Marching to a steady drumbeat

"Applause waits on success." - Benjamin Franklin

Time goes by faster once you fall into a routine. My experiences with Iraq have proven that a routine is never guaranteed. It's dictated by your mission and the associated OPTEMPO. Fortunately, my Battalion's mission has provided a steady drumbeat of work. Everyone has been able to transition into a routine with relative ease. Sometimes the drum beats faster but it never pauses. Work is constant day and night. Our truck companies are constantly sending Soldiers on convoys while the HQ Soldiers continue to plan the future convoys. The typical work day consists of work, workout, eat and sleep. There aren't many distractions. Weekends are really just the same as weekdays. A calendar simply reminds you of the date. But next thing you know a week has gone by, then two, then three. Time marches to our OPTEMPO and that means it goes by relatively quickly.

Peripheral to the passing of time comes the transformation of our HQ. We inherited another Battalion's set of buildings. They had the character of our predecessors both inside and out. For the first couple of weeks, it felt as though we were working in someone else's space. That's now changed. Emblems from the previous Battalion are all gone. Offices have been rearranged. And, of course, the faces are all ours. Now the HQ is proudly adorned with the logos, emblems, and mottos of our Battalion. There's fresh paint on various walls. What's also changed is the manner of doing business. Right or wrong, we do business differently than our predecessors. It's not a strike against anyone. We just have the fresh, eager approach of finding ways to do things better. So far I think it's working.

Once a unit has been in a combat zone for 30 consecutive days they qualify to wear their wartime service insignia - commonly referred to as a combat patch. This patch is the Brigade-level and above patch they deploy with on their left shoulder, which can now also be displayed on the right shoulder. Once the combat patch is earned it is worn proudly for the rest of a Soldier's career. We've been at war for a number of years now so many of my Soldiers - including me - have already earned one or more combat patches. That's irrelevant once it's time to recognize the unit for earning a combat patch. Besides, many of the Soldiers in the Battalion had never deployed before and were earning their first one. To properly recognize this accomplishment we held a large ceremony. Our HHC and one of our truck companies stood in formation to be recognized - both units had reached the 30 day mark. With pomp and ceremony, we honored the Soldiers. Then CSM and I placed the combat patch on the right shoulder of every one of the Soldiers in formation. It was a great ceremony. A small milestone has been eclipsed. Now we can drive on with our Mission.

Our convoys continue to roll. The drumbeat goes on.