Hi gang. Long time no post, yeah? Figured I’d chime in and let everyone know how I was doin’, and what’s been going on here.
My unit (1-14th) is setup outside of Camp Taji, which is just a few miles north of Baghdad. The first few months were kinda crazy – mission after mission after mission, without any kind of battle rhythm; no one knew when our next refit or maintenence day would be, or even what the next mission would be more than a couple days out. It was common to go for weeks straight without any kind of day off or time to service the Strykers. Then in April, all of the Battalions pushed out their company-level assets off-base to set up smaller patrol bases in our area of operation, usually co-existing with a platoon or company-sized element of Iraqi Army. Still maintained a hectic schedule – never really knew how long we’d stay out in the sticks, or when or what kind of supplies would come in, if any, etc. Then finally, about a month ago, the patrol base my company has been occupying finally started to get built up into a decent base in its own right. it’s still a work in progress as of this post, but we now have electricity, internet/phones, a movie room, a small gym, a cook with a small dining area, porta-shitters (we were burning our own shit for a long while), AC, and here soon some actual showers. Power doesnt stay on 24/7, but a group of engineers are out here now fixing all that. Not too bad now… actaully don’t mind staying out here anymore :-P Good thing though, is that my company’s AO is relatively calm – we’ve only had two IED’s go off on us, and zero ambushes/small arms fire. The younger first-time-to-deploy Soldiers wish things were more ‘exciting’ around here, but I tell ’em they wont be thinking that if things ever did heat up. Typical – I felt the same way my first deployment, and then after being shelled/blown up/ambushed X number of times, I was ready to give it a rest. Hopefully they never get a chance to learn that the hard way.
Anyways… yeah. Things are ‘good’ here I suppose. Boring, but I’ll take boring over the alternative. Some of our sister companies have seen a lil more action/IED’s, as have certain other elements within our Brigade, but overall the violence is low compared to my last time here.
I’m slotted to come back to the states for R&R around the end of August. Gonna be in Vermont the entire time… gonna meet my wife Jenn up there with her family. Her sister is getting married August 30th, and we’re also going to spend a lil time looking for lots of land to build our ‘dream’ house near Burlington. I’m also gonna spend a half-day talking to admissions at UVM – with the newly revised GI Bill in place, I’m going to go back to school full-time after I redeploy (my Army career ends June 2009), wrap up a degree (finally), and let Uncle Sam not only pay for it all, but pay ME to get a degree at the same time. Too good an offer to pass up.
So yeah, that’s about it. I got a few pics here and there, but haven’t posted anything yet, as I havent really taken any pics of anything exciting. And I don’t see the remainder of the deployment being any different from how it is now. I’m doing fine… just miss my wife, and I’m ready to come home.
Hope the rest of ya are doing well, and are enjoying your summer. Take it easy, and I’ll see ya around maybe ;-)
Tags: Iraq
What’s up niggie cheese-mo?!?!?!?
How’ve you been? EHHH?
How’s the weather?
Texas is pretty shitty, thanks for asking.
Love ya!
Werd.
~sX
Nice to hear yer in Strykers, thats like trading in a yugo for a lambourghini compared to the shitpile that is the military Hummer. Send us some crazy pics, whatever ya won’t get in trouble for sending that is.
Tim~
Glad to hear everything is goin good for you.
Sup K2, good to hear from ya.
man i can only imagine how much you miss ya wife. I’d be fucking goin crazy without mine. But im still being breast-fed so whadya expect lol
Good to hear you are doing OK man. Hope things stay that way.
I smell HF LAN part of 3
EML + sX + K2 .. coming up
Thanks guys.
HF LAN part of 3? What? lol
I’ll do HF LAN #8, but you guys are gonna have to come to me this time. Hope ya like Vermont
I’m down for Vt. I think we should do it outside, in January
I ROFL’ed seriously. Maybe outside April lol.
good to hear from you – was long time since you checked in baby.
HF LANS should always be in TX, that is rule #1.
Rule #1 is that I’m not shelling out $1000+ of my own money anymore for airfare and other assorted fees involved when I hold the HF LAN parties.
My house or bust is now Rule #1
Bah, with the lack of turnout resulting from doing it in Vermont, we could include your airfare in the registration fee split up over the majority, wouldn’t cost you a dime
Good to hear you’re doing well. A quiet tour is a good tour. Just sit back and wait to get your little slice of heaven in Vermont. It’s so nice up there..as long as you can deal with the winters. But at least there’s lots of slopes in the area to have fun with.
I’m still bummed I missed the big LAN. I was set to go and backed out at the end
Maybe someday. You guys should have it out here in Cali….it’s like a LAN AND a vacation. Lots to do and see. Think about it =P
Glad to hear you are well. Stay frosty and git back here quick.
Greg
Thx. I’m stuck in Baghdad right now, trying to get a flight out back to the states for R&R. Gonna meet up with Jenn in Vermont here in a couple days. We get 18 days leave now, instead of 15 like last time.
Where you at now you old dog, K2?
Hey, is it safe to send mens magazines down there? IE Maxim, Stuff, blender, etc..
Magazines are fine sX.
I’m still in Vermont, right now hanging out with Jenn at her sisters house. We’re going canoeing with her sister and her sisters new husband tomorrow. I have to start heading back to Iraq the morning of the 10th :/ Good news though is that I’ll only have about 5 months left and then I’m back for good.
Sweetness. That puts you back in Feb, right? Thats a hell of a Valentines Day present if you ask me. You’re gonna be in deep shit trying to top that one the year after.
I’ll get my valentines suit ready – JUST for you, K2.
*smooches*
~sX
This is a blog post. To read the original post, please click here »
Hi gang. Long time no post, yeah? Figured I’d chime in and let everyone know how I was doin’, and what’s been going on here.
My unit (1-14th) is setup outside of Camp Taji, which is just a few miles north of Baghdad. The first few months were kinda crazy – mission after mission after mission, without any kind of battle rhythm; no one knew when our next refit or maintenence day would be, or even what the next mission would be more than a couple days out. It was common to go for weeks straight without any kind of day off or time to service the Strykers. Then in April, all of the Battalions pushed out their company-level assets off-base to set up smaller patrol bases in our area of operation, usually co-existing with a platoon or company-sized element of Iraqi Army. Still maintained a hectic schedule – never really knew how long we’d stay out in the sticks, or when or what kind of supplies would come in, if any, etc. Then finally, about a month ago, the patrol base my company has been occupying finally started to get built up into a decent base in its own right. it’s still a work in progress as of this post, but we now have electricity, internet/phones, a movie room, a small gym, a cook with a small dining area, porta-shitters (we were burning our own shit for a long while), AC, and here soon some actual showers. Power doesnt stay on 24/7, but a group of engineers are out here now fixing all that. Not too bad now… actaully don’t mind staying out here anymore
Good thing though, is that my company’s AO is relatively calm – we’ve only had two IED’s go off on us, and zero ambushes/small arms fire. The younger first-time-to-deploy Soldiers wish things were more ‘exciting’ around here, but I tell ’em they wont be thinking that if things ever did heat up. Typical – I felt the same way my first deployment, and then after being shelled/blown up/ambushed X number of times, I was ready to give it a rest. Hopefully they never get a chance to learn that the hard way.
Anyways… yeah. Things are ‘good’ here I suppose. Boring, but I’ll take boring over the alternative. Some of our sister companies have seen a lil more action/IED’s, as have certain other elements within our Brigade, but overall the violence is low compared to my last time here.
I’m slotted to come back to the states for R&R around the end of August. Gonna be in Vermont the entire time… gonna meet my wife Jenn up there with her family. Her sister is getting married August 30th, and we’re also going to spend a lil time looking for lots of land to build our ‘dream’ house near Burlington. I’m also gonna spend a half-day talking to admissions at UVM – with the newly revised GI Bill in place, I’m going to go back to school full-time after I redeploy (my Army career ends June 2009), wrap up a degree (finally), and let Uncle Sam not only pay for it all, but pay ME to get a degree at the same time. Too good an offer to pass up.
So yeah, that’s about it. I got a few pics here and there, but haven’t posted anything yet, as I havent really taken any pics of anything exciting. And I don’t see the remainder of the deployment being any different from how it is now. I’m doing fine… just miss my wife, and I’m ready to come home.
Hope the rest of ya are doing well, and are enjoying your summer. Take it easy, and I’ll see ya around maybe
Tags: Iraq
Posted under: Miscellaneous