My team got a bunch of soccer balls, toys, and candy to hand out to the children. This also reminds me that if any of you want to contribute soccer balls, school supplies or candy to our cause feel free to send them and I will personally see to it that the children get your gifts. My contact information is on my website at (www.sgtroy.com).

Well today the heat had granted us mercy so all of the children were out and playing about in the neighborhood today. It really is no different than the old neighborhood that I grew up in New York. The children had set up a soccer game in the street. Whenever a car would pass by all play would stop until the car would pass by.

Some of the other children were playing tag and just horse playing on the side walks. When they see our trucks coming it’s just as if we are a Good Humor ice cream truck! Every kid will stop what he or she is doing and they will shout “mista, mista” at us indicating that they want a soccer ball or candy.

Well today was special to me. One of my teammates was out of the truck and he was handing out soccer balls to the children. He was surrounded by at least 50 kids all wanting a ball. When he exhausted his supply of balls the children then indicated to him that they wanted candy. Well somehow - without the assistance of an interpreter - he got the children to come back to my truck?

My teammate said to the children “I don’t have any candy but I know a certain individual who always has candy on him. Go back there and just shout ‘Big Lew’!”

So I was sitting up in the turret watching my sector when I think I hear my name being called. “Big Lew! Big Lew!”

Of course the Iraqi children have no idea what this means but they are willing to say it if it gets them candy. I stand up to get a better look and I see about 20 children smiling and waving at me.

I look across the street and I see my teammate laughing his head off. So I had no choice to respond. I thought that was the coolest thing having those Iraqi children shout out my name! I would have preferred the shouts of ‘Sgt. Roy’ but hey at least in Baghdad they know who I am.

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I had a strange dream the other day. It began after I was exhausted from the day of patrols that our chief scheduled for us.

I had a strange dream the other day. It began after I was exhausted from the day of patrols that our chief scheduled for us.

We had spent about four hours out and about in our sector of a small Shia neighborhood. When we came back into the station, the team’s demeanor was one of anger and disgust. Most of us question his reasoning behind having us work such an aggressive schedule.

The trucks were unloaded and everyone stammered back into our team room soaked to the skin in sweat. We all made ourselves comfortable and prepared to go to bed for the evening. As I drifted off to sleep, I had this dream in which this Iraqi boy of about 11 years of age was standing in front of me.

I was drinking a bottled soft drink and I remembered that the boy had asked me if he could have a sip of my drink. I handed it to him and he began to drink it aggressively. It was then that I grabbed the bottle from him. The boy immediately became angry with me and he grabbed the bottle from me and hit me in the face with it!

Without even thinking I grabbed the bottle from him and broke it over his head! It was then that I woke up feeling strange. Why would I dream such a thing? I analyzed this dream over and over in my mind trying to make some sense of its meaning.

The only thing that I could come up with was that the little boy represented Iraq. The bottle drink was all of the aid and support that I had to offer him. When the boy began to abuse the support that I offered him I took it away from him. That is when the boy became indignant and angry with me, so much so that he struck me. I became so surprised at this response that I too retaliated and struck the boy back.

By no means do I have any aggression against Iraqi children but I saw a lot of symbolism in this dream. I am not psychic nor am I clairvoyant but I thought it was weird that I would have such a dream.

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Children love candy

The sweat is slowly dripping down the sides of my cheeks. It's as if I am crying as I feel the drops of sweat roll down my face and sometimes into my eyes.

We are patrolling today in our neighborhood. There aren't too many people on the street today. We learned that the Iraqi soccer team is in the quarter finals of some major world soccer league. This helps with morale because the majority of the people here in Baghdad love soccer. They live for this game. What is sad is that a bad incident happened in the game that the Iraqi team won to get to the quarterfinals. A suicide bomber blew up some spectators that were leaving the game. This angers me because these insurgents don't care what they do and who they do it to.

It amazes me how conditioned the young children are that when they see us they come out into the streets to wave us down to ask for candy. We stop temporarily at an intersection so that our lead truck can observe an abandoned house.

A little boy sticks his head out from the front gate of his house. He waves at me with a smile that only a boy of 5-years-old can have.

I always wait and play a game with them to see how they try to get my attention. The little boy smiles at me and give me a wave. I have my sunglasses on so he doesn't know if I am looking directly at him. I ignore him to wait and see what else he tries to do.

The boy comes fully out of the gate from his house and he begins to jump up and down. They all do this strange hand gesture where they open and close both their fists.

Well, the youngster does get me to crack a smile. I begin to open a new bag of blow pops that I've gotten recently from one of my friends in a care package. I reward him by throwing two blow pops his direction.

The boy's eyes light up as he runs to the edge of the curb where they landed in the street. I know soon that once he retrieves the candy he will run back inside his house and display his treasure only to return with two or three more children. This is the only connection I have with these children. There are so many barriers for us to break through but one thing reigns true; children will always love candy.

I miss my wife

I really miss my wife Wendy today. What a journey we have taken together.

I met her when I was 18-years-old in college. I was just rebounding from a bad breakup with a girlfriend which brought me to this school in Massachusetts in the first place.

My girlfriend broke up with me on the night before my parents were to drive me to start my freshman year at Dean College. I didn't have the heart to tell my parents that I didn't want to go.

My girlfriend and I had plans for me to attend school there and I would visit her in Boston on weekends. Well things didn't work out as planned.

I met Wendy at a play audition the college theater department was holding for its spring production. Wendy began as a love interest for a friend of mine who spotted her during freshman orientation. I remembered the first time I laid eyes on her.

"What do you think of her?" was my friend's question to me as we watched her audition for one of the parts in the play.

"She's cute" was all I could manage as a critique.

As time went on through our years at the college we formed a friendship that would soon blossom into a romance. This year we will be celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary. My heart still jumps whenever she walk into a room. Her eyes are the most unique color of blue and her sense of humor still makes me laugh. She is the only person who can make me smile by just staring at me. She has been my cheerleader on the sidelines when I have to go out there and face a cruel and unforgiving world. She will never let me doubt myself.

All of you think that I stay motivated all the time. That's not really true. My wife Wendy keeps me on track and she is the woman behind the 'Sgt. Roy' persona.

I just miss her today. She is a great mom to our children and just a great overall person.

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You think it's hot in Charlotte

Aug. 6 - I have to suit up and head back out the gate. Keep me and my team in your prayers.

Our new team chief really likes spending so much time 'outside the wire'. With about four months to go I don't want to relax because anything out here can happen.

My adrenaline goes up every time I leave the gate. Also once you add 120 degrees heat on top of that. My body armor is beginning to get a smell to it because of all the sweat.

I wear a do-rag under my helmet to help with all of the sweat that drips down into my eyes while I'm in the turret.

To keep hydrated we came up with a technique of freezing our bottles of water. When I'm ready to go out on mission I grab a frozen bottle of water and sip the water as it melts. I really helps keep us cool during the day.

I realize the importance of wearing these gloves they gave us. Now that we are hitting hot temperatures whenever I touch any of the metal on a truck it burns my hands! It's not like touching a burner but more like holding a curling iron too long allowing the intensity to increase.

The glasses are just as important because that not only blocks the sun but it also keeps the dust and dirt out of our eyes.

Well I'm loaded up and ready to get into my truck. All of this stuff to wear but I understand it's significance. Did I say I have to wear headphones too?

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July 19 - This is the week in which our new chief has decided to implement his intense patrol schedule on us. So far we have done at least 3 to 4 patrols a day!

Everyone believes that our focus as advisors has drastically changed. We have gone from training and mentoring the National Police staff to basically executing patrols that give the appearance that the Iraqis are leading them.

Our new chief comes from a background in the Military Police. The rest of the team is trying to keep its wits about the situation. We know we have about three and a half months to go until our relief gets here. It has become so clear to me about this mission.

The Iraqi police here are so hesitant about patrolling their own streets. They ask so much from us in the areas of food, equipment and support with our weapons. There is a growing anger that burns inside all of us.

Our new chief is extending our team and its resources hoping to better the cause of the Iraqi police. This is turning out to be a loosing cause. There was one day when we were preparing to go on patrol and to our surprise they wouldn't go on patrol! It is noted that they are afraid of going out.

It is evident to me that we are fighting two battles here. The first is that we have a leader that is willing to exhaust the team and its resources for the success of the Iraqis.

Secondly, we are dealing with the Iraqis whose commitment level to their duty and country doesn't evenly match that of their American counterparts who are trying to help them be self reliant. I get the feeling from the soldiers over here that their efforts aren't deeply appreciated.

An 18-year-old soldier

We were loading up to move out the gate today when I spotted one of the soldiers that I talk to whenever we stay overnight at the station.

I was in the gunner’s hatch doing my pre-combat checks when he decided to climb onto the truck and talk to me.

“I can’t believe they are doing this to me,” he said with a bit of sadness in his voice.

“What’s going on?” I said removing my Oakley sunglasses to get a better look
at him.

“They are going to chapter me out of the army!”

“Hey Lew, we getting ready to move out!” was the shout that came from my truck commander.

“Hey, when I get back I will come to see you,” I said trying to offer some kind words. With that the young soldier jumped down from our truck and walked back into the headquarter building from which he came from. Our convoy started its engines and moved forward to the front gate to clear security.

I was told by the guys in my truck that the issue with the young soldier was that his company commander decided that the soldier had some stress issues going on. He was exhibiting unusual behavior out in the field amongst his platoon.

In the army, especially today’s army, soldiers that present strange behavior in a combat zone are quickly evaluated. If they are found to be liability to the unit they are pulled out of that unit.

I talked to this kid several times beforehand and he seemed fine to me and to be quite talented. He showed me some of his interests which included several Web sites that he designed by himself. I was impressed because he had taught himself the HTML web language.

What will happen to him is that they will ship him back to the states for a psyche evaluation and he will be put out of the army with a general discharge. This kid is only 18-years-old. I don’t know all of the details to make a sound judgment about all this but something about this worries me. I hope there is support for the many soldiers who might be going through this same ordeal.

Five months down

I’m at the five-month mark now. My teammates and I feel that we are on the downward slide to going home. I can feel myself becoming more irritable and less tolerant these days. About half of my team members have been on leave already.

I’m not complaining because I purposely chose September because one it will mark my 25th wedding anniversary with my wife. Two, when I return back here I will have three months left to serve in this country!

I have been slow in my postings to the site because recently we have had a change in our line up. We have a new chief and of course he wants to do everything that we have done in the first four months of being here. So we have been on the road a little more than usual these days.

I’m riding as one of the gunners in the truck. The day’s heat does a job on me. At the end of the day my uniform is so wet that it looks as if someone has hosed me down. I sweat so much that my boots have dark sweat marks on them. Also my underwear and t-shirt are just as wet. I take it all in stride because I hope to loose a few pounds when this all ends.

My energy level drops a lot too. I drink more water than I did when I was in the states. Our trucks internally have air conditioning but being the truck’s gunner the lower part of my body gets the benefit of it anyway. In a way I am glad to be back on the road to see the sights and sounds of Baghdad again.

Thanks for your love and support

I clean my rifle and all of the weapons that I am responsible for. I use a paint brush to remove the sand and dust from all of the tight places. It usually takes me about three hours to clean my pistol, rifle, and machine gun.

It’s doesn’t seem fair because within a matter of minutes they are covered with dust again. I want to thank you Charlotte, North Carolina for supporting me and my comrades in arms!

With the issue of losing a soldier yesterday a soldier will begin to think about all the people in his or her life. The trivial things don’t matter anymore. A soldier will begin to see the people that love and support him. His letters and phone calls will mirror his innermost feelings of gratitude and thanksgiving. All I ask is that when your soldier comes back home, try to be more understanding.

The soldier will come back to a world that he has left where the people, places and situations have changed. I want to be the liaison for all of you to help you understand what’s going on. All the service men and women who serve here really have made a sacrifice.

I know first hand that it takes a lot to get through each day.

Some of you might remember that movie ‘Groundhog Day’ with Bill Murray. In this movie his character is stuck living the same day over and over again. This drives him mad to the point where he tries to manipulate the events of that day attempting to make the day slightly different.

We are limited to life on a compound. There just a few activities there such as the gym, internet café and gaming café. Some soldiers will dive into their work logging 12 to 13 hours a day.

When mail arrives it brings the excitement of receiving a care package or a letter from a loved one saying how much he is loved. I noticed that the chapel services are full more than usual.

So just as in the movie ‘Groundhog Day,’ we too have to find and do things that will keep us busy. I can tell you that every soldier here knows now by this experience that our American way of life came with a price but it is also an example of people coming together for the cause of freedom and the pursuit of happiness.

July 4th in Iraq

July 4 - Independence Day! We have to be extra careful because the insurgents know that this is a special day for us that we celebrate no matter where we are. In just writing these few lines, I heard a couple of gunshots ring out.

I’m proud to be an American. My heart goes out to the Iraqis that are working for us. They don’t want to have anything to do with this country that they once called home. Our interpreter Bob wants to give his son and two daughters a future. I can’t hate a man for wanting to give his family a life.

Today on our camp they have a big barbeque planned with fireworks. This will be my first time being outside the United States on Independence Day.

I have a sore throat coming on and I am not feeling well. I get pretty infantile when I get sick. I want my wife around nursing me back to health.

We are at the halfway point of our deployment. We are going through a phase on the team where there is an irritation growing slowly among us. Still, I have come to love and respect these guys. I won’t give names, but there is one soldier who appears to be a compulsive liar. He will sit for hours bragging about what he has and where he has been.

There is another who is young but angry about this mission. His anger is more of a snotty and ‘I’m too good to do this’ type of attitude.

There is one who is quiet but very talented as a soldier but needs to take a bath every once in awhile. The next soldier is engaged to marry, but given the opportunity he will have a relationship with another woman in a heartbeat. He has been married twice already!

There is one guy who is impulsive and controlling but I wouldn’t recommend disagreeing with him. He doesn’t like to be wrong! He is a smart and talented man, but no one can know everything. There is the over hyper soldier, the sneaky one, the lazy one and me, the ‘whatever’ how they see me.

Still, I love these men. In all their imperfection, I still respect them and I pray for them and their families. I’ve learned that the joy of living is not in the perfection of their lives but I have found joy and humor in knowing their imperfections.

I'm proud to be a soldier

Tragedy struck today. Another unit was attacked by RPG (rocket propelled grenade) fire today.

Sadly a sergeant in a vehicle was hit and he lost both of his legs. I noticed that when my team hears news like this there is a somber attitude amongst the group. I can tell that the news numbs us into some kind of silence. I think at this point many of us are just frustrated. The fear has been replaced by a quiet anger. I really think we are trying to find out the purpose of why we are here. I think we are doubting ourselves and wondering if we are making a difference in this country.

When an American soldier gets killed or injured it is like it has happened to all of us. All of us have been affected by it in some way or another. It’s never an issue of “I’m glad it wasn’t me” but instead it’s like we lost someone close to us.

I had to go to this place to do some ‘turn-ins’ of equipment. They keep all of the blown up vehicles at this place where I would turn in the equipment. For security reasons I can divulge how many vehicles I saw, but let’s just say it was more than I wanted to see.

It was more like a graveyard to me as I ventured out to get a better look. All of those vehicles out there could tell a story.

I know for me, I will never be the same. I am so proud to be an American soldier!

Showmars and the Yankees

I am so far removed from the news and happenings that are happening in the United States.

We have here the Armed Forces network, but it tends to show us selective new clips. The thing I find obnoxious is the commercials that are all about the military. “Go to school through the Army College Fund. This is for you!” is one of the commercials that I see all the time.

I know for me, I don’t have a television in my room so I read the military newspaper here called the “Stars and Stripes.” I will catch an occasional baseball game. My favorite team is the New York Yankees. I have been a fan since I was a child growing up on the Hudson River in New York.

I’m in the gunner’s hatch this week. I think it’s my favorite post to man. I sit up high in the truck and I scan the road looking for any suspicious activity.

I’m going on my seventh month being here. I laugh at myself because it’s been about that long that I haven’t had any junk food. On our camp we have a few vendors such as Burger King, Taco Bell, Subway and Pizza Hut but they all taste different here. I had a craving one night for a Sonic hotdog. There was another night I was dying for some Showmars as well. You can throw some Dunkin Donuts in there as well.

It’s just as well because I need to loose some weight. The mess hall here is, as I stated before, just okay. All the cooks are from India (there’s nothing wrong with being from India) but the simple things like Chili Mac or Sloppy Joes taste as if they added extra spices to it! I will be coming home soon for my leave and you bet I will partake of all my favorite places to dine.

The heat is another issue for concern too. I had an advantage of teaching eight to 10 classes a week at the gym. This kept me in decent shape and looking pretty good, if I must say so myself. The heat here seems to be breaking me down. I am drinking plenty of water, Gatorade and soft drinks. I find myself getting weak and just wanting to sleep all the time. I teach two classes a week at the gym and I’m starting my weight training back up again. Hopefully this will give me the strength that I need.

Winning over the people

As we travel in our vehicles throughout the city I can hear the radio communication of other American units that are located near me.

At times calls will come in from a unit making contact with insurgents. That usually results in a firefight.

Sometimes, depending on where everyone else is, if a unit has been hit by an IED the communication is so tight that the closest unit that can respond is in trouble.
I know for me when I am ‘outside the wire’ time stops for me. Anything can happen in this place. Good things happen too.

One of our sergeants has a support group back home who sends him toys and soccer balls that he hands out to the Iraqi children.

There was one day when we stopped in a neighborhood to talk to some of the locals there. I turned around and noticed that one of our trucks was surrounded by at least thirty kids jumping and screaming because the sergeant was throwing toys and soccer balls from his truck.

I guess this is what we call winning the hearts and minds of the people.

Halfway to home

I am at the halfway point of being here. I am sure of one thing. I will never be the same person that I was when I first came here.

I have come to understand a people and a place that is so different from my own. The only reference that I have is my own life as an American. Before this I would, like you, read about these people and places in the newspaper or what I saw on television.

The six months of being here have taught me so much. I have learned about all of the customs and I speak a little Arabic as well.

It saddens me that the real problem here runs deeper than what is perceived here. Yet at the same time I have gained such a proud respect for my own country. America is made up of some many people from diverse backgrounds and ethnicities that the fact we came together as a single nation is a miracle. Here in Iraq there is so many divisions here it would just blown you away.

There is power in agreement. If the people here would just come together on one common goal they would turn this place around in just a short time. To me that is easy.

The common goal would be to live in peace raising your family and providing a life that is safe and secure. The reality here is that there are many factions here who believe otherwise.

Ask Sgt. Roy

Q: Sgt. Roy, I know that it is so hot there now. What do you guys do to stay cool?
Morningstar, Charlotte, NC

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A: Each day we draw ice for coolers that we carry in our trucks. In the coolers are water, Gatorade, and etc. Also where we sleep has air cooler/conditioners installed.

When we go outside we try to limit our work to make sure no one gets dehydrated. As a team we watch each other to make sure that no one faints or get heat exhaustion. Everyone should have a bottle of water with them at all times or their camel back water container.

Also we wear sun block and wear our sunglasses for additional protection.

Carolina on my mind

I'm listening to that classic tune by James Taylor 'Carolina In My Mind'. I popped that into my cd player so that I could have some to fuel my inspiration for writing about this week.

I'm embarking on my sixth month being here in Baghdad. Yesterday they held a memorial service for another team that lost two people.

There is one thing I noticed that they do here that bothers me. When someone is killed in action it isn’t publicly broadcasted out that we lost a soldier. Instead, we find out through word of mouth or on the radio communication that comes across the radio. I wonder if they are trying to protect those of us who leave the camp on a regular basis?

I know there is a database that our chief goes into to get information on any activity that is significant. I hate hearing about the people that have been killed in action. It just amazes me that we continue on with our mission.

My heart goes out to the families who will now be visited by a member of the military to let them know that their loved one has been killed. I am trusting God that my wife will never have to get that visit.

For more on Sergeant Roy – visit his personal Web site at www.sgtroy.com.

Ask Sgt. Roy

Q. Sgt. Roy how hot does it get there in Iraq? Also, how do the people stay cool?

Pam/Charlotte, NC

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Pam,

A. Air conditioning here in Baghdad is considered a luxury. During the day the Iraqi people have this air conditioner looking thing that act as a big fan to help circulate the air throughout the house. In the evenings the whole family will sleep on the roof of the house because it is cooler up there. During the day hours Iraqis will try to do their work in the shade of the day. The temperatures here can get up as high as 140 degrees. There is no humidity here so the heat is dry. There is also a slight breeze that blows hot air.

Explosives

Today I had my first experience with explosives!

We were out today, and I want everyone to understand that my role here is one of an advisor to the Iraqi National Police. We are to teach them techniques and tactics to help them be a self-sufficient fighting force for the security and safety of Iraq. I also want to let you all know that Baghdad, even though it is considered a city, really has no skyscrapers or skyline apartment buildings. It’s just a large collage of neighborhoods that are made up of houses that extend out forever. In the downtown area there are a few large-scale buildings but the rest of Baghdad is made up of neighborhoods.

Well today we were out with them on a mission in a neighborhood. Someone discovered a strange pipe-looking object in the yard of one of the houses. When this happens we call our demolition team. When they come out it is very impressive. When they want to check out a possible bomb threat they have this robot that is remote controlled from the vehicle. The robot resembles something like a small little toy tank that has a long arm attached to it.

So it happens today that my vehicle was parked directly in front of the yard where this pipe was located. I saw the robot come up and do its little analysis and then finally pulled the pipe into the middle of the yard. We were all then instructed to clear the residents from both sides of the yard and take cover ourselves. The demolition team had decided to blow this IED up.

The residents had been evacuated, the soldiers on the ground had taken cover and we were told to move our vehicle up half a block for cover. When the blast came it took me by surprise because the concussion blew my body upward. Wow! I guess, no, I know, this will be the closest I will ever get to being actually blown up.

For more on Sergeant Roy – visit his personal Web site at www.sgtroy.com.

Kids in Iraq

Well hello Charlotte, this is yours truly sending greetings from the craziest place on earth right now, Baghdad, Iraq! I have to humor myself to help me keep my sanity.

We were in a Shia neighborhood today with our Iraqi counterparts doing a search of houses. Today I’m riding in the gunner’s hatch. From here I have a bird’s eye view of the entire street.

I noticed two little girls about the age of eight holding hands walking down the street. They were wearing Catholic-like school dresses. Their heads weren’t covered and they had their hair in a pony tail hairstyle. As they walk towards our vehicle they both smiled and waved at me and my driver as they passed by.

“It’s a shame that these kids have to live through this,” was his comment to me.

I agreed with him because it is a shame. I’ve written before that these kids are no different than our kids in the United States. The heat is about 110 degrees today. Of course, the sun is directly over me and I can feel the sun bake into my uniform.

I look down the other end of the street and I see another young girl coming down the street carrying a bag of bread (I love Iraqi bread) that she brought from the market.
It’s then that I hear shots ring out in the distance. I spin my hatch around side to side to see if I can notice anyone shooting. My eyes fall back to the young girl who now is running to her house which is next to our truck. She opens the gate and goes inside to safety. It couldn’t have been 10 minutes later that she comes back outside and heads down the street to run another errand for her mother. You talk about living with the circumstances around you.

Bombed again

We got hit again by an IED today!!

The damage to the truck was greater this time. The trunk of the vehicle was clearly blown off the truck.

The activity in the city is one of restlessness. My wife tells me that we captured some big insurgent leader and these attacks are their retaliation against us. As always I have to be careful what I write about in these stories from the front because of security.
Well I am glad to report that no one was hurt. God is on the job again! My vehicle didn’t sustain a scratch.

This is something that you don’t want to get used to. When it happened, my team and I, without even thinking, jumped into character and executed with precision to recover the vehicle and its personnel. We limped back into camp.

The funny thing about this is that we just pulled this vehicle out of maintenance just the other day for this same thing. I don’t like writing about doom and gloom but this is my reality for the next seven months. The fact that there are people outside that gate that want to do us just harm is a reality that I have to accept.

Pray for my brothers

Hey Charlotte, I want to call upon all of you who have faith to pray for three of my comrades who are missing.

I can just imagine what their families are going through right now. There was an incident last week where a unit called my wife who happened to not be home at the time. My son took the message for her. Long story short, when my wife returned the call it was a medical unit! She immediately assumed the worst. She thought that unit was reporting that I was killed or injured in combat.

It wasn’t until later that evening when I got on my computer she noticed my icon on the instant messenger comes up. She quickly communicated this issue me and was relieved to find out that I was safe. So please pray for the families that are connected with these soldiers. All of us here are concerned and you bet that everything possible is being done to find these guys. My prayers of support are with these guys. They are my brothers.

My worst fear

My worst fears came to pass today. We got hit by an IED (improvised explosion device) today.

We were traveling down one of the highways in Baghdad when we went under an overpass I heard a loud explosion. Our first reaction was to make sure that our vehicle wasn’t hit. Next we took a look at the vehicles in front of us and then behind. Well the vehicle behind us took the impact of it.

We immediately slowed down to allow the vehicle to pass us so that we could fall in around it. Our training called for us to continue to move as best as we could.

We can stand down and fight but we are ordered to continue back to base camp.
What was really scary is that we lost radio communication with the vehicle. Well we limped back to base camp and we when surveyed the damage it was amazing. Some of the scrap metal went clear through the trunk of the vehicle. Well the good news is that no one was hurt or injured.

God has been gracious to us. We are not trying to press our luck. For me it’s God’s protection that has covered us.

A soldier's workday

The life of a soldier is lived differently. Our time off is often measured in the moments in which we can relax. Some guys find it relaxing to watch TV or DVDs.

Some like me like to read or write. Others just like to go to sleep. Here in Baghdad there is no such thing as weekends.

I remembered back in Charlotte I would get up and teach a few Saturday morning classes at the YMCA, come back home, and shower and be ready to take my wife to a late morning breakfast. Here it is so different. There have been weeks that I have totally forgotten what day it is.

The truth is everyday is almost the same as the next one. When I was back in Charlotte I had a schedule that would just blow the average person away! I would personal train some clients before work; work a full time job and after work, I would teach a class or train a client. My work days ran anywhere between 12 to 14 hours a day! There have been days when I step outside the trailer that I am living in and walked around being half-bored out of my mind.

I don’t because I only get moments to be off. My time is spent with my team working with the Iraqi National Police in downtown Baghdad. By the time I get back to my room I am so emotionally and physically tired I can’t do much of anything else but go to sleep. There are soldiers that don’t leave the camp at all. I found out that they are called ‘fobbits’. The place where we stay is called a ‘fob’ (forward observation base). So ‘fobbits’ are people who don’t leave the camp at all. There is some truth to this because ‘fobbits’ have time to set up a workout schedule at the gym. A ‘fobbit’ is able to buy a bike at the PX to use as a mode of transportation around the camp. Fobbits’ uniforms are always clean and they have plenty of time to play in the camp’s softball tournament.

Well I don’t want to be a ‘fobbitt’. I like being able to leave the camp and experience Iraq everyday while I am here.

That blast shook my teeth

We went on a night patrol last night. I hate those things! Our patrols usually consist of Iraqi National Police forces with us following in the rear.

Well, this night was fairly quiet. There is always this big mosque that we see all the time. It has been questioned that the mosque is hiding insurgents in there. In Iraqi culture, non-Muslims are forbidden to enter a mosque. It just frustrates me that this might be a haven for the bad guys.

On this night we were traveling down a partially lit road near this heavily populated neighborhood. I was in the gunner hatch again today when suddenly up ahead I saw a quick flash of light followed by a loud boom!

First of all, the good news was it didn’t hit us. The second thing was it didn’t hit any of my teammates. The blast was off to the side of the road and it hit one of the Iraqi vehicles. We stopped immediately and radioed up ahead to make sure that everyone was okay.

The Iraqis drive pickup trucks in which they welded on their own armor. The truck that was hit was still mobile and no one was hurt so we all quickly got out of the area. When we got back to the station we examined the truck only to find a cracked windshield and some light damage to the hood of the vehicle. That blast really shook my teeth!

Heat and water

The heat is really picking up these days. We have had one straight week of temperatures in the nineties. Like I’ve shared with many of you, I’m going to use this as an opportunity to lose some weight, especially around my midsection! As we go on our patrols it bothers me that when we go places sometimes we can get flagged down by Iraqi soldiers that are located at traffic control points asking us for water. In the past whenever American vehicles would drive by they would throw water bottles out of the truck. It has also happened with workers that are working on clean up crews on the roads as well.

Baghdad is slowly coming together. I love to see the children go to school in the morning. From what I understand the Sunni are better educated. The Shia have a higher population of people who can’t read or write. This is their time to catch up. I’m just sorry that the children have to go to school amongst all of this drama.