The Finale

So my postings have dropped off the past couple of months. Since the June 30 pullout of the major cities there just isn't much work and when there is I can't say anything about it over the internet. But we did some really good things, got lucky once, a few funny moments (watching a dude take a header out of a helo into the sand is hilarious).

I should be leaving here in a couple of days. A little R&R at another base for a couple of weeks before we come home. Should land in the states in about two weeks. A stop-over in Germany on the way home should also be fun.

But a genuine thanks to everyone for their support. When you are over here it means the world. Most of you know my girlfriend Kelly, I owe her a lot. She has been amazing during my entire deployment. I promise I will make it up to you Babe!!

My family for always being there if I needed a sounding a board. To this day my only regret about joining is being away from my Dad, Mom, Brother, and Sister. I miss you all everyday and love you very much.

Sorry for making you worry Grandma but its almost over and I'm no worse for the wear.

Special congrats to Justin and Rach, I can't wait to meet Joey. Hopefully I'll be back full-time in Minnesota to toughen him before he becomes his Dad. Chad and Sam for tying the knot, wish I could have been there. Mike and Lisa for their pregnancy...you guys are great and I'm really happy for you. To everyone else if your not mentioned by name trust me you are in my thoughts and prayers.

Be home soon.

THANK YOU!!!

Early Morning

So its 330 am here and I'm awake to watch the Vikings game on TV. Over its the little things that count and missing out on some sleep is well worth it. But we better win. Because I'm going to be up late tonight..the Twins play at midnight my time.

Not many posts lately. Mainly due to the fact we haven't done anything mission related in over a week. Which is good. I'm going home soon and quite frankly I'm ready to leave Iraq and hopefully never return. Our replacements are leaving their base sometime this week. So basically a lot of our video games and dvd players are packed up now so I'm constantly bored. Hopefully this time next week I'll be at another base nearby...they have a pool.

Anyways per usual I miss everyone. Take care and see you soon.

Team Photo

So we took our team photo this week. The actual photo posted is the one we went with but it wasn't supposed to be. The next shot was the 'big one' but we used too much explosive and consumed all of our fuel before the fire ball. The video is interesting because three of these guys run like small children after feeling the heat, so a split second after this shot they are running away patting at their heads. But you can't pick your teammates so you roll with what you got.

Other than that the week was slow. We have some local training this week planned but thats no big deal.

Big win for the Vikes. Not sure we need Farve as long as AP stays healthy. The good news from the Farve saga it made the Vikes/Browns game the game-of-the-week for AFN which meant I saw it live. Let's be honest that matchup would've had no coverage if not for the old man.

Everyone take care. Miss you.

50 days and counting

So its two weeks shy of five months and at times its felt like its gone slow but now that I'm at this point its gone by fast. I have about 5 weeks left before I leave the 'front lines'. The last week or so we spent at another base just chillaxing. Plus that base has a pool that for some reason has a 10m platform which I will be perfecting my cannonballs off of.

Another weekend of activity but overall the tempo is just about right. Not much else...I'm still in Iraq and looking forward to the States.

Oh and the Forys brothers should stop playing fantasy sports...its embarrassing.

Never Learn

I'm a person who never realizes what I have until something changes. Pretty much this whole deployment has been slow and myself and the other guys kept talking about how much we would prefer to be busy. Well we've been out every night this week and again tonight, its 0130 here and we should be out within the hour. So grabbing sleep has been in random increments throughout the day, but so far I've gotten not more than 3 hours at once. Hopefully the locals will settle down a bit again and I can go back to sleeping and watching movies. Despite the sleeplessness this past week has been fun and makes being over here not feel like a waste of time.

Heres to a quick mission and, if nothing changes, two straight days of sleep.

This post needs no title

I'm going to use this week to complain about the Twins. The Central is not good and yet the Twins will be lucky to stay ahead of the Indians the way things are going.

Should be getting out a few times this coming week to visit the locals. We took last week off which was cool with me. Other than that I slept wrong on my shoulder and I think I have a pinched nerve or something and early last week I pulled a calf muscle. So all in all I'm feeling old and falling apart. I blame not dipping and for the sake of my health I may start again...inner debate I'll let you know who wins.

Not much else.

P.S. The Vikes looked good. Due to that peformance I predict 14-2 and a Super Bowl win.

The Locals

Its an odd sensation to be surrounded by people who seem to idolize you yet you don't trust a single one. We've been working at training them a bit but thats like trying to teach a autistic dolphin to walk on land. Plus they spend half the time trying to touch me, I think they do it to be friendly but its creepy. Bro I have a large personal space bubble please respect that.

But they are nice and while you cannot trust them at some point you have to trust someone and hopefully they prove you wrong...I sincerely hope they do. Overall they might not be able to win a war but they are doing a good job at policing themselves. Which will hopefully get some more of our soldiers home that much sooner.

Less than 90 days left.

Good luck to the Henne's, this week should be fairly exciting for them.

So the big news for myself is I have now gone a month without chewing tobacco. I've haven't said anything preiously because over the past 12 years I've "quit" about 250 times. But since I can't buy it out here it makes it a little easier. Pretty much the only time it gets tough is when we play vids but other than that its cool. Plus I made a promise to an angry little woman in Virginia and you don't want to be on her bad side. Other than that slow week. Never left the base. But its already August so it getting the light in the tunnel is getting closer.

Peace.

Another week

So we actually got out this past week for a change. But I have a profound new appreciation for the term 'wild goose chase' after being in Iraq. You cannot fathom the frustration in milling through the desert for 10 hours looking and not finding 'it.' Then told hey its over here...no its actually not over there. Screw you guys we're going home.

Lately just reading a lot. I'm not saying I regret joining because I like what I do and who I work with. But a big part of me just wanted to see if I could do it and now I now I can and after I get home I'd kinda like to say thanks for the memories see you guys later but I have at least one more and right now that doesn't look to appealing. But I can also just as easily see myself signing on and doing another 3-4 or years after by initial duty is up.

But hope everyone is doing well. Keep living the dream.

Stage 16

So they sent half our guys to another base so its been pretty quiet here the past few days. There just isn't any work here right now, not there is work where they are going but its hard to justify so many guys here when we just sunbath all day.

Spending my morning watching Lance and riding the bike trainer which is a nice change from running everyday.

Did some really cool training with the AF the other night. We got paintball guns and had to defend it was a lot of fun.

Hope everyone is doing great. Take care.

The Pullout

Well as of June 30th we pulled out of the major provinces in our AO and throughout Iraq. Since then we haven't had anything to do. Twice both times in the middle of the night we had trackers go off but after rushing to get our gear on and the battle plan set we were told we were no go and went back to bed.

We were always told this pullout would go one of two ways: things were going to get really bad or things would stay calm. Overall luckily its stayed calm. There are still rumblings things could always set off soon but so far so good.

Not much else.

Podunk, Iraq

Well for the past almost two weeks I've been staying at a place that would be nice if they had running water, showers, toilets that didn't require the buckets to be burned when filled, A/C basically anything more than what was there. It was exactly my worst fear...to be honest I like what I do but I hate being dirty and for this entire time I've pretty smelled like a dirty diapers with the occasional wet-nap wipedown.

Things I learned: After 11 straight days I can grow a nice beard but other than the pics on my cam no one will ever know cause I hate facial hair; whenever you think you have no where else a bug can bite you you're wrong; its always better to ask forgiveness than permission (that story will come out at home); and finally living on a diet of MREs (food that for some reason doesn't go bad for like two years) ruins your digestion system. The sheer pain of deciding while hunkered in your sleeping bag whether to stick your head out and be bitten or to give yourself the worst dutch-oven known to man was great. Think about that tonight when you lay on your down mattresses.

But as far as what we were there for it was good and it took a few more days than expected but it was done. In transit back 'home' now where I'll sleep all day and not leave my a/c room for awhile.

Hope everyone is doing well.

Uncle Lonnie I think you'll be impressed with my beard pics.

2 month mark

Well this past week as been by far our busiest. We had some reports a couple of weeks ago about increased activity and low behold the intel guys something right for once. There are only so many times you trust someone who keeps telling yeah hes in that town and you come to find to out no he's not.

Some crazy sandstorms the past few days. Other than that we got this zombie map for xbox and we pretty much just play that all day long so life is good. Hope everyone else is well.

Strehlo I'm not sure if you've gotten married yet but if so congrats. Sam you're a very brave woman.

Update

So this is purely to let everyone know I'm safe. However its difficult to get hurt right now due to the fact I haven't left base in a week. We've had a few things my team just wasn't up in the rotation so I get to run drills all day. Its like being in school again and being able to do nothing but practice, the coach says a big game is coming up but it never materializes.

I've been trying to keep busy building a new gate for the compund. Other than that I sleep a lot.

Take care guys. I'll do the same.

140 days left...

Memorial weekend was nice and relaxing. I was selected for promotion and we had a cool little ceremony on the base out here. I have some pics but we can't upload anything here so it might be awhile before I can show anyone.

I also recieved a package from the Henne's yesterday (great big thank you by the way). I was opening it in the team room and pulled out whay I learned later was a bird, Rach is a big knitter and knitted me a bird. I thought it was a blimp like a zepplin of something and another guy thought it was airplane. So since I now know its a bird its hanging in the team room and for 5 bucks the guys can put in a guess as to what it is, I'm going to reveal it this weekend. So far we have 6 guesses...Sorry to report Rach no bird guesses yet. But again thanks for the stuff guys.

Overall its slow. Just hanging out in the desert.

Ris if you see this I hope things in Cali are going well for you. I'm really proud of you and if things workout I should be on the west coast by the end of 2010.

This week in Iraq

Nothing. We've gone out a couple of times but nothing other than routine jobs. In other words boredom. But another week in the books so thats one more closer to go home.

Busy Week

Sorry about the lack of updates but a very busy week and lack of internet connectivity led to that. While this was the busiest week it also went the fastest so theres always a silver lining to the mayhem. I love weeks like we just had but some guys seemed to be showing their age...its pretty funny.

The killings of the army people at the other base dominated rumors over. It's hard to pass judgement anymore and I guess its hard to explain what some people go through unless you've been here. I feel bad for people who don't want to be here but while I in no think its okay I guess I can empathize with them a bit. While I'm fairly new to the military game I'm older and some these 'soliders' are kids. I can't imagine being over at 18 or 19. I think we push so hard for bodies they aren't given the whole truth. They see movies and video games and think I can do that, but they don't show the 10 times you gear up only to never leave or the other 10 times you go and find a hill of sand.

I'm safe my team is safe and we're now knee deep in buggy races. I strongly believe my vast experience at mario cart has directly led to my early success in the races...so to those young parent/soon to be parents that read this have your kids play video games but not join the army.

Kelly you'll be happy to know the only music here other than your ipod is country. Side note you never realize how many songs you hate on your ipod until you listen to it 6 hours a day. So I'm coming around on the country.

Everyone take care.

Sunday

Went out yesterday everything went well. At least when stuff happens it makes the day go by fast. Sundays are nice because we don't have morning meetings so we can sleep in. Other than that just kill time anyway possible. The guys I really feel for are the army dudes who spent 12-15 months here.

More later.

...

Not much has happened over the past few days. Spent most of the past two days getting guys on the team into soccer. We all watched the Man Utd and Barca games. Just about everyone now is just waiting for the final. On a personal note: Mike Forys your team just can't handle the Red Devils hopefully you'll have come to terms with this by the time the final is played.

Big news for me the past few days, I finally got a couple of pillow cases!!! You never realize how much you need those things. I also have come to realize if I served in WW II or Vietnam I would've died because I'm a huge pussy. We have A/C, personal rooms and baths, we don't march around or spent several days in the woods and to be honest if I had to I would prolly go insane. Our personal satellite should be here within a couple of weeks then I might be able to post some pics of the place and the team.

We held a Cinco de Mayo party which mainly consisted of burning anything that wasn't bolted down and it got a little hairy. As of now the base FD has banned our compound from having bonfires.

Other than that I just read reports and keep ready to go. We're all getting ready for the end of June until then it just training and practice. Hope everyone is well. I miss you guys.

Tough Days

I always mean to write more often but the internet here is spotty at best. You have to try everyday and even then its like a 20 minute window and two comps, so you spend the majority of the time fighting with other dudes trying to get some time.

Its been busier here lately which is good and bad. The other day we lost a great man. No details but another individual is going home because they were close. So far we've been lucky no probs and we rolled a bunch of bad dudes the other night. Keep the prayers coming everyday is a new challenge.

~Chad

Like sand in an hour glass...

Nothing really new to report, hence the lack of updates. Red Air here for the past three days which everything kind of comes to a standstill. Spend just about everyday working out, eating, and watching stolen DVDs from the locals.

No lie we have the best cafeteria on the planet. I'm trying to eat well for the coming summer but fresh baked cookies are always trying to lure me. Really dusty can't stress that enough, its EVERYWHERE. Also flies seem to spawn out of mid air and then attack.

But the Vikes got Percy so my whole deployment check is now going on the Vikes to win the Super Bowl.

Everyone stay safe and drink a beer for me (its dry here and I won't taste the sweetness until November).

"It tastes sooo good when it hits your lips!!!!"

First time

Details will always be at a minimum. I don't want anything to get out that might get me in trouble. But today we went out, the hit went well and we all came home. It was the rush of my life. Anyways these may get boring but I'm doing well. Its already 90 here but that will be the last thing about the heat its a given that this is the hottest place north of the equator.

Great start!!!

So umm we have been chilling in Spain since Monday. Lots of issues and here we sit. So far I love deployments...late nights and afternoons on the Coast of the Med.

We are supposed to leave tomorrow morning. We'll see????

Creation

To be honest I've never been into this online profile stuff. The main reason for this blog is because other than my family I'm an awful friend as far as calling and being deployed I do not see that getting any better. But I want to stay in touch with everyone to hopefully keep my sanity and not come back a bigger a-hole than I already am. The plan will be as many updates as possible with a few pics. As of right now the show is set to start April 13th (lucky huh)!!!


All I ask is to keep myself, my teammates and my family in your thoughts and prayers.