Saturday, March 31, 2007

A Day Off. . . Finally

To say that I have not recieved any time off since we've been out at the COP isn't entirely accurate. I have had days of inactivity, and usually durring the refit days I do not do much, but this is the first time I've had away from the platoon since i got here. I have to say that it is kind of peaceful. To not have a mission that needs to get don, or some guy that has a weird pimple on his ass.

But this rotation i stayed back. It is really the first time i've done that, and likely the last if the rotations change like they are supposed to. It is not that i am complaining. I like having missions, and doing stuff. I don't so much like hauling my aid bag everywhere, but, I do enjoy having stuff to do. Have to admit (even though the screen is broken) i've taken some good pictures on my new camera. Of course i'm going to have to get ANOTHER new one. but such is life.

Finally on to lisa. What do I say? I want to say things to her but i don't know how. i wonder if perhaps in being here, my desperation for tenderness, and the life and death reality of my situation have colored my view. She seems at times. . . distracted. I will not doubt that she loves me. But i wonder at times is she's going to wait till i get back and "let me down easy". Perhaps it is my history of run ins with "Jodi" (the guy back home doing your girl) or my 2 dear john letters, but a relationship is a fragile thing and distance doesn't help. Asking myself one moment "is she the one" and the next "is she going to leave me?" It is a sign of how much i love her, one might argue.

But the truth is that I am Placing my fears (that remain unspoken and unthought) on something "tangible". And as far as my hopes, everyone does the "when i get home". Problem is mine are more long term, and it's not really fair to lisa. Still. . . Like a drug, almost, when i don't get a letter from her, or i don't hear anyhting from her even seccond hand, i go into the DTs. Well no not really. But it hurts when we do mail call and there's nothing from her. It is unreasonable to expect her to write everyday (like i try to), Still it does hurt. Any small peice of her, even a letter with cheesy X's and O's on the top makes my day. Makes patrols that much easier. I am so tired of war. At times i feel like an old man. But Lisa makes me feel so alive. perhapes that's why i am so desperat for her love.

Monday, March 26, 2007

War of the Loose Cannons

It could be called the War of 2nd Platoon. But the Loose Cannon, have always been, well just that. It started when (suposidly) the NCOs planted an MRE bomb (CS) in the Weapons Squad room. It cleared out the whole bottom floor of the COP and left quit an impresson on the top floor too. Well the Joes, mad about this "kidnapped" Sgt T they taped the shit out of him, and he was trapped. The NCOs "negociated" his release, and later "capured" Willie-bo. He got worse treatment than SGT T. So it all came down to a Battle today.

It was a ten minuet "Battle Royalle" in which the Joes and NCOs went at it. Choking, Arm Baring, and otherwise wrestling eachother into submission. I am proud to say that I joined in (after taping it), and despite an arm bar that had my elbow hurting like hell for at least an hour afterward, I ALMOST Got Sgt Sgt (not a typo that's his name abreviated of course) in a rear naked choke. I got him in a rear mount, and I had my arm around his neck but Sgt T got involved. One really wicked arm bar later, and one tap out and the main scuffle was over.

Well after that the PSG and PL got stuck in their room. "Tiger" (ie tiger woods, because he's part black part asian) and I were nearby, he couldn't get the door open from the outside, so he askd if they wanted to kick the door down. i don't know why they said yes, and Tiger said "ok" backed up, and with a running start kicked down the door. I thought it was funny. there was a nice big boom. Turns out the boom we heard was the PL's head. he had a nice little lac(eration) near his right eye, and chipped a tooth. After a few stiches (2, 6-0 nylon) and steri strips there was an admonishment NOT to carry it so far someone got hurt. Still i doubt this is the last we'll hear of this little "war" i hope we "kidnap" someone from 3rd platoon. I'd laugh my ass off if they took 1sg. I LOVE THIS SHIT!!!

Sunday, March 25, 2007

Still Kicking

Well folks, I'm still alive and kicking. FOB Rustamiya is nice (all things considdered) and for some reason this whole blogger thing has gone ITALLIAN. I'm going to have to fix that. So what has happened to the great Mad Medic. Ok well not so great but still quite mad. I got to Kuwait on the 10th of Feb, and made my way up to BIAP (Baghdad International Airport) where we waited (and froze) for shithooks to take us to Rusty.

Oh i forgot to tell everyone. seeing as i din't have internet. I'm in 2-16 IN. Ironically enough the "Rangers" this is ironic because I ALWAYS wanted to be a Ranger, and said i wouldn't get out till i was a Ranger. God has a sense of humor to be sure. Well i ended up in 2nd PLatoon (knows internally as "loose cannons") Bravo COmpany. I have to say that the platoon is good at what they do. Minus of course a few. . . idiots. our sector for the most part is pretty nice, but we've been looking for a fight, that so far besides a few kids throwing rocks, hasn't come. Still it's kind of fun to chase down those kids and threaten to arrest their whole family. Sounds bad. But hey you gt pretty sick of getting bricks chucked at you.

Sanitation. . . in this town in certain places is almost non existant. cespools full of god knows what manner of crap are everywhere trash piled in giant mounds, and goats eating the trash. It really disgusts me. But what can you do.

Good news i got to talk to Lisa. GOD I MISSED HER!!! even the occasional letters couldn't compare with actually talking to her!!! Of course she was shopping so i take it she was reallly distracted and my dumbass just babbled on about how nasty it looked here. I think she was getting a little annoyed. after all after nine weeks of bullshit the last thing a woman would want to hear is how much her boyfirend's life sucks. So i guess i had it comming to me. still it was good to talk to her.

On my next trip in i promise i'll try to get more elaborate with my description of what's going on but for righ now i need a shower.