DOCA Visits Guantanamo Bay, U.S. Southern Command and By Donald J. Regan (DOCA 05) DOCA Trip Report August 1 – 5, 2010 Island Army National Guard. Rear Admiral Harbeson’s duty assignments include command tours as C.O., USS John S. McCain (DDG 56), forward deployed to Yokosuka, Japan, and commodore, Destroyer Squadron 50, forward deployed to Bahrain. He barely beat us to GTMO, having assumed his duties 25 June, 2010.

A Little Bit of History

For those not old enough to “Remember the Maine”, a brief DOCA members at U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba background sketch may help. In 1903, the U.S. leased 45 square miles of land and water (go Monday, August 2 Navy!) at Guantanamo Bay for use as a coaling Guantanamo Bay, CUBA station. A 1934 treaty (1) reaffirmed the lease; (2) granted Cuba and her trading partners free access f it’s August, it must be SOUTHCOM, and if through the bay to the eastern side of the island; Iit’s DOCA, it has to be First Class – a Miami (3) modified the lease payment from $2,000 in Air B737-400, configured 100% double wide gold coins per year, to the 1934 equivalent value seating and 1950s style service. Our Executive of $4,085 U.S. Treasury dollars; and (iv) Jet Magic Carpet wafted all 59 of us along an solidified our position, Gibraltar style, by aerial Route 66 extending from Miami over a inserting a proviso that the lease is terminable narrow Caribbean sea channel to Guantanamo only with U.S. consent. Today, with its Bay, Cuba. Aware of the doors which DOCA continuing strategic location and varied, critical opens and the opportunities available, 12 new missions, no matter which way political winds members were initiated on Sunday and made this blow, there is no chance of our abandonment. international island hopping adventure their first trip. Fidel’s ascendancy to the throne of Cuba in 1959 changed Cuba/U.S. relationships from friendly Although somewhat reluctant to deplane from cooperation to frequent confrontation – i.e. Miami Air’s cool comfort, after a smooth flight growling and even a short kidnapping of U.S. we touched down aboard Naval Station personnel. In 1959 when Castro cut off water and Guantanamo Bay, transferred to intrabase Ferry power, we responded U.S. style and for more than #6 which deposited our shore party at Fisherman’s 40 years, the whole base has been totally water Point. There we were greeted by a dynamic one and power self sufficient. Still, even though our star duo of Rear Admiral Jeffrey Harbeson, white hats no longer have R&R in Havana, life on Commander Joint Task Force Guantanamo, a true board isn’t all that bad, even without diplomatic tin can sailor, and his Deputy Commander Virgin relationships, severed in 1959.

1 Then, in October 1962, while Khrushchev All of these facilities and people are open, pounded his shoe and pointed his missiles, particularly to the International Red Cross which dependents were evacuated but returned for quarterly brings large delegations to tour the Christmas after the Kennedys stared down the facilities and talk to its detainees, and to counsel combined might of Cuban Communists and Soviet for the detainees, whose communication, even Crusaders. Since then rumbles from the Cuban though it may be with other bad guys on the side of the fence have subsided. outside, is completely untouchable. No Soviet style, model Gulag for the press here.

Joint Task Force Guantanamo The current detainee population is approximately 180 and represents about 30 countries and Rear Admiral Harbeson introduced his staff and languages. The age ranges from 22 to 61, with an military, medical and FBI personnel and then average age of 35. More than 520 detainees have walked us, verbally, through JTF, which we then been transferred or released. toured on foot. First hand, sometimes almost eyeball to eyeball, we learned that JTF’s 2000 Detainee meals meet their cultural and dietary people conduct safe, humane, legal and needs and cost approximately $3 million per year. transparent care and custody of their detainees. Each detainee receives 5,500-6,000 calories per JTF also conducts intelligence collection, analysis day and has six menus to choose from. Feast and dissemination for the protection of detainees meals are served two times per week. and personnel working in JTF Guantanamo facilities and in support of the War of Terror. For worship, prayer time is observed five times daily. Korans are provided in all represented JTF partners include: native languages; other religious materials (prayer beads, rugs, etc.) are available to all detainees.  Office for the Administrative Review of the Detention of Enemy Combatants Religious holidays are observed; camp daily (OARDEC) operations schedules shift during Ramadan. o Conduct Combatant Status Review Tribunals (CSRTs) and Compliant Detainees are allowed 20 hours of Administrative Review Boards outdoor recreation daily. They have contact with (ARBs) as directed by the Deputy other detainees, receive mail regularly and have Secretary of Defense access to more than 14,000 books, magazines and  Office of Military Commissions (OMC) DVDs in 18 languages from the detainee library. o War Crime Commission Proceedings The Detention Center itself, today, consists of: Camp Delta:  Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) focuses on: Camps 1-3: operational 2002 o Counter-terrorism linked to  Camp capacity: 720 homeland defense, war crimes  Open air, steel mesh single cells investigations  Exercise areas, cultural style facilities   Criminal Investigation Task Force (CTIF) Camp 4 (highly compliant): operational 2003 o War crime investigations  Camp capacity: 160  Communal living areas, climate  Joint Intelligence Task Force-Combating controlled, Western- style facilities Terrorism (JITF-CT)  Movies, satellite TV and language and art o National level all-level source classes intelligence analysis for the U.S.  Exercise and recreation areas, soccer Government field, basketball court.

2 Camp 5 (maximum security): operational 2004 The guesthouses ... provide ... weapons training  Camp capacity: 100 and act as staging facilities.  State-of-the-art facility with automated control center Red Flag 3: A ...detainee received or provided  Climate-controlled building, single cells, Western-style facilities training at one of the many facilities operated  Individual exercise areas that can be there (Afghanistan) by either the Taliban or al converted to dual recreation yards for Qaeda. communal recreation Camp 6 (built as medium security): RedFlag4: ... evidence of participation in operational 2006 hostilities in Afghanistan or elsewhere. ... One  Camp capacity: 176 detainee, Mohammed Fazl, was the Taliban’s  Converted to maximum security facility army chief of staff. He surrendered to the on-site Northern Alliance with a force of more than 1,000  State-of-the-art facility with automated soldiers. The government’s file on Fazl notes that control center he “was responsible for widespread atrocities  Climate-controlled building, single cells, against noncombatants.” … Finally, … the Western-style facilities detainees have extensive ties to Islamic charities  Individual and communal exercise areas that are known to be al Qaeda fronts. Camp 7: operational 2006  Camp Capacity: 36 Their ROE (Rules of Engagement) are taken, not  Detention facility for high value detainees from the Koran or the Geneva Convention, but Camp Iguana: operational 2008 from the “Manchester Document”. This is a  Camp Capacity: 20 terrorist manual found in the apartment of a  Communal facility for detainees suspected al-Qaida member in Manchester, designated as Court Ordered Released England in May 2000. Some excerpts from the Camp Echo: operational 2004 manual:  Camp Capacity: 22  Legal visitation facility  The confrontation that we are calling for with the apostate regimes does not know Socratic debates ... Platonic ideals ... nor Aristotelian diplomacy. But it knows the Who and What are the Detainees? dialogue of bullets, the ideals of assassination, bombing and destruction Who are these pampered guests? and the diplomacy of the cannon and machine gun. As verified in an extensive 2008 article (“Clear and Present Danger” ... The Weekly Standard,  Islamic governments have never and will December 1, 2008), the remaining detainees are never be established through peaceful 100% Jihadists bent on the destruction of solutions and cooperative councils. They “infidels” (anybody but them), who, according to are established as they (always) have been the Article, include 14 “High Value Detainees” ... by pen and gun ... by word and bullet ... who are uniquely lethal (9/11; USS Cole; Bali; by tongue and teeth. etc...) The rest fit under one or more of 4 red flags:  Prison and Detention Centers Chapter This chapter of the manual gives guidance RedFlag1: Evidence that a detainee was on how to specifically respond to committed to waging jihad ... against the conditions of detention: perceived enemies of Islam ... o About trial – “… once more the RedFlag2: On their way to join the jihad, brothers must insist on proving most ... stay in guesthouses ... located throughout that torture was inflicted on them Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran ...... before the judge.” 3 o About visits – “Take advantage of During our day we dialogued and dined with the visits to communicate with troops, from one stripe to one star. Their daily brothers outside prison and grind is not fun, particularly in the harsh spotlight exchange information that may be shone by hostile and headstrong media (i.e. the helpful to them in their work harsh pictures of kneeling orange clad prisoners outside prison ... the importance we still see front and center on Wikipedia. Those of mastering the art of hiding are ancient history (2002) taken just after 9/11 of messages is self-evident here.” really bad guys captured in the field and brought to camp before it was completed). From our onsite observation, these 180 hard core Pictorial evidence to today’s culturally sensitive jihadist detainees live in liberal confinement, are and overly generous GTMO facilities, described safe, secure and not threatening to blow anybody verbally above, and depicted briefly here, seldom up, just where they are. appear. Books, electronic games, etc. readily available. U.S. Personnel

Is all tranquil in this idyllic setting? Read on: TODAY (August 2, 2010) without fanfare we:

There are approximately 1,100 personnel assigned  Toured, inside and out, Camps 4 and 6. to the Joint Detention Group (JDG). The guard force within the JDG consists of both Army and  Walked their recreation yards, football; Navy personnel. Guards range in age between 19 ping pong; weight and soccer pitches. and 25 with an average age of 23 years old.  Observed the detainees in their cell blocks Guards receive pre-deployment training before (where they can roam freely in an arriving to ensure they are professionally trained enclosed rec area 20 hours daily (lock to all standards and requirements. A mock facility down is only from 0000 – 0400). was created at Fort Lewis, WA, to train all Navy guards. In addition, to pre-deployment training,  Noted, throughout all areas, black arrows right seat/left seat training is conducted upon painted on the deck pointed to Mecca, arrival to JTF. around which detainees gather 5 times daily for prayer. The guard force, which is distributed throughout all nine camps, conducts detainee checks a  Smelled food aromas from the 5000 minimum of every three minutes. Every detainee calories/day observant meals offered to meal is hand served by the guard force. For each each. intra-camp detainee movement two guards are required, while four guards are required for inter  Heard stories from the recipients (guards; camp movements. Detainees are under mess hands; nurses) of frequent “pranks” observation at all times, including during practiced by these prayerful persons (i.e. humanities programs, during recreation and at all excrement cocktails carefully brewed and appointments. thrown into the faces of those who get too close or try to befriend them; taunts, in There are many support elements that contribute English, directed to female personnel to the JDG mission, to include: (about 30% of the GTMO military).  Behavioral Science Consultant Team  Heard from our stoic, heroic, troops who  JSMART take all this abuse, wash up, and come  Linguist back on duty.  Staff Judge Advocate  Cultural Advisor

4  Detected a flaw in the fight against Detention Center Detainees at August 2010 Analysis Jihadist terror taskers: In observance of Maximumnumberdetained 750 America’s sacrosanct legal safeguards, Peopletransferredorrehabilitated(?) 575 each detainee has full, unfettered access to counsel. The unspoken fact is that Approximatenumberstillonboard 175 giving these guys the benefits of our legal TotalJTFsupportpeopleofwhom 2,000 system opens an uncensored line of 1,100 are military, producing a communication used for purposes other guard/prisoner ratio of 5:1 than defense of detainees. Annual cost (salary and burden) $150,000,000 now assume per support person is Observations and Insights $75,000 times 2,000 people equals Plusannualfacilityoverhead $2,000,000 The unique opportunity to observe and learn from Annual direct costs equals $152,000,000 our boots on the GTMO ground verify, on a daily basis, all of the above, and further, we were OR CLOSE TO $1,000,000 PER YEAR TO KEEP fortunate to spend one on one time with the EACH DETAINEE IN AN ISLAMIC COMPLIANT LAP OF LUXURY. professional guard force who daily with these hardened, unrelenting Jihadists whose acts leading Each of those serving in all commands on board to capture, and conduct since, corroborates that U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay is living the they remain determined to bomb, assassinate, and motto “Honor Bound to Defend Freedom”. For otherwise destroy anyone whom they define as an all DOCANs, a day to remember – we came and “apostate” (i.e. any non Muslim). we saw firsthand a safe, humane, legal and transparent operation, not just a 9 year old snippet Do we bend over backwards to accommodate still prominent on Wikipedia and others intent on GTMO’s guests1?? You bet! The detainees are misinformation. We DOCANs put in a long day guarded by troops carrying only non lethal (0600 – 2000). These folks put in longer (12 to 14 weapons, and select their own camp leaders. hours) every day – no overtime, no union work They receive information (3 Arabic newspapers; rules, just jobs done efficiently (frequently 14 international TV channels (including Al flawlessly) and even zealously. Jezeerah in Arabic shown on 40” and 52” TVs), and completely uncensored correspondence with and visits from their U.S. and international attorneys. Tuesday, August 3 U.S. Southern Command In short, the Detention Center is more JW n recognition of Monday’s fully packed day, Marriott than Joliet. If politics succeeds in ITuesday started, not with muster and march, but transferring detainees to Illinois, Camps 4 and 6 with a short climb to our hotel’s Sky Room where could make a profit leasing themselves out to the southern view provided a suitable backdrop Club Med. On the other hand, perhaps economics for a briefing by Ambassador Paul A. Trivelli, trumps: consider this hypothetical, but probably Civilian Deputy to the Commander, U.S. Southern accurate, equation: Command, who is primarily responsible for overseeing the development and ongoing 1 Consider this juxtaposition: refinement of SOUTHCOM’s regional strategy.  a renowned psychologist whose voice is heard His BA in Biology from Williams College and internationally on Gitmo opines: “There is dual MAs – (i) International Relations from the (sic) lots of real good expertise on University of Denver; (ii) National Security rehabilitation and the administration needs to Studies from the U.S. Naval War College; and invest in it.” vs. (iii) 42 year service in Latin America (including  JTF statistics which have followed many Ambassador to Nicaragua 2005 – 08) earned him releasees from Gitmo to the battlefield in the rank of Minister Counselor (2 equivalent) leadership and murderous rolls in their war on and equipped him to be today’s keynote speaker. western civilization. 5 SOUTHCOM is the natural evolution from U.S. Haiti - An Example of military units dispatched to Panama in the early America’s Best At Work 1900s into unified military headquarters begun during World War II. During the 1950s, the Demonstrating, again, our military’s capabilities Command’s responsibility expanded from military and efficiencies, SOUTHCOM organized timely missions in the Caribbean defending the Panama response for Haitians that included immediate Canal into broader interactive missions focusing dispatch of 60 rotary wing and fixed wing aircraft on U.S. and inter-American security cooperation th nd of the 24 and 22 Marine Expeditionary Units, in Central and South America. the XVIII Airborne Corps’ Assault Command Post, and the 2nd Brigade, , Since the 50s, SOUTHCOM has sponsored a wide using GTMO as a staging point. When an range of multinational exercises to strengthen engineering assessment team determined the pier regional partnerships and collective capabilities and wharf at Port au Prince Seaport of integral to U.S. and Western Hemisphere security, Debarkation (SPOD) were un-operable for the such as the annual PANAMAX, which involves movement of bulk stores, within 24 hours the USS neighboring nations in a joint defense of the Carl Vinson arrived and began work to reopen Panama Canal. The exercise is designed to Port au Prince. Teams of divers, logisticians, improve the interoperability of the military and engineers, and workers under the control of Joint civil forces of concerned nations to assist Panama Logistics Command - Haiti were able to clear the to protect and guarantee safe passage through the debris, clear the harbor, and put the port back into canal and ensure its neutrality. operation. Speed and excellence. Ambassador Trivelli led us, pictorially and Next, the combined forces of the U.S. Air Force graphically through a geographic, cultural, and Army assumed responsibility for the airport economic and political overview of and had it operational within 30 minutes of SOUTHCOM’s area of responsibility – the 31 arriving in Haiti, and only 28 hours after the countries which comprise: quake. At its peak, operating from an airlift and mobile control tower, the Air Force controllers  The land mass of Latin America south of handled over 150 flights per day, bringing in over Mexico; 3.5 million tons of cargo and training Haitian  The waters adjacent to Central and South authorities until they were able to take over America; operation.  The Caribbean Sea; and parts of the Atlantic Ocean By the end of May 2010, over 4.9 million meals, 17 million pounds of bulk food and 2.6 million The briefing necessarily consisted of a broad bottles of water had been delivered to the people overview of the entire area, but focused on (i) most in need. Over one million people received Colombia, Latin America’s most participatory emergency shelter, while more than 80 blocks of democracy, a shining success story, and our debris-covered streets were cleared and over firmest Southern friend, as evidenced by the 40,000 buildings within the city were assessed by recent presidential election; (ii) Honduras JTF engineers. Under the auspices of a operating now under a freely and popularly comprehensive SOUTHCOM theater security elected government which has also remained our cooperation (TSC) plan, JTF-Haiti developed a steadfast friend; (iii) less democratic regimes detailed plan to transition to an enduring U.S. (Venezuela; Ecuador; Bolivia; and now presence in Haitian reconstruction and relief Nicaragua) who remain difficult to deal with or do efforts in the form of New Horizons exercises, business in; and, of course, (iv) Haiti, its endemic medical readiness training exercises, and other corruption, total inability to respond to the activities, which will provide construction projects earthquake disaster and how our instant response and medical relief missions in rural departments. capabilities rode to the rescue. Not bad help from a friendly neighbor.

6 Today’s Defense Overview – Nature of Hunger pangs abated and imaginations activated, Today’s Challenge we easily made our next move on to the buses for the plane to Fort Bragg, . Our next briefer, Todd Harvey, the Director of J9- Partnering and Senior Defense Advisor, demonstrating skills obviously learned from his 5 Wednesday, August 4 year service with the 82nd Airborne, jumped right Fort Bragg in and landed perfectly in our midst and coordinated and led a discussion on inter agency udging from the cut of our collective jibs, our and military cooperative efforts on outreach in the Jescorts concluded that we were up to another SOUTHCOM area. day of rigorous routine.

Among the highest orders are interaction with From the immediate present, replete with daily businesses on the ground and safety of transport geopolitical problems, we were bused from our (of goods and people on cruise liners). Haiti was Fayetteville, North Carolina headquarters hotel, directly to Fort Bragg’s Airborne Special a crucible which demonstrated that our military efficiency can be quickly transmuted into relief, Operations Museum. Why is the Museum here? Because it is home to the U.S. Army’s XVIII rescue, and rebuilding, after disaster, hundreds of miles away, where there is no physical or Airborne Corps. In 1943 Armored evolved into governmental infrastructure. Airborne, preserving for classic posterity the Roman numerals.

Working Lunch Breaking into four groups we traced the Museum’s chronologic layout, WWII to today, Several SOUTHCOM staffers, military and focusing on our sole remaining paratroopers – The nd diplomatic, spread out among our many tables and 82 Airborne, “AA” (All American) Division. led dialogue pleasantly supportive of our digestions. A brief aside for those with good memories and good ears, the 101st Screaming Eagles, which Honduras stood up as a premier paratroop unit in WWII, has evolved into a 21,000 person Air Assault Force via helicopter and other attack and support aircraft. Joining our table was an old Honduran hand who st was courteously and refreshingly candid in his Today, the 101 is deployed in Afghanistan in the explanation of the legality of ousting Manuel middle of the fierce fighting for which it is trained. Zelaya, a Chavez puppet bent on Venezuelizing Honduras, followed by the popular election of a president committed to that country’s constitution Command Briefing and democratic electoral process. Honduras remains friendly and we are logically supportive Mid morning we moved to the Command Briefing of that ally and its government. Meanwhile Center for a treat, yes a treat, available only to Manuel Zelaya recently left his refuge in the DOCA members. No sooner had we assembled Dominican Republic and joined Chavez as his than Lt. General Frank G. Helmick bounced, nominee to be appointed to a Venezuelan literally, up to the podium with a warm welcome sponsored international entity. to, and thanks for, DOCANs in attendance.

Dialogue at and among all of the tables was Lt. General Helmick’s climb up the leadership equally candid and informative. We had first ladder began at West Point, segued to 6 post grad hand coverage of all of Central and South institutions (including the Naval Postgraduate America, hot spots, opportunities and, most of all, School), command and senior staff positions as enlightenment for our DOCA travelling squad. Commander 3rd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division,

7 Ranger Training Brigade, , Georgia; Division, and as such, in April 1943, 82nd Assistant Division Commander 101st Airborne Airborne Paratroopers commanded by Major Division (Air Assault), Commander of the General Matthew B. Ridgway landed in North Southern European Task Force (Airborne) Africa, fought there, crossed the Mediterranean Vicenza, Italy, culminating most recently as for parachute and glider assaults into Sicily and Commander Multinational Security Transition Salerno, Italy on July 9 and September 13, 1943. Command – along with the NATO Training Mission – Iraq from 3 Jul. 2008 to 7 Oct. 2009. In January 1944, the 82nd 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, which was temporarily detached from Along the way he earned a bronze star, many oak the Division to fight at Anzio, earned, from a leaf clusters and other medals which take up the German officer, the nickname "Devils in Baggy full left side of his still muscular chest (even today Pants." he could start all over and do it again – an inspiring leader. Thank God he is on our side). While the 504th was detached, the remainder of That he was to take a full day out of his the 82nd was pulled out of Italy in November demanding schedule (including 90 minutes of 1943, moved to the United Kingdom, and with 2 early a.m. PT) to spend in-depth time is a tribute combat jumps under its belt, spearheaded the most to the efficiency of his organization as well as a ambitious airborne operation of the war, compliment to us. Operations NEPTUNE-the airborne invasion of Normandy, and OVERLORD, the amphibious Lt. General Helmick walked us through not just assault on the northern coast of Nazi-occupied his entire command or the 232± square miles of France. Following Normandy, the 82nd organized Fort Bragg and Pope Air Force Base, but also the into the XVIII Airborne Corps, which consisted of entire 51,000 person organization – training, the 17th, 82nd, and 101st Airborne Divisions. education, and dedication for us. Thank you. (a note aside: ABC, CBS, every cable group and A Bridge Too Far, as memorialized in a realistic Dale Carnegie would be drooling to lure Lt. movie, on September 17, the 82nd conducted its General Helmick as their lead spokesman. fourth combat jump of World War II into Holland. Fighting off ferocious German counterattacks, the 82nd captured its objectives between Grave and Brief History of the 82nd Airborne Division, Nijmegen. Its success, however, was short-lived whose members proudly wear the maroon beret because of the defeat of other Allied units at Arnhem. August 25, 1917, warriors from all 48 states mustered at Camp Gordon, Georgia and the unit The 82nd hardly had time to catch its breath when, was immediately nicknamed "All- Americans," out of the trees on December 16, 1944, the hence its famed "AA" shoulder patch. After short, Germans launched a surprise offensive through but rigorous training, in the spring of 1918, the the Ardennes Forest. Two days later they joined 82nd deployed to France and in five months of the fighting, buttressed the Bulge, and blunted combat fought three major campaigns and helped General Von Rundstedt's northern penetration. to break the German Imperial Army. January 1946, instead of being demobilized, the 82nd moved to a permanent home at Fort Bragg. The 82nd was demobilized after World War I. For more than 20 years the "All-American After the somnolent 50s, came the turbulent 60s: Division" would live only in the memories of men In April 1965, the "All-Americans" were alerted who served in its ranks during the Great War. for action in response to the civil war raging in the With the outbreak of World War II, the 82nd was Dominican Republic. Spearheaded by the 3rd reactivated on March 25, 1942 under the Brigade, the 82nd deployed to the Caribbean in command of Major General Omar N. Bradley, Operation POWER PACK. Peace and stability became the first airborne division in the U.S. was restored by June 17, when the rebel guns Army, and was re-designated the 82nd Airborne were silenced.

8 Three years later, the 82nd again rose to the call We hustled briskly to the Heavy Drop Rigging and descended on the Viet Cong and helped turn Site (HDRG) hangar. Here we saw amazing their TET offense into a major rout by the Allies. quickness in action as Humvees and other dainty After 22 months in Vietnam, the 3rd Brigade objects, sometimes assisted by overhead cranes, returned to Fort Bragg. were packed onto metal pallets, placed on metal rollers, from which they can be rolled into a The 70s and 80s gave the 82nd no rest: Grenada; precise fit aboard transport planes, ready to be Honduras (GOLDEN PHEASANT) – chased parachuted for use by the troops, who followed rebels back to Nicaragua; Panama. them onto the ground. Again, the training-bred expertise resonated from the loading teams, who The 90s: Six days after the Iraqi invasion of not only did their job, but (yes, duct tape is Kuwait on August 2, 1990, the 82nd became the universal) could explain to us civilians used to vanguard of the largest deployment of American dealing with smaller magnitude tasks what, why troops since Vietnam. Landing under the motto and how they do it daily. "The road home...is through Baghdad", the 82nd’s battle cry became a fact. In the short 100-hour As a prelude to our next stop, our final ground war, the vehicle mounted 82nd drove deep demonstration here was by the teams packing into Iraq and captured thousands of Iraqi soldiers individual parachutes, 200 pounds per and tons of equipment, weapons and ammunition. paratrooper, including short rigging and packing. Haiti (revolution, not earthquake) and Kosovo filled out the 90s. Green Ramp Activities st 21 Century: On Sept. 11, 2001, when jihad Ready or not, here we came to the Jumpers’ prep exploded on American soil, President George W. nd area where the Marshalling Area Control Officer Bush immediately called upon the 82 and other (MACO) briefed us on our next ultimate soldiers to immediately interdict al-Qaida training adventure – accompanying 16 All Americans (the bases in Afghanistan. 82nd) on board a C-130 for the ascent to and their jump over Sicily Drop Zone. After donning In 2004, for the first time in two years all of the helmets and flight gear and depositing our rears in Division's units were returned home to Fort nd mesh bucket seats – ZOOM – (as fast as a Bragg. During the balance of the decade the 82 HERCULES can zoom) we were – AIRBORNE! time and again proved its agility and mobility as, fully equipped, they rose into the air to descend on This author’s jump team was led by Chicago’s gift those who would destroy the nation they so well to the 82nd, First Sgt. Leon Cosey, not a rookie, represent. who used this trip to compete his one hundred eightieth (180th!) jump. While the Hercules To fuel us for the afternoon’s exercise, Lt. normally holds 63 fully loaded troops, our demo General Helmick treated us to a Fort Bragg team was just 16 of the hardiest. lunch2. Then, enough of lecturing, we were on our way to the tarmac and airspace for hands on For 15 minutes on the tarmac we chewed the rag participatory demonstrations of the XVIII at work. with the Troopers, who seemed about as We moved out and were turned over to Bragg’s concerned over today’s action as Drew Brees Departure Air Control Group (“A/DACG”) for would on hitting a wide open receiver in practice. our mission briefing. Borrowing a theme recurrent throughout, the military meritocracy develops its own diversity. Our afternoon mission: Our Jump Master, Michigan’s Lt. Col. Pete Im, DOL OUTLOAD SUPPORT whose team reflected ages ranging from 20 to 44 and whose colors cover the rainbow. 2 Broccoli, cauliflower, and other greens are obviously responsible, in part, for Lt. General Helmick and his staff’s 5% average body fat. 9 We sat amidship as our C-130 approached Sicily. full hour – no nodding off here. He was as At 850 feet we sucked it in as the parachuters engaging as he is fit and accomplished. paraded past, headed aft and out the left and right Subjects studied included: jump doors. One by one, the troopers leapt and white chutes billowed out. They all reached the 1. Forcible Entry onto a hostile airfield) ground before we did – Mission Accomplished. Sequence:

Our pilot timed a perfect landing . . . perfectly. (1) time standards to stand up and out We deplaned onto the runway at 1659, just in time load troops and equipment; to join the troops at attention for the daily (2) jump sequence; National Anthem – fitting conclusion to the day (3) secure a perimeter; deny access to and reminder of where we are and why. enemy reinforcement; (4) secure air dropped heavy R&R equipment; (5) off loading incoming friendly Exhausted, but not dehydrated, we used mundane aircraft; ground transport back to Conrad’s (Hilton) place (6) commence operations, establish for shower time in prep for the CG’s reception air traffic control – make ready where we were joined by Lt. General Helmick, (repairs) for incoming support most of his staff, mayors and other dignitaries for troops. conversation, dinner and entertainment, nd 2. Crisis Response 101 – DOD ordered highlighted by the delightfully adept 82 AA (Haiti) chorus whose choral cadence and excellence match their military precision. After encores, we 3. Team composition, Individual Equipment, retired still humming their honor. and Responsibilities, particularly those of the Jump Master, who while on the ground checks each jumper, his chute, weapons, and all equipment, and in the air Thursday, August 5 checks again. Airborne, he is in charge of Back to School Day the operation, all jumpers, all equipment to be off loaded, then last to leave the fter an unscheduled viewing of most of the aircraft. We were joined by a line nd A82 ’s troops passing on parade for today’s paratrooper, fully outfitted with his 250+ Change of Command Ceremony, it was back to pounds of parachute, radios, 3 days living school for DOCA. Having graduated with some necessities, front bag of supplies and honor from Wednesday’s basic training we mostly weapons and ammo. convened in classroom. 4. How AA Owns the Night, landing where and how intended. U.S. Army Advanced Air School 5. Field Exercise – from the desk to the Our instructors were the school’s full time staff deck. supplemented by troops off the line whose Caps tell the Tale: We smartly trooped out to the jump Black: Cadre of Instructors practice field where a full team of Red: Parachute packers and riggers troopers demonstrated: Maroon (beret): AA Brigade member (82nd)  pre boarding ground prep and equipment testing; st The Chairman of the Department, 1 Sgt. John  harnessing up – full packs and 2 Cooley of Ohio, a 22 year and 200 jump vet chutes; through which he earned his PhJ (Doctor of Jumping) degree kept our rapt attention for the

10  C-130 simulator jump procedure Lunch with the Panthers led by Jump Master, seconded (double check everything and We were joined, one on one, by a trooper of the everybody) by assistant Jump 3rd BCT (Brigade Combat Team), last in Iraq and Master; happily home here at Fort Bragg.  Lead Jumper out the door, countdown (one a thousand, two, Good chow, great craic (Irish for insightful three, & four a thousands) – it conversation). At our table were Sgt. Andre takes just over three seconds (out Curtis (3rd Brigade, a 7 year vet and shining of the total fall time of 35-45 example to his 4 younger siblings - last deployed seconds) for the chute to open; 7 months ago), a bird , me and three 2  demo jump out of 45 ft. tower stripers from the 1st Brigade, back from Iraq 6 down long harness lines; and days ago. Give and take, Q & A, back and forth –  DOCA volunteers gear up, almost rank N/A. Meals and experiences like this are full pack, walk around with 125 open only to those fortunate to come in through pounds strapped on for photo op the DOCA door. time. Hunger pangs assuaged, ruminating on our 6. Graduation running colloquy, we bused to our last stop – the Having listened, observed, questioned, 82nd Museum where, inside a gratefully cool and learned our class (pass rate = 100%) theatre we watched a movie graphically received well earned LL DJ (Low Level portraying the history recounted earlier in this DOCA Jumper) degrees. Hats off to the report. grads! After browsing through the PX, we gathered for Demonstration – Virtual Training Center the last time, extended heartfelt thanks to our hosts, and bade, not goodbye, but Adios to each More troops joined us as we traveled to yet other until we gather again in November at the another compound designed and staffed by annual meeting in Washington, DC. civilian contractors. Up close:  We viewed 5 fully equipped troopers go Conclusion upside down in an armored Humvee and exit through the randomly selected only Regardless of the risk of redundancy, the only working door. Inside temperature of 120° fitting conclusion to this report remains improved efficiency as they scrambled congratulations to: out in 2 minutes.  Rear Admiral Jeffrey Harbeson, his  Some of us manned another Humvee and sailors and multi service personnel who drove through a desert village full of man and maintain GTMO with hostile jihadists hiding in houses, driving professionalism, precision, and most Toyota pickups and planting IEDs. We amazingly, patience. went in at 40 mph, avoided a wreck, and back out safely – just in time to board our  SOUTHCOM real world bus and, led again by an Geopolitical explanations and dialogue ubiquitous police escort, make it safely to with the several Latin specialist members Panther’s Lodge – dining facility of the of its military and diplomatic sections. Panther Brigade of the 82nd. We lunched with this week’s Battle Buddies, our friends from all over the XVIIIth.

11  Lt. General Frank Helmick CG – HQ (10), Malcolm Goodridge (04), John C. Huizenga XVIII Airborne Corp and Fort Bragg, for: (04), Todd E. Johnson (10), George R. Jones (95), o Lessons learned Curtis Kauffman (05), Jewel Lee Kenley (62), Julian M. Kien (00), David W. Lawrence (06), o Outstanding, open paratroopers and other warfighters Christian Lien (68), B. John Lindahl, Jr. (05), J. Tucker Ma o Drills designed for our rston (51), William M. Matthews participation (82), S. Blaine McCaleb, III (09), Scott R. o One on One sharing with and McClave (08), Raymond A. McDaniel, Jr. learning from the troops (50), Dallas H. Moorhead (98), David W. o C-130 flight where we sat Morris (05), David A. Nagler (05), Carl shoulder to shoulder with jump Neisser (04), Kenneth B. Noack (59), Claudio teams from the XVIIIth and R. Ochoa (10), Robert D. Palinkas (74), peered out as they jumped (one a Robert J. Pattillo (03), MaryJane Rebick thousand . . . four), with élan to their landing spot (60), Donald J. Regan (05), Leon A. Romero nd (08), Elihu Rose (51), C. Michael Shyne o Back to school with the 82 (59), Elan B. Singer (07), Elliot R. Singer Dismissed! See you all soon. (10), Morgan Smith (05), Percy E. Smith (97), Rebecca J. Smith (62), John H. Stauffer Acknowledgments: (96), David A. Straz, Jr. (76), Robert D. Teer, Jr. (42), Richard A. Wallace (10), Charles J. o the U.S. Department of Defense, Joint Task Wallace, Jr. (10), Robert E. Yellin (09), and TForce Guantanamo Bay, U.S. Southern Patricia A. Yoder (07). Command, Fort Bragg and to all of our speakers, personnel and staff assisting in our informative program, the officers, directors, and members of DOCA wish to express their gratitude and appreciation for your hospitality, courtesy, and assistance extended to them during our 2010 summer meeting. You all made it an outstanding learning experience which we will share with others.

Participants:

ichard R. Appell (09), Fernando S. Aran R(79), William N. Baker (04), Blake C. Bertea (08), William A. Briggs, Jr. (58), Frank R. Caccamo (06), John F. Caccamo (06), Peter L. Carter (60), Stephen W. Chabre (60), Anderson W. Chandler (08), Vicki E. Churchward (07), M. Krestine Corbin (72), D. Ted Dankert (95), Charles Gregory Davis (74), Michael W.R. Davis (00), Charles R. Easley (09), Tal D. Etshtien (10), Edward Falkenberg (10), Lowell S. Feldman (83), Robert E. Fischer (10), William B. Forti (62), Pamela Freytag (06), E. Alexander Glover

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