My Battalion Commander in Iraq was Promoted to Brigadier General Today

Scott Perry was promoted to Brigadier General today.  Pinning on the stars are his mother, Cecelia Lenig, daughters Mattea and Ryenn, and wife Christy.

On a windswept parade field on Fort Sill, Oklahoma, in February of 2009, then Lt. Col. Scott Perry spoke to the battalion he would command in Iraq a few months later.  The soldiers at Fort Sill were the majority of the 700 who would make up Task Force Diablo at Camp Adder, Iraq.  In that speech, Perry told those troops, some of whom were seeing their commander for the first time, that “Envy destroys community.” 

Not every commander mentions the second worst of the Seven Deadly Sins at the beginning of a deployment, but Perry turned that warning into a goal for every soldier.  “If someone is getting something you want, don’t envy, go and get what you want.  Don’t worry about them.”

After 35 years of service that began with basic training in 1980 at Fort Dix, New Jersey, Perry pinned on the star of a Brigadier General and joined the very small community of soldiers who achieve flag rank.  Perry, following his own advice, pursued his own goals and today achieved a very big goal for an Army officer. 

Following basic training, Perry served in the enlisted ranks for several years before attending Officer Candidate School.  He was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Field Artillery branch, but soon branch-transferred to Army Aviation, where he became qualified in numerous aircraft including Huey, Cayuse, Kiowa, Cobra, Chinook, Apache and Blackhawk helicopters and is an instructor pilot.  His 29 years as a pilot began with flight school in 1986 and ended this summer with a final flight at Muir Field on Fort Indiantown Gap, Pa. 

As an Aviation Officer, he has commanded at the company, battalion and brigade levels throughout his career including serving as company commander during a deployment to Kosovo in 2002.

Perry commanded 2-104^th General Support Aviation Battalion when it deployed to Iraq in 2009-10.  During this deployment, he flew 44 combat missions. 

In 2011, he was promoted to the rank of Colonel, and recently completed command of the Fort Indiantown Gap National Training Site. 

He presently serves Assistant Division Commander (Support) for the 28th Infantry Division.  He is a graduate of the US Army War College with a Master’s Degree in Strategic Studies.  In addition to serving in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard, Perry is in his second term as a United States Congressman representing Pennsylvania’s Fourth Congressional District.  Perry and his wife Christy are the proud parents of two daughters, Ryenn and Mattea.

Stuffing a Humvee into a Chinook Helicopter

A Chinook helicopter looks huge inside and out compared to any other helicopter in the Army inventory--until you try to fit a Humvee inside of it.  Then the very big Chinook helicopter looks a lot smaller when you see a Humvee backing into it.  The Humvee is just a couple of inches narrower than the cargo area of the Chinook.  It also fits within just a few inches on top.

But it fits.  Here are some photos:

My First Flight in a UH72 Lakota Helicopter

Today I got my first ride in the very plush UH72 Lakota helicopter.  I was at Mid State Airport near Phillipsburg, Pa. on Army training.  I flew up in a Chinook helicopter and was about to board it for the return flight, when I saw Tom Luckenbach, one of the pilots who has flown nearly every aircraft in the Army inventory.  He flew up in a Lakota. I asked if I could ride back with him.

Ten minutes later, I was in the small scout helicopter and listening to the pilots and crew chief go through their pre-flight routines.

Even with choppy air, the small, new aircraft was quiet and smooth for the 100-mile trip.  Here's some pictures from my seat.

Cat Lover in Iraq: Chased Out of Briefing Tent

During our deployment to Iraq in 2009 - 10, fuelers from Echo Company, 2-104th GASB were dispersed to bases all across the southern half of Iraq, from Camp Garry Owen on the Iran-Iraq border to Camp Normandy near Baghdad.

These lonely detachments refueled helicopters at all times in all weather.  At Camp Normandy in the summer, one of the fueler sergeants made a pet out of a cat.  He named it Fluffy.  

One day he walked into the morning briefing and announced, "We lost one of our own last night." The sergeant looked genuinely sad.  The dozen soldiers in the room started whipping their heads around looking to see who was not at morning meeting.  Then someone said, "Who?"

The big sergeant said, "Fluffy, somebody ran her over in the night.  She was stuck to a HEMMT tire this morning when I found her."

Several soldiers threw Gatorade bottles and chased him out of the tent.  

Aviation Week Magazine Writes About Army Aviation in PA National Guard

Last drill weekend I spent the day with a reporter and photographer from Aviation Week magazine.  Today they published a blog post about the visit.

Defense.gov Put CW2 Sara Christensen Story on its Home Page.

Today I got a message that my story about Chief Warrant Officer 2 Sara is featured today on the hone page of the Defense Department.  I'm glad they liked the story. She is a great soldier.  The story is here.

Still Haven't Found What I'm Lookin' For

I started listening to Still Haven't Found What I'm Lookin' For (1987), and to U2 just over a year ago.  Okay, I know that makes me a little slow.  The 40th anniversary of U2 being formed is next year.   Better late than never.

I listened to this song as I trained for the Ironman triathlon last year.

With my Army career ending soon, it's time to admit that re-enlisting at 54 was great way to have a mid-life crisis and keep my family, job and bank account.  But it was a mid-life crisis.  Worse still it was a spiritual quest that failed.  The radiant spiritual part of being in the Army my first time around was absent this time.

When I re-enlisted, part of me really thought I would meet the kind of believers and non-believers I met in the 1970s Army and be part of a group of people living in the shadow of a World War 3 who were looking for the Kingdom of God, and looking across the border at 250,000 Soviet troops who were going to make the Kingdom of God a shorter trip for us.

In fact the annual casualties of the Cold War were higher than the part of Iraq where I served.  During the 1970s, the annual NATO war game called REFORGER claimed 30-50 lives each year.  That was back when we drove Jeeps.  Half the deaths were Jeep rollovers.  Crashed helicopters and people crushed by armored vehicles were most of the rest.

But if humility is the center of spirituality, as most Divines agree, then going to war at 56 is a spiritually corrosive.  That deployment was my first actual combat deployment.  When I flew to Camp Garry Owen on the Iran-Iraq border with Col. Peter Newell and got the 1st Armored Combat Patch, that was the first time I wore an Armor unit patch despite seven years in Armor in the 70s and 80s.

I really was looking for spirituality.  I really got pride.