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I have found myself with the tendency to not write here unless I have pictures. I have no I idea what has led me to that and I will try to fix it. We are on the downward slide here in country. Won't be long and I will be breathing American air again.

My Trip to Baghdad...

I just got back from Downtown Baghdad. Myself and one of my Marines, SSgt Michael Rivera, got to visit the city for his reenlistment. His tour was up and he had chosen to reenlist for another four years. This involves a short ceremony and for someone like him with eleven years in, he was deserving of something special. We flew into the city on the 22nd and stayed till Christmas morning.
We stayed in the U.S. Embassy, which is one of Saddam's old Palaces (the top picture here, not the bombed one here), and did his ceremony at the Crossed Swords next to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The Tomb is from the Iran-Iraq War and is for the same purpose as our own like memorial. The Crossed Swords are bookends for a parade deck where Saddam used to hold daily parades. We conducted the ceremony and then took a tour of the city. Here are two of the Saddam busts that were removed from the palaces. This guy really thought a lot of himself. It was quite a trip and was a very unique way to spend Christmas Eve and Morning...

Merry Christmas...

Here is my version of a Christmas Card. It is from Al Taqaddum Airfield. Merry Christmas to all...

"Chewy's" Aircraft and Crew...

Here is Ole #5. My Crew is Capt Drew "Buck" McFarland and LCpl Sabrina Lopez. Lopez told us we could put a picture of Vida Guerra on our armor if she could put our names in pink... Capt McFarland is a talented artist and he freehanded this drawing while looking at a Maxim picture of Vida.

Christmas Flightline Style...

Here is the Line's Christmas Tree. It is decorated with all the Christmas essentials: Candy Canes, Garland, Stockings, Ornaments (One that is custom made by the Capt's wife, thanks Baby!), Lights, and Spent .50 Caliber Shell Casings...
We are almost ready for the season. We just need to hang our stockings...

Look at this guy, what a good lookin' boy...

He can't wait to have his friends come visit him. All you Hokies will be happy to know that his Mommy says he watches all the football games. He is really hoping for a win over UNC and a trip to the ACC title game. That's my boy!

That's What I'm Talking About...

Thanks Jason for getting the ball rolling. We can make this a great site for all of us if we use it. Here are some pictures of beautiful Iraq.

Here is a thriving metropolis in western Iraq.

Notice the large contrast of the terrain around the Euphrates River and the open desert.

It looks a lot better with those helicopters there.

Updated LInks

I couldn't just leave the placeholder links in the right nav, so I took the liberty of modifying the template. Go watch Strongbad for some levity (flash required).

You all have the power now...

I have made all the members of the blog into administrators. You can now post to the site, not just comment. I hope you can all find some time to put a little something from time to time. I will try to post more often.

Anxiously awaiting the latest BCS standings...

With a big win over Boston College and Texas somewhat struggling with Oklahoma State, I can't wait to see if Virginia Tech gained enough ground to move to #2. Big game this coming week. Probably the biggest game of the season for any school. GO HOKIES!

And you thought commercials are bad at home...

As I sit here on duty, occassionally glancing at the television showing the Armed Forces Network one persistent thought keeps crossing my mind. Why do they show commercials that advertise the Armed Forces Network, on the Armed Forces Network? What choice do I or anyone else have that watches it. I can't tune up any other network from here and they don't show the commercials anywhere else. I just don't understand...

Try teaching Psychology to young inquisitive minds in a country that collectively needs a Psychologist

As I sit here writing a Psychology exam for my class I think back at all the questions my students have asked over the course of the last month and a half. Many have been along the lines of "Why do we study so much Anatomy", especially of the brain. Some have been went with "What does something an ancient old dead dude said have to do with our lives today." While those are pretty good and even humorous, the best questions are "Why do the Iraqi's do..." and there have been many. I used to start to answer them, now I don't quite know. At least the Referendum passed. Maybe if this country finally moves towards democracy and peace, we will all be able to understand the Iraqi mind and they ours.

You know you've made it when...

You get a shout out from an old buddy on his Blog site. Yums it's been too long. I will in fact try to keep this site up to date. I am slowly attempting to have as many of our friends join and become members as I can. Hope all is well.

Iraq is much better when there is something to do...

When there are no missions to go do it gets pretty boring around here. Of course I always have my "to do lists" of minor things to take care of. What would I do without "to do lists?"

Opening Remarks

Fortuitous Adventure... I am still deciding the merit in that. I guess there is a positive outlook trying to surface somewhere in there. On a cold, boring night in Iraq it seems farther away than normal. Other nights, I laugh so hard with the Marines with whom I work that it almost seems like we like this place.
I miss and love you Randi and Brady