CPThree.us

I sound like my brother, but here goes. My apologies for slackin’ on my posts. 2nd Platoon is still giving Baghdad hell, and I’m leading the way ! The days seem to get longer and the nights get shorter now, but I’m driving on. I keep thinking that if I spend more time outside, maybe I’ll get used to the heat and life won’t be as bad:). I’m starting to realize that I’m just dilusional now after nine almost 10 months of Baghdad:-P. The truth is you don’t ever get used to the heat when it’s 115 to 120 degrees so you might as well soak up the AC while you can and suck it up when you can’t . I was checking out the local paper back home online the other day. I grew disheartened when I saw the weather report because the high temperatures back home are the low temperatures here at about 4 or 5:00 in the morning :-p. Oh well, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger !

Recently, the new “buzz” word has become REDEPLOYMENT (going home)! People are talking, planning, packing and cleaning as we await the order to move out. We might be about four months out now; we’ll see what happens as the plans come down from higher. It’s exciting and scary; I wonder where the heck the last year went ! It’s very encouraging though because we can see a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel;-). Realizing that time was running out, I made the decision to claim my $300,000 interstate sign (the one that jumped out in front of my camera:-D)! As we were passing underneath the sign, we needed to stop and interrogate a suspicious object on the side of the road. The buffalo just so happened to stop right underneath my sign so I jumped out of my truck and moved tactically to the buffalo. Armed with my trusty M-4 assault rifle and my chisel tipped Sharpie, I began the ascent to the top of the Buff. With all my gear on, I reached out to the heavens onto my tip-toes and began to write, “1LTCP3 Pollo/Gallo Loco 20070623″ It was an intense, hilarious, and fulfilling moment! I climbed back down the buffalo hopped back into my truck; with the area clear, we charlie miked (C.M.-continued mission). Also noteworthy today, was the Infantry Fighting Vehicle that slid off the road into a huge canal/ditch! We don’t know how it got there, but we were cracking all sorts of jokes about them as we passed by! . God bless you and prosper you. Thank you for all your support, prayers, and thoughts. I greatly appreciate them and so do my men! Come back soon; I sure will …

Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Be it known that the fairest maiden in the land, Rachel, and the most blessed man in the land, myself, hath set forth the date on which to be wed in holy matrimony and regalia. Tournaments and festivities will be held in celebration of this grandiose occasion on the 26th day of July in the year of our Lord 2008.

Alright! Rachel and I are gettin’ married on July 26, 2008! You can check out our website on TheKnot.com at the following link:
http://weddings.theknot.com/pwp/view/co_main.aspx?coupleid=3273027342815580

Feel free to sign the guestbook and and check back for updates and new pictures . God bless you and prosper you. Until next time

The other day, excuse me, night I was walking to the PX and I had an epiphany. I realized that Forward Operating Bases (FOB) share very striking similarities to your local county and state fairgrounds. Both have dirt and gravel roads providing mobility to personnel; the few roads that are paved are pretty broken and decrepit. There are seas of gravel lots for parking and staging things. There is a wall all the way around the FOB and fairground with controlled access points.  There are port-a-johns all over to meet the needs of thousands of people:-D. Some FOBs have music venues for concerts and other performances, and there are recreational fields for baseball, softball, and basketball! There are fences and wire separating different areas around the FOB just like at fairgrounds. There is a combination of permanent buildings and make shift tents and open area for future activity and development. Finally, there are little golf-carts and Gator-mobiles running around everywhere. So if you want a little taste of life, go pitch a tent at your local fairgrounds . For a little closer look, try it on a holiday like July 4th or something:-D. God bless you and prosper you. Until next time…