ISKANDIRIYAH, Iraq, Dec 16, (AFP): A long line of military trucks slowly rolls out of a base in central Iraq, carrying 99 US soldiers on their last mission in the country: making it safely with their equipment to Kuwait.
Out on the highway, soldiers point out potential threats — mainly suspicious vehicles — by radio, so the convoy, especially the “Mine Resistant, Ambush Protected” (MRAP) gun trucks that are its main defence, are aware of them. The going is slow — usually about 65 kms (40 miles) per hour or less — and the ride bumpy.
Visibility out of the back of the MRAPs is limited by small windows. It is dark out, but all interior lights are turned off. Space is tight, and the seat backs are straight upright and have little padding.
It is not a comfortable place to spend long hours on the road, especially wearing body armour and helmets, and carrying weapons.
But the soldiers from the 115th Brigade Support Battalion (BSB), some of whom have spent years in Iraq over multiple deployments, are finally on their way out.
The mission started at Contingency Operating Site Kalsu, a base near the town of Iskandiriyah, south of Baghdad, which was handed over to Iraqi control a few days after their departure, when the last of the US troops left the base.
There, the soldiers carried out extensive pre-departure checks of their equipment, especially their vehicles and weapons.
“I’m always cautious because the threat is still out there,” Captain McFerrin McDonald, who was on his third Iraq deployment, said at Kalsu.
But “I am excited. I know a lot of my guys are ready to ... move on to the next thing,” McDonald said.
“I pray to God that nothing happens, but if it does, I’ll be ready,” said Sergeant Steven Baugher, the gunner on McDonald’s MRAP, who was on his second Iraq deployment.
“It’s nuts thinking that it’s the last mission, and I have a feeling they’re (insurgents) gonna try something,” he said.
Great
“I feel great,” Baugher said of being close to leaving. But he added that “I wish it could’ve happened sooner, and less lives got lost in the process.”
Baugher, McDonald and other soldiers said they were glad they had been deployed to Iraq, and especially to be here as the almost nine-year war winds down for US troops, who are to depart the country by year’s end.
“It makes it seem like my first deployment wasn’t a waste of time like I thought it was when I left,” said Baugher.
“It didn’t really seem like anything got fixed back in ‘06, ‘08 — it was pretty rough. But now it seems like the Iraqi forces are gonna be able to handle theirselves here.”
“Seeing that Iraq is probably ... in a better situation than it was before we got here, that’s a great feeling,” McDonald said.
The convoy of 21 military vehicles set out from Kalsu about 7:00 pm, heading for Contingency Operating Base Adder, about 270 kms (170 miles) to the south.
But the whole convoy was brought to a halt not long after departing when one of the MRAPs lost power.
Other trucks provided security for the one that had broken down, while the convoy’s wrecker was called up to provide assistance. “Make sure you remain vigilant and scan your sectors,” a soldier advised over the radio.
The disabled MRAP was eventually hooked up to the wrecker, and the soldiers who were in it joined other trucks. After almost an hour stopped by the roadside, the convoy began moving again.
Conversation in McDonald’s MRAP — which was by headset due to the noise — ranged from sports to favourite movies, to energy drink preferences. But the soldiers were often quiet, especially as the trip progressed.
A little after midnight, not far from Adder, another MRAP ran into trouble, this time from a tyre blowout.
Attempts to use jacks to raise it and change the tyre failed, and it was eventually loaded on the back of a “Heavy Equipment Transporter” for the remainder of the trip to Adder.
The convoy was stopped about two hours that time, and arrived at Adder over eight hours after setting out from Kalsu. Soldiers had five to six hours to sleep on cots, before getting up to prepare for the final leg of the trip.
“It was pretty chilly, and a long ride,” said Baugher, who had spent the whole time in the turret, exposed to the elements.
Attacked
Of the stops, he said: “There’s more potential to get attacked, just ‘cause we’re sitting still, and they can see us, and we might not see them ... but luckily, we made it here safe.”
The next day, Lieutenant Colonel Jason Carrico, the commander of the 115th BSB, told his soldiers: “You’re part of history. If you don’t believe it, you’ll figure it out later.”
“Take some pride in it,” Carrico said, while warning his troops that there was still potential danger ahead.
They then set out on the final 200 kms (120 miles) to Kuwait.
A transport truck temporarily lost power en route, but the trip went much more smoothly than the previous day, and took less time — about three and a half hours.
There were no cheers, no celebrations as the soldiers left Iraq for what was likely the last time, about 24 hours after departing Kalsu. But after entering Kuwait, where they will be stationed for an unspecified amount of time, the soldiers said they were glad to be out.
“It feels really good to be out of there. Now we’re in a safer environment, and you know, we’re finished with Iraq, so it’s really awesome,” said Specialist Dan Mata, who had deployed to Iraq three times.
Baugher put it more directly: “It’s about time that we get to go home, and hopefully the Iraqis can take care of theirselves now.”