Behind the wheel of her five-ton truck, Robin Eckstein had a front row seat to our logistical dilemma in Iraq.  From there, she got a clear view of the energy crisis awaiting America.

(Photo: Stripes.com)

Driving on convoys, six days a week, transporting fuel and other supplies into the perilous heart of Baghdad, made Eckstein realize how vulnerable the U.S. military is made by its dependence on oil.  She also witnessed, in the aftermath of the country’s liberation, the debility and chaos that ensued from a sudden scarcity of energy. 

“Every time we went out of the gate, we were rolling the dice as far as what we would encounter that day.  Would it be improvised explosive devices, sniper fire, an ambush? Would anyone be wounded or die?”  It’s all in a day’s work for logistics soldiers. 

TENTHMIL:  First, could you describe your deployment, and how it affected your view of the U.S. and the world?

ECKSTEIN:  I think that my deployment affected my view of the U.S. and world significantly. I had never seen the destruction and devastation I did in Iraq; it was impressive and scary. I always knew that the U.S. was a powerful force but seeing it in action was jaw dropping.

I think it was also very interesting to get to talk to some of the Iraqis. You have all these preconceived notions in your head, and they were wrong. Most of the people were very nice and extremely generous, despite their poverty. It made me feel good to have the opportunity to meet people from such a different culture.

We are very spoiled in the United States and we take a lot of it for granted. Whenever I plug something into an outlet I just expect it to work and when I go to fill up at the gas station I expect there will be fuel. I appreciate being born in the U.S. and the opportunities I have been given by living here even more.

TENTHMIL:  What unit were you in?  Where did you go?

ECKSTEIN: I was with the 123rd MSB 1st Armored Division out of Dexheim, Germany. I was stationed in Germany for nearly 3 years and then deployed to Iraq with them before returning to Wisconsin to finish school. My unit was in two locations, a small group that was running the LRP (logistic release point) on BIAP (Baghdad International Airport) and the main part of the unit was at Dogwood about an hour outside of Baghdad. I was part of the small group on BIAP. We ran missions driving trucks with supplies into Baghdad and the surrounding area every day. Mostly what we hauled was fuel and water. The fuel people (77F) hauled the fuel and we (88M) hauled the water and provided the security for the convoys. Because we did not have infantry guys in our unit we had to provide our own security, so it was just us.  We had several normal runs that we did every day, three to be exact and then whatever else came up. We switched out everyday which run you would do. One of the runs was a double flip, meaning we went out twice in one day. The other missions that would come up could be anything from hauling random supplies, to providing transportation to infantry units so they could raid houses.

TENTHMIL:  What it is like to see the U.S. military machine in operation?

ECKSTEIN::  Seeing the might of the U.S. military machine in operation was impressive. Just realizing the logistics of having us all there and operating is unimaginable. Realizing that if we can invade Iraq the way we did, there is nothing the U.S. can’t accomplish. I wish we would put all that energy and initiative into solving climate change and ending our dependence on foreign oil.

TENTHMIL:  How often did you go out on convoys?  What was that like?

ECKSTEIN:  I went on convoys 6 days a week, sometimes more than once a day. The first time I went on a convoy in Iraq I was terrified. I actually threw up after we passed through the market place on the way to Dogwood because I had never pointed a loaded weapon at a human being before and it was a humbling experience. At first I was interested in seeing the area and meeting Iraqis, but as time went on and I saw friends dying and being injured I grew angry and resentful. Being humane in an inhumane situation is difficult and I am not sure anyone can rise above it. That is what I still struggle with every day.

TENTHMIL:  Is it considered more dangerous to be on convoys of fuel trucks? 

ECKSTEIN: I think it was more dangerous to be on convoys of fuel trucks…they are slow moving targets and not as well guarded, in our unit.  If you are going to target something, it obviously makes more sense to target the slower moving, less guarded convoys.  The more fuel we used over there, the more people were put in danger.

TENTHMIL:  What kinds of problems did you witness from shortages of fuel, batteries, or other energy supplies?

ECKSTEIN:  That is all we had in the beginning of the war was shortages. We only had one light in our tent and there was only one outlet plug so we were always fighting over it. All of the basic needs of living were scarce if not nonexistent in the beginning.

We had to do missions everyday or twice a day to get that fuel and water to outposts around Baghdad, because they could not function without it. Even if the roads we took were deemed unsafe, we would wait until they were open and push out as soon as we could. Even though we were at the hub, we still had to be careful to not run the generators too much for lack of resources.

In the city of Baghdad itself it was unbelievable how crippled the entire country became because there wasn’t electricity and running water. The lines for gas and diesel at the pumps were miles long and those people were living on a sea of oil! It was scary to see an entire city become so helpless and despondent because of their lack of access to energy. It makes you realize how vulnerable the Unites States is, being so dependent on foreign energy to keep our economy moving.

TENTHMIL:  Did you observe any excessive use of gas or electricity within your unit, or others, that you thought could be corrected? 

ECKSTEIN:  During my time we were always trying to conserve whatever resources we had so there wasn’t as much waste in the beginning of the war. I think it really depended on the unit that you were with. There were fuel spills that would happen a lot and that were not taken very seriously, but that was more about the clean up. 

TENTHMIL:  Would it have improved your mission execution if you were equipped with portable solar chargers for NVDs, thermal imaging devices, radios, etc?

ECKSTEIN:  It would have been fantastic if we would have had portable solar chargers for our equipment. It would have meant having more resources the whole time. Also, units wouldn’t have been so dependent on us getting them fuel to run the generators. That would have meant fewer missions outside the gates of BIAP to deliver fuel, which would mean less risk to American soldiers’ lives.

TENTHMIL:  What are your general thoughts about U.S. energy policy, as a part of national security, and where it is going in the future?

ECKSTEIN:  I think that right now the U.S. energy policy is weak in the sense that we are so dependent on one source of energy that is mostly controlled by other countries, some of which are not friendly to the United States. [We] need to see having a strong energy policy as a national security issue. The Pentagon, the Department of Defense, and the CIA are taking the lead on this issue. We need to see Congress leading and making the changes to ensure that we have control of our energy future. I am hopeful that the message that there is a connection between national security and clean energy is getting out to the American people with the help of Operation Free and that people will demand that action be taken. That is why I feel it is imperative that the Senate pass the Clean Jobs and American Power Act so that we can secure a safe and clean future for our nation.

Robin Eckstein flew out of Iraq in October 2003.  After returning home, she would join Operation Free, a veterans group committed to the promotion of renewable energy.  In the next article, we will discuss how veterans like Eckstein are demonstrating their valor after returning stateside.