Disappointed

I realize that sensational news sells, and that death sells in the media. I can understand that a story about a middle eastern city in which there are American troops stationed rioting and some of those rioters dying is a story. What I can't understand is why the media hates the US military so much.

I say this because there was an incident today in the city of Jalalabad where there was reports of American military personnel firing (according to some news agencies) into the crowds and according to others firing into the air and the leaving. If they had stuck around to find out what really happened they would have known that there was absolutely no American military personnel downtown where there rioting was taking place. It disappoints me that the news our families are is news that isn't accurate and news which serves only to scare our loved ones.

There are many things that happen in this country (as well as Iraq) that are never reported because they don't have "shock value." It is a sad day when the opening of an all girls school (which in one day has 6000 girls in attendence) in a country that no more than 4 years ago didn't allow girls to attend school can't make the news, especially when the only reason the school was opened was because the American military and contractors paid and protected the people who built it. In one year I have seen my share of nastiness, but I have also seen girls smile who have never smiled before. Kids going to school where there was no school before. Farmers growing crops where before there was nothing but barren rock because they now have an irrigation system and new wells. There are so many things, good things, that have been done here and it is all trashed by one account of careless reporting. I am truly disappointed and frankly disgusted at the news media over all of this. But hey, that is just one soldier's opinion of what I see and have to experience in a city I have spent a year of my life in. Take it for what it is worth.

Well we are finally packing all of our stuff for shipment home. It is a very strange feeling to be getting to the point where I am almost done with this journey. It seems like yesterday that I stepped off of the Blackhawk that brought me to J-bad and got my first good look at my new home for a year. At first glance it wasn't much, but we have built a pretty darn nice base in a year.

As I sit here I think how next month around this time our replacements are going to be showing up to take over our PRT and our missions here. I know (like every other soldier that is ever replaced on a base or on a mission) that I will probably look at the new guys coming in with trepidation and a little bit of snobbiness. In my opinion those thoughts and feelings are normal. I have spent a year of my life far from my family and friends with people trying to hurt me and my friends (maybe not everyday, but often enough). I am sure that some from the unit that replaces us will have been deployed before, but the majority are going to be soldiers that are either new to the army or new to that unit and have never been too far from home before. Hopefully the transition will be smooth.

Anyway, on to happier thoughts. I am very excited to come "home" to a new house! I am very happy with the choice that Emily and I made and I am sure we are going to love it. It is a nice two story brick home with an area downstairs that I can take over! I just can't wait to get back to my wife, family and friends. I am sure there are going to be times when it is "hard" being home (adjusting to civilian life) but I am looking forward to those challenges because I know I will be home!

Well, in closing I just want to say thank you again to all those that have been so supporting (not only of me, but also Emily) in my journey through this and have kept me going with letters, packages, pictures and so many kind words. I can't wait to see you all when I am home!

So far, so good...

As I write this blog, I currently (unofficially of course) I have 71 days left in the country of Afghanistan. I am extremely excited to be this close to coming home and can't wait to see my family and friends. It is going to be strange to be home again after being away for so long.

There have been many things that I have missed in the lives of my loved ones as well as having missed so much in my hometown. Going back to work will be hard I am sure, but I can't wait to get back on the streets.

I do want to take the opportunity to thank all those that have supported me in my journey in this country. At times it has been hard, but I think we are all going to be much closer and the times we do spend together sweeter when I am home.

I want to put out a word to my guys that are in Iraq...keep your heads down, powder dry and when everyone else is shooting, make sure you are shooting the same direction! See you boys soon and take care of each other.

Again it has been quite awhile since I last posted anything. Since my last post I have been home and returned to Afghanistan. Being home was awesome, though entirely way too short. I didn't get to see half the people I wanted to, but everyone I did get a chance to spend some time with I truly enjoyed.

I was extremely happy to be able to be home over the holidays. I was able to spend Christmas with my immediate family (in-laws included) and New Years with my wife. I loved every minute of it. It has also given me an entirely different outlook on what the holidays really mean. For me the holidays had always been a time when I was anxious about trying to get the perfect gift for everyone on my list and trying to make sure I had enough money to do so. I was worried about all the little things surrounding the holidays: long lines, traffic, parking, etc. Any more I really don't care about any of those little things.

I really hope that everyone had a good holiday this year. My one wish is that everyone is able to just appreciate the things we have and the people in our lives. Take nothing for granted and live life to its fullest.

Been a while

I wanted to throw up a post because I realize it has been quite some time since my last one. Since my last post there have been a lot of things happening. The best of which was the fact that I was able to go home for two weeks and be with my family and friends during the holiday season.

For someone in my position, being able to spend the holiday's with loved ones will never be taken for granted ever again. I have a lot of buddies that were not able to spend that time with their families or even call them on the special days. Most of the them were continuing on with missions, guard duty, or other routine crap that we all have to put up with over here.

To all those that I was able to see and spend some time with, I really appreciate the warm wishes and good times we were able to spend together. To those that I was unable to see while being home, I am extremely sorry that I was unable to do so. Two weeks really isn't a lot of time and I must say that the wife and family come first. And besides, we are going to have one hell of a party when I get back for good!

While I was home though, there were many things that were thrown into very sharp relief. I would go to the mall with my wife and I would over hear conversations about all the little worries in someone's life. I really think, as Americans, we have become too enthralled in the fact that we expect the world to revolve around us, that we loose perspective of what is truly important every day. I would hear parents yelling at kids, spouses arguing with each other over something stupid and simple. We should never get too wrapped up in what we are doing, going, or thinking to ever forget to say "I love you" to our spouses, children, parents, etc. There are so many things that can happen in life to take away the opportunity to say those things forever.

Basically my point it try to see the world as a whole and appreciate that sacrafices others are making to make sure you are living in one of, if not the greatest, nation on earth. People working minimum wage jobs to provide services for others and hoping only to have enough money to buy something for their children on Christmas.

Take care of each other and this can turn out to be a wonderful world.

Thank you

I just wanted to post a thank you in light of Veterans Day yesterday.

As anyone who has visited this site knows, I come from a military family. I am not going to go into all of it again, but I do want to say a couple of things. First, I want to say thank you for all of the men and women who served before me. They laid the ground work for one of the most professional and well trained militaries in the world. They laid the ground work with their blood, tears, and sweat. That is a debt that will never be fully repaid by this country or the people who live in it.

Secondly, I want to say thank you to all the men and women who now serve with me. In our countries time of trouble, I am reassured with the knowledge that I am not alone in the fight. I have heard many people (before coming here) say that my generation is a generation that is all about the quick fix, the easy solution, what's in it for me. To that I say they are partly right. In my life I have known many people my own age that care nothing about anything outside themselves. In light of all that, as I look around my PRT I see young men my own age that are here because we chose to serve something greater than ourselves, our families, and our friends.

Third, I want to thank all those that will serve after my time has ended. I am encouraged by the younger generations that are coming up behind me. These are the children that lived with 9/11 from a child's perspective. These kids are going to remember exactly how it felt on that day. They will remember the images as a child remembers. I am very excited to see what direction this country takes in their hands.

Lastly, I want to thank all those that have supported me in my journey so far. There is no way I could have done many of the things I have done in my life without the support of my family and friends. They are a life line that I cherish and use everyday.

Be good to each other and remember, the little things make life fun, but the important things define it.

For real

Things have just gotten seriously real. As anyone who has ever seen this blogger before knows, I am serving a tour in Afghanistan. When it is all said and done I will probably be here for just over a year.

Before now, there have been little steps letting me know that I really am in a combat zone and not just in a bad dream. The first being my having to endure a long and painful "send off" ceremony back home in Davenport. I knew then as I loaded onto the chartered bus that took us to Des Moines that I was really being asked to serve my community and my country.

Once in Des Moines, it was taken a step further as our pre-mobilization training was concluded and we were finally heading out to Ft. Hood, Tx to suffer through 3 months of more training. Arriving on to that post will be an experience I will never forget. Seeing everything, as a kid, you imagine is on an Army post and more. Apache helicopters flying overhead, tanks moving about. It was a pretty awakening experience.

Then came the departure from Ft. Hood. I thought I was ready at that point, but somewhere during the journey over here, I found out that somewhere deep in the furthest recesses of my mind, part of me wasn't. We touched down into Bagram Air Field and all the sounds and smells of "war" were finally experienced. Or so I thought.

After Bagram came arriving at my PRT site. The base that I would be operating out of, living in and protecting for the next year. It started to really set in. Soon after I arrived in J-bad, I went on my first real mission "outside the wire." That night we were attacked by insurgents in a near by village using rockets and automatic rifles. We responded well, quickly and efficiently and none of our people got hurt. Further attacks have gotten me to the point where I respond instantly and trust my instincts more than anything.

Now, though, something has really happened to bring it all together. My task force has lost its first soldier after months of being lucky, quick and trained. I can't say what happened exactly, but this soldier was killed and two others were seriously wounded, one losing part of his arm. I didn't really know the guys that were hurt, but they were in my Task Force and wore the same patch. They were from the same state and people from our state are very big on family. These guys were brothers-in-arms and they fought for something they loved. I can't express my sorrow for the families in any adequte way, other to say that the prayers of every soldier from this PRT are with them.

When you are young (as you know I am only 24) you have thoughts that you are invincible. I don't care what your age is at the time you have to go to war, but when you get here you are no longer a "kid" and once something like this happens, all sense of invincibility is gone. Soldiers die young and unfortunately it seems like in today's society they are never appreciated by the people that should really be thankful for them. Believe me when I say, no one has loved anyone or missed anyone like the families miss and love those that have gone off to war. The young think they will live forever, so we make promises that are not always fulfilled. As I have said before, I am simple man. I love my family, my wife, my country and my friends. These are the things soldiers hold onto when we think about "what if the worst happens." We all want our friends, families and loved ones to cherish the memory of us, but to also move on and live their lives. For if they don't, then no one would be able to tell the story of who we were, what and who we loved or what we were like.

I just want to say that the families of those three young men will be with all of us in the Task Force for sometime to come. My prayers are with you.