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Marine Helo Unit
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Michael Hubler
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Jul 08, 2009 10:38 PDT
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July 8, 2009
Al Taqaddum Journal
Tracking Faraway Action =46rom an Iraqi Base
By ROD NORDLAND
AL TAQADDUM, Iraq =97 It is not that the war in Iraq is over, exactly, =20=
just that the one in Afghanistan sounds like a lot more action.
For the Marines, guarding provincial reconstruction teams from the =20
United States Embassy and baby-sitting Awakening Councils is not what =20=
they had in mind when they answered the recruiters=92 call to join =93the =
=20
few and the proud.=94
As more and more American soldiers withdraw into bigger bases, like =20
this one on an old Iraqi air base in Anbar Province, there is less and =20=
less of the exciting sort of work to do. That is particularly true in =20=
Anbar, where the Marines turned cities and towns over to Iraqi forces =20=
months ahead of the June 30 deadline.
The men and women of the Marines=92 Helicopter Medium-Light Attack =20
Squadron 167 got a taste of just how much more exciting it could be. A =20=
detachment of Cobra gunships from their unit, based here, recently =20
returned from three months on loan to a Marine battalion in Helmand =20
Province in Afghanistan, where the Marines just began a major offensive.
=93You definitely felt more, well, necessary,=94 said Capt. Andrew =20
Wimsatt, 27, of Laytonsville, Md., a Cobra pilot. =93Even though you =20
know you=92re doing good here, just by your rotor noise, keeping them =20=
away.=94
Scaring away insurgents with their prodigious racket is not what the =20
$10 million Cobra gunships were designed for. In a war where civil =20
affairs and reconstruction are what really matter, a gunship may seem =20=
as useful as a hammer at a chess match.
So far in Squadron 167=92s tour in Iraq, which ends this month, the =20
gunships have mostly gone on reconnaissance missions. On one mission =20
the Cobras escorted a medevac helicopter carrying a wounded dog.
=93But it was a military working dog,=94 said Captain Wimsatt.
The squadron, stationed in Jacksonville, N.C., whose official motto is =20=
=93Have Guns Will Travel,=94 may well leave Iraq at the end of this tour =
=20
without having fired a single shot in combat.
That proved far from the case in Afghanistan. =93We were doing what we =20=
were trained to do,=94 said Maj. Erik Arrington, 37, from Van Nuys, =20
Calif., who led the 55-person detachment.
=93It=92s kind of like football,=94 said Captain Wimsatt. =93You train =
all =20
summer, you lift weights, you go to practices and then a lot of times =20=
you just sit on the bench. There you actually get to go out and play =20
in the game.=94
=93It was exciting, we were all eager to go,=94 said Capt. Jessica =20
Hawkins, 27, of Coral Springs, Fla., another of the Cobra pilots and =20
one of a growing cohort of female combat aviators; there are 2 women =20
among the 40 pilots in Squadron 167. =93We knew we=92d be in support of =20=
combat troops actually fighting. More flying, more excitement.=94
In three months in Afghanistan, they had to scramble to the report of =20=
a =93T.I.C.,=94 meaning =93troops in contact,=94 nearly every day; here =
in =20
Iraq, they have had no T.I.C.=92s this tour. Their maintenance crews =20
lived and worked with them in tents, unlike the hardened containers =20
here, and they all ate in the British Royal Marines field kitchen, a =20
far cry from the sprawling, air-conditioned dining facilities here.
=93I may be old school,=94 said Cpl. Caitlin Liberson, of Ofalen, Mo., a =
=20
mechanic who at the age of 20 was on her second deployment to Iraq =20
when the Afghan mission came along. =93But I like the whole thing in =20
tents.=94
Before Squadron 167 left Helmand, it had 21 engagements involving =20
exchange of fire.
The detachment was sent because of a temporary shortage of air support =20=
as the Marines rapidly increase their presence in Afghanistan, =20
particularly in Helmand. President Obama has ordered an additional =20
21,000 American soldiers to Afghanistan by the end of this year, =20
building total troop strength there to more than 60,000.
The Afghan trip was =93pretty cool,=94 said Captain Wimsatt, but it had =20=
its sobering moments, such as when a rocket-propelled grenade exploded =20=
between his helicopter and Major Arrington=92s. =93That morning you can =20=
wake up and have no idea it=92s your last day on earth, and then all of =20=
a sudden...=94
Captain Hawkins will attest to that. The Marines on the ground got =20
into a heavy firefight at close quarters in the middle of a village. =20
=93I was overhead watching the whole situation develop, and this will =20=
stick in my mind forever,=94 she said.
The gunships often could not find targets to fire at because the =20
Marines and the Taliban were too close to each other. Two Marines died =20=
on the ground.
=93By 1500 I was back at the ramp ceremony at the C-130,=94 she said. =
That =20
is a ceremony for the dead before their body bags are loaded into the =20=
cargo plane for repatriation. =93You just feel, =91I didn=92t do my job =
that =20
well.=92 I wish I could have made more attack runs, better understood =20=
what was happening.=94
Captain Hawkins considered it an invaluable lesson. =93It did make it =20=
more of a reality, that we=92re not invincible,=94 she said. =93We may =
have =20
all this technological superiority, but the enemy, they are a =20
competent enemy.=94
=93We were really bummed when we had to leave,=94 Major Arrington said. =20=
Even the scenery in Afghanistan was better, the officers said, =20
especially compared to the flat expanses in most of Iraq. On their =20
base here in Iraq, there are signs everywhere reminding them of their =20=
biggest enemy: =93Complacency Kills.=94
The pilots know that the next time they are deployed overseas, it may =20=
well be to Afghanistan. While there are 130,000 troops in Iraq now, =20
their numbers are due to fall off rapidly beginning in September. =93I =20=
don=92t imagine we=92ll be back here,=94 Captain Wimsatt said. =93But =
who =20
knows?=94
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<html><body style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; =
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margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal =
normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><font class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
face=3D"VTScreenplay" size=3D"3"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
style=3D"font-size: 13px;">July 8, 2009</span></font></div><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; =
"><font class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"VTScreenplay" size=3D"3"><span =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: 13px;">Al Taqaddum =
Journal</span></font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: =
0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal =
12px/normal Helvetica; "><font class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
face=3D"VTScreenplay" size=3D"3"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
style=3D"font-size: 13px;">Tracking Faraway Action =46rom an Iraqi =
Base</span></font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: =
0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal =
12px/normal Helvetica; "><font class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
face=3D"VTScreenplay" size=3D"3"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
style=3D"font-size: 13px;"><br></span></font></div><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; =
"><font class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"VTScreenplay" size=3D"3"><span =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: 13px;">By ROD =
NORDLAND</span></font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: =
0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal =
12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><font =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"VTScreenplay" size=3D"3"><span =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: =
13px;"><br></span></font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal =
normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><font class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
face=3D"VTScreenplay" size=3D"3"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
style=3D"font-size: 13px;">AL TAQADDUM, Iraq =97 It is not that the war =
in Iraq is over, exactly, just that the one in Afghanistan sounds like a =
lot more action.</span></font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal =
normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><font =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"VTScreenplay" size=3D"3"><span =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: =
13px;"><br></span></font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal =
normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><font class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
face=3D"VTScreenplay" size=3D"3"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
style=3D"font-size: 13px;">For the Marines, guarding provincial =
reconstruction teams from the United States Embassy and baby-sitting =
Awakening Councils is not what they had in mind when they answered the =
recruiters=92 call to join =93the few and the =
proud.=94</span></font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal =
normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><font =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"VTScreenplay" size=3D"3"><span =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: =
13px;"><br></span></font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal =
normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><font class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
face=3D"VTScreenplay" size=3D"3"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
style=3D"font-size: 13px;">As more and more American soldiers withdraw =
into bigger bases, like this one on an old Iraqi air base in Anbar =
Province, there is less and less of the exciting sort of work to do. =
That is particularly true in Anbar, where the Marines turned cities and =
towns over to Iraqi forces months ahead of the June 30 =
deadline.</span></font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal =
normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><font =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"VTScreenplay" size=3D"3"><span =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: =
13px;"><br></span></font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal =
normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><font class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
face=3D"VTScreenplay" size=3D"3"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
style=3D"font-size: 13px;">The men and women of the Marines=92 =
Helicopter Medium-Light Attack Squadron 167 got a taste of just how much =
more exciting it could be. A detachment of Cobra gunships from their =
unit, based here, recently returned from three months on loan to a =
Marine battalion in Helmand Province in Afghanistan, where the Marines =
just began a major offensive.</span></font></div><div style=3D"margin-top:=
0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: =
normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><font =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"VTScreenplay" size=3D"3"><span =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: =
13px;"><br></span></font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal =
normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><font class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
face=3D"VTScreenplay" size=3D"3"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
style=3D"font-size: 13px;">=93You definitely felt more, well, =
necessary,=94 said Capt. Andrew Wimsatt, 27, of Laytonsville, Md., a =
Cobra pilot. =93Even though you know you=92re doing good here, just by =
your rotor noise, keeping them away.=94</span></font></div><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; =
min-height: 14px; "><font class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"VTScreenplay"=
size=3D"3"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: =
13px;"><br></span></font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal =
normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><font class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
face=3D"VTScreenplay" size=3D"3"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
style=3D"font-size: 13px;">Scaring away insurgents with their prodigious =
racket is not what the $10 million Cobra gunships were designed for. In =
a war where civil affairs and reconstruction are what really matter, a =
gunship may seem as useful as a hammer at a chess =
match.</span></font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: =
0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal =
12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><font =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"VTScreenplay" size=3D"3"><span =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: =
13px;"><br></span></font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal =
normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><font class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
face=3D"VTScreenplay" size=3D"3"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
style=3D"font-size: 13px;">So far in Squadron 167=92s tour in Iraq, =
which ends this month, the gunships have mostly gone on reconnaissance =
missions. On one mission the Cobras escorted a medevac helicopter =
carrying a wounded dog.</span></font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: =
0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: =
normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><font =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"VTScreenplay" size=3D"3"><span =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: =
13px;"><br></span></font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal =
normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><font class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
face=3D"VTScreenplay" size=3D"3"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
style=3D"font-size: 13px;">=93But it was a military working dog,=94 said =
Captain Wimsatt.</span></font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal =
normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><font =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"VTScreenplay" size=3D"3"><span =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: =
13px;"><br></span></font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal =
normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><font class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
face=3D"VTScreenplay" size=3D"3"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
style=3D"font-size: 13px;">The squadron, stationed in Jacksonville, =
N.C., whose official motto is =93Have Guns Will Travel,=94 may well =
leave Iraq at the end of this tour without having fired a single shot in =
combat.</span></font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: =
0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal =
12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><font =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"VTScreenplay" size=3D"3"><span =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: =
13px;"><br></span></font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal =
normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><font class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
face=3D"VTScreenplay" size=3D"3"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
style=3D"font-size: 13px;">That proved far from the case in Afghanistan. =
=93We were doing what we were trained to do,=94 said Maj. Erik =
Arrington, 37, from Van Nuys, Calif., who led the 55-person =
detachment.</span></font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal =
normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><font =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"VTScreenplay" size=3D"3"><span =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: =
13px;"><br></span></font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal =
normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><font class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
face=3D"VTScreenplay" size=3D"3"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
style=3D"font-size: 13px;">=93It=92s kind of like football,=94 said =
Captain Wimsatt. =93You train all summer, you lift weights, you go to =
practices and then a lot of times you just sit on the bench. There you =
actually get to go out and play in the game.=94</span></font></div><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; =
min-height: 14px; "><font class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"VTScreenplay"=
size=3D"3"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: =
13px;"><br></span></font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal =
normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><font class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
face=3D"VTScreenplay" size=3D"3"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
style=3D"font-size: 13px;">=93It was exciting, we were all eager to go,=94=
said Capt. Jessica Hawkins, 27, of Coral Springs, Fla., another of the =
Cobra pilots and one of a growing cohort of female combat aviators; =
there are 2 women among the 40 pilots in Squadron 167. =93We knew we=92d =
be in support of combat troops actually fighting. More flying, more =
excitement.=94</span></font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal =
normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><font =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"VTScreenplay" size=3D"3"><span =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: =
13px;"><br></span></font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal =
normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><font class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
face=3D"VTScreenplay" size=3D"3"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
style=3D"font-size: 13px;">In three months in Afghanistan, they had to =
scramble to the report of a =93T.I.C.,=94 meaning =93troops in contact,=94=
nearly every day; here in Iraq, they have had no T.I.C.=92s this tour. =
Their maintenance crews lived and worked with them in tents, unlike the =
hardened containers here, and they all ate in the British Royal Marines =
field kitchen, a far cry from the sprawling, air-conditioned dining =
facilities here.</span></font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal =
normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><font =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"VTScreenplay" size=3D"3"><span =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: =
13px;"><br></span></font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal =
normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><font class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
face=3D"VTScreenplay" size=3D"3"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
style=3D"font-size: 13px;">=93I may be old school,=94 said Cpl. Caitlin =
Liberson, of Ofalen, Mo., a mechanic who at the age of 20 was on her =
second deployment to Iraq when the Afghan mission came along. =93But I =
like the whole thing in tents.=94</span></font></div><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; =
min-height: 14px; "><font class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"VTScreenplay"=
size=3D"3"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: =
13px;"><br></span></font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal =
normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><font class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
face=3D"VTScreenplay" size=3D"3"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
style=3D"font-size: 13px;">Before Squadron 167 left Helmand, it had 21 =
engagements involving exchange of fire.</span></font></div><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; =
min-height: 14px; "><font class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"VTScreenplay"=
size=3D"3"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: =
13px;"><br></span></font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal =
normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><font class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
face=3D"VTScreenplay" size=3D"3"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
style=3D"font-size: 13px;">The detachment was sent because of a =
temporary shortage of air support as the Marines rapidly increase their =
presence in Afghanistan, particularly in Helmand. President Obama has =
ordered an additional 21,000 American soldiers to Afghanistan by the end =
of this year, building total troop strength there to more than =
60,000.</span></font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: =
0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal =
12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><font =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"VTScreenplay" size=3D"3"><span =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: =
13px;"><br></span></font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal =
normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><font class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
face=3D"VTScreenplay" size=3D"3"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
style=3D"font-size: 13px;">The Afghan trip was =93pretty cool,=94 said =
Captain Wimsatt, but it had its sobering moments, such as when a =
rocket-propelled grenade exploded between his helicopter and Major =
Arrington=92s. =93That morning you can wake up and have no idea it=92s =
your last day on earth, and then all of a =
sudden...=94</span></font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal =
normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><font =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"VTScreenplay" size=3D"3"><span =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: =
13px;"><br></span></font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal =
normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><font class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
face=3D"VTScreenplay" size=3D"3"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
style=3D"font-size: 13px;">Captain Hawkins will attest to that. The =
Marines on the ground got into a heavy firefight at close quarters in =
the middle of a village. =93I was overhead watching the whole situation =
develop, and this will stick in my mind forever,=94 she =
said.</span></font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: =
0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal =
12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><font =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"VTScreenplay" size=3D"3"><span =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: =
13px;"><br></span></font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal =
normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><font class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
face=3D"VTScreenplay" size=3D"3"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
style=3D"font-size: 13px;">The gunships often could not find targets to =
fire at because the Marines and the Taliban were too close to each =
other. Two Marines died on the ground.</span></font></div><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; =
min-height: 14px; "><font class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"VTScreenplay"=
size=3D"3"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: =
13px;"><br></span></font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal =
normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><font class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
face=3D"VTScreenplay" size=3D"3"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
style=3D"font-size: 13px;">=93By 1500 I was back at the ramp ceremony at =
the C-130,=94 she said. That is a ceremony for the dead before their =
body bags are loaded into the cargo plane for repatriation. =93You just =
feel, =91I didn=92t do my job that well.=92 I wish I could have made =
more attack runs, better understood what was =
happening.=94</span></font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal =
normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><font =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"VTScreenplay" size=3D"3"><span =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: =
13px;"><br></span></font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal =
normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><font class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
face=3D"VTScreenplay" size=3D"3"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
style=3D"font-size: 13px;">Captain Hawkins considered it an invaluable =
lesson. =93It did make it more of a reality, that we=92re not =
invincible,=94 she said. =93We may have all this technological =
superiority, but the enemy, they are a competent =
enemy.=94</span></font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal =
normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><font =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"VTScreenplay" size=3D"3"><span =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: =
13px;"><br></span></font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal =
normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><font class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
face=3D"VTScreenplay" size=3D"3"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
style=3D"font-size: 13px;">=93We were really bummed when we had to =
leave,=94 Major Arrington said. Even the scenery in Afghanistan was =
better, the officers said, especially compared to the flat expanses in =
most of Iraq. On their base here in Iraq, there are signs everywhere =
reminding them of their biggest enemy: =93Complacency =
Kills.=94</span></font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal =
normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><font =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"VTScreenplay" size=3D"3"><span =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: =
13px;"><br></span></font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal =
normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><font class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
face=3D"VTScreenplay" size=3D"3"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
style=3D"font-size: 13px;">The pilots know that the next time they are =
deployed overseas, it may well be to Afghanistan. While there are =
130,000 troops in Iraq now, their numbers are due to fall off rapidly =
beginning in September. =93I don=92t imagine we=92ll be back here,=94 =
Captain Wimsatt said. =93But who knows?=94</span></font></div><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; =
min-height: 14px; "><font class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"VTScreenplay"=
size=3D"3"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: =
13px;"><br></span></font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal =
normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><br></div></body></html>=
--Apple-Mail-2188-332057318--
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