Breaking Up is Hard to Do

During every deployment there is a process called RIP/TOA, which stands for Relief in Place/Transfer of Authority.  This happens when a new unit comes into theater and then when they leave again.  It's a fancy acronym for the process that relieves one command as another takes charge.

Our Civil Affairs company arrived in theater in the middle of our higher unit's deployment and we recently welcomed a new higher unit to my FOB here in Afghanistan.  For the past few weeks, we've been involved in the RIP/TOA process between the two units.  The old unit is heading back to the states, the new unit is just getting their feet wet, and I've made a few observations.

It's not better, it's not worse, it's just different.  I keep this phrase foremost on my mind during a deployment transfer process because it speaks volumes about the changes and challenges you encounter.  One unit's way of doing business is usually very different from another unit's.  For example, we are in the process of transitioning Afghanistan into the hands of the Afghans as we look to extricate a significant military presence by 2014.  Because of this strong effort, the military is stepping back to allow the Department of State to take a much more prominent role.

This has a direct impact on how we do business on the military side.  You could say the old unit, with ownership of the area, did it better by entrenching themselves at every level of Afghan government.  You could say the new unit has made it worse by stepping away from this involvement.  But I don't think that's the case, it's just different.  The new unit has a new set of challenges in relationship to the planned pull out of troops and as such needs to approach the problem set differently.  If that means reducing the prominence of the military in order to promote the prominence of the Department of State, even if it reduces our influence, it's the right decision.

First impressions shouldn't be lasting impressions.  The old commander of this area was a very affable, if formidable, leader.  He often joked with his staff and was very inclusive in his leadership style.  The new commander's first impression was exactly the opposite.  A stern, smile-less face accompanied him on many of his first meetings leaving many of us that served both units with the impression that he was difficult, unyielding, and solely focused on the kinetic fight.

I had the opportunity to meet with him one on one the other day and he is anything but his first impression.  The man is genuinely intelligent and understands the importance of the governance and development efforts we're undertaking here in Afghanistan.  I look forward to working with him over the next few months.

Complacency here has a whole different meaning.  One of the biggest problems you face when leaving theater after a year-long deployment is "senioritis."  Many of us have experienced this in our high school years, that time between exams and graduation when you relax your standards, take greater liberties with those around you and sometimes simply not show up.  But here in Afghanistan, senioritis gets you killed.

About a month before this unit pulled out, another unit under our Brigade became complacent.  When you are out on a mission to an area you've been before, it doesn't matter if you've been there once or a hundred times, you never try to do the same thing twice in the same place twice.  That gives the enemy the ability to judge your patterns and prepare an effective assault.

That small unit went out on a patrol and in their complacency, ignored these rules and stopped at the same place to rest at the same time three days in a row.  On the third day, an IED was set off where they would rest - they lost two soldiers and a few others will spend a long time in recovery.  We don't have the option of ever letting our guard down, whether it's day one or it's day three hundred and sixty five.

You never forget the friends you make in war.  When the old unit's last personnel were on the bird and flying away, I was genuinely sad about watching these friends leave.  It wasn't about them going home without me, it was that the relationships we developed were formed more quickly and were more lasting than they would have been if we had known each other in the civilian world.

Billy Joel wrote lyrics some years ago about soldiers from the Vietnam war where he sang, "we would all go down together."  These soldiers and I had been in firefights, been hit by IEDs, run to bunkers when the mortars came flying in, and said a final goodbye to friends that didn't make it the whole tour.  I will miss those soldiers but I am happy for those that were able to return to their families and friends.

The future will be challenging as we continue to push for transition here in Afghanistan.  I head home on leave soon and am not looking forward to getting on the flight back here.  I know things will continue to change when I'm gone and I'll need time to re-adjust on my return.

I know I've already changed a bit myself from this experience.  I'm not any better, not any worse, I'm just different.