Turkey Day in Iraq

Well, it's Thanksgiving finally. This is the second Thanksgiving in a row that I have been away from home as a result of this deployment. The good news is that it will be the last.

As you can imagine, I won't be having the day off but will be out and about "detecting and deterring enemy activity", as it has been stated. So, the holiday season starts today and although our team is away from home at least we are here together. We go out together every day and so we give thanks that we have each other to watch our backs. And although we are here, every day we see the conditions that people live in around here and we know that we are truly lucky to have the conditions we take for granted.

I give thanks for my family and friends that haven't forgotten about me while I have been gone. I say thank you to all the soldiers that are here serving instead of sitting idly at home questioning and criticizing this war. American soldiers are helping people here in ways that no one in the world could or would, dare or choose to do. We couldn't do it of course without the support of our family and friends at home, so thank you to everyone back home.

So as I have promised my truck that we can start the Christmas carols after Thanksgiving, today will be the last quiet day (Eric has been whistling them since July). Time to shower and put on my boots, it's time for work.

Happy Thanksgiving,
Nick