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Virginia men’s head basketball coach Dave Leitao is currently on a USO Tour to the Persian Gulf Region with five other current and former basketball coaches. The tour is called “Operation Hoop Talk: Talking with the Troops” and joining Coach Leitao on the tour are Jeff Bzdelik (Colorado), Ed Conroy (The Citadel), Jim Crews (United States Military Academy), Gary Stewart (UC Davis) and Jeff Nix (former college assistant coach, and former scouting director and assistant general manager with the New York Knicks). Nix founded and is president of Camouflage Kids, a non-profit organization that provides a college athletic game-day experience focusing on the children of deployed military personnel. Coach Leitao is keeping a journal during the tour and following is the third installment of his journal.
Friday, June 6
Mosul, Iraq
We were scheduled to fly to Iraq on Thursday morning, but our plans changed and we left Wednesday night. The Army’s plans can change at the drop of a hat.
The “holding” area for the soldiers flying into Iraq created a very different and surreal feeling. Up until now, everyone we met went overboard in saying hello and welcoming us. In this area, where you prepare to fly into Iraq, there must have been 100 soldiers getting ready to go. No one said a word to us or to anyone for that matter. Everyone was alone in his or her thoughts about whatever provided assistance in getting through the moment. Family, friends or anything else that helped the time pass as they knew what awaited them.
Flying in on a C130 was a new experience. Tight quarters with troops ready for battle makes you appreciate airlines in the United States. I guess I’ll never complain about a middle seat on a “red eye” again. The two-hour flight was like the holding area, dead silent, which helped to further remind me where we were going.
Maybe it’s me, but Kuwait and Iraq feel totally different. It looks the same, but there is a different feeling here. After arriving at 5 a.m. the day went by very fast. We got some sleep then went to visit the oldest monastery in Iraq. A quick history lesson from the chaplain about it was fascinating. He took us back to 450 AD and it’s origination. These days the monastery has been used by the Iraqi army and most recently our forces used it as a post until General Petraeus found out it was a religious treasure. The Army then got out in about an hour.
The Army has new $1.2 million MRAP (mine resistant area patrol) vehicles that are designed to survive an IED (improvised explosive device) blast like never before. They have already saved lives and we were fortunate enough to drive in them.
We had dinner with General Thomas, who is in charge of this FOB (forward operating base) in Mosul. He gave us a very clear and up-to-date description of what is going on in this region and all over Iraq. We find out in the news at home what happened during a skirmish, which is obviously important, but there is so much more to it. This is about people and their ability to run their own country now and forever. This part of the world is so critical and we are helping to stabilize it so the Iraqis can play a part in it. They are, both civilian and military, becoming increasingly independent and rejecting the notion that terror can control them. Tremendous progress has been made during the last few months. Iraq now has a chance to become strong and self-reliant. If that doesn’t happen the country’s resources, and they have plenty of resources, will be in the wrong hands and that is not good for anybody.
With war comes tragedy as well. That’s what makes this so bad. This is an active area, so it’s typical to here blasts and shooting from afar in the city. The insurgents are tricky people. This isn’t pretty. The stories of war sometimes aren’t good, but I assure you we have the best in the world working every day without complaint.
God Bless America!
Dave Leitao
Head Basketball Coach
University of Virginia