Sports Byline USA Insight
Back to Iraq
The Iraq war may be the “forgotten war” to some, but to the 130,000 U.S. servicemen and women still in Iraq, it’s stares them in the face every day. And, this time of the year it’s a double dose of blowing sand and 130-degree days. Multiply that by the thousands of family members and friends of those serving there, those killed or injured there, and Iraq should never be a forgotten war.
This will be my “fifth broadcast deployment” to Iraq and/or Afghanistan. Iraq has left me with bittersweet memories. My first time there was in 2005. The war and combat operations were roaring. We were in Mosul, north of Baghdad with the 125th Stryker Brigade out of Ft. Lewis in Washington. I was invited to bring Sports Byline USA to Iraq by then Colonel Bob Brown. He’s now a Brigadier General. Brown is a West Point grad and a former academy basketball player. His coach was now Hall of Fame and Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski. During a Sports Byline interview Coach K told me one of his former players was now a commanding officer in Iraq. I contacted our AFN (American Forces Network) contact and he ran down Colonel Brown and I had him as a guest on the show to talk about his playing days and life in Iraq. Sports Byline USA has been carried worldwide on AFN’s 500 stations in 177 countries for nearly 20 years. At the end of the interview Brown asked if I would bring the show to his men and women in Mosul. I said, “Yes.” And that’s how it all began.
That first “broadcast deployment” was one of trepidation, excitement and appreciation. Thanks to Colonel Brown, a great staff and all those who were helping us, we pulled off 3 days of live, flawless broadcasts. It was the first time anyone had ever broadcast a sports talk show from a war zone. One of the “sweet” memories for me is being able to let the soldiers co-host the show and talk with our big name sports guests like Phil Jackson, Bill Belichek, Jerry Rice, Coach K, etc. Sports are a great morale booster and after I returned home I was touched by many emails showing how important our visit was.
Mr. Barr,
I want to thank you for what you did by bringing your show to us. I will be able to tell my children what you did. You do not know how much we soldiers enjoyed what you brought to Mosul. I enjoyed having the opportunity to experience being on live radio. I never though I would get to talk guys like Mr. Ripken and Mr. Staubach. You made that possible. I wish you and “Sports Byline” the best. God bless.
Respectfully,
Edward B. Rojas
SSG, USA
Dear Mr. Barr:
My son, Dave Nieradka, had a chance to call me after being on your show today and was feeling real good to be allowed to be part of your interviews with such good people. I would like to thank you for giving him that opportunity. The only problem with the whole ordeal is he asks me “guess what happened to me today, Dad”…well, obviously he was still alive, but after what he and his guys have been through, I was only thinking ‘not good stuff’. However, after my heart rate came back to its’ normal level, it was a good visit and it was really great to hear him so pumped about something, which hasn’t been the norm during these last 11+ months.
Anyway, thanks again and be safe.
Tom (and Diane) Nieradka
Oregon
For me the broadcasts were surreal. On our first show, outside under a canopy, in 135-degree heat, the sounds of explosions and gunfire punctuated the air and could clearly be heard on the air. Our location was at one of Saddam Hussein’s palaces, but that didn’t shield us from the reality of the ongoing battles and war. Being one to capture the moment, and a play-by-play man who can call any action, at one point I stopped what I was saying on-air and started doing play-by-play to those sounds of war, “There comes another flurry of shots, here comes an Apache helicopter, there goes a rocket. Boom, the bad guys are gone.” In retrospect, I think it was an effort to defuse my anxiety. Also, it was my first taste of the reality of the Iraq war. This is serious stuff.
A “bitter” moment, but also a laughable one is my “combat injury.” I did nothing brave in suffering a broken leg. How many people can claim they broke their leg at Saddam Hussein’s palace swimming pool? I still laugh about it today. It was one of the few pools in all of Iraq and it was one of the few benefits for those soldiers who were headquartered at the Palace. It was our oasis in the desert. I didn’t trip. I didn’t slip. I stepped up on a low ledge bordering the pool as I was leaving to get ready to do my first show. When I stepped down, the dirt gave way and I heard a sickening crack as my ankle turned. It hurt like hell. I was treated well by the Army doctor who I talked out of a hard cast in exchange for a soft cast and crutches. I got rid of the crutches the next day and I “soldiered” through the rest of my broadcast deployment. There is a happy ending to this story. Before I left Mosul, Colonel Brown asked if I would join him for a surprise special ceremony. In front of the command staff, and others, I was awarded the first “Purple Fart” medal, for as it says on the plaque, “For grievous wounds incurred while negotiating challenging terrain in the vicinity of a large water obstacle.” You can laugh because I still do.
My Iraq broken leg is one of two injuries I’ve suffered in my trips to Iraq and Afghanistan. I’m often asked why I go and why I’m willing to keep going. The answer is simple. After my last broadcast in my first trip to Iraq, a young soldier came up to me and said, “Thank you Mr. Barr. For three days this week you made me feel like I was back home.” That’s why I’m headed back to Iraq again, and I’m looking forward to it.
Hooking Up In New York
I've got everything packed and even though it was a tense two days tying up loose ends on our athlete guest list, I was ready to get aboard my United flight to New York. Being a pilot and a seasoned passenger, I try to anticipate trouble in order to lessen the aggravation of today's air travel. There were the typical security lines at SFO, but that aggravation was lessened by my running into Super Bowl winning coach Dick Vermiel. Vermiel is a man I've known for a number of years and have had on the show a number of times. The first thing we talked about was our mutual friend Bill Walsh, who passed away. Walsh and Vermiel were contemporaries and they had a deep friendship. In Walsh's early days as the head coach of the 49ers, he relied on Vermiel, who was the head coach at Philadelphia for strength and moral support. The story goes that Vermiel would often be late for Eagle team meetings because he was listening to Walsh on the phone air his doubts and concerns about the challenge he had taken on in rebuilding the hapless 49ers. Like others, when I told him where I was going, he shook his head and said be careful.
The flight to New York was unique for me in that the flight was 30 minutes early, I cleared the plane at JFK and got the terminal train and checked in for my Kuwait flight all within 20 minutes of landing. That has got to be a record for anyone.
Our team is meeting at JFK and flying out to Kuwait City. Another first for me is flying Kuwait Airlines. This will be an interesting experience. At the counter I ran into my trusty partner in my previous four "broadcasting deployments" to Iraq and/or Afghanistan, Jon Bullock. Like the American Express commercial says, "I never leave home without him." Tour director, producer, problem solver, mistake fixer and general great guy, JB is my Butch Cassidy. There were two others in our group. First, Tim Dwight, a 10-year NFL veteran and former wide receiver and kick returner with San Diego, the Patriots and the Raiders. This is Dwight's second troop visit, having gone to Afghanistan before. The rookie of our group is 22-year NBA referee Bob Delaney.
What a story Bob is. Twenty-two years refereeing the likes of Michael Jordan, Lebron James, Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing and others. But, his life is made for Hollywood. Prior to becoming a NBA referee, he was a New Jersey State trooper who went undercover and infiltrated the mob. Sounds like a good book and indeed it is. Delaney recently published a book about his undercover experiences called, "Covert: My Years Infiltrating The Mob." What a story and I recommend the book. The undercover sting operation secretly transformed Delaney into a trucking company President and he took the name "Bobby Covert." You'd think the wise guys would have caught on quickly. Apparently they weren't wise enough. Delaney was under deep cover for three years. It took its took on him and he talks about that as well in the book. The bottom line is, Delaney and Project Alpha sent 30 mobsters to prison. Now here's the real kicker. On a conference call this week, Delaney told us he had just gotten back from New York and testifying against a mobster that he had sent to prison 25 years ago. Apparently the wise guy didn't wise up and broke the law again. Hearing this, we're all wondering about the wisdom of being with Delaney at JFK. However, Dwight and I have come up with a solution to guarantee our safety. We're going to wear shirts that say, "I'm not Bob Delaney, he is", with an arrow pointing in his direction. That should get us on our Kuwait flight safely. Hopefully Bob will too.
Time to head out and to see what awaits us on the 12-hour flight to Kuwait City, our jump off point for Iraq.
Next Stop, Kuwait
I was right, Kuwait Airlines was a experience. It's always unique when an American, especially a white one, goes from being in the majority to being in the minority. However, flying a foreign national carrier I figured the four of us might be the only Americans on the flight. I was right again. Actually I enjoyed it because it gave me insight into another culture and one all four of us were going to have to live in that culture for awhile. Middle Eastern women are beautiful, at the least the part you can see. They all wear headscarves and many on the flight were fully shrouded except for their eyes. Also, it's very clear that there is a definite separation between men and women in the Middle East. And, their roles are sharply defined. The women take care of the family and kids, in which there were more then I've ever seen on an airplane, and the men, well, they do whatever they want. In many cases, the men sat in business or coach class and the women and children were in coach. I had to wonder how so many families with so many kids were able to fly on such an expensive trip. That question was answered for me on one of my previous trips to Kuwait when I was told the government gives each family a large sum of money for each child they have.
Let me now amplify on my statement that Kuwait Airlines was an experience. First, it gives you an appreciation for the fine job most of our U.S. carriers do. If you ever fly Kuwait Airlines make sure you have track shoes and sharp elbows. Unlike in the U.S. where they board a flight in an orderly fashion, usually the elderly and disabled followed by first and business class passengers and then coach passengers. No, at Kuwait Airlines they don't make an announcement that they're ready to board. They don't invite wheelchair and elderly passengers who need help to get on first. They don't board the first and business class passengers second. No, everyone kind of guesses it's time to board and rushes the boarding gate. It's a real rush. Those boarding gave no consideration to the wheelchair passengers, and women carrying children got no "why don't you go ahead first" from anyone. God help if anyone had fallen; everyone would have walked on and over them.
My major disappointment with Kuwait Airlines is that since it's a flagship carrier of an oil rich country, and this flight was from a major U.S. city (New York), I would have thought they would put their best airplane on the route. Our Boeing 777 was old, worn and a number of things either didn't work or were broken. One’s first impression of the airline and to some degree the country was not a favorable one. However, there were some saving graces. First, the cabin crew worked hard and did the best they could with crying babies and passengers who seem not to understand that you don't walk up and down the aisle when we're taxiing to take off. The best thing about the flight is that we got in an hour ahead of schedule and that our flight, which was almost exclusively Kuwait citizens, made it easier for us to get our visas. In my previous 4 trips to Iraq and/or Afghanistan we had to come through Kuwait as well, but those flights were on United Airlines and Lufthansa and they had primarily Americans and Europeans onboard. So, when they landed at about the same time, there was a crush of all non-Kuwaitis to get a visa to get into the country. It usually took anywhere from 90 minutes to two hours to get your visa. This time it took just 20 minutes. After a 12-hour flight I'll take a shabby airplane over a United or Lufthansa flight anytime.
After we got our luggage and got harshly introduced to the blowing sand and 120 blast furnace heat, our escort and security folks brought us to the Arifjan Army base where we'd overnight before taking our C-130 into Iraq and Mosul. The 40-minute ride thru sand and vast nothingness rekindled my memories of previous visits and the ongoing question of, "How in the hell does anyone live here." I doubt that I'll ever find an answer.
Tim Dwight and Bob Delaney had the same impression most people do when they get to the base. The presence of young soldiers, male and female, makes it look like it's a college campus. I thought the same thing when I first came here and also when I got to Mosul the first time. The big difference of course is that these kids carry M-16s.
Our accommodations are nice here. It's a dorm like environment where VIPs, like us, have private rooms and the transiting military personnel, depending on their rank, either also have private rooms or are in big, multi-bed bunk rooms. The word got around fast and everyone was excited that some sports VIPs were on the base. No, it wasn't us they were excited about, it was the 6 Philadelphia Eagles cheerleaders that were also staying overnight after going to visit the troops in Iraq.
But, we also got into an early meet and greet with the soldiers when they asked Bob Delaney, an NBA referee if he would referee a soldier game. Bob, who brought his referee's uniform and whistle said, "Yes." The players were excited that a real, big time NBA referee was going to work their game, and the referees that he would work with were excited about getting to work with him. All that went up in smoke when the woman who was the manager of the gym and sports recreation center didn't think an NBA referee should work the game because the teams were going to use NCAA rules and not NBA rules. Stupidity drives me nuts. Instead of having something positive for the players, referees and fans, some management fool who doesn't know whether a basketball is stuffed or blown-up decides that an NBA referee doesn't know what a foul is, an out of bounds call is or a jump ball is because they're using college rules. I'll never understand it.
Well, time to hit the road. Already our 10:30 am pick-up for our 12:30pm check-in and our 3 pm takeoff to Mosul has been changed to a noon pick-up for a 2 pm check-in and a 6 pm takeoff. I have a special place in my heart for pilots, so whenever they want to go we'll be ready to go with them. See you on the ground in Mosul.
Back to Mosul
Sunday was our travel day to Mosul, Iraq. Our car trip to Ali Al-Salem Air Base in Kuwait made us wonder whether we'd even get out of Kuwait. Gusting wind and blowing sand made visibility and driving a potential demolition derby on the roads. During a blinding sand-out we came across the roadway littered with Coca-Cola cans that had blown off a trailer truck. There were hundreds of smashed cans littering the roadway and more were blowing off their pallets and exploding on the ground as they hit. We were under a Coke can attack. But Sam, our driver, successfully maneuvered us through the Coke minefield and we made it safely to the airbase.
As I've mentioned in the past, military air travel is a hurry up and wait affair. Schedules are tentative and you either go or don't go, or wait to go, or wait very long to go. All of us thought it would be a miracle if we got out with such harsh wind and sand and limited visibility. But, one of the unknown and under appreciated aspects of the Iraq war effort is the job the Air Force and Air National Guard crews are doing. They understand that their assignment to get supplies and personnel to bases in Iraq and Afghanistan is essential. So, they make a Herculean effort to fulfill every mission no matter how bad the weather or conditions. Our C-130 crew is commanded by Capt. John Kojak. Think Telly Savalas and you have the right image of this air warrior. They were a Wyoming Air National Guard crew with one crew member from Tennessee. Also traveling with us was an Air Force flight surgeon checking on the health and operational interactivity of the crew. As I've said before, the two wars are hard on personnel and equipment. It was nice to see the military is concerned and watchful. The C-130 is the military's workhorse. As a pilot, I have the highest admiration for the equipment. For more than 50 years it has been an irreplaceable aircraft that has been dependable and able to do things other Air Force plans can't. You don't survive as an Air Force plane unless you're unique and special and this aircraft is both. Capt. Kojack (what a great name) extended cockpit privileges to me. It wasn't long after takeoff and reaching our cruising altitude of 18,000 feet that the headset cockpit conversation turned to sports talk. Everyone had a favorite team and they asked me my opinion on them. The crew said they were glad to have us on board, but was disappointed we weren't the other sports celebrities another C-130 crew had the day before us. They, of course, were the Philadelphia Eagles cheerleaders. Damn! We can't get away from them.
Our first stop on the way to Mosul was in Kirkuk to drop off 40 soldiers who were coming back from two weeks furlough at home. I couldn't help but think about the traumatic whipsaw this must play on the soldiers’ minds. For 6 months you're in combat conditions, then you head back home. You leave Iraq and in 24 hours you're thrust back into familiar, happy and comfortable surroundings. You can go to a restaurant, have a beer, see a movie, see your wife, girlfriend, boyfriend and loved ones. It's a normal life, but one foreign to you for the last 6 months. There are no explosions to deal with and the only patrol you may go out on is to check out the hometown mall. Then just about the time maybe some normalcy is coming back into your life, you leave and in 24 hours you're in the back of a Wyoming National Guard C-130 headed back into war conditions in Iraq. While I've never heard any soldier complain in any of my trips to Iraq or Afghanistan, you have to believe it's hard, confusing and takes a lot of self-discipline to make that type of commitment. After we landed at Kirkuk and as I watched the soldiers deplane, I had a feeling of understanding of their commitment, but also a very deep appreciation for their having made it.
We were on the ground for less than 5 minutes. Engines were kept running, troops and equipment was unloaded. Speed and efficiency are important in Iraq. The engines are kept running in case the airfield comes under a mortar or rocket attack; that way the C-130 can take off immediately. Things seemed rather tranquil, but that can change quickly and when you least expect it. We were off for our short flight to our destination in Mosul.
Having been in the cockpit on my first visit to Mosul back in 2005, I wondered if anything had changed flying wise. In 2005, I remember we couldn't make our approach from the north, as the wind dictated we should have because that would bring us over the city and it was likely that we'd take ground fire. Also, I remember the evasive, rock and roll, high altitude and then dive approach we had to use. Not much had changed five years later. We still couldn't make an over the city approach because of the threat of ground fire. We still had to use the rock and roll procedure. And the flight engineer and navigator still looked for missiles and stood ready to deploy the missile defense system if it became necessary. Five years later and at least from the flying standpoint nothing had really changed. For me, it was a strange, deja vu feeling as we touched down. Our long day was coming to an end. As we deplaned, our C-130 crew shut down the engines and asked if we'd take pictures with them. Pictures taken, the crew jumped back aboard and headed home to Balad for the end to a long day for them as well. As they took off, I thought, "thank you."
There waiting to greet us was General Brown. It was good to see my friend, who started my broadcast deployments five years ago right here in Mosul. Bob Delaney, Tim Dwight, J.B. and myself are ready to go.
Boots on the Ground in Mosul
After we had dinner at the DFAC (mess hall), General Brown gave us an unclassified briefing. The one thing that jumped out at me is something that few Americans understand. While the U.S. military initially was a combat force in liberating Iraq of Saddam Hussein, its role also was and still is helping build a functioning free government and social structure in Iraq. That means setting up a judicial and law system, as well as health and public social services. Yes, the U.S. military is still in a combat mode and fighting when needed or asked to by Iraqi forces, but the military is also helping get Iraqi citizens more electricity and clean drinking water; they are also helping to open and set up schools and hospitals and working to build economic strength through micro-loans to small businesses. The media often reports primarily on the military's combat missions and casualties, but rarely reports on other worthwhile military efforts. It doesn't matter what your politics are, pro or con about the war, but one should at least understand the whole picture and effort.
Our long day left us looking forward to getting some sleep. However, a reminder of where we were and the dangers that surround us was enforced strongly by a late night explosion near us and another even bigger one early in the morning. Later in the morning we found out that 10 Iraqi soldiers in a convoy were killed at the entrance to our base by an improvised explosive device (IED). It refocuses you and makes you remember to be smart and alert to what's happening around you.
I've mentioned this before, but I've become acutely aware of it again. I can't eat three meals a day here, or at least I have to moderate what I eat at each meal. Our troops are fed quite well. Gone are the days of military cooks and KP duty. Now, food services are doled out to companies and just about every type of food is available to the troops. When we arrived on Sunday night I had lobster and crab legs, a salad, a milk shake and steamed greens. You can even get a cappuccino if you want.
Monday dawned warm, but certainly nothing like the searing heat of Kuwait. I can handle 90 degrees in the morning. It was also windy and there was a haze from the blowing sand. We were alerted to the fact that we might be limited in some of our visits to FOBs (forward operating bases) because of the weather. The helicopters that would ferry us around to the FOBs weren't able to fly. One trip General Brown wanted to take on was to Erbil. Erbil is in Kurdistan. Kurdistan is an interesting part of the Iraq puzzle. You don't hear much about Kurdistan and under Saddam Hussein the Kurds were treated harshly. Kurdistan is a semi-autonomous region in northern Iraq, and after losing the first war back in the early 90's to the U.S., Hussein unleashed his fury against the independent minded Kurds by gassing and murdering thousands of them. For the Kurdish people, those atrocities are seared in their memories, and the tragedies fuel their desire to be secure and independent. It's an interesting tight wire they walk. They're a part of Iraq and are ultimately under Baghdad's control, but as I said they are autonomous and have an independent regional government.
General Brown, his staff and a small security detail took us to Erbil by helicopter. It was the most impressive thing I've seen or done in any of my visits. J.B., Tim, Bob and I all came away impressed with what we saw and experienced. We quickly found out that Kurdistan and Erbil is nothing like the rest of Iraq. It's modernizing while retaining its historical charm. It's green and clean. The Erbil International Airport is as modern and up to date as any you'll find in any world modern country. The surprises we got began when we landed at the Erbil International Airport. We were met by one of the top generals in the Kurdish military. From that moment one we had a military escort that took good care of us. The Kurds are proud of their record that not one American military personnel has been either injured or killed in Kurdish territory. It was also apparent to me that the Kurdish military is more disciplined, better trained and more prepared than the Iraqi Army. I've heard some interesting war stories about the Iraqi military since I've been here. All of this comes about because the Kurds remember Hussein’s harsh treatment, their love for Americans and their appreciation for their help and protection after the first war and a desire to become a modern, successful and peaceful part of the world.
The Erbil Visit
Our first stop in Erbil was a meeting with Interior Minister Sanjari. General Brown was there to briefly discuss preparations for the upcoming elections. Nothing classified, just touching base on some last minute details. Again, you could easily see the respect and appreciation Minister Sanjari had for America's help in getting the Kurds back on their feet after Saddam's murderous campaign against them. The U.S. enforcement of a "no fly zone" stopped the slaughter and allowed the Kurds to rebuild. The Kurds have an interesting balancing act with the central Iraq government. They have access to vast amounts of Iraqi oil revenue from wells in their region while at the same time desiring to have their own country. Minister Sanjari speaks English and you could see he understands the sensitivity of the situation. He also knows the importance of the upcoming election. If it's peaceful and the outcome is accepted across Kurdistan, then their image and continued desire to self-rule will be enhanced. The room was filled with General Brown's staff, the Minister's aides, the four of us, the Kurdish General and his staff and U.S. State Department people. A thought that came to mind was, this was probably was like the meetings Jefferson, Washington and Adams must have had when we were trying to become an independent country. This meeting would be the first of many sit-downs this day that would involve the Kurdish tradition of serving a hot glass of sweet tea to your guests. Also, fruit and sweets were served. Our hour meeting ended with Minister Sanjari taking pictures with us and asking that I, as a broadcaster and a media member, tell the world of the business opportunities, stability and love for Americans in Kurdistan. As we went through the day we found those statements to be sincere and true.
Next, our convoy proceeded to a Kurdish military base and a meeting with General Brown and several Kurdish Generals. After initial pleasantries and another glass of warm, sweet tea, the Generals huddled while we went to an adjoining room to meet Kurdistan's top sportscaster. As General Brown kindly put it, "He's the Ron Barr of Kurdistan." Now, I must tell you that when I heard we'd be meeting him I imagined that he did play-by-play of some Kurdistan national sport that involved kicking a goat's head. I admit it was an idiotic thought. He did all sports, but his favorite was play-by-play for the world's sport of soccer. Two retired staff members of the Kurdistan national soccer team were with him and through an interpreter it didn't take long for us to start telling and sharing sports stories. They were interested in Tim and his NFL career and wanted to know what Shaq was like from Bob. The stories led to lots of laughter and it didn't take long for General Brown and the Kurdish Generals to decide that our meeting was more fun, so they joined us. I would tell you the name of "Kurdistan's Ron Barr", but it's too long and I'd butcher it. However, sports again bridged any communications or cultural gap. Our meeting of Generals and sports personalities ended with laughter as my Kurdistan sportscaster friend gave his call of a soccer goal and I gave my call of General Brown driving the length of the basketball court, slicing down the key and putting down a tomahawk slam dunk over Lebron James.
Next, we got a real taste of world history. We worked our way through the streets of Erbil and to the Citadel. The Citadel is the site of the oldest place in civilization. It lies in the heart of Erbil and the site of our caravan of Kurdish military generals and a group of Americans with U.S. military personnel was both exciting and puzzling to the locals. We got out and climbed the ruins of the Citadel. It provided a dramatic view of Erbil and I was impressed with the site of old Erbil and how new Erbil is tastefully being integrated. The fact that civilization started here wasn't lost on me. Again, the warmth extended us by the locals was evident and sincere.
Then it was off to a beautiful park in the heart of Erbil. Here we saw more of the Kurd’s history in a small museum in the park's center. Here I found a striking contrast. Our group included a number of heavily armed Kurdish security personnel while the park was peaceful and full of families and kids running and playing. At no time during our visit were we in danger, but I think the stature of our visit dictated the security precaution. Again, the Kurdish people were kind, inquisitive and desirous of meeting us. We tried our best to explain that Tim was an American football player, not soccer, and Bob was an NBA referee. Everyone, especially the kids, wanted their picture taken with us. It was a very human and touching visit.
Our final stop was for dinner at one of the many kabob restaurants in Erbil. Again, it gave us a chance to see old Erbil, the teeming streets and shops and how everyday life is in Kurdistan. Dinner was a bit on the surreal side. Try to picture this. A ten-car caravan led front and back with heavily armed Kurdish military personnel, carrying an American General, four Kurdish Generals, a sportscaster, an NBA referee, an NFL player and the star Kurdistan sportscaster. We pull up in front of this kabob restaurant that is totally empty at the dinner hour because they called ahead and reserved the whole restaurant. Our entourage and heavily armed soldiers all sit down for a meal of local delicacies. I still laugh when I think about it. Of course now a large crowd is outside trying to get a look at who's inside. Other soldiers keep them at bay. Nothing hostile. We tried most of the local cuisine and it was quite tasty. As we got to the end of the meal my sense of humor kicked in. I wondered if this would be separate checks? However, I stood up and said, "Give the check to Tim Dwight, the NFL player." Of course, our hosts picked up the check, I think? As we left, they handed us additional bags of food in case we got hungry on our helicopter ride back to Mosul. No chance of that.
We worked our way back to the airport where our two helicopters were up and running. General Brown was concerned we might be trapped in Erbil by a sandstorm, so we took off as soon as everyone was aboard. As we climbed into the sand blowing sky, with a large setting yellowish sun, I thought of the warmth and graciousness of the Kurdish people. Their desire to have what every person wants, peace, a home for their families and happiness. They've suffered a great deal. The twinge of sadness I have as I looked out over the barren landscape below was replaced with the hope and belief better days would be coming for them. The thoughts, feelings and impressions of a very special day will stay with me forever.
Things You Know For Sure
After an exhilarating day on Monday with our trip to Kurdistan, things have settled into a routine and pattern. You know daily you're going to hear explosions, have rocket, mortar and IED attacks, face searing heat, be sandblasted and have everything you own coated with dust and sand. I'm also starting to get a nagging cough from the sand and dust. Hopefully drinking a lot of water will clean out my system. For the soldiers, now their routine borders on tedium and boredom most of the time. There's an interesting contrast. Now that the U.S. military has pulled back to their bases and only goes on missions when either requested by the Iraqis or when it’s absolutely necessary, they still have to be vigilant and alert. The soldiers can't let themselves become complacent and they don't. They're professionals and they prepare each day to be at the top of their "mission game." The military aspect of their mission has become somewhat secondary as they turn more to nation-building and helping the Iraqis build the institutions that will support a democracy.
Frustration is also a part of everyday military existence here. Frustration with institutional corruption. Frustration with the slow and sometimes non-existent ability to implement programs that help the Iraqi people. And, frustration with the weather. It's the weather that affects our plans for the day. General Brown had arranged to helicopter us to some of the smaller FOBs (forward operating bases) where the soldiers rarely, if at all, ever get any MWR (morale, welfare and recreational) visitors, entertainers and people like us. I can tell you from my previous visits to Iraq and Afghanistan FOBs that a couple of hours visiting and talking sports brings the soldiers back to the real world and makes them feel like they’re back home again. You can see it in their faces and hear it in their enthusiastic talk about sports. And, you can feel the appreciation that we came and the disappointment when we leave. Back to my point about the frustration the weather was for us. Blowing sand and low viability has scrubbed our flights and plans for visits to those smaller FOBs. We'll hang closer to home and visit troops around the various parts of the Diamondback and Marez bases. The last thing we need is to get grounded and not make it back for our first Sports Byline show.
With our schedule re-arranged and lightened up it gives Tim, Bob, J.B. and I a chance to interact and hang with the soldiers around the C.P. (command post). Like all the soldiers we meet, they're like sponges in wanting to talk. One thing that has been constant in every trip I've made is the players and coaches that have accompanied me don't have an attitude and are very approachable. It surprises the soldiers when they find out we want to relate to their backgrounds, talk about their lives and families, and of course talk sports and share our insights and funny sports stories. We all get close, the soldiers open up and it makes every handshake, autograph and chat special.
Let me lend an impressive observation here from this visit and the others before it. The military is a myriad of cultures, races, personalities, backgrounds and experiences. I'm always amazed how well it works and how natural it comes together. I've figured out why: It's because the soldiers only care that the soldier beside them does their job and they don't care about the color of there skin, what religion they are, or their background. What is important is the everyday execution of their job or in a combat situation, being able to count on the man or woman beside you. I wish all of life could be that way.
A Special Moment For Me
Aviation and flying has been a large part of my life and my family's life. I learned to fly was I was very young and there's a history of flying in my family. My Mom and Aunt were both pilots when it was rarely something a woman did. My brother is a pilot. It all emanates from my grandfather who was the Curator of the Smithsonian Air and Space museum along with the great aviation historian Paul Garber. I have fond memories of accompanying my grandfather to the aircraft facility where they refurbished old planes for placement in the Air and Space Museum. One of my favorite pictures is my grandfather in the nose of the Enola Gay, the B-25 that dropped the atom bomb on Japan, as he worked to refurbish it, with me as a young boy sitting on the floor looking up at him. Two other pictures I cherish have him putting up the Wright brother's Kitty Hawk and Charles Lindbergh's Spirit of St. Louis in the old Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. The seed for my love of aviation was planted with those grandfather and grandson moments.
With that in mind I experienced a very special moment on this deployment. Since weather and sandstorms had disrupted our flying, we stayed in Mosul. In Afghanistan I had met a Predator squadron. The Predator is the pilot-less drone the military is using. It's "star wars" flying." Where I was in Kandahar, they launched the Predators, but the pilot is actually in Nevada in front of a video game like console flying the aircraft. Predators can fly unseen at high altitudes, but they're manned with cameras that can clearly show enemy actions on the ground. They carry missiles and rockets and use them with good precision. When we landed in Mosul I could see several Predators from the cockpit of the C-130. Soon after landing I requested to meet the Predator squadron so that Bob and Tim could see this amazing technology.
With our travel plans disrupted the suggestion was made that since I had already seen the Predators that I might be interested in seeing the smaller U.S. Army UAV (unmanned aircraft vehicle) called "The Shadow." The best way to describe it is it's a model airplane on steroids. It's two and a half times larger than the normal model airplane and can do a lot more.
What made the visit to the Shadow Squadron so special for me is my grandfather invented the radio controlled model airplane. I have wonderful memories as a kid of building and then flying them with my grandfather. Dialing in a number on a telephone dialer controlled them. Dialing the number one made the plane go right. The number two made it go left. Three made it climb. And, four made it go down. Things were fine unless a cab, using its two-way radio, came by where we were flying. That would disrupt our phone commands to the model plane and off it would go into the wild blue yonder, never to seen again or found. Many a kid’s tears were shed over a lost plane.
We surprised the soldiers at the Shadow Squadron with our visit and they said what we heard many times, "No one ever comes to visit us." When I shared with them that my grandfather invented the radio controlled model airplane, they referred and considered me "UAV" royalty. I still laugh about that. As they talked us through what the Shadow could do, how important it was to preventing IEDs and casualties and its overall security importance, I was moved deeply to think that my grandfather had invented something that was helping save lives and make our military more secure.
A Shadow aircraft flies over Mosul 24-hours a day looking for "bad guys" who are attacking American and Iraqi forces, planting IEDs and doing anything they shouldn't be doing. The Shadow flies at a top speed of 115 mph and can top out at an altitude of around 8,000 feet. They can be armed and they're launched off of a catapult ramp. We had a chance to go into a control vehicle and watch them operate. Unlike the Predator that is flown far away from the combat zone, a two-man crew in front of a video game like console flies the Shadow on site. It's amazing what can be seen and the Shadow’s work is impressive.
Before we left, Bob Delaney gave all the soldiers his book "Covert" and we signed autographs and took pictures. Then came the most touching moment for me, and I'm sure for Bob, Tim and J.B. The squadron leader presented us with those sought after and cherished command coins and also something I will forever cherish. They gave us propellers from decommissioned Shadow aircraft and they autographed them. I'm not afraid to admit the gesture touched me deeply and moistened my eyes. I left to get ready to do our first Sports Byline USA broadcast in a happy reflective mood.
It's Showtime
Doing a worldwide, multi-platform delivery, network broadcast from halfway around the world is not an easy feat. It takes skill, professionalism and a bit of luck. I'm always anxious about doing our first broadcast on a trip like this. There are so many things that can go wrong. Generally speaking we've been pretty lucky and successful. The standard is, if the first broadcast goes well with connecting, guests and broadcasting, then usually the ones to follow will too. Our patience was tested early as we had a problem hooking with San Francisco even though J.B., my producer/engineer, had tested it out the day before. However, we cleared up the problem quickly and the first show was a success.
General Brown assigned Major Pat Husted to handle any problems and to coordinate any needs we had. He admitted to me before we left that when he was handed the assignment that he wasn't too excited about it. He thought it would be a "pain in the ass" job. But, as he said, "This was cool." I've heard this at the end of other broadcast deployments from those assigned to help us. It is a unique assignment and not a usual military thing for an officer. But, we aren't too demanding and everyone has a good time. I can tell you, I'm still in touch with many of the officers who have had this role and I consider them to be friends.
Everyone had a good time with our first broadcast. General Brown was on with Coach K, his basketball coach at West Point. Major General Bob Caslen was on with Al Michaels and the soldiers got to hear and co-host with Hall of Famer Steve Largent and USC coach Pete Carroll.
Following the broadcast, we all retreated to the North Shore Lanai. Since the U.S. Army's 25th I.D. is headquartered in Hawaii, this is something General Brown and his soldiers have created to make them feel a little closer to home. It's a little recreation, kickback area, behind the General's command center where they entertain guests and hold receptions. There's no alcohol served at any military base, but there were soft drinks, food and great conversation with officers and enlisted personnel in a relaxed atmosphere. I couldn't think of a better way for us all to end a special day. It all provided for a desired and fitting sleep.
Same Old, Same Old
Another day, more mortar and rocket explosions. Another day, more blowing sand and dust. Another day, still can't helicopter travel because of the weather.
The military adapts so we adapt too. We're doing more local meet and greets and today's include going to the on-base firing range and a visit to a unit that recently paid the high price of losing six men, five to combat and one to a non-combat incident. It's a mechanized tank company. These are the big boys with the big weapons, the Abram tanks.
One of the surprises I got on this trip came from my visit to the firing range. First, getting there required us to convoy in two M Wraps. These have replaced the Humvees for troop transportation. They're bigger, better armored, less vulnerable to deadly IED attacks, loaded with firepower and impressive technologically. Their assignment today was to take us to the firing range. We were going to get hands on experience of Army weaponry. I don't have a "John Wayne" or macho complex, so firing a machine gun or M-16 didn't "make my day", but I was interested in seeing what the average soldier has to deal with. It was eye opening.
The first thing we learned on the firing range is you stop shooting when a helicopter flies over. Accidents do happen, especially ricochets, and none of us wanted to see a news headline that said, "Sports Byline Group Shoots Down U.S. Chopper." That goes beyond being "my bad." J.B. and Tim Dwight got into the M Wrap turrets and after some instruction they let loose on the range. Our escorting soldiers were impressed with J.B.'s accuracy. The testosterone was flowing with those guys. They came out of the turrets looking like they had drunk 10 cups of coffee. I took a pass, but after some instruction, I began firing on the range the foot soldiers' weapon of choice, the M-16. Here's where the surprise came for me. It was heavy, about 14 pounds and it’s hard to hold. My arms and shoulders ached in a short while. Now imagine a soldier having to take the safety button off, sight the target, decide whether you want a single burst or a multiple burst, make sure the target is legitimate, and do this in a combat situation, possibly on the run and in a split second. It's asking a lot of the soldier, but they do it with professionalism and accuracy. As a sergeant said to me, "For the soldier it becomes a muscle memory exercise." It certainly wasn't a muscle memory that I was used to and even though I did well in hitting the target, I now have a large amount of respect for the combat soldier's ability to multi-task under stressful and difficult conditions. My arms and shoulders were sore for two days.
The afternoon was spent with the "tank boys." It's interesting, but I’ve come to find that the personalities as a whole of military pilots are different than the personality of foot soldiers, which are different than the personality of the Predator and Shadow soldiers, which are different than the personality of tank soldiers. It's like in the NFL where as a group the personalities are different by position. Wide receivers are different from linemen, who are different from running backs, who are different from linebackers, etc. Again, teamwork comes into play with tank crews. The Abram tank carries a crew of four, who work together in hot, difficult conditions in carrying out their task. When I say hot, I had one tank soldier tell me it can get up to 115 degrees in the tank and they have air hoses they stuff down their pants sometimes to cool off. Also, he told me he once stood at his position in the tank for 24-hours during a combat mission. This obviously takes endurance, discipline and strength. The Abram tank is a mechanical and technological marvel. Also, it’s maintenance intensive, especially in a desert environment. In talking with the soldiers of this unit you could tell they had been through a lot and they were looking forward to returning home shortly to Fort Carson, Colorado.
I had an interesting conversation with a sergeant in the tank unit. It was the first time in all my deployments I’ve had a philosophical conversation with a soldier about the execution of the war. Without revealing any "off the record" comments, we talked about the mistakes made, the challenges, the commitment to their mission, morale, his love for the Army and how hard it is to be away from home and family. I think the discussion was satisfying for both of us. I got great insight into the feelings and thoughts of the average soldier. Things they rarely speak about publicly or at least with someone in the media. And, he appreciated that I had an understanding of both the military and human side of what he and his fellow soldiers had to deal with in Iraq. It was a little bit of venting on his part, but only because I asked and I think he knew I already had a good idea of what they had gone through and the frustrations they had faced. Proof we both enjoyed the conversation was the firm handshake we had as I left to return to the C. P. (command post). It certainly left me with a lot to think about.
Showtime again and things went great with my soldier co-hosts talking with Hall of Famer Anthony Munoz, former Packers wide receiver Antonio Freeman, Tim Dwight, Orlando Magic center Adonal Foyle and 4-time Super Bowl winning linebacker Bill Romanowski. A solid show and everyone had a good time. Also, another social gathering afterwards at the North Shore Lanai. A good and interesting day came to an end with all of us looking forward to sleep time, hopefully with less explosions.
What A Day
We’re coming to the end of our nearly weeklong visit and broadcasts in Mosul. As the saying goes, “We saved the best for last.” Today our “meet and greets” with the troops took us to the Syrian border with Iraq and included a unique stop on the way back to our Mosul home base.
Again, the weather was questionable as General Brown had us join him on a helicopter trip to a small Army detachment at the border with Syria. This strategic military outpost also included a detachment of Marines who provide security. In all, it represented a stark difference between the relative comforts of the large FOBs, like Diamondback and Marez where we are, and this out of the way American outpost on the border. What makes this FOB important is it’s a major Iraq-Syria border crossing for trucks and people. Without proper control, insurgents and other undesirables can enter Iraq, along with contraband and explosives. The U.S. presence here is to help teach the Iraqis how to inspect vehicles, people and maintain better border protection.
Tim Dwight played his college football at the University of Iowa. He’s a legend there and Hawkeye fans remember and celebrate his Iowa and NFL achievements. Wouldn’t you know it, there were several Hawkeye fans among the 17 Army soldiers at the border FOB. So, as we landed several soldiers greeted us, and particularly Tim, wearing their Hawkeye hats instead of regular Army issue headwear. Tim knew he was among “friendlies.” Our time here is brief. We met the soldiers and along with our Marine security walked the 100 yards to the Syrian border. The Marines told us to be careful because the Syrians are highly sensitive about visitors on the border and especially about them violating their sovereignty. If you did so, you could find yourself in deep trouble and on the wrong side of the border. Adding to the drama is the on going dispute over a 14-foot wide strip of land. Iraq and Syria both claim it as theirs. It was a very hot day, the temperature exceeding 110 degrees. There was a strange dichotomy as we approached the border and the disputed land. Here was an U.S. Army General (Bob Brown), four so called celebrities, some escorting U.S. Army soldiers and a half dozen no nonsense, businesslike security Marines. On the other side is some couldn’t care less, bored out of their minds Syrian border guards. I think the eight of them shared their one gun. It was almost laughable. We had some pictures taken by the ceramic mural of former Syrian leader Assad and another mural of his son who is now the leader of Syria.
Here’s where things got weird and dicey. Tim Dwight has a strange sense of humor. Despite being told about the Syrians’ border sensitivity, Tim decided to have a little fun and test their sense of humor. He walks up to the known and undisputed border and in clear view of the Syrian border guards he smiles and puts a toe over the line and then quickly pulls it back. He does this three times. Now, I’m waiting to hear the click of the guard’s one automatic weapon, but the guard looked more amused than anything. It was Tim and our luck that the one guard on duty at that time either had a sense of humor, or thought, “Just another crazy American.” Also, he could have been smart enough to know the Marines had superior firepower. I could see the headline now, “Crazy American and NFL Football Player Causes International Border Incident.” Wisdom prevailed and we pulled back from the brink of confrontation. In all honesty, it really wasn’t that serious and a light moment that all enjoyed, probably even the Syrian border guards, with their one gun.
There was nothing luxurious about the living conditions of the small detachment of Army soldiers and Marines here. Unlike the DFACs (mess halls) we ate at in Mosul, where there was outstanding food and a large variety of it, these guys got a hot meal only from heating it up in microwave. And, living quarters wise, they had sleeping cubicles in an old beat-up building and the cubicles were separated only by plywood. They were roughing it. We sat down in “their DEFAC” and signed autographs, took pictures and Bob Delaney signed his “Covert” book. Each soldier got one with a personal message from Bob. I could see in the faces of the soldiers how much this visit meant to them and I was glad General Brown arranged for us to come here, even though it was an out of the way, small FOB. It’s something I’m sure the soldiers and we’ll remember for a long time.
We mounted up into our two helicopters and headed off for our next stop. We were going to visit a sheik. Actually we visited with two sheiks, the one whose home we were going to was on business in Jordan, but we were meeting his two brothers. In actuality, we were just tagging along as General Brown had a meeting with the sheik who is the Deputy Governor for the region.
Like our trip to Kurdistan, this is something none of us will forget. A small group of Marines had traveled to the Sheik’s compound and were waiting to provide security for the General and the four tagalongs. The compound was in the middle of nowhere. You’re flying along looking out at semi-barren land and all of a sudden this big, palatial home and grounds appear. It was like an oasis in the middle of the desert. Tim Dwight made an interesting observation. The Sheik’s house was like something out of Miami Vice. The Sheik had armed guards who were manned up with Uzis and automatic weapons. At the corner of the house was a machine gun nest. I was thinking who would hurt us out here in the middle of nowhere. Later, I came to understand that Iraq is made up of tribes and the danger was for the sheiks who come from a tribe that others might not like because of their support and aid to the U.S. and the military. The firepower was absolutely necessary.
Our meeting and lunch with the Sheiks was like out of an Arabian Nights movie, minus the belly dancers. The feast was sumptuous and the insight into the Muslim, Iraqi and Middle East culture was enlightening. The younger Sheik, who I estimate to be around thirty, was into agriculture. U.S. and European educated, Sheik Shammar Humidy Ajeel AL-Yawar is developing agricultural methods to turn the current barren and desolate land into prosperous, food producing land. He and his family are the future of Iraq. They represent new thinking and a caring for the average, everyday Iraqi citizen. The family recently helped and supported Iraqis who had been hospitalized and injured by IED and bomb attacks in Mosul. Also, they realize education is a major key to Iraq becoming a prosperous country again, so they reward top students with computers and college scholarships. Sheik Shammar Humidy Ajeel AL-Yawar and I made an instant connection and we talked about the challenges he and his family face in helping to rebuild Iraq. I was very impressed with the vision the Sheik and his brothers have and it gives me a glimmer of hope that Iraq may prosper after the U.S. pulls out of the country.
As we were walking to our helicopters to return to Mosul, Sheik Shammar Humidy Ajeel AL-Yawar said something very poignant to me. He said, “I hope all Americans don’t think of Muslims in terms of Osama Bin Laden.” He brings up an excellent point and we witnessed through the Sheik’s family, hospitality and caring attitude a truly more representative view of the Muslim culture. As we lifted off, I wistfully thought of how it's too bad the rest of Iraq doesn’t understand what Kurdistan and the Sheiks understand, that peace and prosperity comes from education and economic power. If you look at history and past wars, Germany and Japan both came to realize it and today they’re prosperous, stable and economically successful.
It had been a full and very satisfying day, but we needed to get our rear ends back to Mosul for our last Sports Byline broadcast. The weather barely cooperated, but General Brown’s skillful helicopter pilots landed us back in Mosul ninety minutes before broadcast time. One of the good things about having had two other successful SBUSA broadcasts under our belts was getting ready for the third was a snap.
Showtime for our last broadcast brought a full house of nearly 200 hundred soldiers to watch and listen. The Engineer group that was returning home to Germany on Friday was there in force, including the commanding Colonel. One of their guys was co-hosting the show, so either they were there to support him or their presence came on the Colonel’s orders. Plus, word had gotten around town (the FOB) about the show, our sports giveaways, Bob’s free autographed books, Tim’s charm with the female soldiers and my witty repartee, so maybe that’s why we had a full house. Also, we had a great guest lineup for our last show with Hall of Fame coach Marv Levy, Hall of Fame quarterback Warren Moon and Super Bowl winning coach Brian Billick.
My sense of humor amazes even me sometimes, especially when it strikes me. An example. I once was having a minor surgical procedure that men have when they reach forty. It’s to prevent colon cancer. The doctor was checking internally my backside area with a camera device. He told me I should ask any questions during the procedure. So I said to him, “Doc, it has been suggested my head may be up there, tell me if you see it.” The doctor and the nurse broke out laughing and the office nurses later told me they had never heard laughing coming out of the procedure room before. So, with that as background, I was coming out of the commercial break back into the show. As I looked out at these nearly 200 servicemen and woman all sitting there with their weapons, I opened the segment saying, “You know, I haven’t seen this many guns since I went to my last rap concert.” The response from my co-hosts and audience was, “Ohhhhh” thankfully followed by loud laughter.
As our last show ended and I signed off thanking every one for making it possible, a large sense of satisfaction, appreciation and to some degree sadness swept over me. We had touched a lot peoples lives with our visit, and they had touched ours. Our post show conversation with the soldiers was poignant and we lingered long trying to capture the good feelings we had had all week.
There was no social gathering at the CP North Shore Lanai after our last show, so we were on our own. Like us, the soldiers wanted us to hang around to talk and laugh about our various stories. A quick bite and we decided to head up to the gym. There was a soldier basketball game about to get started. Bob Delaney, respected and 22 year NBA veteran referee shows up and offers to officiate their game. Let me just say there were a lot of soldier-players who were appreciative, impressed and excited about having a real NBA referee work their game. After the game, they all wanted a team and individual pictures taken with Bob, which he gladly did. I couldn’t think of a better way to help bring our visit to the troops to a close.
I left to head to my bunkroom with a warm smile on my face, I was looking forward to some sleep after a long and memory filled day. The “bad guys” had other plans as they lobbed some rockets at the base. Major Husted hustled down to see if I was all right? I was. Just another day in a war zone and something the soldiers have to live with everyday here. No attack is minor, as word came today that 3 American soldiers had died from an indirect rocket attack in Basra. The happiness of the day was tempered by the thought of three more lives lost in Iraq.
It’s Time To Leave
All good things must come to an end and our visit and broadcasts had reached that point. In 2005, Sports Byline USA became the first sports talk network to broadcast live from a combat area. Now four years later we’re wrapping up our fifth broadcast deployment from Iraq and/or Afghanistan. One thing I’ve experienced in all of my previous visits with the troops, and I told Tim Dwight and Bob Delaney to expect it as well, is separation anxiety. It’s a feeling of not wanting to leave and especially not wanting to leave your friends behind. Because we met, ate with, shared stories with, and traveled with a lot of soldiers, we all became friends. The fact that everyday, whether we were on the ground or in the air with them, they paid extra attention to protecting us. Our time together, little or long, had nothing to do with the strong connection we made with the soldiers and they made with us. That we brought a change to their daily, sometimes monotonous routine enhanced that connection.
The four of us (Tim, Bob, J.B. and me) could see and sense that the soldiers didn’t want us to go, and some even said so. And, we didn’t want to. Good-byes are always hard and as we packed up and prepared to leave FOB Marez soldiers came bye to say “thanks” and goodbye. Each in there own moving way thanked us for coming and many said they’d never forget our visit. It’s funny, but we came to Iraq to thank them for their selfless service, yet we ended up getting an overabundance of their gratitude. It’s hard to leave when you get cards and notes like this:
“I’ve been in such a great mood for the last 4 days and it’s because you and your team has been here. I’m glad you were able to see a little of Iraq with us, but more importantly, I’m glad you shared your passion with all of us. Truly a great memory and a great time.”
Capt. Melissa Lewis
“Thanks for bringing a sense of normalcy and a little bit of home to all us out here.”
Specialist Mayra Arias
“How can we ever thank you enough for your tremendous support to our great soldiers. What a motivational trip and true inspiration for our young men and women. Tropic Lightning”
Brigadier General Bob Brown
My friends, and at first my family, often asked why I go and put myself in danger. The answer is simple. The notes above say it all and I’ll return time and time again as long as needed. Sports are such a touch of home.
After heartfelt good-byes at the CP (Command Post), we boarded our van for the ride to the airfield. It was hot and the sky was obscured by the constant wind blown sand. The soldiers who had been our constant protection and help during our visit lingered until our C-130 arrived to take us back to Kuwait. It was somewhat like any airport scene when family and friends are seeing someone off. On the plane with us were about 30 soldiers that were heading to Kuwait and then back stateside for two weeks leave. I again thought of how strange it must be for them to taken out of a combat, war environment and thrust into civilian, normal life only to be ripped out of it and returned to this environment again, all within a couple of weeks. It’s hard to get your head around that.
After final good-byes and waves, we loaded onto our C-130 that unloaded and reloaded with us without stopping its engines. I worked my way to the cockpit after receiving permission to jumpseat ride with the pilots. Instead of talking and bantering with the cockpit crew I purposely sat in the jumpseat and reflected on the week’s experiences, the soldiers we spent time with, the conversations we had, and the memories all four of us will carry forever. Each time I’ve gone on a broadcast deployment to either Iraq or Afghanistan, those who go with me and myself always leave saying, “It was life changing.” So was this assignment to Mosul.
Working Our Way Home
About two hours after takeoff from Mosul we arrived back at Ali Al-Salem Air Base in Kuwait. We’ll stay overnight here before beginning our homeward trek via Germany. All four of us are acutely aware that we’re in a relatively safe environment and won’t be seeing everyone with guns and hearing explosions. That awareness brings us a degree of comfort, but also enhances our disappointment of having left friends and soldiers behind.
For my producer/engineer Jon Bullock our landing starts a major panic and headache. Somehow two pieces of our broadcast equipment got left behind in Mosul. It’s not like it’s a bag full of dirty clothing or broadcast headsets. No, it’s our satellite and Comrex equipment, both absolutely necessary for our next broadcast from Landstuhl Military Hospital in Germany. I can tell from J.B.’s face that he’s highly concerned. If you think getting a lost bag back at home from an airline is troublesome, then try finding and getting lost broadcast equipment from a war zone back in time to make our next day flight to Germany. J.B. immediately emails Major Husted in Mosul and fortunately finds out the two pieces of equipment were accidentally left at his office. That’s the good news. The bad news is Major Husted will put it on the last nighttime military flight to Mosul. That means J.B. will have to go back out to Al Ali-Salem Air Base (70 minutes away) and retrieve it so we can take it with us on our flight to Frankfurt, Germany the next day. This is going to be a looooong, sleepless night for an already “ridden hard and hung up wet” J.B.
I can see the first indications of fatigue in our crew. Everyone is looking forward to a short, but hopefully good night’s sleep. Everyone-- that is-- except J.B., he just wants to get his hands on our crucial broadcast equipment. I have an interview with a reporter with the Arab Times in Kuwait. She wants to do a story on me and also decides to do one on NBA referee Bob Delaney. I kid Bob about being the only NBA referee to ever be interviewed by the Arab Times and he wears that distinction like a badge of honor. The twin interviews turn out to be a mini-social event as they take place in our hotel restaurant. We’re as interested in the reporter and her two friends as she is with us. The reporter, along with her two girl friends, migrated to Kuwait for jobs that pay much more than what they could make back in the Philippines. This is a common occurrence in Kuwait. Imported foreign nationals do most of the work in Kuwait, especially manual labor. It’s an interesting and compelling story that the four of us find educational and insightful. The interviews completed, we depart to our rooms for some well-deserved sleep, everyone except J.B.
We rendezvous in the hotel lobby at 5:45 am and get some good news: J.B. retrieved our equipment and it will make the trip to Germany. Everyone is happy. But, J.B. with one-hour of sleep looks like he’s out on his feet. There’s good news ahead. Our Privitair Airline flight is a brand new 737-800 plane that’s all first class seating. And, the seats make into full layout beds. J.B. thinks he’s died and gone to heaven and thirty seconds after putting his butt in that first class seat he was unconscious and sleeping like a baby. J.B. ate nothing, saw no movie and couldn’t have been awaken even with a jackhammer. The rest of us enjoyed the comfort and luxury of our five hour and fifteen minute flight to Frankfurt. Now this is the way air travel should be. As we made our approach to Frankfurt, I looked out the window at the lush, green countryside and thought about the dichotomy of the vast barrenness of where we had been and the beauty and lushness of where we now are. Touchdown Germany and back to civilization as we know it.
Landstuhl Military Medical Center
The first time I came to Landstuhl was three years ago at the beginning of my first broadcast deployment to Afghanistan. It was a visit that was fraught with anticipation and anxiety. I wanted to go to Landstuhl to bring the wounded soldiers and the hospital staff comfort and hopefully a taste of normalcy, something that sports does very well. The hospital and I were anxious about doing a sports talk show there. It was during the height of combat action in Iraq and Afghanistan was also an active battlefield. Casualties were pouring into Landstuhl and many of them were seriously injured with missing limbs and brain injures. I understood when I made the request to broadcast Sports Byline USA that the hospital’s first and foremost concern is the mental, emotional and physical well being of their patients. I strongly assured them I would honor and protect that goal in a very respectful manner. Reluctantly, they agreed to let me do the show from there.
On that first broadcast visit it was important to me the show was something the wounded soldiers and hospital staff enjoyed. Also, I wanted to make sure I spent as much time as possible meeting and talking with them. It didn’t hurt that Nike sent athletic warm-ups suits for the wounded soldiers, the NFL sent hats and shirts and EA SPORTS sent video games. Those made for easy conversation starters with everyone in the hospital. Through understanding, open mindedness and sensitivity, our visit and broadcast came off wonderfully. Later, I received the following email that made me happy and proud of our broadcast effort at Landstuhl.
Mr Barr,
I have to tell you how much fun I had and the great experience while being your guest host at Landstuhl Regional Med Ctr. I thank you for coming to LRMC and showing your support for the troops because there’s still a buzz around here from your appearance. Again thanks and God Bless.
Reggie
With that memory I was looking forward to our re-visit to Landstuhl. It was a first time visit for Bob Delaney and Tim Dwight. Three years later one thing hadn’t changed, there was still highly professional medical care for the wounded in a caring, loving atmosphere. The dedication of the staff mirrors the professional medical care. Bob posed an interesting question, “Who takes care of those who can’t take care of themselves?” In other words, who takes care of those who have to deal with the wounded day in and day out? In the civilian world, medical staffs and caregivers take care of good people and bad people, here there are no bad people, just wounded soldiers. It has to be difficult and mind numbing to see once healthy bodied men and women torn apart by war. Our visit to the ICU (Intensive Care Unit) made that a reality. It moved all of us to see the damage done and how caring the staff is. A special moment for me came when I saw a nurse who had been at Landstuhl since 200. I’d met her in my first visit. We smiled at each other and instinctively hugged. The moment choked us both up.
One change today is there’s fewer patients coming in. In my first visit, planes were flying around the clock into nearby Ramstein Air Base with hundreds of wounded soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan. Today, the pace at the hospital is less frenetic and for me less painful to see.
A big problem the hospital and the military are dealing with is Post-Traumatic Stress. Suicides of military personnel, during and after service, have climbed to an alarming number and at an even more alarming rate. Prior to becoming a NBA referee, Bob Delaney suffered Post-Traumatic Stress from his three years of undercover work against the Mob when he was a New Jersey State police officer. He talks candidly about it in his book, “Covert.” He knows the signs of PTS and during our visit he talked with soldiers who acknowledged they were dealing with it or those who sought him out because they knew of his experiences with it. Landstuhl offers a number of services for soldiers dealing with PTS. The important thing is that soldiers recognize the problem and seek help. One of those who did was Army Captain Ryan Krane. He and his men saw a lot of tough and deadly action during the Iraq war. During our broadcast from Landstuhl, he candidly talked about what he was dealing with, how he finally reached out for help and how there’s more sunshine in his life now than clouds. Also, he urged other soldiers and veterans to get help. It was a strong message.
Another change at Landstuhl is the Warrior Center. It’s a new, homey facility that helps outpatients by giving them a place to go, and in a non-pressure atmosphere heal from their physical, mental and emotional wounds. Patients can get home cooked meals in an easy social atmosphere. Movies can be watched, video games played and there’s free phone calls to family and friends. It’s a special place so it was appropriate we broadcasted our last show here. Again, I let the soldiers co-host and they did a great job with Patriots owner Bob Kraft, the winningest college basketball coach Tennessee’s Pat Summit and Denver Bronco’s defensive coordinator Mike Nolan. I couldn’t think of a better way to wrap up our broadcasts. After I said goodbye on-air, Tim, Bob, J.B. and I hung around the Warrior Center and enjoyed a pasta dinner and talked with the soldiers who didn’t want us to go. Bob gave out more of his autographed books, as well as NBA shirts the league kindly sent. When we finally left to return to our suites at Ramstein Air Base, we were all quiet on our tour bus. It was a combination of reflection on the day, satisfaction and coming to the end of the tour. Tomorrow we’ll go in different directions as we head home.
Bob is headed to Florida, Tim to Iowa, J.B. to Los Angeles and me to San Francisco. The four of us came together in New York and started a journey that educated us and changed our lives. We met, ate and talked with American soldiers who made a profound commitment. We saw the present and the future of Iraq. Hopefully a peaceful future, but one it’ll have to achieve. Enlightened people in Iraq, like the Sheiks we met, know the foundation for a free prosperous Iraq is education. Educated people don’t fight, they discuss their differences and problems. The Iraq I found on this trip is still finding its way.
Previous Diaries from the Middle East:
Summer in Afghanistan with Mike Nolan and Eric Davis. Read about Ron's 2008 journey to Afghanistan and beyond.
Ron Barr and Sports Byline USA LIVE from Iraq: Read Ron's compelling account of his trip with Brian Billick, Randy Cross, and Spencer Tillman to Iraq to visit the soldiers at war. From start to finish, it's a read you don't want to miss.
Sports Byline USA Goes to Germany and Afghanistan: Read Ron Barr's compelling diary of his visit to see wounded American troops in Germany, and read on as he broadcasts to the troops live from the war grounds of Afghanistan.
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