i'm posting this because a freind of mine was too close to the action. Iraq War LOng
02-14-2006, 10:58 AM
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i'm posting this because a freind of mine was too close to the action. Iraq War LOng Well here it is my second mass email. Today started off like any
other......At about 0900 this morning I was outside the FOB with about 15
other soldiers putting up another Triple Strand C-wire fence, which is
pretty normal for us( me mostly, i have run the bobcat on everyone of these
missions, day and night) We had just pulled up to the start point and were
starting to stage materials. I had already raised the picket pounder
attachment in the air and had shut the bobcat off for some last minute words
of motivation......Ie hury the hell up, whats taking so long, I could build
this fence with thee guys and be done already. When it happened. We all
heard the boom and then the gun fire that followed. I will be brutually
honest.....we did nothing....about 10 seconds later, after some more small
arms fire, we moved in close to the wall and took cover. I on the other hand
did not. Why did I not? That I cant answer. Could it be complacency? Maybe.
Could it be, we hear it all the time, it dosnt seem real? Today it was. When
I finally realized it was for real, I tried to move but couldnt, the seat
bar, that is supposed to keep me safe from a rollover was preventing me from
getting out. After a little struggle I was able to get it up and grab my
weapon. Did I run to the wall? No. That would be a smart thing. I walked to
the wall without a purpose. When I did get there I finally did something
right, I lock a magazine in. And we waited. Should we have done something
differant? Yes. We should have got back inside the wire. But none of the
Sgts, including myself, made that decsion. So we waited some more. While we
were there, waiting to go back to work, it happened. A HUMV approached the
base at a high rate of speed. Two of the doors were swinging open while he
drove. The driver pulled in and started making his way through the jersey
barriers, still doors opening and closing. The driver was moving fast enough
to put the HUMV sideways at every jersey barrier. That is not easy to do in
a HUMV, even on wet ground. Our bobcat and 5 ton dump were in the middle of
the road, the one he was coming down. That did not stop him, the driver kept
on coming, the whole time honking his horn and flashing his lights. We all
did what we thought was right, stay back and let him through. This was the
right thing to do. As the HUMV passed the 5 ton, his drivers side rear door
flew open and smacked into the bumper of our 5 ton. When I heard this, I
headed for my bobcat, to make sure he didnt hit it. The door opened one more
time, for all of us to see. In the back..... even now, hours afterwards, its
still fresh in my head, it keeps playing over and over........it was a
fellow soldier, a Marine, a kid, he was only 20. I keep thinking that could
have been me or one of my troops. It was just right outside the FOB. Here
was a soldier who was doing his job. He got out of his vehicle, to check and
verify that what they had found was an IED. After a fews steps, it went off.
And some sick son of a bitch is laughing, because he killed an american.
When the HUMV drove by us, this soldier, this Marine, was laying there,
fighting for his life. Both of his legs blown off and bleeding everywhere.
The driver and passenger had done everything they could to save his life.
The passenger was trying to stop the bleeding, while they driver was doing
his best to get him to the hospital. A Fellow soldier was in the ER at the
time he came in. They worked on him for 20 minutes, doing everything in
there power to save this kid. They could not. After the vehicle drove by
us, one of the Sgts thought it would be a good idea to get inside. So we
grabed the vehicles and got inside. It was in here, that it al hit me. I
didnt react. I did nothing. I failed my troops as a leader. I was more
worried about getting out of my vehicle, they I was in taking charge of the
situation. I was shook up and didnt even know it. I sat down, out of sight
from the troops, and lost it. My room mate, who happens to be a CLS, came
over to take a look at me. I told him I would be fine. I wasnt. I went into
shock. I had to be taken to the ER. While I was there, I was able to talk to
a counsler about what I had just seen. He said its normal, everyone deals
with it differently. He reminded me, to think of home, my wife and kids. He
also told me to be prepared, for what might happen. The nightmares, the
guilt, shakes, and everything else that could happen. He said I would be
startled by loud noises. All normal. These are not normal, these should not
have to happen, but they will. When I get home, I dont have to worry about a
piece of garbage or a dead animal. This country has no guard
rails......because they have all been blown up or removed. No one tail gates
here......if they do, we shoot them. While I was talking to him, one of the
nurses brought in a clear plastic bag with all of his belongings. His gear,
uniform, weapon, kevlar.....but there was something missing, his boots. Just
as I had gotton control of myself, I see this. This is reality. This is
real. The whole time Im inside, his battle buddies are outside, cleaning up
their HUMV. Trying to erase what had just happened. Trying to get the blood
and flesh out of the HUMV. These guys had just lost one of their own and
they were strong, they were already picking up the pieces. Ready to go back
out, and serve this great nation. The sad part about this is here we are
trying to give the Iraqis a better life and we are losing inocent lives. The
last thing he told me was get back to work, it will ease your mind. So thats
what i did, I went back to work, again outside the FOB. I got back in my
bobcat and pounded in pickets. While I was out there, we had a convoy leave,
pretty normal for here. But they didnt make it to far, only a few vehicles
made it out on the hardball, before they saw another IED. They went ahead
and blocked the roads off. So no more inocent people would die. Do you tink
the Iraqi care? No. They were upset that we blocked the road. They crossed
the median to try to get around. Traffic was stopped, and for miles it was
backed up. Some people turned around, while others drove down the median or
the shoulder, to get as close as they could, to try to get around, all the
while honking their horns. These people were in such a hurry, for what? To
get blow up? Should we have let them through? Is an eye for an eye, a
reasonable answer here? Shortly after this, I was told to go back and settle
down. Take a couple hours off, to relax. Every time I close my eyes, it
plays over and over in my head. What could I have done better? Will I do
nothing next time? Will I be able to lead my troops? I was voicing my
concerns with another soldier about these issues, when the alarm went off. I
literally jumped up out of bed and threw my gear on. I could hear the alarm,
but I couldnt. I knew it was going off. But each alarm has a
meaning.....what did this one mean? I grabbed my weapon and ran to the end
of the hall. After an alarm goes off we must lock down our building, to male
sure no one gets in, or out. A few more soldiers came out, so I put them
each guarding a door. I ran to the TOC to let them know the building was
secure and what soldiers I had guarding the entrances. After about 10
minutes of total mayhem, it was over. A prisoner had escaped. He was found,
just minutes later, still inside the compound. Lucky for him!! For the past
2 weeks, all I have been doing is putting up wire, on the walls, on the
ground, and anywhere else we could. The reason is this, one to keep the
prisoners in, and two, to keep the insurgents out, when we get attacked. I
say when, because we are on a heightened alert staus, waiting for an attack.
It is rumored to happen tomorrow. I hope the next email I send out will be a
better one. I hope that nothing happens, I hope it is nothing more than
rumors. It would be nice to leave this hell hole, with this being my only
incident, of death. I hope.......Well, Im off to do it again. It just came
down from higher, another wire mission. I voluteered for this one, gotta do
something to keep my mind busy. Hope to talk to you all soon.....and in
person!!
I delted his name from e-mail
This is the actual e-mail my freind sent me.
Keep praying for our freinds and family in Iraq.Not to take away anything from valentines day.Or make anyone worry about their loved ones..Just sharing
other......At about 0900 this morning I was outside the FOB with about 15
other soldiers putting up another Triple Strand C-wire fence, which is
pretty normal for us( me mostly, i have run the bobcat on everyone of these
missions, day and night) We had just pulled up to the start point and were
starting to stage materials. I had already raised the picket pounder
attachment in the air and had shut the bobcat off for some last minute words
of motivation......Ie hury the hell up, whats taking so long, I could build
this fence with thee guys and be done already. When it happened. We all
heard the boom and then the gun fire that followed. I will be brutually
honest.....we did nothing....about 10 seconds later, after some more small
arms fire, we moved in close to the wall and took cover. I on the other hand
did not. Why did I not? That I cant answer. Could it be complacency? Maybe.
Could it be, we hear it all the time, it dosnt seem real? Today it was. When
I finally realized it was for real, I tried to move but couldnt, the seat
bar, that is supposed to keep me safe from a rollover was preventing me from
getting out. After a little struggle I was able to get it up and grab my
weapon. Did I run to the wall? No. That would be a smart thing. I walked to
the wall without a purpose. When I did get there I finally did something
right, I lock a magazine in. And we waited. Should we have done something
differant? Yes. We should have got back inside the wire. But none of the
Sgts, including myself, made that decsion. So we waited some more. While we
were there, waiting to go back to work, it happened. A HUMV approached the
base at a high rate of speed. Two of the doors were swinging open while he
drove. The driver pulled in and started making his way through the jersey
barriers, still doors opening and closing. The driver was moving fast enough
to put the HUMV sideways at every jersey barrier. That is not easy to do in
a HUMV, even on wet ground. Our bobcat and 5 ton dump were in the middle of
the road, the one he was coming down. That did not stop him, the driver kept
on coming, the whole time honking his horn and flashing his lights. We all
did what we thought was right, stay back and let him through. This was the
right thing to do. As the HUMV passed the 5 ton, his drivers side rear door
flew open and smacked into the bumper of our 5 ton. When I heard this, I
headed for my bobcat, to make sure he didnt hit it. The door opened one more
time, for all of us to see. In the back..... even now, hours afterwards, its
still fresh in my head, it keeps playing over and over........it was a
fellow soldier, a Marine, a kid, he was only 20. I keep thinking that could
have been me or one of my troops. It was just right outside the FOB. Here
was a soldier who was doing his job. He got out of his vehicle, to check and
verify that what they had found was an IED. After a fews steps, it went off.
And some sick son of a bitch is laughing, because he killed an american.
When the HUMV drove by us, this soldier, this Marine, was laying there,
fighting for his life. Both of his legs blown off and bleeding everywhere.
The driver and passenger had done everything they could to save his life.
The passenger was trying to stop the bleeding, while they driver was doing
his best to get him to the hospital. A Fellow soldier was in the ER at the
time he came in. They worked on him for 20 minutes, doing everything in
there power to save this kid. They could not. After the vehicle drove by
us, one of the Sgts thought it would be a good idea to get inside. So we
grabed the vehicles and got inside. It was in here, that it al hit me. I
didnt react. I did nothing. I failed my troops as a leader. I was more
worried about getting out of my vehicle, they I was in taking charge of the
situation. I was shook up and didnt even know it. I sat down, out of sight
from the troops, and lost it. My room mate, who happens to be a CLS, came
over to take a look at me. I told him I would be fine. I wasnt. I went into
shock. I had to be taken to the ER. While I was there, I was able to talk to
a counsler about what I had just seen. He said its normal, everyone deals
with it differently. He reminded me, to think of home, my wife and kids. He
also told me to be prepared, for what might happen. The nightmares, the
guilt, shakes, and everything else that could happen. He said I would be
startled by loud noises. All normal. These are not normal, these should not
have to happen, but they will. When I get home, I dont have to worry about a
piece of garbage or a dead animal. This country has no guard
rails......because they have all been blown up or removed. No one tail gates
here......if they do, we shoot them. While I was talking to him, one of the
nurses brought in a clear plastic bag with all of his belongings. His gear,
uniform, weapon, kevlar.....but there was something missing, his boots. Just
as I had gotton control of myself, I see this. This is reality. This is
real. The whole time Im inside, his battle buddies are outside, cleaning up
their HUMV. Trying to erase what had just happened. Trying to get the blood
and flesh out of the HUMV. These guys had just lost one of their own and
they were strong, they were already picking up the pieces. Ready to go back
out, and serve this great nation. The sad part about this is here we are
trying to give the Iraqis a better life and we are losing inocent lives. The
last thing he told me was get back to work, it will ease your mind. So thats
what i did, I went back to work, again outside the FOB. I got back in my
bobcat and pounded in pickets. While I was out there, we had a convoy leave,
pretty normal for here. But they didnt make it to far, only a few vehicles
made it out on the hardball, before they saw another IED. They went ahead
and blocked the roads off. So no more inocent people would die. Do you tink
the Iraqi care? No. They were upset that we blocked the road. They crossed
the median to try to get around. Traffic was stopped, and for miles it was
backed up. Some people turned around, while others drove down the median or
the shoulder, to get as close as they could, to try to get around, all the
while honking their horns. These people were in such a hurry, for what? To
get blow up? Should we have let them through? Is an eye for an eye, a
reasonable answer here? Shortly after this, I was told to go back and settle
down. Take a couple hours off, to relax. Every time I close my eyes, it
plays over and over in my head. What could I have done better? Will I do
nothing next time? Will I be able to lead my troops? I was voicing my
concerns with another soldier about these issues, when the alarm went off. I
literally jumped up out of bed and threw my gear on. I could hear the alarm,
but I couldnt. I knew it was going off. But each alarm has a
meaning.....what did this one mean? I grabbed my weapon and ran to the end
of the hall. After an alarm goes off we must lock down our building, to male
sure no one gets in, or out. A few more soldiers came out, so I put them
each guarding a door. I ran to the TOC to let them know the building was
secure and what soldiers I had guarding the entrances. After about 10
minutes of total mayhem, it was over. A prisoner had escaped. He was found,
just minutes later, still inside the compound. Lucky for him!! For the past
2 weeks, all I have been doing is putting up wire, on the walls, on the
ground, and anywhere else we could. The reason is this, one to keep the
prisoners in, and two, to keep the insurgents out, when we get attacked. I
say when, because we are on a heightened alert staus, waiting for an attack.
It is rumored to happen tomorrow. I hope the next email I send out will be a
better one. I hope that nothing happens, I hope it is nothing more than
rumors. It would be nice to leave this hell hole, with this being my only
incident, of death. I hope.......Well, Im off to do it again. It just came
down from higher, another wire mission. I voluteered for this one, gotta do
something to keep my mind busy. Hope to talk to you all soon.....and in
person!!
I delted his name from e-mail
This is the actual e-mail my freind sent me.
Keep praying for our freinds and family in Iraq.Not to take away anything from valentines day.Or make anyone worry about their loved ones..Just sharing
Last edited by slowpokez28; 02-14-2006 at 11:15 AM.
02-14-2006, 09:25 PM
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Originally Posted by slowpokez28
Well here it is my second mass email. Today started off like any
other......At about 0900 this morning I was outside the FOB with about 15
other soldiers putting up another Triple Strand C-wire fence, which is
pretty normal for us( me mostly, i have run the bobcat on everyone of these
missions, day and night) We had just pulled up to the start point and were
starting to stage materials. I had already raised the picket pounder
attachment in the air and had shut the bobcat off for some last minute words
of motivation......Ie hury the hell up, whats taking so long, I could build
this fence with thee guys and be done already. When it happened. We all
heard the boom and then the gun fire that followed. I will be brutually
honest.....we did nothing....about 10 seconds later, after some more small
arms fire, we moved in close to the wall and took cover. I on the other hand
did not. Why did I not? That I cant answer. Could it be complacency? Maybe.
Could it be, we hear it all the time, it dosnt seem real? Today it was. When
I finally realized it was for real, I tried to move but couldnt, the seat
bar, that is supposed to keep me safe from a rollover was preventing me from
getting out. After a little struggle I was able to get it up and grab my
weapon. Did I run to the wall? No. That would be a smart thing. I walked to
the wall without a purpose. When I did get there I finally did something
right, I lock a magazine in. And we waited. Should we have done something
differant? Yes. We should have got back inside the wire. But none of the
Sgts, including myself, made that decsion. So we waited some more. While we
were there, waiting to go back to work, it happened. A HUMV approached the
base at a high rate of speed. Two of the doors were swinging open while he
drove. The driver pulled in and started making his way through the jersey
barriers, still doors opening and closing. The driver was moving fast enough
to put the HUMV sideways at every jersey barrier. That is not easy to do in
a HUMV, even on wet ground. Our bobcat and 5 ton dump were in the middle of
the road, the one he was coming down. That did not stop him, the driver kept
on coming, the whole time honking his horn and flashing his lights. We all
did what we thought was right, stay back and let him through. This was the
right thing to do. As the HUMV passed the 5 ton, his drivers side rear door
flew open and smacked into the bumper of our 5 ton. When I heard this, I
headed for my bobcat, to make sure he didnt hit it. The door opened one more
time, for all of us to see. In the back..... even now, hours afterwards, its
still fresh in my head, it keeps playing over and over........it was a
fellow soldier, a Marine, a kid, he was only 20. I keep thinking that could
have been me or one of my troops. It was just right outside the FOB. Here
was a soldier who was doing his job. He got out of his vehicle, to check and
verify that what they had found was an IED. After a fews steps, it went off.
And some sick son of a bitch is laughing, because he killed an american.
When the HUMV drove by us, this soldier, this Marine, was laying there,
fighting for his life. Both of his legs blown off and bleeding everywhere.
The driver and passenger had done everything they could to save his life.
The passenger was trying to stop the bleeding, while they driver was doing
his best to get him to the hospital. A Fellow soldier was in the ER at the
time he came in. They worked on him for 20 minutes, doing everything in
there power to save this kid. They could not. After the vehicle drove by
us, one of the Sgts thought it would be a good idea to get inside. So we
grabed the vehicles and got inside. It was in here, that it al hit me. I
didnt react. I did nothing. I failed my troops as a leader. I was more
worried about getting out of my vehicle, they I was in taking charge of the
situation. I was shook up and didnt even know it. I sat down, out of sight
from the troops, and lost it. My room mate, who happens to be a CLS, came
over to take a look at me. I told him I would be fine. I wasnt. I went into
shock. I had to be taken to the ER. While I was there, I was able to talk to
a counsler about what I had just seen. He said its normal, everyone deals
with it differently. He reminded me, to think of home, my wife and kids. He
also told me to be prepared, for what might happen. The nightmares, the
guilt, shakes, and everything else that could happen. He said I would be
startled by loud noises. All normal. These are not normal, these should not
have to happen, but they will. When I get home, I dont have to worry about a
piece of garbage or a dead animal. This country has no guard
rails......because they have all been blown up or removed. No one tail gates
here......if they do, we shoot them. While I was talking to him, one of the
nurses brought in a clear plastic bag with all of his belongings. His gear,
uniform, weapon, kevlar.....but there was something missing, his boots. Just
as I had gotton control of myself, I see this. This is reality. This is
real. The whole time Im inside, his battle buddies are outside, cleaning up
their HUMV. Trying to erase what had just happened. Trying to get the blood
and flesh out of the HUMV. These guys had just lost one of their own and
they were strong, they were already picking up the pieces. Ready to go back
out, and serve this great nation. The sad part about this is here we are
trying to give the Iraqis a better life and we are losing inocent lives. The
last thing he told me was get back to work, it will ease your mind. So thats
what i did, I went back to work, again outside the FOB. I got back in my
bobcat and pounded in pickets. While I was out there, we had a convoy leave,
pretty normal for here. But they didnt make it to far, only a few vehicles
made it out on the hardball, before they saw another IED. They went ahead
and blocked the roads off. So no more inocent people would die. Do you tink
the Iraqi care? No. They were upset that we blocked the road. They crossed
the median to try to get around. Traffic was stopped, and for miles it was
backed up. Some people turned around, while others drove down the median or
the shoulder, to get as close as they could, to try to get around, all the
while honking their horns. These people were in such a hurry, for what? To
get blow up? Should we have let them through? Is an eye for an eye, a
reasonable answer here? Shortly after this, I was told to go back and settle
down. Take a couple hours off, to relax. Every time I close my eyes, it
plays over and over in my head. What could I have done better? Will I do
nothing next time? Will I be able to lead my troops? I was voicing my
concerns with another soldier about these issues, when the alarm went off. I
literally jumped up out of bed and threw my gear on. I could hear the alarm,
but I couldnt. I knew it was going off. But each alarm has a
meaning.....what did this one mean? I grabbed my weapon and ran to the end
of the hall. After an alarm goes off we must lock down our building, to male
sure no one gets in, or out. A few more soldiers came out, so I put them
each guarding a door. I ran to the TOC to let them know the building was
secure and what soldiers I had guarding the entrances. After about 10
minutes of total mayhem, it was over. A prisoner had escaped. He was found,
just minutes later, still inside the compound. Lucky for him!! For the past
2 weeks, all I have been doing is putting up wire, on the walls, on the
ground, and anywhere else we could. The reason is this, one to keep the
prisoners in, and two, to keep the insurgents out, when we get attacked. I
say when, because we are on a heightened alert staus, waiting for an attack.
It is rumored to happen tomorrow. I hope the next email I send out will be a
better one. I hope that nothing happens, I hope it is nothing more than
rumors. It would be nice to leave this hell hole, with this being my only
incident, of death. I hope.......Well, Im off to do it again. It just came
down from higher, another wire mission. I voluteered for this one, gotta do
something to keep my mind busy. Hope to talk to you all soon.....and in
person!!
I delted his name from e-mail
This is the actual e-mail my freind sent me.
Keep praying for our freinds and family in Iraq.Not to take away anything from valentines day.Or make anyone worry about their loved ones..Just sharing
other......At about 0900 this morning I was outside the FOB with about 15
other soldiers putting up another Triple Strand C-wire fence, which is
pretty normal for us( me mostly, i have run the bobcat on everyone of these
missions, day and night) We had just pulled up to the start point and were
starting to stage materials. I had already raised the picket pounder
attachment in the air and had shut the bobcat off for some last minute words
of motivation......Ie hury the hell up, whats taking so long, I could build
this fence with thee guys and be done already. When it happened. We all
heard the boom and then the gun fire that followed. I will be brutually
honest.....we did nothing....about 10 seconds later, after some more small
arms fire, we moved in close to the wall and took cover. I on the other hand
did not. Why did I not? That I cant answer. Could it be complacency? Maybe.
Could it be, we hear it all the time, it dosnt seem real? Today it was. When
I finally realized it was for real, I tried to move but couldnt, the seat
bar, that is supposed to keep me safe from a rollover was preventing me from
getting out. After a little struggle I was able to get it up and grab my
weapon. Did I run to the wall? No. That would be a smart thing. I walked to
the wall without a purpose. When I did get there I finally did something
right, I lock a magazine in. And we waited. Should we have done something
differant? Yes. We should have got back inside the wire. But none of the
Sgts, including myself, made that decsion. So we waited some more. While we
were there, waiting to go back to work, it happened. A HUMV approached the
base at a high rate of speed. Two of the doors were swinging open while he
drove. The driver pulled in and started making his way through the jersey
barriers, still doors opening and closing. The driver was moving fast enough
to put the HUMV sideways at every jersey barrier. That is not easy to do in
a HUMV, even on wet ground. Our bobcat and 5 ton dump were in the middle of
the road, the one he was coming down. That did not stop him, the driver kept
on coming, the whole time honking his horn and flashing his lights. We all
did what we thought was right, stay back and let him through. This was the
right thing to do. As the HUMV passed the 5 ton, his drivers side rear door
flew open and smacked into the bumper of our 5 ton. When I heard this, I
headed for my bobcat, to make sure he didnt hit it. The door opened one more
time, for all of us to see. In the back..... even now, hours afterwards, its
still fresh in my head, it keeps playing over and over........it was a
fellow soldier, a Marine, a kid, he was only 20. I keep thinking that could
have been me or one of my troops. It was just right outside the FOB. Here
was a soldier who was doing his job. He got out of his vehicle, to check and
verify that what they had found was an IED. After a fews steps, it went off.
And some sick son of a bitch is laughing, because he killed an american.
When the HUMV drove by us, this soldier, this Marine, was laying there,
fighting for his life. Both of his legs blown off and bleeding everywhere.
The driver and passenger had done everything they could to save his life.
The passenger was trying to stop the bleeding, while they driver was doing
his best to get him to the hospital. A Fellow soldier was in the ER at the
time he came in. They worked on him for 20 minutes, doing everything in
there power to save this kid. They could not. After the vehicle drove by
us, one of the Sgts thought it would be a good idea to get inside. So we
grabed the vehicles and got inside. It was in here, that it al hit me. I
didnt react. I did nothing. I failed my troops as a leader. I was more
worried about getting out of my vehicle, they I was in taking charge of the
situation. I was shook up and didnt even know it. I sat down, out of sight
from the troops, and lost it. My room mate, who happens to be a CLS, came
over to take a look at me. I told him I would be fine. I wasnt. I went into
shock. I had to be taken to the ER. While I was there, I was able to talk to
a counsler about what I had just seen. He said its normal, everyone deals
with it differently. He reminded me, to think of home, my wife and kids. He
also told me to be prepared, for what might happen. The nightmares, the
guilt, shakes, and everything else that could happen. He said I would be
startled by loud noises. All normal. These are not normal, these should not
have to happen, but they will. When I get home, I dont have to worry about a
piece of garbage or a dead animal. This country has no guard
rails......because they have all been blown up or removed. No one tail gates
here......if they do, we shoot them. While I was talking to him, one of the
nurses brought in a clear plastic bag with all of his belongings. His gear,
uniform, weapon, kevlar.....but there was something missing, his boots. Just
as I had gotton control of myself, I see this. This is reality. This is
real. The whole time Im inside, his battle buddies are outside, cleaning up
their HUMV. Trying to erase what had just happened. Trying to get the blood
and flesh out of the HUMV. These guys had just lost one of their own and
they were strong, they were already picking up the pieces. Ready to go back
out, and serve this great nation. The sad part about this is here we are
trying to give the Iraqis a better life and we are losing inocent lives. The
last thing he told me was get back to work, it will ease your mind. So thats
what i did, I went back to work, again outside the FOB. I got back in my
bobcat and pounded in pickets. While I was out there, we had a convoy leave,
pretty normal for here. But they didnt make it to far, only a few vehicles
made it out on the hardball, before they saw another IED. They went ahead
and blocked the roads off. So no more inocent people would die. Do you tink
the Iraqi care? No. They were upset that we blocked the road. They crossed
the median to try to get around. Traffic was stopped, and for miles it was
backed up. Some people turned around, while others drove down the median or
the shoulder, to get as close as they could, to try to get around, all the
while honking their horns. These people were in such a hurry, for what? To
get blow up? Should we have let them through? Is an eye for an eye, a
reasonable answer here? Shortly after this, I was told to go back and settle
down. Take a couple hours off, to relax. Every time I close my eyes, it
plays over and over in my head. What could I have done better? Will I do
nothing next time? Will I be able to lead my troops? I was voicing my
concerns with another soldier about these issues, when the alarm went off. I
literally jumped up out of bed and threw my gear on. I could hear the alarm,
but I couldnt. I knew it was going off. But each alarm has a
meaning.....what did this one mean? I grabbed my weapon and ran to the end
of the hall. After an alarm goes off we must lock down our building, to male
sure no one gets in, or out. A few more soldiers came out, so I put them
each guarding a door. I ran to the TOC to let them know the building was
secure and what soldiers I had guarding the entrances. After about 10
minutes of total mayhem, it was over. A prisoner had escaped. He was found,
just minutes later, still inside the compound. Lucky for him!! For the past
2 weeks, all I have been doing is putting up wire, on the walls, on the
ground, and anywhere else we could. The reason is this, one to keep the
prisoners in, and two, to keep the insurgents out, when we get attacked. I
say when, because we are on a heightened alert staus, waiting for an attack.
It is rumored to happen tomorrow. I hope the next email I send out will be a
better one. I hope that nothing happens, I hope it is nothing more than
rumors. It would be nice to leave this hell hole, with this being my only
incident, of death. I hope.......Well, Im off to do it again. It just came
down from higher, another wire mission. I voluteered for this one, gotta do
something to keep my mind busy. Hope to talk to you all soon.....and in
person!!
I delted his name from e-mail
This is the actual e-mail my freind sent me.
Keep praying for our freinds and family in Iraq.Not to take away anything from valentines day.Or make anyone worry about their loved ones..Just sharing
These men and women are the Amerriaca's newest "Greatest Generation". Everey single one of these people are a HERO!
I pray for every lost soldier, marine, sailor and airman, and cry and grieve for the loss to their families.
Don
02-15-2006, 12:56 AM
#7
You can enlist. It is an option.
You can also deploy as a civilian contractor to support the effort of our troops directly in Iraq. How do I know? I did. Between Oct 2003 and December 2004 I was in Qatar for a short period followed by a month in Baghdad, then 2 months at Abu Ghraib, then the rest of the time back in Baghdad.
You can also deploy as a civilian contractor to support the effort of our troops directly in Iraq. How do I know? I did. Between Oct 2003 and December 2004 I was in Qatar for a short period followed by a month in Baghdad, then 2 months at Abu Ghraib, then the rest of the time back in Baghdad.
