7/5/06
Hello Sue,
I want to personally thank you for the 100 misters that you sent
and
they are already in use. I'll send you some pictures of the Marines
in
action and being cooled by the misters at the same time. I must
salute
you and all of the Americans out there that support us and out
efforts
to maintain freedom wherever evil doers maybe lurking. Our mission
here
is tough but anything worth having is worth fighting for. Everyone
here
is grateful for your donation and you are in our prayers as well.
SEMPER FI,
SgtMaj Green
-------
6/28/06 I'd
like to thank you for your generous contribution and selfless
efforts to make a big difference to my 200+ troops here at
Al Udeid AB.
Your coolers made an immediate impact on the morale of our troops
who
work in some pretty miserable conditions to ensure the safety and
well
being of the American Citizens, who sleep peaceably tonight because
they've made the sacrifice of serving in their defense. Again I
give
many thanks for your token of gratitude to these warriors who will
perform their duties at a greater level because you've made a difference
in their comfort.
DANNY L. COMPTON, MSgt, USAF
-----------
6/21/06
Hello! Just wanted to send you my gratitude for the Personal Air
Cooler!
This is a GREAT invention and will be sooooo helpful in the heat
to
come. The temperature is reaching almost 120 degrees and the asphalt
from the flight line makes it even more unbearable! Thanks again!
This
will SURELY make work so much more tolerable in these conditions,
you
guys are life savers!!
Thank you so much,
Krystal Wichnoski
------
6/11/0/6
Hello Ma'am
I just wanted to thank you so much for that extremely handy and
helpful
water pump gadget. What a great idea! Thanks so much again, and
keep
supporting the troops.
-----
6/10/06
I want to take the time out to give you a heartfelt Thank You.
I'm fortunate enough to work inside but I have a few friends who
work
long hours in the heat. I came across the misters through SSgt
Danielle
Holloway and immediately I thought of them. I picked up a few and
the
gratitude I received was incredible. I wanted to extend the Thank
you
to you. The donations and support you receive is greatly appreciated.
You're definitely making a difference for us downrange.
Melanie B. Natividad, A1C, USAF
--------
6/10/06
We received 4 cases of misters this week and they were so well
received
by the troops here. Every person on each post that gets one says
thank
you with extreme gratitude! The temperatures are rising fast here
(today's high is 116 degrees) and your passion to help our military
is
making it so much more bearable. Being over here away from our
families
is always hard but when we have the support of so many such as
yourself
it makes our time here worth every minute. Thank you is two simple
words
that do not come close enough to showing you how grateful we all
are.
Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers and we will do the
same.
God Bless you, your cause & the United States Military,
SSgt Danielle Holloway
-----
6/8/06
On behalf of the Ramp Section for the Mighty Eighth Expeditionary
Air
Mobility Squadron we thank you for your donation. It is people
like you
that we fight for. Your thoughtful nature and care for your troops
makes
us all proud to be Americans.
Thank you very much,
SSgt. Robert Packett USAF
---
6/6/06
Thank you for
keeping us cool in the hot sun loading and off loading trucks.
My troops here are using them know.
Thank You,
Joseph D. Fialkowski, SSgt, USAF
--- 6/6/06
The misters arrived last weekend and Dan enjoyed handing them
out to the men in his unit. He has not had a chance to use it in
his launcher yet, but hopes it will make a difference. The temperatures
get up to around 125* inside the launcher during the daytime. If
it takes it down even a little bit, it will be wonderful for them.
I look forward to giving you more details as the guys begin to
use them, but for now I thank you from the bottom of my heart for
your help.
Kathy
10/15
SPCs Gallo & Suzuki
of the 299th Infantry Hawaii Army
National Guard express their thanks.
Hugs
Bert
----
8/30
Hi Sue,
I just wanted to send you a quick note to thank you and thank the
generous people who support us here in Iraq. The mister works very
well in the 120-130 degree heat, as you can well imagine and is
appreciated by all of us.
Thank you again.
Sincerely,
Steve Moy
LSA Anaconda, Iraq
----
August 16, 2005 Dear Ms. McCormick,
Your generous package arrived and the items are being placed into use. The temps
here in Al Taqaddum spiked a week ago at 118 degrees, the misting device really
works. We have since installed our own version of the misting device in the
roof of our porch. Our visit to Iraq has been pleasant one, this is our second
tour here and our daily routine flying over the mean streets of Fallujah this
time around is much more peaceful compared to last year. Thank you for your
generosity and prayers.
S/FLt
Col C.R.Zelez
----
----
July 5, 2005
Hello I am sorry I haven't replied to your email
I have been busy we got
your misters and everyone appreciates everything your company does
for
us. Your company is a true blessing to the military and everything
is
much appreciated thank you so much.
Thomas Hoover Sra/USAF
----
July 3, 2005
Hi
Sue,
I got the box of Misty Mates and passed them out to my guys who use them now
when they spend some time on the hot flight line here. I bring one along when
I fly and have used it to cool down a little. As you know we are continuing to
do the casevac mission here and the number of lives saved continues to increase.
Today we flew and picked up two Marines that had been hit by shrapnel from a
vehicle IED. I caught a quick glance of one of the Marines and he was looking
at me. I could tell he felt a little relieved to know he was being taken care
of by other Marines. Needless to say I am sure he will be ok and will be able
to make back home to his family. I finally got a picture of me taken. I am leaning
on the 50 cal we use on the helicopter we fly. It was taken after a long day
and I am tired and have helmet hair. At the tender age of 47 I think I may be
getting too old for this, but then I think about the young guys on the ground
and those thoughts leave quickly. I am just glad the CO lets me fly and that
I have the chance to make a difference. Have a great 4th of July and thank you
and everyone who contributed in their own way for the Misty Mates.
Semper Fidelis
JJ ROBLES
----
July
2, 2005
I received the box yesterday. I was surprised to
find 5 in there! I was only
expecting 1. But my husband said thats great because he can hand
them to
friends that need them. Thank you so much Sue!
----
June 26, 2005
Message from Officer Aguilar from Iraq:
A couple day ago I got a box with 11 mistrs from Cool Our Troops
Org. they said that you give them the money for that. Well once
again the Sailors, Airman, and Soldiers tell to tell you and
every body that contrubute to this THANK VERY VERY MUCH WE REALLY
APPRECIATE.
I will see all of you by the end of the month.
----
June
23, 2005
Yes
Sue we did. I sent you pictures, I would assume that they never
made it?
Things are okay. It is hotter than the dickens already. 117 during the day.
We have made tons of improvements to the Hospital so things are
getting better. If you know anyone over in the real world looking to
send stuff to the troops, we could use some coffee here.
Thanks and I will send the pictures again when I can remember where I
stored them. :-)
Bill
William E. Allen
NCOIC, S2
----
June 22, 2005
Hi Sue,
I'm Major Dean Swartwood serving in Iraq with the 1st BDE all Iraqi
Army. My ten man team is here as advisors to the Iraqi Army.
I was given this address and told you donate the misting systems
to troops. If that is true my team could use them. We are remote
and have no PX to buy things at here at Kirkush Military Base.
I also have two BN teams of ten each. We don't like to ask for
things but we have had days of over 127 Degrees already this
year. We have a total of 30 soldiers here teaching the Iraqi
Army how to survive and do their job. We have fought in Fallujah
and Samarra. Thanks to all of your team and all your support
for the troops serving here in Iraq. Dean
Major Dean Swartwood
----
June
17, 2005 Sue,
I appreciate your shipping out the misters, if other people need then they
can have the priority. My guys are sharing the ones they have and can continue
to do so. I hope you are doing well and making time for yourself and family.
I know that meeting the demand is important to you and the other 2 ladies.
But make time for yourself and enjoy life. If there is one thing I learned
doing this mission is make every day count because you never know when it will
end. Have a wonderful week and let me leave you with these words "The
greatest use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it." -H.P.
Liddon.
Semper Fidelis
JJ Robles
----
June
17, 2005 Sue,
Susan, Barb
I want to take this time to thank you all for your
efforts in
aiding all the service members that are deployed.
Thank You
While I was at Ft. Lewis before I was deployed I
was given some
Misty Mates, unfortunetly i was not able to get enough for the
entire
unit, I was wondering how I would be able to get more of these.
I have 150
soldiers and was only able to get about 19 if you could pass
on the
information I would be great full.
My unit is an asphalt and rock crushing unit we
make roads and
air fields. The paving crew in 100+ weather is working with
360 DEG asphalt
it is a little warmer than normal.
Thank you for all your help
Brian D. Baret
1SG 659th ENG CO (CS)
----
Sue,
I wanted you to know that the second box of 50 misters arrived.
I have
distributed them out. They were warmly received by everyone. It
was 102
yesterday. With it being only May, it could reach the 140's that
we were told
about quite soon. Thanks again for your patriotism and supporting
us.
SSG Jerry D. Johnson
----
May 21, 2005 Sue,
I hope that you received my last e-mail thanking you in advance
for the coolers.
I am not getting very many responses to e-mails that I send. It
worries me that
they are not getting delivered. I received one box of the coolers
yesterday. I
thought the second would arrive today but it did not. I will keep
you updated.
Thanks again for what you and everyone else are doing for us.
Jerry
----
May
19
Hello,
I am in the desert currently on a half year deployment or
so. I saw that your company sent some misters to the troops and
I was
wandering if your company could help us out buy sending us about
100
misters. We are all cops and we work the gates in the heat for
about 12
to 14 hours a day and it would make the day much better if your
company
could help us out. It would be much appreciated thank you.
Sra Thomas
Hoover
May
19,2005 This is A1C Ketchum 379 ESFS I just wanted to send
you a email and tell
you thanks a lot for the misters they really help a lot! Thanks
again
and it is much appreciated!
May
19, 2005
I would like to thank you for the misters that you
send to us here in Qatar. They work awesome at keeping us cool
in the 110 temps out here. I would also like to thank you for your
support it mean a lot to us over here being away from our families
and friends. Thank you again.
James D. Miller, SrA, USAF
379 ESFS
----
May 12
Hello
Sue,
Thanks for the quick response. There are about 200 of us that
work
outside on a regular basis. I know that's a lot so I understand
not
everyone will get one. I can promise you that the junior ranking
guys/gals (the ones that are outside the most) will get them
first.
They're projecting about 140 degrees this summer. With that
being
said, please send what you can and know that all you do is appreciated
by
the troops. I will ensure that everyone who gets a mister is fully
aware
of where it came from. Our mail system is pretty decent here and
most
everything comes from the USPS anyway. If you need a stateside
address, I can provide one but I would prefer the postal service.
Please let
me know if there's anything I can do. Thanks again.
Sincerely,
TSgt Dave Frederick 379
ESFS/SFOA
----
April
18
Hello,
I am LtCol Bruce Barnhill, the Operations Officer for Marine
Air
Control Group 28. The majority of our unit is located in central
Iraq,
however we have detachments of Marines located throughout
country. We
received the mist bottles at our unit this week and distributed
themout
to our Marines. I would like to express appreciation on behalf
of our
unit for your kind thoughts and gifts to our Marines. Not
that we
look forward to this summer's heat, but with your gifts and the
care and
thoughts behind them it will make this summer that much more
bearable.
Thank you and "Semper Fidelis" (Always Faithful)
LtCol Barnhill
----
March
18
Just
wanted to say thank you, from Tango PSD....We have one in our
vehicle
and we all love it, and we really appreciate everything you have
done to
"
support the troops"....It really is appreciated.
Sgt Eckhard
USMC
----
October
19
I
am Maj Holland. We talked back in August before my unit deployed.
You
sent us water coolers for each of our Marines. The hot season is
starting
to taper off, but for a month and a half, we were in an unfamiliar
heat and
occasionally the airconditioners would go out in the camp. The
coolers were
a life saver. I want to thank you very much for your effort at
quickly
getting them to us. I have tried also to deliver the box that you
gave me
for a MACS unit. We sent them to the MACS unit, but we had confusion
about
the point of contact and the unit location. I sent them to the
location
that was known for the given unit. The zip code, POC and unit location
were
all different and numerous phone calls did not clarify anything
for us. I
am sure that whoever gets them will get good use of them.
The efforts of your organization are greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Seanan Holland
----
Aug.
18 (received from mom)
Hey again ma, I received the misters the day before yesterday. My
First Sergeant is dispersing them through my company to all the
soldiers. It was pretty cool getting those, not only because it
is hot here, but because they were donated. The packing slip said
they were valued at 900 dollars and it took almost 100 dollars just
to send the big box of about 100 of them. I looked at a thermometer
hanging on the metal door of the trailer where the Red Cross is
located at and the needle was past 130 degrees. I don't think it
was accurate because it was sitting in the sun hanging on a metal
door, but still this place is hell. The one at our company is a
little more accurate and it usually reads 110 in the shade away
from metal, I've seen it reach 120 in the shade about 2 weeks ago.
I need to send a thank you e-mail to the folks who sent them anyways.
So I hope this answers your question.
Love,
Erik
-----
Aug.
16
Sue,
Please pass this to your entire crew. We received the box of misters
just the other day. Thank you very much. I've attached a pic of
us. Not everyone has their misters on, though. The only ones I know
for
sure that have their mister on are myself, on the extreme right;
Sarine, the second female in from the left in the front; and Chris,
the happy guy in the middle of the back row. You would think that
I could get a bunch of military guys to conform, but alas I cannot.
Please don't put the group photo on the web or distribute it in
any way. Some of our guys get a little squirrelly when the have
their picture taken. I've attached a pic
of just me that you can use on the web.
Again, thank you very much. People like you make this deployment
worth every minute. This crew, and the next, will be that much better
off because of your efforts and support for our troops! Now, I just
wish the
rest of the world would see that the American way is the best way!
Sincerely,
Jason S.
Superintendent
AFOSI EDET 2409
Tallil AB, IZ
-----
Aug.
13
Dear
Sue:
Just returned from an out of town trip and received
Kevin's email stating that the misters finally arrived, and his
Marines immediately put them to good use. I was so happy to hear
of this and want to thank you for all your hard work and thoughtfulness.
When Kevin comes back, hopefully in mid-October, will have a little
party for him and will invite you and your fiance.
Again, thanks from all of us for supporting our
troops and giving them this much needed personal mister in the midst
of the Iraqi summer heat.
Good Luck,
Muriel P.
Sue,
Id just like to say on behalf of MP Company, thank you very much
for sending out the misters. We got 50 of them in and they are a
popular item. The subdued green makes it better to take out with
us when we are out and about. Sorry about the moving parts involved
with getting them out here, but we got them. Thanks for your support,
it means a lot to us out here.
Kevin P.
-----
Sue, Susan,
and Barb,
Received your misters yesterday..distributed them to my guys who
are much appeciative of them-117+ degrees and they are getting a
work out. There have been several arrive since I got here and any
you can send would be much appreciated. We now have 21 more marines
and soldiers where I am. Thanks again and it's people like you that
make it easier for us to do what we have to do over here.Take care
and thanks again
CWO-5 Stan P.
USMC
-------------
Sue, Susan,
and Barb,
We recieved the misters today and yesterday. I sent them to all
our locations. We cover Al Asad, Tikrit, Kirkuk, Samarra, Mosul,
and Balad(Anaconda). The soldiers of the 557th Medical Company (
Ground Ambulance),which is the Active Army's Largest, thank you
all for your support, along with everybody that made donations.
You are all true American's and should
be proud for your support. I will send photos soon. I used one last
night on a 6 hour convoy. It was truley a blessing. Thanks once
again.
SFC David S.
W.
---------------
Aug. 12
Dear Sue and
Susan,
My name is William P. and I am in the Air Force I can't tell you
my job or rank because I am working with the Army Special Forces
Group in Mosul Iraq. I just wanted to say thank you very much for
the misters. We spend long hours in the sun every day and they sure
have come in handy. It is also nice to walk around the base and
have people ask me what is that attached to your vest :) Anyways
may God bless both you for what you are doing. Thanks again from
the Air Force and Army Special Forces.
Sincerley
William P.
--------------------
Aug. 09
Sue,
The first boxes of misters began arriving today. Your support is
much appreciated and I will ensure that these get pushed out to
the Marines who need them.
Semper Fi,
Capt Mike S.
--------
Sue,
Got the first ten and box one of four today. I'll
get them out to the guys that are running the convoys, they need
it most. I'll get you some pictures soon.
Robbie
------------
7/31
Sue,
I got 2 boxes of Misty Mates today! The heat today was 97 degrees
at 1030
and the high was 117. They say that it is supposed to get hotter
in
August.
These are really going to help out a lot. My guys and I have already
started looking for ways to place them in the vehicles and on our
vests to keep them handy. Everyone else that I have showed them
to are curious as to where I got them. They want to play with them
to see how they work. They are definitely a hit.
There was a letter in the box from you saying that
you were planning on shipping 8,000 to Iraq and that you wanted
to know where I was at. Are you planning on shipping 8,000 to me
via the Air Force? If you can ship more then I can get them out
to the units. I just want to make sure I understood
you correctly.
Thank you for helping us and sending these via USPS,
they got here just in time. You have a lot of people appreciating
you over here. If there's anything I can do for you let me know.
Again, thank you for everything.
Sincerely,
Michael H.
---------
Aug.
1
Sue,
I got 2 boxes of Misty Mates today! The heat today was 97 degrees
at 1030 and the high was 117. They say that it is supposed to get
hotter in August. These are really going to help out a lot. My guys
and I have already started looking for ways to place them in the
vehicles and on our vests to keep them handy. Everyone else that
I have showed them to are curious as to where I got them. They want
to play with them to see how they work. They are definitely a hit.
There was a
letter in the box from you saying that you were planning on shipping
8,000 to Iraq and that you wanted to know where I was at. Are you
planning on shipping 8,000 to me via the Air Force? If you can ship
more then I can get them out to the units. I just want to make sure
I understood you correctly.
Thank you for
helping us and sending these via USPS, they got here just in time.
You have a lot of people appreciating you over here. If there's
anything I can do for you let me know. Again, thank you for everything.
Sincerely,
Michael H.
------
July
25
Susan,
Wow!!! It is amazing sometimes to think of how much support we have
from wonderful people such as yourself and the thousands that have
donated to worthy causes as your own. Operation: Cool Troops is
a wonderful cause! You would be suprised by how few things troops
recieve over here from the military that have any practical use
for the troops. We can get thousand dollar optical devices and thousand
dollar communication devices but we can't get practical things such
as Gerber tools, flashlight, or mister products like your own. It
is only through charities such as your own that we are able to get
the things that make the average troop's life better on a day to
day basis. My troops are by far the bravest and hardest working
men that I have ever met and as there leader I spend many hours
trying to make their tour more comfortable. People like you and
those in your organization make my job easy by providing the support
and dedication that these troops deserve.
I appreciate your offer to send 22 misters to my platoon. They will
be very welcomed. I know that this may be asking a lot, but if there
is any way possible, could you send 112 so that my entire company
could recieve these misters? This would have a wonderful effect
on the troops morale as well as provide a nice relief from the summer
heat of Iraq. We are a combat engineer company that spends the majority
of our time patroling the streets and villages in the area in and
around Nasariyah. We actually are on the same basecamp and work
side-by-side with an Arizona group...the 258th CSE. Below, again,
is my contact information and my mailing address to which you can
send any products that you would like to donate to our troops. I
have also included my commander's email address.
Again, thank you so much for your kindness and support. It is a
wonderful feeling to know that their are people like you caring
for the welfare of the American Soldier.
Sincerely,
2Lt John G. C-Co
/ 1140th EN BN
------
July
25
We
received eight boxes of Misters over the last week. We did a demonstration
(humorous) and passed them out to every soldier except the dozeon
or so on leave. I've seen a few people playing around with them
but Sunday is our recovery day, or at least I try to protect it
for my troops to insure they have at least one day off a week. The
exception is the dump truck sections who work every day except Friday.
I saw a few of them as they left this morning trying to rig them
up in the cabs of the trucks. Tomorrow is the first real operational
day we will be out on construction sites, and the temperature ought
to be a balmy 122-124.
Thank you Sue, you struck a blow for freedom this
week.
CPT Fay
258th Engineers
------
July 19
Subject: THUNDERING
THIRD UPDATE FROM IRAQ
Dear Family and Friends of the Thundering Third,
This is my second letter to you in the first month of our deployment
to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom 2. I deeply regret
to inform you that we have lost four of the Battalion's finest men
in a tragic
accident on 10 July. SSgt Trevor Spink, our Motor Transport Platoon
Chief, Sgt Krisna Nachampassak our Battalion night vision goggle
instructor, Cpl Terry Holmes Vehicle Operations NCO, and PFC Chris
Reed,
a vehicle operator and promising young Marine who checked into the
Battalion this year. These men lost their lives in a tragic nighttime
accident when their HMMWV drove off the road into a canal near India
Company's firm base. Sadly, even the superhuman efforts of the Marines
and Sailors of India Company, other members of our Battalion Aid
Station, and the 1st Force Service Support Group's Bravo Surgical
Company could not save them.
As you can
imagine, this loss devastated our 3/1 Family here as well as the
families at home in America. On the evening of July 13th we held
a very emotional and dignified memorial service for these heroes.
The
service was attended by all available Marines in the Battalion as
well as our Regimental Commander, Col John Toolan, our Regimental
Sergeant Major, SgtMajor Eduardo Leardo, and our Regimental Chaplain,
CDR Stephen Pike. The large room was packed to capacity and there
were a number of poignant scripture readings and many fond recollections
by brother Marines about each of our lost men. This service was
one of the most beautiful and touching that I have been privileged
to be a part of in my lifetime - I know that there wasn't a dry
eye in the room that night, especially during 1stSgt Tim Ruff's
roll call and taps. All who spoke professed that our Marines' lives
were not given in vain. All swore to continue to honor them
in our memories and by our deeds, and to continue the mission we
started together, for our families back home, and for the Iraqi
people here. We will never forget our brothers who gave their lives
serving their country in a time of war overseas... we continue to
grieve their loss.
As you may recall, my first letter to you was very upbeat as our
Battalion experienced early success executing a very effective cordon
and search operation with Lima, Kilo, H&S and Wpns/George Companies,
that captured a significant terrorist cell operating in our sector
and a large number of sophisticated improvised explosive device
(IED) materials, special weapons, and a large amount of ordnance
that included (51) 107mm rockets otherwise intended for Coalition
bases. We've continued to build on this tactical success and have
captured a number of bomb makers in the City of Kharma, a smaller
satellite city in our zone just east of Fallujah. One of these individuals
had a sophisticated factory in his home that included a
> small electronic repair shop, and an observation post on his
roof with a work table and restroom facilities nearby so that he
could observe traffic while building bombs. This man also had a
large amount of ordnance, weapons and explosives, as well sophisticated
devices in his home of a classified nature. Suffice it to say, he
was a bad individual who was undoubtedly responsible for many attacks
in the past... he is now behind bars.
Mail has started to flow steadily and many of you should be in contact
with your loved ones by phone or email. Your Marines and Sailors
have been very active in our sector patrolling day and night on
foot and in
vehicles, standing posts at their firm bases and out on observation
posts in the countryside. There are many things happening each day
to keep this incredible organization going and keep the enemy on
the run. Logistics runs to company firm bases and Baghdad International
Airport, liaison duties with headquarters, sick call in the Battalion
Aid Station, chow, mail call, armor kit installations on our HMMWVs,
repairs of every kind, civil affairs operations to improve the lives
of the people in our sector, meetings with local city councils,
Sheiks, police, contractors and Iraqi National Guard Soldiers, etc.
The days are full and seem to be passing quickly for most. Our Marines
and Sailors have worked hard to improve their billeting spaces with
respect to security and comfort. Except when on patrol, every Marine
has a roof over his head and access to showers and communications
back home at least once a week. Some members of the Battalion are
living better than others, but all who served in Operation Iraqi
Freedom 1 agree that we have it much better than our first visit
to Iraq. Sergeant Major Ed Sax and I get around the Battalion every
day and visit our Marines across our sector to check on their welfare.
Today we walked a 90 minute foot patrol with the Marines of Capt
Tim Jent and 1stSgt Alan Miller's Kilo Company. Temperatures were
around 118F and the patrol departed friendly lines at 1215 in the
midday heat. I can tell you first hand that our Marines and Sailors
are doing a magnificent job performing in conditions like this daily.
The Marines were alert, professional, and friendly when engaging
the locals, especially children. Still, we are in a dangerous place,
and we've had men wounded in action from IEDs and indirect fire
attacks which can occur without warning.
After returning from the patrol, we visited our 81mm Mortar Platoon
and elements of Kilo Company at "Delta Base", a small
fortress reminiscent of a French Foreign Legion movie, that houses
Delta Company of the 505th Iraqi National Guard Battalion. Our 81mm
Mortar Platoon is also our Battalion's Combined Action Platoon (CAP).
The CAP received special language and cultural training for nearly
two months in Camp Pendleton before we departed and is principally
responsible for training and integration of Iraqi Security Forces
here. Our CAP is led by 1stLt Don Toscano and SSgt Nick Fox who,
with their Marines and Sailors, have done an incredible job in one
month building upon the work started by our brothers in the 1st
Bn., 5th Marines. Many of our young Marines have a good basic command
of Arabic, interacting with their Iraqi counterparts on a daily
basis. The Iraqis have proved to be willing pupils and our Marines
are firm but fair with them and lead by example. I still haven't
participated in the acclaimed Iraqi Physical Fitness Training or
"Iraqi PT" but have observed training at different intervals
and have been impressed with their enthusiasm and growing competence.
We all realize that competent Iraqi security forces will enable
the Coalition to leave
Iraq.
The Thundering Third has also found the enemy in a number of small
arms fire engagements, and your Marines from Weapons/George Company
have prevailed on two occasions two date, killing terrorists who
attacked them.
In a recent event, one of our patrols was attacked by an IED and
small arms fire on one of the major roads near Abu Ghraib Prison.
When the patrol halted to establish security, assess the damage,
and attempt to
find the perpetrator, a vehicle pulled out from a side road and
drove at high speed toward one of our dismounted Marines at the
rear of the column.
The Marine jumped out of the way to avoid the car while his buddies
opened fire with their M-16A4 rifles. The nearest heavy machine
gun vehicle could not depress his gun low enough to engage the vehicle,
so the Gunner drew his 9mm sidearm and engaged. Meanwhile, the two
terrorists in the car began firing AK-47s from their windows while
driving toward the column. PFC Urias, manning an M2HB .50 Cal Machine
gun in the next HMMWV back in the column had held his fire as the
enemy vehicle approached because his
brother Marines were in the line of fire. Once the vehicle swerved
to avoid the small arms fire from his buddies, Urias was able to
engage the enemy with a disciplined, and highly accurate 11 round
burst of armor
piercing incendiary tracer fire which immediately detonated and
destroyed the enemy vehicle. His cool actions under fire were in
keeping with the highest traditions of the Thundering Third and
his Commanding Officer, Capt Rob Belknap, and I couldn't be more
proud of his judgment and marksmanship. I am sure that there are
many back home who will share our pride, especially our Weapons
and George Company Families.
Many of you may have seen an newspaper article written about our
India Company Marines and Sailors by a British Journalist, Matthew
McAllester. Mr. McAllester, while very descriptive and at times
complimentary about our Marines and Sailors, portrayed a very defeatist
and adverse spin on our mission here. What really upset me, however,
was the purported negative attitude of our Marines. In his article
he suggested that Marines were angry with the President, that we
were being attacked simply because we're in Kharma, etc. The journalist
oversimplified the challenges here and didn't consider the fact
that we are here to stabilize and train the Iraqi Security Forces
so that the new Iraqi Government can govern and secure its own country
without Coalition Forces. I was particularly disappointed at Mr.
McAllester's tactics of leaving India Company and making an unsolicited
and inappropriate visit to Cpl Webb at the hospital in Baghdad,
interviewing him while drugged, tired, and wounded in his hospital
bed with questions designed to obtain emotional responses. Our mission
here in Iraq is complex and difficult. This is a dangerous place
and every Marine and Sailor in the Thundering Third knew that before
we deployed and is very aware of it every day here in Iraq. Morale
is high across our great Battalion and I want the Families to know
that morale at India Company may be the highest in the Battalion,
as India's Marines and Sailors are doing great things in Kharma.
Progress in this type of warfare is very difficult to gauge, but
our men are making a difference every day and Capt Brett Clark and
his Marines and Sailors have already re-established the Kharma Police
Station, which was unoccupied for some months, have enabled the
Kharma City Council to reconvene their meetings in Kharma, have
helped to create a Kharma Security Council, integrating local tribal
and city leaders, the Iraqi National Guard Company Commander of
Kharma and the Police Chief, and others committed to restoring peace
to this city. As I described above, Kharma is a smaller version
of Fallujah.
> While we've had an uneasy calm of late, we are still finding
IEDs in Kharma and have been fired at with RPGs and small arms fire.
We also killed a terrorist who fired at us with his AK-47 last night.
I wish all
> of you could walk through India Company's firm base and see
and speak with the Marines as SgtMajor Sax and I do. I wish you
could visit the various posts India Company Marines man 24 hours
a day and see how alert, professional and ready they are. I wish
you could observe the India Company Command Post and listen to reports
coming in from the field.
India Company
is doing a magnificent job and is on the point of the spear for
the Thundering Third. Mr. McAllester left his thank you card in
the form of an adverse article published long after he departed
our area... Mr. McAllester is persona non grata - read "not
welcome" at the Thundering Third.
I could continue to write for sometime describing the actions of
your Marines and Sailors but will finish with a few thoughts that
I hope you will appreciate. One is that the equipment we are being
provided to fight this war is good and getting better every day.
While some supplies are finite, the system is getting us what we
need to do the job and I am especially relieved at the effectiveness
of our body and vehicle armor. This protective equipment is saving
lives every day in Iraq and has worked for our men on a number of
occasions already. We have had a number of men wounded here but
most of them have been immediately returned to duty, and those that
have had to be medevaced are expected to fully recover from
> their wounds. Again, this is a dangerous place and all of us
here fully realize this. We are trained to treat ourselves and each
other and we have the best Corpsmen in the 1st Marine Division at
our Battalion Aid Station lled by LT Matt Shepherd and Chief Frank
Dominguez. The Thundering Third is also blessed to have two surgical
units nearby, one at each end of our sector. These surgical units
are a short helicopter flight from Baghdad. As noted above, we have
great facilities nearby...our men are very fortunate.
Yes, this environment is challenging in every way. There are dangerous
people out there trying to do us harm, but there are many more good
people who are relieved by our continued presence. These people
constantly reassure that they are behind what we are doing. Many
of these people havestepped up to assume leadership positions in
the new Iraq at great personal risk to themselves and their families.
The majority of the people we see and speak to however, just seem
to want to get on with their lives and have the fighting stop. We
are working hard by our actions and words to convince this apathetic
majority that our intentions are honorable and that we are anxious
to go home to our families when security is restored
and the new government can operate on its own. Every action we take
each day is oriented on this goal. We have done tremendous things
in the various cities and towns here to improve the lives of the
average Iraqi. Water and electricity projects, gas stations, school
renovations, city buildings, police stations, fire departments,
libraries, handicapped centers, etc. have been built by Iraqi contractors
hired by US Marine
Corps Civil Affairs personnel. We are also working hard to empower
local police forces, the Iraqi National Guard, and the new Iraqi
Army. Our Marines and Sailors are training Iraqi security forces
every day and
seeing steady improvements in their capabilities. We still have
a long way to go but have made significant progress since the Thundering
Third hit the deck here in Iraq just one month ago.
As time permits, I will write again soon. I hope that this update
has provided you with an insight into the Battalion's accomplishments
and progress. In addition to your support for your Marines and Sailors
over
here, I also respectfully ask that you keep the families of our
lost and wounded Marines and Sailors in your thoughts and prayers.
The 3d Bn, 1st Marines honors the sacrifice of Staff Sergeant Trevor
Spink, Sergeant Krisna Nachampassak, Corporal Terry Holmes, and
Private First Class Chris Reed who are gone but never forgotten.
John 15:13 "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay
down his life for his friends."
God Bless and Semper Fidelis,
LtCol Willy Buhl
CO, 3d Bn., 1st Marines
------
June
21
SUBJECT: Don't Over Use the Word Hero;
Call US Americans
"Hero"
is fast becoming one of the most widely used terms in our language.
Since the tragedies of September 11, 2001, you hear it used daily
to describe almost everyone from Police Officers and Firemen to
our Military and even captured civilian contractors. Heroes are
a natural byproduct of tough times, just like cowards and criminals.
When considering the selfless bravery and extreme sacrifice of some
individuals, hero is a wholly appropriate and justified term. However,
my fear is that, over
time, the term may lose the respect and prestige it deserves. There
may be a better and more meaningful way to describe these people.
There is one word that will never lose its power to inspire and
motivate us to be better: American. If you think about it, there
can be no better or more lasting compliment than to be referred
to as an American.
I don't care
what people say about America being hated around the world. I have
been around this world more than once and the more I see of it,
the more I'm proud and thankful I am an American. It's not just
a nationality. It's a deeply held feeling and responsibility to
each other and our way of life. There are many reasons why being
an American is an honor and a privilege, but the solid foundation
that they are built upon is our heritage of heroes. Heroes founded
America. Heroes protected, preserved and developed America into
the greatest country in the history of mankind. Yes, we have our
problems. Widely divergent opinions on almost everything lead to
many heated disagreements. This is a good thing and may be our greatest
asset in this free society. Remember that our founding fathers were
considered traitors when they sought to create this nation based
on individual freedoms. They defined what every American should
be, act and
stand for. The real beauty of today's heroes is the same as it always
has been--the fact that they are normal, everyday people. They aren't
hard to find; you've known them all your life. They are the Firemen
and Policemen you saw in the Memorial Day parade. Or that hyperactive,
snot nosed little monster you watched grow up down the street, who
one day would become a Marine.
They are our
family, friends, co-workers and neighbors. Americans all, good people
of all colors, races and religions, with the same simple dream:
to live free and raise their families in peace, without fear. These
goals may not seem ambitious when compared to material wealth or
fame, but aren't these really the most important things to all of
us in the end? For any of us to realize these dreams requires common
sacrifice from all of us and uncommon sacrifice from a few. But
that's how Americans are. We complain about high gas prices, taxes
and other daily stresses in our lives. But when the time comes,
today's Americans will, as always, step up and do what needs to
be done. How can we not? After all, America is a
nation of heroes. Signed:
Master Gunnery
Sergeant and Ordinance Chief for Marine Aviation Logistics
Squadron 31 at Marine Corps Air Station, Beaufort, SC.
----
June 13
Sue & Susan,
I read the mister
story in the Tribune today and I just wanted to thank you again
for all you two have done for our troops. Sue, after the 1st stories
in the papers last year, I contacted you regarding our son-in-law
Steve H. who is a Apache pilot with the 101st Airborne. Because
of many people working on the project, thousands of soldiers of
the 101st recieved shipments of misty mates and and they were greatly
appreciated.
It just so happens
that Steve, our daughter and their kids are here visiting us from
Ft. Campbell, KY right now. When I showed him the story, he again
expressed his appreciation for your efforts. His words were "we
loved our misty mates" He said they really did make a difference
in the extreme summer heat. They got back in late Jan from a year
in Iraq, but will probalbly have go back again sometime this winter.
Again, thanks
for everything you gals have done and are continuing to do,
Jerry B.
Gilbert, AZ
-----
COMMENTS 2003
Oct.
25
Dear Susan:
Just wanted to send you a note of thanks for your kind gift to the
troops here in the mid-east. Most of the coolers are on the way
up north as we speak. I know that e-mail access is sporadic at best
for the guys and girls up there so I thought I would send a note
of appreciation on their behalf. Anything that makes the situation
more bearable in the heat and stress of Iraq is a godsend. Keep
up the great work.
David
F., SSGT, USAF
5 EAMS/COMM
Camp Wolf
Kuwait City, Kuwait
---------
Oct. 23
I wish to thank you and your generosity from the
bottom of my heart. I am a nurse who helps our troops medically,
but what you have done from back home, far surpasses even my role
over here. The actions which you have taken to support our troops
over here seems monumental in scope. How one person, or a few people,
through just a simple idea can change or affect so many troops is
truly amazing. I wish we all could affect so many others is such
a profound way. The world would be far different if there were more
individuals such as you and your group. Thank you again for helping
us out and thank the other people who are helping you out.
Michael R. R.,
Major,USAFR, NC
Camp Wolf, Kuwait City, Kuwait
----------
Oct. 22
Dear Susan and Sue,
Thanks for the Cool Misters they are a God send. You have made a
lot of
people happy here with your kind gesture. Please send our thanks
to everyone involved with your project. You have made a difference
in the lives of many Americans here in the heat and we all appreciate
it very much. Once again thank you and God bless you.
Yours Truly,
Gerry
Capt. Gerald A. M., USAFR, NC
379th EAES/MASF/KCIA
Camp Wolf, Kuwait City, Kuwait
APO AE 09336
----
Oct. 11
Hi,
I just wanted
to thank you for all your efforts in supporting the troops. Them
men working for me received your PMD's yesterday and are greatly
benefiting from them. We work transportation at an Air base in Kuwait,
my operators are out in the blowing sand and heat most of the day,
what a comfort these little devices have brought to us. I wish you
good luck in your quest.
TSgt Curtis
NCOIC Vehicle Operations
"We move mountains,
... one Rock at a time"
----
Ladies,
I just want to let you know how thankful we are
for the great products you have sent us so we can stay cool. It
sure does get hot out here. More than that, the actions you took
to make this happen really reflects your care and support for us
and what we are doing.
On behalf of the 5th Expeditionary Communications
Flight, I can't thank you enough for your gifts to make our lives
a little better.
We really appreciate it. You both are Great Americans.
Very Respectfully,
Chris W.
CHRISTOPHER
W., Lt.Col, USAFR
Commander, 5EAMS/Comm Flt
--------
10 Oct.
Hi,
I just wanted to thank you for all your efforts in supporting the
troops. The men working for me received your PMD's yesterday and
are greatly benefiting from them. We work transportation at an Air
base in Kuwait, my operators are out in the blowing sand and heat
most of the day, what a comfort these little devices have brought
to us. I wish you good luck in your quest.
TSgt C.
NCOIC Vehicle Operations
----
9-11
9-11 Tribute from Marines in Iraq, click
here
-----
9-9
....from
a soldier's wife..
I wanted to let you know that my husband
recieved the misty mates you sent
this is what he said
" I recieved
these 2 HUGE boxes of misty mates sharon,they are AWESOME.They work
so good,Please get ahold of these people.Tell them THANK YOU!"
I thought you would like to know what he said.You
could hear the excitement
in his voice..
Sharon
-----
8-29
Sue,
This update is awesome! God is truly blessing this effort! He's
awesome! I'm so glad that he's got you guys on his team!.....
Please
let folks there know that we are behind our President and the military
leaders. We know we have a long road ahead of us. That's the Price
of Freedom we are all willing to pay for our families and for the
men
and women before us who gave us that freedom. We'll be home soon
enough and our fellow brothers and sisters will be here to carry
the torch for us. Hopefully this will all end soon, but it just
keeps getting worse.
I'm
signing off now! I hope you are having a great weekend. I didn't
even know there was a holiday, since the days all seem the same!
Kind of like the movie "Ground Hog Day". It's always good
to have Sunday service though. That tells us we had another week
down and we can thank God for what he's given us! I'm living so
much better than Desert Storm! I don't think it could get any better
than this...
Have
a great day and God Bless!
Your
friend,
Captain Kevin K.
----
8-16
Good morning from An Najaf, Iraq
All our Marines
received one [personal mister] and they are being put to good use;
especially during this latest heat wave (beautiful timing). Sue,
you are a great American! How incredibly thoughtful and
kind you are for not only thinking of us, but for doing something
so substantial and significant; something that has materially affected
the morale of our men. Your selfless act is a direct reflection
of what makes America great and reaffirms the reasons we so proudly
serve our country. I want to personally thank YOU for the initiative
you undertook and for caring so much for the many that still remain
in country. It is for Americans like you that we so proudly serve
our great nation. On behalf of the Marines, sailors, and soldiers
that serve with us here, I extend my most sincere thanks and appreciation.
Semper fidelis,
Major Rick H.
(name withheld)
Executive Officer
First Battalion, Seventh Marines
3221-175
"Who dares wins"
------
8-12
UNITED STATES
MARINE CORPS
1st Battalion, 7th Marines
1st Marine Division (Rein), FMF
Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center box 788261
Twentynine Palms, California 92278-8261
10 Aug 2003
My name is Sergeant Major Henry E, B (name witheld). I am the Battalion
Sergeant Major for First Battalion, Seventh Marines. I am writing
to inform you that we have recently received your generous donation
of Misty Mate's and would like to take this opportunity to thank
you, and all involved, for the outstanding display of patriotism
you all have shown through this unselfish act. It had a very positive
impact on the morale of the Marines off this battalion and is a
very welcomed asset in assisting our Marines in dealing with the
high temperatures in this region of the world. Enclosed is a letter
which summarizes our feelings. Please pass this response to all
involved. It would mean a lot to us to know that those who supported
us were acknowledged accordingly.
SERVING WITH PRIDE
H. E. B. (name witheld)
Battalion Sergeant Major
To the Citizens of the
United States,
On behalf of the Marine's of First Battalion, Seventh Marines, First
Marine Division, Twentynine Palms, California, we would like to
take this opportunity, to thank all of you for your thoughts and
your prayers. Since our arrival in Iraq, we have received numerous
cards, letters and packages from the wonderful citizens and children
of the United States. These cards, letters and packages were greatly
appreciated and had a very positive impact on the morale of your
Marines. Although we have gone through great lengths to ensure each
received a proper reply, at times we were extremely busy and may
have been unable to respond. The intent of this correspondence is
to ensure that we have expressed our grateful appreciation to each
and every one of you for your outstanding show of support for these
fine young men.
While staged in Kuwait,
our Marines were concerned with public opinion.
Leaders were constantly asked about the pulse of the citizens back
in the United States. At the time, things looked pretty grim. There
were many Americans opposing the war and news of large protests
broadcast on the BBC daily. Celebrities were using their status
and making a charge of opposition. Our Marines were seeing the makings
of another Vietnam and were not looking forward to the experience.
Then the polls turned from negative to positive, and the news of
such was passed throughout the battalion. At this point, the morale
of our Marines went up significantly. Then came the cards, letters
and packages. The enemy did not stand a chance. America was now
united and headed towards Baghdad.
Prior to the beginning of hostilities, we were certain that the
Marines of this battalion were an extremely confident and capable
fighting force. Having seen them in action, we can assure you that
your Marines have performed above and beyond our highest expectations.
During the early stages of the war, they continuously found themselves
in some very dangerous and challenging situations. In every case,
they responded with the confidence, courage and determination necessary
to defeat the enemy forces. Their collective performance and sacrifices
have demonstrated to the Iraqi people that as United States Marines,
there could be no better friend (for those who wished peace) yet,
no worst enemy (for those who chose war). It was this mentality
that contributed greatly to achieving such an overwhelming success
in such a short duration of time. We cannot tell you how proud we
are to have had the honor and privilege of serving with the Marines
and Sailors of this battalion. They are superb Americans who represented
their country very well.
Our ability
to return these men safely back to their families and loved ones
upon our return was the ultimate goal of this battalion. Through
the grace of God, which we believe was in the response to your prayers,
we have not lost a single member of this command. Unfortunately,
some of our sister battalions and sister services were not so fortunate.
On behalf of this battalion, we offer them and their families our
deepest and most sincere condolences. They were brave Americans
who served their country honorably. They will be missed. May God
be with them and may they rest in peace.
The major hostilities
have now ended. Although the Marines are anxious to return home
and reunite with their loved ones, they continue to remain focused
and understand the importance of their current mission. The focus
of this mission is the stabilization of the country of Iraq. In
support of this mission, our Marines continue to patrol the streets
ensuring the safety of the Iraqi people and the potential success
of the Iraqi communities. The Marines continue to hunt down and
apprehend resistance forces whose sole intent is to disrupt the
current stability that has already been achieved within most major
cities. Importantly, they repair schools, government facilities
and restore basic utilities in order for the Iraqi people to return
to an acceptable standard of living. Although most of these tasks
are not combat related, these requirements are no less important
in achieving a smooth transition towards peace and democracy.
We understand
that back in the United States, there has been some negative publicity
in reference to the acceptance of our presence by the Iraqi people.
We personally have not experienced this. Although there are some
individuals who do not welcome our presence, the vast majority of
the people are extremely happy that we remained committed to their
cause and grateful for their newly found freedoms. We base this
assessment not on news reports, but on the daily contact we have
had with the local population. The children here are extremely pleasant
and happy. They run towards the streets with big smiles on their
faces just to wave hello to the Marines as they drive by in hopes
that their waves will be returned and their presence acknowledged.
They often crowd around the patrolling Marines seeking autographs
or just a chance to say "hello" close and personal. Personal
touch is far more significant in their culture than it is ours.
A simple handshake is all it takes to make their day complete. They
will usually return for many more. The little girls offer the Marines
flowers as a sign of affection and gratitude. Although the Marines
are pleased with the fact that they have brought so much happiness
to the people of Iraq, for them, it is a very humbling experience.
Iraqi men of
all ages engage the Marines in conversation on a daily basis while
women stand in doorways waving and smiling or offering them a cold
drink of water or a shot of Iraqi tea. Grown men will shake your
hand and, with tears in their eyes, thank us for freeing their nation
while offering us their blessings. Once tight lipped, they now speak
freely of the horrific years under Sadaam. In the past, they would
have had their tounges removed for such statements. With this restriction
eliminated, today's typical phrases are "Down with Saddam",
"We love U.S.A", "We love you", and yes, "We
love George Bush". Just recently we were honored to see "WE
THANK U.S.A" written in large letters and repeated three times
on a wall in the streets of An Najaf. Contrary to some reports,
the request we most often receive from the Iraqi people is that
we not leave. Some still believe that should we leave, Sadaam (who
is now the Iraqi "boogie man") will reappear and destroy
them. We continue to reassure them that Sadaam will never and can
never return to power.
The Iraqi people
that we have had the pleasure of meeting are generally very good
people. Although they have no desire to be a United States, they
are very open to the ideals of democracy. The country of Iraq is
beautiful and rich in resources. With the implementation of an honest
government and under a democratic rule, they have the potential
of becoming a prosperous and peaceful nation.
How could this
have all happened in such a short period of time? Based on your
heartwarming cards and letters, it could easily be assumed to be
our actions and ours alone. The truth of the matter is that this
success can be attributed to you, the American people. For it is
the support of the American people from which our Marines draw their
will to fight and their determination to win. When their country
calls upon them, with the support of the people, Marines will give
the ultimate sacrifice before they let them down. Failure is not
an option and retreat is a place to get away and take a long deserved
break. Neither are considerations for combat!!!
As stated in
some of your cards and letters, our Marines have performed heroically
and with pride however, even we have heroes and we would like to
acknowledge some of ours:
First to our Commander and Chief, the Honorable Mr. George W. Bush
who stood up when many others sat down. He demonstrated outstanding
leadership at a time when diplomacy had failed. Mr. President, we
are proud to have served under your command and prouder yet to be
Americans. God bless you and God bless the United States of America.
We thank those who have served before us for all they have given
us. You have left us with a legacy and a reputation that intimidated
and cowered most of the enemy forces before we ever met on the battlefield.
For those who did not believe in this reputation, we convinced them
once we engaged!!!
Word spread fast and because of this, many lives were saved. Thank
you!!!
We only hope that we lived up to your expectations.
Semper Fidelis!!!!
Last but surly
not the least are the American people who stood behind our President
and their military in support of a difficult global decision. During
this crisis, the world needed a leader and in typical fashion, the
American people showed them one! Now the war has ended and the Iraqi
people are free to show their gratitude, you can take comfort in
knowing that "It was the right decision". While patrolling
the streets of Iraq, we do not see or hear any thing like, "We
love Marines", God Bless Marines, or "Thank you Marines".
What we hear and see is, "We Love America", and "THANK
YOU U.S.A.". Remember, "America is us". So tonight
before you go to bed, take a look in the mirror, take a moment for
yourself, understand the impact you have made on the lives of the
Iraqi people and pat yourself on the back. You have an admirer.
In fact you have 174,000 of them. You are our heroes!!! Our men
may not be celebrities and they may not have a celebrity status,
but they are United States Marines who serve in the forces, which
keep our country free. They are willing to give their lives in its
defense and in our opinion, you can't beat that!!!
Once again,
we would like to thank you all for your patriotism, unselfishness
and overwhelming support. May other countries take notice. The United
States of America will not be threatened, intimidated, nor will
they shirk their international responsibilities. They will retaliate
when necessary and it will be costly. BECAUSE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
SAY SO!!!!!
God bless each of you
and God bless the United States of America.
Christopher
C. C.(name witheld)
Henry E. B.(name witheld)
Lieutenant Colonel
Sergeant Major
United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
Commanding Officer
Battalion Sergeant Major
FIRST TEAM
------
8-10
Excerpt from letter home:
i
recieved my Misti Mate personal misting system today, they sent
like 8 of them so basically all the CW2's are cool and refreshed
and enjoying temperature up 30 degrees cooler. they are neat, they
have a little clip on the hose so mine is clipped to the front of
my fan (sent by someone who loves me) and i am enjoying cooler refreshing
temperatures as i type this email.
-Steve,
stationed in IRAQ (submitted by Michele)
Excerpts
from a letter written in July by a soldier in the 101st:
Lots of you
are asking about the weather. The heat is, well, hot. But it isn't
the heat that is the killer as much as the equipment we wear. By
the time you take a bullet proof vest, add plates to make it more
bullet proof, 2 quarts of water, between 180 & 600 bullets (depending
on the type of weapon you carry), two hand grenades, 1 or 2 radios
(depending on how many different groups of people you need to talk
to), and little stuff like compass, flashlight, first aid dressings,
night vision goggles, smoke grenades, whistle, etc; the vest can
easily weigh 50 lbs or more. And it does a great job of holding
in the heat, as does the helmet we wear. That's what makes the heat
miserable.
We do the best
we can to avoid going out during the hottest part of the day but
we can't give the bad guys any quarter to operate so we are still
out there a little. The locals really quiet down in the afternoon,
due to the heat. We drink lots of water; between 4 and 10 liters
a day depending on our level of activity that day. (That's why we
crave drink mixes because after two or three liters of water you
really need some flavor. I try to drink one liter and a half bottle
of mixed stuff for every one or two pure waters I drink.) We find
Gatorade and sports mixes are the best with Kool-aid in second place.
We (the U.S. Army) is drinking so much water that the bottled water
companies can't keep up with demand. I have seen labels from 5 different
companies on our bottled water. And we have experienced temporary
shortages where we had to drink the chemically purified water that
the army makes (ugh).
What ever you
are hearing in the news, we did need to come here and depose Saddam.
For those who claim that we can't find the "smoking gun"
reason; I submit when I was huddled in a shelter in Kuwait, with
my gas mask on, waiting for our Patriot to kill the SCUDS headed
our way or for them to hit, is all the violation of international
law that we needed to justify this trip. Add to that the squalor
and deprivation that we found the people here were unnecessarily
living under and I say that us coming here was and is a good thing.
So much for my soap box.
That last one
is the most important. During the war portion of this
operation we met very little resistance. Even though they were there
they did not fight. I am sure that this was due to the prayers that
were protecting us. Even now, our opposition seems to be hampered
more that we can take credit for. So keep the prayers coming.
Soldier in the
101st (name withheld for security reasons) |
