DIGIJOURNAL 014--12 MAR 2007

DATELINE: 12MAR07 PB PALIWODA

Dear Friends,
In an effort to remain a little more up to date and relevant, I am trying to write smaller but timelier updates. Here are a couple ruminations from today.

AKEEL’S
Some of you might be asking, “Where do our soldiers get their smokes, their movies, and their haircuts?” Well, if you live at Paliwoda, it is at Akeel’s. Akeel is a local merchant who has operated a small store on the FOB for at least a couple of OIF rotations. Since Akeel only deals in cash, only has relatives working the store, and is the only store on the FOB, we all suspect that Akeel owns a small island in the Caribbean where he has proclaimed himself king.

Anyway, Akeel’s is the place where you go to get what you want when you want it. To his credit (and because he does not want WH6 to kick him off the FOB), Akeel only deals in legal items, that is, legal in the Iraqi sense. He will sell you movies that are probably breaking all kinds of copyright laws, that are probably marked up 10 times what they cost to make, and that are more recent than movies you currently released in the States, but they are “Iraqi good.” But are we not trying to win hearts and minds over to the Western interpretation of capitalism? I hope we can all answer with a resounding and patriotic “yes!” Before anyone gets excited about our troops getting shortchanged, Akeel’s prices are pretty much in line with what every other FOB charges. He also donates a lot of stuff. He gave CPL C a year’s supply of chai tea when he found out that C liked it so much. He is having a pizza oven (yes, we are light-fighters) built for the medics gratis, and he can locate and obtain more difficult-(yet legal, CSM)-to-find items for soldiers.

The top items sold at Akeel’s are probably smokes (usually Turkish or Egyptian, which some guys prefer), movies (all kinds in all conditions), energy drinks (the rules are a little different over here as far as drinks go. The favorite, I think called “Red Tiger,” not only has tons of caffeine but also has nicotine in it. So picture a Joe going on patrol, a dip in his mouth, a heater between his finger, and drinking a Red Tiger, and now you know why our guys can stay alert for three days at a time), and electronics (usually third rate brands from Turkey or Korea).

Akeel’s also contains a small café, where you can purchase falafels (my favorite) or hamburgers (do not ask about the meat; you do not want to know), as well as a barber shop. The thrill at the barber shop is that the barber will remove the excess hair on your neck and eyebrow region using twine. Yes, twine. He takes the twine, pulls it taught, and then rolls it along your skin wrapping the hair around the string. Once he has enough hair in the twine, voila, he yanks it away from your face, pulling your hair out by the roots. Most men would scream, especially ones like me who tend to have the “unibrow” look, but since there is usually a room full of combat arms types (infantrymen and tankers) who all know what you are going through and are giving you the “are you a *bleep*?” look, you just grimace through it. I know many women who have interesting tales to tell, especially around swimsuit season, will not give us much sympathy, but I just wish the guy would invest some money in some clippers.

SOLDIERS
I was in Akeel’s to take pictures, since I am trying to do a better job of keeping a visual chronicle of what our guys are doing over here. As I walked toward the artillery position, I saw three Bradley Fighting Vehicles and two humvee’s rolling toward the gate, obviously going on patrol. As a chaplain who does not carry a weapon, I often ask myself what exactly I contribute to the Battalion. This is not a question I ask in order to receive reassurance, nor am I looking for the faith answer (for I know that). It is really an existential question, one having no answer. Because of what I believe, I am in the sowing business anyway, and one never knows how many weeds will grow where wheat was planted or how many bushels will be brought in at harvest time. But being human and in an organization that likes to judge its effectiveness by what it can count and measure, I still ask what I contribute.

As I saw the patrol roll out, for me, the question became unimportant anyway. Some might see five vehicles moving toward a possible engagement with the enemy. Others would see yet another arrogant display of American imperialism and power. And still others would see our guys going out to kick some insurgent *bleep*. I, however, saw a bunch of guys, and young guys at that, who still, after too little sleep and after seeing so much suffering, including their own, and despite all the numerous reasons to despair and fall prey to cynicism and bitterness, get up, ruck up, and do what their country asks of them because they, dare I say it about manly men, love one another.

I am not a touchy-feely type who cries easily--just ask my wife. The only movie that has ever inspired tears for me (much to my wife's chagrin) is Rudy. Thus, it is not sentimentalism shrouded by patriotism with Lee Greenwood’s “Proud to Be an American” playing in the background that pulls at my heart when I see such scenes. Instead, it is observing all that is noble in man displayed in a split-second by a group of soldiers still doing the impossible every day.

In the ancient era (or, "back in the day"), most of our poetry had something to do with war. During my periodic education/indoctrination as a student, war poetry, unless it was old and Greek, was somewhat frowned upon. I have finally realized over here that most good poetry was never intended to glorify the horrors of war. True poetry, true praise of the soldier, is really directed at the human spirit. For in war not only is man’s capacity for evil exposed, but also his potential for transcending the petty and parochial concerns of life to embrace the nature of the Divine: to give one’s life for his friends.

Dust, grinding, a flash from a Kevlar visor, and a gloved wave was all I witnessed for a brief moment, but it was enough, enough for me to dismiss my question and just be thankful that God has placed me amongst true heroes, the soldiers of 3-8.

Honor and Courage

Gratia et Veritas
Warhorse Archangel