A few pictures...

Me and one of my Soldiers at a Memorial in Camp Liberty for Staff Sergeant Clamens.  She got killed on the way to the dining facility the day before she was supposed to Re-deploy back home.                                                                

My last day on FOB Kalsu.  I was making a fashion statement and showing what I thought about the place at the same time.

Saying "Goodbye" to FOB Kalsu.

Waiting for my ride out of Baghdad...about 12 hours of waiting.  Our plane broke when we was on the runway to leave and we had to get off and wait for another one.  At least it broke on the ground and not in the air or we might have a new series on TV called "Lost:  The Military Version."

My ride out of the War Zone, and yes, this one worked, thank God.

Our last Platoon picture at the bar in Fort McCoy, Wisconsin.  Yes it was a pretty wild night.

The family meeting me when I got off the plane in Knoxville.

How nice, they decorated the house for me.  Flags everywhere, writing on the driveway and windows, and signs all over the yard.

Jordan, Kaitlyn, and Kaylie at Christmas in Oklahoma.  First time I had all three of my kids together in about 16 months.  Am I getting old or what????

Me and my oldest, Kailtyn the day of the Fiesta Bowl.

I will blog at a later time, sorry.  I have alot to do now that I am back to work and getting used to the "civilian life."  Take care and thanks to all for the all the support and prayers while I was gone. 

The Long silence...

Well it has been a long time since I have been on this site.  I just dropped in to let everyone know that I am back from Iraq, in one piece and still somewhat sane.  Tennessee is the same.  I will post pictures of the homecomming and of pics that were taken since I have been back adjusting to the civilian life.  Do any of you have a Myspace account.  If so, send me your screen and and what your picture lookr like so I can add you as a friend.  That is where I do all my postings of pics. blogs, etc.  Let me know and tomorrow i will get back on and post some pics for all to see.  Take care and God Bless!  Thanks for everyone's support while I was gone.   

The absence....

Well it has been awhile since I have had a chance to update.  It has been a ruff month.  I have alot of stuff to do with so few soldiers.  Alot of them are on R&R at the same time which leaves us shorthanded but we have managed.  Typical mortars and very hot temperatures here.  Go outside on your hottest day and get a blow dryer and put it on hot and blow it on your face.  That is the best way to describe the heat over here.  It really sucks and I am ready to head back to the states.  We are due to get out of Iraq November 9-11, be out of Kuwait on Novemeber 14th and in the states by the 15th or 16h.  I can't wait.  I am sick of this shit over here. 

I got a package from Spazmom and I would like to thank her for it.  I took some pics but the memory stick that I put them on messed up on me and I can't upload the pics to show everyone.  My wife and kids are on a much needed vacation in Florida for 2 weeks.  Must be nice.  They have been to MGM Studios, Epcot, the Science Center, Universal Studios, and are due to go to Sea World and the beach within the next few days.  I have been on a beach over here for the last 8 months, too bad there isn't any damn water to go with it.

We had to start getting the ANTHRAX  shots finally.  I put it off for the longest time but they finally told me to make sure I take the platoon over and get it done.  OUCH!!!  That shit burns.  We have to get like 6 of them over a 18 month period.  We have had 2 so far and due for our 3rd one in 2 weeks.  The second one burned and still burts like hell. 

I really do not know what to talk about which is weird for me.  There is alot I would like to say but I can't say due to security reasons.  Those stories will have to wait to be told in person once I get home.  We lost a guy on our FOB that we knew.  He was with the K-9 unit.  He used to bring his army dog to the post office and he would show us some of the cool stuff that the dog was trained to do and we would play ball with him.  He and his dog were killed in Baghdad.  He was a good kid and so young. 

Well that is all I have time for now.  I still have alot of stuff  to get done so I will update when time permits.  Take care and God Bless.

Home

Here it is....

Well I finally have a little time to blog since it has been forever since the last time.  One good thing is that we have only been bombed twice since my last blog.  The bad thing is it was even closer than any other one has been before.  When it hit we heard the rocks hitting our rooms.  Yeap, too close for me.  I got my shit and git. 

Alot of changes have been made in our platoon.  People here , people there.  My LT is going on leave tonight so that means our platoon sergeant takes his place and I get to take hers.  As crazy as it may sound, I get to run the platoon.  I guess I get to see how good I am.  I think I have been doing good so far considering that 5 people should be getting promoted next month because I am the only one that would help them get their promotion packets together and send it up for them.

I got my old job back, thank god.  I actually missed it.  I had fun doing the job I was filling in for but I still go down and help them out when they are short or need help puching the mail out.  My boss told me to run the things the way that I want to so I have made a few changes and so far they have been for the good.  I am glad she is finally stepping back and letting me do things my way for once.  Hopefully the morale, motivation, and respect will pick up now.  But we will see.   

Our post office is supposed to be moving to another site on the FOB by the end of the month.  Me and a few others have been doing the layouts of how we are going to set up shop when we move.  That is going to be fun.  We are getting another brigade on the FOB and some other units will be moving in also.  So we will be getting about 1800-2400 more soldiers.  That sucks because we still only have 18 soldiers to work the post office.  Hopefully we can get some augmentees attached to us to help out with the surge of new soldiers.

It is getting way to hot over here.  I can't wait to go home.  I should get to fly out of Iraq on the 3rd of June for my R&R.  I will be home for 15 days and then I will have to come back to this hell hole.  We should be getting out of here for good sometime mid-October, but we will see.

I guess that is all for now, I have to make my rounds and handle some business.  Until next time, take care and god bless.  (It will not be as long between blogs anymore)