October 16, 2019  

The Russians owe me medal for saving their embassy.

I’m not looking the Hero of the Soviet Union type award.   Just recognition for a gutsy night’s work.   One condition is that my Battle...

I’m not looking the Hero of the Soviet Union type award.  Just recognition for a gutsy night’s work.  One condition is that my Battle Buddy gets the same award, otherwise forget it.

Al Qaida has issued franchises across the world.  The parent company murdered 2,977 Americans on September 11^th, 2001.  The franchise America defeated was called Al Qaida in Iraq.  The remnants eventually devolved into ISIS.

In the summer of 2003, the United States Army was trying to administer a population of 37 million with 150,000 troopers.  Many of those were expert at firing their assigned weapons.  A bad guy called Abu Musab al-Zarqawi bombed the Jordanian embassies in both Amman and Baghdad killing dozens.  Baghdad is a population of over 9.75 million souls in small space, think Oklahoma City size.  Within this extremely people dense space the Russian government had their embassy in a six story concrete unadorned box in a neighborhood full of retired Republican Guard.  There were no protective measures to prevent a vehicle borne explosive device (VBIED/ truck bomb) from pancaking a building and crushing all occupants.  Russian asked America for immediate assistance.  Assholes twitched then clenched then Kenny got handed the football.

Good thinks happen when Kenny gets the ball.  Or God finds favor with the stumbling fumbling.

In my book, “Scoundrels in Iraq” there’s a chapter called “the Russian Embassy and the Destin Miracle.  For those who find taking care of a diapered person non-geriatric with panic (the other revulsion), Destin is used for diaper rash.  That happened to me without the diaper.  And no, I never shit my pants in Iraq.  My service wasn’t that intense.  You’ll have to buy the book for clarification.

Alone, setting massive concrete barriers with a crane operator, the neighbors sat out and watched us all night.  One appreciative native offered me water in his kitchen while his wife peeked at me between door and jamb.

By morning light we placed two dozen Texas barriers and twice as many small Jersey barriers.  Far beyond a medal I received the best citation of my career when my boss said that Kenny, “knows how to make chicken shit into chicken soup”.