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March 28, 2006

Thank You VI

Packages for the Abu Ghraib elementary school children arrived from:

Eileen Zaleski, Philadelphia, PA
Deb, CA. The Yankeemom. Sorry, Deb, I misplaced your town information.

Thank you all.

For an explanation of the program, click here.

Posted by TJ at 02:14 AM | Comments (0)

 

March 26, 2006

Random photos

Turns out it wasn't his birthday after all.

Me in the Blackhawk to Balad.

Random marketplace photos.

Posted by TJ at 04:08 PM | Comments (1)

 

March 18, 2006

Mission #6 Photos

I know I have photos from my 5th mission still to put up, but I really like these. They were the first chance I've had to interact with the public and as you can see, the kids were definately excited to get the school supplies and toys that many of you have sent.

New visitors can get information about what I am collecting for our brigade to pass out to school-aged children in the Abu Ghraib neighborhood.

As I mentioned the main purpose of the mission was to provide medical care to the people in this village. The line was fairly long.

I don't know how many school supply packets were given out, but there were alot of kids and parents walking home with them.

Some soldiers got in on the fun, too.

The T-shirts say "Choose your future, Iraq!"

Me, with the same 2 kids, looking (and feeling) a bit like the Michelin man.

I only noticed this at the end, but we gave out a few of these home-made wheelchairs as well.

Posted by TJ at 07:05 PM | Comments (0)

 

March 17, 2006

Mission #6

Today's mission was the best yet: short, quiet, fun, and nobody got hurt. Quite the contrary, actually, as it was a medical mission. We went out with a bunch of medics and basically had a clinic in a small village where everyone could come and get checked out, and get medicine if needed. Not a medic myself, I was away from that area, but talked with a bunch of kids ranging from around ages 3-18. Wow, does my spoken Arabic need work! But after a while, I was having a better time understanding them. A lot of the school supply kits were passed out, and I have a bunch of photos (one kid asked me to give him my camera :) which I will put up later. Im exhausted and have lunch duty tomorrow so Im off to bed. Will upload and edit them down soon.

As a future note, if anyone is sending packages for the kids, soccer balls were constantly being asked for. I guess the best would be a flattened ball and one of those little hand pumps.

Posted by TJ at 09:17 PM | Comments (3)

 

March 15, 2006

Long Days

We have been working 12 hour shifts the past few days and I have another starting in about an hour. Seems all I do right now is work and sleep. Just a note to check in with everyone back home.

Posted by TJ at 11:01 AM | Comments (1)

 

March 08, 2006

Back in Baghdad

Im back in Baghdad. Arrived a couple nights ago. Only 1 flight this time direct on a Chinook. Not nearly as smooth a ride.

Had another mission today - boring once again. A few photos will be up in the next couple days.

Posted by TJ at 09:24 PM | Comments (1)

 

March 05, 2006

Balad

Yesterday was one of those cool days. Got up and went to the company to get our new M4s, and I don't mean we just turned in our M16s and got replacement weapons. They gave us unopend boxes. So now we have lighter and shorter weapons that are easier to use in an urban environment, which also don't give up much range.

Then we headed to the range to zero and qualify. It took 6 shots to see where my rounds were going - they were so far off center that only 1 barely grazed the 8 1/2 x 11 paper target. Managed to zero the sight with 12 more rounds and went to qualify. 34/40. Not bad considering I have shot since Kuwait, and that was only 6 rounds.

The temperature is starting to rise again, so I was pretty soaked with sweat - we had to wear all of our protective equipment to the range. I drove the company's John Deere Gator ATV back to Slayer and back. It only goes about 15 mph, and the trip took about an hour, but it was fun bouncing around in a 4-wheeler for a while.

Finally, I was dropped off at the heloport for a trip to Balad, which is about 40 miles north of Baghdad. That is the closest hospital that has the necessary equipment for the hearding test that is required for my officer candidate school physical. 5 hops in a blackhawk (my first ever) that took a total of about 3 hours. We stopped in some unknown base for dinner, then, from what I overheard, so I may be wrong, Taji and Fallujah, for quick drop-offs and pick-ups.

I will probably be here for a couple days and will post some more photos when I get back to Slayer.

Posted by TJ at 10:35 AM | Comments (3)

 

March 01, 2006

Mission #4

A long one. Accompanied the infantry out on a patrol. I was driving for about 15 hours straight, which means lots of leg cramps. At least it was a fairly nice day and we were able to get out a few times and stretch.

This group of kids waited around at least 45 minutes down the road from us when we were at a stop. I guess they are getting used to us throwing candy to them because wherever we went, they were asking for some.

Thumbs up!

The 3 kids who live at this house are now the happy owners of one of our school supply kits.

Qusay Hussein's palace.

Posted by TJ at 02:34 PM | Comments (1)