This Troubled Ground by Les Carroll

Author:Les Carroll
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Koehler Books
Published: 2023-07-05T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SEVEN

General Allen’s command came to an end in February, and another Marine four-star, Fighting Joe Dunford, took command of all American and NATO troops in Afghanistan. The change-of-command ceremony became heavier with four-star US Marines when General Jim Mattis joined the fray. Late in the day, I found myself in the Milano standing beside General Mattis. Someone snapped a photo and later sent it to me. In the photo, I’m talking and General Mattis is listening and laughing. I forgot pretty quickly about the specifics of the conversation, but wondered what I could’ve said to induce an outburst of laughter from the commander of US Central Command, one of the most significant combat commanders in the world.

General Dunford struck an immediate contrast with General Allen, engaging a group of top tier media just a few days after the change of command. I had seen a lot of leaders address the media, but Dunford was polished. Once he offered to answer a question “off the record,” and the seasoned and reputable journalists had closed their notebooks and turned off their recording devices and stored them in backpacks and purses. General Dunford had answered the question and when he specified that the engagement was now back “on the record,” the reporters started writing and recording again.

General Dunford and much of the leadership traveled to SHAPE headquarters in Belgium a few days later and Colonel Daniels sent Charlie Church along as a press adviser. I was a little jealous, but happy that Charlie was being rewarded for his outstanding work. When he returned a few days later, he only had hours, not days, to pack his bags and prepare for the journey home. He had served well, and his clear head and youthful enthusiasm had been an asset to our team.

Charlie Church went home in early March after a year in Afghanistan. It was almost like saying goodbye to one of my sons. My youngest son was in college at BYU. My oldest son was in medical school in Iowa. Charlie, who was the same age as my oldest daughter, was on his way home to his wife in Germany. He had been a superstar press officer, and I was not too proud to say Charlie Church had taught me a lot, and wisely, I had tried to listen to his advice and emulate his methods. He had recently given some advice to two contractors who had gotten stupid on us and ignored his advice. A few days later they lost their jobs and were sent home. I listened to him. I didn’t care if he was thirty years old and could still be considered a rookie in the business. He was a natural, and when he offered advice, I gladly accepted and tried to act on it.

Colonel Daniels and I walked with him to the parking lot and threw his gear into a vehicle. It was cold and rainy. Watching him drive away was bittersweet. He deserved to be going home, but HQ ISAF would not be as strong without him.

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