.
That may be difficult for civilians to understand.
From the civilian point of view, the fact that the violence level in Iraq is at its lowest point in years -- U.S. combat casualties are a tiny fraction of what they were two or three years ago -- is a blessing.
After all, who in his right mind would want to be in combat? Certainly I'm not disappointed that, in contrast with my previous trips here, this time I haven't yet heard a single shot fired in anger.
But that's why we are civilians and they are Marines. For Marines who are warriors by training and temperament, particularly the younger ones who have yet to earn the coveted Combat Action Ribbon, the lack of someone to fight can be frustrating.
Pfc. Greg Otis, 19, is on his first tour in Iraq and has seen no combat. The Humvee "up-gunner" with Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines from Twentynine Palms, puts it this way:
"I was kind of hoping it would be different, more action. I've got a buddy (another Marine) who's in Afghanistan, and he says they're seeing (enemy contact) almost every day. He kinda rubs my face in it."
Again, it's difficult for the civilian mind to grasp. But you have to remember that virtually all of the younger Marines here, the privates first class and lance corporals and corporals, enlisted after the war in Iraq began more than five years ago. They knew when they joined up that they'd be heading for the war zone. For many, particularly the infantrymen -- the "grunts" -- that was the reason they enlisted in the first place: to test themselves in battle.
And even some of those who have seen combat, and therefore probably ought to know better, say they'd prefer more "excitement."
"I wasn't prepared for this," says Cpl. Matthew Habermann, 23, of Soldotna, Alaska, with 2nd Battalion, 11th Marines from Camp Pendleton, who earned his Combat Action Ribbon in combat in Ramadi in his last tour but has seen no action this tour. "It's kind of boring."
True, some older, perhaps wiser souls understand the true price of combat.
Navy corpsman Derek Correa, 25, of Biloxi, Miss., now based near Qaim, treats injured 2/11 Marines and says he's pleased with things as they are.
"I expected a little more (enemy) contact," "Doc" Correa says. "But I'm happy I don't get to do my job" treating wounded Marines -- because so far there haven't been any in his unit.
Of course, the Marines pride themselves on being adaptable. If their mission is to support Iraqi security forces and help build the infrastructure and economy, as opposed to fighting, that's what they'll do.
"I'm an infantry officer, but my job now is to work with Iraqi security forces and help promote the rule of law," says Lt. Chris Parks, 26, of Birmingham, Ala., who was an enlisted infantryman at the start of the war in 2003 and is now a platoon commander with 3/7's I Company -- "Psycho Ico!" -- in Haditha. "I'm glad we're in an area where it's more likely we'll all come home."
And to those young hard-chargers who think they'd rather be in combat, here or elsewhere, Parks offers this age-old bit of military wisdom about wishes coming true.
"My old platoon commander used to say, 'If you get into combat, pretty soon you'll be saying, "I wish I was where I was when I was wishing I was here." ' "
Still, many Marines are torn between the visceral desire for action and the sensible desire that they don't get into a fight -- and that they and their buddies all come home safely.
Capt. Zachary Webb, 29, who grew up in Orange and now flies Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft out of al-Asad air base, sums it up like this:
"There are two lines of thought. One: Is it good that Marines are accomplishing their mission without a lot of (enemy) contact? Yes. Two, are we Marines who would like to see more action?
"Yes."
Like I said. Marines aren't paid to be pacifists.