Thursday, February 14, 2008

Some GREAT News!!!

Ok well it has definatly been a little bit since I posted last. Theres several factors that have played in to this. Part of it is from my time spent out at the outpost where once again Blogger is blocked. No suprise there tho. Also as I'm sure many of you all have probably heard, there was some communications cable that was cut in the Mediterranian Sea (I believe?) that has severly affected our communications. The internet at the cafes have been ridiculously slow and the phones have had a horrible connection. Also the internet has been down in my building for several weeks and with our re-deployment nearing, I decided to not worry about it and just wont have internet in my room for the rest of my time here. This means I am forced to use the SLOW internet cafes. I have been to the computers a LOT in the last week, but I've been primarily dealing with one thing; Bringing Charlie (our dog)home!

Well again if you check my other site dedicated to Charlie I will have more in depth details, but basically as of right now, Charlie has been picked up from the outpost, transported to BIAP, flown to Kuwait and has been on his 13 hour non-stop flight to America for almost 12 hours now. So here very shortly, he should be finally landing in the good old USA!! I can't believe that it has finally happened and I'm so excited that he's about to be back and I can't wait to see him again back home. Pretty cool to think his little paws will touch American soil for the first time on Valentines day!!

So with that said, there has been much going on around here lately. Not so much mission wise and out in sector, but with our re-deployment. We are VERY VERY close to getting out of here and so things are being taken care of and preped and getting ready to go home. It almost doesn't feel real. After 14 months of being here, the time to go home is SO close, but it still doesn't feel like its happening, despite all the work that we are doing to get ready to go. I wish I could tell yall when, but for the sake of OPSEC you'll just have to wait to find out. :)

One thing that was notable that happened about a week or so ago was that in one of the markets in our sector a female suicide bomber was blown up killing dozens of people. It has been very rare to have an incident take place in the markets anymore and I hope it does not shake the Iraqi people feeling of security and their resolve to go about their lives. From what I had heard of it, the lady was mentally handicapped and that she was unknowingly strapped with explosives and then detonated by someone else. How cowardly and pathetic is that, for them to exploit someone who has no clue whats going on. It sickens me to think they would do something like that, and I feel for that woman and her family, as well as those who were killed in the blast. I can only hope that this is a very isolate incident and that this does not turn in to a trend.

Lately we have been doing a lot of work with the CLC (Concerned Local Citizens) group with getting them prepared to handle things on their own. I don't think we've officially told them that we're going, but they all know. All the IP (Iraqi Police) and IA (Iraqi Army) know and I'm sure most people out there know. We've been here for a while and I'm sure they catch the news about 15 months and all that, so I'm sure it's no suprise that we are going to be going. But like I said, we've been working very closely with the CLC to help train them. We have had them come to the outpost and we give them clases on basic stuff like searching vechicles and the very basics of patrolling. Not to mention that we have done a whole slew of combined dismounted patrols with them. I think they have the potential to go good things for the area and I hope that after we leave that they continue to work with the new unit and the IP and IAs to ensure that this little slice of Baghdad stays safe. They have been a big help and I hope they help to ease the transition to the Iraqi security control.

Well that is about all for now. I am going to try and update more often, considering the last couple posts have been spread out, but if I can't as often as I like, know that I am doing good, and probably busy getting ready to finally leave this country and return the good and wonderful USA!!


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13 comments:

Nixon said...

FYI, there's currently an investigation ongoing against one of the administrators at the Al-Rashad Psychiatric Hospital in Baghdad as to whether he "provided" the mentally-handicapped women to the terrorists that used them as suicide bombers. That's cool you're out of here soon. Travel safe, keep us posted.

SYLKY said...

WOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! Nuff said! I've been counting down the days. See ya soon, bro... and your little dog too, LOL

Happy Valentine's Day, Eddie Munster!
<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

And on behalf of a certain somebody, I'll say: "Bom chikka wah wahhhh!"

Heeheehee. Lubs ya!

NC SoldiersAngel said...

Yay! For you and Charlie...be safe..we're counting down the days homey! ;) haha!

MUAH!!!

membrain said...

You're a good man, Eddie and a fine Soldier. Congratulations with respect to Charlie and I hope you get home as smoothly as possible.

Anonymous said...

Congrats in finally being able to get Charlie home! What a great Valentine's Day story...hope your boots soon follow Charlie's paws home. Stay safe and keep blogging!

cajenki said...

Hey Ed - just wanted you to know I checked out ABC News in Washington DC and Charlie made it there safe and sound.... and ABC 15 news interviewed me today at work... I was on the 5pm news here talking about you and Charlie!! Love you so much -- can't wait for both of you to get home!!

Anonymous said...

Darn Eddie, you were worrin' me. Glad all is well and that is super news about Charlie. Stay safe Bud.
mamaworecombatboots

Anonymous said...

There's a story on MSNBC and the Washington Post on Charlie.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23173443/

Thanks for all your work and keeping us safe!

David M said...

The Thunder Run has linked to this post in a blog post From the Front 02/15/2008 Due to lax posting this week I’m bringing you ALL of the front line posts for the week today in a separate post. Grab a cup of coffee and enjoy.

Anonymous said...

Great news on Charlie! Even better news when we hear you are on U.S. soil. Hope the days pass by quickly!
Cathy B

PC Wang said...

great to know that Charlie has finally made it, i'm glad everything turned out good. And hope you and all the soldiers out there can be home soon!

Brian H said...

About the CLCs etc.: is there another unit replacing you? Is there a transition/handoff involved? Or is the area being totally turned over to Iraqi control/management?

Brian H said...

Sylky;
About your <3 icons: someone has researched the source of the "heart" shape, and it turns out not to be a heart at all. Think nice, plump buttocks ...

8-0 !

;-)