Posted on 12/27/2004 6:47:03 AM PST by The Mayor
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May I extend a warm and grateful welcome to this fine young man.
Dec 23, 2004
Departing units advise incoming guardsmen
CAMP CALDWELL, IRAQ - Capt. Scott Leslie listens intently to what the soldier in the dirty uniform is saying. What he hears just might save his life.
Capt. Leslie, 36, of Athens, Tenn., is Deacon Company commander of the 278th Regimental Combat Team, a Knoxville, Tenn.-based National Guard unit with more than 4,000 soldiers just beginning its tour in Iraq. The soldiers are getting advice from the departing 30th Heavy Separate Brigade, based in Clinton, N.C.
"They can tell us all about the lessons they’ve learned the hard way," Capt. Leslie told an embedded reporter with the Chattanooga Times Free Press. "We can transition out in a way the local populace never knows there’s a difference."
Since arriving here about a week ago, 278th soldiers have been going out on missions with their counterparts from the 30th. These veteran troops have been splitting time packing their bags for home and transferring a year’s worth of knowledge to Capt. Leslie and company.
The Army calls this 10-day transition process "left seat ride, right seat ride." New soldiers begin by sitting beside the departing soldiers and learning the job firsthand. After a few days the roles are reversed, with the soldiers just beginning his or her deployment taking over the duty while the seasoned soldier watches and critiques.
"We are imparting all the knowledge and experience we have gotten in our 10 months here," said the 30th’s Capt. Michael Allen, who spent last week as a tour guide pointing out the terrain Capt. Leslie will navigate and the people he will face during the next 12 months.
Most of the brigade, including 3,400 members from North Carolina, will return home beginning next week, the North Carolina National Guard said Tuesday.
The 278th will patrol a sector east of the town of Baqoubah near the Iranian border.
Venturing outside the camp with the 30th veterans, 278th soldiers under Capt. Leslie passed military fortifications left over from the Iraq-Iran war.
The convoy of Bradleys and Humvees eventually stopped inside a former U.S. base recently handed over to the Iraqi National Guard. While at the base, called Wolf Den, Mayor Kahlan Jamal of the town of Qazania stopped by and told Capt. Allen and Capt. Leslie about the town’s needs.
He said power lasts for just 10 minutes a day, water and fuel come from a nearby town and are unreliable, and the city doesn’t have enough police officers to maintain control.
"We need lots of police while we are preparing for the elections," said Mr. Jamal, who speaks fluent English. "Lots of police."
Similar training occurred for all the jobs needed to keep Camp Caldwell running. First Lt. Alex Sanderson last weekend guided 278th soldiers with the 1st Squadron’s service battery on a practice supply convoy.
He told the 278th drivers to listen for any sounds that might be a signal to an attack, such as an Iraqi whistling, and advised them not to pull alongside Iraqi vehicles stuck in traffic.
Thank you Lt. Tony G for your service.
They are doing pretty well.
It's tough on them because of his brain damage.
They say he in alot of ways he is like a child.
I will be going over there soon to install a door (not today), Russ get's aggravated easily.
Morning Dubya
Thank You!
Your too funny!
I hope the main roads are clear enough for your hubby's travel.
With the temps in the 30's and the sun shining they should be good and slushy.
I am sending the link to this thread to him and his family.
I tried to explain Military Monday to them, it's much better to see it.
Thank you Bahbah
I have my priorities!!!!
And good news, the part needed for the call in Dover is not being delivered until noon and a coworker happens to be up there awaiting a delivery for another call - so she is taking both and he doesn't have to go anywhere - hurray!!!!
Good news!
Ya that way they get out of school.
My kids are always hoping school will be canceled.
I have to remind them, we live in Buffalo.
There will be school.
She looks like she's having fun. How does the dog like the snow?
Living in Buffalo you guys are used to it!!! What does it take to close school up your way? 3 feet in 24 hours?
That crazy dog loves the snow, she keeps wanting to go out in it. And then doesn't want to come in.
My love of big snow went by the wayside when I dislocated my collarbone/shoulder in February 03, shovelling 33 inches of snow. Not much by Buffalo standards, but that much in 24 hours was unheard of in Dover, DE.
3 feet in 24 hours even by Buffalo standards is quite bad.
At that point it's hard to keep up with the roads.
Canceling school? It depends on when the snow starts and how heavy it comes down.
If it starts early and heavy school will be canceled due to road conditions.
Dogs usaully do love the snow, they don't really understand it.
Ouch on the collarbone.
It's cold and it tastes good : )
Yesterday I saw 2 dogs playing in it and just having a ball.
Happy birthday to your brother from one Dec. baby to another!
May he rest safely in the arms of Our Lord!
Thanks, Dutchess!
Too bad we can't keep them like that!
To be absent from the body is to be in the prescence of The Lord.
He was a saved man, Deacon of his Church.
The Deacons are responsible for the Spiritual needs of the flock.
(A member of the Penn Forest Christian Church, he also served as a deacon and Sunday school teacher at the Christian Church of Marquette, MI)
Decorated Veteran and served Honorably.
A son serving in Afghanistan. God Bless the family.
Dogs playing snow are fun to watch. Visibility was pretty bad at times yesterday and the only reason I could tell where the field across the road is, was when the two dogs from over there were outside romping. 2 large black moving objects in an otherwise white landscape.
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