KEN DAVIS: Letter from Baghdad

EDITOR’S NOTE: Letters
From Baghdad will be published
here periodically. They
are excerpts from “The Road to
Baghdad,” a book-in-progress,
being written by Ken Davis,
former head of the U.S. Drug
Enforcement Agency here in
the Keys and a candidate for
Sheriff in last year’s county elections.

“The Road to Baghdad” by Ken Davis
chronicles the tales and stories
of the men and women in Iraq,
written as seen through Davis’
eyes. The story is based on solid
fact and truth, and written with
a humorous license. The names
are changed to protect the guilty
and confuse the innocent.

I sat at my computer and
hesitated, not sure if I should
push the send button. Was I
going too far, professionally
and geographically? Iraq was
half a world away and while
I had spent the better part of
my life fighting the drug war,
Baghdad was a totally different
type of war zone.

My life had been a twisting
turn of events over the
past months. After 32 years as
a Federal Agent I had retired,
run for Sheriff at the last minute,
and narrowly lost. A positive
experience, a hard fight for the
right reasons, one I did not regret.

In my personal life my wife
Heidi, my partner, personally
and professionally for almost
20 years, my best friend and
soul mate, had announced she
wanted to continue advancing
in her career. It meant a move
to Washington D.C., a move I
was not willing to make.

The rat race and bureaucracy
of our nation’s capitol
was not appealing. I had been
there before. The hours she
would have to commit to the
new position would leave little
or no time for a retired agent.
The idea smelled of frustration.
At the same time I knew I could
not sit at home in the Keys
alone. Boredom would set in
and I would become a bother
to my friends. More than I was
already. Staying without her,
meant I would be cashing my
retirement checks at the Square
Grouper Restaurant.

Over the previous months
I had turned down several jobs
in and out of the Keys. One
required a move to another
location in Florida. Another
did not pay adequately and
the third was just plain boring.
I thought about it for another
minute. Elections weren’t for
another three and a half years.
I needed to do something different.
I needed to travel. I needed
for someone else to pay for it.

Someone else paying for it and
paying me, was an even better
idea. To go from the political
wars of Monroe County to the
battles of Iraq and Baghdad
seemed like a natural progression.
I pushed the button.

In seconds my résumé
and information, along with
documentation of my Top Secret clearance, were received
thousands of miles away. It
was quickly in the hands of the
“Company” seeking “established
experienced law enforcement
professionals to work in
Iraq”. I had reviewed the requirements
for several positions
posted on the Company’s career
board and decided on one
dealing with internal affairs. I
knew it would take a few days,
if not weeks, for the resume to
be reviewed and an inquiry be
made. I was wrong. I got a call
in twenty minutes.

The recruiter asked me
several professional background
questions; a focus was
placed on the Top Secret clearance.
We talked numbers, time,
dates and health. He promised
to call back that day. He called
back that hour. The next day
I was faxed a contract that
required immediate signature
and a guarantee to be in Baghdad
within three weeks if they
could make it happen.

One change had been
made. They wanted me for a different
position. A position that
was more difficult to fill. One
that dealt more with my general
crimes investigations and police
administration. It paid more. If
you’re going to a war zone, go
for the most money. I signed
the contract.

Over the next few weeks,
I received a thorough dental
exam, a psychological exam, a
medical exam and enough shots
to leak when I drank. Much to
both mine and my friend Jose’s
surprise I passed the mental
exam. I was sure I would get
caught in a “Catch 22” situation.
One that stated, by volunteering
to go to Baghdad, I demonstrated
a lack of mental incapacity.
Not true. I had a pulse –I was
going. My ticket came FEDEX
the next day.

So on February 18, 2009, I
drove to the airport in Key West,
kissed the woman I loved good
bye and started on “The Road
to Baghdad.”

Email your comments to
Ken Davis at thebluepaper@kwtn.com and we’ll forward
them to him in Iraq.

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