As we start this new year, let's take a sanity check and address some comments and questions I am receiving more regularly now:
1) Redeployment date. As was announced in late July, the redeployment of TF Ironhorse units is scheduled for March/April 2004. Just as we phased in to Iraq, we will most likely phase even more in coming out. As stated in the Reuters report directly above this, there will be overlap of the incoming and outgoing units so as to insure transfer of knowledge and transfer of responsibility without anything dropping through the cracks. Once our troops leave Iraq, they will have lots of work to do in Kuwait to get their equipment cleaned up, packed, and loaded on ships before they can come home, not to mention the personnel processing that has to be done. So - don't get yourself too excited with reports you hear from your soldier about getting warning orders for redeployment. I am comfortable that on average our troops will be home about April 1 - some earlier and some later. I'll keep counting down to April 1 unless I hear from an official 4ID source that the date should be changed as an average date to point to. If you want to watch news reports about new units going into Iraq, focus on the movement of the 1st Infantry Division. The 1st Cavalry Division out of Fort Hood is going in to replace the 1st Armored Division in Baghdad and has nothing to do with the 4ID rotation. Don't let the movements you see out of Fort Hood give you false hopes for an early return of our troops.
2) First In, First Out: Keep in mind that the 101st Airborne Division went in to Iraq before the 4ID and TF Ironhorse did, and they were in Kuwait even earlier while we were still in the States. As a reference point, think about our soldiers returning after you hear that the 101st is well on its way home. Also, within TF Ironhorse, 173rd Airborne Brigade was the first ones in so my guess (no facts, just a guess) is that they will be among the first TF Ironhorse soldiers to return home. Within 4ID, it was 1st Brigade who went in first so again I would guess (with no facts) that they will be the first ones to return. Key point - be patient and don't get too anxious with all the rumors that are coming up and will continue to get bigger and sound more believeable as we get closer to April 1. As for me - I will only listen to and include in the updates what is released as an official statement by 4ID and TF Ironhorse HQ.
3) Mail Cut-Off Date: Many of you have written asking when to stop sending mail to our soldiers in Iraq. Some of you have heard unofficial reports from your soldier's unit. Again, once TF Ironhorse leadership makes an official announcement on that topic, I will include it in the next update. Until then, it is business as usual on mail as far as I'm concerned. Some common sense things I would recommend to you.... Unless it has been urgently requested by your soldier, I would slow down or quit sending bulky items that need to be transported back home with the unit (space will be limited in bringing things home with the troops). If it is disposable or can be left in Iraq for the next unit or given to the Iraqis, it's okay to continue sending things. Also, I would be careful on high value items as we get closer to redeployment. Mail may or may not eventually catch up with a moving unit so I would use common sense on sending valuables or one of a kind and non-replaceable items to your soldier. Letters, food items, pictures of their loved ones - those things should continue to be sent until you hear official word to quit doing it. Whether our soldiers are still in Iraq or doing all the hard redeployment work in Kuwait, they will still want to hear from you and still love junk food and the other things you have gotten them used to having. Common sense is the right answer on mail - and watch these updates for the official word on a TF Ironhorse level. I will include key official announcement items in the next update after I hear them.
4) Get Names and Addresses of Buddies: I've said this several times before and will say it a few more times before our soldiers come home. If your soldier hasn't already sent you the names (not nicknames but full birth names - with Social Security numbers is even better), addresses, and other pertinent information of the soldiers he/she is serving with, please urge them to send that information to you for safekeeping - they'll most likely lose it if they keep it on them. Take it from the voice of experience - 15-25 years from now your soldier will be wanting to find those buddies that they spent this most memorable year with. WWII, Korea, Cold War, and Vietnam vets are still kicking themselves because they didn't get all that information when they were still with these most precious lifetime friends. And don't just get the ones on a platoon or company roster. Don't forget the attached and supporting soldiers - from an Infantryman's point of view that would be the engineers, artillerymen, medics, scout dog handlers (don't think they have those in Iraq - we did in Vietnam), forward support battalion unit members, civil affairs unit, interpreters, and all other good friends and acquaintences that your soldier worked with. Also don't forget the reporters that have been embedded with your unit. I'd give anything if I had gotten the names and addresses of those soldiers that worked so closely with me in Vietnam. Unfortunately, I just have our original company roster and not the extended members of our close knit team. (Also - don't forget to get names and addresses of the replacements that have come in during the deployment and weren't on the original rosters). Don't let your soldier make the same mistake. Don't forget the unit commanders up through battalion and brigade HQ and supporting units that are important to you. I thoroughly enjoyed hearing the perspective of my battalion and brigade commanders when we got together 25 years after our return from Vietnam - and without their names and addresses, those contacts would have been lost forever..... In the past year, 36 years after my return from Vietnam, I have finally hooked up with two key guys that I served with that I've not seen or heard from since we left Vietnam in 1967 (both now get this update each day and will vouch for the value of getting names and addresses before you go your separate ways).
Lessons Learned by TF Ironhorse Families and Friends - Need Your Input
As our soldiers start preparing to come home from Iraq, another large group are finalizing their plans to head over there to take our place. The thought has occurred to me, and to a couple of you that sent me notes, that we should preserve the lessons our families have learned and pass them on to those who are just now deploying to Iraq and Afghanistan. This is a way we can show we are great team players and help others who are just beginning the great adventure that we are coming to the end of. Also, several families of deploying soldiers have already asked me for help in what they should do to support their soldiers.
I am willing to be the collector of those lessons you have learned that will make this deployment easier on the families of the 1st Cav, III Corps, 1ID, 2ID, 10th Mountain Division, 25ID, and others.
"Lessons Learned" fall into the following categories (and others that you will think of that haven't occurred to me):
* Think about what you did that your soldier really liked.
* What mistakes did you make that maybe you could help others from repeating?
* What home front lessons did you learn that made life easier for you, your kids, other deployed soldiers' family members?
* What items were most appreciated by your soldier in the care packages you sent?
(include food items, clothing items, comfort items, electronics, other things)
* What else should we pass on to those families and friends who are just now starting this experience?
If you'll forward the lessons learned to me at babcock224@aol.com (this email address), I'll compile them into a single document and we'll insure that all the key FRG leaders and rear detachment leaders of the deploying units get it to pass out to their families. In the subject line - please put "Lessons Learned" so I can keep those separate from all the other mail I get.
Also, include your unit in the note. I will insure that we list the units that contributed to these lessons learned - and will make sure the TF Ironhorse/4ID patch is prominently displayed on the final document so that whoever reads it will know that you fine people are the team players who are sharing your experiences to make their lives easier.
I will also include the document in the CD that will come out covering the updates for the last half of the tour. That way you will have it for your own use when/if you go through another deployment.
Please get your input to me no later than February 10, 2004.
The following is a special request from Bob Babcock. It is intended to help the families of future deployed military personnel. By passing information along to them, we can help them avoid any mistakes we made and help make the redeploymend a little easier for the families and troops going in harms way.
Bob Babcock
Special Note - Our primary News Source is Bob Babcock
Bob Babcock - "Deeds not Words"
President, Americans Remembered, Inc.
President, 22nd Inf Regt Society
Past President/Historian - Nat'l 4th Inf Div Assn
Thanks Bob for all you do!
The News updates are provided as a free public service to the families and friends of our deployed 4ID soldiers in Iraq by Bob Babcock, President of Americans Remembered, Inc..
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Redeployment Tips - Bob Babcock
1) After this being our fifth major deployment in 12 years, we have learned a few things in the past. It's a remarriage of sorts everytime. You have the honeymoon phase where you are so glad to see each other and you go nowhere without the other. Then you slowly move into the every day life stage where the bills and the kids catch back up to you. You have to learn to live and enjoy every day, every minute, and remember to readjust to giving each other that "living room" around each other. Each one of you had your own schedule to keep and did not answer to the other. Where you were going you just went, now you have to make decisions together again as one person. Your children need to see that unity or they will divide and conquer and that makes readjustment harder, especially for them. The main thing is you have to talk about the household issues. You can't pretend or assume that the other is taking care of them. Wives, please don't get the attititude that he has been gone and you have carried this burden long enough and now it is his turn to carry the kids and the bills. Trust me, he carried his own weight of worry for you and the kids, plus his job. You have to work together as a team. Husbands, please don't come and sit down and just do nothing at home and expect her to wait on you. We know you had a rough time, but so did your wife and children. This was a hard time for everybody, reunion is not a time to get selfish and say now is the time I get mine. Reunion is a time to come together and to bind together and work as one, to be whole again. Honor one another, love one another.
2) From a single soldier, veteran of six deployments: For many of our single soldiers (including officers) this is their first deployment. All of our soldiers who live in the barracks put their belongings in storage and those of us renting turned in our house and put our belongings in storage as well. Vehicles have been sitting in storage for over a year and it is very likely we will be facing lots of dead batteries and flat tires. I’d like to take this opportunity to ask the family members to remember those soldiers who will be returning to no hugs and kisses of loved ones at the gym and an empty room and fridge, and offer some suggestions on how to give them a heroes welcome as well. Talk to your soldier. See if they can give you one or two names of single soldiers in the unit you can “adopt” for a few days after deployment. Make a welcome home sign with their name on it to wave at the gym, (even though they know they don’t have family in the stands, they will still be eagerly scanning the bleachers for a familiar face). One of the hardest moments of redeploying is watching families reunite while you’re standing by yourself waiting for the call to load the bus. Make a little goodie bag to give to single soldiers (along with a hug or two) before they get on the bus to go to their barracks/hotel room with some fruit, chips, a sandwich or two, a drink, and a phone card so they’ll have something to snack on when they get to their rooms and be able to call their family to let them know they are home. (all of our phones were turned off before we left). They will not have a car for a few days to run to the shoppette and for those arriving after hours, it could be a long wait between meals before the dining facility opens.
Volunteer your precious time. Soldiers will not want to intrude on your family’s time. Offer to drive some single soldiers to the Commissary or auto shop, Wal-mart, laundry or some of the hundred other errands they will have to do. Offer to help get their car in working condition, or take them to get it registered. Invite them to go out for pizza or a movie and share your family, pets and your children’s laughter. Let them borrow some old towels and sheets to use until their HHGs get out of storage. Offer to drive them to the airport if they are leaving to go see their families. Check in on them every few days to see how they are doing and let them know you’re
thinking of them. If you have an extra room, offer to let someone stay at your house while their looking for a new apartment. Small acts of kindness on your part will last a lifetime in the hearts and memories of those you help. (Editor's Note: Wow - obviously spoken from the heart of a soldier who knows the ropes, thanks a million for sending this).
3) From experience of redeployment I think that spouses should be aware that they need to start putting money aside because they will not have that extra income that they are used to having. I would hope that with this deployment, finance will stop the extra money without any interruption in our spouses pay, but when my husband returned from Bosnia the extra money didn't stop for a few months and the Army took it back all at once, leaving us with no pay due for a few months. Thank God I was smart enough to realize that we should not have had that money and put it aside for a rainy day.
4) The following web pages were provided by the Extension Agent, Lane Volunteer Center, Mobilization and Deployment at Fort Hood with the following note: I've attached a document that is a listing of several websites dealing with reunion. The issues for both parents and children and advice and tips. Perhaps your audience will find it useful.
(Editor's Note: I haven't had time to check all the sites to insure they are valid but the ones I have checked were all there so I assume they are all good addresses).
