Thank You

Thank you for all the thoughts and prayers for me and for my family. We are so blessed. I am thankful for this opportunity to serve our country and protect the rights and privileges we have as a result of the sacrifice and selfless service of so many men and women who came before and who are now serving. I am thankful for the millions of Iraqis who are grateful to our country for the freedoms and prosperity they now enjoy. I am thankful for the fact I have had no trouble breathing in the dust, hazy air of Baghdad. I am thankful for the great support everyone has provided my wife and family. I am thankful that I was protected during intense indirect fire starting Easter Sunday and several weeks following.

In Sadr City, the battle went from kinetic (shooting) to non-kinetic (reconstruction) over night as the Iraqi Army progressed through the City block by block. As each block went non-kinetic, Iraqi Army and Coalition Forces were right there with water, food, clothing, first aid and other humanitarian assistance. Next came the Amanat Baghdad (Public Works Department) repairing water and sewer pipes, restoring electricity and picking up trash. Now the markets are restored and commerce flourishing in Jamila Market. Not everything is perfect but normalcy is being restored.

The Washington Post on 1 June said, "Sadr City mission shifts from war to reconstruction."

In just two weeks, the mission for U.S. forces in Sadr City has changed from urban warfare to rebuilding neighborhoods and building trust. Local residents are getting help with reconstruction and giving help with valuable intelligence. (Washington Post)

This past week, I had the opportunity to visit and talk with a young soldier. He was recovering in the Combat Hospital adjacent to our compound. He was injured in the lower legs an attack. During our conversation he was grateful to be alive and was committed to the mission he was on. He was proud of the role his unit played to support the Iraqi Army and together, with the Iraqis in the lead, win the battle of Sadr City.

After we talked for a while and I shared about my family and the work of the Gulf Region Division, it was time to go and let him rest. In less than two days after his injury, he would be receiving the best medical care and physical therapy available. I thanked him for his bravery, his sacrifice and his willingness to protect the rest of us so we can do our part in this war. He said he would like to pray so we did. I initiated a salute to him in honor of his service but he beat me to it and snapped his salute before I could complete mine. He thanked me for coming by. I thanked him again and said good night.

I am so thankful for moms and dads raising quality young men and women who are ready to lay down their lives for our country. Quite a decision to make at only 20 years old. Thank you.

While you are waiting ..

If you couldn't guess, this is what a sandstorm looks like. Actually, it can evidently be a lot worse where you can barely see at all. Evidently, sandstorm season is at its end - which makes planning for flights a lot simpler since sand grounds airplanes and helicopters.

Too busy to blog

Ok, yes it's just me blogging for Vince again. BUT I'm begging him to send me some info by email that I will edit and post for him. Soooo, maybe this week. In the meantime, if you just can't stand it :-) go to the link for GRD and search his name. (At least last name.) He's been in one or two photos and is mentioned in an article or two in the Essayons magazine. It's kind of a neat magazine, with photos of all the work they are doing and articles in Arabic and English! Definitely not what you see in the mainstream media. I think he'll have another article in the one just about to be published, but we might not see that for a few weeks.

Meanwhile, he's been pretty focused the last two weeks while his boss was back in the states for a 3 week visit with family. Vince won't have a mid-tour break ... because he will come home before a year!!! Yeah! About 12 weeks or so left. His schedule is arriving at the office about 6:45 to 7, meetings most of the day, email in the evening after dinner. One night a week he tries to leave early to play poker with guys. Sunday he has the morning off, so he sleeps in, runs and attends a church service. He tries to run several times a week, but the schedule makes that hard. His other recreation is to occasionally leave work in time to watch a DVD in his room. He manages that about every two weeks.

Wish I had more details, especially for you engineering minded folks. Maybe next week. Meanwhile, you're stuck with Betsy rattling on for Vince.