Melanie's Military Memo #14

I am emailing from the Passenger Terminal in Balad, Iraq.  I am waiting for the plane that will start my journey home to Kansas!

 

Truckin' along an Iraqi highway

Articles From War

By LTC Melanie Meier

As all the good trucking songs like "keep 'em moving on down the line" buzzed in my head, I traveled just south of Baghdad from Convoy Support Center Scania in Central Iraq, where I visited the soldiers operating the "biggest little city in Iraq." Palm trees surrounded this big truck stop created for the convoys that constantly move north and south through Iraq.

For the approximately 600,000 vehicles traversing here yearly, CSC Scania provides fuel, maintenance, lodging and food service to thousands of US military personnel and contractors who move all the "stuff" through the country. Although I left Scania in a wheeled vehicle, I had arrived by Blackhawk helicopter in strong winds that pinned me to my seat as we flew north from COB Adder over the changing landscape toward Scania. From the air, I noticed for the first time what I thought were fields lining the Euphrates River. Small canals branched out from the river to carry water to each one. Small stucco compounds dotted the landscape along the way.

 As we headed away from the river and turned north toward the desert, I noticed how the landscape was dressed in white with large wind-blown sand dunes that reminded me of scenes from movies like Lawrence of Arabia or The Mummy. No life could be seen for miles. 

As we neared CSC Scania, a large, empty concrete canal came into view, but it seemed to go nowhere. At the time I wondered if this could be the "Mother of all Battles River" that Sadaam constructed to drain the marshes of the south. After referring to my map, I discovered it was probably the remains of the "Loyalty to the Leader River" which runs farther north. Don't Iraqi man-made rivers have great names?

Once Scania came into view, the concrete canals actually contained water and I was so excited to see green vegetation. Inside the compound, the tops of date palm trees peaked above the concrete t-walls that surrounded us. I climbed several of the guard towers to look out and actually saw a few homes and watched Iraqi people walking around. Children waved and practiced their English by yelling "Hello, how are you?"

People in passing vehicles on the highway, or what we call the Main Supply Route (MSR), would honk and wave. Cows grazed and dogs laid in the shade. This was very different from COB Adder, my home base in southern Iraq, where I look at a flat empty landscape through barbed wire. 

As happens more often than not, my flight back to COB Adder was canceled. But since CSC Scania is a hub of convoys moving north and south, I headed to the movement control center to ask if anyone was headed my way. I ended up hitching a ride with a Convoy Security Escort Team who was escorting a line of fuel trucks south.

The soldiers from the Oregon National Guard cheerfully directed me to strap myself into a spare seat on their Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle. As they offered me a cold Gatorade for the road, they thought I would like to know that I was on the scout vehicle. 

 Seeing out of a MRAP when you are in the back is never easy. Because I was wearing full battle rattle and strapped down, I craned my neck to get a glimpse of Iraq. For the next four hours, I saw several herds of livestock. I saw sheep, goats, camels and cattle. Iraqi Police check points were scattered along the way, as was an occasional home.

I also noticed people walking near the road, mostly men and boys, and once in a while, a woman in all-black flowing garments covering her from head to toe caught my attention. The men and boys dressed in western-style clothing, except for the lone men who were tending flocks of sheep or herding their camels. As they walked through the desert, parallel to the highway, I wondered where they were headed dressed in their long white shirts and head coverings.

 At one point a large back up of vehicles blocked the highway, but the MRAP simply went around most of the hold up. The highway contained no painted lines so traffic moved in single lanes going in each direction. But when vehicle drivers became impatient, single lanes became four lanes going in one direction with one lane trying to squeeze by in the other direction. This phenomenon worried me a bit as the sun went down and I could see countless headlights seemingly headed straight at us. 

 In several areas, traffic actually came to a standstill and at this point cars emptied and men stood around on the road. I was reminded of traveling on the MSR in Korea, except in Korea stand-still traffic is so common that vendors walk up and down between the vehicles selling food and drink. Of course, our MRAP never stood still for long because we simply cleared the way for the convoy. 

 Once the Security Escort saw the convoy safely to its destination, I was taken back to my home away from home at COB Adder. We were all hungry and the gunner, who stood in the gunners' hatch for the entire ride, complained of sore feet. Still, everyone was in good spirits because another successful mission was completed.

 

 

Merry Christmas and have a great New Year!

Melanie

Melanie's 13th Memo from Iraq

Classroom visit Iraq style

Articles from War

By LTC Melanie Meier

 

My fellow passengers shared my nervousness as we traveled in the back of a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle on our way to school.  We were going to have to face classrooms of children. But what would we say? Would we do something culturally wrong?  I wondered if we would be allowed to hug the kids or do "high fives" or what we would talk about.

 

Once we left the Main Supply Route (MSR), or highway as we would call it back home, the apprehension grew.  It is not easy to see out of an MRAP.  We were in full battle rattle and strapped down to our seats, with little windows about forehead level.  By straining my neck, I could see that we were no longer on paved roads, eventually arriving at a cluster of buildings.  Most looked like old brick buildings with the stucco cracking and falling off, each surrounded by walls.  A few looked new and fairly modern.  Several buildings were in the midst of the construction process and actually had large glass windows.  Cars were parked along the roads and in front of some of the homes.  An assortment of wires were strung from the roof tops.

 

The wires were not high on poles up high, which caused some problems for us in our huge vehicle.  The gunner climbed out on top to try and raise a wire up so we could pass under it.  We did not want to cut off electricity to the homes.  Unfortunately, as the gunner let loose some colorful language, we learned that the wire was hot and not insulated correctly.  He was okay though while we all had a nervous laugh.  The driver finally maneuvered the top heavy vehicle down into a deep ditch to get low enough as the convoy commander yelled over the radio to just drive through because we were staying in one place too long.  Crisis averted, our convoy finally arrived at the school.

 

Once in the classrooms, our apprehensions were out the window. We were greeted with smiles, some shy and some beaming. The small school had six classrooms, one for each grade, and it seemed the younger the students were, the more outgoing they were. The first graders wanted to say hello in English and shake hands while the fifth graders wanted to show off their English skills by reciting the alphabet and counting in English.  The oldest class of sixth graders was all boys, but there were only seven of them. The fifth grade teacher told us that two of his students had recently lost their fathers in an automobile accident. I noticed that all of the instructors and the head master were men.

 

Through interpreters, we asked the children questions.  The interpreter with my group was a young Army specialist who lived in Iraq as a child and is now in the Texas National Guard. She was having a great time with the kids.  We started by asking the children their names and their favorite subjects in school. Although the fifth graders all said English, I think they may have been trying to impress us. I thought about recess myself, and asked them what sport they liked. Soccer was the all around favorite.  Thumbs up seems to be an universal sign.

While there, we handed out school supplies to each child who had a small backpack. However, I couldn't help but notice how there were no book cases or cabinets in any of the classrooms, only desks that consisted of benches and a flat table that sat two to four students, depending on the size of the student. Each class room had a chalk board, but that was all.  There did not seem to be a lunch room or even a bathroom.  The windows did not have glass.

 

There was one little boy I noticed who had a Spiderman backpack so I asked him if he knew the "Spiderman" song. He shook his head no, so of course, I had to sing it for him.  He looked at me as if I had three heads.  Maybe that was the cultural faux pas that I had been worrying about on the way there?

Melanie's Memo from Iraq #12

Mass in the Language of Jesus

Articles from War

By LTC Melanie Meier

 

Prior to the 2003 start of Operation Iraqi Freedom, an estimated 1.2 million Christians lived in Iraq.  For several reasons that number today is thought to be down around 600,000.  Extremist groups have targeted Iraqi Christians with the prime example being the 2007 kidnapping and execution of the Chaldean Catholic Arch Bishop and two other priests in Baghdad. But despite continued threats to their lives, these holy men have remained loyal to the Pope and the Church while staying in Iraq to help the Iraqi people with their struggle for peace.

 

Last weekend Bishop Imad Al Banna, a priest and native of Basra Iraq, came to Camp Adder to share Mass with Catholic Soldiers and to spread his word of peace. Bishop Al Banna serves as deputy to the Arch Bishop of all Chaldean Catholics and his Bishopric includes responsibility for all of southern Iraq. 

 

For those of us attending this Mass it was an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to hear the ancient sacraments in Aramaic, the language of Jesus. The Bishop combined parts of the Mass in Aramaic and English, and he had an interpreter for his homily. He thanked us for leaving our homes and traveling so far for peace. He also thanked us for all our work to help provide his nation with a government that cares about and for its people. He told us such governments were the key to peace.  He also stressed that although he is a Catholic he helps all the Iraqi people in southern Iraq, not just Christians.

 

The sing-song chanting of the familiar prayers in the language of Jesus had a calming effect and it was neat to hear members of the congregation responding. Many of our interpreters are Iraqi/American Christians who returned to Iraq to do their part for the Iraqi people and I met two the day before the Mass. One was from Basra like the Bishop and even had a tie to my home. He works for a Human Terrain Team based out of Fort Leavenworth. 

 

Like the Iraqi/Americans who work as role players for the Battle Command Training Program out of the Fort, they tell you that the Chaldean Christians of Iraq are the "real Iraqis" whose ancestors once thrived in the birth place of Abraham. As he graciously posed for pictures with every soldier there, Bishop Al Banna actually thanked us for allowing him to serve Mass in the land of the prophet, Abraham.

Melanie's Articles from War #11

Articles from War

Palaces surrounded by water

By LTC Melanie Meier

 

While Iraq is definitely not the only place in the world that has a vivid contrast between the haves and the have nots, Baghdad felt like a place from medieval times that had persisted into the 21st century.  While visiting to attend a Conference at Victory Base Compound, I was excited for the chance to see the palace that today serves as headquarters of Multi National Corps Iraq (MNC-I). Despite my excitement, I knew that getting there was going to be a challenge because traveling in Iraq is not the most convenient or the most comfortable activity.

What would take a few hours to travel in the comfort of your own car back home takes hours here of sweating in your "full battle rattle," either in the back of a MRAP on a convoy, in the back of a C-130 or in a helicopter praying the weather holds and you do not get stuck somewhere. Despite the inconvenience and sweat, I was ready for a change in scenery.

Before my arrival, I knew Victory Base Compound was big and surrounded by abutting camps, but once there I was surprised by what I saw and experienced. During my husband's tour of Iraq in 2005, he told me about running around Lost Lake and watching soldiers fish on the huge man made lake that was part of Saddam Hussein's old hunting preserve. However, I was not prepared for the contrast between the apparent luxury that used to exist here and the starkness of Camp Adder where I am stationed in southern Iraq.

Trees, grass and lots of water surround the grand buildings, pools, bath houses, barbeque sites, islands and houseboats. There was so much to see that what to focus on first was a real challenge.  This area was once a rich, exclusive club for the Ba'athists and Saddam's family and consists of three large palaces sitting within sight of one another, all surrounded by man-made lakes.

The conference actually took place in the Al Faw Palace, which Saddam built 18 years ago to commemorate the Iraqis who died recapturing the Al Faw Peninsula from the Iranians. Because he insisted construction be completed in two years, the palace now suffers from the rush. Unlike the stately palaces of Europe with their master craftsmanship and top-of-the-line materials, the Al Faw Palace is actually disintegrating.  At first glance it looks grand containing huge rooms, foyers, chandeliers, staircases, bathrooms, a ballroom/grand dining room, and other opulent quarters.

 At closer inspection though, the marble is actually tile facades and the staircases are made of gypsum, a softer material in which to work. What looks like gold is really brass. The chandeliers are plastic, but glass is intermittently used to add sparkle and Styrofoam fills the spaces in walls and floors that did not match up correctly. 

Proper soil compression was not done before the foundation was laid, causing obvious shifting and cracking throughout the palace.  Walls bulge, marble facades snap, and some of the arches, which represent the strongest structure in architecture, crumble from the pressure. 

From the balconies of the Al Faw Palace, I could see the Perfume Palace and the Victory over America Palace. The Perfume Palace, originally built for one of Saddam's brothers and his family, was turned into a Ba'ath Party amusement center after their deaths. The Victory over America Palace was never finished although it was to be about a third larger than the Al Faw. Three cranes still surround the abandoned building site.

Saddam had many villas built for his family and dignitaries. The two that were constructed for his sons, Uday and Qusay, still bear huge holes from US missile attacks. All of these are on the water and in the morning a cool breeze sweeps over the peaceful man-made lakes that are still full of the fish that Saddam imported for sport and geese glide on the water. At the Al Faw Palace a picture hangs of a soldier lying on the ground next to a Tigris Salmon, measuring five feet, ten and a half inches long! 

According to the self-guided tour book, the villa complex once included horse stables, a race track, date groves, wheat fields, a zoo, pools, cinema, walking paths and much more.  These areas now serve as living areas for Coalition Forces and the one hill in the area, made from dirt dug out to form the man-made lakes, is covered with antennas and satellite dishes. To fill the lakes, Saddam turned the water off to the city of Baghdad for three days. Today the water level is maintained by a pipeline from the Tigris River that also includes a series of canals and locks that connect them all together. 

Just the thought of all this water, and the 29 bathrooms in the Al Faw Palace, is flabbergasting compared to the dried up marshland of south Iraq which still has places without running water.  Still, I am thankful for the opportunity to see this for myself. For me, it was like Saddam's Iraq was a place from medieval times that had persisted into the 21st century. 

Melanie's Articles on War from Iraq # 10

Articles on War

Finding hope from water shortage

By LTC Melanie Meier

 

The message from Contingency Operating Base (COB) Adder's Garrison Headquarters started, "Attention COB Adder: Effective immediately, COB Adder's water conservation level is changed from Level 2 to Level 3."

 

With the heat of late summer averaging from 120 to 135 degrees and this announcement that Camp Adder's water conservation level had become more restrictive, I learned of challenges being faced outside our military base. Up until now our water restrictions inside the military base kept us from washing equipment and limited us to "combat showers" of two minutes or less. These newer restrictions shut down the self-serve laundry facilities and some contractor work areas were left without water all together. Fortunately, our bottled water is plentiful because we have a bottling plant right here operated by one of our units who also pumps the water and filters it.

 

Outside our military base it is a different story. As the primary source of water for us and the local Iraqi people, the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers serve a vital role. The military base draws water from the Euphrates River, then filters it and either bottles it or pumps it to our dining facilities, latrines and shower trailers. Outside the wire, filtering can not be taken for granted.

 

This is one area where COB Adder's Civil Affairs teams have made a difference by providing villages with solar-powered water filtration systems, and the Provincial Reconstruction Teams have ensured that enough locals are trained to operate and maintain the systems once we were gone. Recently, I learned two things about the water situation in southern Iraq from a young Civil Affairs specialist. I was told that dysentery had risen the past two years in this region, which was what prompted Civil Affairs units to become involved in the filtration system project.

 

He also told me that malaria threatens children and pregnant mothers each year during the peak mosquito months of May, June, September, and October. Here in dusty hot Tallil, I do not worry too much about mosquitoes, but it makes sense that they are a threat in the cities and villages where most of the people live, near the main water source, the Euphrates River.

 

I was surprised when the Specialist told me about the latest project at Camp Adder's water reservoir. He and another Specialist have constructed a breeding safe haven for the gambusia affinis, or mosquito fish, that loves to eat mosquito larva. Intending to release them in force into the Euphrates, the Specialists nurture the guppy-sized fish in a fort built of camouflage netting and sandbags. This was their own idea, and they received permission to work on the project on their own time.

 

As this project continues, my hope is that their commitment and resolve pay off, not only for all the Iraqi people that they will help but for the shining example of two young Americans going out of their way to help. I am proud that our soldiers are not only the most disciplined, adaptable, and effective force in the world but also consist of smart and inventive individuals. Our talented soldiers, like this pair, come up with great ideas and the Army recognizes that and tries to utilize everyone to his or her fullest potential, and give them room to grow.

 

Although the water being pumped from the lower levels of the river on these hot days of summer may be a bit murky and we need to be more careful with our usage, there is a bright spot in those cloudy waters.

 

Where water buffalo flourished

By LTC Melanie Meier

As I looked outside the boundaries of Combined Operating Base Adder, my home away from home these past few months, I sigh. It is a sad site consisting of a pancake-flat horizon, which is brown, and holds nothing but dirt as far as the eye can see. Hard to imagine that the Garden of Eden was once a few miles from this very place and 5,000 years ago this area was covered with water, where homes built of reeds floated and water buffalo flourished.

Oddly enough, when I voiced these thoughts not long afterwards, my visitor that day told me he had actually flown over marshes and water buffalo. Based at Basrah, he had taken a short 20 minute helicopter flight southeast of here, and had flown over the marshes he claimed were returning. The marshes were even chronicled in the 1964 book The Marsh Arabs by the British writer, Wilfred Thesiger. That explained the mysterious cool breeze I enjoyed on the Basrah "layover" that occurred on my way back to COB Adder from my R&R leave last month. At the time I thought the breeze felt like it had traveled over water, but attributed it to the pure relief of getting out of the stuffy C-130.

Whether the breeze was imagined or not, I learned that as recently as the 1950s a half million Marsh Arabs lived within 8,000 square miles that formed the triangle of An Nasiriyah, Al Amarah, and Al Basrah. In the 1980s, Saddam Hussein reportedly used chemicals on the Iranians he thought were coming through the marshes and poisoned the water. In the 1990s, Hussein delivered the finishing blow to the marshes which had become a base for rebel attacks and a haven for refugees. He ordered helicopters to fire on the people, kill as many as they could, and drive off the remainder. A series of dams were erected and a great canal called the "Mother of all Battles River" was constructed to cut off and drain the waters from the Euphrates, which was the major water source. Once the marshes were dry, the reeds were set alight. With the marshes dry and no vegetation left, the silt turned to powdery fine dust and is now what we breathe every day here in Tallil. Some dusty days are worse than others.

Immediately after the US invasion in 2003, excited Iraqis tore down more than just statues of Saddam. Over 100 dams were destroyed in this region in an attempt to bring the marshes back to life. My friend from Basrah explained that some villagers have returned, but the people live with no paved roads, no electricity, no schools, and no medicine.

By now my curiosity had peaked so as soon as I could I turned to the Internet to see if I could learn more. What I discovered was that a new partnership called "The New Eden Team," was working to help the region recover from this manmade environmental disaster. The Team consists of Nature Iraq, which is an Iraqi non-governmental organization organized to protect, restore, and preserve the country's natural environment, various Iraqi Ministries and science communities, experts from Italy, and many concerned citizens who live in the southern Iraq region. This partnership estimates that 65% of the marshes have been reflooded and half of those have revegetated. Also approximately 80 bird species have returned.

Maybe someday visitors to Tallil will be able to see something other than this never-ending brown. Little hope exists for a return of the estimated eleven bird species and three mammal species that became extinct with the destruction of the marshes. However, Nature Iraq's website (www.natureiraq.org) reports the return of a threatened bird species call the Iraq babbler, and who knows, I just might catch sight of one rising out of reeds, rather than dust.

Faces of Amarah

By LTC Melanie Meier

Recently I met a young specialist assigned to a Civil Affairs unit from California. His unit spends its days with the Iraqi people, conducting Civil Military Operations, such as his latest mission to deliver and set up water purification units throughout the Province. As inspector general at Camp Adder, I do not get many opportunities to leave the security of the "wire" to visit places like Amarah, which is a few kilometers east of here situated between Camp Adder and the border with Iran. However, I do meet young soldiers who spend their days outside the "wire" like the specialist from California.

So, I asked him what he was thinking as he traveled out and lived among the Iraqis.

"Scenes like this remind me of home, but in an unconventional way," he explained. "On more than one occasion, for reasons I acknowledge fully and embrace with good humor, I have been mistaken for a local national. So much so that in the middle of one particular mission, an Iraqi pointed out that if I were to wear a dishdasha (a man dress) and a yashmagh and agal (Arabic head dress) I could pass for an Iraqi."



While talking not long ago with a diverse group of men and women, he was asked his opinion about Iraq. After expressing "my hope and goodwill for Iraq and its people, I was then asked by the group, via the interpreter, which part of the Middle East I was from."



Amarah is the capitol of the Maysan Province in Iraq. In 2003, the city made a final stand as a center of resistance to Saddam Hussein. Once liberated by the British, the local residents hired diggers to unearth bodies in a mass grave Saddam's regime left twelve years before.



"For me, Iraq and the Maysan Province have a sweet and innocent sense of home. It is on many of these foreign dirt roads that I find the pieces and faces of home. Amongst the crowds of happy children, who are grateful to receive pens, paper, backpacks, and blankets I tend to see, for a split moment, the face of my young niece smiling and full of joy, like when I would hug her and she would hold me ever so tight in the warm embrace of her smiles. Then she is gone, only to reappear again in the arms of a woman veiled in black, or perhaps peaking through a slightly open iron gate, rusted and faded from green to lime, waving and cheering as we pass by. It's a beautiful thing to be able to find traces of home, love, and faith when distance and longing for a loved one grips your heart."

I am thankful that this specialist shared his thoughts and feelings with me. I feel lucky to be able to meet and serve the fine young men and women who have volunteered to join our military and come to Iraq for a mission so much bigger than themselves, and yet so very personal. Like the specialist's description of the colors that surround him.
"The ancient rhythmic colors of Arabic gold and blue, and how red and green define an essence of life that paints the walls, homes, and people of Amarah. When driving along unimproved streets and roads the town reminds me of neglected fifteen century frescos from another time, another place."

A dignified transfer

By LTC Melanie Meier

With no warning, all communication between Combined Operating Base Adder and the outside world was blocked. So after a day without the Internet or emails and no phone calls outside of the COB, I was eager to log on once the system returned. As I clicked onto my emails, the first one caught me off guard. It was from Mortuary Affairs and a "Dignified Transfer" for soldiers killed in action would occur at the installation's Ali Base Airfield, Tallil. The COB had lost someone this day and this was an opportunity to pay respect to our fallen comrade.

The ceremony would take place that evening at 9 p.m. I on the arrived on the airfield to find a single C-130 with the rear ramp down. Soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines made a human corridor in rows facing inward and leading to the ramp. As I noticed the color guard in the rear, it dawned on me that you could hear a pin drop. Everyone stood at attention and silence hung over the airfield. Then an unmarked, white truck arrived at the edge of the airfield and stopped.

In step, seven soldiers approached the truck. Two airmen opened the back and someone called the entire airfield to "present arms." As all the soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines saluted, the group of seven picked up the flag-draped coffin, silently marched through the corridor and onto the C-130. As they secured the coffin tightly in place, I noticed it was the Chaplain, who stood ever present and close by.

Once our comrade was secure for his flight out of Iraq, the pall bearers and Chaplain retreated as the command to "order arms" rang over the airfield. As one, the human corridor turned away from the C-130 and marched off the airfield followed by the color guard. Although I did not know the soldier's name, the dignity of his farewell touched my heart and I will always remember him.

I was also reminded that it is still dangerous over here. Now that U.S. forces have exited the Iraqi cities, attacks may increase in some areas on military and civilians. My next door CHU (containerized housing unit) neighbor, who works with the Iraqi Army every day, tells me to consider such attacks normal. It is the insurgents' way of claiming they are chasing us out.

Today I experienced My First Indirect Fire.

By LTC Melanie Meier

As I observed my fourth week at Camp Adder, I had to admit that I was finally feeling settled. I have a private trailer, or CHU (containerized housing unit) as they call it here. I drive a Chevy Trailblazer while inside the Camp's compound, and my office includes two rooms with air conditioning and a refrigerator. I have all the comforts of home, except indoor plumbing at the office.

So there I was, sitting at my desk, catching up on my Inspector General database and waiting for a Battalion Commander who wanted to talk to me about one of his soldiers, when suddenly I heard a loud explosion. I stopped, looked north, and there was another explosion. I thought, that sure was strange, because I did not remember any announcements about controlled detonations taking place today. An Explosive Ordnance Detachment (EOD) range was not far away and regular explosions occur when EOD blows up suspicious items as well as the IEDs found quite regularly around here.

Then I heard the siren. And that's when my heart started pounding. What if someone had been hit? What if more rounds were coming? Without really thinking I quickly donned my "Improved Tactical Outer Vest," commonly known as my bullet-proof body armor, my helmet, and I waited.

While listening to my heart beat, I looked around and realized how lucky I was to actually work in a concrete building left over from the Iraqi Airbase that used to be here in Tallil. In 2003, our troops took this facility and, from what I have heard from friends who passed through here six years ago on the way to Baghdad, the base contained only a few buildings and an airplane bone yard. Camp Adder was put into operation in 2005 after much of it was cleaned up. Today just a few airplane shells remain on the airfield as well as some burned out SUVs to remind us that Saddam Hussein's air force once called this home.

As hard as I tried to concentrate on other things, I couldn't help being comforted by this concrete-hardened building, surrounded by T-Walls, which are very tall concrete walls with a wide base so they look like upside down Ts. At least I do not have to run outstide to a bunker because I could stay where I am and wait for the all-clear signal. Something compelled me to call over to Medical Operations and report that I was safe and unhurt. Being the only IG on site and the only staff officer from my unit that is based 350 km north in Balad, I am a literal Army of One so I have to take care of myself.

Finally, the all clear signal sounded and I sighed in relief. I was still unaware of where the Indirect Fire had hit or if anyone had sustained any injuries. Although it was my four week anniversary, the day had been a bad one for Camp Adder. Earlier this morning one of our convoys was hit by an IED and three soldiers had been badly hurt, and now this.

Today I experienced My First Indirect Fire.

By LTC Melanie Meier

As I observed my fourth week at Camp Adder, I had to admit that I was finally feeling settled. I have a private trailer, or CHU (containerized housing unit) as they call it here. I drive a Chevy Trailblazer while inside the Camp's compound, and my office includes two rooms with air conditioning and a refrigerator. I have all the comforts of home, except indoor plumbing at the office.

So there I was, sitting at my desk, catching up on my Inspector General database and waiting for a Battalion Commander who wanted to talk to me about one of his soldiers, when suddenly I heard a loud explosion. I stopped, looked north, and there was another explosion. I thought, that sure was strange, because I did not remember any announcements about controlled detonations taking place today. An Explosive Ordnance Detachment (EOD) range was not far away and regular explosions occur when EOD blows up suspicious items as well as the IEDs found quite regularly around here.

Then I heard the siren. And that's when my heart started pounding. What if someone had been hit? What if more rounds were coming? Without really thinking I quickly donned my "Improved Tactical Outer Vest," commonly known as my bullet-proof body armor, my helmet, and I waited.

While listening to my heart beat, I looked around and realized how lucky I was to actually work in a concrete building left over from the Iraqi Airbase that used to be here in Tallil. In 2003, our troops took this facility and, from what I have heard from friends who passed through here six years ago on the way to Baghdad, the base contained only a few buildings and an airplane bone yard. Camp Adder was put into operation in 2005 after much of it was cleaned up. Today just a few airplane shells remain on the airfield as well as some burned out SUVs to remind us that Saddam Hussein's air force once called this home.

As hard as I tried to concentrate on other things, I couldn't help being comforted by this concrete-hardened building, surrounded by T-Walls, which are very tall concrete walls with a wide base so they look like upside down Ts. At least I do not have to run outstide to a bunker because I could stay where I am and wait for the all-clear signal. Something compelled me to call over to Medical Operations and report that I was safe and unhurt. Being the only IG on site and the only staff officer from my unit that is based 350 km north in Balad, I am a literal Army of One so I have to take care of myself.

Finally, the all clear signal sounded and I sighed in relief. I was still unaware of where the Indirect Fire had hit or if anyone had sustained any injuries. Although it was my four week anniversary, the day had been a bad one for Camp Adder. Earlier this morning one of our convoys was hit by an IED and three soldiers had been badly hurt, and now this.  Maybe I don't feel so settled after all.

USO to Iraq, deployment begins in ‘full battle rattle’

By LTC Melanie Meier

In “full battle rattle,” I sat in body armor, helmet, weapon and ammunition on my way to my new assignment in Iraq. It was knee to knee in a C-130 jammed packed with soldiers and the equipment of war. On a flight to my battle station, I had no leg room and the thought of using the facilities kept me in my seat. Just when I thought it might be unbearable, to my relief I found my neck pillow.
And that reminded me of how some things never change in war. While waiting two long days in the Dallas airport for the 20-hour flight to Kuwait, I spent one of those days at the USO. By now, my group was down to 14 and we experienced firsthand how the USO was still here today, taking care of our soldiers.

Declared validated for deployment, we had made it through the medical, security and training screening, but were not a normal unit headed downrange. Besides being so few in numbers, we also became victim to an old Army strategy. They get you ready and then make you wait. I guess in that way you are happy when you finally get there.
Fortunately for my group we had the USO to keep us company with books, food, Internet access, movies, and video games. Best of all, however, were the smiling, friendly faces including one couple in particular. As we waited to leave for war in Iraq, they stayed with us the whole time.
He was a Vietnam veteran, who explained that he never wants a soldier to go through the shame and ostracizing that he did when he went to Vietnam and returned. While his wife handed out neck pillows to everyone on our flight, he told us with pride that she makes several hundred a week. It is important to her that every soldier going through Dallas can be as comfortable as possible on the 20-hour trip.
And that neck pillow was never far from me. After a short layover in Leipzig Germany, we landed in Kuwait amidst a sandstorm that included rain, thunder and lightning. Trying to shake the jet lag in Kuwait, we were sent to the firing range, and received even more training, all the while waiting for a flight to Iraq.

That flight to Iraq was quite different from the flight to Kuwait. We wore “full battle rattle” and sat knee to knee in a C-130 with our luggage on a pallet loaded behind us. Absolutely no leg room could be found and if someone has to use the facilities they have to climb over everyone, trying to step on the seats rather than our legs to arrive at the rear of the aircraft and then use the bucket with a plastic bag liner!

With no lights on the plane but wearing my earplugs, we landed at Joint Air Base Balad, grateful no one shot at us and thankful there was no need for a combat roll to land. Once I made it to Balad, approximately 30 km north of Baghdad, I discovered my reassignment to Tallil Air Base, which is 300 km south of Baghdad. This time it was a smooth flight in the daylight, I could actually read a book.

With an ever growing mountain of baggage, which now also included a second set of body armor and a computer, I walked through the door of the passenger terminal, found a phone and called the number for the person who was supposed to pick me up. No answer. Welcome to war.

Main challenge is IEDs

By LTC Melanie Meier

Doing its best to simulate the Iraq weather, the Fort Hood weather starts off with an overcast sky, but by lunch time the sun is out and reaching into the 80s. That may account for my first minor case of a sunburned nose, cheeks and hands. So I am now armed with SPF 70.

And I'm still armed with my 9 mm Beretta here at North Fort Hood, where the actual pre-deployment training has begun. At first it was "hurrying up to wait," another part of the Army that has not changed since I was here nineteen years ago. When things finally got going, I took part in the familiarization of the Arabic language, learning 15 commonly used terms such as "what is your name, stop or I will shot, and turn off your vehicle." The experience reminded me of what my Russian language instructor at KU told once told. I do not have an aptitude for language, so I found Arabic particularly challenging.

Called Common Task Training nineteen years ago, "Warrior Task Training" is the most challenging part of my preparations for war in Iraq so far. The main change lies in IED (Improvised Explosive Devices) recognition and Combatives, however, the basics continue in map reading, throwing a grenade, donning your protective mask and suit, using a radio, calling for a MEDEVAC, crossing obstacles such as concertina wire and walls, and employing a claymore mine. IEDs are the biggest killers in Iraq today, so we are spending a lot of time studying how to recognize them and what to do when you find one or one goes off. Combatives are basic hand to hand fighting. We learned holds and how to escape them. When you consider today's combat environment and all the gear we have to wear, I must admit that holding someone until your buddy arrives is the most I could ever hope for in hand to hand combat.

What is called our "full battle rattle" includes a Kevlar helmet and Individual Body Armor with Kevlar "sappy plates" that actually stop bullets. I also have my protective mask on one side and of course my 9mm Beretta on the other. And I cannot forget the "camel back" water system on my back. In my "assault pack" are wet-weather trousers and jacket, an MRE (meal ready to eat), first aid kit, gloves, and elbow and knee pads. Developed for the urban environments that today are combat veterans experience, the Kevlar plates and elbow and knee pads are new to me. And so are the first aid kits, which are much more complex than the ones we used when I first came in the Army. Back then they consisted of a large bandage with tie-on straps, but today they consist of self-clotting bandages, tourniquets and trachea tubes.



For two days we studied IEDs, how to recognize them and what to do when you find one. We watched videos of the effects different types of IEDs have when exploded. We handled actual IEDs and detonated training devices. We drove HWMMVs (the military hummer truck) through a course and tried to spot IEDs and their indicators. We practiced how to cordon off an area when an IED was found. And more intensely, we learned what to do when a vehicle bearing IEDs or a person bearing IEDs comes at you. We also practiced "Escalation of Force" measures, coupled with key Arabic terms such as "Halt, put your hands up, turn around, and lie down on the ground." And that was just the beginning. Next week the Force Protection training starts and that includes vehicle rollover drills and firing at the range.

Melanie’s Memo 26-30 Jan 2009

Melanie’s Memo
40th District
Kansas House of Representatives
Week 3: January 26-30, 2009


FROM THE STATEHOUSE

My third week in Topeka passed like a whirlwind! In between committee

meetings and sessions on the floor of the House, many folks from the

40th District visited Topeka. Wendy Scheidt, the Executive Director of

Leavenworth's Main Street Program, stopped by to visit and give me an

update on the program and downtown Leavenworth. Ken Miller, from the

City of Lansing, also stopped by to visit and give me an update on

Lansing's priorities and Lansing's development. Many folks from the

City of Leavenworth came to meet with me and the Kansas Department of

Agriculture, including the City Manager, Scott Miller; the Assistant

City Manager, Michael Tubbs; the Mayor, Lisa Weakley; and City

Commissioner, Ken Bower.



The House passed Resolution No. 6006 recognizing and thanking the city

of Emporia for the dedication of an American Braille tactile flag to

hang in the Kansas Statehouse. This flag is dedicated to the over 1

million blind and low-vision veterans in the United States and the

estimated 16% of those injured in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation

Enduring Freedom that suffer from severe vision loss. Congressman

Tiahrt had sponsored a bill that placed a flag just like it in Arlington

Cemetery.



The next few weeks will be extremely busy as bills are introduced and

committees begin their work. Complete daily calendars are available at

www.kslegislature.org along with other useful information. The Senate

passed its version of the amended FY09 Budget SB23, which was introduced

to the House and sent to the House Appropriations Committee. The House

Appropriations Committee worked its bill on Friday so that it can be

debated on the floor of the House this week. Everyone is very tense as

the necessary cuts to balance the FY09 budget will be large and

especially painful because they are so late in the fiscal year, which

ends on June 30th.



MY COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS

All three of my committees met this week:



AGRICULTURE & NATURAL RESOURCES

The committee meets at 3:30 Monday through Friday.

Reports: This week Lance Russell from the Kansas Sunflower Commission

gave the committee their annual report. Chairman Norm Jennings of the

Kansas Grape and Wine Industry Advisory Council gave his annual report.

The grape and wine industry in Kansas is growing. It is up to 22

wineries and 8 outlets from just 7 wineries in 2004. The Chairman

requested the committee initiate legislature to allow farm wineries to

sell wine at farmer's markets, to allow farm wineries the option to

obtain a manufacturers license, and to allow production facilities at

each winery outlet.

Bill Introductions: A bill was introduced concerning the veterinarian

scholarship program at Kansas State University and a bill was introduced

concerning identification of wells.

Hearings: We had a hearing on HB2050 concerning adjustment of the fees

for water rights and applications. The Kansas Department of Agriculture

supports the bill to raise application fees and get rid term permits.

They testified that the fees need to be raised to support the water

rights program. The Kansas Aggregate Producers Association also

testified that they support the bill. Farm Bureau testified that they

oppose the bill because the fees that are in place now were raised in

2002 with a date to expire and go back to the original fees. This bill

would make the raise in fees permanent in addition to raising them. The

Kansas Livestock Association testified that the 50% proposed raise in

fees was not modest and suggested that the raise in fees be extended

rather than made permanent. They also stated that the suggested fee for

enrollment in the State's water rights program is a disincentive to save

water. The Committee Chairman appointed a sub-committee to further

study this proposal and I have been appointed to be part of it. We also

had a hearing on HB2049 concerning hunter safety orientation in schools.

Jordan Austin from the National Rifle Association opened the hearing by

testifying in support of mandating that schools offer hunter safety

orientation instruction as part of its curriculum if there is student

interest and available instructors. Tom Krebs from the Kansas

Association of School Boards testified that his organization is neutral

in this issue. Sue Storm from the State Board of Education testified

that the board does not have position yet, but will discuss this issue

in the next meeting. Chris Tymeson, the Chief Legal Counsel for the

Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks testified that Wildlife and

Parks is neutral but they have the curriculum already designed for

6-12th grades, they already work with 18 schools that offer the

instruction, and that it is a successful program.



VISION 20/20

The committee meets at 1:30 on Monday and Wednesday.

Reports: This week the reports on the status of the Kansas State owned

reservoirs continued. Dr. Mark Jakubauskas from the Kansas Biological

Survey, described how to measure lake depths and sediment. Tracy

Streeter from the Kansas Water Office described the current policies and

planning for Kansas' reservoirs. Kerry Wedel, the Chief of the

Watershed Management Section of the Kansas Department of Health and

Environment, described the Watershed Restoration and Protection program.

Greg Foley, the Executive Director of the State Conservation Commission

described the current status of management practices to control sediment

and the impacts of voluntary and federal programs. Ken Stark and John

Groathouse from the US Army Corps of Engineers described how sediment

can be used as a resource and how the Corps is developing a regional

plan in conjunction with the State of Kansas. Dr. Robert Atkinson from

Washington DC gave us a report on Federal Reservoirs and Drinking Water

Lakes and reported that the 2008 State New Economy Index rated Kansas as

8th in the nation for "Gazelle" jobs (new jobs created by

entrepreneurs). We wrapped up the week with recommendations by the KS

Water Authority, the KS Biological Survey, the KS Water Office, and the

KS Department of Wildlife and Parks for a "Call to Action" to do

something about the state of Kansas water infrastructure. The Committee

Chairman requested the agencies produce an Action Plan and to report on

its progress on 25 April 09 and then produce the actual plans for the

legislature next session. Our next topic will be the use of

tele-medicine in Kansas.



VETERANS, MILITARY AFFAIRS & HOMELAND SECURITY

The committee meets at 1:30 on Tuesday and Thursday.

Reports: At my request, Jack Walker, the Deputy to the Fort Leavenworth

Garrison Commander, and two Majors from the Command and General Staff

College gave an introduction to the missions of Fort Leavenworth and the

military in Kansas. The two Majors were both from Kansas: Major Rich

Wellman is an Army Major who graduated from KU and MAJ David Farmer is

an Air Force Major who graduated from KSU.

Bill Introductions: This week we introduced several bills for

consideration by the committee: 1) a House concurrent resolution

concerning the possible transfer of GTMO detainees to Fort Leavenworth,

2) a bill to provide a buffer of land around military installations in

Kansas, 3) a State Vietnam Veterans recognition, 4) a bill to allow

active duty military who plan to retire in Kansas to purchase lifetime

hunting and fishing licenses, 5) a bill to allow active duty military to

acquire a concealed carry license without having to give up their "home

of record" drivers license, 6) a change to the Kansas Constitution to

count college students and the military in the Kansas census, 7) a bill

to add the Legion of Merit to the awards that are recognized on

specialized license plates, 8) a Resolution to recognize an "Agent

Orange" month.

Hearings: Next week we will be hearing HB 2085 concerning grants to

service organizations and HB 2086 concerning who will be appointed to

the Veterans Claims Assistance Advisory Board.



FROM THE 40th DISTRICT

Thursday night I attended the Leavenworth Main Street organization's

Annual Meeting and Banquet at the University of Saint Mary's St. Joseph

Hall. It was a gala event with great food, many many awards, and an

informative and entertaining presentation from the Kansas Sampler

organization. On Saturday, I had lunch at the Veteran's of Foreign

War's Post 56. They were hosting the VFW's district winter convention.

Lunch was great and I got to see the future site of a veteran's memorial

for Leavenworth. Jeanie Hazels has donated some land behind the post

for the memorial and she will be at the Post for the February 12th

meeting to formally present it. City Manager, Scott Miller, is working

with the post on the plans for the memorial that will be along the new

riverwalk that is currently a work in progress.



COMING UP

Remember, if you know of any young men or women in junior or senior high

school (minimum age of 12) who would like to come to Topeka and

participate in the page program this legislative session please be sure

to let me know. I have slots for March 3rd and March 5th.



I introduced a bill to establish a license plate to raise awareness and

money for the spaying and neutering of pets and am currently

coordinating with pet friendly organizations to be a sponsor for the

plate. I also met with the Attorney General's Concealed Carry

department, the NRA, and several other State Representatives about my

proposal to amend the Concealed Carry License law that clarifies Kansas

residency for active duty military. We may be able to remedy the

residency problem without an amendment, so I will continue to work on

that. My intern, Katherine and I, continue to research and work on a

number of suggestions from the 40th District. Most recently is a

possible extension of the Nez Perce Trail into Leavenworth.



I have been working on the list of unclaimed property being held by the

State Treasury's Office. I am verifying addresses and sending a card,

but you don't have to wait for me. You can go to www.kansascash.com or

call 1-800-432-0386. There are no fees or charges to claim your assets.

We called and found out that my husband Tom had some cash to claim!





KEEP IN TOUCH

It is a special honor for me to serve as your state representative. I

value and need your input on the various issues facing state government.

Please feel free to contact me with your comments and questions. My

office address is Representative Melanie Meier, Docking State Office

Building, Topeka, KS 66612. You can reach me at (785) 296-7668 or call

the legislative hotline at 1-800-432-3924 to leave a message for me.

Additionally, you can e-mail me at Melanie.Meier@house.ks.gov. You can

also follow the legislative session online at www.kslegislature.org.





FYI (for your information) and TIPS of the WEEK



Save@School is a new special program that introduces students to the

concepts of money management and has stirred excitement from educators

and students all over the state. Participants open savings accounts and

make deposits to their accounts on scheduled savings days at their

school. The students learn the importance of savings through hands-on

experience and classroom exercises with the guidance of an employee of

the financial institution and the curriculum provided by the State

Treasurer's office. To date, most of the financial institutions who are

participating are local credit unions. For more information on the

program and how to get started, visit the Kansas State Treasurer Website

at http://www.kansasstatetreasurer.com/prodweb/school/index.php.

Melanie’s Memo 19-23 Jan 2009

Melanie’s Memo

40th District
Kansas House of Representatives
Week 2: January 19-23, 2009

FROM THE STATEHOUSE


This was a short and fast week in Topeka. First there was the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday on Monday and then the Presidential inauguration on Tuesday. The House of Representatives convened in the afternoon so that the members could watch the historic occasion, while the Senate worked right through it! Never fear, we Representatives still had our committee meetings! On Thursday, two young men from Leavenworth and Fort Leavenworth came to Topeka to serve as pages. J.J. Cole and Ross Richardson, received training on the duties of pages, worked on the House floor during the session, and toured the Capitol and the Docking State Office Building (which included the 296 step climb into the dome). I have opportunities for pages on the 3rd and 5th of March. If any young men or women in junior or senior high school (minimum age of 12) would like to come to Topeka and participate in the legislative session please be sure to let me know! The State budget was the big topic this week. The Senate Ways and Means Committee jumped right into debate on proposed budget cuts while the House Appropriations Committee is starting with testimony from the different State agencies about how the proposed cuts affect them. The Governor's proposed budget was based on revenue estimates from before the holiday season, which, unfortunately were not as grim as the new estimates since the holidays. The concept of "across the board" cuts seems to be the center of the debate. Such cuts can be very inefficient and often cruel. Just think if you had to cut your own budget. Some things are just more important than others and some investments must be protected. The debate will continue about what Kansas priorities are.



Remember, you can follow the debate and give us your input. Complete daily calendars are available at www.kslegislature.org along with other useful information and a weblink to listen to live broadcasts from the floors of the House and Senate.



MY COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS

All three of my committees met this week:



AGRICULTURE & NATURAL RESOURCES

The committee meets at 3:30 Monday through Friday. This week a Resolution to the US Congress was introduced in the Committee that the State of Kansas should be able to control its transport and processing of horses, and a bill was introduced to introduce a hunter safety orientation program into Kansas schools. The committee received more status updates from experts and Kansas agencies. We received a presentation by Tom Gross from the Bureau of Air and Radiation about wet Mercury deposit monitoring. Kevin Jones briefed us about a large number of dead turkeys that were found in Russell Springs. Mike Miller, Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of Operations of the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks gave us an overview of the changes that were made to reduce and simplify the statutes on hunting licenses last year. Lloyd Fox, the Big Game Coordinator of the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, gave us an update on deer herd management in Kansas. Carole Jordan, the Director of the Rural Development Division of the Kansas Department of Commerce, gave us an overview of the 30 programs that her division runs in order to push state and federal dollars into rural areas. These programs include agriculture marketing, renewable bio-energy development, and the new Kansas trademark program "Simply Kansas." VISION 20/20 The committee meets at 1:30 on Monday and Wednesday. This week we received updates on the State owned water reservoirs in Kansas. Dr. Edward Martinko, State Biologist Director of the Kansas Biological Survey, reviewed the status of the levels of sediment in the reservoirs. He testified that the reservoir storage capacity is at 50% and that Kansas must make some decisions about our future water supply. Edward Carney, a "Lakeologist" from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, emphasized that management of our reservoirs is the key to future water supply. Jim Whisenant, the City Administrator of the City of Horton, then briefed us on the Kansas pilot project at Horton that is dredging its lake in order to return it to its original volume of storage. Once this project is complete, Kansas will have data to use in determining the effects of dredging on the quality and quantity of water and the environment. Earl Lewis, the Assistant Director of the Kansas Water Office, testified that Kansas needs to change its approach to managing its reservoirs and that the reservoirs need to be classified as infrastructure. Mr. Lewis went over some of the costs of different courses of action that Kansas could take. To just keep up with the sediment by dredging, it would cost $75 million a year. To build a new reservoir would cost at least one half a billion dollars. To buy Missouri River run off from the Corps of Engineers would cost $30 million plus the cost of maintenance. Currently Kansas is under a contract with the Corps of Engineers to release water from the reservoirs when the Missouri River is low. If Kansas wants to keep the water, we have to purchase the "run off" that we are contracted to release. Greg Foley from the Kansas State Conservation Program explained how dams work to limit the amount of sediment in the reservoirs. He also explained that dredging should not cause any environmental concerns because the sediment core samples that are taken from the State owned reservoirs do not show any threat of toxins or heavy metals in the sediment.



VETERANS, MILITARY AFFAIRS & HOMELAND SECURITY

The committee meets at 1:30 on Tuesday and Thursday. This week we reviewed the legislation that the committee completed last year, the Kansas Commission on Veterans Affairs (KCVA) budget and the results of the audit that was done on the KCVA last year. Wayne Bollig, the Veteran Services Director of the KCVA, testified about the budget and what the KCVA has done in answer to the audit results. Mr. Bollig testified that the KCVA has a new executive director, Jack Fowler, who has implemented improvements in internal communications and relationships as well as with the veteran service organizations, such as the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and the American Legion. The KCVA estimates that Kansas has over 3400 new veterans in the last year because of the current conflicts in the Middle East and that only approximately 13% of all veterans in Kansas are receiving the benefits that they are entitled. There is an outreach plan to get service to veterans in rural areas that do not have access to VA Service Centers, but the KCVA will not have the money to implement it until 2011. The new Kansas Lottery veterans scratch-off game is to provide the money, but the first two years of funds is designated to the new 35th Infantry Division Museum. Director Bollig feels that the KCVA’s ability for outreach to rural veterans will get worse with the proposed budget cuts this year and that the Kansas Soldiers Home will have major funding shortages. Three bills were introduced in the committee this week. One bill proposed education requirements for employees of the KCVA. The second proposed that the composition of the Veterans Claims Assistance Advisory Board be required to have one representative from each service organization. Service organizations include organizations such as the VFW, the American Legion, and the Disabled American Veterans (DAV). The third bill proposes a new veteran's license plate that includes a decal that shows the veteran has been in combat.



THE 40th DISTRICT

In addition to my committee assignments this week, I monitored the Education Committee to listen to its hearing on a proposal to change how school finance is determined with the enrollment of military children. The bill proposes continuing a second count of pupils in districts that have military children. Currently, the number of children that school financing is based on is determined by a count of present pupils on Sep 20th and Feb 20th in the Fort Riley and Fort Leavenworth area school districts. This is because of the large number of students moving in and out of the schools throughout the year. The bill not only proposes continuing the second count, but making it a “net” count by also subtracting the number of students that have left the school district by the second count. The Superintendent from the Geary County school district testified about the high turnover rate in the Fort Riley area schools and the special needs of the students that are there because of having one or both of their parents deployed. He also told a touching story to illustrate the special needs there. When he first became Superintendent and visited the schools on Fort Riley he wore a dark suit. The first child he encountered took him by the hand and asked him who's daddy had died because he associated dark suits with notification of death and funerals. I called and spoke with Superintendent Baeuche, from Fort Leavenworth, and asked her how this bill would affect the Fort Leavenworth area schools. She said that while the Leavenworth area military children experience the same special needs related to deployment and deaths of military servicemen and women, that her turnover rate was not near as high as the Fort Riley area.



FROM THE 40th DISTRICT

This Friday I attended the Art Attack in downtown Leavenworth. It was a festive occasion of local artist's work, local food, and music. It is the last Friday of each month, in the old Lee’s Furniture store on the corner of Cherokee and 5th Street. On Thursday, the Senate voted 39-0 for a bill that would allow county, state, and federal prosecutors to carry concealed guns into county courthouses. Our own Leavenworth County Attorney, Todd Thompson, was interviewed by KCTV Channel 5 about this topic!



COMING UP

Ms. Katherine McBride, a second year law student at Washburn University, is my intern this session. She is helping me with the suggestions and questions from my neighbors in the 40th District. In addition to our research about license plates and the Concealed Carry License, we are looking into cremation law and the availability of slot machines to Service Organizations to raise money for non-profit services. I have a long list of projects and will keep you up to date on my progress for each request and suggestion. In the next few weeks I will also be contacting members of the 40th District who have unclaimed property being held by the Kansas Treasury. The list is long, but I will work my way through it so that everyone on it knows how to claim their property. Currently there is over $187 million in unclaimed assets being held by the State of Kansas. You can check to see if you are on the list by looking up your name on the State Treasurer's website at http://www.kansascash.com or by calling 1-800-432-0386. There are no fees or charges to claim your assets.



KEEP IN TOUCH

It is a special honor for me to serve as your state representative. I value and need your input on the various issues facing state government. Please feel free to contact me with your comments and questions. My office address is Representative Melanie Meier, Docking State Office Building, Topeka, KS 66612. You can reach me at (785) 296-7668 or call the legislative hotline at 1-800-432-3924 to leave a message for me. Additionally, you can e-mail me at melanie.meier@house.ks.gov or check my website at www.meier4kansas.com. F



YI (for your information) and TIPS of the WEEK Useful State Numbers and Resources: The following is a list of State Level numbers that you can add to the 40th District Service Directory. You can find these as well as many others online at http://da.state.ks.us/phonebook. I hope you will find this information helpful and if you need a copy of the Service Directory just let me know. Kansas Jobs Tax Refund Status Info Taxpayer Assistance (785) 235-5627 (800) 894-0318 (800) 259-2829 Highway Road Conditions Unclaimed Property Governor’s Constituent Svs. (800) 585-7623 (800) 432-0386 (800) 748-4408 Crime Tip Hotline Driver’s License Bureau Kansas Department on Aging (800) 572-7463 (785) 296-3963 (800) 432-3535 KPERS Housing Hotline Vital Statistics (888) 275-5737 (800) 752-4422 (785) 296-1400 Legislative Hotline Voter Registration Crime Victim Referral Service (800) 432-3924 (800) 262-8683 (800) 828-9745 Child/Adult Abuse Hotline School Safety Hotline Kansas Lottery (800) 922-5330 (877) 626-8203 (785) 296-5700 Welfare Fraud Hotline Consumer Protection Insurance Consumer Assistance (800) 432-3913 (785) 296-3751 (800) 432-2484