His third BTW. The middle one was voluntary and he only a month or two on each side of it at home.
He talked of how grateful and brave the Iraqi people were. He also talked of how moved the soldiers were when the Iraqis waved their "purple fingers" at them.
He told of one man who would come to the wire and ask for him, since he spoke some Arabic. The man would bring produce from his farm for our troops. One day he reported an IED being buried on the road the troops used regularly. The troops couldn't find it, so the man mounted up with them in a Humvee, right in front of all the neighbors, and went out and showed them were it was. He later got a night visit, but fortunately it was only a "warning"... this time anyway.
I have many friends over there in the military and as contractors and they all say the same thing...the vast majority support us, and many are risking their lives for their own freedom and to help us.
Those are the stories that NEED telling.
God bless youy for being there today., Great good was accomplished!