The continuing tales of Army's adventures at war in Iraq...

[tsc]

The people at Longs screwed up, and we got the pictures on print, just not disks. Oh well... Pics soon. Is that thing in the bag what I think it is? *shudder*

Have you received the last two emails frome me? I sent them close to 2 weeks ago now and still no response... Will send another this evening.

--Sarah & Ryan

[CRog075]

Hey army, you dont know me, but I wish you luck out there still. I will probably be deployed next summer with my unit (88M) So, got any tips for me? Also, how do you get online out there? And are you aloud electronics? Probably a stupuid question though. Good luck man.

[Army]

...So, got any tips for me? Also, how do you get online out there? And are you aloud electronics? Probably a stupuid question though. Good luck man.

Nearly all large trucks have been armored in one way or another, from simple plates hanging on the doors, to fully clad bodies. Most Hummers have been also. Be aware though, that you may NOT be driving trucks here, as other "priorities" will take precedent.

As for electronics, it depends on where you end up. If you are in the eastern section, forget it, as the dust and sand will destroy it quickly. If you are in the more western end like me, it's not so bad. Most electronics last fairly well here. If you score a FOB or LSA big enough to have a "normal" PX, then all the toys are avaialble here. A laptop is really handy for paperwork of course, but also for movies and games when it gets boring.....and it does. Gameboys are especially good for convoys when you are at a rest stop. There is only two english radio stations here, AFR and the BBC, but they both come in good no matter where you are. A CD player with radio is good to have. Don't bother with expensive headphones since they will get drestroyed too easily.

As for online, many if not all FOB's and LSA's have some kind of cafe' up and running, which usually includes Segovia satellite phones ($.04 minute compared to $.26 a minute with ATT). I am using our Battalions cafe' right now. The larger FOB's and LSA's have been getting private vendors in to set up satellite TV and internet right in your hooch...but it ain't cheap unless you get over a dozen troops to sign on to ONE system ($4000.00 range)

Winters aren't bad here, but summer of course, is just brutal. Personal misters are great until the dust flies, which will turn you into a mud monster. LOTS of socks is good, LOTS of brown T's are good. Many of us have been using Under Armor polypropolene t-shirts, which are superb at wicking sweat away, which you will produce a lot of. Drawback...they ain't cheap, $20-25 for one shirt.

Other than what you want to carry for personal comfort, they will issue most everything you will need or use...yes, including modern body armor.

Keep your butt low, and in high gear! Dave

[tsc]

Well, he finally figured out a way to send me pictures directly...(Thanks for the warning about th e new email addy..yeesh)




Last picture: A rocket hit a truck about 50m from my dad.

I don't know what all is up with the picture situation, I'll talk to mom today. Ryan and I have some new pics we'll be sending you at some point.

Also, look what we just got. http://www.coldsteel.com/sjambok.html Two, so Ryan and I can have some homegrown "conflict management" sessions (Ryan: "Which consist of a good ole country arse-whoopin") *cough* I mean, to spar with one another and hone our self-defense techniques...

[PissedGodzilla]

hey Army, Hope all is well.. Just a question, is your APO still current from the first post?

[Target Practice]

hey Army, Hope all is well.. Just a question, is your APO still current from the first post?

Yup, hasn't changed.

Take it easy Army, watch your arse. Sarah and I are gonna check on that picture CD for ya' one of these days, but we're dragging our feet... . Keep those picture's comin'.

Vaya con Dios,

Ryan & Sarah

Keepin' on

[BradAGD]

Glad to hear everything is ok there.

Your package went out today...FINALLY. Keep an eye on the mail. Let me know if there is anything that you need/want/don't need/would kill a man to get. I'll see what I can do.

stay safe Army!

[AGD]

Army,

I am afraid to say I have missed your accounts until reading through them tonight. My gosh you are getting a lot of bombs lobbed at you!! Needless to say we are all worried about ya so keep your head down and the armor on. Come back safe we need you here.

All of us at,

AGD

[teufelhunden]

Hey Army, hope all is well.

Just got back from my first Army ROTC PT!! I've got a lot of work to do, to say the least!!

Keep your head down!

--Dave

[Target Practice]

Greetings from Sin City! This is Sarah.

Ryan and I are in Las Vegas for the NPPL tourney (YES!! Mom let me go to Vegas without her!), Staying alternately at Miscue's and Ryan's aunt's house. We hope that you haven't sent us any emails-- the server is down or something.

PM either of us here, please, if you've sent us anything!

Ryan and I did the tourist thing....wow. Just wow. You're just lucky we're not coming back with anything interesting; Hedgehog, ferret, dead showgirl, something in a nice .50AE, marriag-- *cough* On to other things.

We're going back home tomorrow, with a stopover in Lancaster for a nap and food. Pictures will come of the trip, thouigh I only have one or two of the strip itself, it's mostly driving down here/random scenery.

We're going to bed now, don't want to drive tired, even though a six-car pile-up would be interesting.

Hopefully the mail server will be working soon, I'd like to keep in touch outside of here, and I want to keep the more personal things in e-mail.

[Army]

You're taking the long way home. It's faster to go I-58 over Tehachapi than south to Lancaster. But then, Ryan has family there, right? Oh well. Make sure nothing comes home that's round and made of gold...DUN DUN DUNNNNNNNNNNN........

I did send a few more pics to you, but they can wait until the server gets up again.


We just stepped down from a Delta level alert status, which is locked and loaded 24/7 with all access to the base closed and armored. Which really sucks, since the latrine cleaners can't come in to do their jobs....EEEWwwwwwwwwww!

Dad

[Eagle]

You guys don't clean your own latrine? And they say that we in the Navy are pampered...

[Army]

You guys don't clean your own latrine? And they say that we in the Navy are pampered...

Porta-Johns, over 1000 at least, not including our new fancy AC adapted multi-stalls which number in the hundreds by now (Oh yeah, that's a cool bit of heaven right there!)


We finally got a break in the weather, as the temps have dropped to the very low 100's. It's actually measurably cool in the mornings now! Naturally, we have just been issued our "Cool-Vests" to beat the summer heat. Probably more funny, is that we were issued desert Gortex rain gear back in June!

Logistics, ya gotta love'em!

Got new pics coming soon.

[tsc]

Got the pics! Will post them soon, I'm at work.

EDIT: PICS!

"Sarah, this is Malik, my new buddy here. See his hand? The middle and pinky finger were bashed off by Saddams Police, using a hammer. They just bashed them until they fell off. He also has nasty scars in his calves where they drove a steel rod through, and hung him upside down like a carcass to beat the hell out of him. Needless to say, he loves Americans."



"This is what we do at my position when we are waiting for a mortar attack to clear. All those people are truck drivers and my search teams. The booms make for some measure of excitement, but the afterwards can get really boring."



"check what's on the back of the chair! "



"This is what happens when the mortar concussion knocks your Dr Pepper to the ground.

Now, I'm gonna kill somebody!"

[BradAGD]

Hey Army.

Any bug problems? Reason being...someone gave us a bucket of these anti-mesquito armband thingies that some folks say are good for ticks and stuff like that too. Just wear them on your ankle. If you want them, I'll send them with everything else I forgot to send in the box you should be getting soon.

Stay safe!