{"product_id":"from-us-marine-to-provincial-military-governor-in-iraq-with-the-3rd-battalion-23rd-marines-9781036127404","title":"From US Marine to Provincial Military Governor in Iraq: With the 3rd Battalion, 23rd Marines","description":"\u003cb\u003eChronicles the U.S. Marine Corps 3\/23 Battalion's unexpected role as provincial governors in post-invasion Iraq.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe book is an account of the U.S. Marine Corps 3rd Battalion, 23rd Marine Regiment (\"3\/23\"), who were tasked with governing Wasit Province immediately after the Coalition invasion as part of the 1st Marine Division. Then Lt. Col. David Couvillon, was appointed provincial military governor--a position for which he had zero training and preparation.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHis instructions were simple: \"If anything happens, it's your responsibility.\" As simple as that order was, it was also very complicated. It's difficult to grasp the challenge the 3\/23 faced after the Coalition's invasion of Iraq, overseeing a population of over a million people scattered across 6600 sq. miles: the breakdown of normal society, interruption and outright devastation of infrastructure, political and religious schisms, and the collapse of a functioning economy. The province was in shambles. 3\/23 had to provide basic security for both military personnel and the populace, while also thwarting insurgency. Couvillon and his men had very little direction--sometimes without sufficient resources.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMarines are not trained for long-term occupation. They are trained in first-strike operations. Establishing city councils, creating women's political parties, holding local elections, creating a functioning police force, instituting a civilian judicial system, instituting a free press and independent TV and radio stations, reopening primary schools, engaging in diplomacy with imams and sheiks, bolstering the regional economy, brokering peace agreements between rival tribes, overseeing trade agreements between towns: none of this is within the purview of the Marines.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e3\/23 strolled the streets of Al Kut and Numaniyah, talking with people, playing with children, and trying to solve the myriad problems of everyday life. Despite being the public face of the American occupation, Lt. Col. Couvillon traveled throughout the province apparently unarmed: no helmet, no armor, no visible weapon. The Marines (and, later, soldiers and sailors) came under attack more than once.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNor was 3\/23 completely without fault. There were substantiated instances of excessive force and even the death of innocent civilians. A military occupation is, at best, a necessary evil.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBut 3\/23 came to Wasit, Iraq, not as conquerors, but as allies: friends who wanted to help overthrow, not just a dictator, but Wasit so that its people could experience individual freedom and self-government.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFrom US Marine to Provincial Military Governor in Iraq is the story of how the battalion faced immense and perilous challenges without much in the way of direction from above--Couvillon's only real guidance came from the Small Wars Manual, a sixty-year-old Marine Corps handbook on low intensity conflicts. It's about citizen-soldiers-sometimes derided as \"weekend warriors \"-who turned their civilian life skills into an assets for their mission. It's the personal story of Lt. Col. David Couvillon, who in an instant was transformed into a military governor responsible for the welfare not only of his 900 leathernecks, but the approximately 1.5 million inhabitants of an Iraqi province. The narrative doesn't shrink from criticism of higher-ups who made consequential misjudgments that made the 3\/23's job harder and ultimately undermined its achievements. Understanding the successes of the 3\/23 can help prevent future mistakes.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eCouvillon, David Wayne:\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e - Colonel David Couvillon, USMCR (Ret.), is a Louisiana native and former CEO of the Louisiana Office of State Group Benefits. He began his service in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1974, rising rapidly through the enlisted ranks before earning a commission in 1984. Over a 40-year military career, Col. Couvillon held key leadership positions in the Marine Corps Reserve, including command of Weapons Company and later the 3rd Battalion, 23rd Marines (3\/23). He deployed to Iraq in 2003 during Operation Enduring Freedom, serving as both Battalion Commander and Military Provincial Governor of Wassit Province. He retired in 2014 after serving as Senior Military Advisor to the 1st Naval Construction Division (Seabees).\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCol. Couvillon is a decorated veteran whose awards include the Bronze Star Medal, Combat Action Ribbon (2nd award), and Meritorious Service Medal (2nd award). He holds a B.S. in Management Administration from LSU and is a graduate of multiple Marine Corps leadership schools. An active civic leader, he has served in numerous veterans, historical, and charitable organizations. He was inducted into LSU's Cadets of the Ole War Skule Hall of Honor and is a recipient of the Slim Harpo Ambassador Award.","brand":"Pen \u0026 Sword Military","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52158609785106,"sku":"9781036127404","price":34.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_90d3c4d3-0a7e-4593-813d-827efd728b63.jpg?v=1774969277","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/from-us-marine-to-provincial-military-governor-in-iraq-with-the-3rd-battalion-23rd-marines-9781036127404","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}