[Eagle Eye]

Thanks for the ping.

All's well so far. Been in theater nearly a year...only about 6 more months to go. Got to admit that 7-12's are wearing me out, I'm tired. Tired of brown. Tired of dirt. Tired of needing guntrucks to go anywhere. Tired of a 30 mile trip taking 3-7 days due to convoy scheduling. Tired of sleeping in rodent infested tents, and metal containers that make a redneck singlewide seem luxurious and spacious. Tired of portajohns and needing to carry TP in my pocket all the time 'just in case'. Tired of no supplies. Tired of third world labor and third world goods. Tired of 35 lbs of body armor whenever going out the gate. Tired of IED's, mortars, small arms fire, and being suspicious of everyone who's not obviously American.

But when that direct deposit hits tomorrow, I'll be a happy camper again. (cha-CHING!)

Can you tell that I've not had a beer in a long, long time? Or that I need my R&R is a very very bad way?

I've met hundreds of great men and women in uniform. The best. Christmas with the 82nd. Convoys with the Razorbacks and their 5 ton gun trucks. Interactions with troops from the 10th, 101st, 3ACR, 4ID, SEALs, USMC, SeaBees, Aussies, Brits, Croats, Azjerbijanis, Georgians, Canadians, Ghurkas, and more. Officers, enlisteds, and NCO's.

Bangladeshis, Indians, Fillipinos, Iraqis, Turks, Jordanians, Syrians, South Africans, and many others.

Had some close calls and some interesting flights.

Seen mysterious men that come in from the shadows and leave out on choppers, then return and go back to the shadows.

And in the mean time, I miss the hell out of a decent pizza, an Uncle Henry's breakfast, Arturos Fuentes Dominican cigars, and Jameson Irish Whisky.

And a special someone back home.

Hey, you asked!

[Squantos]

LMAO......Sun screen son ....sun screen..............:o)

Thanks for taking yer turn in the barrel EE . Hang in there friend ! We're rooting for ya !.......

Stay Safe !

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Hey, you asked!

I'm going to remember that! (^:

Thanks for sharing the firsthand account, EE.

Last week, Washington Times was even pushing the 'poor and jobless on the homefront civilians as useful idiots in the clutches of evil, deceitful corporations' angle. ACK!

We have a new Freeper civilian worker in Iraq this week, tomakaze, to fix equipment (so 5-ton trucks and such don't break down on Hwy 1).

He asks that journeyman electricians contact him if they're interested in working in (beautiful, downtown) Iraq.

[Allegra]

Can you tell that I've not had a beer in a long, long time?

Here...sing along with me:

"Oh how happy we will be
When we get back from the Duty Free.."

It's a little jingle we sing over here on our base.

[AngryJawa]

I've got two words for you, EagleEye.....

Thank you.