Getting Around: The Victors

Life on COB Adder involves a lot of getting around the COB. Our living areas are a pretty good hike from the PX , our motor pools, headquarters building and our chow hall. Getting from one place to another can be somewhat of a pain unless you are one of the lucky few that has transportation.
Back home most of us have cars or trucks that we can get in anytime we like. Its something unique to Americans to have so many sets of wheels on demand. Here in Iraq few of us have that luxury. Usually someone whose job requires a vehicle or if their rank is high enough to warrant one actually gets a 'Victor'.

Let me address nomenclature right now. In typical Army fashion we have abbreviated and slanganated terminology to describe the various forms of transportation. Let me explain. A Victor is a vehicle. Victor is the phonetic word for the letter V. V is short for Vehicle, translated to Army-nese it is ‘Victor.’ That’s really more confusing and not any shorter than saying vehicle but we are mostly guys and it sounds cool so anytime we see a car on the road we say, “there is a Victor on the road.” Don’t try to understand it, just accept it. Its just the way we are.

More, less-confusing terms: The NTV is a non-tactical vehicle (a pickup or SUV). A Tactical Vehicle is the heavier armored vehicle we use on combat missions. A few of the TAC-Vs are the MRAP (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected), the ASV (Armored Security Vehicle) and the famous HUMM-V (the work horse of the bunch).
We have “FOB Runners” that are old Humm-Vs not adequately armored for missions. There are Rangers or ATVs (like you see off-road or at the deer camp). Our ‘public transportation’ consists of Scooby-busses (bigger than a van but smaller than a full size bus). And there are a host of others but those mentioned are generally what we use.

For those who walk we have LPCs…Leather Personnel Carriers (otherwise known as shoes).

Okay…enough terminology.

You average Iraqi doesn’t have a car. There are lots of vehicles here but usually a family in the city will have one. Rarely does a family have two or more. Most Iraqi citizens rely on taxis, buses or feet. They are not as mobile as Americans. Most of everything an Iraqi citizen needs is in their neighborhood and their families aren’t as spread out as our American families are so the need for vehicles is not as great.
Here in southern Iraq transportation often involves a tractor, a donkey or a camel. More often than not they get around on a good old fashioned pair of sandals (LPCs). Dirty feet are the norm.

Back to Adder...

We have a bus system that is operated by KBR (the contracting company that provides logistical support for us). The KBR busses are what we call ‘Scooby Busses.” These Scoobies run along routes throughout Adder. Their times vary. Their seats are small but it beats walking…usually. The bus routes can be frustrating because there isn’t a set time for them to arrive at a bus stop. We often have to wait 20 or 30 minutes for a ride.
Guys who have an assigned tactical vehicle use them to run around Adder. Its not always easy because these victors are cumbersome but once again…it beats walking.

Other forms of getting around involve bicycles (I have one) ATVs or Polaris Rangers and a variety of small European style vehicles.

If the mission requires it we will walk a dozen miles with a pack on our back in full gear. We are trained to do it and we do it well. But, when the mission doesn’t require it and we just want to get to the chow hall, by golly we are gonna wait for the Scooby or maybe hitch a ride on a camel. It beats walkin’.

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Out.