A reporter in Iraq follows the example of Sam Walton.
The Command Sergeant Major is the right-hand man of the top General in Iraq, the premiere Non-commissioned Officer for every Soldier, Marine, Airman and Naval enlisted person. This includes all Coalition members such as the Poles, the Estonians, Koreans, and all the rest. In other words, Mellinger is Alpha. His principle job is to walk the line, whether it be in combat in Mosul, or a ship in the Arabian Gulf. Because he walked the line, he was the man; and his first question to me was, “Who are you?”
My passport was already opened to the page-I did not yet have an ID card-and I handed it over to him, saying I am an author and wanted to go to Tikrit. I asked if he was headed that way. “You aren’t one of those journalists who will sit in a Baghdad hotel room and write about the war, are you?” It was as much accusation as question.
“Sergeant Major,” I said, “I didn’t come to Iraq to hang out in a hotel. I am trying to get to Tikrit.”
[…]
And so, he picked me up and we drove to Baghdad, and now we are headed to Kuwait. I’ve had six months to put a list of questions together. Some of his answers, along with my observations from “walking the line” with CSM Mellinger, will be included with subsequent posts. But for now, we are driving the roads of Iraq in a Humvee, and walking the line.
One to bookmark.
All that effort by Mr. Yon and where do they go? Kuwait. I imagine they’re coming back.
Actually, I’ve read other of his stuff, he’s pretty serious, so I think his columns will read well.
Definitely one to bookmark. Thanks for pointing it out.