Collapsing the Pocket

“A competent leader can get efficient service from poor troops, while on the contrary an incapable leader can demoralize the best of troops.” - General John J. Pershing

If someone would have told me in 2008 that we would be out of Iraq by the end of 2011 I would have laughed. I knew how much stuff we had and it was an astronomical amount. Leaving Iraq would be the most significant logistical event for our military since the end of World War II. Quite frankly, I didn't believe it could happen so quickly. When we arrived for this deployment I still had serious doubts. It didn't look that much different than during the surge. There was still equipment, vehicles, containers, and all other kinds of materials that announced our presence all over the country. The only thing readily noticeable was that there were fewer Soldiers. That was my mindset - even though my Battalion was a key player in moving everything out of the country. Quite frankly, I was a little intimidated that it was an impossible task. Just a few months later I am becoming a believer. The pocket is collapsing rapidly. My trucks are running day and night. Forward Operating Bases are right on schedule to close. COB Speicher is racing ahead with shutting down. The evidence is everywhere. T-walls are going up, temporary buildings torn down, facilities relocated or closed, and even the PX has gone "tactical". Meanwhile, our convoys keep hauling stuff south day and night. A miracle is really underway.

My Battalion is seeing its last days at Speicher. Soon we'll continue our operations from another location. That means we're packing up too. CSM and I had to move out of our original CHU's because the LSA closed for turnover to the Iraqis. That actually meant a product upgrade for us, as we were assigned billets in the Dyncorp LSA. For the first time on this deployment I had a TV in my room that actually worked. All that did was remind me why I'm glad I don't have a TV in my room. It only caused me to be unproductive and lose sleep. Army War College came knocking again and over a week's timeframe I had to submit a paper and participate in a graded online forum. That involved a lot of midnight oil as I stayed up late on successive nights reading and writing. During the daytime the many requirements and responsibilities of command remained the priority. We found time to promote one of our Soldiers to Sergeant. His comrades doused him with bottled water as soon as he had been pinned with the chevrons. It just showed that even under growing adversity and gradually more spartan conditions Soldiers always show me why they are the best of the best. Their morale continues to soar. They can see evidence all around them that their Battalion is making a difference and that the work they perform every day is the engine.

Yes, I now believe. We will be out of Iraq this year. My Soldiers have made me a believer. They live the Warrior Ethos. No task is too great in their eyes.