my friend from iraq
his best email yet
In
the past three months I have:
Been
shot at.
Watched
an up armored Humvee in my convoy been blown up by a land mine, and land upside
down.
Blown
things up using C4.
Seen
my buddy smash a gate down to allow a team to enter and clear a building, using
his Humvee as a battering ram.
Driven
my Humvee down a heavily traveled road, frequently used to place IEDs,
backwards.
Fallen
asleep driving 60 mph down the same road, with no headlights.
Seen
bodies burned and mutilated by IED detonations.
Been
to memorials for fallen comrades. Three times.
Witnessed
schemes rivaling plots of most James Bond films, unfortunately resulting in
unbelievable failures for us and successes for the enemy.
Rode
in a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter.
Dismounted
from said Blackhawk to interdict vehicles driving through the desert in the
middle of the night.
Conducted
five consecutive combat missions in three days, running on approximately 30
minutes of sleep.
Run
five miles in 35 minutes 57 seconds, my fastest time ever.
Watched
the enemy place land mines in the road and get away with no repercussions.
Scored
166 lines in Tetris.
Schemed
several ways to steal an internet connection from Battalion HQ, all
unsuccessful as of yet.
Seen
Delta Force enter and clear small portions of local villages.
Witnessed
firefights rivaling fireworks shows.
Helped
built a patio.
Bench
pressed 185 pounds.
Failed
miserably trying to bench press 205 pounds.
Learned
to fire a sniper rifle.
Had
to shit in a Port-a-John, in 130 degree heat, nearly puking my lungs up from
the smell.
Seen
buddies puke from running two miles in the desert heat.
Got
my Humvee stuck in the sand dunes in the middle of the desert.
Used
my Humvee to pull other stuck Humvees out of the same sand dunes.
Captured
corrupt IA(Iraqi Army) soldiers selling stolen gas.
Captured
other corrupt IA soldiers doing numerous other bad things.
Scared
the shit out of a local Iraqi man by pointing my weapon in his face because he
wouldn't stand still while I was trying to search him.
Seen
the wreckage of Humvees ripped to shreds by land mines.
Nearly
been blown up in my own Humvee.
Passed
out toys to local Iraqi kids.
Seen
a buddy of mine swing a stick at a local Iraqi kid because we wouldn't give him
more toys.
Used
my Humvee to tow an 18 wheel truck full of stolen gas down that same IED ridden
road.
Yes,
my time here in the sand has been nothing if not adventurous. I've experienced
things that most people don't even see in the movies. I complain about it every
day I'm here but sometimes when I step back and try to look at the situation
from an outsider's point of view it really amazes me.
I
wish I could tell you all that things here are getting better but they're not.
The IA and IP(Iraqi Police) are as corrupt as ever. And I'm not talking about Washington politician,
I'll accept $100,000 to vote for your bill, kind of corrupt. I'm talking about,
I don't like your tribe so I'm going to kill your family, corrupt. The higher
ups from our own side are working against us as much as the enemy. When we spot
somebody planting an IED, it takes us over an hour to dispatch a platoon to
react. By that time the guys are long gone and unfortunately don't have bullet
holes in their heads. These people have no desire to save their country from the
crap hole it's become. We are accomplishing exactly nothing.
But
all is not lost. I'm still alive, and so are all my friends. In a few months I
get to come home for two weeks of leave, and a few months after that I come
home for good. I'll see you all then.
In
the past three months I have:
Been
shot at.
Watched
an up armored Humvee in my convoy been blown up by a land mine, and land upside
down.
Blown
things up using C4.
Seen
my buddy smash a gate down to allow a team to enter and clear a building, using
his Humvee as a battering ram.
Driven
my Humvee down a heavily traveled road, frequently used to place IEDs,
backwards.
Fallen
asleep driving 60 mph down the same road, with no headlights.
Seen
bodies burned and mutilated by IED detonations.
Been
to memorials for fallen comrades. Three times.
Witnessed
schemes rivaling plots of most James Bond films, unfortunately resulting in
unbelievable failures for us and successes for the enemy.
Rode
in a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter.
Dismounted
from said Blackhawk to interdict vehicles driving through the desert in the
middle of the night.
Conducted
five consecutive combat missions in three days, running on approximately 30
minutes of sleep.
Run
five miles in 35 minutes 57 seconds, my fastest time ever.
Watched
the enemy place land mines in the road and get away with no repercussions.
Scored
166 lines in Tetris.
Schemed
several ways to steal an internet connection from Battalion HQ, all
unsuccessful as of yet.
Seen
Delta Force enter and clear small portions of local villages.
Witnessed
firefights rivaling fireworks shows.
Helped
built a patio.
Bench
pressed 185 pounds.
Failed
miserably trying to bench press 205 pounds.
Learned
to fire a sniper rifle.
Had
to shit in a Port-a-John, in 130 degree heat, nearly puking my lungs up from
the smell.
Seen
buddies puke from running two miles in the desert heat.
Got
my Humvee stuck in the sand dunes in the middle of the desert.
Used
my Humvee to pull other stuck Humvees out of the same sand dunes.
Captured
corrupt IA(Iraqi Army) soldiers selling stolen gas.
Captured
other corrupt IA soldiers doing numerous other bad things.
Scared
the shit out of a local Iraqi man by pointing my weapon in his face because he
wouldn't stand still while I was trying to search him.
Seen
the wreckage of Humvees ripped to shreds by land mines.
Nearly
been blown up in my own Humvee.
Passed
out toys to local Iraqi kids.
Seen
a buddy of mine swing a stick at a local Iraqi kid because we wouldn't give him
more toys.
Used
my Humvee to tow an 18 wheel truck full of stolen gas down that same IED ridden
road.
Yes,
my time here in the sand has been nothing if not adventurous. I've experienced
things that most people don't even see in the movies. I complain about it every
day I'm here but sometimes when I step back and try to look at the situation
from an outsider's point of view it really amazes me.
I
wish I could tell you all that things here are getting better but they're not.
The IA and IP(Iraqi Police) are as corrupt as ever. And I'm not talking about Washington politician,
I'll accept $100,000 to vote for your bill, kind of corrupt. I'm talking about,
I don't like your tribe so I'm going to kill your family, corrupt. The higher
ups from our own side are working against us as much as the enemy. When we spot
somebody planting an IED, it takes us over an hour to dispatch a platoon to
react. By that time the guys are long gone and unfortunately don't have bullet
holes in their heads. These people have no desire to save their country from the
crap hole it's become. We are accomplishing exactly nothing.
But
all is not lost. I'm still alive, and so are all my friends. In a few months I
get to come home for two weeks of leave, and a few months after that I come
home for good. I'll see you all then.