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Memorandum: Honorable Les Brownlee, Acting
Secretary of Army
Subject: Preliminary Report on Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF)
From: Charles Moskos
Introduction: This report on Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) is based on
field research conducted in
The basic findings are derived from troops who were deployed in Iraq,
those en route for two weeks R&R in CONUS (or Germany), and those on
short-term R&R in Qatar. In addition to general social and morale
attitudes, a special focus of attention was on the role of the chaplaincy in
OIF. At all times, the large majority of troops indicated an eagerness to talk
with the researchers as well as complete the surveys.
Overview. The first and most important finding is that the active duty
soldiers displayed a higher level of morale than was anticipated. In broad
terms, the mission was seen as most demanding in the so-called Sunni triangle and
OIF soldiers achieve exceptional levels of performance under very
demanding conditions. They bring great credit to themselves, their commanders,
and their country. Their accomplishments are especially noteworthy inasmuch as
OIF represents a most strenuous and dangerous mission. With such performance in
evidence, I have no recommendation for major changes with regard to overall
command policies affecting soldiers. Some specific recommendations pertaining
to personnel issues will be covered in the conclusion of the report.
With regard to danger, that general attitude was more fatalistic than
fearful. The mission goal was seen as ridding the country of the Saddam Hussein
regime and bringing about a more stable and democratic
a. "Sure there lots of extremists, but the people like us generally.
Especially the kids.
b. "Iraqis are like little children.” “We may have to spank them so they will grow
up to be good adults.”
c. "People back home don’t get the big picture, There are good
things as well bad things happening here.”
Reservists, in contrast to the generally good morale of the active-duty
soldiers, that of the reserve components - again in general terms was markedly
lower. The term Reservists is used here to include both Army Reserve and
National Guard soldiers. The complaint that reservists were "second class
citizens" in OIF was frequently heard, or as one put it, on a scale of one
to ten, was a 12. . Issues raised by reservists include the following:
1. Reservists frequently serve longer in theater than do active duty
soldiers and are less likely to know the end date of their OIF deployment.
2. Stop-loss affects reservists more than active-duty soldiers.
3. Promotions for reservists often get stalled because their home unit
cannot promote them while they are activated for OIF and they cannot be
promoted in OIF because they are reservists.
4. Advanced schooling that would be available if they were still in
their home unit is delayed and not likely to be properly available when they
return to their home unit.
5. KBR guards received three times more compensation for the same guard
duty as do reservists. Civilian contractors often had better BDUs and boots
than reservists.
6. Career reservists should be allowed to acquire retirement pay
earlier, even if prorated lower.
It should be noted that the above morale description of reservists
contrasts with the generally higher morale - compared to active-duty soldiers
of reservists in peacekeeping missions in
The Chaplaincy. The current mission of OIF is one that has yet to be
conceptualized properly in Army thought. It has elements of combat, guerilla
war, asymmetrical war, liberation, peacekeeping, peace enforcement, and
occupation, constabulary, to name a few. With such an ambiguous mission, the
role of the chaplaincy becomes more central than ever.
1. In combat operations, the chaplains' role is typically seen more,
conventional religious, even denominational, terms. In OIF, the chaplains’ role
is seen more in spiritual and counseling terms.
2. The chaplain, even if a stranger, is regarded as one who gives honest
advice without any hidden agenda.
3. From a soldier s viewpoint, seeing a chaplain about a personal
problem carries much less stigma than seeing a mental health counselor. As one
soldier put it, seeing a mental health counselor means you’re a nut job in the
file.
4. Chaplains need to make special efforts to circulate among the troops
rather than be constrained by administrative jobs in headquarters areas.
General Observations.
1. The local Iraqis are referred to as hajjis (also spelled hadjis), it
seems to have no special negative meaning. This contrasts with "rag heads'
used to describe locals in the first Gulf War or with gooks and slopes of the
2. E-mail is widely used by troops in OIF. Thus, regular communication
with home is the rule rather than the exception.
3. A new technological innovation is the use of DVDs with a laptop
computer to watch current movies in the field.
4. The absence of a good field manual on
5. The two week R&R in CONUS is widely appreciated. The shorter
usually four days R&R tours in
6. There is a perception, rightly or wrongly, that some units are overmanned
and doing little, while others are undermanned and over stretched.
7. Race relations problems appear minimal. There was some undercurrent
among black troops that Jessica Lynch was the object of overplayed propaganda
compared to the similar experiences of Shoshana Johnson.
8. It may seem far fetched, but an unobtrusive measure of morale could
be a content analysis of the graffiti in the portable toilets.
Recommendations:
1. Consider a video/DVD along the lines of the famous "Why We,
Fight movies directed by Frank Capra during WVVII. Themes to be developed could
include serving a just cause, the evils of the Hussein regime, stepping into
history, the new greatest generation, etc. OIF is a shaping experience that
they will look back upon with pride for the rest of their lives.
2. Short-Term FAOs, The issue of Arab interpreters is central. Consider
a short-term warrant-officer program for Arab-speaking soldiers and recruits as
kind of temporary FAOs, civil affairs assistants, etc. Or reconstitute the old
specialist ranks for linguistically qualified soldiers. This would apply to
recruiting from current
3. Have incoming NCOs and junior officers take a quick say 3 week -
course on Arab culture and learn a few Arab expressions. This could be akin to
the 3-week German course for Incoming company commanders in the USAREUR of old.
4. Military Police should be
given a combat medal equivalent to the combat medal given to medics in hostile
fire zones.
5.
6. Consider allowing alcohol usage on a limited basis in
7. Those activated from the IRR rather than a regular reserve unit are
typically used as fillers. In these cases the families of the IRR activate do
not have a local soldier support system. Some system should be developed where
IRR families could come under the purview of the nearest military base.
8. Explore use of short-term active-duty enlistments to perform duties
currently conducted by reservists. Ref. memo to Hon. L. Brownlee , 15-Month
Enlistment Option, dated 14 Oct 2003.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Subject: Preliminary Report on Operation Iraqi
Freedom (OIF) by:
Charles Moskos
Department of Sociology
Northwestern University