I am a member of the forum over at www.chuckstrucks.net, one of our members is deployed in Iraq.......this is his story so far......

About a week ago we lost our first soldier since we arrived in country. The poor kid was only 20yrs old. Never had a chance to experience life really, and now he is gone. Never forget the ones that fight for you, for your freedom, for your way of life. Even if you disagree with this war, say to yourself, "#### it". I will support the ones that give it all, and are willing to lay everything on the line for you. We do these things not because we want to, but because our country asks us to. We do this so your children, brothers, sisters, friends, any loved ones can enjoy a long life full of love and happiness. Don't forget our fallen heroes..because when it came down to the wire and it was there time to lay down for this country, they didn't forget you.

Thank you all for your support. We have had a rough couple weeks since chritmas. We ve been doin a major operation since the 23rd of Dec goin house to house in the muhallas searching for people, weapon casche, and so forth. In the first couple days we found 180ibs of HME explosives, 64 120mm motar rounds, 47 160mm motar rounds, 173 60mm motars, buncha ak 47s, couple sniper rifles, home made pipe bombs and grenades, and 120lbs TNT, and much more. alot of it we blew in place in the house. Try to blow us up we blow your house up!!!! Couple close calls for me while on OP guard and 2 sniper shots hit my OP point. Drove past 1 EFP but we were able to blow it since were EOD security. When ever i roll out the gate i have a EOD team with me. IT sucked over the holidays since i didnt even talk to my kids on christmas since we were stayin in a place you wouldnt let your dog stay in. Didnt even get a hot meal christmas. Had a beef stew MRE!! I ate cold. So far my batalion has got hit 6 times with EFPs and detroyed 2 tanks flip one over 70ton tank fliping over from blast not good 1 hurt they think some brain damage. It kncked a tv off a table 1/2 mile away at the COP. the other one EFP went thru the hull of the tank ine 3 places. If I could get my arm to it it would fit thru the holes. That blast was 7 miles away from me at the JSS and I could feel the concuion in my chest!! And 1 hummvee witch killed the driver and seripously hurt the other 2. They got a guy today that had info on 3 guys that placed that EFP so they will be dealt with soon. 3 months 3 vehicles destroyed and 1 killed. I hope it gets better soon!! Thanks for reading and hope to be muddin with yall soon!!

ILL FILL IN AS REPORTS COME BACK FROM HIM.........

 

Keep us posted, prayers and thoughts are with him.

 

UPDATE
Well its been a week now and all i can say is Im burnt out!! been out on eod missions everyday couple times a day!! Had to take my first shots 2 days ago to eliminate a threat . Foud out that im getting one of the new MRAPs(mine resistant armored patrol) soon! its a good and a bad thing. PMCS on them things are crazy cause of all the hydros on it. ?The doors are air over hydralic and open with ur finger. Its a bouncy ride also goin to hate that. But all in all everything i fine got my tgw movies matt sent us to entertain us when were bored and all the hadji movies for 2 bucks a movie got alot of new movies still in theater. Got to love the black market!! heres the new MRAP replacing hummvee over time.

 

I heard about those MRAPs. I think they're going to do a lot of good over there.

Make sure he knows the media doesn't represents the general public's opinions about out men and women over there. Tell him to keep his chin up and his head down.

 

he knows how everyone feels, he is a fellow wheeler......i posted this for him.....

PARADISE

Cadence:
I don't know why I left (I don't know why I left)
But I know it won't be long (But I know it won't be long)
No it won't be long (No it won't be long)
Till I get back home

They gave me a green uniform and black boots for my feel
Eighteen and wild as hell, I thought it would be neat
They put me on a plane to some strange and foreign land
I said my good-bye to mom and dad and hello to Uncle Sam

Once I was a soldier and not afraid to die
Now I'm a little older and not afraid to cry
Everyday I'm thankful just to be alive
When you've been where I've been any kind of life
Is paradise

Christmas of eighty-nine was a lonely time for me
Panama was probably fine but it was nothing like Tennessee
I never thought the day would come when I might have to kill a man
I did not sleep a wink that night but we won for Uncle Sam

Once I was a soldier and not afraid to die
Now I'm a little older and not afraid to cry
Everyday I'm thankful just to be alive
When you've been where I've been any kind of life
Is paradise

If you've been where I've been any kind of life
Is paradise

It's paradise
Paradise

GOD FAMILY AND COUNTRY

He grew up in a time,
When a third-grade education,
Was all the school you needed,
To work the family farm.
He'd take time off on Sunday,
Him and all his family,
warm a pew,
And give thanks to the Lord.

There was no gray, only black and white.
Didn't need no-one to tell him,
What was wrong or right.
'Cause he had God, Family, and Country.

He set aside his plow,
In early 1940,
Said goodbye to his small town,
And put on the Army green.
Hard Times on the front lines,
Writin' letters on wet paper,
Not one word about the awful things he'd seen.

His was a generation,
That answered without question.
They knew they had to win,
'Cause they were fightin' for...
God, Family, and Country.

On the coffee table,
Sits the family Bible,
Where just last year he added,
A little boy to the family tree.

There's the folded flag they gave us,
On the day he left us.
But the thing that I remember most,
Is the way that he...

Believed...

In God, Family, and Country...

Ohhh, we've got God...

Family...

And Country......


I RECOMMEND DOWNLOADING THESE SONGS.....

 

Every time I see a soldier I thank him for serving our country.
My dad served in Veit Nam in the army. Like they all did my dad went thru hell.
Then my husband was in the Air Force. I admire any man who serves.
I sure hope he returns home soon. My thoughts and prayers go out to him and their families.
I had a patient who is in the army and was at the air port headed to Irac and this woman came up to him and said why are doing this and he said she was just going on and on.
I told him I am sorry I wasn't there to slap her
He is only 21 yrs old.

 

my father was in panama and south america during the early 80's, marines, my probably served a total of 8 or 9 years in, he was Junior ROTC for 2 years then after that he joined the marines when they took the hostages in Iran.....then served til 81 then went into the marine reserves for like 2 or 3 years......he would work 3rd shift in columbus on saturday night, drove 100 miles to cincinnati, train all day, then drive back to columbus that night and work 3rd shift til the next morning at 7 am........