One of the highlights of June was attending one show of “Operation Iraqi Stephen”, being in the audience for the Stephen Colbert Show. He had a question & answer before the show for an opportunity to ask the “real” him questions before he assumed his alter ego. There were no insights, as all the questions were either funny or lame. It was a lot of fun, and he handed out WristStrong bracelets to everyone (well, his people did anyway) as well as a special Colbert Coin (heads we win, tails we win). While a few of the medics thought that Colbert’s trip was just grandstanding, he’s obviously not really running for anything; he said he just wanted to put a spotlight on the soldiers, who he thinks have been somewhat forgotten, Well, I wouldn’t know about that- I’ve not been forgotten. I’ve attached a couple of photos from our Colbert trip.
Snuffer, Sharkey and Edison walking to Al Faw palace to see Colbert
Edison, me , Sharkey waiting for the show (note WristStrong bracelet on Edison)
Me waiting for Colbert
Colbert during the Q&A sessionA couple of days ago I went to my first Family Visitation. The detainees visitation program occurs 4 times per day, 6 days per week. Each detainee can have no more than one visit once per week. There are 15 slots per time, 4 times per day, so that’s 360 per week. And we have 3800 detainees right now. You can do the math. Anyway, the detainees and their families are bussed in to the visitation areas from opposite directions, briefed about what is going to happen. The detainees and families line up facing each other in a pleasant shaded area, about 15 feet apart from each other, the detainee behind a red line and the families behind blue. When visitation starts the families can walk across their blue line; the kids <16 yrs can cross the red line and get hugs, get picked up etc. The other visitors can hug, kiss embrace, but feet must remain on the respective side of the red line. A U.S. soldier watches over each detainee as they hug and kiss to make sure nothing gets passed back and forth. The army unit responsible for visitation will bring each family together for a photo, allowing the detainees to wear the white Iraqi man-dress instead of their detention yellow outfit, and copies of the photo are given to both the detainee and family. After 10 minutes, they are separated and they go inside to the phones. The phone stations look like your standard jail/prison phone things, separated by plexiglass. Each booth has semi-privacy. During that time while the detainees are talking to their visitors, the kids have to be amused, so I got to kick a soccer ball with some little boys age 4-12 or so, and then color with crayons with some little girls age 4, 7, 9, 11. One little girl was chattering away in Arabic to me while we were coloring. It was the first time I had even seen a child since I’ve been here- pretty amazing and uplifting, I can tell you. It was a fun thing to do, and I’m sure this program helps somewhat with the hearts & minds mission of detainee care.
Today is June 30, and the last day that the US military will have a presence in Iraqi cities. We are lucky to be about 10 miles west of Baghdad, so all the new activity that is bound to occur is less likely to affect us. We shall see what comes of it. I understand that some Baghdad residents were dancing in the streets, while I’m sure others were barricading themselves in against possible violence.
When I worked IHA last week, there were 2 new captures that I did the intake physicals- one a 62 y/o man with scarred lungs, and a 20-something man, 120 lbs, with scars on his back that reminded me of Mel Gibson’s “Passion of the Christ”. Horrible scars. He said it was from when Al Qaeda captured him 2 years ago. I wondered, what did he do that we captured him? How could it be that this man who had been tortured so horribly by Al Qaeda was our enemy too? Actually, with how complex things are here in the Middle East, it’s easy to be everyone’s enemy. Today when I did IHA, they were all transfers from the Bucca TIF, including one convicted death-row prisoner. MSG Matz was there helping guard that guy when I did the exam. The prisoner was fine, respectful, as was I, just a pretty weird situation. There is a difference, somehow, between working with detainees (captured but not convicted), and convicted killers. I realized that I have come to appreciate the blessed ambiguity of not knowing which of my patients are really bad guys and which were just in the wrong place/wrong time.
It’s July 3 now, and we had a riot at the TIF last night. 2 of the Shia zones rioted, threw rocks & water bottles, burned mattresses, etc. The Wisconsin Guard is a little more forceful, and has better aim, than the New Jersey guard did. One detainee with a facial fracture, two needed stitches, and one US soldier needed stitches. The guards only use non-lethal means during a riot, but these methods are very good at dispersing crowds.
I’m attaching the July 1st photos of my walls. I count 135 postcards, including 23 from Shelly’s 3rd grade class in Milwaukee, and 23 from the 3rd grade class from Morgantown. The pressed flowers in the window are from Nicole Guppy’s English Garden in Dorset England. I will not be taking a photo on August 1st, as I’ll be out of my trailer by then. But thanks to all who’ve brightened my walls and my spirits.
Happy Independence Day! Somebody please have a beer and burger for me.
Today is June 30, and the last day that the US military will have a presence in Iraqi cities. We are lucky to be about 10 miles west of Baghdad, so all the new activity that is bound to occur is less likely to affect us. We shall see what comes of it. I understand that some Baghdad residents were dancing in the streets, while I’m sure others were barricading themselves in against possible violence.
When I worked IHA last week, there were 2 new captures that I did the intake physicals- one a 62 y/o man with scarred lungs, and a 20-something man, 120 lbs, with scars on his back that reminded me of Mel Gibson’s “Passion of the Christ”. Horrible scars. He said it was from when Al Qaeda captured him 2 years ago. I wondered, what did he do that we captured him? How could it be that this man who had been tortured so horribly by Al Qaeda was our enemy too? Actually, with how complex things are here in the Middle East, it’s easy to be everyone’s enemy. Today when I did IHA, they were all transfers from the Bucca TIF, including one convicted death-row prisoner. MSG Matz was there helping guard that guy when I did the exam. The prisoner was fine, respectful, as was I, just a pretty weird situation. There is a difference, somehow, between working with detainees (captured but not convicted), and convicted killers. I realized that I have come to appreciate the blessed ambiguity of not knowing which of my patients are really bad guys and which were just in the wrong place/wrong time.
It’s July 3 now, and we had a riot at the TIF last night. 2 of the Shia zones rioted, threw rocks & water bottles, burned mattresses, etc. The Wisconsin Guard is a little more forceful, and has better aim, than the New Jersey guard did. One detainee with a facial fracture, two needed stitches, and one US soldier needed stitches. The guards only use non-lethal means during a riot, but these methods are very good at dispersing crowds.
I’m attaching the July 1st photos of my walls. I count 135 postcards, including 23 from Shelly’s 3rd grade class in Milwaukee, and 23 from the 3rd grade class from Morgantown. The pressed flowers in the window are from Nicole Guppy’s English Garden in Dorset England. I will not be taking a photo on August 1st, as I’ll be out of my trailer by then. But thanks to all who’ve brightened my walls and my spirits.
Happy Independence Day! Somebody please have a beer and burger for me.
Pressed flowers from an English garden, on an Iraqi window
July 1 wall
... plus more post cards on wall and door ...
... and more decorations & postcards.
... and more decorations & postcards.
