I almost forgot

[lsbets]

I almost forgot until one of my soldiers wished me a Happy Anniversary. That's right, its my one year anniversary overseas as a part of Operation Iraqi Freedom! My company motto has become "365 my a**". But, we only have a couple of weeks left, and everyone's morale is pretty high right now. If I could only keep my soldiers from getting bored, doing stupid stuff, and getting in trouble life would be easy. I have had to give more Article 15s in the last month than I have in the previous 6 months. I can almost taste the steak and beer just typing about home :cool:

[ljb]

Congratulations LS and Godspeed.

[boxcar]

lsbets wrote:

If I could only keep my soldiers from getting bored, doing stupid stuff, and getting in trouble life would be easy. I have had to give more Article 15s in the last month than I have in the previous 6 months

Hey...a sure cure for boredom would be to let your troops logon to this form and jump into the fray. That would keep 'em hoppin'. :D

Meanwhile...on a more serious note, I, too, say Godspeed and come home safely. Keep your wits about you.

Boxcar

[ElKabong]

Excellent! You and your soldiers stay safe the next 2 weeks.

Thank you for your service, and let everyone there know of our sentiments here, back home.

[Steve 'StatMan']

Excellent! You and your soldiers stay safe the next 2 weeks.

Thank you for your service, and let everyone there know of our sentiments here, back home.

Agreed! Thanks Lsbets for your service, and sharing your thoughts and experiences with us! Hope you all come back safe and sound real soon.

[Tom]

Glad you are coming back soon. Thank you for all you have sacrificed for our national security, and as far as the last two weeks go....SHOOT anything that moves!:) :eek:


And tell you troops that we ppreciate them and never mids what they see on TV or in newspapers....WE (millions of us, over 61 million of us) salute them.

[freeneasy]

and i feel it will just be better to get it all said then not.
keep these guys sharpend is, dont let anything get sloppy, let your men know that this is what you still expect of them. go back to basic if you have to. let your guys know that you plan to keep a sharp, tight, clear eye on em espeacially now that their coming home time is so near. you guys aint out of the woods yet is, your just close to going home. maintain your responsibility over these guys and you guys will be coming back home to us where all'y'all belong. as a matter of fact is iam gonna break out the beer stil and have a great big batch of freezing cold home made beer ready for your's all's consumption, and i do mean consumption, when you guy's get you ass's back here. now get your tail ends back here, and that with all safety and God's Speed.

[NoDayJob]

I almost forgot until one of my soldiers wished me a Happy Anniversary. That's right, its my one year anniversary overseas as a part of Operation Iraqi Freedom! :cool:

:) Thank you for your service to your country. Hava safe trip home "short-timer". :)

NDJ

[PaceAdvantage]

Lsbets, can't add more to what these guys said, except I will say a huge "THANK YOU" not only for your service over in Iraq, but SHARING this part of your life with your horseracing buds here on PA.....

[Dave Schwartz]

Hero, we look forward to your safe return.


Dave

[lsbets]

Dave, thanks for the thoughts, but please avoid using any words like hero to describe me. I'm just a soldier and being able to call myself a soldier is enough of a compliment for me.

This year has had its highs and lows, and I appreciate all of the support I have received from not only my friends and family, but from many, many people I have never met, including many on this board here. Here is a quick run down of some of the high and low points:

Highs:
Getting home to see the birth of my daughter (her middle name is Faith, and my wife and I decided on that after a mortar round knocked me out of my cot when I was in Ramadi in April)
Having a CNN producer embed with me on a convoy
Getting to promote a ton of experienced, dedicated soldiers from SPC to SGT
Leading the battalion in reenlistment every month since I took command (reenlistment is a great indicator of morale, so it tells me I must be doing something right)
Being here for the elections in January
All of my soldiers are alive

Lows:
One of my ROTC classmates from college was killed in Najaf in August - we were drinking buddies throughout junior and senior year
Having my best NCO (and someone who became a great friend) wounded by an IED in Baghdad, and then finding out that he will be permantly blind in his right eye
The heat and sand - this place really does suck
Oh yeah, the flies - you wouldn't believe how many are over here
The "rainy" season - everything floods
Having to constantly be the disciplinarian - the results were great, but I really want to just be a nice guy again

That's my short list. Pretty soon I will be a "single digit midget". And then I will be home - my wofe's doctor thinks we'll end up pregnant again before the end of summer - I told her we need to wait so I can get to know the 2 kids we already have before we have another one.

[betchatoo]

Just want to add my thanks to those of others. Thanks for your service and get home safe.