'membrance

I spent this Memorial Day as my day off for the month of May.  Odd because I’m in Afghanistan and you usually don’t get a day off in a warzone.  My boss instituted a department policy that we get one day off a month.  It is a rest and relax day—from the 15-18 hours we put in.  This generally doesn’t happen for every unit here.  But we’re in Kabul and have a little more freedom than other places. 

The reason I choose this day is because it was the best day for May that I had.  Early in the month wouldn’t work because of other commitments. 

My plan for the day was simple: take my EWS test, PT, and talk to my wife.  I don’t think I realized fully that today was Memorial Day until a couple of days ago when I received an email as a reminder for the service at 1030. 

Every week we have a memorial service for the past week’s fallen.  Each country to lose someone will read out the name and unit of the fallen.  I attend every week.  It is the least I can do.  I’m not on the front line like they are.  It is a way to ensure that we, at HQ, do not forget the human loss extracted from our countries. 

Today, we recognized an American day of remembrance and invited any and all of our coalition members to attend.  It was fairly well attended.  No names were read off, but General Allen gave the number of the fallen Americans, Coalition members, and Afghans who have died in this war since he took command last year. 

My usual Memorial Day plan is to enjoy the day off, have a good time, live life, and general not acknowledge the cost of war.  Not the way I have since arriving in Kabul.  I don’t doubt that I’ll revert back to my normal behavior when I get back, but I’d like to think I’ll always keep these weekly services in my mind and that when Memorial Day does come around I’ll do something in remembrance.  

Darlin . . . While I'm away.

Darlin,


I'm only going to be gone a short while. I'll be back before you know it.

I'll be back right when you've learned to sleep without me. You’ll be starfishing in the center of our bed when I get back. You’ll have resigned yourself to the dog sleeping on my pillow even though you've tried to stop him—that’s when I’ll be on my way back. I’ll be back when you’ve learned to check all the doors before turning off all the lights and leaving a few dishes in the sink for the next day.  And I'll be back right when you can stop having someone mow the weeds in the back.

I'll be back soon. Right after your birthday, before Thanksgiving and Christmas. Before the switch to Woodlands and soon after school starts up.

We'll be back to our habits. We’ll be doing those small, frequent physical touches every few minutes. We’ll be watching the Little Couple, Dirty Jobs, and Mythbusters while surfing the web, throwing the ball for Joey, and discussing our day. We'll be back to you watching one of your train wreck shows while I do the dishes (acting like I’m not interested in the show), and me playing PS3 games and you cooking wonderful dinners (while you follow the plot of the game).

But I know you're worried about the next six months. I won't lie and tell you I'll be 100% safe. I'll do my best to stay out of trouble. I don’t lend myself to foolish or impulsive decisions. I’ll be back and with you soon.

You'll worry about me. I can't stop you. And everything will be harder by the small things that come up while I’m gone. The batteries in the smoke detectors should be good—we just replaced them all. These small things make it harder.

I can’t stop you from worrying, but, maybe, I can help you with some of the small problems. I have a list of things I want you to remember, things that I hope will help you while I'm gone. They are things I'm worried about.

• When you are tired it is okay to take a nap. But not too long because you'll never to get sleep at a decent hour and tomorrow will suck even more. 
• It is perfectly okay to sleep on the floor at work.
• When you are frustrated at the chores and feeling like they will swallow you whole, take Joey for a short walk. When you get back the chores will still be there, but Joey will be happy and you’ll feel better for getting outside with him.
• I recommend putting music on full blast and rocking out to Sarah Brightman while doing the dishes or whatever chore is easiest. 
• You'll probably need to move to Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood for the filing.
• When you are not hungry and haven't eaten all day, call one of the many friends you have and invite them over for dinner. I don’t know anyone who honestly doesn’t like your cooking. 
• Eating alone sucks, but starving your body doesn't do any good either.
• When the battery dies in the smoke detector, after you stop screaming and crying, get the dog and leave the house. Call the XO, the SJA, Tasha and Matt, Cecilia and Tommy, or any number of our friends with someone tall enough to change the battery. Someone will help you. Our neighbors will help.
• Please do not stack the step ladder onto a coffee table and do it yourself. 
• Do not attack the detector with a broom or any other stick. We’d have to pay for the damage
• However, if you do any of those things, please record it--we could send it to AVF if it is funny enough. 
• When you don't think you can go to work . . . you'll still go to work. Your work ethic wouldn't allow you not to.
• When the day starts too early and you can't go back to sleep, read a good book.
• When the day ends too late and you can't get to sleep, read a good book.  And call in sick if you haven't slept at all.
• When you find time on your hands, go take some pictures.
• When the dog is being a pain in the butt, don't throw the ball. Go to the library and browse the shelves.
• Throwing the ball will not help. He’ll just bring it back and want you to do it again. It never stops.
• But he doesn’t seem to bring the ball to you as often as he wants to just be pet. 
• When it seems too tough to keep up a strong front and you can't stop from crying, go ahead and cry. 
• Cuddle the dog, blow your nose (not in his fur), take some headache medicine, and watch a good chick flick. 
• Pride and Prejudice, When Harry Met Sally, Valentine’s Day, and Pretty Woman are good choices.
• When the night is dark and making noises, just keep thinking "I am the baddest beast in the dark! The Night should be afraid of ME!"
• When you miss me so much that it hurts, remember that I miss you and I love you with all of my heart.

I worry about you being without me. I worry about the problems that will happen while I'm away. I know there will be problems, like the light bulbs and smoke detectors. I know you are strong, determined, and independent. But I still worry.


When I’m having a hard time, I'll put on some Brad Paisley and think about time well wasted. Then I'll get back to it.

I love you.

Now, blow your nose and take those headache meds.

Getting into the Fight

I am going to Afghanistan--getting into the Fight.

At 0715 Friday morning in early February, a clerk handed me a note from my boss: "Call me at home."  Okay, strange.  He'd be in soon--why not talk in person, I asked myself.  But, he's the boss, so I called him.

Here is our conversation:

Me:  "Good morning, sir.  What's up?"  Waiting for my computer to finish loading.

Boss:  "Izac, you need to talk to Jessica."

Me:  "Okay."  (That sounds ominous.)

Boss:  "You still good about deploying?"

Me:  "Yes, sir."  (Uh...)

Boss:  "Okay, talk to Jessica.  I'll talk to you and Sam when I get in."

Let the roller coaster begin.  In 21 days I learned the meaning of "expeditionary" and that a lot of preparation is needed.

Training, training, annual training, and more training.  And gear issue.  Orders, travel orders, verbal orders, force of will to make things happen.

One day, my minion  and I were preparing to take on a complicated and interesting case from another office.  My office had a small case load, so we could take another case and spend plenty of time on it.

The next, I'm working up for a deployment.  2 months to boots on the ground and half that time would be spent traveling to and training in Virginia and Okinawa.  I had 21 days to essentially prepare for a deployment.

New section

I created a new section on my blog.  Right now I've titled it Fiction: Emry.  It is a part of a story I started.  I haven't finished it, but I figured if I put it out there, then I could have people read it and tell me what they think.  I plan to keep at it, but it won't be fast.

I will probably also include other stories that I have in development, when I have time.

Zen of Trial Counsel

Taken Sept 2011 near Kumamodo.

After I got back from China I moved from Legal Assistance to Trial Counsel.  In non-military lawyer terms, that means I went from be a normal non-criminal attorney helping people with random legal problems (like bad landlords, creditors, divorces, and adoptions) to Prosecutor (an actor for the government). 

In the first job I did not have to go to court or represent a point of view in front of a court of law.  A Court Of Law is far more structured, detailed, and unforgiving than writing a Last Testament or arranging for custody. 

In the court of law, I have set deadlines that if I miss them a potential perpetrator could walk free.  I have motions to exclude or include testimony or real evidence; I have victims to talk to, witnesses to prepare and arrange transportation; tactics to analyze; and Convening Authorities to advise.

Legal Assistance, while important, is less stressful.  When I first took up the reins as the Legal Assistance Attorney, I also became the Officer-in-Charge of that section with four Marines to train and educate to how I want my office run and how to protect our clients.  I felt underwater.

Taken Sept 2011 at the Springhead near Kumamodo.

I called and emailed other attorneys I knew who were doing the same job all across the Marine Corps.  Some had more experience than me, others had experienced attorneys to ask those questions to, and a few were in the same boat--alone and unafraid.  I learned fast and created an office that worked efficiently.  I wasn't underwater for long.  I began to swim and even dive for oysters. 

When I left for China in June, I had a shop that I could leave for 4 weeks and know that I would not come back to a mess or ethical violations.  In fact, I had left my office for four weeks and it held solid for those four weeks.  When I came home from China, I had a new office, with different Marines, different duties and I had more demanding responsibilities.

Trial Counsel has deadlines.  90 days or 120 days are my most important deadlines.  If I miss that deadline, I am getting bad paper--unless I have an absolutely airtight excuse.  I have to be aware of every investigation going on; know what the Commanding Officers are planning in each case; predict the outcomes if things progress in a certain fashion; and I need to show results.

In the month of July, I had two guilty pleas that I walked into court.  I learned a lot.  The deals expected too much, my evidence was not sufficient, and the judge came down lighter than I expected.  I also had a contested case that nearly backfired--I had my butt handed to me, along with two other attorneys' rear ends.  I had to put my tail between my legs and beg forgiveness from the victim and the Convening Authority.  Reputation damaged.

Lesson Learned?  Nearly.  Since then, and with learning how to draft charges better and talk to Convening Authorities, I've gotten better and so has my office.  My Marines stepped up and have done everything I've asked of them.

Underwater?  I don't think I'll ever feel like I'm above water.  I'll probably always feel like I'm treading water in this job.

Countryside near Kumamodo

Trial Counsel is a job where you do teeter on a limb.  You have to balance between competing interests.  The only solid ground you have is what is right beneath you.  And sometimes, that ground isn't all that close.

The judge in the July guilty dives talked to me and the defense counsel afterwards about how we performed.  He gave an interesting take on what the Prosecutor's job is.  He said "Your job is to present the evidence, not seek a conviction.  You are suppose to seek Justice."

Those words are with me every day.  Those words have become my new mantra in working through this role--Present the Evidence and allow for Justice.  How I present evidence will dictate an outcome (where the tactics and procedures come in).  But I shouldn't be looking to pull the wool over the Jury's eyes to get a desired outcome.  Others can want blood, but I shouldn't.  I should be looking to present the case and allow for Justice.

I did that in a case in September.  I had two cases that saw a courtroom, one for a sentence and the other for sufficiency.  I think the outcomes reflected the evidence in the case.  The first I presented evidence for returned a sentence in excess of what we'd been getting before--I'd learned from the July cases that I need to adjust my tactics and procedures to make sure everything made it in and triggered the correct responses.  The other case failed to meet sufficiency--but I presented the evidence.  I didn't try to create a mountain out of a mole hill.  I went in with what I had and laid it out--and defense counsel performed his duties admirably.  If it doesn't work, then it doesn't work. 

Working with the assumption that I am suppose to present the evidence and Justice will be done by the jury or the judge, stress about an outcome disappears.  I'm no longer worried that I'll get bad paper for not obtaining an outcome--because I don't decide that. 

"I represent the Government, and I am here to present the evidence in this case."

Taken Sept 2011 at the Springhead near Kumamodo

Observations in China Part 3

Beijing

This was the view we had from our hotel window

Temple of Heaven...Great Wall...Forbidden City...Summer Palace

Holy Sh!t.

Temple of Heaven is stunning. We spent a little over an hour there--and I broke my expensive camera. In China all the retirees over 60 (or 55, I can't remember) have free access to all the state parks. Because of that when you walk into any state park you'll find dozens if not a hundred or more retirees in the park doing Tai Chi or practicing Buddhism or whatever else.

Older gentleman creating characters with water and practicing Buddhism

Tile on the Temple of Heaven is blue

In Beijing we ran into a theme with the Temples and Palaces--Are we done yet?  Once you think you've seen the main building, you go around it and find something even grander.

From the temple viewing the buildings holding the prayers.
I broke this camera on my way down.

Temple of Heaven had the highest point thing where the Emperor did a ritual invoking Heaven. After this platform was a temple area housing wood or bone sheets with writing. After this first one, we went into a second set of temples holding even more important writings. Then finally we entered the real important one with the prayer the Emperor said on that platform.

Throne . . . building?  Too large to be a simple room.

This is the beginning of the actual city.  This is where the Emperor, his wife and concubines and servants lived.

Add another two outstanding buildings and courtyards and you'll have what happened in the Forbidden City--3 great buildings or so before the actual Throne building and celebration room. Behind that and a few other buildings was the actual city for the Concubines, Empress, children, Eunics and servants. We spent maybe 2 hours there and saw about a quarter of the place. Our feet hurt bad that morning.

Summer Palace covered walk way.  It went on, and on, and on, and . . .  man, it took a while.

Doesn't look too far, right?  Half a mile away at least to the boat house.  Too foot sore to climb to the temples.

The Summer Palace...beautiful and 292 hectacres (722 acres). Um...beautiful. Stunning. Lot of walking. Lot of people. I don't think I can describe it as well as I'd like.  We didn't even come close to seeing it all.

We're on the GREAT WALL OF CHINA!!!  Freaking AWESOME!!

I skipped over the Great Wall. Only because the Great Wall made such an Awe-Inspiring Impact on us. The Wall has an interesting history. Emperor Qin had is built, initially, of dirt and maybe stone. Later, much later, another emperor had parts of it built up to into the actual stone wall to protect against the barbarian hordes belonging to the Khans. As a defense it failed. Ghenis just went around the Wall instead of trying to go through it. That is a problem with fortified defenses.

It's the GREAT WALL OF CHINA!!!

We took a gondola up to tower 14 (I think) and went from there. The view . . . is just stunning. It feels like the top of the world. And the Wall just goes on and on in both directions, up and down. And you know that thousands of people died building it. The stone is uneven, eroded, and different colors. The steps are sometimes deep and sometimes shallow and often times dangerous.

Foreman's day off on these stairs.

And for some reason, my mom got it into her head that my dad and I wanted to run together on the Great Wall. So, she had us bring our running clothes and shoes. We got up on the Wall, took a group photo, then my dad and I plotted our short--and I mean short--run along the Wall. We ran about half a mile total . . . but we ran on the GREAT WALL!!! We spent an hour on the GREAT WALL! Dude, it was so freakin' awesome!!!

Top of the World...on the GREAT WALL OF CHINA!!!

Then we walked along the Wall, down a couple towers and then actually off the Wall on the the ground just inside. We hit our walking time limit (30 mins out, 30 mins back and about 10 mins left to just enjoy the Wall).

Click to see larger: Great Wall of China!

WE WERE ON THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA!!! FREAKIN' AWESOME!!!

Yeah, China was awesome to visit.

Click on the image below to enlarge.

This is the view into China.

Observations in China Part 2

Xi'an

At the Wild Goose Pagoda in Xi'an.

 After the Amazing two full days in Shanghai we flew to Xi'an (Xian, Chi'ang--there were a few other spellings for the name). Xi'an was the first capital of China when Emperor Qin (the first emperor, played by Jet Li in the 3rd Mummy movie with Brandon Frazer) united China for the first time. He ruled for 15 years and his son for 4. Then some peasants killed Qin's son and things changed...but China mostly remained. For the most part China has pretty much been the same basic area for over 2,200 years. Whether it has functioned as one country the entire time is debatable--especially when there are sections of 150-300 years of "Warring States/Kingdoms" following a dynasty. I don't know enough of Chinese history...but I'd love to take a class about it or maybe watch a good History Channel series on it.

Emperor Qin was a Bad Mother F#cker. 



Not Qin, but a soldier of some sort.

Qin killed off all the defeated warlords in order to create China. He had to kill their families as well. (Machiavelli should be inspired--as will the Evil Overlord people.)   Everyone that could claim a title was put the ax. He did this to make sure that he was the only game in town.  When you're creating a new country, especially from other countries, you are creating a new order, so you have to be the only source of authority. The Emperor--and successors--became the only game in town and giving rise to a consistent unified country.

You probably should enlarge this one to read it.

So, Qin made sure he was it. One ruler of one country. We might think that once you've killed of the challengers and their relatives that you'd be safe... Not for Qin. He was afraid of death and that he would be attacked by his enemies after he died. That is why he was drinking Mercury--his doctor told him that it would help prolong his life and help him obtain immortality. Yes, 2,200 years ago a Bad@ss was looking for the secret to immortal life. Well, he kicked the bucket at 49 years old from drinking Mercury.



Pit 1

Before he died he was having his tomb prepared--even though he was looking for the secret to immortality (always be prepared, anyone?). Over 700,000 people helped create this tomb. Today, you wouldn't even know it was a tomb, it looks like a large hill Northeast of Xi'an. Unlike the Egyptians, Qin's tomb was covered by dirt. So were the over 7,000 warriors created to protect Qin.  He wanted to surprise his enemies in death with an army to defend him.  Qin believed that the warriors would protect him against his enemies in death. We'll never know the answer to that--unless you think the Mummy movie was based on a true story.



Most of these guys are being pieced back together and will probably be transported to exhibits.

The Terracatta Warriors were not listed in any official writing in Qin's time or his son's. If they were text, they were lost in the Peasant Revolt that killed Qin's son. Anyway, the Peasants broke into the tombs containing the Warriors (not Qin's primary tomb--probably afraid the Bad@ss would rise up and kick ass), stole their real weapons and destroyed a lot of the warriors and set the tomb on fire.

The chrome-plating kept the weapons sharp.  And the ancient Chinese had this way back when--but lost the technique.  I wonder what other techniques/methods we've lost and rediscovered or forgotten completely.  Maybe space travel.

Over 2000 years later a farm supervisor and three workers were digging a new well and found the Warriors. The Chinese officials at the time thought it would take 7-10 days to dig them up . . . 30 years later and they are not finished yet.

Plenty of Warriors were destroyed during the Peasant Uprising.

You can see the burned wood from when the Peasants lit the tomb on fire.  And people are still escavating.

My mom kept saying "They don't do anything small in China." I can see why.

Pit 1 is the largest pit.  Qin's people dug the lanes for the Warriors, built wood slats to cover them, laying a layer or two of protective fabric, then finally burying them.  You can see why a farming crew found this pit.

Careful - He's watching you.

 We saw more than just the Warriors in Xi'an.  We went to a school and clinic out in a village.  My parents and their friend are teachers and visiting the school helps qualifying this trip as a work related event.  We saw the Old City Wall, the Wild Goose Pagoda, and some traditional performances specific to the region.

Old City Wall in Xi'an.  Built, rebuilt and rebuilt a long time ago. 

The back of our legs were sunburned at this point.

Warrior at Heart

I was knealing behind the thing.