I guess you just had to be there to see with your own eyes the turn around. I had a span of about 4 months between my deployments. The first in Fallujah was marked by SAF, and IEDs most we found before things went south. We did convoy ops and provided our own security from Baghdad to TQ and up to Alasad. We escorted TCN's usually 100 of them pretty much 3 times a week some times more if it was a short run. They carried different types of cargo some for our bases, but most of the trucks were delivering goods to the local people.
The second we were inside Ramadi doing Convoy ops resupplying the local hospital with diesel fuel for their generators, fresh water, and speed bags for the locals in addition to supporting the grunts with mail, hot chow every night, water and fuel as well. We would go out twice a day everyday but were split into a day and night crew. Being an NCO was convoy commander on about 20 missions in charge of usually 15-25 Marines and 6-9 trucks. We would also pass out soccer balls, water, and other toys to the children while stopped waiting to get into a FOB/OP.
In the 7 months of being in Ramadi we went from having no one on the streets and dead as hell to the Iraqis having national pride flying flags across town, painting murals, more foot traffic and POV's out and about. The city was demolishing blown up buildings and repairing streets. Most people never heard these stories as the media wanted to portray what we were doing as bad or the deaths and as a way to get everyone out before we could do even greater good.
The second we were inside Ramadi doing Convoy ops resupplying the local hospital with diesel fuel for their generators, fresh water, and speed bags for the locals in addition to supporting the grunts with mail, hot chow every night, water and fuel as well. We would go out twice a day everyday but were split into a day and night crew. Being an NCO was convoy commander on about 20 missions in charge of usually 15-25 Marines and 6-9 trucks. We would also pass out soccer balls, water, and other toys to the children while stopped waiting to get into a FOB/OP.
In the 7 months of being in Ramadi we went from having no one on the streets and dead as hell to the Iraqis having national pride flying flags across town, painting murals, more foot traffic and POV's out and about. The city was demolishing blown up buildings and repairing streets. Most people never heard these stories as the media wanted to portray what we were doing as bad or the deaths and as a way to get everyone out before we could do even greater good.