Brief From Iraq

Things here have been pretty non-stop. The night before last was insane. I had a patrol get hit the other night--no one hurt--and, almost immediately after getting that sorted out, I had to respond to one of my soldiers having chest pain in the barracks area. Stayed with him at the hospital until released, but he should be ok. Last night wasn't so bad... I was able to write letters to parents of Sarah and Joe, my mom while working orders and such. Tonight has been nuts. Property transfers and some joker cut the lock on one of vehicles from another unit to make inventory somewhere else with the sister unit. I happen to know that commander and running that down. So, it has taken me roughly about 3 hours to peck this email together. Silliness.You would be pleased that it seems here--at Balad airbase--that it is some strange combination of state-side active duty and wartime. Sure rockets and mortars come in occasionally, but this base is about 20 miles in diameter, so frequently you don't even hear the impact. Additionally they have these gatlin-gun cannons--C-RAMs--that shoot down the slow moving mortar rounds. I--sadly enough--as commander have a 2007 Chevy Trailblazer that I drive to work every evening and the traffic is about as moronic as anywhere else.