14 JUL 05: Fighters

These some of my best female fighters. As my boxing class has grown since I started in Feb of this year the female attendance has grown. On any given night the females will make up anywhere from 25-40% of the class. Jenn (redhead) Karla (blonde) have been with me almost since the first day of class.

14 JUL 05: Last Day before R&R

Well this is my last full day here in Iraq before I go on R&R. I am really looking forward to R&R as I really need a break from all the Office Space/Ground hog day type routine of it all.

Just a few update for the regular readers.
Yesterday I got good news. My brother was finally able to track my parents down so I finally found out that my parents were not involved in the 7/7 London blast. So thanks to all of you who were out there looking. Thanks to Joe and Ben.

Also if you want to see what life is like at Camp victory south you can go to this website link listed below.

http://www.bragg.army.mil/PAO/LifeonCampVictoryPage/Photos/LOCV_Photos.htm

weeks 26 jun and 3 jul have photos of my boxing class on them. if you look in the back ground of week 26 jun you can see me doing my thing. If you look at week 3 jul you can see me sparring one of the heavy weights. I hate giving up 40 lbs to a guy. I am the guy in the lighter gray shirt. you should be able to tell by the size difference. I am the smaller guy.

well more later.

11 JUL 05: Any Soldier Program

This is for all those people who have been sending me stuff to pass out to the soldiers in my sections. Some of the young single soldiers don't get a lot of mail so most of the letters that come from the any soldier program I pass the letters out to the soldiers. Some times we get boxes from the Great Americans that support the Any Soldier program. The last box fromt he Kunz family in Conn sent a great box. It had DVDs, food, weightlifting supplements, books, games, toiletry items for the girls. Truly a great box. So to all those supporting this program Thanks.

Keep up the good work.

10 JUL 05: Batman up close

Here is a picture of our pet bat up close and personal like. Although his wingspand was close to a foot in length his actual body was not to much bigger than my thumb. What big ears he has.

8 JUL 05: Words of Londoners

The difference between us and them:
US:"Computer technician Matt Carter, 25, said he was struck by how the attacks had united Londoners.

'It's amazing how people have stuck together. I've seen total strangers hugging each other and people coming out into the street with free cups of tea,' he said.

'We can't let the terrorists defeat us. We've got to show them they will never win.'"



"Mayor Ken Livingstone condemned the attacks as 'an indiscriminate attempt at mass murder' aimed at 'ordinary working-class Londoners.'

He said the bombers would never succeed.

'I know that you personally do not fear giving up your own life in order to take others _ that is why you are so dangerous,' Livingstone said.

'But I know you fear that you may fail in your long-term objective to destroy our free society. Whatever you do, however many you kill, you will fail.'"


Them:

"Some Muslim Londoners expressed fear they would be targeted in revenge.

'Everyone is subdued and people are wondering what has happened,' said restaurant manager Karim Mohammed. 'People are asking how will it affect us, are we going to be treated in a nice way after this?'"

Did anyone hear them say that the muslim community is coming out against these horrible acts by the zealots in their community? I have been looking but I have not seen one comment from a muslim organization, community, person for that matter that was not a selfish comment. If it is out there someone send it to me.

Quotes taken from:

washingtonpost.com
Londoners Take Pride in 'Blitz Spirit'

By JILL LAWLESS
The Associated Press
Thursday, July 7, 2005; 6:08 PM

Associated Press Writer Emily Rotberg in London contributed to this report.

7 JUL 05: BE VIGILANT

For those of you out there who really don't see the strategic value of attacking London allow me to explain the goal of the terrorists.

You see Spain was supporting the War on Terrorism. However, the media was not to favorable of the war there in Spain. The Al Qieda Network got together and hatched a plan to kill alot of civilians. You see it is easy to kill the civilians they want to live in peace. They want to feel like there is no evil in this world that they need to be protected from. In fact these same people don't like to see soldiers or law enforcement it is a reminder that somewhere out there that their are bad guys who want to hurt them. But I digress. So they blow up a group of trains. Then issue a statement if you pull out of iraq then we will leave you alone. So the civilians went to the polls and elected a president who would imediately bring home the Spanish troops. So that is what they did. The problem is I think the terrorist left off the last sentance of their little statement.

"Pull your troops out of Iraqi and we will leave you alone; for now."

So since it worked once in europe the Terrorists figure that they will attack the strongest part of the coalition against Terror. The U.S. and the U.K. People tell me all the Time that the U.S. is the only superpower left in the world. But I will tell you this I have seen through history and through Afghanistan and now Iraq. There is no Quit in the U.K. Those dogs will fight till the very end.

But imagine if the Terrorist succeed. They will further weaken the war on terrorism. What a blow that would be. So if you are an american and you are reading this somewhere. See what you can do to help our brothers across the pond keep the faith and stay in the fight.

I have been asked so many times "what do you know of terrorism?" I respond the same way everytime.

"What do I know of terrorism. Let me tell you about my first memories. The Acquillie Laro High jacking. Iran Hostage crisis. The Beirut bombing. WTC 93. OKC 19 APR 1995. The bombing of U.S. Embassys in africa. The U.S. Cole. 09-11-01. In case you are wondering I am 30. I just summed up 25 years of my life."

To add to that my parents are some where in the U.K. right now. No body in my family has heard from them.

Let me tell you why Terrosits attack civilians. There is an old saying strike the shephard and scatter the flock. But most Shephards learned along time ago that there are things that prey upon on the helpless so they began to travel with Sheepdogs. Now sheepdogs. There is strange breed of animal. Needs to beloved but also needs to protect things.

Wondering who the sheepdogs are? Police, Law enforcement, Soldiers, Armed services. People who do bad things to bad people.

Terrorist know that "Soldiers deserve Soldiers". However, they don't dare come out and fight like soldiers. Because they know they are poorly trained and can't beat even the smallest of our Coalition soldiers.

Don't believe me!


check out El salvador. They got some guys here. Not alot but they got some soldiers here.

Three El Sal soldiers were attacked by 7 seven terroists while driving. The terrorist sensing they had superiority continued to attack these 3 El Sal soldiers. The gun battle raged until the El Sal soldiers ran out of bullets. Do the math: 7 vs 3. Not good odds. But ask anyone who has ever cornered a wolverine and lived to tell the tale; that is one fight you don't ever want. So the terrorist attacked realizing the 3 El Sal guys were out of bullets. The El Sal soldiers drew their knives and attacked. I say again, out numbered by 2 to 1 they attacked the terrorists with just their knives. The El Sal soldiers closed the distance in a flash. Killing 5 of the 7 in hand to hand combat. In case you don't know hand to hand combat is some of the most exhausting figthing there is ask any ultimate fighter, wrestler or boxer.

Oh! did I mention one of the El Sal soldiers was already mortally wounded but fought on to help is buddies. He knew he was dead but he was gonna live free or die and God knows he was not gonna leave his buddies. The other 2 terrorist by the way retreated from a superior fighting force.

These are not soldiers they don't fight for a flag. They don't wear uniforms. They hide among the civilians to escape detection. Don't give them a safe haven. That is why they don't deserve the protection granted to soldiers under the geneva convention.

Be vigilant. It will take us all to get rid of these religous zealots.

Pray for the Brits, Pray for U.K.

God Save the Queen.

7 JUL 05: The Bat Symbol

This is a picture of out bat in our palace. The one that was released to the wild not so long ago.

4 JUL 05: 4th of JULY in Iraq

So what do patrotic soldiers do for the 4th of july. Nothing really. We were treated to Speech by GEN Casey. Then there was a cake cutting. But like Milton (obscure movie refrence) by the time I got inposition to get a piece of cake It was all gone.

The people who decorated the DFAC did it all in red white in blue. I even noticed the drudge report was in red white and blue font. I did my normal routine went to work went to the gym then taught boxing that night with the help of SGT Micotta.

But no fireworks. Except for the sounds of gun fire in the distance as I slept.

Never forget how good you have got it back home. Fireworks. hamburgers. friends, family, sports.

My question is will there be someone to take my when this chapter of my life closes?

my thoughts are much better expressed by a much better writer than I.

I have a far better understanding of this speech then I have ever had before.
If you want to read the whole thing read Henry the V by Shakespeare.
little known fact after Henry won the war he died of dysentry 7 years after winning. The dysentry he got in the war with France. Freedom and peace have a cost and it always paid for in blood.

Thanks God our forefathers loved freedom.

"That he which hath no stomach to this fight,
Let him depart; his passport shall be made,
And crowns for convoy put into his purse;
We would not die in that man's company
That fears his fellowship to die with us.
This day is call'd the feast of Crispian.
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when this day is nam'd,
And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say 'To-morrow is Saint Crispian.'
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars,
And say 'These wounds I had on Crispian's day.'
Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot,
But he'll remember, with advantages,
What feats he did that day. Then shall our names,
Familiar in his mouth as household words-
Harry the King, Bedford and Exeter,
Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester-
Be in their flowing cups freshly rememb'red."

1 JUL 05: Interview Update.

For those of you who are wondering what happened to my interview. follow the link below. Evidently the interview aired on the 29th of Jun instead of 4 july. But I would not put it past them to to air more of it on the 4th of July. In case anyone is wondering the stuff they quoted me on was the least patrotic things I said and only two of the 6 or so questions they asked.

Yes I still think we will win this war and the Iraqi's will "Man UP" to the fight and finish it off so we can go to the house!

If you want you can contact CBS for a copy of the show. Not sure how to do that but I am sure someone out there can figure it out. If you do send me a copy.

"I have not yet be gone to fight!" John paul Jones after his ship had been crippled in battle; In direct response to the request for his Unconditional Surrender.

http://www.mrc.org/cyberalerts/2005/cyb20050630.asp#2

1 JUL 05: Weigh in and News

Well my weight is hovering any where from 185-188. I hope that means my muscle is growing at the same rate that I am losing fat. So no worries. We will see what happens when I come back off of leave into the hottest month of the year here: August.

Okay so many of you saw on my site that there is a picture of me doing an interview. Well If I make it onto television it the interview will run on CBS news either in the morning news or the evening news on the 4th of july. My soldiers who were out there also doing interviews think I will not make the cut to television. I tend to agree. I spoke about freedom and liberty entirely to much.

I think the media is working very hard to divide the country like they successfully did during the Vietnam War. The only real similarity between this war and the war in veitnam is the use of non conventional combat techniques. But to be honest most of those are not aimed at the U.S. but at the Iraqi's. We are not talking about Iraqis fighting us in open resistance. The Iraqi's have figured out we just want to give them the ability to govern themselves and defend themselves and then we are going home we are not a conquering nation. Right now we are fighting foriegn fighters who are trying to kill Americans and freedom loving people of all kinds in Iraq.

Okay so let me explain the strategy of the War on terror because you won't get this from the media. We can fight the terrorists here or we can fight them on the streets of America. Don't think for a second the war on terror will not grow into that. The terrorists are just waiting for the next easy target to hit. Be ready America. Be the Sentinel of Liberty that the world needs us to be. The light in the dark that gives hope to those who are in the struggle for freedom.

Look what has happened everytime these radical fantatical religous zealots get there people in control of a country. They enslave it to the religous regime. That is what they want to do to the world. Also having seen what happens in place like Iraq and Afghanistan. I have no desire to see that happen to the U.S.A.!! If the Bad guys win this war then the U.S. will end up just like Afghanistan and Iraqi before we invaded and Iran now. Is that you want to see happen?

"The purpose of War is not to die for your country. It is to make that other poor dumb Son of a Bitch die for his!!!" GEN George S. Patton.

You are all privledge to see the birth of the next "Greatest Generation". When history writes these chapters they will remember how we were an all volunteer army. How we were undermanned Army. How we could not always make recruting goals. How we over came insurmountable odds to win the War on terror over the next 20 years. Yes 20 years cause that is at least how long this will take to get terrorists on the run. However we will be victorous as long as we retain the will to be Free. Because Freedom is a Just Cause.