River City, Memoirs of a Combat Chief Information Officer

By LTC Martin Dale Hunt

In July 2006, Martin Hunt was a successful software sales professional with a wife, two sons, a happy life in Seattle, and a commitment to the U.S. Army that he was not sure he’d ever be called on to fulfill. A year later he was a resident of Camp Ramadi, a dusty outpost at the epicenter of Operation Iraqi Freedom. A senior officer surrounded by young men charged with the highly dangerous task of clearing improvised explosive devices from supply routes, Hunt soon grew to dread the call “River City” — the code for incoming casualties. Trapped between his “real” life in Seattle, visited through Skype and a furlough that seemed over before it began, and the hell of “River City,” Hunt provides a window into the paradigm-shifting experience of deployment in the War on Terror: a story of faith, love, and life, interrupted.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu Publishing Services
• Release date: Oct 24, 2017
• ISBN: 9781483474816

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RIVER CITY

Memoirs of a Combat Chief Information Officer

LTC Martin D. Hunt

Copyright © 2017 Martin Dale Hunt.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted by any means—whether auditory, graphic, mechanical, or electronic—without written permission of the author, except in the case of brief excerpts used in critical articles and reviews. Unauthorized reproduction of any part of this work is illegal and is punishable by law.

Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

ISBN: 978-1-4834-7482-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4834-7481-6 (e)

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Lulu Publishing Services rev. date: 9/14/2017

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Dedication

To the one true love of my life for her gift of light through all the darkness.

My two wonderful boys with their unwavering strength and ability to adapt and overcome.

My sisters Julie and Shannon for their love…until I see you in Heaven Jules – this is for you.

My father for his encouragement and my very special mother – I love you Mom…

Your loving husband, father, brother, son…soldier.

From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked

Jesus

Acknowledgements

Thank you to my family and friends for the encouragement in finally getting this project completed.

Thank you Dean and Christy Nadalin for your incredible contributions of artwork and editorial insight. For teaching me to keep my finger off the Shift key and the meaning of friendship.

Thank you SGT John Julander for your incredible cover design and truly unwavering and positive attitude.

Finally, thank you to each and every soldier who served with me during this tough deployment, you all served proudly and are all my heroes.

Foreword

Stress. Brotherhood. Grief. River city.

I first met Martin Hunt in early 2006 at a Staff Exercise (StaffEx) that was set up to introduce and integrate the battalion staff prior to the unit’s train up exercise at the National Training Center and ultimately our deployment into Iraq. Starting in early 2003, the 321st Engineer Battalion was designated as a donor unit that would provide individual personnel to fill vacant positions in other units that were deploying to Iraq or Afghanistan. Consequently, when the battalion was alerted for mobilization in the opening months of 2006, the battalion staff that would normally have 18 officers and non-commissioned officers (NCOs) only had 4 positions filled and the remaining vacancies had to be filled by pulling personnel in from other units. This process was called cross leveling and was a common practice at the time. Major Hunt was one of 14 cross leveled soldiers that were assigned to round out the staff. Realizing this group of people had largely never met each other and now had to be working closely together as a team, a StaffEx was planned to start the integration and teaming process.

Another artifact of the previous two years of cross leveling was officers that had not deployed already, who had the correct technical skills, and who had the correct rank for the vacant positions were more difficult to find. To overcome this, officers of a higher rank were selected to fill positions normally assumed by someone of a lower rank. This resulted in an unusually rank heavy structure across the battalion. A typical battalion will have a Lieutenant Colonel as the commander with a major as the Executive Officer, and a major as the operations officer. The 321st, known as Task Force Pathfinder, arrived in Iraq with eight majors. This provided a significant advantage to the Task Force (TF) with a more senior crew of experienced problem solvers.

Against this backdrop, Martin Hunt relates the diverse and often surrealistic experiences of the deployment milieu. Contradicting and polar opposites frequently occurring almost simultaneously. Humor and grief. Boredom and adrenaline. Anger and compassion. But the context behind his memoirs goes deeper than that. Late 2006 and early 2007 was a pivotal time in Iraq. The IED fight for the entire Iraq conflict peaked in March 2007, the mid-point of our deployment. History was being made and although we didn’t realize it at the time, TF Pathfinder was at the point of change where the tide of war in Iraq turned. Many of our missions directly supported the profound events which later proved the leading edge of the winning strategy first implemented in Al Anbar and then progressively throughout Iraq.

River City, Memoirs of a Combat Chief Information Officer provides unique and highly personal insights and perspectives into the challenging, complex environment of modern counter insurgency. In the dynamic, chaotic, anxiety ridden forge of combat operations, some deep and enduring personal relationships are formed while others are utterly shredded. Everyone aged noticeably when comparing photos from our deployment prep with ones from the end of the deployment — and some did not come home. It’s all captured in "River City".

Essayons!

COL Dave Niesen

Pathfinder 3

Preface

The sky was dark; the road ahead was steep and the cliffs jetted endlessly skyward on either side. The vegetation was sparse and the road began to transition into a long, dark tunnel. The air was stale, the colors a dim dusty gray and brown. I walked with growing unease though I longed to embrace its depths. Overcome with helplessness, I looked around and turned to see a path leading up the cliff and stepped toward it. Water rushed from the tunnel as I stepped up and hands grasped at my legs attempting to hold me back until water swept them away behind me. I climbed. Reaching the top, I gazed across a vast hazy brown landscape. Small towns dotted the horizon and farmlands outlined with small berms of dirt, colorless, spread beyond what I could see. This land, this shadowy place struck a fear in me I could not comprehend, a fear that stayed with me when I awoke. A fear I was yet to experience.

The dream was still fresh as I opened the front door and breathed the cold, brisk air. There are some dreams which never leave, they grab your soul and hold it tightly until only time fades them away. The sky was gray and the rain fell lightly, a day much like every other in the Pacific Northwest. A quick kiss to Lori, hugs to the boys and off to another appointment, another presentation, another demonstration, a possible sale. For the last several years I had been working as a pre-sales software engineer for FileNet, a prominent software company. The boys were thriving; Lori was in school and money was never a worry. Life was good. I guess the only thing missing was more fishing on the boat and more backpacking in the mountains.

Traffic was light as I traveled 405 to meet my salesman at Starbucks for a quick coffee and strategy session prior to our meeting. A sunbeam twinkle caught my eye from across the waves of Lake Washington when my mobile phone rang. It was Lieutenant Colonel McConnell (my current Army Reserve unit commander), with news I was not expecting.

I received a call from the Army Regional Support Command today. You have been selected to serve in Iraq as the Communications and Electronics Officer (known as the S-6) for the 321st Combat Engineers.

Combat Engineers, I said, feeling butterflies fill my stomach and sweat begin forming.

Look at it this way Major Hunt, at least it’s a combat unit. Your final location in Iraq is classified but you will be deployed for over one year.

Are you serious? I said, thinking it had to be a joke of some kind.

Yes Major Hunt, you will be receiving a call from Lieutenant Colonel Hoxie, he is now your new Commander.

The beam of light was gone from the lake and traffic thickened to a crawl. Clouds filled my mind and the rain began to fall as tears down my face. I knew in my heart what this meant. With a single phone call, my life was changed and it would never be the same. I had to pull over. With my stomach tightening and sweat increasing, I didn’t know how to feel, let alone act. Where do you begin, what questions do you ask first, what feelings should I have? Am I brave, happy, excited, apprehensive? How do I tell Lori and the boys? In my heart, I knew this day could come, in my mind I wished it never would.

And I still had work to do and minutes later found myself standing in front of a customer going through the motions of a software sales demonstration. Trouble was, my attention was lost, my focus gone, my mind in another place. I remembered the dream. Was it a glimpse of the future? I could see the eyes of my colleague Shawn focus on me in a concentrated stare, clearly wondering Martin? Where is your head?

Shawn was a tall, stout college football jock with an aggressive, lie today and apologize tomorrow sales mentality. He accepted nothing less than perfection from his technical sales team, expecting them to hit the mark every time. We worked well together, a money-making machine—and had already surpassed 2 million in sales and were hungry for more. But on this day, we failed. We didn’t know it at the time, but our run was over.

For several months after receiving notice of deployment, I kept the secret from my employer for fear of losing my job. I had to keep working until the end, we had bills to pay. Sales plummeted. Finally, I conceded three months before my scheduled departure. What’s gotten into you Martin? Shawn asked. Is it Lori, the kids, what? I had to answer him. Staring out a high-rise window in Portland, I told him the news. His head dropped. I knew it, he said.

Later that week I broke the news to FileNet and to my surprise, they were very gracious and understanding. Although they moved quickly to replace me, I was not fired. In fact, Shawn and I won the President’s Club trip to Fiji in recognition of our sales for the year, all expenses paid.

Fiji was, as Fiji is, a wonderfully enchanting place, full of beauty and warmth. A paradise. Gracious recognition of my future adventure to Iraq was given me in a large meeting in Fiji with all the company executives and President’s Club winners. My time with Lori was, although too short, indulgent and magical. I felt if I’d never see her again, at least we had this. I tried as best I could to take in every moment, every hour, every kiss, but the lingering dread of what lay ahead persisted.

At this point, the only thing I knew about my future was the unit to which I was assigned, the job I was expected to perform and to where I would be sent. As a grown man with a family and an established life, I was second-guessing the decision I had made 18 years earlier. But I accepted my duty without hesitation or question.

With each passing day as the time grew near, my personality began to change. My transition from a one-weekend-a-month career soldier to an active duty soldier in a combat zone overwhelmed my thoughts. Every day, every minute, I focused on the war; the people, the place, the heat, the fear and always felt a steady lingering dread. In 2006, the war was escalating; the insurgents were in a frenzy. Soldiers were routinely returning home in body bags or with missing limbs. My fear grew until it seemed overwhelming. I was a father, a husband, a man with a successful civilian career. I grew up in a small town and went to a party college in San Diego. I joined Army ROTC to fly helicopters but the Army thought I’d be a better infantry officer. I never thought I would ever actually get called to active duty — what was I thinking? I could feel distance grow in my relationships as I began mentally preparing myself for what lay ahead. It had become the deepest sense of dread I had ever known.

For 16 years, Lori and I had enjoyed a strong, healthy marriage filled with love, life and happiness. Never perfect but always loving. As D day approached, the bricks in the wall between us began to stack. Her natural defense mechanisms were bubbling to the surface and her anger toward the Army grew as her safety net crumbled around her. For the third time now, she was attending school to become a nurse, her first two attempts ending in maternity leave. Now my impending deployment would force her to abandon her studies for a third time. There was nothing I could do to ease her concern at the prospect of becoming a single parent, nor ease her fears for my safety. As time grew shorter, her emotions became increasingly stronger and more apparent. We talked less and worried more. I knew her strength and her faith would get her through. I needed to focus my own feelings on preparing for whatever part I might play in this adventure.

Kids can be, at least on the surface, very resilient. Their ability to adapt to adversity is remarkable. Our two young boys, Wyatt and Seth, were no exception and remained positive and supportive. Perhaps they were too young to comprehend the realities of the situation, but I knew in my heart they would be fine. Of all that I would leave behind, I knew it was that year of their little lives I would miss the most.

In every war, there are stories. Every soldier experiences them differently even though they may have stood side by side. This is not a hero’s story, not a story of great adventure nor Hollywood glamorized combat. This is simply my story, in my words and of my life and experience with the most heroic unit I have ever been privileged to be a part of: the 321st. It is written without the heavy hand of a professional editor to retain its authenticity. It’s a story of love, life and loss.

Introduction

Throughout the writings of these memoirs you will encounter excerpts directly from the actual Department of the Army (DA) Form 7594, Unit Award Recommendation, submitted to the Department of the Army for a Valorous Unit Award (VUA). This award is the equivalent of a Silver Star on the battlefield but at a unit level. Below is the beginning narrative of the award recommendation which provides initial background of the challenges we faced as the 321st. The VUA was ultimately awarded on 22 Nov 2009 for extraordinary heroism in action against armed enemies in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Excerpt from DA Form 7894, Unit Award Recommendation:

Task Force 321 Engineers (Task Force Pathfinder) deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom 06-08 on 21 September 2006. It was comprised of HHC, A, and B companies of the 321st Engineer Battalion (C)(C)(M), a United States Army Reserve unit headquartered in Boise, Idaho. Charlie Company, 397th Engineer Battalion from Madison, Wisconsin, and the 718th Engineer Company from Ft. Benning, Georgia. The Unit began its immediate integration with 1st Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF), and completed relief in place/transfer of authority (RIP/TOA) with Task Force 54th Engineers on 21 October 2006. The letter companies all conducted route clearance missions beginning with 7 route clearance teams and progressing to 9 teams over the duration of the deployment. The 7l8th Engineer Company conducted horizontal construction projects all over Anbar province, often in unsecured areas. Additionally, the 718th Engineer Company served as one of the Task Force primary convoy security teams.

The Threat:

The traditional route clearance methodology used by route clearance teams across Iraq relies on change detection to locate IEDs. Most teams operate predominately on paved, heavily trafficked, and routinely cleared primary lines of communication where the main threat is surface laid IEDs. By traveling the same route repeatedly, teams could detect change and locate the IEDs. In Multi-National Force-West (MNF-W), Task Force Pathfinder routinely conducted route clearance missions in direct support of maneuver forces enabling them to achieve tactical objectives. The routes typically traversed by Task Force Pathfinder were debris laden city streets in an extremely hostile urban environment or unimproved secondary routes in rural terrain that