News from Western Iraq

[doombuggy]

My cousin is a ssgt in Unit 73380 of the USMC and is stationed in Al Anbar Province. He sent me a letter recently (dated 4/30), telling me about life over there. I thought I would share a little bit with you guys, as it is a little different from what we see on the news every night.

"...Thank you so much for the box of goodies & letters. They were motivating. Anytime we get mail it's exciting. I am doing good here. I need s ahower, and I can't wait to see a porcelain toliet, but other than that, I am doing pretty darn good. I'm alive, aren't I? Things here have been getting a little hairy lately but we are all in one piece. No one in my unit has been injured or killed. My Marines and I are happy to be here, but will enjoy getting home in October, I hope. We get mortared or rocketed about every other day and they have only hit inside the camp once. These [insurgents] could not hit the broad side of a barn if they tried....We have had some close calls a couple of times, but have been lucky. We captured 5 insurgents 2 nights ago [April 28, 2005] right after the rocket the shot landed 50 feet from one of our guard shacks. We pinned them down with 2 Cobra helicopters on the main highway & brought them in. That was a good day....I wanted to thank you so much for the boxes and letters and want to say that [the] support of you and your friends really means a lot to me & I am doing my best to fight and make you all proud. I will do my best for you and my country."

 

[tikkipoo]

doombuggy,

Tell your cousin we said thank you for all their hard work. We are indeed proud of them all! Thanks for sharing the letter! Have a happy Memorial Day!

 

[4nana]

Thank you for sharing! God bless your cousin and all our brave soldiers/Marines and their families for their sacrifices. May they remain safe and all get to come home soon. ^i^

Happy Memorial Day!

 

[lyeag]

God Bless your cousin and all of our troops. By the way, dh wrote me basically the same thing about their aiming skills..... He is in the artillery and said if they actually hit anything it was by blind luck...

 

[bubbleprincessmom]

That's funny because my husband too has said the same thing...exactly!!! That it would be like giving my DD (10) a mortar and asking her to hit the neighbors house (were in the country so it's not right next door) ain't happening!!! He says it's pure luck they hit anything at all. Of course they do use those *#@!* roadside devices.
The sad news for us is it looks like he's been extended and will be staying for another 9 months to a year. Tuesday marks our one year mark since he left home (of course three of those months were in Texas and at Brag doing pre deployment training) but gone from home non the less.
I try and tell myself that he says that what their doing is a good thing. I look at my children and wonder........daughter turns 10 today and no daddy here to kiss her awake (although he WAS able to call a few minutes ago YEAH! ). DS turns 15 next week and wants to get his driving permit....not sure I can handle the stress of teaching him to drive It's the milestones that DH is missing that makes me the saddest.

 

[doombuggy]

I am not surprised that the SSGT is not alone in his comments about the insurgents (LOL). I will have to print this thread & send it to him.

I did send him another package last week with the armed forces day pin (dog tag) that said "thank you" on it. We went to Mickey's Retreatfor Memorial Day and I got an American Flag antenna topper with my Memorial Day pin purchase, so in the package it went. So if any of your loved ones see a Hummer in Iraq with that antenna topper, you'll know where it came from!
OK, I am kidding about that last part.

Thanks for all your kind words - I will be sure to pass them along.

God bless & keep our troops safe, so they can come home to their loved ones soon.

Thanks!