The Invisible Success

August 25, 2008 By CJ
Posted in Military News

The media still refuses to acknowledge and cover the successes in Iraq except in passing. They continue their defeatist mantra as if their very existence depended on it. Yet, they continue to lose revenue in advertising and readership. A sane individual would see the connection. I just received this great update from Colonel John Folsom, who plays a major role in running Wounded Warrior Family Support, formerly Wounded Warriors before getting sued by the asshats at the Wounded Warrior Project (*spit*).

When I landed at Camp Al Taqaddum, Iraq on July 10th to assume the duties as an assistant chief of staff for the 1st Marine Logistics Group and camp commandant, I found myself in a much different environment than I remembered from over three years ago.

Throughout much of 2005 Camp Al Taqaddum (”TQ”) was frequently targeted with indirect fire as were many of the camps in the Al Anbar province.

“TQ” hasn’t had a rocket fired at it in over a year.

Three years ago in the daily operations-intelligence briefings at II Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward), we heard a recap of the previous day’s indirect fire attacks, reports of improvised explosive device (IEDs, as you all know) and small arms fire engagements.

The IED incidents briefed in our morning ops-intel briefs are far fewer in number and are more likely directed at Iraqi security forces than U.S. personnel. In the six weeks that I have been here I can recall only one incident of a deliberate attack on one of our outposts.

In October of 2005 I was sent to the edge of Al Anbar, near the Syrian and Jordanian borders, as the Air Boss at Camp Korean Village. Requests for urgent MEDEVACs were frequent. We often heard the detonation of IEDs and sometimes could see the smoke from a burning vehicle that had been hit. We were rocketed once in awhile for good measure.

A few moments ago I reread the Omaha World Herald article from October 11, 2005. There are a few audio links and I heard myself talk about the fight then and about my thoughts for an Iraq in the future. It took me back to a different time and place.

Although we have challenges, what we don’t have is the violence that once rocked and marked Al Anbar as a truly dangerous place. We have killed or captured many of those who precipitated the violence. Others just quit. The Iraqi people, too, have taken a stand against the viciousness that hurt their families. The Iraqi military and police forces are more capable and better equipped than they were three years ago.

On the trip from Camp Pendleton to “TQ” I met a young first lieutenant from the 11th Marines, one of our four artillery regiments in our Corps. This was his first deployment and, as you would expect, was quite excited.

He and I talked for awhile. I told him that I hoped that he did not ever fire a single round in a fire mission. He looked at me in a way that I would have to describe as a combination of disbelief and disappointment. I explained that if he were to have a fire mission that means something bad has happened to us: we were hit with indirect fire or a unit was in contact.

Thank goodness that the Marines at the Personnel Recovery Platoon, whose service is the very valuable and sublime care of our dead, have had far fewer casualties than they had a few years ago. Likewise, the Navy’s medical personnel of the shock trauma platoon are treating patients, but not many for wounds sustained in combat operations.

That isn’t to tell you that there’s not combat operations in Al Anbar or that young Marines are no longer being wounded or killed. It’s that the level of violence is down considerably and is so because of the service and sacrifice of those who were here on previous deployments.

Our Marines, Sailors. Soldiers and Airmen are doing legendary work at “TQ” to support Operation “Iraqi Freedom”. I am especially proud to support them as their camp commandant.

Semper Fidelis!

Colonel John D. Folsom, USMCR