Posted by Frank James at 12:03 pm CDT
Reporters at the Pentagon were briefed on Iraq today by U.S. Army Col. John Tully, commander of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, who joined reporters by videoconference from Camp Liberty, Baghdad.
He was asked about the impact on troop morale of the news that many soldiers who had expected to be returning to the states soon would instead be ordered to stay on as the U.S. military increases its presence in Baghdad in an effort to counter high levels of sectarian violence there.
Here's the colonel's exchange with reporters.
REPORTER: Colonel, Mike Emanuel with Fox News. With news yesterday that some soldiers, not your soldiers, but some soldiers are having their tours extended and they're being redeployed to Baghdad, as an officer do you worry about the morale that it would have on those soldiers, your soldiers, to see tours extended to Baghdad?
TULLY: Well, you know, a year is a long time over here and none of us look forward to being extended. But we all knew what the chances were coming over here. I know before we deployed in the 4th Infantry Division, we told everybody -- the CG, me, everybody told the soldiers it's a year-long tour but you got to be prepared to serve longer. And we don't like it, but we're soldiers and we do what we're told. And times like this is when leadership has to step up and drive on to get the mission accomplished.
REPORTER: Colonel, this is Sara Wood with American Forces Press Service. Along that same line, how would you categorize the morale among your troops?
TULLY: I'd say that morale among my troops is very good. Based on the sensing sessions I've done and going around just talking to people, getting feedback from officers and NCOs, just talking to troops, morale is very high. They're very proud of what they've accomplished. They see that they're making a difference. And overall, I'd give us at least a B-plus in morale.
REPORTER: Colonel, it's Al Pessin from Voice of America. I wanted to follow up briefly on morale, and then I have another question. There was a story in the Washington Post, I think it was yesterday, quoting a soldier in a tank as saying that he feels like all he does is he goes out every day and waits to get bombed, and that that indicated that morale was not very good, at least in that area. And then this announcement can only have hurt it. So can you talk about the impact of this announcement specifically, and of the slight increase in attacks that you mentioned, on the morale of the soldiers?
TULLY: Like I said before, you know, getting told you're going to spend more time over here will definitely be a blow. But, you know, the small unit leaders, the E-5 sergeants, have got to sit down and talk to their folks and explain to them, you know, why they're being extended, the importance of the mission over here. And, you know, we're soldiers and we do what we're told.
As far as the comment about the one soldier, you're going to have pockets of individuals in any unit that are unhappy, but you just got to do the best you can to keep soldiers informed, tell them the importance of the mission and keep folks motivated through just strong small-unit leadership.
REPORTER: increasingly difficult to keep them motivated?
TULLY: Sir, I've not had that issue. I've not had that issue. It has not been increasingly difficult. We're doing okay. So far so good in the 2nd Brigade 4th ID.
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Comments
I thought I read yesterday that moral is horrible...that the troops feel like they are just out driving around waiting to be blown up. You can't tell me the soldiers from Alaska who were slated to go home in a week or two don't care they are being made to stay!
Posted by: lochnessmonster | July 28, 2006 12:28 PM
You can't expect the colonel to say morale sucks and it's time to bring the troops home. He'd end up posted in Antarctica or cashiered like Shinseki before tomorrow's briefing.
Posted by: Tom O | July 28, 2006 1:06 PM
Soldiers naturally wish to have brief lengths of combat service. However, this is not always the case. Consider for a moment the GI's of the second World War. These soldiers served for the duration of the campaign, with the only expectations of an early leave from their theatre being that of injury, illness, victory, or defeat.
Posted by: Greg | July 28, 2006 1:16 PM
Even if morale is bad, saying so would not change anything. Colin Powell had plenty of truthful things to say and look where he is.
Posted by: Tom | July 28, 2006 1:48 PM
What did you expect the Colonel to say?? That morale is low and we should bring the troops home??
I think we all see what is going on in Iraq everyday...
Posted by: Robert R. | July 28, 2006 2:08 PM
Who cares what a colonel says? As evidenced by a multitude of incidents in Iraq, supervision and leadership in the field is severely lacking, and this "leader" probably never comes into contact with his subordinates. Perhaps when these so-called leaders start being held accountable for incidents that occur due to their lack of supervision, I will consider them in-touch with the soldiers in the field. However, since it's PFCs and Specialists being held accountable, as opposed to their "commanding" officers, it's quite clear that these officers are either out-of-touch with the actual things going on, or they are simply beyond the reach of the law and their attitude reflects that.
Posted by: Jim | July 28, 2006 3:07 PM
Undoubtedly, the majority of soldiers have their eye on the prize of returning home after serving out their year's tour in Iraq. That said, we recently saw the return of four soldiers to our hometown. And of the four, three of these brave young men, citing their desire to finish the job, signed on for another tour of duty. The fourth would have re-upped as well--and I fully believe him--if he could have accomplished his mission from a wheelchair. The fact is we have the most highly trained, professional military this world has ever seen. And if you don't believe that, then I suggest you enlist in any one of our fine branches (I'm partial to the Air Force, personally) and see for yourself.
Posted by: Mike | July 28, 2006 9:34 PM
Re-enlistment of those in Iraq is about 100 percent. If morale was so bad, why would practically every single one of them enlist to go back?
Media once again is trying to spin a lie because they don't like the truth.
Posted by: John D | July 29, 2006 11:51 PM