the regulator 2
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7/30/2019 The Regulator 2
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dom to help this Nation build it’s Army and
establish peace that our soldiers may return
home.”
Our prayer complete.. We unfurled the Na-
tion’s color and hoisted them up a make shift
flag pole underneath a perfectly tempered
blue sky...a light breeze extending at full
length this powerful image of the sacrifice
that was required for all we have as Ameri-
cans.
In recognition of the true meaning of
our US Thanksgiving Day federal
holiday our eleven souls stood at the
base of a make shift flagpole as I
read the words of Abraham Lincoln’s
Thanksgiving Proclamation from Oc-
tober 1873. “ In a time of conflict…
far from those we love…” Lincoln’s
words were laden with truth and pen-
etrated to the heart of what we were
gathered to do.
“ To recognize the hand which has staid the
Liberty we experience as Americans.. To ask
forgiveness for taking for granted such great
freedom.. to thank God for our families,
friends, health, wealth, security… to under-
stand and acknowledge that our Heavenly
Father is the source of all our blessings as a
Nation.”
Upon conclusion of the proclamation I said a
prayer that asked God “ to heal … remove
the violence from this land. To ask for wis-
T H A N K S G I V I N G F L A G C E R E M O N Y 9 T H
D I V I S I O
N
M
I T T
T E A M
V O L U M E 2
T H E R E G U L A T O R
I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E :
T H A N K S G I V I N G
F L A G C E R E M O -
N Y
1
C O M M A N D E R ’ S
C O R N E R2
D I V I S I O N ’ S H Q
M A K E S I M -
P R O V E M E N T S
3
A N O T H E R D A Y
A T T H E D O C K S3
T H E M Y S T E R Y
S T O C K I N G S4
D I V I S I O N G E T
A T T E N T I O N
F R O M T H E T O P
4
N E W W A R O N
T E R R O R5
9th Division MiTT advisors
salute the US flag on
Thanksgiving Day.
Cont. on page 6.
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C O M M A N D E R ’ S C O R N E R
to kiss the ground when I hit the first
US airport,” “Can’t wait to hug the wife
and kids,” and “I’m going to eat at
McDonalds everyday,” etc are just a
few of the late night conversations
amongst us all. I included can’t waitto see the family and just relax a little
for a change. To read the paper, have
a casual conversation with my wife,
and play with my kids…..ring in my
mind everyday.
The big news on our end is the arrival
of some of the newest tanks and ar-
mored personnel carriers (BMPs) the
Iraqi Army will ever receive. A gift from
NATO, they arrived on our doorstep
about a month ago. The Iraqis have
been hard at work training on them
and getting them ready to fight the
terrorists. We think these 77 addition-al tanks and 36 BMPs will be just
what the doctor ordered in helping the
Iraqis defeat this insurgency. We also
finally got the Division Headquarters a
new place to live. If you ever watched
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory with
the three grandparents sharing a bed
because their was only one to go
around, you have a good picture of
what we have been dealing with these
last five months. The small headquar-
ters the Iraqis have been sharing is
shall we say, “quaint.” This all ended
yesterday with their brand new head-
quarters finally being turned over tothem. I would venture to say it is prob-
ably the nicest headquarters for any
Iraqi Army Division. Now, the big chal-
lenge will be where to get all the
furniture??
I think I can speak for all of the
team members, when I say we
thank you all for your support. The
morale and motivation continues tostay high knowing that all of you are
praying for us and cheering us on. I
can honestly tell you, if it weren’t for
the support I receive from the home
front, this mission would be much
tougher than it already is. We also
know that Christmas should be
spent together with families and
friends. This year unfortunately
many of us will have to say those
magical words “Merry Christmas”
via email or over the phone. We
wish our situation was different but
in the end, our year in Iraq and thework we are trying to do to get the
Iraqi Army back on its feet we hope
will mean one Gigantic Merry Christ-
mas when we step back in the Unit-
ed States for good. Have a great
Holiday Season and God Bless all of
you for supporting all of the Men
and Women overseas deployed in
support of our Nations war on terror-
ism.
Col John H. Hort
9th Division Senior Advisor
Merry Christmas and Seasons
Greetings from Taji, Iraq home of
the Iraqi 9th Division and the advi-
sor teams who support these sol-
diers. As expected, we have been
very busy these last couple of months with our Iraqi counter-
parts. Being this busy though,
does help the time go by a little
quicker and keeps us always on
our toes around here. As you prob-
ably already know, all of the advi-
sors have become very good at
being multi-functional and multi-
purpose kind of guys. From warri-
ors outside the camp to quelling
riots because of poor Iraqi chow
inside the camp, we have seen it
all. I guess this is par for the
course when you are standing up a
new unit as large as an Army divi-sion. Not sure if we can add too
much of what we are experiencing
to a resume but it will make for
great war stories when we all final-
ly get home.
Speaking of home, we are at the
point in our deployment where
some of the team members are
starting their much deserved leave
back to the States. This is exciting
for all of us knowing that we are at
the stage in our deployment where
our vacations are finally starting. I
can tell you we all talk about leavearound here like it was the Super
Bowl. And to us, it is. Comments
like: “How long do you think it will
take us to get home?” “I’m going
Page 2V O L U M E 2
The 9th Division MiTT Team
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As mentioned in the previous
Regulator, Taji’s land and
buildings were ravaged by
the previous war. The end
result was a severe shortage
of office and sleeping areas.
For the 9th Division this
equaled the majority of the
Division’s officers living and
working out of the same of-
fice. Some times as many as
four to five Iraqi officers lived
together in a one man room!
We must have received a free
pass straight to go, because
some of these problems may
soon end. Some clever
scouting by some of the 9th
Division MiTT Leadership led
to the discovery of an area
big enough to accommodate
this new growing force. This
new area contains an abun-
dant amount of buildings with
more than enough space for
the division’s cramped prob-
lems.
Facilities like the medical
clinic and multiple billets,
essential to the health and
welfare of Iraqi soldiers will
now be closer and more ac-
cessible. It even contains
structures large enough to
perform heavy maintenance
on the tanks and other vehi-
cles assigned to the Division.
The area is being refurbished
but, with a little work and a
lot of paint, Iraqi soldiers will
soon reek the benefits of this
new location. No more will
soldiers have to use their
work desk as dinner tables
and their beds as work sta-
tions. Things are looking
good for the away team.
K A T R I N A L I K E C O N D I T I O N S N O M O R E F O R T H E 9 T H D I V I S I O N
A N O T H E R D A Y A T T H E D O C K S
ti functional Americans!
SSG Baker got this mission
and was personally responsi-
ble for training a team in the
basic operations of the T-72
(a Russian tank) and how to
maneuver this huge vehicle.
Their initial duty was to go to
Kuwait and upload 77 T-72
and 36 BMPs on huge trucks
called HETT’s. Sounds easy
right? “Not the case” Ser-
geant Baker says. The team
had to deal with first the fear
of driving this massive vehi-
cle. Secondly they were un-
der extreme time constraints
by only being able to work at
night.
Fortunately the team was
able to effectively communi-
cate and solve problems
quickly, resulting in a job well
done, well except for maybe
one boo boo.
History was made on 10 No-
vember 2005. The day the 9th
Division received it’s fleet of
new tanks and armored person-
nel carriers (BMPs).
They came as a gift from our
NATO friends and landed in
Kuwait. Because of the current
restriction against Iraq military
traveling to Kuwait, the down-
load of these vehicles from the
ship became a job for the advi-sors. You talk about some mul-
Page 3V O L U M E 2
Tank driving isn’t as easy as it seems
New living quarters for the division
The new Division Headquarters
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It was the 13th day before
Christmas, when all through
the hooch.
You could hear the snores of
soldiers sounding like moose.
All were tired and sleeping in
bed.
Dreaming of division and
what’s ahead.
Thoughts of Friday that half
day off
Darn it’s Sunday my dreams
are lost.
I’m up and can’t sleep what
should I do?
Go to the PX oops it’s past
curfew.
Out in the hall, what’s that
sound.
A loud thump like a mortar
round.
I opened the door and what
did I see.
Red and White stocking for
everyone and me.
I shot a back azimuth trying
to locate the POO (Point of
origin).
When I saw a big belly but
couldn’t guess who?
from the higher echelons in our
government.
In his remarks to the troops he
acknowledged the current situa-
tion here in Iraq and his gratitude
for all the efforts that have been
made by all the soldiers. It was
truly a spiritual lift to all division
advisors seeing our secretary of
the Army engaged with the pro-
gress of the Iraqi Army.
The Secretary of the Army flew
into Camp Taji to visit the sol-
diers of the 9th Division on 24
November. His goal was to gath-
er information on the progress
the MiTT teams have been mak-
ing in the rebuilding stages of
this new fighting force.
It always feels great when all the
hard work the teams here in Iraq
have been doing gets attention
T H E M Y S T E R Y S T O C K I N G S
9 T H D I V I S I O N G E T S A T T E N T I O N
F R O M T H E T O P
Page 4V O L U M E 2
An area search was conduct-
ed he must have got away.
He vanished like Santa on a
slay.
I gathered everyone to ask
the question.
Who is suspect of bring
these blessings.
Still to this day no one knows
who.
Is the bringer of these mys-
tery stockings and how he
disappeared without a clue.
These stockings were mysteriously
hung on each of the team mem-
bers doors.
The Secretary of the Army and the 9th Division Leadership
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Some days feel like a South
West Airline commercial.
When something goes wrong
your waiting for the commen-
tator to say “ Want to get
away”? Don’t worry about it
though, soldiers are some of
the most resourceful people
on Earth.
Like myself, I happen to be
the driver of a huge 25 pas-
senger bus. It has a few
scratches in the paint, and
the rear is dented. Some of
the team members laughed
at the condition of the vehi-
cle, but she’s ok with me.
She serves as my personal
home away from home.
When dead lines and the
pressures of work start to get
too tough, one start of the
engine and a click of the
H O M E O N W H E E L S
N E W W A R O N T E R R O R
Who are these new insur-
gents you might ask? Wellladies and gentlemen, we are
currently at war with flies.
That’s right, Iraq is home to
some of the most aggressive
flying critters on Earth.
I’m surprised the Crocodile
Hunter has not featured
these insects on one of his
episodes. They are every-
where, in your room, the
bathroom, even in your vehi-
cle.
Some how, one of the team
members were able to ac-quire a new device that’s
been our preferred weapon in
our attack against these
vicious creatures.
It’s an electric fly swatter in
the shape of a tennis racket.
The flies are really a nui-
sance, but this has turned
out to be a new sport and a
great form of entertainment.
for the team.
As if the war on terror in Iraq
was not bad enough, the 9thDivision has raged a new
campaign here on Camp Taji.
Through the halls of the MiTT
Headquarters building you
can hear numerous loud zaps
and LTC. Turner screaming
“another KIA” (killed in ac-
tion)! You can also hear the
enthusiasm in SGM Herbert’s
voice as he cheers on the
rally against one of Iraq’s
most notorious insurgents.
Page 5V O L U M E 2
Who said war was easy? Sol-
diers have to overcome the daily
pressures of being without fami-
ly and friends.
We try to remain focused while
accomplishing our individual
duties and multiple taskings. We
realize the importance of our
work and what it means to be a
soldier of the United States.
Radio…. troubles become non-
existent.
A couple of weeks later, more and
more people began ridding the bus
to chow and realized the wonders
of what one bus trip could do. It’s
sort of like therapy, and a great
pressure release valve.
In fact it’s not just a bus ride to
chow any more, we call it the
“magical joy ride” where work is
forgotten and our war torn campleft behind.
SSG Pettigrew wielding the FS-22
(electric fly swatter)
SSG Smith preparing for a Magical
Journey.
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What do you mean a parking ticket?
We played the Star Spangled
Banner and paid respects
with our salutes. This com-
plete, the Flag was taken
down, folded with respect,
and saluted for the last
time....to be encased as a
reminder of this singleThanksgiving day....in a land
far from home....and our
blessings as Americans.
This is one afternoon in a
soldier's life Thanksgiving
Day, the 24th day of Novem-
ber, 2005....
C O N T . F R O M F R O N T P A G E
T H E G O O D T I M E S
Relationships are stronger than ever
This traffic is horrible.
Remember safety first.
Vote Pettigrew for governor
The 9th DIV team members watch as Col. Hort steadies the flag while SGM Herbert attaches it to the flag pole
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