[Chat] News From the Palace - Birthday Edition (10/16 - 10/25)

[william.schlegel at us.army.mil]

Friends,

Once again I engage you all in my feeble effort to share some of my experiences from here in Iraq.  Those in charge seem to object to my taking the time to write this, so I feel like one of those people who used to write novels in prison on small scraps of paper, smuggling them out bit by bit.  Tonight, Saturday 10/18, I may actually have time to make a major dent in this epistle, but I still feel twinges of guilt, as people in charge walk by and seem to disapprove (I am on my own time, now).

This past week has been full of some special events.  Thursday was my 53rd birthday and I began the day by taking my annual Physical Training test at 6:30am.  This test consists of three events: 2 minutes of pushups, 2 minutes of situps, and a 2-mile run.  The score to pass is based on age and gender.  For me, I needed 20 pushups, 28 situps, and a 19:48 2-mile run.  I easily passed the first two events with 32 pushups and 41 situps, but I was very worried about the run. The last time I passed the run was in 1999 and then only with a second to spare.  On Thursday I turned in a time of 19:15 - a full minute better than my time in September, when I took a diagnostic test.  Boy, did I feel relieved when I crossed the line this time.  Being my birthday, I took a few extra hours to recover, rather than rush off to work.  After cooling down, I enjoyed my birthday cupcakes, courtesy of my sister, Beth, complete with candles.  The unit had already sang Happy Birthday before the start
 of the run, so all the customary events took place.  
 
I also found out today that I passed the bodyfat percentage test, as well.  This means I will not be booted out of the Reserves when I return - unlike what was in the offing before I was mobilized.   I will probably still retire, but at least it won't be a forced choice.

Yesterday (10/17) and today I decided to participate in several Jewish celebrations.  The Sukkot and the Simchat Torah, Dancing with the Torah - here is a website that describes the celebrations in more detail:(http://www.shalomctr.org/index.cfm/action/read/section/simch/article/seas46.html). 
http://www.ou.org/chagim/sukkot/intro.htm. "Sukkot commemorates how protective 'Clouds of Glory' surrounded the Jewish people after leaving Egypt during the forty years of wandering in the desert. It also commemorates how the Jews lived in temporary dwellings during that same time. So too we leave the safety and security of our houses and put ourselves under the direct protection of G-d Almighty. His protection, in the final analysis, is the only one that matters"

"About ten centuries ago, the second day of Sh'mini Atzeret was turned into Simchat Torah - a special holy day of joy in the Torah. It celebrates the completion of the annual cycle for reading the Torah - the Five Books of Moses - and it is when we start afresh to read the beginning of the Torah."  

The Jewish congregation here on Camp Victory is very small - about 6 men and one woman.  The rabbi had no problem with me participating and I viewed it as another opportunity to explore my spiritual roots.  Hearing the Hebrew and trying to read it transliterated brought back memories of singing the Bernstein Chichester Psalms.  After the service, we celebrated Kiddush, which is a blessing over wine.  Then we had a small meal of pickles, corned beef sandwiches and fishcakes, and honey bread.

"Kiddush is the ritual of sanctification of the Sabbath and festivals at their beginning, with blessings recited over a cup of wine. The declaration recited at the beginning is known as Kiddush, which means "sanctification". The recitation of the Kiddush is not what endows the Sabbath with its sanctity; the Sabbath was sanctified by God at the Creation. Thus the Kiddush reads " ... God has blessed the Sabbath and sanctified it." Kiddush is rather an acknowledgement, a reminder, of the sanctity of the day in accordance with the biblical commandment, "Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy" (Ex. 20:8), expounded in the Talmud, "Remember it over wine." The text of the Sabbath Kiddush opens with the biblical verses Genesis 2:1-3, and continues with the benediction (brakhah) over the wine, and concludes with the benediction of sanctification: " ... who has sanctified us with His commandments, who has chosen us and bequeathed to us His holy Sabbath as a remembrance of the act o
f Creation ... Blessed is He ... who sanctifies the Sabbath." Kiddush must be recited before the meal, preferably over a cup of wine"

Other events of note since the last letter:

In a note to my cousin, Richard Brown, I said, " BTW, I spoke with Gen Abazaid the other day.  I was coming back from the latrine and noticed a bunch of people standing around some SUVs.  Then I noticed General Abazaid and Lt. General Sanchez standing on the sidewalk.  A little while later the General got into one of the SUVs, but before he left I walked over and stood by the door.  He opened the door and, after introducing myself, I told him that I was your cousin and that you sent your regards.  He asked what you were doing and I said you had a sign-making business.  He said to let you know that he might call you for a job when he retires.  He then asked me what I did over here and I told him.  He was very genuine and seemed pleased that I had taken time to speak with him.  He also mentioned the 30-year reunion, which I believe you said you attended."  General Abazaid (4-stars) is the commander of CENTCOM and LTG Sanchez (3-stars) is the commander of V CORPS and CJTF-7 (Co
alition Joint Task Force 7).  General Abazaid and my cousin both graduated from West Point in 1973.  Rick left the Army in 1978, as a Captain.

It is cooling down over here - actually quite pleasant except at midday.  A hurricane might be welcome - at least the rain.  We have not had rain since June and that was merely a 10-minute sprinkling of mostly raindrops coated with dust.  I am amazed that the date palms are still surviving - along with the dates, which are delicious!  I pick a handful several times a week, wash them off, pop them in my mouth, and then discretely dispose of the tiny seed (similar to an olive pit) inside.  I had some the other night which some locals had picked and let ripen completely - they were really good.  I would do the same, but my roommates might object, since the ripening dates might draw flies or rodents.  I am now saving the cleaned seeds for making into jewelry - they polish real well I am told.  The date palm is now depicted on one of the new Iraqi Dinar notes, as a symbol of Iraq's former dominance of the international date market.  Over 600 varieties grow here!

On 9/19, I was asked to sing the National Anthem for the change in command ceremony for Alpha Company, 302nd MI BN, which my unit augments.  It went very well and someone even heard an explosion just as I finished singing "And bombs bursting in air".  It was quite an honor to be asked to participate.  Unfortunately, the festivity of this ceremony was overcome by events of the next day.

Sunday morning, 9/21, the battalion commander told us that two soldiers were killed and several seriously injured in a mortar attack at a prison complex about 12 miles west of where I live.  I knew one of the soldiers killed, though not well, and one of the soldiers injured was in in my own unit.  On the following Thursday, I was asked to sing a musical tribute to the two soldiers during the memorial service scheduled for the following day.  I had been thinking of what I could sing and the Pie Jesu, by Faure, kept running through my mind, but I had no music.  On Thursday afternoon, when it was confirmed that I would sing, I started using Google to look for the text and possibly the notes.  After about 15 minutes I found the website of Arnold vander Nat: http://orion.it.luc.edu/~avande1/piejesu.html, where there were not only the words and notes, but the MIDI file to go with it.  I cannot begin to tell say how thankful I was to be able to properly prepare Faure's moving piece
 - so appropriate to our service.  I may not have given the piece full justice, but I tried, and over 200 people were able to reflect on it for themselves.

As of 9/22 I am officially in a new group at IRS and under a new Area Manager in Cincinatti.  My group manager is the same, but my group members have changed.  I chose this option back in the Spring, but the decision was not final until July.  I will be doing the same work as before I left on deployment, that is why I made the choice.  Apparently a lot of people made the same election, but were not selected due to their lack of seniority.  I am almost the senior EP person in my function and almost in Baltimore.  Lonnie Belt is a few months ahead of me.

In closing, I will direct you to a few items of interest.  From an e-mail which said, "Saddam didn't read this".

"This is something to think about! Since America is  typically represented by an eagle. Saddam should have read up on  his Muslim passages... The following verse is from the Quran, (the  Islamic Bible) Quran (9:11) --
   "For it is written that a son of Arabia would  awaken a fearsome Eagle. The wrath of the Eagle    
    would be felt throughout  the lands of Allah and lo, while some of the people trembled in 
    despair still  more rejoiced; for the wrath of the Eagle cleansed the lands of Allah; and  there 
    was peace.

Note the verse  number!!!!!)  (I did not have a chance to vet this, so one of you Quran scholars may come back with the "bull-s--t flag")

For those of you interested in the political and civil affairs situation over here, I recommend this website for the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA):  http://www.cpa-iraq.org. Check out the pictures and descriptions of the new Iraqi Dinar.  

Despite all of the turmoil, I truly believe Iraq will become a model nation in a few years - the potential is here, along with the history.  I look forward to returning in 10 years to tour the sights.  I cannot say that I will miss the work here, but I do not regret having had the opportunity to serve.  I would not have had it any other way.  Unfortunately, I feel like I have not really accomplished a lot and I believe that much of that feeling stems from the lack of certainty in the information I look at each day.  My most recent project involved assessing the security issues revolving around the exchange of old Iraqi money (bearing Saddam's portrait) for new money.  I really enjoyed working on that because I could focus on economic and people-oriented concerns.   Today (10/25), I reviewed a State Department survey if 1400 Iraqi residents in 7 major cities.  The good news is that over 90% of these residents support democratic values and woman's rights.  They also favor havi
ng a government made up of professional and compassionate people, such as doctors, scientists, lawyers, and judges.  Some, primarily in the Shi'a areas of southern Iraq would favor an Islamic State, but still with democratic values.

Next Saturday we have another talent show, but I'm afraid it may be too late for me to take part.  I located a website with some Halloween music, but the logistics of getting it from the owner are beyond my capabilities.  I do have a couple of other friends, Willie Silva and MSG Delagarza, the doo-whop king, also working on getting a program together, but we have less than a week left to pull it off.  I plan to go regardless - all I need is a mask. 
A friend of mine has designed a website where you can find pictures and other items of interest regarding my tour over here. The address is:
<http://home.earthlink.net/~wbsphotos/> I also recommend my HQ website at <http://www.vcorps.army.mil/www/default.htm.> For those who want the British perspective on the war you might browse here: <http://observer.guardian.co.uk/iraq/story/0,12239,1015729,00.html>
<http://observer.guardian.co.uk/iraq/story/0,12239,1028396,00.html>

One more site: <http://www.hqusareur.army.mil/htmlinks/Press_Releases/2003/Aug2003/12Aug2003-02.htm>

Seeing as this may be my last long newsletter, I once again want to thank all of you who wrote, either by snail mail or e-mail, or sent care packages.  I believe I was one of the best-provisioned soldiers over here.  The shame is that we have so much excess at this point and I only hope that we can donate it to others who will use it.  

Please forward this to other people who might enjoy reading it.

>From the Palace,

Brad

 PS:   I am letting everyone know my new mailing address. The zipcode is now 09342.  Here is the full address:

CW4 Schlegel, William                       william.schlegel at us.army.mil  
V CORPS Main, A Co/325th MI BN 
 APO, AE 09342 

However, please do not send any mail after 10/29 and no more packages!!  We are still waiting to find out when we are leaving, though absent any last-minute changes, it will be around 20 Nov from here, 9 Dec from Kuwait, and 15 Dec from Ft. Dix, NJ.