A Different Kind of War

by Hank Beymer

As the war in Iraq has touched home for so many in this area, including us here at The Master's Table, we wanted to focus on the preparations being made by some of the soldiers stationed at Fort Hood.

The 1st. Calvary Division, chomping at the bit as it were, has received deployment orders. Parts of the Division have already shipped out, and others are due to go in short order.

 There are a lot of things that go into preparing for war. Training, training, and more training. Then there is training, and a little more training. Finally, there is training! And through it all, the soldiers go with the old Army refrain..."hurry up and wait!"

Our son-in-law, Pfc. Paul Phillip Hebert, is a member of the "Ghost" battalion of the 1st Cav. Properly named the Garry Owen Brigade, the Ghost Battalion received its name during the Vietnam era when they pioneered air strike capabilities using their "new horses"..the helicopter. Landing deep within the heart of VC and NVA country, the battalion was  basically surrounded by well over 5,000 NVA regular troops. Over a period of several days, the battalion held out, and inflicted enormous casualties on the NVA troops. In a climactic battle, when the NVA thought they had demolished the battalion, the troopers attacked the NVA headquarters, rising out of the mists and smoke of the battlefield, and broke the back of the NVA, causing them to withdraw. It was these same Vietnamese se soldiers and leaders who nicknamed the Air Cav unit as "Ghosts", and so they became the Ghost Battalion.

  Training for this unit is rigorous, with much of their time spent in the field and on the range, sharpening the skills they will be called upon to use once they get to wherever they may be sent. Specializing in "urban" warfare, each squad or unit in the brigade trains extensively to begin acting as a "single" unit consisting of 8 members, each having a special function and task, but knowing how to do each others job also. When they move, they move as one. When they stop, they stop as one. Each one taking care of the other, with all points of the compass being covered and watched to lessen the chances of surprise or ambush. 

Pray for them as they do their job ­ which is protecting OUR freedom..and helping others to achieve it.