A Multi-Cultural Base Inside the Wire

That was a difficult transition because inside the wire, the way people behaved was very much like we were in a Canadian training base. The mind set inside the wire was very domestic almost to the point where it seemed like they didn’t realize what was happening outside the wire. But then we’d go out and it was like it was outside and then you come back and everyone was expecting you to switch between soldier mode to training base mode which was very frustrating for my troops. It was very hard for them to make that transition and you were expected to make that transition as soon as you crossed the line coming through the gate. So it was difficult, right, you get yourself ready to go out and then you’re supposed to switch off when you come back and it doesn’t really work quite that well. It was a real multi-cultural base. It was an American base but there were British, Dutch, Canadians, the Norwegians were there. Romanians looked after perimeter security. It was like a real multi-cultural base. Everyone had their quarter, you know, so the Canadian lines were here and the Romanians were over there. We were next to the Dutch and everyone had their own entertainment and mess facilities. Not everyone was dry. We were, we weren’t allowed to go to the Dutch and drink beer with the Dutch; that would have got you on a trip back home. It was really good. The mess facilities, like the dining halls were all multi-cultural. I found it to be very open and very friendly no matter where we went, right? Everyone was in the same state, right? Everyone was going out and doing their thing and coming back, running the same risks.

The day itself, well if we were getting ready to go out then the day before we would get orders for what our mission was the next day. We would then spend the rest of that day planning, working our way around the various groups. We needed to get an interpreter, we needed medical support, we always took a medic and a ‘terp. We went to the Tactical Operation Centre, the TOC and we’d tell them what our mission was and where we were going because they kept track of where everyone went. I would work my way around all the other groups that I needed to make sure I had supply and the vehicles were ready and then touch base with the guys who we were taking out because we were convoy security but the convoy itself was run by the service battalion. So we touched base with them, figure out what they were doing and get a time that we were leaving and then just meet in the next morning to give orders. So a lot of preparation and then when you got back you were just waiting for your next mission and they just sort of come whenever they came, day or night, just… you’re going here, you’re going there.