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I can give you a different version of the same events. My nephew is a Marine now located in the middle east, and his wife recieved this e-mail last week:

Hello families of CSSB 12,

Another week gone and a new one upon us. With it comes the month of March. Weathermen tell us that if March comes in like a lion it will go out like a lamb. I hope this holds true. This week we've had several extremes. Tuesday we experienced rain with a five minute downpour of hail. Not the little stuff that comes down in Kentucky, but the large, marble size hail only an Ohioan can appreciate. Today we are experiencing wind gusts of 25 knots (for those non-mariners a knot, or nautical mile, is 1.2 miles per hour).

This is the third time this week that winds have exceeded 25 knots. The winds have been so strong lately that our adjutant, First Lieutenant Sofia Barbato, claims she was literally blown over Thursday by a powerful gust. First Lieutenant Dana Billingham, battalion watch officer and witness to the adjutant's fall, claims, "no, Lt Barbato was demonstrating a new dance move she learned prior to leaving California." Those that have ever witnessed the torrential gyrations, spins, and cartwheels used by Lt Barbato during one of her dance routines will understand how this might have occurred.

On another note, the tents are holding well but the dust that stirs from these winds gets into everything. The day after a wind storm everyone sweeps out their tents. The next day we have another wind storm and a new layer of dust...and the cycle continues. All I can say is, thank goodness for plastic zip lock bags. Corporal Justin Lofay of the maintenance detachment claims the grittiness has actually helped clean his teeth. Keep smiling Corporal Lofay and your wife won't even recognize you when you get home.

The battalion chaplain, Lieutenant Philip McClimon, has started a program for Marines and sailors of CSSB 12 to send a videotaped message home. Those that choose to send a video message have the option of reading a book to their children or just providing a taped message. So far, the video messages have been well received. Sergeant Nicole Merrill, the chaplain's assistant, thinks the great turnout is due to the chaplain having fresh coffee available for those that stop by. Some think it's the chaplain's winning personality and ever ready words of wisdom that draws the crowds. No matter what the reason, the chaplain section hopes the tapes will be enjoyed by those holding down the home front and help the younger members of the CSSB 12 family better deal with the time apart.

Additionally, CSSB 12 is allowing Marines and sailors the opportunity to make a call home. If you haven't heard from your loved one yet, be patient, we only have one phone and a lot of people who want to use it. Because of this, there is just enough time for each Marine or sailor to let their loved one know they are okay and that they miss them.

CSSB 12 started movie night last weekend. This was much more well received than the sock puppet show CWO4 Bill Otto of the maintenance detachment wanted to present. Although creative, no one wanted to see the battle of Gettysburg reenacted with CWO Otto's socks. Instead, moviegoers voted between 'Joe Dirt' and 'Van Wilder.' Corny humor prevailed and the audience laughed through the hilarious antics of David Spade as 'Joe Dirt.'

When asked why he voted for 'Joe Dirt', Corporal Juan Rivera of the Services Detachment said, "I thought the guy on the cover of the box was the staff sergeant that works in the S-4." Upon further investigation, we found the only staff sergeant that works in the S-4, and who looks a lot like David Spade, is our own Staff Sergeant Robert Broker. Speaking with SSgt Broker, he admitted that he does get mistaken for David Spade, as well as Dorothy Hammill, quite often. Tonight's movie selection comes to us from Chaplain McClimon's personal collection --- one of the new classic westerns, 'Tombstone.'

Oh well, that's all the news for this week. From the Marines and sailors of CSSB 12, we miss you and thank you for all you're doing on the home front.

Semper Fi