Saturday, April 09, 2005
By GRAHAM LEONARD
The commander of Forward Operating Base Bernstein, Lt. Col. Franklin McCauley Jr. of Kingsport, left Tuz, Iraq, Thursday for a well-earned 15-day leave.
McCauley commands the 2nd Squadron of the 278th Regimental Combat Team.
While home in Northeast Tennessee, McCauley will visit the families of the only two men killed since his squadron arrived in Iraq shortly after Thanksgiving.
McCauley is a product of the Kingsport school system and graduated from Dobyns-Bennett High School in 1981. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. Franklin McCauley Sr., live in Kingsport. His wife, Debby, is from Bristol, and they have a daughter, Madison.
McCauley, 42, is younger than nearly half the men in his squadron. In civilian life he is an agent of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
McCauley began his military career in ROTC at East Tennessee State University. He received his commission as second lieutenant upon graduation with a degree in criminal justice. He received his master's degree in loss prevention at Eastern Kentucky University and went to work with the TBI.
The senior noncommissioned officers of the 2/278th say they trained him over the nearly 20 years he has served with them. McCauley would be the first to admit that ROTC and Officers Basic Course teach a great deal, but the sergeants make the real Army work.
McCauley is respected by the men. The sergeant major calls McCauley "a soldier's soldier." The men know that he is a caring man and has their interests at heart. Gracious and soft-spoken, McCauley runs a tight organization. While fair, he allows no nonsense. The judge advocate general reports that most of the disciplinary problems are solved by the commander without the necessity of a court martial or disciplinary action. A stern word or a letter of censure from McCauley disposes of almost all problems.
In his dealings with the Iraqis, I have noticed that the Arabs, Kurds and Turkomen have great respect for McCauley. After seeing his relations with Iraqis, it is easy to understand why. Middle Easterners are famous for their elaborate and flowery greetings and diplomatic language, but McCauley almost makes one blush with his profusion of compliments.
Middle Easterners deal with other men on the basis of vibrations of respect and confidence and hold McCauley in the highest regard. He is equally shrewd in recognizing genuineness in local leaders and in letting others know that they are seen through. Many who have been in this area for decades do not have his understanding of the people.
McCauley will be spending a large part of his leave on the business of the 2/278th. He will visit the widow and family of Spc. Paul Thomason III in Jefferson City. He will also visit Spc. Lambert at Walter Reed Hospital. Lambert was badly wounded on Palm Sunday at the time of Thomason's death.
He also hopes also to visit Spc. David Orlandini, a medic wounded at the same time and recommended for bravery in caring for Thomason and Lambert.
McCauley will be in constant communication with FOB Bernstein during his leave.
Graham Leonard, a Kingsport resident, is a special correspondent for the Beirut Daily Star and the International Herald Tribune.
Story Copyright to Kingsport Times-News