More military, less logistics.

The year was 2007.  I remember it like it was yesterday, so I’m sad today.

We were blasting across the desert, windows wide open.  No air conditioning, so you had to pretend that the desert breeze felt good.  I was listening to Route 66 on my iPod.  Wanted to believe that I wasn't miserable in the heat, willing to do anything to find a smile, even if it meant listening to Depeche Mode.   

Well if you ever plan to motor west

Just take my way it's the highway that's the best

Get your kicks on Route 66

We weren’t on Route 66, but we damn sure were heading west. 

You'll see Amarillo and Gallup, New Mexico

Flagstaff, Arizona don't forget Winona

Kingman, Barstow, San Bernadino

Would you get hip to this kindly trip . . .

My smile got bigger, and I chuckled.  Those little towns we were passing weren't on the list coming over by ear buds, this wasn’t exactly kindly territory, but I was working up to getting hip to what was going on.

I was a middle-aged civilian in a Blackhawk helicopter heading into Anbar.  First stop Fallujah, ultimately bound for Ramadi.  Our team was going in to support the military with a bit of business know how.  A lot of people worked hard to make the Awakening happen, and many died, and I was proud to be a small part of it.

One of my friends sent me this picture.  It was the last thing you saw when rolling out the gate of the Forward Operating Base.  Marines have a way of communicating that is effective.  "Complacency kills."

View this photo

Somebody got complacent.  Ramadi fell this weekend.  People died. 

I’m sad.

Click here to read more about my time in Iraq.