[Chief_Joe]

I would also guess that the unit NCOs were probably wondering where in the hell they were and why they weren't on the planned route.

I don't agree. From what I read, the actions and performance of the NCOs of this unit  were commendable, especially those of 1SG Dowdy. I believe they failed to keep their weapons cleaned properly due to lack of man power. The 1SG led a group that recovered every broken down vehicle in the convoy on its march to each check point. Bringing up the rear, he repeatedly had to direct the CO back on course. He did this while still completing the mission to fully support the air defense unit.

[91B]

I wasn't criticizing the actions of the NCOs in the unit. Instead I was offering a reason why they might have been distracted from doing proper PMCS on their weapons. And at one point they got disasterously lost (BTW-MSR Tampa goes right to an exit that leads straight to Talil Air Base and would have given the unit easy access to An Nasiriyah by what was probably by then a secure route-somebody screwed up) and I don't doubt that the unit NCOs were aware of that and were trying to figure out what was going on.