4/13/07

Yesterday it was announced on the news that all troops currently in this theater of combat will be extended for 3 months.

All those scheduled to come over in the coming weeks will now serve 15 month tours.

It is sad because it seems all these extentions these soldiers get are heard about on the news, before their unit commanders get a chance to tell them.

Or they even hear about them by their loved ones at home first, and that just sucks.

I have been subtlety fishing for reaction on this news and as I expected, I have received mixed responses.

Those who are not married, or have girlfriends merely say, "well more pay for me coming", as there are several additions to their pay for serving here in a combat zone.

Some with families, might as well have had a stake driven thru their heart.

They have already missed moments with their children, holidays, anniversaries, etc. However, each and everyone will tell you they are patriots first. They signed on that dotted line, and will make whatever sacrifices they need to make.

No matter how painful they may personally be for them...or their families.

I witnessed yesterday, the pain and frustration I saw in the faces of those that had just found out the news of this 3 month extention.

I know everyone I meet here is someone's son, brother, sister, husband or wife. I know everyone I see has someone, somewhere, that loves them. They are all of our country's Sons and Daughters.

So you can trust me as sure as you can your next breath. I will watch out for them for you from my vantage point. And do whatever I can, to my last breath.

Be it a need, little or big, to get them thru this time.

We also learned today of the attack in the so called "heavily fortified" Green Zone, or International Zone.

I was in the Green Zone last July for a mere 24 hours, and in that short time, there were 3 mortar attacks.

The day before I arrived there, 2 civilian contractors were killed by a rocket attack.

This attack today, occurred in the cafeteria of the Parliament building. When I heard of it, I immediately flashed back to the backpack bomb that exploded here on this camp in the DFAC, (Dining Facility), a couple years ago. That time it killed more than 20 soldiers and civilian contractors, and wounded many more. It happened right in the middle of lunch when the DFAC is the busiest.

The Green Zone is supposed to be one of the safest places in this country...but as today proves...there is no safe place...at all...in this country.

Any moment could very well be your last.

Everyone here knows that deep down. Whether your area of operation is outside or inside the wire. It seems though, no one allows that thought to paralyze them and continues on with the mission at hand.

Today we received this, (unclassified), report today:

Current Threat Information:
It is reported that children are going to be used to carry back pack bombs. Reports state that the children will approach vehicle carrying CF over a period of time and when the CF get lax the back pack bomb will be introduced and detonated by an observer at another location.
Reports indicate that 4-5 tons of explosives have been brought in to eastern Mosul to be used in the building of VBIEDs and IEDs.

Which means every soldier out on the road is going to be looking at children like never before, and will be scared to so much as give any of them a piece of candy that would bring them closer to their vehicles....

...and what kind of human could use a child in this manner...

This is the mentally, of what has to be dealt with here...

Beyond sadness I can only say...the devil is alive and well here