[Fanatical Apathy correspondent Trevor Gunderson has been embedded in the duodenum of Lieutenant J.T. Riggs of the U.S. Army 65th Armored Division. Here are excerpts from his journal from the 2nd week of the war in Iraq.]

March 22 - Dark. There are constant rumblings from the north. And the south. Pretty much, there are rumblings from all around my position, and I can no longer tell which are from the ongoing airstrikes and which are unique to Lt. Riggs. Field rations are in ample supply, and morale is high; earlier, I heard laughter from somewhere to my right, and Lt. Riggs apparently joined in. Lt. Riggs is a professional soldier, and the abrupt deployment and field action have not altered his steely resolve or his steady digestion at all.

March 23 - Continued dark. We’re moving out! Rumbling across the desert at breakneck speeds, taking our meals on the fly. Morale remains high, but there is some anxiety - Lt. Riggs did not chew his lunch as completely as he had his previous meals, making things a little more rugged in my position.

We stopped for the night, digging in our position about 20 miles northwest of Nasiriya. In a cell phone conversation with Lt. Riggs I learned that the terrain outside is “real sandy.” In turn, I assured him that tonight’s Salisbury Steak was merely tough and did not appear to be tainted or spoiled. Such is the terse camaraderie between men in the field. Sleep did not come easy; it never does during wartime.

March 24 - Battle! Our first tactical encounter with an Iraqi armored unit. Explosions rang out all around me in the dark. Lt. Riggs’ pulse was racing, but I could not get him to answer his phone. I passed the time using my phone to play a video bowling game, but the stresses of warfare caused me to score only a 134.


[Snapshot of a Battle: The 65th advances
on Iraqi Republican Guard positions just 50
miles south of Baghdad. (T.Gunderson)]

From my vantage point there is no direct evidence that the Iraqis are violating the Geneva Convention, but I get the sense that they are scared, intimidated, and will resort to almost anything to avoid displeasing Saddam. During the battle, Lt. Riggs drank an unusual amount of water, raising fears (down here) that Saddam might be using chemical weapons. Later, Riggs assured me that it was merely the dry climate.

March 25 - Noon comes as dark as midnight. A sandstorm has pinned us down for most of the day, and anxiety is high. Lt. Riggs has apparently ignored my request for more roughage - he’s young. So young.

We’re rolling out towards Baghdad now (according to my GPS reader) and I’ve taken a moment to marvel at the unique opportunities afforded by the unprecedented access the military has granted us. Never has the press been allowed such close access to modern warfare, and what my vantage point lacks in objectivity and perspective it makes up for in its sheer visceral force and immediacy. I feel very much like a part of the 65th - I rely on them for food, for protection, and for emotional support. If I’ve sacrificed any of my journalistic independence for this unique opportunity, if I’m not getting the “whole story,” if my meals come to me pre-chewed, well, so be it. I would have it no other way. These young men are my comrades now, my band of brothers.

Lt. Riggs has once again selected mac n’ cheese for dinner. God protect us.