SGT T.

Well, here I am again. Another Christmas away from home in the service of my country. I have to admit, I am getting just a little sick of this whole being away thing. I was just home on R&R and as I was leaving, my oldest son who is now six asked me why I was going back to the desert. You could see the tears welling up in his eyes, his chin quivering as he spoke. I just hugged him and told him that there were other daddy's here that needed my help, so I had to come help them. He seemed to understand, ...

Well, here I am again. Iraq. Sand, sun, and the occasional stray explosion for no reason. This posting finds me at a little crappy airbase just west of Bayiji, Iraq. I guess back when Saddam had an air force this was a functional base, but now its just all jacked up. Typical Iraqi crap. The DFAC (Dining Facility, aka Chow Hall) they have here is really good, for Iraq, but there is only one, and its about a mile and a half from here. Nothing like taking a hike for breakfast, lunch and dinner. ...

So I thought all was well, it was 20 March, and I was thinking about getting outta here, and then all of a sudden, the JAM decided they wanted to fight again. Between March 23rd and yesterday, my unit here called in more airstrikes and atrillery support then they had the entire previous year. My unit lost 2 men, and 3 others were seriously wounded. All this despite the fact that we're all due to return home this week. It sucks losing people this close to the end, and sucks even more knowing ...

Well, this is it. My time here is almost up, I cannot wait to return to home station. I am tired of the killing and death, the being a political pawn in a election year game of life and death. And then theres the heat (its over 100 here already), and the flies and mosquitos and the general state of ick that permeates the air here. It will be good to get home. I have learned so much in my year here, about myself and about the human condition. I would like to say that I am coming back unscathed, but ...

The MiTT mission ended for me on 28 December, and so I was transfered back to my "Parent Unit" here on Rustamiyah. On the up side, I get hot showers, MUCH better food, and laundry service. Not to mention my scope of responsibility is going to be MUCH smaller, and I could use the break. On the down side, I am now with a big army unit, and big army does big stupid things. I won't get down into it, but there are some strange rules here that no one can seem to explain to me. Another down ...