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Sunday, May 20, 2007
Penny and I met Sgt. Rock, a first Sgt. in the Army who deploys the troops, just got back in April. I learned that Black Water contracts support people to mercenaries and just supporting what I have heard from others about salaries and about how many - about ½. Also how do you regulate them? What laws do they fall under? Also learned the mentality of the Iraqis, feeling you don't like them if you order them around, they don't follow the orders, and you reprimand them.
The troops will go in, secure an area, leave, come back in 6 months, and it was like they were never there. When the troops leave, they go back to a tactically secure area and leave the people unprotected instead of setting up a unit there to maintain security.
Most of the ones leading from the rear (Secretary of Defense people) have no military experience and try to run it like a business, cutting back on troops to save money and send supplies as needed. It's kind of hard to get ammo after you just ran out in a firefight. A little surplus would be nice.
Monday, May 21, 2007
Penny (flashback) and I ran into a bunch of Vets and one guy who in the 60's and 70's protested the war while his best friend went into the Marines, got PTSD. They hadn't talked for almost 40 years and just started talking again. He knows how important that letter is; nobody should lose their friend for 40 years.
When I was leaving Damascus, an old Army Vet came up to me, shook my hand, and told me he was glad to meet me. Then he said he had been in the Army and had killed 250 men in Korea. He smiled and said that he was the chef. He had me there for a moment.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Met Yoshidfumi Shibako, Teesuo Sato, and Yoshihiro Shiroki from NHK (Japanese Public Broadcast). They are very interested in what we are doing. It would be ironic if I were better known in Japan than I am here. Guess they are watching what we are doing and wonder what we will do next as a nation.
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
My back is still tender, so I am taking a zero day. The chiropractor has taken me into his home to help out. There are a lot of good people in the world. It is easier for me to see them when I show my good side.
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Another zero day. My back is still hurting. I heard that supposedly they (our government) says there is no PTSD, just conditions people had prior to signing up, so there won't be treatment for it. That blew me away. I have to check and see if it's true, because I can't believe that is possible!
Friday, May 25, 2007
I got back on the trail, my back feels good. Thank you God and chiropractor. Met P.S. who did 6yrs in the military who is writing; also Sled Dog, retired 2005 Green Beret, who lost his father to PTSD, and when he got out, his wife and 2 children were killed in a car crash just before he got home. He said his out here to find peace. Then I ran into Doggie Bag, who said he wished they had a program like that when he got out.
Awhile back, I saw a monument to Nick Grindstaff, a hermit who went out west to seek his fortune, was robbed, came home, and became a hermit. His tombstone read "He lived alone, he suffered alone, he died alone". How many soldiers have I let be buried in that tomb?
I met Green Feet who took her name from her uncle who was a Marine Jumper in Vietnam who died his last week of his tour (he had taken someone else's mission). She and her mother got tattoos of green feet. I wonder what their life would have been like he lived?
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Met 1st Sarge, a retired Special Forces 1st Sgt. who told me he wished that he had been told what signs to look for when he got out, it would have been easier for his family. He would like to help because of what he sees going on.
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