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Dear Family and Friends,
Greetings from the Jewel of Iraq, Camp Habbaniyah. We call it a jewel because of its precious tress, bushes and grasses. From the air, it looks like a green emerald, placed softly in the hard setting of the dry barren desert. It sparkles and shines compared to what surrounds it. We are grateful for its variety of green plant life and the resulting variety of birds.
As you are well aware, last week was very, very hard. After the memorial service, we applied ourselves to the mission at hand because that is what soldiers do. We remember. We never forget, but the mission presses us forward and so we move out once again.
One night, after our tough week, followed by a couple more difficult days, I invited our CO (Commanding Officer) to join me for a brief respite. I did not tell him where we were going or what we were going to do. I simply checked his schedule to be sure he could join me at the appointed time.
As is often the case, his responsibilities and commitment to the men delayed us somewhat. We arrived later than I intended but still took our place on the roof of one of our buildings. From it, we could look out across the desert plain. In one direction we could see a green ribbon of water that has fed and nourished this region since the beginning of time. In other direction, we could see high bluffs and cliffs where armies before us have clashed. And in yet still another direction, we could see a small city for which we are responsible.
The perfect orange ball of the sun was setting in the distance. It looks huge here sliding behind the horizon. We sat down, put our feet up, lit a cigar (Thanks Courtney, Jan, Rich and friends) and cracked open a couple of sodas. We talked openly and honestly about our parents and children, the soldiers and their families, leadership and responsibility, what’s important and what’s superfluous. Before we realized it, day had slipped into night and we were covered by a canopy of stars.
Up there on the roof top, there was a gentle breeze and for a few precious moments, we enjoyed what we are working and fighting so hard for…peace.
I didn’t even realize it at first. It almost passed me by. It was so strange to realize that I was relaxed. I couldn’t remember the last time I was stress free. I wanted to savor the tranquility and drink it as long as I could. I think the same was true for my CO, as we sat there in the silence.
I don’t know how long we stayed there in the stillness. It may have been an eternity, but even that would not have been long enough. I would have wanted more…But like all sacred moments, none of which last forever, neither did those precious few moments linger too long.
Soon enough, we saw tracers (bullets that essentially glow in the dark because of a special coating put on them) in the distance. At first there were just a few and then more. The black night sky suddenly burned brightly with parachute flares and the radio started to crackle with traffic. And we knew, my CO and I knew, that it was time to get back to work, another night on the job.
No one was hurt that night. For that we are grateful, but know this, our enemy has chosen war as his course and we shall fill his plate to overflowing. We will give him more than he ever wanted, intended or expected. We will dish it out to him in such a way that the very thought of it will nauseate, sicken and repel him. We will give it to him in such a way that he will never have the stomach for it again.
But for a brief moment, I enjoyed peace and no one can ever take that from me or you or our soldiers who bravely fight for it everyday.
Thank you for your constant support. This week we received goodies from Judy Volpatti (again x 2), Treasure Bertani, Betty McCown (and her amazing disappearing cookies), Carl Mohrhoff, Jan Esler-Rowe, Kim Jackson, April Davis, Bill and Ellie Kirchner, Eleanor Kirchner, the HHC Family Readiness Group and my beautiful wife Jodi (the girls thank you for all their stuff honey). I also want to thank Courtney at OperationFreedomSmoke.com for posting our requests for cigars. We’ll be sending pics this week Courtney.
If anyone would like to send more donations, here are a couple of things we could use: the plastic zipper bags that new blankets or comforters come in (helps keep the dust off our stuff), bath luffas (even the guys use them! Sorry Lauren I know that’s a sexist statement; I just can’t get used to some of this) AA and AAA batteries, wet wipes, beef jerky, M&Ms, paper towels, Windex, Frebreze and ATT phone cards.
God bless all of you and our American soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines. Until next time, I shall always be,
Faithfully Yours,
Chaplain(Major)Douglas A. Etter
HHC 1-110 IN, 2/28 BCT
Camp Habbaniyah
APO, AE 09381 |
