I have been way tardy in posting the most recent letter from Fred Hockett. Fred sent this letter to me back on April 10th and I have just been terrible in getting posted. Pleae forgive my slowness. If you are not familiar with Fred then you can get caught up right here.
I am always amazed by Fred's humility and desire to serve others. I am sure you will agree that he is an amazing guy and a great leader. Here is Fred's letter to us from back on April 10th. I was particularly struck by Fred's description of the Iraqi Military Police whose job is it to maintain peace, law and order in Baghdad; risking their lives all the while. He says they are "willing to step up and be counted". I was moved by this as I am sure you will be as well.
Thank you so much for the note the other day. I’ve been doing very well and settling right in over here. As with any new organization, the first 30 days are very challenging. Add in the challenges we face here and you can imagine that it’s just a tad bit stressful. Luckily I’m not out kicking in doors every day. Those guys are the heroes here. I’m just working to provide them with the best support possible when they come back from a tough mission. The team I have to do that it absolutely incredible. I interact each day with a team of service professionals in the construction, food service, security, and administrative areas. Every day that I come to work is a new challenge. The consistency lies in the people. I’m getting to coach people to achieve superior results in a difficult environment and LOVING IT!
I think I promised to talk about what my unit is doing. I’ve been assigned to the command responsible for helping coach, teach and mentor the Iraqi Defense Forces.
We work with the Ministry of Defense and Ministry of the Interior developing programs in logistics, tactics, command and control, and communications. Everything from training of individual IPs (Iraqi Police) to assisting the Ministers on matters affecting the country’s security. We have hundreds of Non-commissioned officers and officers advising and coaching Iraqi officers. This is truly a coalition fight. We may not be at the tip of the spear, but if this unit accomplishes its mission, Iraqi will be a stable, secure country with a very bright future.
I really can’t do justice to the work these Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines take upon themselves. I’m also very impressed with the Iraqi Police and Military. They are working diligently to bring the rule of law to the country and it’s really exciting to be involved. I had the opportunity to witness a Basic Police Course graduation a few weeks ago. I wrote this (with a little editing) in a blog to my family after attending the ceremony with a friend who works at the Baghdad Police College.
I started to think about the environment these young policemen are entering. On the first day, our commanding general showed us a graphic of a football field (Great sports analogy… I knew I was going to like this guy) to demonstrate the relationship between military and police forces. He said that in this environment, the military has the responsibility for moving the ball the first 80 yards. But it’s the police forces who will eventually transition the society and move it the last 20 yards a law abiding society. These policemen are going to return to their home neighborhoods and work to bring the rule of law and enforcement of those laws to the country. All the while, they will be risking their lives. I know this sounds a bit idealistic, but I was moved by the ceremony (all in Arabic, so I didn’t understand a word) and the challenges that lie ahead for these young people. As they passed the reviewing stand, they looked terrific. It helps make being away from friend and family worth it – demonstrating these people want to be part of the solution. They are willing to step up and be counted. I was very impressed.
I continue to feel this way after my first month and I’m glad that I get to help with this small slice of history. I know this doesn’t have a lot to do with recruiting, but I think it talks about talent. It talks about the skill set these young soldiers have when they leave the military. It talks about their ability to work in a fluid situation without perfect knowledge. Most of all, it talks to their focus on accomplishing their mission while taking care of their friends and allies.
I’m looking forward to seeing you when I get home on R&R in August. Have a great night and I’ll speak with you soon. Enjoy your vacation!
Warmest Regards,
Fred
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