News 3 Special Assignment: Baghdad
Jan. 14, 2004
News 3 Returns From Special Assignment: Iraq
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Soldier Describes Scene Where Rachel Bosveld DiedFrom Baghdad IRAQI MEN AT FIREARMS TRAINING: 6,000 Glock 9mm pistols have been handed out to the new Iraqi Police Force. Hundreds of wanna be officers come to the 32nd's Glock Range every day. They must prove to be efficient with the weapon and qualify. If they do, at the end of the day they walk home with a new $500 Glock Pistol and 45 rounds of ammunition.The men are greatly motivated to win the Glock...the preferred sidearm for the 32nd. Although our troops carry the Berretta which they consider inferior. It's heavier and all metal and HOT during the 145 degree days. They also feel the Glock is more durable.
Some of the Iraqi men admit they may sell their weapon to net them much needed cash. Some of them take their weapons home and are so excited they've qualified...shoot up all the ammo in the air to celebrate. It's very common to shoot firearms in the air here during celebrations.We've all seen the hoopla on the day Hussein was overthrown and again when he was captured. The problem for the Iraqi Officers then is that they're out of ammo and try to get more from the US troops but are denied. They often try to get black market ammo and several of the weapons have been damaged due to improper bullets.I witnessed the safety training...it was intense and extremely well carried out by the MP's and their Iraqi interpreters.Bottom line...the Iraqi's are not very good shots. I witnessed one man who did not hit a target out of 99 shots. He failed, didn't collect and likely will not be an officer. I think that'd be a good thing.I learned from our troops that many of the Iraqi officers are terrible shots. In one instance there was a firefight in one of the small towns here....where several officers were shooting at a suspect who was also firing back. The 32nd troop told me that after at least one hundred shots were exchange....no one on either side was hit. Part of the lack of skill amongst current officers on the force...under Saddam they never had money for bullets.Just like rebuilding this country will take time and patience...so will making their officers competent gun handlers. And, thanks to the 32nd.....thousands of them are well on their way to proficiency.-John Karcher, News 3 
Iraqi Firearms Training Date: Jan. 14, 2004
From Baghdad
TRAFFIC JAM: Throughout the city its not uncommon to see HUGE backups and delays. It's a city with millions of people and a very poor transportation system in terms of roads.However, this big tie up was caused by people in line at the gas station. There were dozens of cars waiting. By the way, gas is ten cents a gallon.-John Karcher, News 3 Long Gas Lines In Iraq Date: Jan. 14, 2004
From Baghdad IT'S AS POOR AS IT GETS. It was exhilarating to come into war torn Baghdad but at the same time one of the most depressing scenes I've witnessed. Mile after Mile after Mile of dirty and debris and the stench of Poverty.
Children playing in nasty muddy streets......homes in disrepair, poorly clothed citizens, hundreds of people sitting around or running their small shops selling who knows what.Just miles away the wealth and excess of Saddam that lies in rubble in in Palace compound. It's clear these people live on pennies and I wondered how long it will take and how much it will cost to improve conditions. Despite the dire situation, Iraqis remain hopeful and happy and chant "U.S.A." as you drive by and give a big thumbs up. Their way of saying thank you for what you've done.......and, what you're trying to do.-John Karcher, News 3 SLIDESHOW: As Poor As It Gets Date: Jan. 14, 2004
From Baghdad
THE FACES OF NEW IRAQ: They are all age groups. Some are educated some are not. They are all men seeking a new beginning after the overthrow of Saddam Hussein. For decades they earned pennies and had no future. Today they begin a new life with new hope.
They are learning to become officers in the Iraqi Police Force that is being selected, trained and monitored in every facet of Law Enforcement by members of Wisconsin's very own 32nd Military Police Unit.Thousands of them flock to the Police Academy daily to learn if they've got what it takes to become an officer. The 32nd runs a background check.But unlike exhaustive checks that can be done on you me the investigations only scratch the surface of these men...as they don't have backgrounds. They were nobodys.... with nothing under Hussein.They are hard workers, eager to learn and happy to earn $15 dollars a day as an officer.....far more than they ever made in their life. For some, its a first job. For all, it's a future...FINALLY.-John Karcher, News 3 SLIDESHOW: Faces Of The New Iraq Date: Jan. 14, 2004
From Baghdad It's here (in the computer lab) that the soldiers laugh and cry and have the closest link to their loved ones. Many chat live on line using things like Yahoo Messenger or AOL Messenger. They wear headsets that have microphones. The lab has 8 computers and one printer.
The images and text are fed via sattelite. It's a rather slow process and I've found that when I'm uploading pictures from the trip...it slows down everyone else's access to the net (Pictured, right: SSG Paul Morrison, 32nd Military Police, of Wisconsin Rapids. He's an Adams County Sheriff's Deputy.) They're used to the delays. Quite frustrating is when power goes out. And that happens daily.The room goes black....computers shut down...and there's a colletive groan as all that they were working on is lost. Keeping in touch with family and friends is unreal in this day and age. I'm sure our older veterans wish they would have had such equipment during WWII or Vietnam.I recall during the latter having to go to a Dominican Sister convent on Guam to use short wave radio to my Mother in Milwaukee. We hooked up to an operator in San Francisco...who then had some kind of patch to a phone line. We had to say "over" every time we were done saying something.
There was one strict requirement...I was not able to talk about my "mission" with my mother or give out any details about whats going on militarily. (Pictured, left: Erik Dalma, 32nd Military Police of Madison. He's a Madison police officer.) She wasn't given the same mandate and the phone conversation was cut off by the military when she told me about my friend Mike Walsh (Blain's son) who was on the USS Coral Sea (air craft carrier) off the coast of Vietnam and, what he was up to.That doesn't happen anymore....although certain details of what is happening here in Iraq I'm certain are not shared via emails.The food here is pretty good! I had lamb chops last night, chili dogs for lunch. The troops complain about military chow as they have for centuries. But, the 32nd is very happy they are not hainvg MRE's. They ate those for months until chow faclities were set up here. Friday is the big meal they all look forward to...surf and turf.I'll be heading off to the Iraqi gun range this morning to see the 32nd train the emergeing Police force. The locals are very excited about becoming police officers. Once they qualify with the Glock 9mm's...they are given a brand new Glock with 40 rounds of ammo. I had to chuckle when I heard that....I thought of Barney Fife. The locals treasure their new weapons.I'll also be visiting one of Saddam's worst (if there is an adjective that fits) torture chambers. it's called the "iron maiden". It was here that Hussein had public executions and torture. I heard one story of an entire soccer team being put into the chamber after losing a game. I get the picture why the US (and locals) wanted this character "out of business".None of the guys seem to know where Saddam is being held. They suspect its offshore on an aircraft carrier. Now, there's some torture: NAVY CHOW.Tell Matt Joseph that he's got a new colleague in the car review business. I've got a Motoring with Karch story ready on the Humvee. The only thing I found is that they don't have CD players. The electronics and communication gear is unreal. And, Live at five crew...tell your fitness guru he needs to get in shape to keep up with the National Guard. I worked out with the troops for a Fit At Five story. I did 4 pull ups and ten situps...then...went to dinner exhausted! They take exercising seriously here and have great gear...looks like a gym. They say it's great stress relief and many boast losing a lot of weight. Although, they admit the real reasons are: they're not getting "mom's" home cooking and haven't had a drop of beer or alcohol as its banned in Iraq. So there's your diet info: stop eating well and cut out the beer.BTW, this morning I'm enjoying some of that starbucks coffee that the crew in fitchburg sent for the troops. It's darn good. You talk about missing coffee...you should have seen the guys go after the 15 pounds of Starbucks ground coffee I brought here. I know its squirreled away in their rooms but fortunately Captain Southworth has a bag and he's treating me to some of it. Also, I tried using my starbucks gift card my kids got me for christmas....it didn't work in Kuwait. I had to put the four venti frap coffee's with three shots of expresso each on my WISC expense account. Carmelyn, (my boss) it'll show up as "dinner".thanks for dialing up Channel 3000. I'll have plenty more several times a day so please come back often. The weather here is great. It's in the 60's during the day and cool at night. Mid October in Wisconsin is what I like to say. For those of you getting ready for the cold snap in Madison this week....too bad! I had shorts and a t-shirt on last night at 10pm.Miss you all.-John Karcher, News 3 Copyright 2005 by Channel 3000. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
