Standing Guard - Part II

Right now there are countless men and women of the United States Armed Forces standing guard in some for or another. And this is an inherent part of being in the military. We could not do our jobs without their efforts. They are vital to every mission.

 The Army’s first general order is “I will guard everything within the limits of my post and quit my post only when properly relieved.” You must have people guarding equipment, personnel, and the bases where soldiers are, or else the enemy will take full advantage of any opening he can find.

 I haven’t unveiled some great mystery here. I know that. What I’d like to do is give my thanks, and simultaneously draw your collective attention to the military personnel in guard towers in Iraq, and especially those in the Ramadi area.

   We’re talking hot. Sometimes the temperature can get upwards of 130 degrees in those towers, with no air conditioning. And due to our proximity to the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, it can be very sultry and humid here as well. It’s in the hundreds already. Keep in mind that these soldiers are wearing tight body armor with heavy ceramic plates in both the front and back. They are also carrying ammunition and other items on their body armor. They have Kevlar helmets on. They are surrounded by sand bags, concrete barriers, and other fortifications that are slammed by the sun like an old cow skull lying for decades in the Mojave Desert.

   You are not pulling guard duty in an air conditioned room at the gate of a military base in the states. You are standing in a tower that looks down upon the city of Ramadi, Iraq, one of the most dangerous places in the world right now. Muslim men are watching you. They are looking for vulnerability. They shoot mortars, rockets, and RPGs at you. They sometimes use sniper rifles to shoot at you.

   It’s a long day spent in the desert of western Iraq, standing in a guard tower, especially when you’ve been doing it for almost a year of your life. There is no MOS (military occupational specialty) called Guard Tower Specialist. It is one of the basics of being a soldier. All of these soldiers have been trained in their own specialty field. But they got to Ramadi, and their leadership decided they needed them to work in a guard tower. So they do.

   They make improvements to their towers to add more security and small measures of comfort. They take small breaks from the heat or the cold during their shift. But what is really humbling is the pure mental and physical endurance these soldiers display by doing such a great job day in and day out. They keep us safe here on our little FOB, and their job is more important than they probably even realize. I was a private once, and I’ve dug my share of foxholes. I know how it is.

   So thank you to America’s sons and daughters in the Al Anbar Province who work in the countless guard towers, check points, and gates. Your work is very appreciated not only by the folks back home, but also, and possibly even more so, by those of us who are here with you, and whom you provide security for. I, for one, am very proud of the excellent job you do.