Buffiniraq

Finally back on "terra fima" and adjusted to "real world" time...LOL This past year has been awesome in that I started in Joint Base Balad (about 40 miles north of Baghdad) and finished up in Basrah via Tallil down south near the Kuwait and Iranian borders. Getting our support sites on these bases ready for our withdrawing units was the mission. In doing so, I met and worked with some very special people both civilian and military and have great confidence in their abilities to "gedderdun"(See LT Sabulsky and MSGT Williamette pics). Our soldiers, sailors and airmen were anxious to get their equipment ready so they could get on with their movement over to "hill country" . The time had come when their Iraqi counterparts would be ready to carry on without them...Most of the local folks were abit apprehensive about this, but our guys and gals reassured them that the their Army and Police brethren will be fine and will continue to weed out the "wheat from the chaff" leaving them a more secure country and a future full of hope for the first time in Iraq's history. We all can take an immense measure of pride in what our guys and gals have done for 24 million Iraqis who've never had a chance to "find their own ways to the grave" as a free people. Thank you all for your support and prayers for our military and families - they are truly the best of the best of us.