Month 5 Day 23

Notebook Entry
First Day new Combat Operations Center, Major Kraus says we are better, talked about job description, plotted Battalions, spoke with Executive Officer he said Samir would go to class.

Journal Entry
I took the Afghans to the CoC [Combat Operations Center] for their second day. They are not happy about this new CoC at the RCT [Marine Regimental Combat Team]. There is a complete lack of empathy towards them at the RCT. I went to talk to Maj Kraus. I told him 3 days ago that he would need to speak to the General before he started handing out ID cards to the ANA [Afghan National Army], and two days ago he started handing them out without a word to the general. I told him that you need to treat these guys like equals not like subordinates or they will not respond well. He say ‘well lets face it, they are not equals.’ That basically sums up the feelings of the RCT to the ANA, I think. They are not equals, so they will just try to order them around. They are going to be sorely disappointed when they recoil and refuse to do what the RCT wants them to do. Oh well. I worked with Samir in the afternoon on developing a job description for his NCOs [Non Commissioned Officers], I also gave the next NCO a literacy test. He too failed miserably with a 58%. My favorite answer was you go to school to a. sleep b. cry c. fight d. learn. Naturally he chose sleep. I spoke with the XO [Executive Officer] after working with Samir and his crew. The XO chewed out Samir in the morning and Samir didn’t even want to talk to him. The XO conveyed legitimate concerns. He told me. Hey you have worked with him for 5 months and what can you say he has really learned. That question gave me pause. I must admit. I don’t know that I have taught him anything useful in 5 months. The XO said accurately that he does not want to learn. I agree, but he is the only thing I’ve got. I can’t train guys who I want, but are not here. The XO did ultimately say that he could go to the intel course in Kabul. I have heard good things about it from the Corps mentor. He says he went there during their finex [Final Exercise] and they were all working on MCOOs [a type of military map], briefing what they learned, it was great information. At the very least, he will get some training while I am on leave.