Weapons Qualification - Iraq 2003

Weapons Qualification

Letter home

This is a portion of a letter our Soldier sent his mom and we got today.


"We haven't done anything to dangerous up to this point. The worst thing we've had to do is escort a wrecker (tow truck) into Samara that we have been watching. A Stryker drove through and hit an IED (Improvised Explosive Device) which is basically a home made bomb. It blew up underneath the vehicle and tore it's engine out. The driver was the only one hurt, he broke his leg in the explosion.

"We escorted the wrecker into Samara and guarded it while it hooked up. Then we had to tow it out of the city while it was still burning. The fire drew a huge crowd and they were throwing rocks at us. Some of the guys had to fire warning shots to keep the crowd calm.

"We drove in from Kuwait when we first arrived and along the way we had to fuel up (it's a long way). We stopped just before Baghdad to fuel up and there were a bunch of kids asking for candy and trying to sell us things. I threw candy and a little girl, probably about 8 or 9 years old, gave me a Dinar so I gave her a dollar. By the way, 2000 dinar is about a dollar US. I'm not sure of the spelling but her name was something like Arawa-a. She learned English in her school and spoke it pretty well.

"These kids were barefoot and they live in mud huts. They are very very poor and whole families live together - mom, dad, grandparents, uncles, aunts - the whole works. They walk miles to school and they also help with all the farm work at home.

"These people farm by hand, they irrigate with little ditches next to the rows of crops and fill the ditches by hand from the river using old old buckets. They don't have shovels, hoes or any other farm equipment.

"It gets cold here at night, not as cold as home, but then I have to sleep outside.

"I have to prep for tonight's mission so I have to stop writing."

First Communication

His girlfriend called us to let us know that she has recieved a couple letters from him. Now we have his correct address. The "zip" code was wrong. Two numbers had been transposed.

Our first care package is almost ready to send. Now we know it will get into the right hands.

Samarra, Iraq

Samarra, Iraq

News is sparse

The waiting is agony. We knew even before he left that communications - at least at first - would be sparse. We knew that he probably wouldn't contact us until the Brigade had settled into it's new home - where ever that may be.

The Brigade has lost three so far. Two Strykers rolled over into an irrigation ditch earlier this month and three men were killed.

We pray each and every day that our son stays safe...

Samarra Surveillance

December 16th, 2003 - Samarra, Iraq

Scouts from the Stryker Brigade's 1st Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment put the city of Samarra under 24 hour surveillance several days ago while brigade commanders put the finishing touches on their plan to shut down the city.

Scout Troops are cordoning off avenues of escape and searching vehicles as they enter and leave the city. Mobile units are sweeping designated sectors alert for movements of men and material. Over watch units are maintaining surveillance over key areas of the cities fringes. alert for suspicious movements, day and night.

You Can't Understand

If you're not in love with a soldier, you don't know what it's like to say a final good-bye.
You don't know what it really means to be glued to the television.
You don't understand fear and you can't possibly understand the sleepless nights and endless crying wondering if you will ever see the love of your life alive again.

If you're not in love with a soldier, you can't know the immense joy, the uncontrollable smile, or the butterflies in your stomach when you see your soldier again.
You can't ever really understand self-control.
You don't know what it's like to have that second "first kiss" or what it's like to experience puppy love all over again, and again.

If you're not in love with a soldier, you can't truly understand how to make every moment count because you never know when you'll hear his voice again.

If you're not in love with a soldier, you can never really understand how very delicate life is!

College Visit

My wife and I decided to spend a weekend with his fiance. We drove up to Fargo after work and checked into the hotel. I had asked her if she wanted to stay with us or go back to the dorm each night. She jumped at the chance to stay in the hotel.

We had a great time. Shopping, going out to eat. She even stopped at the salon in the mall to have her hair trimmed.

Saturday evening we were sitting in the hotel watching the news. Iraq dominated the top of the half hour. His girl was sprawled out on her bed watching with us. She reached up and wiped a tear from her face.

I asked her what was wrong. She said that she was upset about her hair cut - it hadn't turned out like she had wanted it to.

I'm not too sure... But my thought is, it wasn't the hair cut that had her upset.

Rear View Mirror

This is too close for comfort, isn't it Saddam?

Rear View Mirror

Return To Sender - Address Unknown

Oh man! There's something wrong with the address we were given. We've had a letter come back "return to sender". His fiance has had several, nearly a dozen, letters come back as well. Needless to say she's more than a little upset. I've called the Fort and talked to someone at a desk someplace. I've emailed an address I found on the Internet. None of the "new" information is any different than the "old" information.

Now all we can do is wait until he sends us something so that we know the correct address.

Dec 7th - A Day That Will Live in Infamy

How ironic.

Or maybe it was planned this way. The Brigade LD'ed into Iraq today. The boys are on their way - guess I can't call them "boys" from this point on. They are men and they are Soldiers. They'll never be considered boys again...

Map of Iraq - Points of Interest

Map Of Iraq