Quote:

 

The goods news is that there have no more outbreaks of violence as severe as what we previously reported. Loss of life and limb is always hard to accept but Chris’s spirits seem high and his tour is already 1/3 over. He relishes the gifts, packages and especially food that you send. They do not eat very well, rarely get any kind of cooked meals and have to eat field rations that are high in fat and salt and low on flavor. He is very grateful for your generous gifts of food.

He was stationed at a joint security operation and worked with Iraqi’s Provencal Force. He said each member of the security forces earns about $8 per day. They do a lot of the patrolling, take more risks, man checkpoints and provide intelligence on the insurgency. He said he thinks it has really made a difference.

As part of turning over control to Iraqi forces they had to demilitarize there FOB (Forward Operating Base). One of most arduous tasks is removing the outer defense walls called HESCO. HESCO provides force protection, perimeter security and defense walls. Here is a picture of what such a wall looks like. It is basically filled with sand and gravel. It needs to be taken apart and is done by hand and given the recent 110 degree days, even Chris says it is hard work. The good news too is that he will relocate to a more permanent and secure base hopefully just providing more backup operations to Iraqi forces.

Recently he has been a gunner for an MRAP (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected) vehicle. These vehicles are finally being deployed in numbers that can make a difference in saving lives. According to Chris only shaped charges can make an impact and there are very few bomb makers that can do that. The bigger bombs take more time to build and hide, which gives us a better chance of catching the insurgents before they deploy the bombs.

There was an article in USA Today about how Iraqi insurgents are changing their tactics. “The latest trend in IEDs: Fake curbs fashioned from metal, filled with ball bearings and explosives. Virtually indistinguishable from concrete rubble, the new bombs require a trained eye to spot. Insurgents are also using pressure-detonated IEDs, including those with 15 pounds of explosives that blow the tires off an MRAP and allow insurgents to attack it.” Not a very comforting thought.


There is always some new development to allow fear to take hold. We work to focus on peace and choose to place our consciousness there. Peace in our hearts and in the hearts of everyone. Your love and support helps us more than you know. Please continue to hold the 3/6 and all the members of the armed forces in all areas of the world in your prayers and hearts. You have no idea how much they appreciate your letters, cards, packages and most importantly, your love and support.