served in a designated combat pay area. Logged roughly 20,000 officials miles in Iraq, first two missions I was unlicensed. I didn't drive at all first one going to Speicher. Second one I was slotted on a Screaming Eagles Transportation convoy (I don't believe anyone else was ever put on a convoy outside of the Battalion that went to Key West which is northern Iraq. I did drive in the mountainous areas, my trailer air brakes were cut (turned too sharp logical explanation) I made sure to have a very safe "stopping distance" which was beginning to freak out my co-driver who was afraid I'd fall too far back -- I was probably about 300 yards back rather than the 50-100 normal distance.
Probably about a dozen missions later, same thing happened but this was largely a platoon convoy so one of the self-proclaimed truck driving experts (he actually was a driver-trainer in the company) gave me props, I didn't lose my load or crashed claimed I was officially a truck driver now though he didn't know I had the same issue in Mountainous terrain as an unlicensed driver.
However, I don't consider myself a literal "combat veteran". I don't have much in-the-way of war stories. Most exciting stuff happened first mission to Speicher. We trained on by a National Guard unit from North Carolina which was the unit we were replacing in the JLTF. I probably couldn't have asked for a better co-driver who was awarded a medal for what I'm about to detail. On the way in to Speicher -- I remember this happened under a bridge. The Convoy Commander vehicle was hit by an IED. My Platoon LT (LTs didn't go on Convoys very often) was being trained as a Convoy Commander. We were a rear bobtail, in our unit 2 bobtails were the Maintaince vehicle & the Assistant Convoy Commander.
I can't remember who was the ACC, I don't believe it was my driver given that they wouldn't train an E-2 to be an ACC and he was a specialist. Though he behaved like one. The rear gun truck stayed with vehicle, as we drove by my LT was standing outside the vehicle looking around shaking so bad w/ his weapon it looked like he was about to drop it.
My co-driver expressed outrage over the rear gun truck "leaving the back door open" so he took control of it. The convoy moved past the where the blast occurred & stationed. I can't remember much after this but for some reason, I didn't appear to be a good idea in hindsight given that the M915A2 are "level 3" up-armour but he had me come outside the vehicle, position myself on the catwalk & watch w/ my M16 while he radioed in coordinates. Meanwhile it is just dark and I couldn't see anything, I never really could given that we primarily drove at night. Sometimes we drove the Southern "Tampa" in daylight but unless we spent hours waiting for EOD (they drive incredibly slow ultra bright light vehicle 5mph).
An IED also struck a vehicle, same convoy leaving Speicher. Not much here, a bobtail took the trailer turned around to Speicher. the Drivers were transported back to Kuwait.
Outside of that one mission with small arms fire. 2 others with attempted TCN truck hijackings. Those a long with the small arms fire the TCNs (foreign migrant workers subcontracted by Private defense contractors). I remember my co-driver was the TCN whatever the title, they rely details from convoy briefs to the TCN supervisor(makes $600/month as opposed to $300) of the other TCNs, usually the one that understands the most English. I remember he continued giving me helpful advice over-the-course. One which I had no intention otherwise was a lot of soldiers treat with TCNs with disrespect, racist behavior says there is no need for that. Nice, hard-working people urged me to treat them with respect. Overall the NC national guard unit was pretty solid based on my impressions when all the active duty units I was familiar with were broken depending on leadership but the good ones were more rare or benefited their units against regulations (such as a commander in a Batallion unit giving heads up on urine tests -- he was later busted down from Captain to LT for relations with a lower enlisted soldier overseas.
Ridiculous O'Reilly telling war stories, I don't have any heroic stories to tell nor would I make one up. I think my most interesting stories are descriptions of cities, country side, office politics, local politics.
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