Deconstruction
Homeboy in IraqNow in these dread latter days of the
old violent beloved U.S.A. and of the Christ-forgetting
Christ-haunted death-dealing Western world
I came to myself in a grove of young pines
and the question came to me:
has it happened at last?
--Love in the Ruins, Walker Percy
________________
The Tallahassee Democrat ran a public affairs piece on the near deployment of a local company, but one part of the PR piece didn't sound too good (Tallahassee-based troops prep for Iraq). Below is the standard pitch:
When the Tallahassee-based 779th Engineer Battalion Headquarters Company (HHC) and FSC are deployed to Iraq this summer, it's possible they'll face the enemy in crowded, urban environments. They'll have to be ready for snipers, ambushes and enemies who attack soldiers, then drop their weapons and disappear into the crowd.
But here's the kicker:
"We don't know the specific details of our mission at this time. But we're preparing for both construction and combat-engineering operations."
Construction work could include building roads, bridges, buildings and other infrastructure. Combat-engineering operations could include placing and removing obstacles and clearing improvised explosive devices from roadways.
Why are two companies of Engineers embarking on final training for deployment unclear about their mission? If HQ does not know their mission, how did they get tagged for deployment? The confusion is indicative of the ad hoc nature of the entire Phony War on Terror (PWOT ©).
The 200 or so men and women who make up the Tallahassee-based companies are spending about five weeks at Camp Blanding outside Starke for pre-mobilization training ahead of their deployment to Iraq.
You can bet the farm that WW II units who trained at Camp Blanding knew their exact mission before they started training and before they deployed. To do otherwise is military ignorance.
Our troops, to include Reserve Components, deserve professional leadership. The chances are good that these units will be red-headed stepchildren when attached to active component units. They will be placed on the "Hey - you" duty roster, which is not a good place to be.
Oh well, victory is right down the road.
Except these engineers don't know whether they are going to build it or blow it up.
Labels: 779th Engineer battalion, camp blanding, national guard. PWOT, phony war on terror, tallahassee troops
posted by rangeragainstwar at 12:58 PM
3 Comments:
aye ranger. that's the part that rubs a rash into me. nobody knows what the fuck they are supposed to be doing.
no discernable, measurable goals.
they totally disregarded the powell doctrine (which was first put forward by frank church, but we like our doctrinaire laureates to be unindicted) and they did that with powell in the fucking room.
now, obama is getting ready to "surge" afghanistan. still no idea on what exactly they are going to be trying to do.
i expect a bloody spring. i would love to be wrong.
that pretty much sums it up Ranger.... one has to be impressed. mohammed's radio is broadcasting yonder..... makes me want to rock 'n roll.......
random militaria
MB,
One must always question goals when they are covered with blood of good people-theirs and ours.
jim
Post a Comment
<< Home