I did mention he's a sailor, right?

Well, now he's in Iraq, in Ramadi, and reporting out again.

Well as most of you know and some are surprised to find out, I’m in Iraq. Specifically I’m in a town called Ramadi in Al Anbar province about 45 minutes or so west of Baghdad. The reason we are here is that US Joint Forces sent the majority of the standing joint headquarters here to run Camp Ramadi and work some civil affairs issues in the town. Now my organization is designed for operational level joint planning (heck we have more senior officers than junior enlisted) and so is a bit top heavy for running a base, but the bottom line is we were ready and able to go, its something that we can do, and there is an army unit that has been here for 15 months that gets to go home on time.

We are taking over some of what 1st Brigade 3rd Infantry did and they had a very exciting time while here. The province of Al Anbar is the largest in Iraq. Its also the center for the Sunni tribes, the minority that supported Saddam. When they got here the province was rife with Al Qaeda and many experts were writing the whole thing off as lost. Now these soldiers, along with units from 8th Marines did excellent work here, but the key is what’s been called the Anbar Awakening. That was when the Sunnis realized that the Al Qaeda fighters were brutalizing everyone, including their “allies” and the Americans weren’t. They switched sides, identified the foreign fighters, or killed them themselves and now Al Anbar is one of the more peaceful places in Iraq. Its not perfect by a long shot but it is getting better.

My job right now is supporting the State Department run reconstruction team in the area. My section is Agriculture. Of course there is a story behind how I got assigned that like there always is.

One afternoon at chow our section head asked me how I was holding up here in Iraq. My reply was that I was very happy. I told him “I grew up on a sheep farm, and of all the jobs I’ve done over the years shoveling sheep manure was the worst. So I always say to myself that any day I’m not shoveling sheep manure is a good day.” Now a few days later they get the request for support to the provincial reconstruction team (PRT) and say “who can cover Agriculture…hey Joe said he grew up on a farm, he can do it!” Now it didn’t do any good to tell them that I went to college so I didn’t have to farm any more.

And what, you may ask is the main agricultural product in Al Anbar? Why the two million sheep here of course. Of course the good news is that in a few years and can say “Hey, at least we’re not shoveling sheep manure…in Iraq.”

Seriously though, the chow is pretty good, the billets aren’t bad, and the work looks like its going to be rewarding, so while I don’t like being away, I accept that it’s the life I’ve chosen. I’ve attached some pictures in a power point, enjoy.

Of course, life doesn't completely suck...

More pics of Joe's excellent adventure can be found by clicking here.