[Website under review for OPSEC]

Snitches get stitches...

well, it will have to wait for part one of the story. i was going to get it online tomorrow, but someone was complaining about having to work an eight hour day and our boss took away all days off. When will people in the army learn that complaining only makes it worse. Snitches get stitches...
anyways, today the enemy breached the FOB, and I was forced to take the boots on ground approach to solving the problem. about thirty insurgents were grazing inside the wire, and I was able to push them back into a full retreat. I have also added Shepard to my resume'. things today were chaotic. there is a new command in charge of us and as a result we are blessed with the opportunity of experiencing the learning curve once again.
ill try and get the first part posted asap.

Andrew

the daily show...only not the funny one on comedy central

tonight or somewhere close to tonight is the night of power-please pray that the iraqis dont get any ideas tonight...
we found a truck with 3 130mm rounds in it today at the entry control point. the gate was closed for hours while EOD (explosive ordainace disposal) removed the threat from the gate area. not fun.
Anyways-patricia, i got your package today and had a great laugh at the t-shirt. the candy was a big hit too. i cant wait for pictures of the nephew, so hurry up and have him already!!!

ILYIMYSWAK

from Qayyarah west
Andrew

the latest and the greatest...

things here in Qayyarrah west remain mostly the same...there have been the usual VBIED (Vehichle Born Improvised Explosive Device) threats, and the constant alert for direct attack on the FOB (Foward Operating Base). It was encouraging this week to see GEN Schoomaker flat out tell the press that troop levels would remain at 140,000 until 2010. it shows a significant change in press relations from the DA level...it was also encouraging to hear the President say that he would be open to a change in direction if the commanders on the ground thought that it would be prudent. it allows that commanders on the ground to look in to a whole other series of options to counter this insurgency and make this a more lethal fighting force, and a more secure democracy.

i reached a new level of boredom today. i sat and redesigned the Entry control point on paper about 20 times because i was just trying to stay awake...anyway, its just a small portion of my day.

I got your package today leah, it was Awesome to have pictures of noah to put up all over the room...keep them coming.
PS i love the mohawk ;)

more to follow-i am almost finished with part one
andrew

The days drag on, but the excitement builds...

well things at the North ECP are the same as usual, but there is more of a buzz of what is about to happen. there is a new unit in charge of us and they are determined to improve the entry control point to make it more efficient, and more secure...
things are busy-we are at the height of ramadan, so there are curfews and other "safety" restrictions in place. it is harder for me to post, so please bear with me during this period of heightened awareness. thank you all for your kind updates, and please be sure to keep commenting...
Andrew

As Much as I would like to believe you that the political ads will end in a couple of weeks-I think that you overlook the fact that Hillary is starting her presidential campaign shortly after the elections in November. I do hope that the Dems come up with a better candidate-like barak obama, but it is likely that the clintons have a chance of moving back to 1600 Pennsylvania.

stay posted-I will be publishing my Op-ed that i will be sending to several newspapers here first-look for the first in a three part series by this weekend.
Andrew

And the Thunder rolls...

Things here in Iraq remain the same. today was my day off, and i caught up on a lot of sleep that i had been missing. the daily grind has set in and i am a little bored. part of me wishes that i was out on covoy, but then i remembered what happened on convoy. its a rough lifestyle. a soldier was killed in mosul the other day by sniper fire. he was out on convoy and they had stopped for some reason. i really dont understand the people of iraq some times. if they would stop fighting for one year, we would leave this country and they could have all the civil war they wanted.
i got some pictures of noah. they are in my "little green book." which is government worker code for the cheapest notebooks the government can find and issue out to the soldiers. i have it with me all the time and i have decided that he is the cutest thing on the face of the planet right now. L & B thank you for the package mailed on 28 sep. please thank nancy for the cookies. they were a big hit among the joes. i also liked the breathe right strips (so did my roommate) i was able to sleep in peace (so was he).
things continue to get more and more rediculous as my leadership tries their hardest to remain "off the radar". our shift is the only one that is not screwing up, and we are the only shift that has not had a negligent discharge of a weapon yet...and the stupid rules are the result. if i werent trying to get promoted before r&r i would just have the negligent discharge to get it over with. anyways, i continue to drive on and appreciate the comments on previous posts-grandfather, you can comment all you want you are hilarious...

I will write more later

from qwest
Andrew

the moral majority

well, it is a little tougher to be doing shift work and still keep up with the blogging, but i think i have it figured out. today is my day off and i am sitting here typing this at 0430, because that is appearently when my body wakes up. oh well. things in iraq are just wonderful, it seems to me that they are a little bit more peaceful here than they are in the US-election years can be rough, but i am sure that we will pull through. I just pray that the GOP doesnt loose the majority because of this scandal...any thoughts?

In the words of the Phantom of the Opera...

"Very well, then let it be war upon you both..."
I must say that nothern Iraq has posed much more dangerous than i had first assumed. today my tower came under attack from a sizeable insurgent group. The Sheep were able to mass at the one hundred meter firing line, and push the boundries distracting me and my tower partner. at the same time we were assaulted from the air by a large force of common house flies. in the ensuing battle, there were a number of casualties, but, thankfully, none of those were of the Coalition forces. My partner and I were, collectively, able to send 403 flies to meet their maker in about a six and a half hour battle. at the end we were both worn out...
Which brings up my second point. there are always these crazy aerobics workout schemes centered in obscure but common activities. Yoga, Pilates, Spinning. they are all hugely popular among the rich and famous, and the common folk alike. So my partner and I have decided to cash in on the fitness craze. we have developed a workplace workout program that benefits the entire office. it involves very little equipment that can all be purcheased at the local dollar store. it is pilates swatting. it involves a full body workout doing nothing but swatting flies. it was a huge success in tower alpha. i think it will be a success.
anyways that is all i have time for now.

from Quyarrah iraq
Andrew