Operation Desert Owl: A portrait in patriotism and partnership. By Darrell A. Melrose

CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait – As a U.S. Army public affairs officer I've had the pleasure of working with a wide array of people all over the world, and as a result I have gained a great deal of respect for those I would have had little or no reason to have given a thought to otherwise.

Recently while on a deployment to Kuwait, the U.S. State Department in Kuwait asked us for some assistance with a project to recognize the actions of some Kuwaiti citizens during Operation Desert Storm. 

Over the course of 27 years, the U.S. Army and the sovereign nation of Kuwait have developed a partnership, born out of conflict, and sealed through mutual benefit.

            This partnership originated in August 1990, when Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein ordered an unexpected invasion of Kuwait. In response to the invasion, United States Army Central Command was charged with providing command, control, and sustainment for two Army corps deployed to the Persian Gulf region in preparation for an engagement with the Iraqi Republican Guard.

By late 1990 the United States Army had deployed nearly 300,000 Soldiers

to the Persian Gulf, in support of Operation Desert Shield, but the U.S. Army had a manning shortage of Arabic linguists, particularly those fluent in the Iraqi dialect.

Col. William Lipke from the office of the Army’s deputy chief of staff, intelligence, worked with Kuwait army Col. Dawood Al-Ghunaim, head of the Kuwait liaison team in Washington, D.C., to head Operation Desert Owl, a program designed to address the Arabic linguist deficit.

              Officials from the Kuwait Embassy in Washington D.C. reached out to Kuwaiti citizens attending college in the U.S. to volunteer for Operation Desert Owl. Initially, more than 350 students who were both fluent in the desired Arab dialect, and also well-spoken in English were chosen from the group of volunteers.

“They were very enthusiastic about going to free their country, and they wanted to go today, not tomorrow,” stated Al-Ghunaim. “[The recruits] really wanted to fight, but they were not ready to fight,” said Dr. Musaed Rhashed Al-Haroun, former Under Secretary of the Ministry of Education-Kuwait, “they were very keen to go as soon as they could … they were willing to sacrifice their lives for their country.”

Dec. 20, 1990, a U.S. Army alert went out, preparing Soldiers to train the 300 plus Kuwaiti students as linguists, intelligence analysts and interrogators. By Jan. 5, 1991, 292 student volunteers were inducted into the Kuwait army as noncommissioned officers in a ceremony in Washington D.C. They were then sent off to complete U.S. Army military training at Fort Dix, N.J., Fort Devens, Mass., and Fort Huachuca, Ariz.

Jan. 14, 1991, after just eight days of basic training, 287 of the Operation Desert Owl shipped out to Saudi Arabia, where they were attached to USARCENT subordinate units in the capacity of linguists, interrogators and code breakers.

            “They were quite emotional at that time. They were crying, and kissing the stairs of the airplane taking them to Saudi Arabia,” Al- Ghunaim stated.

            Several smaller classes of participants were afforded a little longer training, preparing them specifically for the interrogation mission. By late February 1991 the remaining Desert Owl recruits had received all of their training and had deployed in support of Operation Desert Storm.

Once deployed, the Kuwaiti soldiers fell under U.S. Army Central command, and were dispersed where needed.

 “They served mainly as [signal intelligence] intercept operators, but also helped with document exploitation, and did some interpretive work,” said retired U.S. Army Brig. Gen. John Stewart, former intelligence officer for USARCENT, in an interview with the Fort Huachuca Scout, 2013.

“(They played) a disproportionately important role as leavening agents throughout the organization. They helped improve the language skills of our intelligence collectors, and they collected valuable information themselves,” said retired U.S. Army Col. Richard Quick, 24th Infantry Division intelligence officer, during Operation Desert Storm.

It was widely agreed that the Desert Owl Soldiers played an irreplaceable role in the success of Operation Desert Storm, and some 26 years later, USARCENT remains a presence in Kuwait, but after the Liberation of Kuwait, according to Al-Ghuaim, many of the brave and patriotic young students who were recruited into the Desert Owl Program went back to their former lives as if nothing had ever happened.

           In January 2017, Jonathan Weadon, deputy political chief, U.S. Embassy, Kuwait, met two of the former Desert Owl participants, who recounted tales of their time with the program. Soon after, Weadon reached out to me to inquire as to whether I could assist him with garnering more details about Operation Desert Owl.

“The Liberation of Kuwait, though it often feels like it took place a very long time ago, was a relatively recent conflict,” said Weadon, “Many of the younger generation of Kuwaitis may not be aware of the sacrifices their siblings and parents made to help liberate Kuwait back in 1991.”

As an American and an army officer, I cannot imagine a more exemplary illustration of patriotism, and courage of conviction than the folks who participated in Operation Desert Owl.  In my opinion, there is no group more deserving of recognition than these brave men and women. I for one salute them, and I hope that more Americans and Kuwaitis are made aware of the importance of this example of partnership, which makes the world a safer, more peaceful place.

Retired Kuwait Army Col. Dawood Al-Ghunaim, recounts the 1990 Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, and the subsequent development of the Operation Desert Owl program that addressed the U.S. Army Arabic linguist shortage at the time. (U.S. Army photo by Maj. Darrell Melrose)

                                                                            

                                                                            

Dr. Musaed Rhashed Al-Haroun, former undersecretary of the ministry of Education-Kuwait (1990), sits for an interview about his role in implementing the Desert Owl program, which addressed the U.S. Army Arabic linguist shortage at the time. (U.S. Army photo by Maj. Darrell Melrose)

  

Jonathan Weadon, deputy political chief, U.S. Embassy, Kuwait, poses for a photo. Weadon heads up the initiative to gain U.S. Army recognition for the participants of Operation Desert Owl, a program which addressed the U.S. Army Arabic linguist shortage during Operation Desert Storm. (U.S. Army photo by Maj. Darrell Melrose)

                                      

Abdul Aziz Ibrahim (left) stands with his cousin and fellow Desert Owl participant Osama Al- Attal. Operation Desert Owl participants were attached to USARCENT subordinate units during Operation Desert Storm in the capacity of linguists, interrogators and code breakers. (U.S. Army photo by Maj. Darrell Melrose)

                                   

Kuwaiti Operation Desert Owl volunteers pose for a photo prior to leaving for Saudi Arabia to work with U.S. Army Central subordinate units deployed in support of Operation Desert Storm in the capacity of linguists, interrogators and code breakers.  (U.S. Army photo)