Deployed Day +119: Post from Chad

Hello, I first want to thank each and everyone of you for the support we receive here. It means a lot to some soldiers here to know that some people actually care about why we are here. Some people think we should just leave, well from my point at first I said the same thing. My response was, its not our fight. Well I was wrong. If we, the American Soldiers don't step in then there would be no justice at all here. Since the US took part in this battle the Iraqi people have come a long way. If  you don't know by now this is my second tour here. Since the last time I was here things have changed dramatically. I hate the fact of being away from my family, but this is my job. My family supports my decisions. I don't realize how hard it is for them while I'm gone but I do know that each and every day that I'm not with them is hard for me. Now with all the civilians coming in to take over operations here it means that more of our troops are put in harms way. We have to beef up the security patrols as well as escort the civilians to and from different base camps. So instead of the military doing their jobs we have to turn around and let the civilians intervene which in turn puts more of us at risk everyday.  I wish that the people around here would see that the military forces are here to help them not here to rule them. It is up to the people on when the forces will pack up and move out. As further due I'll put another entry here in a few days.  Thanks for all your support.


I want to take this Moment to thank my Wife and Kids for always being there for me and backing my decisions. They are my hero's. They keep me going day in and day out.


I Love you guys so much and I wish I could be there with you everyday. Love always.

Day +109

I'm missing Chad so much right now. I went on a retreat this weekend, it was wonderful. It was down in the Alps, just gorgous, I LOVE the mountains. I drove down there instead of riding the bus because I wanted to go to the Bazaar that they were having here on post, I'm glad I did.

Anyways, the retreat was on "Five Love Languages" by Gary Chapmann. Great books I highly suggest them. Since it was primarily a marriage retreat (although we also covered the 5 Love Languages for Children), when I got home I really started thinking of how much I miss Chad.

The phones and internet over there have been down a lot because of all the rain they're getting right now. It's a muddy mess there. They had an accident and we've lost a soldier. There was an accidental fire in a tent. The soldier died on the way to Brooks Army (in TX) Hospital. His wife was with him. I still have complete peace when it comes to Chad being in Iraq, but it's that reminder that anything can happen...whether it's the insurgents trying to murder our soldiers (and too many times completing that mission) there's also accidents that happen, that make no sense. I didn't know the soldier or his wife. They were from Bolivia and she didn't speak English. Please keep her and their families in your prayers.

It's a reality that my husband's in a war zone and I can't deny that. I miss him so much. Thank you for praying for him and for all our soldiers.

I would apperciate prayers for me right now. I'm just at that point that sadness is pretty strong and I'm also just really tired. I have a feeling when I get up in the morning I'll be in a better frame of mind.

God Bless

Deployment Day+97:answer Lorri's question: Mailing packages

Lorri :)

Mailing from the US to Soldiers deployed is like mailing to anywhere else in the states...the price is the same as if you mailed someone in another state.

For us in Germany because it's only military postal workers who handle packages, it's free...but everyone else it costs. So if you send a care package priority it's going to cost you, well what ever priority is now (4 something I think). Once the package gets to Germany they're then shipped downrange. Once they leave the East Coast they're in the Dept of Defense's care!

Letters and postcards are the price of the stamps! If I am not making any sense, please feel free to email me anytime!!!

Oh and if sending a package, you do have to fill out a claims form. You can get a handfull at your post office and then when you're filling up the box, just write things down as you go!