The first thing that impressed me today was the quality of the people going through the course. Everybody going to Iraq has to take it, or else you don't get on the plane. There are about 20 people in this week's course, and I'm one of the very few who hasn't been there yet. One guy has spent five years there. Quite a few have been there multiple times. Several finished up tours just within the past few weeks. Most everybody has been working in their particular area of expertise for ten, fifteen, twenty years or more. These people know their stuff.
And then there's me. A retired Navy guy, never been to Iraq, puttering away as an unemployed artist the past five years, being sent off to manage reconstruction projects. Have I ever managed a reconstruction project? Hell, no. However, my not knowing anything about the project at hand never stopped the Navy from putting me in charge of something. If I could muddle through it then, I can muddle through it now.
The course looks like it's going to be pretty good. There was a lot of good info coming out today. I was scribbling notes like mad. The Iraq veterans were bored silly, since for the most part they've known it for years.
You, the American taxpayer, should rest assured that you've got some top-notch people working for you in Iraq. I'm serious. And I'm hoping I can learn something from them.
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