Good News From Iraq/Afghanistan Thread

Sam · Post by **Sam** » May 20, 2006 4:10 am

Someone, posted elsewhere that I should start a thread about this, so I am. ( I give them all and FULL CREDIT for my starting this thread) If they want me to mention their name I will be more than happy to.

My many thanks to the person for the suggestion and I hope they don't mind coming forward and saying who they are. I leave that up to them. They and others know that person is. It may not precisely be the type of thread they asked for, but eventually and hopefully will det there.

I have not recieved any permission as of yet, to post any personal stories or to use them.

So I will start this post off with a site dedicated to "Good News rom Iraq".

You may find videos and or photos and articles and letters there.
be prepared to take some time as..., well go there and you will see for yourself.

I will post other links, sites, and news as I hear and get it with permission to post it, or find it and invite others to do the same.

I will include blog sites that contain the same sort of good news or are linked to military members or others telling of the good that is happening over there, that the Mainstream Media is not telling us.

After all it is about OUR TROOPS and in the news we are not being told.
One can hold whatever feelings either for or against the war or somewhere between the two. All I ask is that this remain serious and not be Hijacked out of RESPECT for OUR Troops and follow the thread of GOOD NEWS FROM IRAQ. After all if we wanted bad news...we can always listen to Mainstream Media. You may find some of both news there, but at least it is not all bad as portrayed by what we hear everyday on the tube or in most papers.

We know and trust the majority of of troops do their job. Let's hear about their accomplisments and Mission successes. Instead of the terrorists/ bad guys and their successes. Yes we need to when they have failed or succeded but we definitely need to know when OUR troops succeed and complete missions when it is possible to let us know about them.

Perhaps in accordance and HONOR of ARMED FORCES DAY, I find it fitting and appropriate that I started this thread on this date.
I hope it helps some people learn, that what we hear and see from the Mainstream Media, is not all as it seems.

SALUTE TO ALL OF OUR SAILORS, SOLDIERS, AIRMEN, MARINES, AND COAST GUARD!!!
MAY GOD BLESS ALL OF YOU, AND KEEP ALL OF YOU SAFE AS POSSIBLE, AND GRANT TO ALL A MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!!
THANK YOU FOR BEING THERE AND FOR PAYING THE PRICE!!!
Sam
*************************************************************

http://www.iraqwarnews.net/

a1aara · Post by **a1aara** » May 20, 2006 4:48 pm

Speaking of "mainstream" media, I notice the sight post headlines from FOX News. You can't get much more mainstream than FOX News. After all FOX is the #1 cable news network. You can't get much more mainstream than that.

Sam · Post by **Sam** » May 20, 2006 5:46 pm

a1aara wrote:Speaking of "mainstream" media, I notice the sight post headlines from FOX News. You can't get much more mainstream than FOX News. After all FOX is the #1 cable news network. You can't get much more mainstream than that.

I can't help what another site posts or advertises can I ?

Fox is the new kid on the block so to speak, and has been called all sorts of nasty names from the left wingers.
Fox being Fox and CNN being CNN, etc. Fox has gotten to the top ( even with it's own alleged bias) for a reason.....

I can tell you now of one Fox News reporter and and one journalist Time Magazine, and I know of at least one ABC Vice President or was a so called VP at ABC ( and I am pretty sure there was another reporter/ journalist, it has been a while) that came forward and told us we were not hearing/being told the whole truth and said other things about what we are hearing about the war and the situation in Iraq.

I don't know of anyone from CBS, CNN, NBC, MSNBC reporter or other journalist, that has done so, if you do know, please tell us and have dates and confirmation where they did.

But that is taking away from the point of this topic of who you want to consider sources.

Now please stick to the topic rather than trying to confuse the issue about MSM and Good News From Iraq. Thank you.
To listen to the MSM for the most part, Our Troops are a bunch ill led and incapable of accomplishing or doing anything right ...other than being killed and getting wounded.

Another site.
http://www.kmax.ws/b/goodnewsiniraq.htm

flyboy55 · Post by **flyboy55** » May 27, 2006 10:31 am

I've been reading too much bad news from Iraq lately. I need some good news for a change.

Got any updates?

Elrod · Post by **Elrod** » May 27, 2006 11:10 am

(I would have just posted the headline and a link, but the site requires registration.)

The Daily Camera wrote:Baghdad version of Bolder Boulder a big hit

Satellite race will be run Sunday

By Zak Brown, Camera Sports Writer
May 26, 2006

The Bolder Boulder isn't just about running.

The race is on Memorial Day for a reason. As much as the organizers work on the race, the Memorial Day celebration is just as important. Servicemen and women — even if they aren't in Boulder — are always a big part of the day.

So last month, the organizers decided they wanted to do more than just recognize the military serving abroad. They wanted them to run the race.

For the first time, the Bolder Boulder will have a satellite race in Baghdad, Iraq. The race in Baghdad will have Bolder Boulder T-shirts, start and finish banners, music and a field of 500-plus running with Bolder Boulder bibs.

"It provides an outlet to people who don't get to do many other things other than work 24-7, which is what it is over here," race director and U.S. Naval Reserve Lt. Commander Matt Simms said from Baghdad. "Which is a good thing."

The Bolder Boulder has a massive Memorial Day celebration between the citizens race and the elite races every year. It's punctuated by skydivers, a flyover and recognition of Medal of Honor recipients. Red, white and blue are all over the Folsom Field.

Elizabeth Allen, daughter of race founder Steve Bosley, now works for the race after serving in the U.S. Navy for 11 years. The military aspect of the race is special to her, especially because she still has friends in the service. That's how the idea of a satellite Bolder Boulder first started.

Allen contacted her friend and Navy Lt. Ken Carter and proposed the idea. Carter got in touch with Simms, who ran cross country and was on the cycling team at the Naval Academy. Simms has never run in the Bolder Boulder, but has certainly heard of it. He organized a group and sent out fliers. The first e-mail about the race was sent April 27. Four days before Sunday's race, 552 people were registered to run.

"I had been in touch with people who have been deployed to Iraq and I said, 'Hey, have you ever thought about doing a race over there,'" Allen said. "We talked back and forth for a while and there was some interest and eventually it went up through the chain of command."

The race, which will be at Camp Victory, is trying to duplicate the race in Boulder as much as possible, though it's being held a day earlier. Allen has sent water bottles, CD cases and bibs. She has also sent this year's Bolder Boulder Bootlegs CD and the organizers in Iraq are planning to play the music through speakers along the course, like the music in Boulder. They will also have an international team challenge, like the elite race in Boulder. There are even volunteers helping with the race who will get to run Saturday so they can work the race on Sunday.

One difference for the Baghdad race is the T-shirts. The front is exactly the same as the thousands that will be handed out in Boulder. On the back, the words "Baghdad, Iraq" will be in English and Arabic. And that isn't an easy task. Due to the lack of mass printing in Iraq, organizers will iron on each decal.

That's more than 600 shirts.

Plus there isn't a course map in Baghdad. The organizers have checked the course with GPS systems and Simms was still measuring the course by running it at 11 p.m. on Thursday.

"We'll probably be pulling a couple all-nighters leading up to the race," Simms said. "There's a lot to do, and everyone has the regular work they have to do."

There is something more significant for these Bolder Boulder participants in the 34 boxes sent from Boulder to Baghdad. Any participant in the Boulder race can request a back bib where they can write the name of someone they would like to honor who has served or is serving. Those same bibs are going to Baghdad.

"I can't explain how significant what they're doing is and what it means to us," Allen said.

Memorial Day in Boulder is also a big party, thanks to the Bolder Boulder. Most of the city is closed down to allow the more than 40,000 runners to enjoy the 10 kilometers. There is more of a business atmosphere in Baghdad. The race starts at 6 a.m., partially because of the heat, but also because the participants need to be at work by 8 a.m. or 8:30 a.m.

And there are obvious dangers. There are still conflicts in the city and violence is a near-daily occurrence. The race course will be run on the base at Camp Victory, which provides as much safety as possible. But there is always a possibility something can go wrong.

"When I was first here, I went for a run. When I came back, someone had said a rocket landed directly in the path I was on," said Simms, who noted it did not explode. "But that is very infrequent. As far as safety, we should probably be more concerned about people twisting their ankle in a pothole or someone tripping over a speed bump."

This isn't the first major race to have a satellite edition in Iraq. Simms won the Boston Marathon's version in April in a time of two hours, 53 minutes and 35 seconds. The Honolulu Marathon also had a satellite edition.

But the Bolder Boulder is a little different. It's not a marathon and has a community feel for the people who have participated. When Simms gave the first fliers to his running buddies and posted them at gyms and bus stops, it didn't take long for people to contact him.

"It was funny. A few hours later, someone would say, 'Hey cool. Are you from Colorado?'" said Simms, who is from the state of Washington. "We had people from Boulder and Longmont and other places in Colorado calling us."

Copyright 2006, DailyCamera. All Rights Reserved.

Elrod · Post by **Elrod** » May 27, 2006 11:37 am

Iraqi Security Forces Taking Larger Role in Southern Baghdad
By Kathleen T. Rhem
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, May 26, 2006 – More and more Iraqi national police are working alongside U.S. soldiers in securing southern Baghdad, a U.S. Army colonel working there said today.

Sam · Post by **Sam** » May 27, 2006 12:11 pm

Thanks Elrod!!!

BTW do you get or know about Sgt.Grit and the newsletters?
To all of our vets out theire that are here, WELCOME HOME !!!! To those that are not.... Take it one day at a time and watchout for the *****!!! Becareful out there, do what you have to do, and may you come home safe and sound.

Everyone have safe and pleasant as possible Memorial Day and REMEMBER YOUR VETS!!! Not just today but everyday!!!

POW-MIA, YOU ARE NOT FORGOTTEN!!!
Support OPERATION JUST CAUSE!!!
http://www.ojc.org/

Elrod · Post by **Elrod** » May 27, 2006 12:14 pm

Sam wrote:BTW do you get or know about Sgt.Grit and the newsletters?

I know Marines that served with Sgt. Grit, his newsletter arrives here every Thursday.

PHAW Webmistress · Post by **PHAW Webmistress** » May 27, 2006 12:16 pm

WHOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOO that's awesome

Elrod wrote:(I would have just posted the headline and a link, but the site requires registration.)

The Daily Camera wrote:Baghdad version of Bolder Boulder a big hit

Satellite race will be run Sunday

By Zak Brown, Camera Sports Writer
May 26, 2006

The Bolder Boulder isn't just about running.

The race is on Memorial Day for a reason. As much as the organizers work on the race, the Memorial Day celebration is just as important. Servicemen and women — even if they aren't in Boulder — are always a big part of the day.

So last month, the organizers decided they wanted to do more than just recognize the military serving abroad. They wanted them to run the race.

For the first time, the Bolder Boulder will have a satellite race in Baghdad, Iraq. The race in Baghdad will have Bolder Boulder T-shirts, start and finish banners, music and a field of 500-plus running with Bolder Boulder bibs.

"It provides an outlet to people who don't get to do many other things other than work 24-7, which is what it is over here," race director and U.S. Naval Reserve Lt. Commander Matt Simms said from Baghdad. "Which is a good thing."

The Bolder Boulder has a massive Memorial Day celebration between the citizens race and the elite races every year. It's punctuated by skydivers, a flyover and recognition of Medal of Honor recipients. Red, white and blue are all over the Folsom Field.

Elizabeth Allen, daughter of race founder Steve Bosley, now works for the race after serving in the U.S. Navy for 11 years. The military aspect of the race is special to her, especially because she still has friends in the service. That's how the idea of a satellite Bolder Boulder first started.

Allen contacted her friend and Navy Lt. Ken Carter and proposed the idea. Carter got in touch with Simms, who ran cross country and was on the cycling team at the Naval Academy. Simms has never run in the Bolder Boulder, but has certainly heard of it. He organized a group and sent out fliers. The first e-mail about the race was sent April 27. Four days before Sunday's race, 552 people were registered to run.

"I had been in touch with people who have been deployed to Iraq and I said, 'Hey, have you ever thought about doing a race over there,'" Allen said. "We talked back and forth for a while and there was some interest and eventually it went up through the chain of command."

The race, which will be at Camp Victory, is trying to duplicate the race in Boulder as much as possible, though it's being held a day earlier. Allen has sent water bottles, CD cases and bibs. She has also sent this year's Bolder Boulder Bootlegs CD and the organizers in Iraq are planning to play the music through speakers along the course, like the music in Boulder. They will also have an international team challenge, like the elite race in Boulder. There are even volunteers helping with the race who will get to run Saturday so they can work the race on Sunday.

One difference for the Baghdad race is the T-shirts. The front is exactly the same as the thousands that will be handed out in Boulder. On the back, the words "Baghdad, Iraq" will be in English and Arabic. And that isn't an easy task. Due to the lack of mass printing in Iraq, organizers will iron on each decal.

That's more than 600 shirts.

Plus there isn't a course map in Baghdad. The organizers have checked the course with GPS systems and Simms was still measuring the course by running it at 11 p.m. on Thursday.

"We'll probably be pulling a couple all-nighters leading up to the race," Simms said. "There's a lot to do, and everyone has the regular work they have to do."

There is something more significant for these Bolder Boulder participants in the 34 boxes sent from Boulder to Baghdad. Any participant in the Boulder race can request a back bib where they can write the name of someone they would like to honor who has served or is serving. Those same bibs are going to Baghdad.

"I can't explain how significant what they're doing is and what it means to us," Allen said.

Memorial Day in Boulder is also a big party, thanks to the Bolder Boulder. Most of the city is closed down to allow the more than 40,000 runners to enjoy the 10 kilometers. There is more of a business atmosphere in Baghdad. The race starts at 6 a.m., partially because of the heat, but also because the participants need to be at work by 8 a.m. or 8:30 a.m.

And there are obvious dangers. There are still conflicts in the city and violence is a near-daily occurrence. The race course will be run on the base at Camp Victory, which provides as much safety as possible. But there is always a possibility something can go wrong.

"When I was first here, I went for a run. When I came back, someone had said a rocket landed directly in the path I was on," said Simms, who noted it did not explode. "But that is very infrequent. As far as safety, we should probably be more concerned about people twisting their ankle in a pothole or someone tripping over a speed bump."

This isn't the first major race to have a satellite edition in Iraq. Simms won the Boston Marathon's version in April in a time of two hours, 53 minutes and 35 seconds. The Honolulu Marathon also had a satellite edition.

But the Bolder Boulder is a little different. It's not a marathon and has a community feel for the people who have participated. When Simms gave the first fliers to his running buddies and posted them at gyms and bus stops, it didn't take long for people to contact him.

"It was funny. A few hours later, someone would say, 'Hey cool. Are you from Colorado?'" said Simms, who is from the state of Washington. "We had people from Boulder and Longmont and other places in Colorado calling us."

Copyright 2006, DailyCamera. All Rights Reserved.

PHAW Webmistress · Post by **PHAW Webmistress** » May 27, 2006 12:17 pm

I have good news - my BIL is home (well back in England anyway) from Afghanishtan

Sam · Post by **Sam** » May 27, 2006 12:25 pm

Elrod wrote:
Sam wrote:BTW do you get or know about Sgt.Grit and the newsletters?
I know Marines that served with Sgt. Grit, his newsletter arrives here every Thursday.

AWEPHREAKINGSOME!!!

KEWL I get both of the newsletters. Love them.

Sam · Post by **Sam** » May 27, 2006 12:32 pm

PHAW Webmistress wrote:I have good news - my BIL is home (well back in England anyway) from Afghanishtan

PHAW....that is THE BEST NEWS one can get, next to seeing them at the door!!!

As the Mom of a Marine or someone that serves. You may want to get ( If you don't already) Sgt.Grit's Newsletters ( There are two that I know of) A lot of Mom's of Marines write comments and I am sure they have a support group.

If you need the link to sign up let me know. A business partner of mine has a son in Afghanistan.

PHAW Webmistress · Post by **PHAW Webmistress** » May 27, 2006 1:48 pm

Sam wrote:
PHAW Webmistress wrote:I have good news - my BIL is home (well back in England anyway) from Afghanishtan
PHAW....that is THE BEST NEWS one can get, next to seeing them at the door!!!

As the Mom of a Marine or someone that serves. You may want to get ( If you don't already) Sgt.Grit's Newsletters ( There are two that I know of) A lot of Mom's of Marines write comments and I am sure they have a support group.

If you need the link to sign up let me know. A business partner of mine has a son in Afghanistan.

Bite your tongue - Army Mom here

j/k all military are special

Sam · Post by **Sam** » May 27, 2006 3:03 pm

PHAW Webmistress wrote:
Sam wrote:
PHAW Webmistress wrote:I have good news - my BIL is home (well back in England anyway) from Afghanishtan
PHAW....that is THE BEST NEWS one can get, next to seeing them at the door!!!

As the Mom of a Marine or someone that serves. You may want to get ( If you don't already) Sgt.Grit's Newsletters ( There are two that I know of) A lot of Mom's of Marines write comments and I am sure they have a support group.

If you need the link to sign up let me know. A business partner of mine has a son in Afghanistan.
Bite your tongue - Army Mom here j/k all military are special

I know where I would bite you alright!!!! ...but I would probably get hit!!! and then get beat up by that big massive mountain of he man manly flesh, you call a hubby and by your son!!! LOL hhehehehe

Sailor,Soldier,Airman,Marine,Coat Guard. It does not matter.
Seriously, people/family members of ALL branches do contribute just as all of our troops contribute in that newsletter.

BLEEP I was USAF and I get Sgt Grit newsletters ( among others)LOL
I will email you a copy of the two latest Sgt. Grit's and you can decide.

God Bless ALL of our troops and keep them safe. They are after all someone's sons or daughters. You are not alone. God Bless the parents and the wives and families of those who serve and have served. They all pay or paid the price, of our Freedoms.

Sam · Post by **Sam** » May 27, 2006 7:58 pm

In their ow words.......
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 01349.html

You decide what thet are saying. I think they speak well enough on thier own and are quite clear.

a1aara · Post by **a1aara** » May 27, 2006 8:22 pm

Another good site from people who have actually been there or are presently there.

Iraq Veterans Against the War

http://www.ivaw.net/

Sam · Post by **Sam** » May 27, 2006 8:38 pm

a1aara wrote:Another good site from people who have actually been there or are presently there.

Iraq Veterans Against the War

http://www.ivaw.net/

You know I really don't know whose side of the war you are on or who you hope that wins.....

It certainly does not sound like you want our troops to win or to be successful in any mission completes. However that is your decision to make and to decide who you are pulling for to win.
As I said before if we want bad news ll we have to do is turn on the tube and listen to the Mainstream Media....now we have you. You do an AWESOME job of delivering the bad news and negativity about our troops and the war.

Glad to see just WHO you support on and the War on Terror as you do.
Perhaps you would be interested starting another thread about what such screw ups our troops are and how we are losing it?

No doubt you can easily enough find negativr informaion about our troops.
Just turn on your TV.......meanwhile maybe I should email your comments to my bros who are over there ...I am quite sure they would have some choice words for you...or better yet their wives and families, no doubt they would have some choicier words for you.

I won't do such, but perhaps you should think about the difference between GOOD NEWS and what it means and Trying to destroy the morale of those that are there and the families that support them.

Thank you for your nice post.

flyboy55 · Post by **flyboy55** » May 28, 2006 7:40 am

Sam wrote:In their ow words.......
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 01349.html

You decide what thet are saying. I think they speak well enough on thier own and are quite clear.

Thanks for the link. I guess there are some good news stories, and my thanks to those who have shared their experiences. I do think it is great that the troops serving in Iraq are finding ways to make the best of a difficult situation. But I guess what I was looking for in terms of good news was something about the BIG PICTURE, like how the MISSION is going, and what progress is being made towards a safe and secure made-in-Iraq democracy, and not necessarily the personal recounting of positive war zone experiences.

Also, in the following story, (from your link) Sgt. Lisa Dunphy points out how contractors, like Halliburton subsidiary KBR are making her job more difficult.

Sgt. Lisa Dunphy
96 Bravo Intelligence Analyst, 326 Area Support Group, Army Reserve

Special to washingtonpost.com
Sunday, March 19, 2006; 12:00 AM

Army reservist Lisa Dunphy was deployed to Iraq in November 2004 and was based at Al-Asad, located in the western portion of the country. Her tour was cut short in May 2005 when a family emergency required her to return home.

To Dunphy, one problem was that she found that contractors were responsible for the jobs that she and her fellow soldiers had been trained to perform. "To a person, none of us were really working our real mission. I'd just go to my building and sit at a computer and do my contracts or whatever, and then go to lunch, stand in line, eat lunch and go back to work. [At] 4 p.m. or 5 p.m. go back to your room and either go to the gym or whatever. It was like a normal life because we weren't running the operations that the Marines [also stationed in Al-Asad] were. They were doing the real work."

An earlier tour in Bosnia left a bad taste in Dunphy's mouth about the role contractors played in war zones. Her Iraq experience didn't change that opinion.

"The whole idea of it is to free up the military to deal with military stuff. What they do is employ a lot of locals -- in Iraq, a lot more seemed like Filipino, maybe Indian. There would be a generator broken. We'd have soldiers that could fix it, but they couldn't touch it because they would void the contract. So we couldn't fix our own stuff, would have to call and put in a work order with [Kellogg Brown & Root]. It just seemed like a big bottleneck for almost everything you needed or wanted to do. You wanted to fix a road or building, you couldn't do it. Had to jump through a lot of hoops. I think it's become more of a hindrance than it's a help. I know the food was better than if Army cooks were doing it, but we had no jobs for them [the Army cooks]. They can't cook because that would void contracts, yet we sent them over anyway. It seemed like there were an awful lot of civilians that were not working very hard. It was like an overabundance of people, your stereotypical one person digging, 16 people watching."

Without enough work to keep them busy, service members found other ways to stay busy, Dunphy said. "We ended up taking charge of the infrastructure of the base -- making sure water was treated properly, electricity. Getting a new Post Office built, that was one project I worked on. Al Asad was one of five bases that was going to be a main location while smaller bases would close."

Or, Dunphy said, the under-employed troops worked on having fun. "We played poker every night. Some of the boys built a deck and put up a Jacuzzi type thing. We made our own workout thing. There was a lot of time. Too much time is as bad as not enough. You start thinking about being home."

To make sure her family understood what was going on in Iraq, Dunphy said she would explain how what she was doing would make their lives better. "My son thinks war is like what's on TV -- standing behind a tree and shooting at something. I wanted them to know I was safe and it wasn't so bad. All you see on TV is bad -- someone died, something blew up. I knew that every day there are car bombs and IEDs going off, but it's gotten to the point now that two soldiers die and that's what you see on the news. but all the good stuff -- in my little corner, getting the base on a permanent electric grid instead of generators -- that kind of thing didn't get on the news at all. Even now, on a slow news day, you turn on the news and it's all bad stuff in Iraq."

Dunphy said she was proud to serve in a combat zone. "Even though it was extremely difficult to go and it was scary and horrible to go, it is what we as reservists are drilling once a month to do. ... And I know that when I end my career I could say I actually did it. There were guys who had been in military 25 years and had never been to war. In a sick way -- I guess it's sick -- it was just doing what we trained for. You really felt like, this was the show. This is why you're in the military is because you're supposed to want to go there."

-- As told to Washington Post reporter Sonya Geis

Maybe we at home here could help folks like Sgt. Lisa Dunphy do their job better by taking the government to task over how they award multi-billion dollar military contracts to corporations like Halliburton and subsidiary KBR who apparently aren't delivering the goods.

Sam · Post by **Sam** » May 28, 2006 9:25 am

flyboy55 wrote:
Sam wrote:In their ow words.......
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 01349.html

You decide what thet are saying. I think they speak well enough on thier own and are quite clear.
Thanks for the link. I guess there are some good news stories, and my thanks to those who have shared their experiences. I do think it is great that the troops serving in Iraq are finding ways to make the best of a difficult situation. But I guess what I was looking for in terms of good news was something about the BIG PICTURE, like how the MISSION is going, and what progress is being made towards a safe and secure made-in-Iraq democracy, and not necessarily the personal recounting of positive war zone experiences.

Also, in the following story, (from your link) Sgt. Lisa Dunphy points out how contractors, like Halliburton subsidiary KBR are making her job more difficult.

Sgt. Lisa Dunphy
96 Bravo Intelligence Analyst, 326 Area Support Group, Army Reserve

Special to washingtonpost.com
Sunday, March 19, 2006; 12:00 AM

Army reservist Lisa Dunphy was deployed to Iraq in November 2004 and was based at Al-Asad, located in the western portion of the country. Her tour was cut short in May 2005 when a family emergency required her to return home.

To Dunphy, one problem was that she found that contractors were responsible for the jobs that she and her fellow soldiers had been trained to perform. "To a person, none of us were really working our real mission. I'd just go to my building and sit at a computer and do my contracts or whatever, and then go to lunch, stand in line, eat lunch and go back to work. [At] 4 p.m. or 5 p.m. go back to your room and either go to the gym or whatever. It was like a normal life because we weren't running the operations that the Marines [also stationed in Al-Asad] were. They were doing the real work."

An earlier tour in Bosnia left a bad taste in Dunphy's mouth about the role contractors played in war zones. Her Iraq experience didn't change that opinion.

"The whole idea of it is to free up the military to deal with military stuff. What they do is employ a lot of locals -- in Iraq, a lot more seemed like Filipino, maybe Indian. There would be a generator broken. We'd have soldiers that could fix it, but they couldn't touch it because they would void the contract. So we couldn't fix our own stuff, would have to call and put in a work order with [Kellogg Brown & Root]. It just seemed like a big bottleneck for almost everything you needed or wanted to do. You wanted to fix a road or building, you couldn't do it. Had to jump through a lot of hoops. I think it's become more of a hindrance than it's a help. I know the food was better than if Army cooks were doing it, but we had no jobs for them [the Army cooks]. They can't cook because that would void contracts, yet we sent them over anyway. It seemed like there were an awful lot of civilians that were not working very hard. It was like an overabundance of people, your stereotypical one person digging, 16 people watching."

Without enough work to keep them busy, service members found other ways to stay busy, Dunphy said. "We ended up taking charge of the infrastructure of the base -- making sure water was treated properly, electricity. Getting a new Post Office built, that was one project I worked on. Al Asad was one of five bases that was going to be a main location while smaller bases would close."

Or, Dunphy said, the under-employed troops worked on having fun. "We played poker every night. Some of the boys built a deck and put up a Jacuzzi type thing. We made our own workout thing. There was a lot of time. Too much time is as bad as not enough. You start thinking about being home."

To make sure her family understood what was going on in Iraq, Dunphy said she would explain how what she was doing would make their lives better. "My son thinks war is like what's on TV -- standing behind a tree and shooting at something. I wanted them to know I was safe and it wasn't so bad. All you see on TV is bad -- someone died, something blew up. I knew that every day there are car bombs and IEDs going off, but it's gotten to the point now that two soldiers die and that's what you see on the news. but all the good stuff -- in my little corner, getting the base on a permanent electric grid instead of generators -- that kind of thing didn't get on the news at all. Even now, on a slow news day, you turn on the news and it's all bad stuff in Iraq."

Dunphy said she was proud to serve in a combat zone. "Even though it was extremely difficult to go and it was scary and horrible to go, it is what we as reservists are drilling once a month to do. ... And I know that when I end my career I could say I actually did it. There were guys who had been in military 25 years and had never been to war. In a sick way -- I guess it's sick -- it was just doing what we trained for. You really felt like, this was the show. This is why you're in the military is because you're supposed to want to go there."

-- As told to Washington Post reporter Sonya Geis

Maybe we at home here could help folks like Sgt. Lisa Dunphy do their job better by taking the government to task over how they award multi-billion dollar military contracts to corporations like Halliburton and subsidiary KBR who apparently aren't delivering the goods.

You are welcome.
You GUESS that there is GOOD NEWS about/from/in Iraq after all?

Nice to see what you focused on and missed in the article and statements made by Sgt. Lisa Dunphy, 96 Bravo Intelligence Analyst, 326 Area Support Group, Army Reserve.

The Soldier TOLD about MISSION accomplished. YOU obviously missed it. I made it LARGE AND BOLD for you. What you made bold in the article made your feelings (previously demonstrated elsewhere) quite clear.
Perhaps if you lost your zealousness ( or at leatsome of it) for pointing out the bad about the current administraion and the war, and you actually took the time and looked for the GOOD NEWS, you would find it and the answers that you seek.

Where were you when our goverment decided to start using civilian contractors all those years ago? It is nothing new to he military or to our current administraion. I doubt you would have any problem if it was some other contractor, that YOU approved of such as the person in your avatar indicates. ( BTW Any word when Michael Moore is going to Iraq and show his support for our troops?) Yet the situation would still be the same for the troops and she CLEARLY states the news from Iraq is NOT ALL BAD and that tv ( the Mainstream Media) DOES NOT TELL US GOOD NEWS
FROM IRAQ. How do you think that makes a soldier feel or affect them or at least some of them? How do you think it makes a family with a loved one feel?

The situation(s) she mentions with civilian contractors is not unique to Iraq or Haliburton. It happens at military bases (and elsewhere) all over the world and have been happening for many years.

a1aara · Post by **a1aara** » May 28, 2006 6:17 pm

Sam wrote:
a1aara wrote:Another good site from people who have actually been there or are presently there.

Iraq Veterans Against the War

http://www.ivaw.net/
You know I really don't know whose side of the war you are on or who you hope that wins.....

It certainly does not sound like you want our troops to win or to be successful in any mission completes. However that is your decision to make and to decide who you are pulling for to win.
As I said before if we want bad news ll we have to do is turn on the tube and listen to the Mainstream Media....now we have you. You do an AWESOME job of delivering the bad news and negativity about our troops and the war.

Glad to see just WHO you support on and the War on Terror as you do.
Perhaps you would be interested starting another thread about what such screw ups our troops are and how we are losing it?

No doubt you can easily enough find negativr informaion about our troops.
Just turn on your TV.......meanwhile maybe I should email your comments to my bros who are over there ...I am quite sure they would have some choice words for you...or better yet their wives and families, no doubt they would have some choicier words for you.

I won't do such, but perhaps you should think about the difference between GOOD NEWS and what it means and Trying to destroy the morale of those that are there and the families that support them.

Thank you for your nice post.

Blah.......Blah.... Blah

Here's another nice site from another group of fine Americans. Veterans.

http://www.vaiw.org/vet/index.php

BuffettNews.com

Good News From Iraq/Afghanistan Thread

Good News From Iraq/Afghanistan Thread

Baghdad version of Bolder Boulder a big hit

Iraqi Security Forces Taking Larger Role in Southern Baghdad

Re: Baghdad version of Bolder Boulder a big hit