Telling details

[pecunium]

The Army is a strange and wonderful place.

I've been in it for more than 13 years, and in that time it has afforded me the chance to go places, meet people, see; and do things which just plain would not have happened outside it.

A few years ago the Army devised AKO, which is an inter/intra net. It's how I do about half od my e-mail. It is, in fact, my default e-mail because (unless I'm on a Linux box) it works wherever I am.

The splash page always has a picture. For the past few days This has been the picture.

SPC Dominic Palammo, from the 940th Military Police Company, Kentucky Army National Guard,
searches a building for insurgents in Al Hillah, Iraq, while MAJ Lawendowski, from the
Alaska Army National Guard, covers him.

 DoD photo by SPC Arthur D. Hamilton. (Released)

The interesting detail is something one needs to have been in the Army to see.

The major's right sleeve has a patch. It is, for those who care, the patch of the XVIII Airborne Corps.

The right sleeve is where one wears combat patches. I wear (or ought to, but I've been lazy and not put them one) the patch of the 525th MI Bde. These days I have some reservations about it, but not enough to switch to one of the other units I am authorized to wear. I served with them. Went through a war with them. I am, in the main, proud of being associated with them, but I digress.

The major is wearing a combat patch. That means this is his second deployment to a combat zone (because you aren't supposed to start wearing it until after you get re-deployed [which means to come home, not to be deployed again... it's Army English, and one learns to deal with it. The best way is to compartmentalise it, lest it infect one's regular speech... that way lies madness]).

Now, it tells me a lot more than that. If we assume he is wearing it properly it means he was in Afghanistan. Elements of the XVIIIth deployed to Iraq (the 173rd Airborne, the 82nd Airborne, the 101st Air Assault, the 519th MI Co, those are the ones I can think of, off the top of my head) the Corps didn't, which means the Corps wasn't there to serve under, and so no patches are available. This doesn't mean, however, that no one deployed to Iraq is wearing the Corps patch (it's a swell patch, and I'd not mind being able to wear it, but I can't, so I don't) because some commands told attached troops they weren't allowed anything else (the 82nd can be really pissy about people wearing their patch, so they told Guard troops they couldn't, and gave them the Corps' patch instead).

It also means this is, at least, his second tour. A major. He might be on his second tour in that rank, and position. That's good for his troops (units don't have combat experience, soldiers do), but it doesn't, in my opinion, say good things about how the manning of the mission is being done.

Comments

[pdx42.livejournal.com]

Yes, I noticed that. I used to wear the Blue Dragon, but only on the left. My combat patch is 32d AADCOM.

It's interesting to not only notice the details as you did, but to also be able to draw logical conclusions from them. You must be MI or something. :)

[wcg.livejournal.com]

Can't create field grade officers overnight, Terry. I'd guess there are only so many of them in the Alaska NG. If it's anything like the MD ARNG the man's doing a second tour because he can, and he wants to make sure his troops have the benefit of his leadership and experience.

[pecunium.livejournal.com]

But, with a limited number of exeptions (and he might, in fact probably does, fall into one of them, because, as you say, Field Grade Officers are not just lying about... and with the flight of Co. Grade officers, well they are in more demand) to go back requires a unit be sent again.

I could volunteer to go again, but it entails a huge risk.

Right now the legislation limits my deployed time to something like 2 years (total) out of five. It might be two-years total (there's a lot of confusion on this, and no one has been able to give absolute answers). If I want to volunteer for something I have to sign a release, which, forever and always, removes any limit on my deploying.

Once I sign a COTTAD, I can be deployed until the force me to retire.

Which is why not many people are doing that.

TK

[wcg.livejournal.com]

For that matter they can recall you out of retirement and deploy you yet again!

[pecunium.livejournal.com]

Not me they can't. I am not the holder of a commission.

If I walk, they have to draft my ass to get it unwillingly back into uniform.

TK

[wcg.livejournal.com]

Ah, but go read up on the terms of Reserve Retirement. In exchange for that check you'll get starting at age 60, you're subject to lifetime recall.

Yes, it's easier for the Governor to put me on active duty by virtue of the commission, but you're not entirely exempt.

[zaimoni.livejournal.com]

I noticed a recent report that the release timing of the recruitment figures had been altered. (Presumably to allow a chance of reviewing them, but there's no benevolent motive for that as a sudden change.)

No need to go into detail:
Are the implied issues about how the manning of the mission is being done, numerical (insufficient number of troops), or logical (e.g., inappropriate rank for assigned role)?

I did some digging

[jeffreyab.livejournal.com]

Googling Major Lewendowski finds that he is in Iraq with a Mongolian unit:

http://www.mongolianembassy.us/eng_news_and_events/newsevents060405_035.php

http://www.ak-prepared.com/dmva/Documents/3rd%20BN%20Newsletter%20Vol%201.pdf

[tongodeon.livejournal.com]

It also means this is, at least, his second tour. A major. He might be on his second tour in that rank, and position. That's good for his troops (units don't have combat experience, soldiers do), but it doesn't, in my opinion, say good things about how the manning of the mission is being done.

As someone with no military experience beyond building a model F14 when I was 10 years old, I don't follow this last bit. Why is a major in combat indicative of a poorly manned mission?

[pecunium.livejournal.com]

It has to do with leadership, troop usage and the nature of command positions.

1: He is in the Reserve Component. That means he has been away from hearth and home for at least a year already, and is gone for at least another year on this rotation.

2: He has what is called a field grade rank. He should be in either a staff slot, or a command slot. Command slots for majors are rare. It's low for a battalion, and high for most companies (some companies, with lots of officers, and a small number of troops can have majors in them, but it's rare).

3: Command slots are rare. One gets them, does the job and moves on, so others can get a chance. There are more Captains then there are companies for them to command. It gets worse as the ranks go up. There are a lot more lieutenant colonels then there are battalions.

As a result, if they are cycling a major through another rotation, they are short officers.

It's possible he was a Captain when he first went, and this is not as bad as it might be, but given the advantage to promotion for an officer to be in combat, esp. in a command slot, this implies a lack of such in the most crucial ranks.

Privates and generals are what people think of, but it's the middle ranks, the staff sergeants, captains and majors who keep the machine running smoothly.

TK

[tongodeon.livejournal.com]

Ah, now I understand. What about the possibility that they needed a photo, so one of the senior officers put on some fatigues for the photo-op? That shirt looks pretty clean.

[qp4.livejournal.com]

There's a good chance he got it during the Persian Gulf War way back in the early nineties. Tons of people I see sporting it (especially in Reserve and Guard units) got it then.

What I find incredible.

[killslowly.livejournal.com]

Is that a Major is covering for a Specialist. If you follow doctrinal usage of personnel, a private or corporal in the infantry would have been doing the job that an MP unit is now doing. The tag line for the photograph would have read something like: "SGT DOE, of C 1/235 INF BN (ABN) provides cover as Corporal Murphy clears a building". Now, it is a National Guard Major from one state, covering a Specialist from a National Guard unit from another state. Can you imagine a certain Major from our unit in the sandbox covering for us? I would be pointing my weapon backwards, thank you very much.

Anyway, sorry I did not return your call Terry. I was in Gagetown, New Brunswick freezing my ass, and learning about artillery. It was fun and I will probably go to El Salvador for vacation. More news at eleven.

Re: What I find incredible.

[pecunium.livejournal.com]

What? You have a life too?

I found it strange too (per doctrine) then I found out where the guy works, and it's not quite so strange. He is with a multi-national unit, working with Mongolians, and I suspect the rank/duty positions are all screwed up.

If I was a major, working with a specialist and the choices were go in first, or provide cover, well I'm gonna be watching his back.

TK