Random tidbits from my exactly one year in Iraq, Vol. 1

2NOV2021; 1921, TUE

As the jam goes, "Got the club going up, on a Tuesday!" Seriously tho, this is a labor love somewhat reminiscent of my days "embracing the suck", pause.

While it may be common knowledge among us Grunts, I believe that I failed to disclose that the U.S. Army is a nocturnal expeditionary force. If we were about to do a "snatch and grab" on someone unlucky enough to be our primary target, chances are the sun had set a while back.

That being the case, I'm finna briefly brief y'all on several of the night time missions that I barely remember from July 25, 2009 to July 25, 2010. Fun fact: If we would've stayed just one more day, I'd gotten a decent sized bonus.

That's how I knew that the plain was headed "Back to the World" on that very day. I digress.

The first mission that I remember taking part in after my two weeks R&R (Rest and Recuperation/Relaxation) was my very last one with recon, and I'd barely been back "Down Range" a few hours, if memory serves me right.

Ya wanna talk about a bamma being on edge? Just the mere thought of me tryna explain how I (potentially) got hit by something after not even being back a full day...

It gets better tho! We always trained the drivers to drive off of a thermal screen instead of the super bulky and absolutely awkward NVG's in such a cramped space.

Wouldn't you know it, my lowest bidder made thermal screen was malfunctioning bad; and I couldn't figure out how to fix it on my own for whatever reason. I won't say exactly what happened to it, but rest assured that I almost got (illegitimately) blamed for the mishap.

Not only was I zipping and zooming in a ~32 ton truck, known as a Stryker without being able to see hardly; tho, I had the entire sniper section in the back hoping and praying that we didn't crash nor get blown up. "No pressure."

So, I'm feasibly gonna turn this into another trilogy since that's just one of seven night missions that I vaguely remember. "And now, back to our regularly scheduled program."

The first and only time that I intentionally pointed a firearm at another individual was a night op that I really and truly could've gotten my face blown off in. Not only did I have the audacity to assume that all my equipment was up to par; tho, I actually rolled outside the wire as if I had carefully made sure everything was on point.

I was in the trailing vehicle in a routine(?) Recon patrol, manning one of our machine guns. While we're waiting for the Iraqi Army (IA's) to let us on their base that we had driven to from our FOB (Forward Operating Base), a random POV (Privately Owned Vehicle) pops up out of nowhere.

Of course, I'm the only one to see him, and I'll be damned if I didn't have any working batteries in my "lightsaber" (or huge, green laser pointer) that I borrowed from a sniper team leader (TL). In the meantime between time of my grabbing for and tryna troubleshoot it, this POV is steadily getting closer.

My hands as well as arms waving in the air barely slowed down the "Hajji" driving the vehicle towards me and my fellow Recon guys. "It was at this point, that [Darrius] knew, he'd (expletive) up."

In all seriousness, I made the judgment call to bring my machine gun from its resting position of pointing at the sky; and quickly aimed it at "Speed Racer" without alerting anyone else to the situation. Don't be like me.

Thankfully, he got the hint right before I cocked my weapon and whatnot. I got chewed out a bit for letting him get so close covertly; but the rest of the mission went fairly well if I remember right.

"Tune in next week, fine folks; for more adventures of [The Nefarious Darrius]." Goodnight, gorgeous guys and gals.

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Prayerfully, someone somewhere gets something pertinent (re: useful) from this post. If that somebody's you, then please think about considering a Like/Tip/Share/Sub, and/or checking out some of my other posts.

Also, if you're in the market for an article of clothing or two, there's a link in my bio. Please don't think for a minute that I will be unappreciative of any all who "look out for the cookout".

TIA (Thx In Advance). Peaceful Tidings.

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