It seems like months since I posted last, but it's really only been 18 days. I understand that is a long time to go without a blog entry from me, so I understand your excitement to have a new post to read. I must beg your forgiveness for the absence, although it hasn't really been my fault. Unfortunately the power adapter on my laptop (which was a replacement of the original) finally gave up the ghost on me, and I had to order a new one from the Interwebs. Thankfully there was nothing else wrong with the laptop (besides the fact that the mike doesn't work and the speakers are losing strength, but I digress) and when I plugged in the new adapter it sprung to life.
Since my last post a lot has happened. The 4th of July came and went, the US Women's team made an inspirational run to the World Cup Final, Albert Pujols broke his wrist and healed, and Darren Clarke won The Open. Of course, Clarke literally just finished winning The Open, and our USA women are getting ready to take the field, so hopefully I don't curse them by mentioning the team here.
For one reason or another, this was my first 4th of July spent deployed. In my previous deployments I've been lucky enough to miss most of the summer. Not so much on this go round. We were given a "minimal manning" day, which meant we got the afternoon off and were able to relax a little bit. The DFAC (dining facility) put out a pretty good spread, hanging up all kinds of red, white, and blue bunting, American flags on all the tables, things like that. I always wonder what the contractors who work in the DFAC think about our American holidays (they are almost all Third Country Nationals from Asian countries like Bangladesh, India, etc). It also gives me cause for reflection. Will Iraq ever have a day they celebrate as their "Independence Day"? What will this country be like in 10, 20, or 50 years? If you look at our history, we didn't just spring from 1776 to the world's lone superpower. We have several moments in our history that we shouldn't be proud of. I wonder if the current insurgent violence and illegal militias in Iraq are a sign of their own troubled times, or a permanent state of struggle that will take decades to change. Speaking in terms of the World Cup, one can only hope that in 65 years, Iraq could be playing Kuwait in soccer at a field in Iran, with all three countries at peace.
Of course, I also reflect on the state of our own country. I see and hear bits and pieces of the "Debt Crisis" debates and it really just depresses me. I think our founders would shake their heads in disbelief if they could see how poisonous our politics have become. It's really too bad that those in Washington can't remember the spirit of 1776 and how people of all political stripes, from liberal northeasterners, to plantation born southerners, and frontier folks who had already begun exploring the west came together and signed a document that would have had them all hanged had the war turned out differently. We can be great again, but it's not happening anytime soon with our current representation.
By now, you're wondering what in the heck the title of my post means. You've read this far, probably hoping for some juicy description of killing bad guys, or cracking down on militant religious fanatics. Unfortunately, the Cycle of Violence refers to a process I've been deeply involved in over the past 3 weeks, called the Joint Plans and Operations cycle. Anytime there is a big decision to be made by the USF-I Commanding General (4-star General Lloyd Austin), a briefing has to be developed and delivered to the Joint Plans and Operations Group, a room full of Colonels chaired by a 1-star who pick the briefing apart, ask a lot of questions, and decide whether it is good enough to go forward. If it is, the briefer goes back and makes changes and then briefs another group, this time called the Joint Plans and Operations Council, a room full of one and two star generals chaired by two 3-stars. These guys are the Deputy Commanding Generals for USF-I, and they do the same thing as the previous group, from a more strategic perspective. If the briefing passes their scrutiny the briefer is cleared to take it to the Joint Plans and Operations Huddle, a small group of generals with a colonel or two in the CG's office. The briefer delivers the brief one on one with the 4-star and if he approves, it is then briefed again, one final time, at the Joint Plans and Operations Board, the full complement of USF-I leadership. The CG usually makes his decision at that time. My involvement with this mind numbing process was building each version of the brief for my Colonel boss to give at each level. I can't tell you what the decision was about, but it was a very interesting process, and it taught me a lot about how the Army operates. We're a "Joint" community (meaning we have Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine forces in USF-I), but most of the processes have Army roots.
I wasn't planning on boring everyone describing that process, but Ashley said I should, so if it sucked, blame her. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to go watch the USA take down Japan. Until next time...
