Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Month 9 Day 28

Notebook entry
Teachers, met with three/nine, stuff with regimental combat team, after action report, biometric automated tool set, Naikpai threats, teachers no class (already left), prisoner no impact no idea, executive officer and intelligence officer gone

Journal Entry
Suzan brought up a good point when we talked this morning.  I mentioned that I thought that I might get free tuition in California because I am getting the combat action ribbon (after further research this is not the case).  But it seems like I am milking the system.  Maybe my principled stance is in fact bullshit.  I do think that we get paid too much for the benefit we give the country.  I do think we get a lot of benefits, but I haven’t turned in my paycheck, I haven’t paid back my GI Bill.  Maybe I’m just as bad as the rest of them, my motivations are just as muddled, they started out as God, Country and Corps, now its that and getting paid, maybe as we continue on in this it changes for everyone.  Maybe by the time you get to CaptBrawny’s number of years those idealistic goals are completely gone.  I spoke to him yesterday about Sec Gates possibly raising the age at which military guys get a pension until they are 60.  That didn’t sound unreasonable to me, it is what everyone else gets.  He said, sure it makes sense for someone who hasn’t done the time.  Maybe we don’t start as mercenaries, but we all become them. Maybe it’s a creeping thing that you don’t ever notice and you get used to saying God, Country and Corps, but silently, smoothly the self slips in and grows to consume the others.  They still sit in your mind as idle platitudes but that is all they are. 

Maybe I am a hypocrite and just as bad as them, but the thing is about a hypocrite, you should still listen to them because they are still right no matter their faults, but I know that people don’t. 
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I met up with the teachers.  They told me their class schedule. It was during the time that I was meeting with them and there was only one student in the room.  They were saying that the rest of the students regularly get pulled from class for missions, formation etc.  This is understandable, but there does not seem to be a lot of flex in the schedule, they only really have one night class. 

The new mentors from 3/6 I think it is came out, they are going to Marjeh.  The intel mentor was an 0302 2ndLt who was pretty useless.  He was not really interested in listening to how things worked and what he was going to face, he was more interested in trying to make the ANA look just like the USMC.  He was also just told that he was going to be taking on the intel mentorship piece that morning.  You will get out what you put in…

I took the IED that hit my truck and the video scout back to the RCT.  Maj Hesco completely ignored me when I walked past.  I think he is really jealous.  Hah

The BATs system was down hard and Lekic did not let me know.  He just sat in front of two dead computers for two hours.  He is a good kid, but he can really be a Lance Corporal at times, by which I mean he will do exactly what he is told, nothing more and nothing less.

I proofread a piece of Naikpai’s application to go to America.  As part of it he had to let them know whether he had any threats made against him.  Interestingly he believe that the Army has been infiltrated by the Taliban, that the ANA knowing  him is enough of a threat for him to fear for his life.  He also mentioned pictures taken of him by locals and threats he received while working on a tip line.  I feel for these guys.  I do, but I can’t get over the fact that we are causing a major brain-drain on the country by taking them out while moving them to America where they will only be marginally employable.  They are brilliant for Afghans, but no where near the standard they need to be for America.


Brian's most prized kill, a rat that had plagued our tent

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