Adjustment period

"Above all, we must realize that no arsenal, or no weapon in the arsenals
of the world, is so formidable as the will and courage of free men and women. It
is a weapon our adversaries in today's world do not have." - Ronald
Reagan

The Army is not a constant. Policies, procedures, tactics, equipment, and, most importantly, people come and go. It's a fact that Soldiers of all ranks retire or leave the service upon completion of their term. Some make the military a career. Regardless, even this late in the game there are Soldiers who haven't deployed before. It almost seems impossible considering we've been a Nation at war for almost ten years now. But if you put in perspective, it isn't so hard to believe. Over 50% of the Soldiers in my Battalion had never deployed before. As much as we, as leaders, try to prepare them for life in Iraq, we can't duplicate what is here until they have their boots on the ground. Then, slowly but surely, reality kicks in. It can be a good or bad reality and leaders have to monitor closely the adjustment period that begins as soon as you hit the ground.

My Battalion is charged with a transportation mission. We have a whole lot of trucks - and I mean big trucks - that can carry oversized military cargo. When we arrived and took over for the previous battalion we inherited some Army truck companies that were already here. Our numbers quadrupled. Part of our adjustment would be the integration of all the Soldiers of the truck companies (and their extensive equipment) under the flag of our Battalion. Since their Soldiers had already been on the ground for weeks, or months, their adjustment period was already well underway. My task was to get my staff to work and implement my Command Philosophy to our new downtrace units. At the same time, there could be no drop-off whatsoever in the current efficiency of our OPTEMPO. The war didn't halt to give us a transition breather. It continued and our trucks and MRAPs continued to roll every day carrying all sorts of supplies and equipment necessary for the sustainment of combat operations.

But there was still a transition needed for many of my Soldiers. Heck, we all needed to make the adjustment. I've deployed several times and still need a few days to let the realization sink in that I'm back in Iraq. It is a land of no distractions. The elements are fierce - sandstorms one day, hailstorms the next, and the ominous, blistering heat of summer. The youngest Soldiers quickly learn what it really means to be away from home. Communication is limited to email, occasional phone calls, and Skype. Mom's cooking is a distant memory. Everyone lives in a CHU (Containerized Housing Unit). Most of the CHUs don't have a latrine. That comes in a separate trailer, which requires a walk in the elements to do your personal business. The CHU living area is maybe 10'x12' at best and, depending on your rank, you have to share that space with one or two other Soldiers. In-and-around transportation is normally boot powered. Lots of walking in the sand or mud ensues. We all eat in the DFAC (Mess Hall for the old-timers), we work at the same HQ, we exercise in the same gym, we share the same, small PX, and everything is close proximity. Deep in your gut, the big adjustment is the acceptance of total separation from your family and friends back home. It is absolute. You will not see them until such time that you leave for two weeks of R&R. Until then it's work. Every day you work. Mission comes before calendars. It doesn't take long to forget what day of the month, or even what day of the week, it is. Slowly but surely, everyone in the unit becomes a close-knit cog in the machinery of Mission success. But is a delicate transition in which we have to monitor our Soldiers to ensure they are making a successful adjustment. So far, so good.

Homesickness is common around here. Fortunately, the farther we drive into our mission the longer the time that elapses before the symptoms hit again. We stay busy because we have to. We stay busy because it keeps us from always thinking about home. We stay busy because other Soldiers are out there depending on us. We make the adjustment together.