Me

I am sorry I have not written much lately or been on the chat board but the past 11 days I have placed a lot of focus on my wife. She had to undergo gastric bypass surgery, more for health then by choice. I can tell you that it has not been easy for her and my thoughts have been mainly on how she is doing and making sure she gets better.  What she has been going through makes me feel like I am over here on vacation and I really wish I could have been there for her. Work here in Iraq drags on and I try to take it one day at a time, we lost a soldier last month during an RPG attack and that was big reminder of the dangers that we still face.  It has been very quiet though the past few weeks now that all of the Iraqi election issues have been settled and there is a lot of talk about us going home early maybe as soon as the end of June. I look forward to being back with my family and preparing for my upcoming retirement in October, It wil be a new start hopefully that allows me more time with my wife and kids. I have spent very little time with them in the past 5yrs and I am ready for all that to change. Of course there is the stress of trying to find a new job and such but I believe that it will be all worth it in the end. My father has been extremely supportive of me and my family during this deployment,  I probably do not tell him enough but I truly appreciate having him as my father and I hope that he can be at my retirement ceremony. My brother Richie as always finds a way to make me laugh and I would do anything for him,  I am extremely lucky to have him as a brother.  I have even received three letters from my mother in the past couple of weeks and I need to actually relearn how to sit down and hand write a letter back to her. Well until next post life drags on in wonderful Zombieland Iraq. I am not known as a very spiritual person but just in case could everyone keep Carolyn in their prayers and wish her a speedy recovery. Oh, and Mary  (Nana) you are something special and mean so much to my family, Thank you for taking the time to be there with Carolyn and the kids during her surgery and the week following. Being in Iraq is not so bad when you know that you have all these great people back home showing nothing but support.

Mike

2nd Brigade Soldier killed in Iraq

FORT DRUM, NY – A 2nd Brigade Combat Team Soldier was killed Thursday, March 18 when enemy forces attacked his unit with rocket-propelled grenade fire in Baghdad, Iraq.

Spc. Robert M. Rieckhoff

The Fort Drum Soldier killed is Spc. Robert M. Rieckhoff, 26, of Kenosha, Wis.

Spc. Rieckhoff served as a cannon crewmember with the 2nd Battalion, 15th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry). He deployed in October 2009 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Spc. Rieckhoff joined the Army in August 2007 and arrived to Fort Drum in November 2008.

Spc. Rieckhoff is survived by his two children, mother and grandmother.

Spc. Rieckhoff’s awards and decorations include the National Defense Service Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and Army Service Ribbon.

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That is the biggest Santa I have ever seen!

"Old Friend"

I saw this M109 Artillery Howitzer  today and had to take a picture. When I was here way back in 1991, these were the guns that my old unit the 3/20th F.A. used against the Iraqi Tanks.. quite effectively I may say from personal experience. It was kind of strange for me to see her today once again in Iraq almost twenty years later, oddly enough it was like running into an old friend….