I read this letter at least four or five months ago. I know this because I printed out a copy to give to my brother. If I remember correctly it was about this Marine's first seven months in Iraq during 2005 not 2006!
This is either an example of sloppy journalism or the author of the piece knowingly changed the date in the letter. Would not the story be a bit stale if this letter were actually written a year ago and not last month as stated?
Then again, without revealing the letter writer's indentity there is no way to verify this actually was written by a Marine at all!
He specifically mentions his unit rescuing the news babe from Christian Science Monitor. IIRC, that was just a few months back, not in 2005.