Small Victory

Yesterday, COL Alaa, the Brigade Deputy Commander, had a meeting with all of the Sons of Iraq (SOI) leaders in the area. The meeting was to go over the Government of Iraq (GOI) SOI Transition Plan. From earlier posts you might recall these were the mostly Sunni fighters and tribe leaders that decided to stop fighting the GOI and US Forces and start helping out against the insurgents in Iraq. Pretty big step for them, turning against other Sunni and Shia tribes in the area and trying to do good instead of evil. The US recognized them and started to pay the heck out of the, last November or so the GOI took over the payment of the SOI and earlier this spring the GOI started to talk about transitioning the SOI into normal government work.

The SOI leaders were very upset, they were pretty sure that now that security was pretty good the US and GOI would just forget about them and let them fend for themselves in the job world and against the insurgents that were still out there. The GOI developed a transition plan, basically absorbing the SOI leaders into the government leadership and the SOI members into government ministry jobs. Yesterday, COL Alaa read off the first 622 SOI members in the area that will be transitioned and where they would be working. The SOI leaders, who were initially very skeptical about the program, were giggling like school girls because they were so happy. The transition will take several months, but this is a good start.

Funny part of the meeting: As the list was being read off, one of the names that was read off was recognized by a couple of the leaders - - - they thought it was pretty funny that he was going to the Ministry of Education because the dude can't read, right or do any sort of educational thing. "What will XXXXX do at the Ministry of Education?" "umm, security?"

The rest of the meeting was pretty standard for an Iraqi meeting led by COL Alaa - - - talk a lot, say the same thing over and over again, talk some more, say the same thing again, until everyone is bludgeoned into submission. The meeting could have been done in about 10 minutes, but COL Alaa went over everything several times, and then went over them again. Nobody can say the man ain't thorough. He also read off all 622 names, I didn't think he would, but he did. I chew a lot of gum to keep from falling asleep.

Other than that, it has been a very quiet 3 weeks in the area. There were a few IEDs and EFPs (0 casualties, MRAPs and Up Armored HMMWVs work) on our side of the river early in JUL, but nothing since. There were also some rockets that were allegedly fired at our COP, but they weren't aimed very well and missed by literally a mile or so.

Other notes:

Our replacements will be here Monday, ten days after that we will be standing at the airport with our thumbs out for a ride.

My running has been pretty consistent. I was able to maintain my desired race pace for 4 miles last week, I was supposed to do 1 x 2 mile interval and 3 x 1 mile intervals, but I felt so good after the first 2 mile interval that I extended it a mile. In the words of Indiana Jones' faithful assistant in the "Temple of Doom" Shortround: " Big Mistake". I was able to eak out 1 of the 1 x mile intervals, but was dead after that. Overall, good week of running. This week's speed workout (the hardest day of the week) is 4 x 1 mile intervals at faster than race pace. I will do 4 x 1 mile intervals.

Fantasy Football: The much anticipated Fantasy Football kit has come out, I have developed a few rosters, I am pretty set on the players I want but I want to watch the rest of pre-season before I make my final selections. This year's strategy: Beat Wade.