The end of the Blog as we know it............

I'm making a change. It won't be easy, but if I'm going to survive this year it's got to be done. Jan and I are different. I crave information and Jan feels that mental health is sometimes best served by not knowing too much. I read about Iraq, I surf the Internet for stories about Iraq, I watch CNN for stories about Iraq.....I'm driving myself crazy and becoming bitter in the process. A woman I work with at school is one of those people who is always forwarding cute email stories.....you know, the inspirational stories that tell you to brighten someone's day by forwarding this to five people within the next half hour. I never do so I'm sure I'm screwing up my karma. Anyway, she sent one about a carrot, an egg and a coffee bean asking which one are you. I'll give you the Reader's Digest version. When placed in boiling water something happens to each one. Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength? Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart? Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you. When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest, do you elevate yourself to another level?
I think it's pretty clear, I'm the egg.....I've allowed my heart to harden and I've become bitter. This is not the way I want to be. So I'm going to change and the Blog is going to change. I'm going to stay away from political posting...everyone who reads this blog knows my political leanings anyway. Why continue to hash it. I'm going to stay away from the news and focus on loving and supporting my children and my wife.
This blog has been my therapy, but I'm not sure the therapy is going well. Continue to read my blog, but don't look for the rantings of an angry man anymore. I'll post what news I can (keeping OpSec in mind) and post pictures and videos as they come in. In the meantime, I'm going to focus on my sanity.

Sunday morning email from Eli

It was so nice being able to talk to you all for a little bit the other day. I can't wait until we can figure this skype thing out completely and figure out good times to talk and see each other! Gotta love the technology. Coach Byars wrote me the other day and was telling me about some of his war stories, and when I wrote him back I said, "this definitely ain't your daddy's war!" which is so true. The living conditions over here have vastly improved from even just a few years ago, so I guess we picked an okay time to come over to this awful country. There are a ton of Iraqis that work on the base and so far my opinion of them has been....smelly and polite. You can always get a huge whif of BO when walking past a group of Iraqis, but they are always very polite to us. Its weird because I always think, "I wonder where their loyalty lies and what they really feel about us?" I hope you all had fun with Colby...Seth and I loved the reunion video! I am sure they were two very happy dogs. Send more video sometime because we got that very smoothly and thoroughly enjoyed it. Can't wait to hear your voices again! Have a good rest of your weekend as it is just early Sunday morning back in Virginia. I have a short break and then have some briefings this afternoon. I LOVE YOU!

Colby/Abby Reunion

Katy came to Staunton this weekend to visit family. Jan and I kept Colby and I brought Abby over to our house while Brittany was working. Jan took a little video with her camera so we could send the boys the reunion. It's easy to see we're not pros at this. Got an email this morning from Eli that they had received and enjoyed the video.....

Plug for Skype

Seth called me today! I was on planning when the phone rang. Although the caller ID said unavailable, I answered anyway. I make it a habit not to answer my cell if I don't know who is calling....I figure they can leave a message and I can choose if I want to talk at a later time. Today, however, I answered since I never know where the boys will be calling from. Seth was calling from his computer to my cell phone using a program called Skype. It was crystal clear, with just a little delay! Seth was so pleased to be sitting in his room, calling home, without standing in line. Technology....ain't it wonderful!

From Al Asad and ramblings about mail

What a surprise....performing my daily ritual of shaving while checking email and looking at the on-line newspaper, I find that I (and probably most of the people who read this blog) have an email from Eli. Seth and Eli are boots on the ground, although it sounds more like butts in the bed from Eli's letter. Hard to believe that a move from Kuwait to Iraq could be a step up in the world, but Eli makes it sound like it is. When we got their APO address we immediately started a box for the boys. A trip to Wally World and the Cheese Shop set us back a couple of bucks and now I have this huge box sitting in the living room that takes two people to pick up. We know that the boys don't need all the stuff we're sending (and can probably get most of it at the PX) but this isn't really about them! It's about making Jan and I feel good! We'll send this giant box since we can't hug the boys and have them over for dinner.
Here's Eli's email for those of you who didn't see it:
Dear friends and family,
Well, after three months Seth and I have finally made it to the wonderful country of Iraq. Kuwait was awful, and so Iraq does not seem so bad in comparison. We spent 11 days in Kuwait, the highs were usually in the 120s, it was windy so you got sand where you did not want it to be, and it was so bright it took you several minutes to get used to the light every time you stepped out of the tent. We lived for 11 days in tents sleeping on cots and three of those days we spent in the field sleeping on the ground. We saw lots of wild life; herds of camels everywhere, side winders (desert snakes) that were 8 ft. long, and while out in the field I woke up in the morning and rolled up my poncho I had been sleeping on to discover a black scorpion the size of a mouse. We showed it to one of the locals who said it was the second most poisonous scorpion in Kuwait. It sent a shiver up my spine, but Seth put it best when he said, "at least it did not sting you and now its just a good story to tell."
In Kuwait there was sand everywhere, nothing green, just vast expanses of sand.
One of the first things we saw upon arriving to Iraq were trees, so everyone got very excited. Now, Iraq, much like Kuwait, is mostly just sand, but the temperature in northern Iraq is a little cooler and every little bit counts. Also, we're not living in tents and out of bags, so all things considered....Iraq is wonderful!
Seth is currently asleep beside me as we just finished getting all moved into our room, and he is in awe at our living conditions here in comparison to his harsh conditions while in the mountains of Afghanistan. We have two-man rooms with internet and tv and ac, none of which he had on his previous deployment. The chow hall is as big as a college defact with tons of different choices. Its pretty incredible seeing this base, the second largest air base in Iraq.
Seth and I have both been up for over 24 hours as we spent all of yesterday travelling. I got my first experience flying in a C-130, and I did not enjoy it. We have some briefings this evening and I am getting ready to join Seth by taking a nap. If this e-mail is just a bunch of rambling and nonsense, just know that I am running on low fumes. I will be sure to send more e-mails later and send pictures. Both Seth and I will have access to e-mail. We'd love to hear from you! I miss you all and keep myself sane by daydreaming about when I will be back home!

Love,
Eli

Boots on the Ground

Rumour has it that Seth has boots on the ground in Iraq. Apparently they sent the group in three waves, Seth in the first and Eli in the third. Eli should be on the ground shortly. Jan talked with Eli today and she noted high spirits and ready to get started. We now have an APO address for the boys and I've emailed that to everyone in my address book. If you didn't get it and want it, send me an email.

News from Kuwait...........

I talked to both boys over the weekend. I talked with Seth on Saturday and Eli on Sunday. While both seem to be doing well, Eli did note that everyone is just a little run down trying to adjust to the time change and the heat. They will be doing field training for the next three days before heading to Iraq. OpSec keeps me from telling exactly when they will be heading to Al Asad, but Eli did note that their next contact with us will probably be from Iraq.

Web Cam Success

No word from the boys for a couple of days. Brittany has heard briefly from Seth, and Katy has had some brief contacts with Eli. Jan talked to them earlier in the week, but I haven't had any contact. They are still in Kuwait doing some training and doing some sitting around. Eli has been sick....not sure if it's a reaction to the smallpox vaccine or something else. On the plus side, Katy and I talked to each other on Friday afternoon over the computer while seeing each other on the web cams. We're using a program called Skype....an internet phone service that gives you free calls from computer to computer. All you need are speakers and a microphone. Jan and I had purchased web cams for everyone and the cameras work with Skype. Now all we need is to get the boys to their final destination and get their internet set up on the base. Hopefully the connections there will be fast enough to support what we've been able to accomplish here at home.

Angry Man

I'm an angry man...My wife has pointed out to me that I can't go through the next year as an angry person. But I'm angry that we live in a society that as Cindy Sheehan points out, more people are concerned about who the next American Idol will be than about how many American soldiers and Iraqi citizens are dying each day and each week in this war against terrorism that is supposed to make us safe, but is making the world less safe each day. I'm so mad that I'm forgetting to use punctuation! I'm mad that we live in a society that is more concerned about O J Simpson, Brittany Spears and stupid reality TV shows, than the eroding personal freedoms foisted upon us by little George and his band of merry men and their politics of fear. I'm angry that there is a silent majority in this country that is allowing the wacko fringes of both parties to drive our national politics.
But most of all.....I'm angry that I would be one of those people I descibed above if my own sons weren't trapped in little George's grip.

Jim Webb's Bill Defeated

Jim Webb's bill concerning rest time for troops has been defeated by a 56-44 vote _ four short of reaching the 60 needed to advance. this all but assures that Democrats will be unable to muster the support needed to pass tough anti-war legislation by year's end. The legislation, sponsored by Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., was seen as the Democrats' best shot because of its pro-military premise.

Webb's legislation would have required that troops spend as much time at home training with their units as they spend deployed in Iraq or Afghanistan. Members of the National Guard or Reserve would be guaranteed three years at home before being sent back.

Most Army soldiers now spend about 15 months in combat with 12 months home. Republican opposition stated that the military should make decisions on deployments, not the legislature. Let's be honest....with little George's war and the surge, the military's hands are tied! Our military is stretched to the breaking point and only an act of Congress can help.

Somewhere in Kuwait..............

Jan talked to Eli yesterday while she was at school. Kuwait is seven hours ahead of us, so when Jan talked to Eli it was early evening for the boys. After 8 hours of sleep, sand volleyball and a wonderful meal in the chow hall, everything is great. Eli was especially impressed with the chow. Lot's of fresh fruit and vegetables. Something I don't understand. Kuwait is east of Iraq and is seven hours ahead of us. When the boys transit to their duty base in Iraq (moving to the west), they will be eight hours ahead of us. How can that be? Everything else in that country is kind of screwy..why not the time? And another thing....is it Kuwiat or Kuiwait..I've seen it spelled both ways.

Rest is Bad?

Senator Jim Webb (D, Virginia) recently proposed legislation to require that troops receive the same amount of time at home as they spend deployed. In other words, if a soldier is deployed overseas for 13 months, he must have 13 months at his home base beore his next deployment. Democrats believe they have the 60 votes to pass this legislation, but not the 67 votes to overturn a little George veto. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates on Sunday reported that he would advise little George to veto this legislation. He called it a back door attempt to draw down troop levels.
In a mildly related issue, former Secretary of State Colin Powell was asked what is the greatest threat facing the United States. His answer is illuminating:
"People will say it's terrorism. But are there any terrorists in the world who can change the American way of life or our political system? No. Can they knock down a building? Yes. Can they kill somebody? Yes. But can they change us? No. Only we can change ourselves. So what is the greatest threat we are facing?"
Al-Qaida governs no Islamic nation and poses no military threat to the integrity of the United States or any Western nation. At worst they are capable of theatrical mass murder.........But little George and his band of Chicken Hawks are doing real damage to our military and our American way of life with his politics of fear and his war for profit! Who's the danger?

Down the Rabbit Hole

After approximately 25 hours on the go, the boys have arrived in Kuwait. In the best of times, Eli is not on good terms with flying. He recently had his smallpox vaccination, which appears to have contributed to even less tolerance for the big silver can with wings. Needless to say, he didn't enjoy the flights to Amsterdam and then on to Kuwait. On the flight to Kuwait they flew over Bhagdad. It was night and Eli reports they could see the lights of the city and several fires. Welcome to progress! They will be in Kuwait for a short period of time before heading into Iraq. Eli is looking forward with trepidation to the flight into Iraq. Combat landing on a C-130 involves staying at a high altitude until you are over the base, then rapidly spiraling down to landing. The idea is to avoid flying low over any airspace other then the base. Our anxiety level has taken a quantum leap. It was easy having the boys in Mississippi and avoiding thinking about the future. Now the future is here. They'll be in Iraq shortly and it's a physical feeling. Stress is now a daily part of my life. You would think it would be comforting to know that thousands of other families have lived through the same thing....it's not. It's personal.

Are we meeting our objective......what is the objective

The spin has started....the surge is working...the surge isn't working.....return for success...return with our tails between our legs. I think the important thing here is General Pretraus couldn't answer an important question posed by Senator John Warner (R, Virginia.) Warner asked if what we were doing in Iraq is making America safer. General Pretraus tried to answer that what we are doing is the best way to meet our objective. Warner again asked if America was safer. General Pretraus said he didn't know.....I thought making America safer WAS our objective. Watch the video:

Sorry....that's OpSec!

Have you ever heard someone say, "I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you." A humorous way of dealing with secretive information. The Army is concerned about security....rightfully so. It's referred to as Operational Security - OpSec. Lots of things are considered OpSec, especially troop movements. We don't want the bad guy to know when troops are moving, how they're moving and where they're going. Sometimes, OpSec is carried to the extreme. When Eli reported for duty back in June he was questioned by an Army Intelligence Officer about my Blog. That in itself raises a couple of questions.....how did they know I had a blog - tell me Army Intelligence has nothing better to do than monitor blogs on the internet. Oh I don't know, maybe they could be trying to find out where Bin Laden buys his batteries for his digital camcorder! Anyway they were concerned that I may violate OpSec and they pointed to a blog entry when Seth was in Afghanistan. I reported that Seth was on QRF....Quick Reactionary Force. This is a bunch of guys sitting around in a hanger at Bagram Air Force Base. They're ready to jump on a helicopter and head to any trouble spot quickly...hence the name Quick Reaction Force. According to Army Intelligence, that violated OpSec.
For my children's sake, I'm paying very close attention to OpSec.....all that to lead up to the fact that Seth and Eli will leave country very, very, very, very soon....wink, wink. I can't say when, where or what the long and torturous path to Iraq will be - but know that they will no longer be in country. Kick the prayer level up a notch or two...I know I will.

Same Old Story.........

Little George's Return for Success policy of a gradual draw down of troops is an insult to the intelligence of every American. He failed to make a case for continuing to place American soldiers in harm's way and failed to provide any new plans for ending this war. We know that unless Congress suddenly decides to act Congressional, this war will drag into the next president's watch. Anybody could have predicted that Little George would call for a token withdrawal....he has to try to appease angry voters. For him to pretend that the withdrawals are the result of progress on the ground is shameful! Read the Democratic response here!

Seth's Home away from Home

I've been messing with putting video's on the blog. I'm practicing for when Seth and Eli send video's from Iraq. I know some of my readers are in the Augusta County Schools and you probably won't be able to view these video's at school due to limitations on streaming video....catch these at home.

What the well-dressed soldier is wearing...

The War as we saw it

"The War as We Saw It" was an Op Ed piece in the New York Times last week. It is a lengthy read, but worth the effort. See it here. This opinion piece was written by seven grunts....Infantry soldiers with boots on the ground. Their opinion of the war is quite different from Little George's or General Pretraus. This is not an anti-military, anti-war opinion piece. It is an anti-policy piece....well thought out and well written. I encourage each of you to take a few minutes and read this.
Today is was announced that two of the authors were killed in Bhaghdad when a truck they were driving went off a bridge. Conspiracy theorist will start filling the internet with interesting stories. I'm just sad two more American Soldiers have died fighting this worthless war.

Join the Guard....get your education paid.....

This is the body of a letter I recently sent to Jim Webb our state senator:

I have twin sons serving in the Virginia National Guard. This letter concerns an unfair issue with National and State Tuition Assistance. Eli and Seth joined the Guard on the same date and completed basic training, Seth in Infantry and Eli as a Medic. Eli was not deployed and completed four years of college receiving state and federal tuition assistance graduating from Bridgewater College. Seth was deployed to Afghanistan out of basic training. Both are now deployed to Iraq. Neither son plans to reenlist. Due to rules governing tuition assistance, Seth will no longer receive aid unless he reenlists. Current rules state that tuition assistance is not available if you have less than two years left on your enlistment period. He is being penalized for his two deployments. Instead of being rewarded for giving over two years of his life in service to his country he is penalized! If he had never been deployed, he would have finished college receiving state and federal tuition assistance. Eli had the good fortune to finish college before his first deployment. Seth was not so fortunate and will now incur more loans to finish his education once he completes serving his country.
This is an issue that demands attention and I want to know what can be done to bring this issue to the forefront.

I look forward to hearing from you on this issue.

Sad Ride Home

I woke from a dead sleep last night at 1:00 AM. Call it psychic energy. It was midnight in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Seth and Eli would have just said goodbye to Katy and Brittany. I could feel the pain from 850 miles away. The blessing in having to leave a little early to get back to school was not witnessing my beautiful daughter-in-laws anguish while saying goodbye. Katy and Brittany will be driving home today not knowing when they'll see their husbands again.

Family

This evening we walked across to the beach and took pictures....lots of pictures as we prepare to say goodbye to Seth and Eli. After pictures we enjoyed Seth and Eli's favorite meal....Creamy Chicken Enchiladas and Beef Enchiladas - the meal they always ask for. After dinner a game of "Oh Shit"....ask and I'll tell you what that is. I can't believe that it's time for Jan and I to head back to Virginia tomorrow morning. My stomach tells me it's true. After a couple of days of feeling good, my stomach is hurting - I think I'll just be sick to my stomach for the next year.

Live Oaks in Gulfport

The Gulf Shore is populated by these magnificant trees with several of them surrounding our condo. We've been speculating about what they are and if this is the way they look naturally. Jan had a conversation today with a Gulf Shore resident who filled her in about the trees. They are called Live Oaks because they keep their leaves all year long. They're evergreens. They don't have leaves like the oaks we know although they are related. The woman told Jan that they don't have beautiful blue water around here like some parts of the Gulf, but they have the live oaks.....they really are incredible trees. She talked to Jan about Hurricane Katrina and noted that this area will never be the same. She told Jan that Beach Road used to be the home of old antebellum homes, some 200 years old. These homes will never be rebuilt because of the cost and the cost of insurance. Taking their place seems to be giant condos....like we're staying at. According to this woman, the live oak is a protected species and contractors can't remove them. She noted that they're constantly battered by gulf storms, but continue to survive and thrive. Could I draw a parallel between Live Oaks and Little George's impact on our country? We've been battered by Little George and his band of friends, but I have to believe that our country is going to survive and thrive as we move away from the George years. Sometimes I just can't resist..............

Weekend Warriors and the need for a draft

The August 23, 2007 edition of the Reveille reports that the Army National Guard is working on a system to give soldiers a more stable deployment schedule. According to the Camp Shelby paper guard units are now being scheduled for 400 day deployments that will occur four years apart. The Guard is now saying up front you will be deployed and depending on when you enlist in the cycle you may be deployed two times during you six year commitment. Throw in your 2 year commitment to the Active Ready Reserve and you could conceivably face three deployments. So much for "Weekend Warriors" who want to serve their communities during times of need as advertised on TV. Is it any wonder that the Guard is having trouble meeting recruitment goals?
The latest edition of Newsweek has a well written article about why we need a draft. Written by a former Marine Corp Officer who served in Iraq and lost comrades in Fullujah he makes an interesting case for the draft. While picking up the pieces of soldiers and humvees hit by an IED he watched an MRAP (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected) vehicle drive by. It was owned and operated by a private contracting company. He said it made their vehicle look like a Pinto in a Ferrari showroom. MRAP's cost five times more than the most up-armored Humvee. He said it became clear to hime that America's greatest strength, it's economic might, was not fully engaged in Iraq. "People need a personal, vested, blood or money interest to maximize potential." Contractors have MRAP's, but not marines....According to the author of this article, until the wealthy have a vested interest, until the sons and daughters of the politicians and the upper class are sitting in poorly armored humvees the best gear won't get paid for. Eighteen months after the marines asked for MRAP's the vehicles are finally being delivered, but at half the number the Pentagon has promised.
This war on Terrorism needs to more discomforting to the average American than just bad news on the TV! Maybe then we won't let a president railroad us into an unnecessary war and maybe we'll have a Congress with a little backbone. Maybe diplomacy will be used before guns!

Together

A couple of quick pics of the kids, just happy to be together here in Gulfport. We enjoyed a fine local diner last night...Lookout 49 recommended by a person here at the condo. Great food if you ever get to Gulfport. First time I've ever had steak and mashed potatos with a ham creole sauce - very tasty! Seth opted for the cajun trio...gumbo, shrimp jumbalaya and crawfish ettouffe. Jan and Brittany had some dish with lobster and shrimp in a hot sauce. Eli and Katy weren't quite so adventuresome opting for the alfredo with shrimp. A great evening! Josh and Lillian will be joining us Friday. A great time is being had by all!

Reporting Live from Mississippi!

We're Here! Katy and Brittany arrived in Hattiesburg Tuesday afternoon and hooked up with the boys around 5 o'clock. They left Camp Shelby around 10 in the evening and spent the night at a local hotel. Jan and I arrived in Gulfport about 9:30 this morning after flying out of Richmond. We've hooked up with the boys, we're at our condo and have already walked on the beach and gone swimming at the condo pool. We're looking forward to a relaxing evening out...good food....and great company! The devestation from Hurricane Katrina is evident everywhere. I got very excited whtn I saw the Olive Garden sign beside our condos only to realize that the building wasn't there....just the sign. As you drive down Beach Drive (Route 90) you see more empty lots than buildings. Many things that were here two years ago are gone, leaving empty lots and broken buildings. I've taken a few pictures so far and will be taking many more. When I have a little more time I'll get a few onto the blog. Until now, we're enjoying the moment with our sons!

Breaking News.....

ABC News is reporting this morning that Little George has made a surprise visit to Iraq. He is at Al Asad Air Base where Seth and Eli will be posted. Of Course, George is anticipating the September reports to Congress on progress in Iraq, which by all accounts will be mixed leaning toward very little in the way of political progress by the Iraqi Government. Count on George to put the most positive spin on the report while the opposition (which is almost everyone in the United States) to put on a negative spin. The good news in this is the place George picked to visit. It isn't an accident that he picked Al Asad in the Anbar Province. It's one of the few places in Iraq where genuine progress has been made. It's relatively quiet and safe right now. If it's good enough for Little George (who isn't about to put himself in harm's way) I guess it's okay for my sons!

Taking a Break

Eli forwarded a couple of pictures yesterday. See yesterday's entry for a couple more pictures. Eli's enjoying the original Hooah Power Bar in his MRE....kicked back and enjoying lunch. Seth's demonstrating that this isn't your father's war as he relaxes with his cell phone talking to Brittany while on a short break from training. The boy's are heading to Iraq with lots of electronic equipment. IPOD's for music, photos and videos, laptops with webcams, digital cameras and digital video cameras. We don't know what kind of communication we'll have with them until they actually get there, but we're hoping to use the internet and get web cams working....something we haven't had a whole lot of luck with so far.

Last Training Exercises

Seth, Eli and friends were up this morning at 0230 hours for a six mile road march. Just a little something to get the day started on the right foot! The only thing to smile about is that training is about finished. Labor day will be spent qualifying on the 9 mm range. The 9mm is the side arm the soldiers carry. The day will start early and last a long time as the Army gets this one last chance to train our Virginia boys for their mission.
The picture to the left shows Seth after a fun afternoon of manning the 240 gun in the turret of a humvee as they cruised the dusty roads of rural Mississippi....Seth noted that he flashed back to Afghanistan and the fun of eating dust while manning the turret there.

Can't Wait

We got a wonderful card in the mail today from Seth and Eli...one of those musical cards that plays a song when you open it. The Jackson Five....I'll be there...just call my name and I'll be there.
Family....always there no matter how much distance separates us.
Here's a video from an August 25 news report on the comeback of Gulfport, Mississippi:

Almost Done

I took these pictures off the FRG Website. FRG stands for "Family Readiness Group." This site provides families with updates and photos of the 3-116th. Each company has their own site and soon each platoon will have a site. Eli has been asked to be the FRG Officer for their platoon - a logical choice given his ability to talk and write. He's been taking lots of pictures - they call him for the "Kodak moments." When we get together in Mississippi I'll get all his photos and be able to post some of them here. The photos here are ones I took off the FRG site for Bravo Company. You can pick Seth out waiting his turn for Marksmenship Qualification. If you click on the picture you can enlarge it and see his smiling face.....actually, he's looking a little bored! The other photo is Bravo Company....Seth and Eli's company.
Jan and I took a walk with Eli last night. Or at least it seemed that way. Jan and I had just set out for our usual evening walk over at the Rehab Center. This is a beautiful walk around the lake and down through the woods that we enjoy. Right at the start of our walk Eli called. I put him on speakerphone on the cell and we walked and talked during the entire walk. When we were finished I thanked Eli for walking with us. They had just returned from five days at the FOB (a mock forward operating base where they can practice real life situations.) They had spent the week doing MPC - mounted patrol convoys. Eli had been pressed into service as a humvee driver since they are short of drivers and he has his humvee license. He is licensed to drive the humvee ambulance and I guess if you can drive one humvee you can drive another. They did a lot of scenario practice and Eli noted that when the 50 cal gun fired from the top of his humvee it shook the entire vehicle. Seth was manning the 240 in the humvee in front of Eli's so he got to watch Seth in action firing the big gun. The 50 cal is a mounted machine gun and as Eli has said the 240 is just a BIG GUN! Imagine how that shakes the humvee.
They leave Sunday for five more days of training at the FOB. Training will be over at that point and we'll be a few days from our time at the Gulf. There's no departure date set in stone, but the boys feel it will be the week after leave. They have been told that they'll go to Kuiwait first and probably spend about two weeks there before heading to their destination in Iraq. One step at a time.....looking forward to spending time in Gulfport, Mississippi.

Update from Mississippi and pics

Hello to all,

I am attempting to send an e-mail and some pictures, but the internet is acting a little crazy, so if you receive this e-mail more then once, or not at all, I apologize. For those of you that do not receive it, ask a friend or family member who did receive it if they could send it to you. Things here are going like one would expect, tiring and hot and full of things that make you scratch your head and go..."huh?" We have been doing lots of training since I returned from Texas. Just to give a quick overview

1. CIED 2 and CiED 3, which consisted of five days of learning counter measures to IEDs, implemented explosive devices. There was some classroom time, but a lot of it was practical exercise which consisted of driving around in humvess through urban and rural terrain doing vehicle maneuvers, coming into contact with "IEDs" and reacting appropriately and promptly. We had a night convoy one of the nights, and then one of the days we drove around all day in the humvees doing lanes, but for the morning part of the training we had to drive "tactically" which meant the windows of the humvess were up. The humvees we have to use at Camp Shelby have no air condition, the ones in Iraq do, we drove around in temperatures above 100 degrees with our windows up, all our gear on including gloves! This one made me scratch my head and go...."huh?" These were some long days.

2. The hardest three days we've had since we have been here was squad live fire. We had a mile long course where we had to do squad movements in full battle rattle, so a lot of running, getting up and down from the prone position, and crawling. The lane lasted between 20 and 30 minutes, but I felt like I had put in a full days work after just that short time. We had targets we fired at the whole way through. We did a walk through one day with no rounds, the next day with blanks, the third day we used live rounds. I was assigned to Bravo team and so at one point during the lane we came into contact with a bunker and my team had to run about 200 meters doing a left flanking movement up a hill while Alpha team (consisting of Seth) laid down suppressive fire, and then myself and another Specialist sprinted another 100 meters over the bunker and threw a simulation grenade into the bunker and then cleared it. A medic clearing a bunker? Scratch your head....I did.

3. We did weapons zero and qualification of our M-4s along with NBC qual which is firing with your gas mask on, and we did night qual. Seth and I were both a first time go on all of the qualifications. Seth also qualified on a M-240, which is simply a "big gun."

4. Land Navigation was fun, but the worst part was it started at 3:00am so you were up at 2:00am to get bussed over there. We used the new GPS systems which are fascinating things, and for our practical exercises we were put into the swamps of Camp Shelby and made to find three locations that, when we finally got there, had a sheet of paper with numbers that you had to record to prove you made it there. We traveled in pairs and returned with mud up to our knees. We then had to find locations all around base driving in the humvees with the GPS systems. The technology is pretty amazing.

We've had plenty of other things going on as well, but those are the main things. Tomorrow starts MCP (mounted convoy patrol) which I will be a driver for because we are short drivers and I have a humvee license. We will head out to the FOB (forward operation base) tomorrow to sleep in tents while we do MCP, which will last five days. After that we have our final event which puts everything we've done so far together.

Only a little over two more weeks and I will be enjoying the Gulf of Mexico with my wonderful family for a few days of leave before we ship! I can not wait!

The attitude here has done a complete 180. When we got here everyone was saying "we hope we stay at Camp Shelby as long as possible because it will keep us out of Iraq." Now everyone is saying, "get us the hell out of Camp Shelby and over to Iraq!"

Hope everyone is doing well. Enjoy the pictures! Take care.

Love,

Eli


ps. I saved this e-mail as a draft as I was having problems, and I tried to send it this evening and was unable to send it with the pictures, so I sent a few to Dad and he'll be posting them on the blog, so that's how you can view them.

Extreme Smoker and Mandatory Fun

That's how Seth described the last two days....Extreme Smoker! Imagine putting on all of your clothes, a couple extra sweatshirts and carrying a book bag filled with bricks. Then picture yourself walking, running, falling to the ground, jumping up and running some more. Now do all this in 100 plus heat! You get the idea. The last two days have been spent practicing field maneuvers. As they move down the road they practice engaging an enemy, taking defensive and offensive positions and most importantly disengaging from the enemy. As they move forward shots are fired and they practice over and over how best to respond to each scenario. The idea is to make their actions second nature....training kicks in and they respond. Of course they're dressed in full battle rattle the entire time in the Mississippi heat and humidity - an extreme smoker! Tuesday they completed this exercise with no ammo in their guns, yesterday they used blanks and today (Thursday) they will be doing it as a live fire exercise. Jan can't imagine why they need to be shooting real ammunition and just hopes they'll be careful. On Friday Seth will be on the 240 Range. This is a mounted large caliber automatic weapon that he used in Afghanistan. THEN......it's a mandatory fun outing. The platoon is going to the mall for an outing. Everybody must attend, hence they're calling it "mandatory fun." Seth and Eli have both said that ordinarily they wouldn't be looking forward to spending four hours at a mall, but given their current circumstances they'll gladly go......the thinkning is dinner and a movie! Life is good! Exreme smoking and mandatory fun!

Tough Day for Virginia

Two Virginia Soldiers have been killed in the War on Terrorism and one soldier died preparing for the fight. A Virginia soldier has been killed in Afghanistan (remember that war?) and another has died of an IED in Iraq. A third soldier from the Virginia National Guard died in Wisconsin while training to deploy to Iraq. He apparently contracted a bacterial meningitis during training and died. All other members of his group have been tested and found free of meningitis. I was talking to someone the other day and mentioned Seth's time in Afghanistan. They wondered if we were still fighting there......It's a sad comment when we have soldiers being killed in a war people don't even remember we're fighting. Who weeps for these soldiers other than their families and friends.....

Guess he didn't want to go......

According to the Associated Press an Iraq-bound Kentucky soldier and two guns missing from Camp Shelby

The AP reports that authorities are searching for a Kentucky National Guardsman who disappeared from Camp Shelby, Mississippi, while he was training for a deployment to Iraq. Officials say two guns are also missing. Private First Class Ryan Longnecker was at Camp Shelby with the Kentucky National Guard's Battery B, Second Battalion, 138th Field Artillery unit. Post spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Doril Sanders says Longnecker was discovered missing on Monday. Sanders says a nine millimeter pistol and M4 semiautomatic rifle were also unaccounted for. The Kentucky unit has been training at Camp Shelby since early June. The troops will be headed to Iraq within the next two weeks.

Video of Al Asad Sandstorm

The following is a video from You Tube from the air base that Seth and Eli will be posting to......enjoy the Sandstorm

Middle School all over again

To say that there are some fundamental differences between Seth and Eli would be an understatement. Seth is a man of few words.....Eli can talk to anyone about anything. Seth is the Reader's Digest Condensed Version.....Eli is the whole story with lots of appendixes. Eli is neat....Seth....well, Seth can be a slob. When they were little as a Christmas present they got plastic tubs filled with paper, markers, scissors, crayons and a variety of others things to get their creative juices flowing. After one month, Eli's tub was still organized and neat. Seth's was a jumbled mess filled with anything and everything, including a half-eaten peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Seth and Eli shared a bedroom. You can see where this is going. Eli's closet was full of hanging clothes organized and cross referenced by color, style and munufacturer. Seth's closet is the entire house - wherever his clothes happen to fall. This diffenence in neatness led to some knock down drag out fights and eventually to the construction of another bedroom in the basement. When Seth and Eli stopped sharing a bedroom peace reigned at the Lovell household. True, we lost a den as well as gaining a bedroom......Seth's mess flowed out of his downstairs room into the den making both rooms uninhabitable for most people. But that was the price we were willing to pay so the boys wouldn't have to share a room.
When we talked to the boys this weekend we learned that room assignments had been made for their posting to Iraq. You guessed it....Seth and Eli will be sharing a room. Does the Army really know what they're doing? The living quarters sound fairly decent. Seth noted that his time in Afghanistan involved some questionable living conditions....he froze, he sweltered, he didn't have much room, the roof leaked. Conditions at the air base they will be stationed at sound much better. There are apparently six men to a hut with three bedrooms. Seth and Eli will share a bedroom. The base does have some ammenities including internet hookups and cable TV. Soldiers must purchase their internet connection and cable TV from a private contractor on the base if they want this kind of access. Seth and Eli will definitely get internet access.
The boys have finished CIED training (Counter Improvised Explosive Device Training.) They spent a fair amount of time on this as they should since this is the single biggest threat to our soldiers. Personally, I don't know how you counter this threat other than staying as far away as you can from anything that looks remotely suspicious. The base sounds big and safe. Seth and Eli will be involved in convoy security which will take them off the base, but when there they should have many of the comforts of home.

Norris the Chaplain

Norris Burkes is an Air Force Chaplain and free-lance writer. He pens a spiritual column that is carried by our local newspaper and I admit I'm on his email list. I receive a copy of his column before it printed in the paper and I get occassional emails about his other activities. I enjoy reading his column because he readily admits his failings and his failures to be the person that God wants him to be. He seems very real to me....not one of those writers who presents as perfect and perfectly in touch with God. I was touched by his latest column and wanted to pass it on to those of you who read my blog:

This month I met a chaplain who refused to pray for an Air Force general. If
that shocks you, I think I should add I greatly respect him for it.

I suspect some of you are saying what my mom used to say, "You'd better explain
yourself PDQ."

It happened, or perhaps I should say it didn't happen, in Leesburg, Va., last
week where I attended a conference for Air National Guard senior chaplains and
chaplain assistants. It had been a good week, but by week's end, most of us had
one hand on our luggage and one foot pointing toward the door.

Suddenly from the back of the room, someone called the room to attention, "Ten
hut!" and a man walked in who had most of us seeing stars -- three of them in
fact, all on his collar.

The man was Lt. Gen. Craig R. McKinley, and he is the director of the Air
National Guard. This is a rank so high it makes me want to type this column from
a standing position.

However, during the next 30 minutes, McKinley demonstrated spiritual warmth that
nearly made us forget about his rank. He solicited our ideas and made good notes of our remarks. For all of
this, he received a sincere standing ovation from us.

At the conclusion of his speech, our senior chaplain voiced a prayer request. He
asked us that if we would commit to daily prayer for the general, we should
remain standing. If not, we could take our seats. No doubt, this was a
well-intentioned request, but it gave me some pause.

On the one hand, given the scriptural admonition to pray for those appointed
over me, prayer was certainly an appropriate strategy. But on the other hand,
doesn't honesty demand I admit this glib request wasn't likely to be met with
any kind of regularity?

After all, my regular prayers are reserved for people I know best, and in that
category, my grandson outranks them all.

I felt my knees flex as they challenged my integrity. Would I, could I sit?

Well, if you follow this column because you think me a spiritual hero, you've
not read enough of my columns. Nothing doing. I stood with the herd.

Everyone stood. Everyone, that is, but Chaplain Stan Giles. Stan had decisively
taken a seat.

Upon hearing the request, he had commenced an integrity check. He knew what we
all know about our prayer habits.

He knew most of us find it easier to ascent to casual requests for prayer than
to take prayer seriously. We promise our prayers to people as casually as we say
"bless you" with a sneeze or "have a great day" with a gas station purchase.

From his chair, Stan seemed to be reflecting on his prayer commitments, and he
knew he had neither the time nor the stamina to regularly pray for someone he
didn't know. His prayer list was full.

Truthfully, I admire Stan for his nonstanding stance. And I suspect the general
would admire him, too. Because at the end of the day, the people I want praying
for me are the people who know me best and who have real integrity in their
prayer life -- people like Chaplain Stan.

Last night I had a what can only be described as a panic attack. Jan had fallen asleep and I continued to read for awhile. Thoughts of Eli and Seth intruded along with the news of the day about four more soldiers killed in Iraq by an IED. Seth and Eli's recent training has been about dealing with IED's. All these thoughts rattled around in my brain with a force that I couldn't stop. I prayed to God to remove these thoughts from me, to help me relax and know that everything would be okay. Reading Norris Burkes column today I thought about all the people who have told us they are praying for the boys, their wives and us. I know what my prayer life is like and how every day problems and activities drive my time. I don't always follow through on things I say I will do. I know some of those "We're praying for you" statements are statements of intention only. I also know that our family is surrounded by a great host of wonderful family (church and otherwise) who do hold us in their prayers and thoughts. I know that whatever happens in the next year we will be supported by our family and our God....Thanks to all the people who continue to read this blog (and thanks for Tylenol PM.)

Live from Mississippi

Seth hasn't had access to email while at Camp Shelby, but he does have his laptop, printer and digital camera....all resulting in a lovely letter from him this week with a couple of pictures. The quality of his picture isn't great on my blog as I scanned it from his letter, but it does show smiling faces. Eli is on the left, Seth on the right and the soldier in the middle is a friend of theirs from the area, Phillip. The heat we're all experiencing on the east coast is equally oppressive in Mississippi. They have been having heat and humidity making training in full battle rattle difficult and a little dangerous. The group has suffered several heat related injuries. They usually stand down in the middle of the day to avoid the worst of the heat. They have had several night training exercises which also helps to avoid some of the heat.

Katy and the broken dog

How did this story begin......two years ago I found out it was a good thing I didn't have daughters. I usually didn't have trouble saying "no" to the boys, although Jan will tell you differently. Two summers ago after finishing their sophomore year at Bridgewater, Katy and Eli asked me about getting a dog. My first (and correct) thought was NO! Kids in college don't need a dog. They had it all planned out though......Katy would be living in a house next school year and could keep the dog there. Besides, they had already been to the SPCA and found the perfect little puppy - wouldn't I just come and look at it with them? Big mistake! Between Katy looking at me with those big sorrowful eyes and the cutest little puppy sitting in my lap at the SPCA I said yes..........without even asking Jan! Long story short....Colby lived with us for the summer then moved in with Katy at the start of the school year. That lasted less than a week when the puppy proved more than a house full of girls could handle. Colby moved back to live with us while Katy and Eli finished their Junior year of college. Once they got married between their junior and senior years Colby would go live with them. UNLESS you rent an apartment that doesn't allow pets! Colby continued to live with Jan and me and actually became a pretty good member of the family.
Finally, with Katy firmly in place at their new home in North Carolina, we moved Colby to be with Katy. Unfortunately, we took Katy a broken dog. The night before going to North Carolina I noticed a spot on Colbys rear leg where she had licked all the hair off! Katy had to take Colby to the vet's and the diagnosis was a bacterial infection. The result: topical cream, pills and a funny looking cone to keep Colby from continuing to lick the spot. Katy was also advised to give Colby Benedryl to make her sleep. I'm happy to report that Colby is on the mend and is trying to figure out her place in her new home with Katy....how the story will end...I don't know. Will Colby be a great companion for Katy......stay tuned for Cobly and Katy updates!

Meanwhile....back in Mississippi

You've seen some emails from Eli while he was in Texas. Computer time in Mississippi doesn't happen, so we won't get emails from Eli for awhile and Seth has not had the chance to send any. Seth has been busy with his training and just finished MOUNT training. I'm not sure I've spelled it correctly, but it is an urban warfare training. They spent about six days in the field doing this training. They have an authentic Iraqi village set up with about 50 Arab speaking individuals who role play with them as they go through different scenarios. Seth said that they conducted raids on different houses in the village to find weapons. Apparently they do their best to provide very realistic training. The last two days have been spent on the range doing weapons training. I've spoken to Eli since his return to Mississippi....he is well and seems happy to be back with Seth. Right now we're focused on their leave and enjoying time together. Hurry September 5!

Leaving Texas..........

Eli is now back in Mississippi. Here's an email he sent before leaving Texas:
Hello once again,

Tomorrow will be my last day in Texas, and as much as I complained about the humidity and all the rain, I will be sad to leave because of what I'll return to.......heat and mosquitoes. Camp Sheldy is not much to look forward to I'm afraid. However, I do look forward to being with Seth again, but I really enjoy being around all of the medical staff, and so I will be sad to leave.

Tonight we ordered Chinese and then ended up having a big water fight with some water guns some of the medics bought. There is a hose in the bathrooms, and so we lured the "bad guys" down to the bathroom and then proceeded to soak them. For the first time since coming on this deployment I felt normal, even if normal meant feeling like a kid again, it felt good!

The past several days we have been out in the field waking up at 3am and starting our training by 4am. Although 3am is way too early to start work, it was good training. We did a lot of simulated combat medical exercises with simulated gunshots and mortars going off, we used each other as the casulaties and put on fake blood and gore, bandaged eachother up, drug eachother around to reach "safety", and so pretty much we just played. The only thing that was not play was the IVs, which I gave several of and received several of. We went around talking to each other saying, "in the real world, how do you feel" or "in the fake world, how are you".

We'll "graduate" tomorrow and then leave at 2:00 in the afternoon and reach Shelby at 4am on Thursday (just in time for some infantry training!). It will probably be awhile before I am at a computer again, but thanks for all the e-mails people have sent me while I was here at Texas. When I get a chance I will update you from Mississippi. Take care,

With Love,

Eli

September Leave

Plans are in place for a family get-together in Mississippi in September. Seth and Eli will have leave from September 5 to September 10. We've rented a condo in Gulfport, Mississippi where we will gather. Jan and I will fly down on the morning of the 5th. Katy and Brittany are planning on driving at this point in order to get a little more time with their husbands. Josh will join us for the weekend, flying from Newport News into Gulfport on Friday the 7th. We'll be staying in some new condos that have been built since huricane Katrina. I understand there's still a fair amount of devestation in this area, but we're not going to Mississippi as tourists....we just want to spend time together before Seth and Eli depart for Iraq.
Many soldiers are coming home for leave (on their own dime.....no military transport for leave!) Seth and Eli felt that they've already said their goodbyes to everyone and it would be too hard to say them all over again. Getting together on the Gulf will allow us uninterrupted time to say goodbye.

Taking Mrs. Lovell and Mrs. Lovell to the Lake!

Katy and Brittany traveled with Jan and I to Lake Wiley, South Carolina to spend a few days with good friends. Great friends, good food, good skiing and tubing.....the only thing that could possibly be better is Lake Wiley with good friends AND Seth and Eli - maybe next summer!

Another email from Texas

Well, last time I wrote I was complaining of the heat, now I want to complain about the rain. I spent 18 weeks in Texas in 2004 and I thoroughly enjoyed my time (well, thoroughly might be pushing it, but I have fond memories of that time) and so I realize what a Texas thunderstorm can be like, and I am starting to realize all over again! Katy keeps saying to me, "everytime I talk to you, you say its raining!" Well, that's the truth. We have had a lot of rain lately, and I'm not talking about a gentle rain storm that lightly saturates the soil, I am talking about a hellacious thunderstorm that drenches through military uniforms and has cut off our power, including our window AC units in the classroom!

Other then the rain there is not too much exciting to report. We have finished our crash course in EMT-B training and I passed the written and practical exam and will be able to renew my EMT license for another two years. We have been playing lots of volleyball in the evenings which is a great stress reliever. We have lit courts and so we will play for several hours. I haven't let my volleyball playing cut into my phone time with my lovely wife, however I have let it cut into what little sleep I was getting and my time to study. I always was good at prioritizing.

Tomorrow marks one week left in Texas, and we start our combat training. We will be in "full battle-rattle" starting tomorrow. That consists of my ACH (army combat helmet), IBA (individual body armor), camelback (hydration system which holds 3 liters of water), and our pro masks (gas masks). We will carry around "dummy" rifles since even though we are medics, we are "soldiers first".

Tomorrow we will forget about being EMTs because they are civillian medics. Tomorrow we start applying tourniquets, giving IVs, and forgetting about spinal compromise because if you're getting shot at, you don't strap them to a long board you just grab 'em and get 'em the hell out of there! During EMT training they pound into your head that you always have to check "scene safety" before approaching an emergency. If the scene is hazardous and not secure you have to wait until police, HAZMAT, or whoever is needed to secure the scene arrives. You never go to a scene that is unsafe! In the militaryits a little different, we help secure the scene, hence the M4s and M9s we carry. Oh the subtle differences of an EMT and a combat medic!

My prayer is it will be an uneventful year, and even though all this training is really good and will make me a better medic, it will be useless information for the next 12 months. I hope you all are doing well, I am thinking of and missing all my family and friends.

Love,

Eli

Dove Body Wash and Dauphin Island

When I talked with Seth yesterday he indicated that the tentative date for a pass before leaving for Iraq is September 4 through the 9th. Tentative? Maybe I don't have a good grasp of the complexities of moving thousands of soldiers and tons of equipment around, but it seems like they could do better than "tentative." The Army's motto seems to be, "We're never sure of anything until we're done!" I DO understand how difficult it must be to move men and machines and have them end up where their supposed to be, when they're supposed to be there.....but, some consideration must be given to the soldiers and their families. How do you plan a trip to see your soldier before they leave for Iraq when you're only given tentative dates? How do you make plans to miss work, reservations for travel and lodging?
Our "tentative plans" look like they involve driving to Mississippi on Labor Day, picking up Seth and Eli on the 4th and traveling to Dauphin Island off the coast of Alabama. Jan and I will miss four days of work and Brittany will miss school.
Jan and I were just discussing the fact that much of our travel the last couple of years has been due to our sons military careers...we've seen Oklahoma, Texas, Georgia, North Carolina and now will travel to Mississippi and Alabama. All things considered I'd be happy to have stayed in Virginia!
We put a package in the mail to Seth today...he requested two things - Advil and Dove Exfoliating Body Wash.........a tough soldier with healthy skin.

Editorial Letter from Poppa

Age of Irony and Hypocrisy

We are truly living in an age of irony and hypocrisy. Osama bin Laden, a professed devout Muslim, was responsible for the deaths of innocent people on 9/11. The Koran does not sanction the killing of innocent people. He did this to punish the United States and to discredit the president. However, his actions made Bush a hero and allowed him to be re-elected.

Then Bush, who is a professed born-again Christian and a devout follower of the Prince of Peace, returned bin Laden’s favor by embroiling us in a senseless struggle in Iraq. This has allowed al-Qaida and other terrorist splinter groups to become more sophisticated in their weaponry.

A president who was once a hero with a high approval rating is now seen as an incompetent president and his ratings are the lowest of any president. This is a president who is opposed to abortion and embryonic stem cell research because life is sacred, and yet his actions have made him responsible for the deaths and injuries of thousands of our military people and the deaths of countless thousands of Iraqi people.

His support comes primarily from right wing conservatives, who oppose government spending, but this war is costing billions of dollars and there are billions for which there is no accounting. Do you see the irony?

Glenn Felix
Bridgewater

Unpatriotic?.....or just Wimps?

You used to be "unpatriotic" if you questioned the war in Iraq or Little George's policies. Now, according to Rep. John Boehner, R-Ohio you are a "Wimp." At least that's what he called fellow GOP lawmakers who have parted company with Little George on the war. As GOP defections mount in the run up to the 2008 elections Boehner has taken the gloves off and is getting tough. Next he might start talking about "yo momma." My guess is that John Boehner was one of those kids in middle school who wanted to watch the other kids fight, but kept a safe distance from the fray afraid to get his hands bloodied. In searching for information on Senators and Congressmen with children in the miliatary I could only find some admittedly dated information. According to the St. Louis Post Dispatch, May 11, 2003, only four of the 535 members of Congress had children in the military and only one, Sen. Tim Johnson (D., South Dakota) had a child who fought in Iraq. Of course, since Jim Webb was elected over Little George Wanna-be Allen the number of Senators with children serving in Iraq has doubled to two. Again, I admit these numbers may not be 100% accurate, but I believe it is safe to say that most Congressmen and Senators don't have children in the Military or serving in Iraq. Would Boehner feel the same way about the war if his children or grandchildren were being asked to sacrifice for Little George's war? My question: Is this war only worth the cost if it is fought with someone else's children? Wimp indeed....I challenge Boehner to a no holds barred game of paper, rock, scissors at recess!

An Email from Texas..........

Hello All,

I have not had internet access during my stay in Mississippi, but here I am now in the wonderful state of Texas and they have an accessible computer room for us. I don't know why they say God Blessed Texas, because boy oh boy is it hot down here! When we got here it was 98 degrees, and don't get me started on the humidity. That would be fine and well, but we're staying in wooden shacks with no AC! It should be fun. My last experience at Camp Bullis, which is about 40 miles outside of San Antonio, was in July 2004 and it landed me at BAMC (Brooke Army Medical Center). I was bitten by a brown recluse (they actually thought it was a scorpion bite at first) and my knee swelled up twice the size it should and I could not bend it, not to mention the bite mark had turned a black color and had grown to the size of a quarter. I still have a scar on my knee to show my Camp Bullis experience. This is our first day down here and classes start tomorrow. We rode 13 hours on a bus from Mississippi. We drove through New Orleans and Houston (I waved to my Houston crew as we passed). It sounds as though we will not get a break while down here, so I guess I'll just have to come back to Texas and enjoy it some other time.

As our bus passed downtown San Antonio we saw the alamo and I was remided of the time Katy and two of our best friends, Jessica and Chance (both were in our wedding) drove 23 hours to spend a long weekend with me over Memorial Day. That is one of my best memories. I also was remembering when Ryan, Heather, Tom, and Bev (the Houston crew) all came down and we enjoyed the river walk. Good times in the army.

Speaking of good times in the army, I am in the same platoon as Seth and so we have been able to enjoy Mississippi together. We do all our training together, spend our free time together watcing movies, and go to all our meals together. Wake up is 4:00am, we do pt twice a day (physical training) and then we usually don't call it a day until 5:00pm. We have been doing lots of "theatre specific" training as they call it. That has consisted of a day of Combatives (beating eachother up) IMT (individual movement techniques) which include low crawling and high crawling through dirt with all your gear on, and the gas chamber! I sincerely hope none of those activities are truly "theatre specific". I would like to think I have done all those things for the final time. These things were not too awful though. Combatives brought back good memories of the beach as we fought in a sand pit. When I showered that night I was washing sand out of every crack and crevice in my body, just like the beach! and the gas chamber did a great job of clearing my sinuses! So there are some positives to everything.

I have made this e-mailing list a lot larger from my first one I sent while I was with headquarters company in Winchester, and I have thoroughly enjoyed getting e-mails from you all that replied to me. Again, if you know of anyone else I can e-mail to keep up to date on all the happenings of this deployment, please let me know. Thanks to everyone for all your love, encouragement, and support. You all mean the world to me! My one battle buddy saw a scrap book Katy had made me lying on my bed and asked if he could see it. After looking at it he said, "it seems like you left one hell of a good life back in Virginia," to which I replied, "that's one hell of a good life I absolutely can not wait to get back to!"

Love,

Eli

Pay as you go..........the war that was going to pay for itself

I try to stay away from political discussions (but do a poor job) however this administration simply begs for comment. The Iraq war was supposed to pay for itself with oil revenue. Just like WMD's this has never materialized:

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The boost in troop levels in Iraq has increased the cost of war there and in Afghanistan to $12 billion a month, and the total for Iraq alone is nearing a half-trillion dollars, congressional analysts say.

All told, Congress has appropriated $610 billion in war-related money since the Sept. 11, 2001, terror assaults, roughly the same as the war in Vietnam. Iraq alone has cost $450 billion.

The figures come from the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service, which provides research and analysis to lawmakers.

For the 2007 budget year, CRS says, the $166 billion appropriated to the Pentagon represents a 40 percent increase over 2006.

We are squandering American lives and American capital! When will enough people stand up and say enough is enough!

Mississippi and Beyond

We've had regular contact with Seth and Eli as they have settled in at Camp Shelby, Mississippi. When they first arrived they were housed at a FOB (Forward Operating Base) which seems to be Army talk for sub-standard housing. Seth noted that in four years with the Guard he has experienced many different living situation and this was by far the worst! While at the FOB they experienced shortages of water, food and toilet paper. Now you could claim that the Army is trying to get them adjusted to possible deprivations they may face while in Iraq, but I don't think there was any reasoning behind this other than a total lack of preperation. So far, Mississippi doesn't have much to recommend it other than hot, hot, hot, humid, humid, humid and daily rain showers.
The good news is that they are now housed in air-conditioned barracks and can at least get a decent night's sleep - no minor thing. Seth and Eli are together now and are in the same barracks. They get to spend a lot of time together, eating meals and relaxing in the evening. Seth notes that they look the same again with matching uniforms and haircuts. Eli will be leaving on the 11th for Texas to brush up on his medical training. He is supposed to be gone about a month. Seth has been asked to be the RTO for his platoon. I'm not sure exactly what that means, but Seth was very appreciative of the confidence his Lieutenant expressed in him by naming him RTO. RTO stands for Radio Transmission Officer and in past wars was the guy running around with the big radio. Seth notes that the job entails much more now and is in many ways an administrative position. Whatever....he is pleased to be asked to assume this responsibility for his platoon.
If anyone wants Seth's address, send me an email and I'll get it to you. Seth and Eli have the same address, but Eli will be leaving for Texas and I don't have a new address for him.
Oh by the way...........Happy Birthday Little George.........I don't think they offered birthday cake to the soldiers.

Reflections on Departure Day

A couple of thoughts on the Departure Ceremonies held for the Virginia National Guard at Woodstock and Winchester, Virginia.

1. It seemed just a little ironic that the American flags that were handed out at both ceremonies said "made in China!" An American celebration indeed.
2. Neither Congressman Bob Goodlate or Congressman Frank Wolf made it to the ceremonies. Both cited legislative duties. We all know how hard our congressmen work, but I think they should have made time to put in an appearance. Both sent representatives. Frank Wolf's representative was an older gentleman with no prepared remarks. He stammered on for a few minutes without really saying anything.
3. Everybody should attend one of these going away parties. What they would see is what we are doing to families. Watching husbands and wives hug and cry....watching small children with tear stained faces....watching parents saying goodbye to teenage sons.....every person should witness this.
   

Keep Your Head Up and Your Eyes on the Horizon

What a long, hard day! Departure Ceremonies at Woodstock and Winchester. On the road at 8:00 AM and returning home around 9:30 PM. There were so many hard things about the day but the most heart wrenching would be watching my two beautiful daughter-in-laws eyes fill with tears as they said goodbye. By the end of the day I wrapped my arms around Joshua and he held me while I sobbed.

Soldiers will carry the community’s support

By Drew Houff
The Winchester Star

---

WINCHESTER — At least 1,000 family members, friends, and others turned out to see them go.

With such support, the troops from the Virginia Army National Guard’s Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, 29th Division left Shentel Stadium on Tuesday night with their heads held high.

Such a morale boost should help in the coming year, which will include about three months of training in Mississippi and then another nine or more months in Iraq.

Sgt. Michael Tomlinson of Lynchburg talks with his 4-year-old son, Tyler, before leaving Winchester on Tuesday evening with his fellow National Guard members. (Photo by Jeff Taylor)

That was the sentiment of many people who attended Tuesday’s departure ceremony.

“It’s real important — it means a lot to them,” said Maj. Mark Nelson, the unit’s former company commander. “It means everybody has thought of them.

“It keeps morale boosted for the long road ahead. Every little bit carries them through, as long as the community stays involved. I know how important it was when were were in Afghanistan.”

Community support plays a large role, helping the soldiers and families to cope with the challenges ahead — and some of those challenges are not pleasant.

During Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, two members of the company — Staff Sgt. Craig Cherry, 39, of Winchester, and Sgt. Bobby Beasley, 36, of Inwood, W.Va. — were killed in August 2004 when an improvised explosive device struck their armored Humvee.

Tuesday’s ceremony was designed to show support for the troops.

Purcel Jenkins, a veteran of the Vietnam War who lives in Winchester, said it was crucial to do right by the soldiers. “The Vietnam veteran didn’t get that. It’s very important [to be at the ceremony].”

Heath Phillips, a first lieutenant with the unit who lives in Rockingham County, said the ceremony meant a lot.

“This is great,” he said. “They filled up the parking lots and are now in the overflow. This is a pretty good crowd to wish the guys well.”

The new deployment is the second for 1st Lt. Thomas Claytor of Chesterfield County, and he said it was great to know that the citizens were behind them.

“The community has been good all week, saying ‘Thank you’ for what we will be doing,” he said.

Brittany Green, cousin of Guardsman P.J. Wenner, said: “[Attending] was very important to me because I don’t get to see my cousin much.”

Sgt. Thomas Barr of Winchester kisses his 2-month-old son, Cameron, before leaving for three months of training in Mississippi and another nine or more months of duty in Iraq. (Photo by Jeff Taylor)

Tuesday also marked the start of work for others who will remain in their homes, such as Judith Barker, the chairwoman of the Family Readiness Group serving the soldiers and families of the Guard unit.

“We’re a support group made up of volunteers,” she said. “We hold fundraisers because we don’t get money from the government, so we operate entirely from donations and gifts. We are a resource for families, able to tell them where to go for help when they need it.”

Barker, who has been serving in that capacity, said she understands the need to obtain assistance. After all, her husband is Capt. Douglas B. Barker, the company commander.

“They can come to me, and I can send them information to the appropriate resources for the help [they] need,” she said.

One of her roles will be informing families about any possible leave at the end of the Guardsmen’s time at Camp Shelby, Miss., before they are sent to Iraq.

She said Tuesday’s ceremony was a proper way for the soldiers and their families to say goodbye.

“It’s nice to give them the sendoff they deserve,” Barker said. “This also helps people talk to other family members, and they can support each other.

“The National Guard is so spread out that it makes it a lot more difficult [to get together], but I still want to have pool parties for the families. I hope to have a meeting to help the families cope.”

Barker said she also will provide advice, reminding the families to write letters and send packages to the soldiers.

Barker said Shentel Stadium offered the perfect setting for the sendoff:

“I hope we’re having this time next year a welcome-home ceremony. This is a nice venue. Shenandoah University is so nice to let us have it.”

Guard gets an emotional sendoff

By Drew Houff
The Winchester Star

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WINCHESTER — With cheers, hugs, smiles, and some sadness, local National Guard members officially departed on Tuesday for Camp Shelby, Miss. — and their eventual destination of Iraq.

The troops from Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, 29th Division of the Virginia Army National Guard were honored with an evening departure ceremony at Shenandoah University’s Shentel Stadium.

Cpl. Jonathan Fournier of Front Royal carries his gear to the bus that was waiting to take the National Guard members to Washington Dulles International Airport. (Photo by Jeff Taylor)

The event marked a transition for the Guardsmen, who will train for about three months before being deployed for Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Winchester Mayor Elizabeth A. Minor, Virginia Secretary of Public Safety Clyde E. Cristman, and Maj. Gen. Robert B. Newman of the Virginia Army National Guard sent the soldiers off with support, well wishes, and hopes for a safe return.

Minor, for example, told the soldiers she was not saying goodbye — “...until we meet again,” she said several times, explaining how no words could really capture the emotions of such a sendoff.

“Please know you have our hearts, our support, our prayers, and our love as you fight as part of [Operation Iraqi Freedom],” Minor concluded. “Until we meet again, thank you, and God bless you all.”

Cristman noted that the unit had answered the call before when it fought as part of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan in 2004 and 2005.

Two members of the company — Staff Sgt. Craig Cherry, 39, of Winchester, and Sgt. Bobby Beasley, 36, of Inwood, W.Va. — died during that deployment.

Cristman said Virginians supported this second major deployment, and the soldiers had the gratitude of the entire state.

“We will stand with your family for your safe return in hopefully about 12 months,” he said. “Your work will help ensure the freedoms we Americans all hold dear.”

Newman, adjutant general of Virginia, said the 29th Division had long stood out in the military, often holding leadership roles in a variety of combat situations.

He said attending sendoff ceremonies throughout Virginia on Tuesday was the highest honor he could have received, in part because of the great confidence he has in the Headquarters and Headquarters Company.

“Thank you for your service of the Guard, our community, and our nation,” Newman said.

Capt. Douglas B. Barker, the local unit’s commander, told the soldiers that he was reminded of some comments at a recent Memorial Day service. He said that to answer the nation’s call and putting that duty above all else highlighted the next greatest generation.

Virginia Army National Guardsman Richard Shull of Elkton walks hand-in-hand with his wife, Kam, to Tuesday evening’s departure ceremony at Shentel Stadium in Winchester. (Photo by Jeff Taylor)

That dedication made this group so revered, setting an example for generations to come, he said.

“I offer my personal thanks to you and your families for the sacrifice you are making on the part of our nation,” Barker added. “Have confidence in your training, have confidence in your equipment, have confidence in your leadership, and above all, have confidence in yourselves.

“Gentlemen, ever forward!”

Sgt. 1st Class Thomas Clarke closed the ceremony, telling the soldiers to take a little more time with their family members and loved ones before getting on the buses to take them to Washington Dulles International Airport for their flight to Mississippi.

“Although we do not know precisely where we will go, I promise you this — we will serve with honor,” he said.

In a telephone interview before Tuesday’s departure ceremony, National Guard Capt. Dayna Rowden said about 810 soldiers from Virginia were being sent to Camp Shelby for additional training. She said they were to join about 200 members of the Colorado National Guard. Rowden could not provide exact numbers for the troops deployed from the local Guard unit.

The Virginia Army National Guard held four other departure ceremonies on Tuesday. The others were for A Company, 3rd Battalion, 116th Infantry at Piedmont Community College in Charlottesville; B Company, 3rd Battalion, 116th Infantry at the Woodstock Armory; C Company, 3rd Battalion, 116th Infantry at Heritage High School in Leesburg; and D Company, 3rd Battalion, 116th Infantry and F Company, 429th Brigade Support Battalion at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg.