Camp Taqaddum
Camp Taqaddum or “TQ” is the eastern most camp in our area of operation. We are at a former Iraqi air base near a lake in the Al Ramadi region. We are actually closer to Al Fallujah than we are to Ramadi. Apparently all the news during the past year about Fallujah was a matter of the military cleaning that city up. According to what I have been told, Fallujah is now quiet and it is actually Ramadi that has more activity. There are daily reports of IED’s and VBIED’s (vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices) every day. As a matter of fact, today when our Quick Response Force was patrolling the area toward Ramadi they had found that an insurgent had blown himself up in the road while trying to set up an IED.
The flight here from Kuwait took place at night. About 50 of us were crammed into the hot cabin of the C-130. It had been a long time since I have sweated so much even in this heat! Between the cramped space and the heat, I think I was a moment or two away from yelling, “Get me the hell out of here!” but I calmed myself with cool thoughts. I thought of Alaska and polar bears in the snow. It actually worked for me. We arrived at TQ at about 4AM. We had to unload our bags from trucks, plus help another group of soldiers with their bags. Some of the other soldiers were continuing with another flight to a post further west. We got on to hot, dusty busses and were dropped off about 15 minutes later in the dark night in what seemed the middle of nowhere.
TQ once had tents. A few have remained standing. The sandstorms have pounded through those, so the Marines and the current Army unit have built small huts that are slightly off the ground. Each hut and most other buildings (including the large chapel) are surrounded by high sand barriers. There have been mortar attacks here, but none has landed in the central areas of our part of the camp.
After being to wait until my housing was assigned, I decided to find the current chaplain to help me settle in. Last time I waited until assigned, I got last dibs on one of the “slums” back at Shelby, MS. I plan not to have others decide my fate in this current situation if there is anything I have to say about it. CH (CPT) Buffington is a younger man with the 2nd FSB. They were in Korea before being assigned to Iraq. It has been a long two years for them and they have been eager to see us. He is a warm Southern Baptist with a mostly counselor persona. His congregation at this morning’s worship was mostly African American. It is apparent that his unit values him. CH Buffington has given me some good advice for survival skills here at TQ. Part of CH Buffington’s duties here included work with the Marine’s Mortuary Affairs unit. Apparently, nearly all of our casualties pass through this camp. He has told me of some very difficult sights and the great care that goes into preparing bodies for shipment back to Dover, DE. He will introduce me to this unit in the next few days. After then they will call on me in the middle of the night to offer prayers over the war dead.
The morning before flying up, I visited with three serials from our unit that were preparing to convoy up to TQ. I went from vehicle to vehicle. Some were gun trucks, others were five tons, and others yet were Humvees loaded with soldiers and equipment set for a three day drive. As I walked about, small groups of soldiers approached me for time of prayer. One asked me to bless his rosary. Even the commanders requested that I offer prayer with them. I made it a point to climb up to any soldier who was posted as a gunner and check in with them. I would shake their hand and make small talk. I would ask how they were doing. Most were solidly ready for the exposure to danger ahead. A couple were a bit nervous, but not shaken. One leader was having a difficult time. She had been having some issues within her unit as it was. At least some of her NCO’s were showing concern. The convoy took nearly three days with very few rest stops to get from Kuwait to TQ. The soldiers including the Commander arrived a bit weary, but certainly glad to make it without incident. Eating with them in the mess hall was like a family reunion.
Now that I am close to being more settled, I will spend some time uploading photographs and recounting some of the experiences of the past couple of weeks.
The flight here from Kuwait took place at night. About 50 of us were crammed into the hot cabin of the C-130. It had been a long time since I have sweated so much even in this heat! Between the cramped space and the heat, I think I was a moment or two away from yelling, “Get me the hell out of here!” but I calmed myself with cool thoughts. I thought of Alaska and polar bears in the snow. It actually worked for me. We arrived at TQ at about 4AM. We had to unload our bags from trucks, plus help another group of soldiers with their bags. Some of the other soldiers were continuing with another flight to a post further west. We got on to hot, dusty busses and were dropped off about 15 minutes later in the dark night in what seemed the middle of nowhere.
TQ once had tents. A few have remained standing. The sandstorms have pounded through those, so the Marines and the current Army unit have built small huts that are slightly off the ground. Each hut and most other buildings (including the large chapel) are surrounded by high sand barriers. There have been mortar attacks here, but none has landed in the central areas of our part of the camp.
After being to wait until my housing was assigned, I decided to find the current chaplain to help me settle in. Last time I waited until assigned, I got last dibs on one of the “slums” back at Shelby, MS. I plan not to have others decide my fate in this current situation if there is anything I have to say about it. CH (CPT) Buffington is a younger man with the 2nd FSB. They were in Korea before being assigned to Iraq. It has been a long two years for them and they have been eager to see us. He is a warm Southern Baptist with a mostly counselor persona. His congregation at this morning’s worship was mostly African American. It is apparent that his unit values him. CH Buffington has given me some good advice for survival skills here at TQ. Part of CH Buffington’s duties here included work with the Marine’s Mortuary Affairs unit. Apparently, nearly all of our casualties pass through this camp. He has told me of some very difficult sights and the great care that goes into preparing bodies for shipment back to Dover, DE. He will introduce me to this unit in the next few days. After then they will call on me in the middle of the night to offer prayers over the war dead.
The morning before flying up, I visited with three serials from our unit that were preparing to convoy up to TQ. I went from vehicle to vehicle. Some were gun trucks, others were five tons, and others yet were Humvees loaded with soldiers and equipment set for a three day drive. As I walked about, small groups of soldiers approached me for time of prayer. One asked me to bless his rosary. Even the commanders requested that I offer prayer with them. I made it a point to climb up to any soldier who was posted as a gunner and check in with them. I would shake their hand and make small talk. I would ask how they were doing. Most were solidly ready for the exposure to danger ahead. A couple were a bit nervous, but not shaken. One leader was having a difficult time. She had been having some issues within her unit as it was. At least some of her NCO’s were showing concern. The convoy took nearly three days with very few rest stops to get from Kuwait to TQ. The soldiers including the Commander arrived a bit weary, but certainly glad to make it without incident. Eating with them in the mess hall was like a family reunion.
Now that I am close to being more settled, I will spend some time uploading photographs and recounting some of the experiences of the past couple of weeks.
posted by Chaplain (CPT) Fokas at 10:12 AM
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