Anyway, I'm assuming that's a 9 mm LT. Windham is checking out inside his quarters in Iraq while he was stationed there for 6 months during 2005, 2006.
Questions for LT Rich:1. Is a 9 mm standard issue for all officers in the Navy? I know it was in the Army.
2. Where do you keep it strapped to your body at when you're out?
3. Do you always have both weapons on you, or just at certain times? I'm talking strictly about serving in a combat zone. What is the SOP?
4. Any others?
12 comments:
This is one of two of my favorite pics of Rich in Iraq. The other is when he is taking down the Seabee flag at COP South, mission accomplished. His quarters in this photo are luxuriant compared to the months he spent at COP South.
I like this one too. There's another one that I really like too. I'm trying to decide when to use the other one.
The 9mm is the Naval Officers TOA (table of allowance) issued weapon to be in possesion at all times. It's carried in a waist or leg holster. When on a large base like Al Asad, I would keep my 16 in the armory, drawing it out anytime going outside the wire. So for the officers, unless you're convoying or out at an outpost like COP South, you normally just carried your 9mm.
If I would have known I was going out to COP South after this, I would enjoyed the bed a little more.
I could've never been an officer. I couldn't hit anything with something less than a machine gun, and then I had to be propped up on sandbags to see out of the thing.
It will be interesting to get into Cop South.
How long were you there and how was your bed?
Hey Little Bro,
Happy New Year! So glad you checked this out.
We first moved out to COP South with a section of Marine LAR (Light Armored Recon vehicles). It was one of the few times the Bees were a little worse off than the Marines. The Bees were outside on the ground and in fighting holes for the first few days and the Marines were in their vehicles. But I wouldn't have wanted it any other way...knowing that those young kids were behing those 25mm cannons just waiting for someone to try and come our way.
Then shortly after a few days, we started getting a convoy in every week or so and our tents and cots made it out. Would you believe we had to scrounge our tents out of DRMO (military junk yard at Al Asad), and beg borrow and steal for our cots. Luckily since we were out with the LAR's from 3/6 Marines, we were able to work some deals with them to get some of our supplies.
It's funny how there was all kinds of money and material for us to build the camps for the Iraqis, but when it came to us, it seemed the Regiment could have cared less if we just slept in holes the whole time. But like it's always been, and always will be, we took care of our own and made things happen.
So once we got tents, cots, and eventually put plywood floors in, things weren't too bad.
I really think Karen saved my life, or at least my back, when she sent a foam pad out to me. My Chiefs were calling me old man when they would watch me try to get out of my rack in the mornings. All I could figure is all those years of sports were catching up to me in my old age. I spent a little more than 4 months at COP South, so that pad, along with everything else Karen and everyone sent out really was a lifesaver. I could have done without all the candy because I think I gained back all the weight I lost the first couple of months, but the soup you sent was great...and it came at a good time too...when I was pretty sick of the MREs.
Karen would've pushed forward anything for you.
The Army was that way with us too. The Air Force, I wonder how they live over there? We always went to their chow hall when we could in Panama, wanted their housing and holidays.
Yeah, I'm cracking on you,Steve.
So you were in Cop South the longest and that sounds the scariest. Of course, scary wouldn't be the right word.
And I don't imagine the desert would be the place to sleep on the ground if you could keep from it.
What kind of temps were you in?
Actually, the seasons aren't too far from our seasons here in the states. If you imagine COP south like OKC and Kuwait like Corpus Christi. In December and January it was typically in the 20's during the mornings and about 40 to 50 or so in the afternoons. Remembering the intel reports, I think the coldest it got was about 24. But it seemed to warm in February a bit. Even though it was bitter cold for awhile, I think we were fortunate, considering how hot it gets there in the summer. We had enough problems keeping our equipment running without the heat also.
Hey Karen, forgot to wish you Happy New Year too!
Hey Bro, I knew you were here. You were posting about the same time I was. Right back at'cha! Love you! I'm just enjoying your comments!
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