Joel Struthers

The vehicles would be... fueled the night before, but checked that they were fueled. We'd go to the armor. They'd get their weapons, their grab bags, their mags, comms, med kit. We'd load up the vehicles, and we had on top of the vehicles, we had like, it was like a dish. It was basically a contact pad on the dash. We were in a contact.

We hit it, and we had an armor group had a signaler in with the QRF in the green zone. So if we did get hit, and the QRF were able from the mill, they would come to our, to our assistance. If not other armed group call signs could, if they're in the area, but that was the idea. So we do a comms check with, uh, our comms guy, check the old red button and off we go. And, uh,

We hit it, and we had an armor group had a signaler in with the QRF in the green zone. So if we did get hit, and the QRF were able from the mill, they would come to our, to our assistance. If not other armed group call signs could, if they're in the area, but that was the idea. So we do a comms check with, uh, our comms guy, check the old red button and off we go. And, uh,

We hit it, and we had an armor group had a signaler in with the QRF in the green zone. So if we did get hit, and the QRF were able from the mill, they would come to our, to our assistance. If not other armed group call signs could, if they're in the area, but that was the idea. So we do a comms check with, uh, our comms guy, check the old red button and off we go. And, uh,

Almost as if they were waiting for you. Pretty quick. Yeah. Learning curve. So then we changed it up. And then one day, you know, Mohammed doesn't, my driver doesn't show up. So I'm going to say to the guys, Hey, where's Mohammed? Oh, we don't know. And about three days later, the mill, a mill call sign shows up with his DOD badge saying we shot him in a, in an ambush or what have you. Right.

Almost as if they were waiting for you. Pretty quick. Yeah. Learning curve. So then we changed it up. And then one day, you know, Mohammed doesn't, my driver doesn't show up. So I'm going to say to the guys, Hey, where's Mohammed? Oh, we don't know. And about three days later, the mill, a mill call sign shows up with his DOD badge saying we shot him in a, in an ambush or what have you. Right.

Almost as if they were waiting for you. Pretty quick. Yeah. Learning curve. So then we changed it up. And then one day, you know, Mohammed doesn't, my driver doesn't show up. So I'm going to say to the guys, Hey, where's Mohammed? Oh, we don't know. And about three days later, the mill, a mill call sign shows up with his DOD badge saying we shot him in a, in an ambush or what have you. Right.

So they, so then I'm like, fuck you guys, man. You guys are. you know, a handful, I don't trust you. And that was my concern. And yeah, I mean, I just remember, you know, our concern too was, so you're trying to teach these Iraqis how to drive two vehicle moves efficiently, tactically, you know, not jamming right up behind the next car in front of you. So if something happens, you're fucked.

So they, so then I'm like, fuck you guys, man. You guys are. you know, a handful, I don't trust you. And that was my concern. And yeah, I mean, I just remember, you know, our concern too was, so you're trying to teach these Iraqis how to drive two vehicle moves efficiently, tactically, you know, not jamming right up behind the next car in front of you. So if something happens, you're fucked.

So they, so then I'm like, fuck you guys, man. You guys are. you know, a handful, I don't trust you. And that was my concern. And yeah, I mean, I just remember, you know, our concern too was, so you're trying to teach these Iraqis how to drive two vehicle moves efficiently, tactically, you know, not jamming right up behind the next car in front of you. So if something happens, you're fucked.

If you come up, God forbid, on an American checkpoint that has stopped the road and they're checking whatever that you, you know, you're like, stop, right? And they don't, you get that 50 Cal over there. And you'd be like, what the fuck are you doing? And they'd be like, no, no, fuck, fuck. And I just remember these arguments back. I was like, God, what am I doing? No, fuck, fuck. No, fuck, fuck.

If you come up, God forbid, on an American checkpoint that has stopped the road and they're checking whatever that you, you know, you're like, stop, right? And they don't, you get that 50 Cal over there. And you'd be like, what the fuck are you doing? And they'd be like, no, no, fuck, fuck. And I just remember these arguments back. I was like, God, what am I doing? No, fuck, fuck. No, fuck, fuck.

If you come up, God forbid, on an American checkpoint that has stopped the road and they're checking whatever that you, you know, you're like, stop, right? And they don't, you get that 50 Cal over there. And you'd be like, what the fuck are you doing? And they'd be like, no, no, fuck, fuck. And I just remember these arguments back. I was like, God, what am I doing? No, fuck, fuck. No, fuck, fuck.

I miss flying, right? Yeah. A year later.

I miss flying, right? Yeah. A year later.

I miss flying, right? Yeah. A year later.

Well, anyway, so one day, you know, at the end of the tasking, you get back to our compound, make sure that the drivers fill up the vehicles. You get the med pack, the weapons, you go down to the armor. He inspects them. A lot of times he's like, nope, go do it again. You know, it's fucking shit, whatever. You know, they have their standards, but we hand everything in.

Well, anyway, so one day, you know, at the end of the tasking, you get back to our compound, make sure that the drivers fill up the vehicles. You get the med pack, the weapons, you go down to the armor. He inspects them. A lot of times he's like, nope, go do it again. You know, it's fucking shit, whatever. You know, they have their standards, but we hand everything in.

Well, anyway, so one day, you know, at the end of the tasking, you get back to our compound, make sure that the drivers fill up the vehicles. You get the med pack, the weapons, you go down to the armor. He inspects them. A lot of times he's like, nope, go do it again. You know, it's fucking shit, whatever. You know, they have their standards, but we hand everything in.

And I come out and there's both vehicles, you know, one vehicle parked where we had gotten out, doors open. I'm like, where the fuck's, you know, Ishmael, the driver, whatever. Oh, he went home. So I'm like, mother, you know, at this point I'm getting short, you know? And he came in the morning and I made a comment. He got lippy and I ended up filling him in.