On one hand I didn’t like getting stuck in Al Asad because of a sandstorm.  On the other hand when I did catch a flight out it was on the Marine Corps newest aircraft the MV-22 or as most call it, the Osprey.

The Osprey is arguably the most radical one built in the last 20+ years.  It is radical because it can take off horizontally (like a jet) as well as a vertically (like a helicopter).

Primarily, the pilots choose to take off like a helicopter and wow it’s not like any helicopter I have ever been.  The Osprey just seems to jump right up off the runway.  And fast speed?  Better than any rotary-wing aircraft that’s out there too.  In fact, after we left the Landing Zone (LZ) in Baghdad we touched down so quickly (like 5 minutes) that I figured we had to stop at another LZ.  I was wrong as we were in TQ.  Normally, I would expect about a 20 minute trip from Baghdad to TQ.

If I was to make any recommendation for improvement then it would be to have even another foot between the people sitting across from me so that we can more easily store our gear.  But as fast as it can go why complain?

Check another item of my wish list on my Iraq vacation.

Semper Fi,

GySgt Jonathan Jenkins

Popularity: 70% [?]

I keep just having great the greatest time and experiences here in Iraq.  Last night proved to be another as I went on what I thought was the observation of a nighttime HST training exercise with a CH-46 Squadron (picture below) and a Landing Support Battalion (LSB).

Every month the CH-46s pilots must perform a certain number of operations (day and night) known as HST (Helicopter Support Teams).  Basically what they do is fly in one at a time, hover just a few feet over the heads of a couple Marines, and await the signal that those Marines hooked up gear to a line hanging down from the helicopter.

Its dangerous work for many reasons but these LSB Marines love it.  Just a few ways the Marines in the LSB can get hurt or killed include sand and rocks flying all over the place, getting electrocuted by the high amount of static electricity, getting squashed by 46, or getting knocked out by one of the 46 tires.

Going there just to observe I was right next to the 46s when they came in but after watching the first set (2 birds) they threw me rubber gloves and told me the rest where mine.  My job was to was to lock the hook when it came in then attach the cargo it to.

Talk about being thrown into the fire.  No training, just get in and do it.  While it was fun it was also a great learning experience.  No better way then to write up an observation and recommendation on nighttime HST operations.

Prep-Time
First we use glow sticks to setup a small landing pad to help guide the 46s coming in and as well to always provide reference to the LSB Marines of rally points in case something goes awry.

Next each of the Marines who will be in the operation gets two glow sticks.  We wear a glow stick in the chest area and back of our protective vests so that no matter what happens we can always find a Marine.

Normally when you use glow sticks you stomp on it and crack it for them to start glowing.  These Marines, however, have a tradition before they start the operations.  Instead of letting the individual Marine cracking their glow sticks the two Marines heading up the operation do it.

Everyone lines up for a gear inspection and then the two Marines heading up the operations kick you in the chest and back to crack them open.  The LSB Marines were all Sergeants and below so they were hesitant about me being of Gunny.  Of course I had no problem with and actually thought it was pretty funny.  It appeared they liked seeing the Gunny kicked too.

Time To Eat Rocks
Now we are ready to start playing so we walk to the cargo and wait for the birds to start coming in one at a time.

The initial wave of sand, rocks, and debris that caused by the 46 coming in is like a wall coming at you.  You crouch down a little, brace yourself, try not to eat dirt, deal with being pelted by rocks, and make sure you don’t lose site of the hook hanging down from the 46.

The reason why you do not take your eyes off the hook, despite the wall of debris, is because of the static electricity being given off by the 46.  Before working with the hook and attaching the cargo I must know the Marine next to me is touching the hook with a grounding rod else I get shocked / electrocuted.

My first one I had a little problem with the hook but afterwards not an issue as I better understood the mechanics and how to work with the other Marine and the grounding rod.  I ended up doing 11 of the 13 lifts.

Rocking Eating Time Is Over
While only being out there for two hours it does get rather draining.  Certainly must be hydrated and we had a good Doc on the scene as she was rather pushy with safety and water.

Just a great job all around from the LSB Marines and the Corpsman.

I continue to have a great time out here and owe the Marine Corps so much for what they have given me.  I have served our country my entire adult life and yet I still feel I owe them.  Love it.

Semper Fi,

GySgt Jonathan Jenkins

Popularity: 50% [?]

Just went rolling through a few towns the other day but when getting to Ramadi I was surprised how trashed that place still is.  Actually worse then what I saw of Baghdad.

Ramadi was a key location for the Ba’ath party and assorted other loyal Saddam goofs so the coalition forces did some re-decorating via at the outset of the war.  But still, it’s been how many years now?  Clean it up already as you and your children live there.

I was up there to take a look at a few places that we suspected as potential problem areas for movement.  In hindsight I think the whole place is a problem area.

Getting out of the MRAP I certainly gained a better understanding of their hardship but was also trying to reason why they didn’t rise up against Saddam.  Knowing that they are above pre-war levels in all the basic needs (water, sewage, communication, electricity, health, etc…) and recognizing it to still be a complete dump one can only imagine how bad it was under that yahoo.

Trash in the street.  Wires running like spider webs barely over the streets.  Metal objects sticking out of the ground everywhere.  Other then one soccer field I didn’t see anywhere the kids can play safely.

The populace is certainly much more used to use rolling through certain cities and areas and that showed the other day.  As soon as I got out to take pictures people to start coming out of their “homes” and seeing what was going on.  This is a pain because not only do you have to scan the area for IEDs as you walk and all the vantage points for possible yahoos but now you have to continually scan the crowd as you try to do your job.  Basically, you are looking for anyone in the crowd with a possible weapon, cell phone, camera, or just watching too intently to what we are doing.

All in all it was a success. I got the information I needed and the engineers got the information they needed to collect.

Below is a picture of an MRAP in case you didn’t know what they look like as well as some pictures from one of the streets we rolled down.

Semper Fi,

GySgt Jonathan Jenkins

Popularity: 98% [?]

As you know from a blog entry last week, I went to Saddam’s house to see if he was in.  While he wasn’t there I of course slithered in to check it out and got to meet General David Petraeus instead.  Much better don’t you agree?

The General is doing an awesome job.  After spending more time listening in on the morning briefs and talking to others he “gets it”.

He understands Counter Insurgency (COIN) operations and knows when and how to deal with them militaristically as well as economically.  Most of what he does is help push along common sense ideas and approaches.  However, he also has an innate ability to recognize when to extend the olive branch to groups to resolve concerns or current issues.

Congress would do the right thing for America is they do not pressure him for timetables and results.  Just with my limited exposure to this man I feel its in the best interest to allow him to run CENTCOM as he seems fit.

John McCain has bought into the Petraeus philosophies but unfortunately Obama repeated states that his policies and actions are failures meaning the General is a failure.  I do not feel its appropriate for a Presidential candidate should be siding with MoveOn.org and Code Pink when all the facts say otherwise.

General David Petraeus, a leader we can trust in.

Semper Fi,

GySgt Jonathan Jenkins

Popularity: 66% [?]

Who would have thought catching a donkey would be more difficult then catching bag guys?

Turn up your speakers, click on the link below, and learn who really is the “donkey”.

And before you ask, yes this is for real.  LOL

The Donkey Movie

Semper Fi,

GySgt Jonathan Jenkins

Popularity: 69% [?]

Sorry I haven’t written in a few days but I was busy running around Baghdad with meetings, doing the combat tourism thing, etc…

Great time but exhausting.  I left Sunday and got back about 4AM this morning.  I would have written this morning but between not eating for over a day and not sleeping for about twice that I just wanted to get out of my nasty cammies, get a shower, and catch a few hours of sleep.

Great thing about being out here by myself is that when I do go non-stop for a day or two I can crash when I want.  Well, for the most part.

Over the next couple days I will tell you more about my past few days of experiences.  Got to meet General David Petraeus for a picture, sit in Sodomy Hussein’s conference room (picture below), unofficially toured his old palace (now the official US embassy), and take my first ride in an MRAP and then a RHINO.

Great meetings too.  Met with a Dr. of Economics to discuss the developing Iraqi Banking System which in my opinion will have the same problems the US faces because of fractional-reserve banking.  I’ll get all geeky with you later about this problem that must be corrected for credit and the value of our money to have real worth.

Meet with a SSgt who is involved with the Iraqi elections and expect to have ongoing discussion with her and hope to personally take a role for the Al Anbar province.

Besides that met a few Colonels, Generals and Admirals for a meet and greet nothing specific.

Lastly, I will tell you about Lost Lake which is where the Hussein’s supposedly threw their chopped up victims in.  The nickname for Lost Lake is because many believe that’s where their loved ones now rest.

So again, I apologize for not writing sooner but expect to start doing so tomorrow morning.

Semper Fi,

GySgt Jonathan Jenkins

Popularity: 53% [?]

Wow, it was like Christmas in July as the Chester County Young Republicans and the Republican Committee of Chester County shipped us 9 boxes of goodies as well as health and comfort items.

Unfortunately, my fellow Republicans back in Chester County, PA included what they thought was just a football.  My naivety saw it more as a weapon of opportunity and quickly engaged on a target of opportunity (Lance-Coconut Price) to see if I was correct.

Pictures don’t lie!

Stage 1 – Target Identified

Stage 2 – Target Acquired

Stage 3 – Target Hit

Ok it wasn’t the Republicans per se that brought the Lance Coconut down but, I am going to take the Democrat approach for my rebuttal:

1. “Well they shouldn’t have given me something that if used completely inappropriate would hurt someone.”

2. “I am sure this is George Bush’s fault, just like when he Rumsfeld conspired to create Hurricane Katrina with the help of Halliburton”

3. “I did not have relations with that pigskin”

4.  “I was for using a football appropriately before using it inappropriately” – Thanks John Kerry

5.  “Then we will hit him in the shoulder, then in the legs, then in the back, and then in the groin.   Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa” – Thanks Howard Dean

Wow again.  Look at all the stuff below.  Not only do I and the junior Marines in the office appreciate the generosity but so do some Marines in Fallujah we may never meet.  There have been a few hut fires in Iraq and almost a companies worth of Marines lost their gear and personal items.  Because of your generosity we were able to send a few boxes to them today.

Pictured: Tough Guy (Me), Sgt Slaughter, Cupcake, and the Lance Coconut

Semper Fi Fellow Republicans,

GySgt Jonathan Jenkins

Popularity: 100% [?]

Yesterday was the second day of a sandstorm which to be honest I don’t mind because 99% of the time the temperature is much more bearable.  I think it only made it up to 103 yesterday so Woo Hoo for that.

After a little traveling it doesn’t take long before you realize you need to acquaint yourself with where things are in case the weather goes south on you.  I still remember one time leaving the chow hall and in just 30 or so minutes the visibility dropped to what I would guesstimate to be just 20 yards.

In the Iraqi Version of Where’s Waldo you are Waldo and you need to find out where to eat, sleep, and pretend to work. 

Let’s see how you do!

Wheres Home?

Wheres Chow?

Wheres Work?

Semper Fi,

GySgt Jonathan Jenkins
Don’t forget to check out this link

Popularity: 56% [?]

Looks like we didn’t have to wait few more days as we got our first Black Flag of the year today.  The high is going to be about 116 degrees today (about 42 Celsius).

I am still thinking about what to grow out here before I leave.  This lack of green is just fundamentally wrong.

If anyone has suggestions for what we can grow other then traditional desert plants please write me.

Semper Fi,

GySgt Jonathan Jenkins

Popularity: 69% [?]

OMG it gets so stinking hot out here.  Right now it’s a red flag.

We have weather forecasters who continually monitor the weather and run up a colored flag depicting the head index.  From lowest to OMG its no flag, green, yellow, red, and finally black.  Its forecasted that the black flags should be here in just a couple more days.  So woo hoo!.

I get emails from back in the states of yahoos complaining about the heat.  Today its gettign up to 117 degrees.  What color is your flag? 

Semper Fi,

GySgt Jonathan Jenkins

Popularity: 62% [?]