Returning Warrior Workshops

Sailors who have recently returned from a mobilization or deployment as an individual augmentee are invited to attend a Returning Warrior Workshop (RWW) with the guest of their choice.

The goal of the workshops is to give loved ones a chance to reconnect. The guest may include a spouse, significant other, or family member. The definition of family member has been expanded to include: girlfriends, boyfriends, parents, brothers or sisters. The Sailor will attend the RWW on ADT or DTS travel orders.

The events are held at a 4 Star hotel away from military bases and every day distractions. Civilian business attire is required. All lodging, meals, conference fees, and miscellaneous expenses are covered at the RWW and include: dinner Friday night, three meals on Saturday, and breakfast and lunch on Sunday. Travel by personal vehicle is encouraged and mileage will be paid at the current government rate. Ideally, attendees should be within 350 miles of the workshop.

For more inforamtion and a list of upcoming dates and locations, go to

https://www.cnic.navy.mil/navycni/groups/public/@pub/@southe/@corpuschristi/documents/document/cnicp_a176024.pdf

Hard At Work

A few pictures of the Seabees in action!

All Dressed Up...

A New Pet in the Neighborhood

Behind the buildings in which Scott and his shipmates reside, a new tennant has taken up residence.

The Big Race

Scott has participated in two races during this deployment. The first was a 5k up a "mountain" ending with a spectacular view of the ocean. The second was a team triathlon. Scott completed the swimming and running portions and another sailor did the bike component.


These are all sailors from Scott's group who participated in the triathlon.



Almost to the finish line.


"Woo-Hoo!"

Seabee Ball

Scott and his shipmates celebrated the Seabee birthday with a Seabee Ball!


Scott is third from the back on the right.
(Pictures and captions available in the Joint Task Force publication, "The Wire" found at http://www.jtfgtmo.southcom.mil/wire/wire/WirePDF/v11/Issue6v11.pdf)

The Sunny Side

There have been lots of long days of long hours in sunny Cuba, but finally after what was quite a week of work, Scott, one of his roommates, and a handful of other sailors were able to enjoy the surf and sun over the weekend. Deep-sea fishing, swimming, and boating were the events of the better part of an afternoon. Once of the chiefs is a dive instructor in the civilian world, so in the weeks that follow, there may be an opportunity for Scott to learn to SCUBA dive. The instruction (rentals, licensing, etc.) is a bit pricey but seeing as other recreational opportunities are limited he has a bit of room to play with the entertainment budget. Once he is trained, he'll only have to pay for a ticket to take a boat out. He's really looking forward to it.

Address TYPO

I accidently inverted two letters in Scott's mailing address. (I listed the Naval Mobile Construction Battalion as NMBC instead of NMCB).

Please note the correct address is

Scott T. Ramsay
NMCB 25 MAIN BODY
FPO, AE 09501-2401

To Sailor With Love

Scott loves connecting with family and friends by phone and email, but there is nothing quite like receiving a letter or package from "home". Don’t fret too much about what to write or send. Just as important as what’s written or sent is that you thought enough to send something, and that connection to home and to you is priceless.

Scott Ramsay
PSC 1005 Box 37
NMCB 25 Main Body
FPO, AE 09593

GTMO Seabees Lend Hands to Operation Unified Response

An article about some of the sailors from Scott's unit who are deployed to GTMO:



GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba (Jan. 20, 2010) Construction Mechanic 2nd Class Jacob Seichter, assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 25, operates a bulldozer at the airfield at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay. The Seabees are modifying the airfield to accommodate a Boeing 747 that is offloading meals-ready-to-eat to be delivered to Haiti. The additional flight line space is an essential support for Operation Unified Response after a 7.0 magnitude earthquake caused severe damage near Port-au-Prince on Jan. 12, 2010. (U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Bill Mesta/Released)

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Leona Mynes, Naval Station Guantanamo Bay Public Affairs

GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba (NNS) -- Seabees from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 25, who are currently deployed to Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, graded a hill Jan. 21 on the Guantanamo airfield to allow large aircraft unobstructed movement when navigating the runways.

The project resulted from a 747 airplane being unable to turn around at the end of the flight line before its scheduled take-off. The plane was carrying pallets of Meals Ready to Eat (MREs) that were being delivered to Haiti in support of Operation Unified Response.

When the aircraft attempted to turn, a 180-foot by 200-foot hill blocked its way.

"We're doing this so that inbound and outbound planes are not impeded by any limitations on the runway," said Chief Builder Christopher Grzebieniek, NMCB 25's operations chief petty officer.

Removing the hill prevented the plane's engine from making contact with the ground.

The Seabees were tasked with the project early Jan. 20. The bulk of the project is ongoing, but the area preventing the 747's movement was clear mid-day Jan. 21.


For more news from Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, visit www.navy.mil/local/guantanamo/.

HooRah Seabeas!

I've been asked to serve as ombudsman (family liaison) for the additional ten or so sailors in this detachment who are not already part of the Green Bay group and I had the opportunity to meet with them on Tuesday. While I gathered family information from the sailors, Scott gave Gianna a tour of the spaces. She was wearing her Navy cheerleader outfit and kept shouting, "HooRah Seabeas!" She was a big hit!

Their Reputation Precedes Them

Gianna loves that there are sailors everywhere--even at mass. When a man in uniform went to the lectern for the first reading, Gianna exclaimed, "Is that a sailor? In church?" I guess the Navy's salty-sailor-reputation has reached pre-k!

Greetings from Gulfport!

It's been in the 30s and 40s, rainy, and windy--but, as you may have heard him say once or twice, "the sun always shines on Scott Ramsay!" Although we visited Gulfoport twice during his last mobilization, we stayed at a hotel in town. This time, we are on-base which adds another dimension to the trip (i.e. waking at 5:00 a.m. to sailors singing cadence during their PT runs).

Scott's been working long days (12-15 hours) so we've had limited time with him, but I get up with him in the morning and make a quick breakfast. Most days he's been able to come to the room for lunch and dinner. Then, he has an hour or so before bed to play with Gianna. Her new favorite game with Daddy is "tackle". What else would you expect after watching the Saints win the Superbowl from the middle of Who-Dat country.

10 Days and Counting

We weren't sure about timing of financing, but both fell in place and WE'RE GOING TO MISSISSIPPI!

Gianna is thrilled we get to visit Scott before he deploys to the southern hemisphere. She just doesn't quite understand why we can't go today. She has reacted more strongly to the seperation this deployment and I worry about having to say goodbye again, but some concentrated daddy-time will be good for both of us!

My dean was supportive (I have to miss a couple classes) and co-workers are covering as they can. Plus, somehow, ticket prices dropped 40% in the last month and we're both flying for $400 including taxes and fees--how lucky am I?

Militarily Speaking

Throughout my few months as an Ombudsman, I've come to appreciate how much military jargon is thrown around assuming others understand the terms. So, from time to time, I'll try to provide some basic military speak info that might make it easier to understand my posts and might also provide a glimps into the military culture.

For my first post, I've decided to highlihgt three words that are often inappropriately used interchangably: mobilized, deployed, activated.

Mobilized: when a service member leaves home for training
Deployed: when a service member is sent from training to his/her assignment
Activated: when a reservist is called to full-time service (either mobilized or deployed)

He Is Processed

Much like Gianna's favorite cheese, Velveeta (I use the term "cheese" broadly), Scott has been processed and is scheduled to deploy.

The first week of a mobilization is a processing week. Basically, they recheck everything from medical records to service records to make sure the sailor is fit for deployment. Then they interview each to see how they'll fit in the mission. As of Friday afternoon, Scott was officially processed into the deploying unit. We still don't have concrete details on where he'll be or what he'll be doing. Nor do we have a mailing address in Mississippi or beyond, but he does have access to email and this blog so feel free to send messages via either.

Introducing Berkley Ann

Berkley Ann, our beautiful niece and God daughter, arrived Sunday morning around 7:30 a.m. Gianna and I were able to visit for a couple of hours in the afternoon and can't wait to see her again on Tuesday. We miss her already!

Security Surprises

The Green Bay airport security is amazing! After Scott boarded the plane, we were the only ones in the terminal. (Airports give families of deploying military members special escort passes so they can go all the way to the gate.) We were waiting to watch the plane take off when we got the call that our new niece/God daughter arrived. I sent Scott a quick text with the news hoping his cell phone was still on. A few minutes later, the woman at the counter asked if he had responded to the text. When I said no, without hesitation, she asked if we wanted to board the plane so we could let Scott know the news. I felt as if we were in a movie. Gianna and I jogged down the hall and entered the fully-boarded plane and made our way back to Scott--who was visibly quite puzzled! We told him the news and got one more hug and kiss from Daddy!

The Send-Off

Instead of packing, we spent last night having tickle, pillow, and sword fights. We have our work cut out for us today, but Gianna's giggles were worth every moment of frantically cramming gear into seabags.

We are headed to Oshkosh this afternoon. We will likely arrive for dinner. ON Friday, Scott will head up to the reserve center to check-out. He'll play cards with some of the family at Grandma's house that evening. Saturday we'll visit, go to mass, and enjoy the evening as a family. We'll get to the airport around 6:30 a.m. on Sunday.(If anyone wants to see him off, call me for for flight time and location.) We'll watch the plane take off and then head back to the Hilton to check out and have a nice breakfast. (If you come to the airport, feel free to join us for breakfast as well!)

We'll then head to the Sheboygan area for Gianna's cousin Emily's birthday party. From there, we'll head home to wait rather unpatiently for the call saying my niece/nephew has arrived! (Of course, since Sarah is already four days overdue, it is probably a bit much to ask her to wait to go into labor until we see Scott off. So, my well-planned schedule may be altered a bit for a quick trip to a Madison hospital :)

Fourth of July!

Here We Go, Again!

We just heard that Scott is scheduled to deploy again in January. He does not have official orders yet, but his command notified him via phone on Monday. Meanwhile, I've been asked to serve as the ombudsman (family liaison) for the Green Bay detachment. Scott and I will head to the Great Lakes Navy base in Chicago land next month for training. Not only will I enjoy serving other military families, it will be really nice to be in the know during this deployment as I'll have more access to information than I did last time (especially since Scott deployed with a unit based on the other side of the country).

I'm not sure how much I can post now and we really don't have that many details, but I can say that as of now his orders a not to the Middle East. As we know more, I'll post.

Party Report

The last couple of weeks have been a whirlwind! Scott got in to Green Bay on Wednesday afternoon (3/25). He had to report to his reserve center in GB on Thursday. He made his way back to Iowa on Friday thanks to the Bill, Nancy, and Arnie who each drove him part of the way. They managed to stop for pizza at one of Scott's favorite joints, Christiano's in Wautoma. They arrived in New Albin around 3:00 p.m. just in time to help finishing set up for the homecoming party. Since it was a Friday in lent, we were limited on menu options so we had a fish fry.Nancy thawed fish; Arnie manned the fryer; Amy stirred the mac-n-cheese. Gianna wouldn't let go of her Daddy which made setting up tables and getting the beer in the coolers a bit of a trick! We had a great gathering of 50+ neighbors and friends. Thanks to all!

On Saturday we made our way back to Oshkosh for a family and friend gathering there. Bill and Kathy (with lots of help from the Salm family and the Mathes!) put together a really nice party. The food was great and the reunion was wonderful. Thanks to all who helped and attended!

One Step Closer

Scott will be one step closer to home tomorrow. He leaves Gulfport in the morning and flies (and flies, and flies--yes, three flights!) to Green Bay. He will be greeted at the airport by Bill, Kathy, and Jeff and will spend the evening in Oshkosh. Thursday he'll return to Green Bay to check out through his reserve center, then he'll finally be able to return to New Albin! We hope to have him home Thursday evening.

Reunion

Waiting

First Moments

Mississippi Memories

We're enjoying beautiful weather in Mississippi. Scott had to be on base all day yesterday and a couple of hours today, but otherwise we've had time to just hang out. We spent some time in New Orleans (French Quarter, Riverwalk, and Aquarium). The other day we ate lunch at what Guy Feiri (Food Network host) calls one of the top ten barbecue restaurants in the country. It was quite something. Even Gianna enjoyed it--although all she ate was the homemade banana pudding! Today we thought we'd enjoy the sun a bit and take a paddle boat out on Seabee Lake. Between not planning for weight distribution in the boat and misjudging the distance from the dock, I took a dive! I thought it was hilarious, but Gianna was quite concerned that either an alligator or a giant otter would get me. (Apparently the aquarium made quite an impression!) Alltold, it has been a great week so far. We have a few more days together before Gianna and I head back on Monday. Scott should be able to follow on Tuesday. He'll fly into Green Bay and then between our parents and me, we'll get him back to New Albin in time for the parties to begin!

Mission Completion!

At 9:00 p.m. last night, Scott arrived at Gulfport Seabee base. We will spend the next four days relaxing and enjoying his liberty before he reports for a few days of processing. Gianna and I fly back to Chicago on Monday the 23rd. Scott will fly into Green Bay hopefully around the same time. More details and pictures to follow.

Homecoming Parties!

Two Chances to Welcome Scott Home!

Friday, March 27

5:00 - 7:00 p.m.

The Ramsay House

154 Second St NE

New Albin, IA


Saturday, March 28

4:00 - 7:00 p.m.

Town of Oshkosh Town Hall

230 E. County Rd. Y

Call or email for directions or details.

Gianna and I took advantage of a little extra daylight last evening and built this year's first and last snowman! We used parts of the beautiful flower arrangement Scott sent at Christmas (bows for the scarf and pine cones floral-taped to sticks for arms). When we finished, Gianna exclaimed, "I'm going to show my daddy my snowman. He would be so proud of me. I'm a goooooood snowman maker." I'm sure it'll be long-melted by the time he gets home, so these pictures will have to do.

Getting Ready!

I had grand plans for house projects over Scott's deployment. As time started to wind down, I was faced with the reality that other than a new coat of paint in the kitchen, I had not made progress on any of the grand plans I had. But, that all changed over the course of 20 very productive hours. My great friend Megan came down around 9:00 Friday night and after a bowl of ice cream, we fixed drinks and headed to the closet! Three hours later, we had one giant black garbage bag of stuff to throw and two to donate. We also had all clothes hung and separated by type, season, and color. We stayed up too late chatting and woke to Gianna by 7:30. After breakfast, we headed to the garage where we could have spent an hour two organizing and cleaning and been done, but instead decided to take on a minor construction project! Luckily we found some plywood in the basement (thanks to the previous home owners). A quick run to Lansing for L-brackets and we were on our way! With a couple breaks to entertain Gianna, we got six very sturdy, measured-once-cut-twice utility shelves in the garage and cleaned and organized the whole shebang! I must say, we were quite proud of ourselves. The only problem is, now that those "rooms" are squared away, I really want to get everything else up to par.

BEFORE (Scott's side of the garage!)

DURING (Gianna was a great helper!)

AFTER (Ready for a homecoming party!)

In Command

In the Navy, the role of platoon commander is usually reserved for sailors with a rank of E7. A couple of weeks ago, however, Scott (an E6) was asked to serve as platoon commander for the duration of the deployment--quite an honor but also quite a bit more work!

Tomatoes...Totally!

A package arrived for Scott today. It was filled with his seed order from one of his favorite seed companies, Totally Tomato. It is pretty amazing that from the middle of the Iraqi desert he was able to order and ship right to our front door the makings of this year's garden. I had planned on surprising Scott by starting his seedlings so he could have home-grown plants to put in the garden. I'm not ashamed to admit that not having to start the seeds--and more importantly, baby them every day for weeks on end--is an added bonus to his earlier-than-initially-expected return date!

It's Official

I just got off the phone with one of the ombudsmen from Scott's command and the dates we heard last week are the official ones. Barring a sandstorm or other unforeseen circumstance, we'll have no problem spending most of his 96 hours of liberty with him. He'll then have two to five days of demobilization processing before he'll be flown back to Green Bay. Actually, there is a slight chance that Scott would leave Gulfport a day or even two before Gianna and I!

The Countdown Begins

Gianna and I made a paper chain today. There is one link for every day until we board the airplane. (You'll notice the photo is intentionally cropped.)

One day down...

He's Coming Home!

We have a narrow enough date range that we felt comfortable booking flights so we can meet Scott down south when he comes home! I am not able to post any specifics online, but feel to free to call me or (or any of the parents) for details.

Scott is still based at the same location but he doesn't spend much time there these days. He is off on 2-3 day "adventures" at least once a week. We still don't have a date for his return although the around Easter time frame is still being tossed around, so I was reluctantly thankful for another snowfall this week. As I've posted before, I had been telling Gianna that Daddy would be home in the spring. Then we had an early heat wave and nearly all of our snow melted; we had a couple of 50 degree days, so she was convinced it was spring. It would be easier if we had a date so we could make a count-down craft project or something. (I may have missed my calling as an elementary school art teacher. I'm enjoying glitter glue and tissue paper more than most, I think.)

Another Run

Scott ran in the Black History Month 5K race in 23:55. The guy next door, whom he goes to mass with and runs with, finished in 21:15. One Seabee finished behind him. They were the only three from his battalion to run in it. He's guessing there were a few hundred participants.

Daddy's Little Girl

Since Gianna was born,

Daddy has had big plans for his little girl.

He has told her that she can grow up to be

a nun, a pediatrician, or both!

Gianna playing dress-up with her friend Isabelle at daycare.

Our Sweet Valentine

Scott asked that I take Gianna to The Pearl, an old-fashioned Ice Cream Shoppe, as a special treat so I really wasn't expecting anything else, but not only did Scott have these absolutely beautiful flowers sent to me for St. Valentine's Day, he also sent Gianna her own flowers! She was over the moon! I'd have included a picture of her flowers but she loved them so much she just couldn't bear going anywhere without a "Daddy flower" so one carnation, rose, or daisy at a time the basket was emptied. Honestly, I love my flowers, but his sending flowers to Gianna was so unexpected and so sweet--it took my breath away! What a great daddy!

On the Road Again

I don't think Willie had the Iraq desert on his mind when he recorded that song but that is where Scott is headed. His construction project ended today and he was told that as of noon tomorrow, he will be back driving convoys. While there is certainly an increased element of danger to the job, being "farther from the flagpole" appeals to Scott. Leaving base means leaving the command and all the annoyances of being under constant scrutiny.

Obama's Change

Over the weekend, CNN reported that Obama is delaying Iraq troop withdrawal. During his campaign he promised to have us out of Iraq in 16 months, yet he is now asking for military leaders to propose other possibilities. Current options include 19 and 23 month scenarios. Apparently after he talked with top military leaders and Def. Sec. Gates, he is no longer interested in a time table. How’s that for change we can believe in?

Don't get me wrong, while I don't think we should have gone in the first place, I don't support a phased withdrawal in Iraq as the troops would be more vulnerable with each phase. Regardless, there have not been any major changes in Iraq since the campaign. Since I don't think he was ignorant of the reality of the war as a senator, all I can figure is that he knew then that the 16-month time table wasn't realistic but he also knew that a promise of phased withdrawal would help get him elected. I guess I can at least be grateful that he is now willing to listen to military leaders to ensure the withdrawal is responsible.

Read the full Story
http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/02/08/iraq.afghanistan/index.html?iref=newssearch

Super Sleuths

I felt as if I had just become a character in a Dan Brown novel as I grabbed a pen and began scribbling code words into a hastily drawn grid. When the phone went dead, I was to contact another source to get details needed to crack the cipher...

Scott had details he was allowed to share as long as he did so in a way that was not recognizable to anyone other than the recipient. Additionally, he was told that it couldn’t be easily researchable. (There went our standby of using Catholic feast days!) So, he put together a grid of clues that worked together to give us date ranges for various locations. Remarkably, there were no dates or locations in the code!) After 30 minutes (and couple of Google searches) Bill and I successfully determined that Scott IS COMING HOME! He’ll be home before the date his initial orders included (June 21) but there is still plenty of time to arrange for Gianna and my flight. Unfortunately, that is as much information as I can post right now. As time draws nearer, I’ll post what I’m able. Don’t worry, I’ll write in complete sentences; no super decoder ring will be necessary.

Birthday Celebration

At long last, last weekend the family gathered to celebrate Gianna's birthday. We met at West End, a pizza joint Scott and I used to enjoy when we were dating. In fact, it is where we first discussed our wedding plans. Although Daddy was certainly missed by all, the party was a festive celebration complete with party hats (that Gianna insisted everyone wear) and a Dora cake (yes, that is supposed to be Dora!).

Joining the Rank & File

Before the project began, another E6 (sailor with the same rank as Scott) who had not yet been a crew leader on a project, requested an opportunity to be the lead on the project Scott is on. (It wouldn't look good come evaluation time to go home without a project under his belt.) Scott, not the world's most reticent leader--but close, happily stepped down so the other sailor could have his chance. So now Scott is busy cutting metal for the siding project. I guess it is really dirty, itchy work because of all the metal filings.

Pray for Clouds.

Happy Groundhog Day! Growing up in Sun Prairie has influenced me in many ways. Not the least of which is my annual excitement over February 2nd when Jimmy peaks his little head out of his burrow and predicts an early spring (if he doesn't see his shadow) or a long winter (if he is scared by his shadow and retreats into his burrow).

A few months ago, when the weather was just starting to turn cold, Gianna asked when Daddy was coming home. Trying to put things in terms she would understand, I explained that Daddy would be home in the spring. [Thanks (?) to Dora's Fairytale Land Adventure, I knew she understood winter turning into spring.] News on his actual return date is sketchy at best, but it seems that there's a good chance he'll be home to see the actual first day of spring. Now, if only I could get the Navy to use Jimmy's timetable!

P.S. Phil has nothing on Jimmy.

No News Is...No News

Several people have asked if there is still time to send mail to Scott. Sick of guessing and sick of rumors, I'm back to assuming the initial orders are the best guess and that Scott will be home mid- to late June. So, feel free to send greetings from very cold here to warm and sunny there!

Scott Thomas Ramsay
NMCB-27
Detachment 4, Charlie Company
FPO, AA 34099-2204

The Super

Despite Scott's preference to be a worker, not a supervisor, he was just tasked again with a new building project. Yesterday they finished their second warehouse build and today he found out that he'll be in charge of the siding crew for the new headquarters building. Luckily, he was told he can hand-pick his crew. He was cautiously pleased and expects that his top picks will be "unavailable". Nevertheless, it is a good sign that he has been given another project and this time with more authority. His biggest concern is that supplies are running low and with changing administration/goals for Iraq, it isn't likely that money will be flowing for building projects. Since this is the HQ building, he expects the client is going to expect more than the left-overs from the last couple of builds, but that may be all that's available.

Swing, Batter, Batter...

The following story is about troops in Scott's battalion who were sent to a different location. Given Scott's enthusiasm for baseball, I'm sure he'd appreciate his brothers-in-arms' latest hobby-project.



Baseball, America’s pastime, has helped Marines and Sailors stay connected to home for years, no matter where they are in the world.

By Cpl. Sean P. Cummins Regimental Combat Team 5COMBAT OUTPOST UBAYDI, Iraq –

The Seabees of Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 27 have brought a touch of home to the Marines near the Syrian border here with a new batting cage.“[One of the Marines] wanted a batting cage and [Petty Officer 1st Class Paul] Campagna, being a very aggressive and enthusiastic petty officer, fulfilled his wish,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Daniel Barrassco, a builder with NMCB-27 stationed here. “Campagna designed it and we started building it. Some people came out to help on their down time.”The batting cage gives the Marines and Sailors operating within sight of the Syrian border a way to relax when not operating in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.“Morale has gone up,” said Barrassco, 40, who is from Peabody, Mass. “It’s for whoever wants to swing a bat and play ball. It is a gift to the Marines who are [working] every day. I’ve seen guys on convoys getting out of their trucks and running to the batting cage to play.”Plans for the cage started long before the building and many of the Marines and Sailors couldn’t believe it was actually going to get built, including the Seabees themselves. “I can’t believe I’m building a batting cage in Iraq,” was heard frequently during the building of the cage, according to several Seabees and Marines.“Why did we build it? Because we love baseball, and there’s no batting cage here,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Paul Campagna, 45, a builder with NMCB-27 from Salem, Mass. “We talked about it for about a month, but I don’t think any of the higher-ups really believed that we were going to do it. Then they saw it going up and they were pretty shocked.”While Campagna admitted to building some “pretty wild stuff” in his 25 years of building, including a pool table and golf tee in Afghanistan, this is the first batting cage he’s ever made.“I enjoy using the batting cage; it’s a good way to get a little stress out when you get off post and off a hard work day,” said Cpl. Cory J. Stuard, 29, a team leader with Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 5, from Cedar Hill, Tenn. “In my younger days, I played a lot of little league back in Tennessee. On my free time, I try and get in there and take some swings.”Despite having to scrape together scraps of material from other projects to put the cage together, the satisfaction of another finished project and the memories the sport brings back have made all the work worth it for the Seabees.“We’re in the middle of the holidays, and I think on every deployment, regardless of where you are in the world, when you’re away from your family you still miss that little piece of home. It’s a beautiful feeling to hear that bat crack and that ball hit the wood and the fence and these guys cheering and finding that little peace of mind,” said Barrassco. “We feel as Seabees that we’ll build anything, we’ll do anything and we don’t mind doing it. We do not mind building for the Marines and supporting the Marines. We’re family.”

TV Shout Out

In preparation for the Army/Navy football game back in December, Scott's battallion filmed a shout-out that was not aired during the game. The link to the video is below. Once on the page, click the arrow to get the video to play. (You may need to click the link "Naval Mobile Construction Battall... Sends a shout out to the Navy football team".) The image is pretty small, but Scott is easy to spot because he is the only one wearing a flight suit. He is in the second row, second from the right.


http://www.dvidshub.net/?script=video/video_show.php&id=51610

River Project Commendation

Just before Thanksgiving Scott was in the field on a mission to help secure the Euphrates River near the Syrian border. The military has finally released some basic information. An article was posted to the Ombudsman's blog and I'll re-post it below. The article doesn't mention Scott specifically but he was one among the 200+ soldiers and sailors on the project. I do know that Scott was awarded a commendation for his work on the mission.

River Project Story
Posted Jan 23, 2009 11:19am

Seabees assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 27 homeported in Brunswick, Maine along with the Army 341st Multi Role Bridge Company and Marine Corps Kilo Co. 3rd Battalion , 7th Marines recently completed a construction project in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in al Anbar province.
The Mission consisted of constructing an 800 foot incursion barrier spanning the Euphrates River.
Equipment Operator First Class Brian Workman, of Lowell, Mass., Lead Petty Officer for NMCB 27 lead the project which included steelworkers, construction mechanics, equipment operators and an engineering aid and builder from NMCB 27 as well as coordinated all efforts between the other services.
“As Lead Petty Officer, my job was to plan and oversee the execution of our mission,” said Workman. “I was designated for this project prior to our departure from homeport; as a Civil Engineer, I had plenty of varied construction experience to oversee this project and make it work.”
“The collaboration of the joint efforts could not have been smoother. Together there were seven units that joined together providing 200 plus people working on the project,” added Workman.
“Our task was to construct approximately, eight hundred feet of small craft incursion barrier across two sections of the Euphrates River.” stated Workman. “In addition to the barrier, we were tasked with the construction…of security wire on a mid-stream island. The project would require approximately two hundred meters, (six thousand feet yield) of wire.”
In charge of the Army crew was 1st Lt. Michael J. Lordeman. The Army supported the project by providing their MK2 Combat Support (bridge) boats and six float rafts (42E) to transport the equipment needed by the Seabees to the other side of the river.
“It was a pleasure working with the Seabees to complete this project and bring a little bit more security to the country of Iraq,” said Lordeman.
Steelworker 1st Class Edward Frank of Parishville, NY, lead steelworker in charge of constructing the anchor assembly for the north anchor, was also in charge of anchoring island concrete T- barriers, each weighing roughly thirteen-thousand pounds for each barrier.
“As the project continued I had gone from lead Steelworker to crew leader of all work on the north shore,” said Frank. “I believe this was a very good change for the project because of my civilian experience as a Lead Superintendant of a world wide construction company.”
On the banks of the Euphrates, Frank, along with Equipment Operator 3rd Class Eric Kauffman of Granville, PA, installed the anchors to hold the barrier in place. During the evolution Kauffman was tasked with operating the excavator and the D-7 dozer to provide land clearing for concertina wire that stretched across the island and digging t- barrier foundations.
“Being a professional excavator operator in my civilian life, I felt at home on the project and had a lot of fun.” said Kauffman.
“We had a lot of good leadership on the project which in turn made my job a lot easier,” added Kauffman. “I had roughly eleven hours a day of operating time over an eight day period. Me and Frank set the barriers and worked together like ‘peas and carrots’.”
The crew had to overcome many obstacles including the elevation difference between the survey points. The elevation difference between both shores was greater than the equipment could overcome in order to see across the island to the North Shore to find our point of reference. This problem was quickly solved by setting Engineering Aid 2nd Class Jose Soto of Long Island, NY, up on top of one of the security gun trucks which added an extra 10 feet of elevation. From there they could see where to begin to set the centerline for earthwork.
“The mission was to place a water barrier as close as possible to the border in the Euphrates River,” said Soto. “The most critical part of the mission was to exact a line as close as possible to the border without causing an international crisis, and it was my task to trace that line. I can say that I am proud to be a Seabee.”
Also, the high water table added problems to the project, but were soon overcome. “Kauffman and I had installed the anchors and with each one ran into problems because of the water table being so high at the edges of the island,” said Frank.“I had made two field adjustments, bringing both anchors away from the river... These anchors would not have been installed as expediently as they were, if not for a skilled equipment operator such as Kauffman,” said Frank. “In my fourteen years with the Seabees, I have not worked with such a talented operator Kauffman.”
After the anchors had been installed the crew then had to fill Hesco barriers for the Marines to build a bunker for the Iraqi Army. This process involved demolishing an existing Iraqi Army island outpost. The excavator encountered mechanical problems but, the Seabees adapted and overcame with the assistance of the two Construction Mechanics that were on the project, Construction Mechanic 1st Class Tyron Sykes of Virginia Beach, VA., and Construction Mechanic 2nd Class James Stefflin of North Smithfield, RI..
“We were up and running the next morning and we were able to make up time,” said Frank. The following day Steelworker 2nd Class Joseph Pierce of Boston, Mass, and Steelworker Constructionman Nicholas Padellaro of Lawrence, Mass and I had installed the final anchor.”
“We could not have finished without the other forces,” said Workman. “There was joint ownership of battle space just within the 200 meters on the island. The performance of the 341st MRB and the Marines from Kilo 3/7 could not have been more professional or proficient; each element exhibited amazing command and control of their personnel as well as their equipment,” added Workman.
Seabees bring a broad range of technical and military skills which provide a unique capability to the support of an engineering mission. In addition to construction, these essential capabilities include robust organic support functions such as logistics, maintenance, and communications.
The Seabees of 27 also known as the “Skibees” are homeported in Brunswick, Maine, and are deployed to Iraq and other areas to provide general engineering support to Multi-National Force-West in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Story and photos by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Kenneth W. Robinson - Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 27 Public Affairs

Whether the Weather

It was a beautiful day in sunny Iraq. Scott said the weather this week is just about perfect--the nicest he's seen since he's been there. All week it should be in the upper 60s/low 70s. The fact that it has been sub-zero here seems to add to his enjoyment. The nicer days really are a blessing when they are working on building projects; the cold and windy days made it difficult, if not impossible, to do things like pour concrete and hang steel.

I'm reminded of a little poem/tongue twister that we used as a warm-up before speech tournaments:

Whether the weather is cold,
Or whether the weather is hot,
We'll (work) together whatever the weather,
Whether we like it or not.

Turkish Delight

There is a large contingent of Turkish contractors on base. Scott has enjoyed talking with them and reminiscing about his time in Turkey. He has even had the opportunity and challenge of doing some translating from time to time. He has enjoyed it all, but on Sunday he and others who have worked alongside the contractors were invited to share a meal. Instantly, Scott was transported to another time and place as he savored soups and relished real Turkish rice (emphasis Scott's!). There was no report on whether dessert was the super-sweet Turkish Delight (kind of like a giant soft gum drop--but much , much better) but certainly, Scott was delighted. There were two disappointments to the event. First, communication about the invitation was poor so only a handful of Americans showed up and the Turks were expecting 40+. Second, when Scott and the guy he went with got up to go, they were the only Americans left so they had to walk and walk and walk and walk back to their section of base. He said it was worth every bite!

Evening Prayers

Each night, Gianna and I crawl into bed and say our evening prayers. We start with thanking God for blessings of the day (Gianna usually starts with Daddy and then lists all the people she knows and then adds blankie, milk, and church). Then we ask God to bless us tomorrow and we name people or events that will be part of our next day. At the end, I say, "Thank you God for all of your blessings. Please continue to help us. Amen." Tonight, Gianna added to my ending by explaining, "Mommy, I think maybe we need to help God, too."

Out of the mouths of babes...

So I asked her what she thought we could do to help God. She said, "like when He falls on the sidewalk, we could help Him up." I don't know that she knows enough detail of the passion of our Lord to have made a specific reference to Christ's third fall, but I do know that she has a pure and good heart and wants to serve God through neighbor. Praise God!

The Best Form of Flattery

I'm not sure Scott feels flattered, but he is being imitated. Scott has been serving as a crew leader for some time. His "unique leadership style" has been replicated by one of the junior troops in quite a comical way. Apparently, his impression of Scott is quite a good caricature and is quite good-natured. Scott hasn't seen the guy do his impression but has heard he "just has to see it!" Once he does--if he's not too embarrassed--he will try to get it video-taped to share with us here.

Leader of the Pack

In honor of Martin Luther King, Jr., a 5k race was held on base this morning. Scott entered and ran with 300+ other soldiers, sailors, and marines. It was a chilly 30 degrees at the starting line. He was running in a pack of about 25 guys for the first two miles but then pulled away and finished a good 45 seconds before the next runner. He wasn't sure what place he finished overall, but he was the first Seabee to cross the finish line!

Pocket Change

Of all the things you wouldn't think Scott would miss--pocket change! Apparently, the government realized that coinage gets pretty heavy in bulk. (Any woman with a handbag could have filed the brief on that one!) So to save money/weight on shipping, they do not use coins on bases in Iraq. They use regular U.S. mint bills but for change they use plastic disks that only have value on base. This seems to work well for everything except calling cards. The little silver film-covered strip on the back of a calling card needs to be scratched off to reveal the card's pin. The discs were useless and since Scott has always been militant about well-groomed finger nails, he was in a phone booth with no way to call home. Then he remembered the one thing he must have on him at all times--his weapon and its ammunition. The back end of a bullet did the trick a little too well and scratched off part of the pin. He guessed at the partial numbers and got through, but the pin he entered was slightly off and the automated voice told him that his new card had three minutes remaining. I think I'll put a quarter in my next letter!

Time Keeps Moving

Scott's working hard as always but has been put in a position of a bit more leadership. One day he had 25 Marines reporting to him. The days are long and run into each other. During our last conversation, he noted the date and was pleased that time keeps moving.

I'm sure he is missing playoffs, but there is a good chance they'll get to watch the Superbowl. News reports indicate that troops may be allowed to drink a beer or two during the game but since Scott doesn't drink, I think he'd prefer a bratwurst!

Mail Update!

Scott's battalion will keep delivering mail past February 1st after all. He is still planning to be home earlier than June, but the date continues to fluctuate. The bottom line, mail sent by February 1st should still be delivered.

As the Crow Flies

I'm reminded of the Proclaimers' song, "I Would Walk 500 Miles." I'd have to do so thirteen and a half times to fall down at Scott's door. That's right, I just figured out that Scott is roughly 6800 miles from home. (How's that for useless trivia?)

I Thought Daddy Said Construction Was Hard Work!

New Year's Day R&R

Scott had the day off today and used it to get a little extra sleep and relax a bit. When we talked this morning, he was interrupted by someone looking to borrow his seed catalog. I sent the one from Seed Savers, an heirloom seed organization about 45 minutes from here. We haven't received any others yet. If you have a seed catalog you're done with, pass it on to him and he'll share with others. Apparently their are several like-minded sailors who are getting the itch to feel some good old Midwestern soil in their hands.

Happy New Year!

The new year is starting with some great news! For months there have been rumors that Scott's battalion might be coming home earlier than initially expected. Not wanted to get my hopes up too high, I've kind of blown it off, but now a few adminstrative changes [not to be confused with administration changes :-) ] give a bit more credibility to the rumors. For instance, yesterday Scott was told that his battalion will not be getting mail delivery past February 1st. This does not mean he'll be back by then as they stop mail service a few weeks before the end of the deployment, but it is likely he'll be home in the spring instead of the summer!

Any mail sent after the third full week in January will not be delivered which means he will not get any mail for the last few weeks. Next week I plan to send a few letters marked with instructions not to open until Ground Hog's Day, Valentine's Day, Mardis Gras, etc.

Thanks for all the cards, letters, and packages you've sent so far. Scott told me today that the person who handles the mail for his battalion singled him out and told him to make sure his "fan club" knew that the mail service was ending. Apparently Scott and two other guys get more mail than the rest of the battalion combined. Keep it up; we're on the home stretch!

Christmas Camel

Scott sent this camel--complete with uniform boonie cover and dog tags--to Gianna for Christmas.

Chrismas Messages

I know how hard it was to not have Scott with us over the holidays so I can only imagine how difficult it was for Scott to be without all of us. In an effort to bring us all a bit closer, I compiled a video of Christams messages for Scott. A DVD of the complete video was sent to Scott just before Christmas. Here are just a few clips. (I tried to load the entire video but it was too long.)

The Bob Salm Family

Oshkosh Friends

Gianna Ramsay

Happy Birthday, Gianna!

Gianna got a birthday phone call from Daddy this morning. While we were on the phone, Gianna opened her present from Daddy--the book Green Eggs & Ham and a DVD of Scott reading it to her.

(Screen capture from the video.)

After we hung up, we put in the DVD. Gianna went up to the TV and stood cheek to cheek with her daddy for the entire video (almost five minutes!). She watched it at least a dozen times before I was able to coax her away with the promise of swimming. We went to the Y and then to Chuck E. Cheese. She went to sleep on the way home and is still napping!

Christmas Happenings

We've been traveling, so I haven't had mush time to post. Here are the highlights from the week:

Scott's Christmas party was a success. It was last Saturday. I had sent a Santa suit and some decorations. Our friends Tracy and Chris had sent hundreds of holiday plates and napkins. (Thanks again, you two!) Friends and family of the other guys at the same rank as Scott sent a variety of party supplies, too. They had a great time and even had to do a beer run--near beer that is--half way through the evening. One of the chiefs was going to wear the Santa suit but the $30 felt costume I found didn't quite fit his 6 foot steelworker frame, so Scott was going to wear it but the chaplain asked if he could do the honors. Scott didn't think much of it until later when he overheard two women complaining that they couldn't very well climb up on Santa's lap and be naughty-not-nice when he was the chaplain. Scott's not one for public attention to begin with so you can imagine how embarrassed he would have been!

At long last, Scott was pinned with his SCWs (seabee combat warfare) pin. A few weeks ago I mentioned that he had been studying for written and oral tests. He successfully passed everything and earned the certification. Getting pinned is a bit like a hazing ritual but he seemed to enjoy being part of the tradition!

Scott plans to attend Christmas eve mass. There is a midnight mass that is actually being held at midnight (out local parishes have them starting as early as 9:00) and he planned to attend with one of his running buddies. They got to reminiscing about going to midnight mass as kids and wondered if they could still stay up that late and function the next day now that they are in their 30s. While their parents were in their 30s when they took their kids to mass, they probably did so knowing the kids would pass out before the readings began and it would be the one mass all year that they'd actually get to enjoy! In the end, Scott and he decided since they were in their 30s and were not taking kids to mass, there was no reason they could not go tot he 4:00 p.m. mass and get a good night's sleep!

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Blessings!

This year has been filled with blessings! Scott’s deployment to Iraq has given us opportunity anew to recognize how very blessed we truly are. Allow us to share a list of this year’s blessings:

Care packages! Thanks to all who have kept Scott supplied with jerkies, granola bars, phones cards, and most of all, your thoughts and prayers!

Hospitality! Grandma and Grandpa and Nana and Papa--whether at our place or theirs, they have gone above and beyond to help us! Countless friends have invited us to spend nights, weekends, even weeks with them to save on travel and to provide companionship.

Rome, Italy. Thanks to my parents (and lots of frequent flier miles!) we traveled with the entire Cerny family to Italy for nearly two weeks last May. Highlights were touring the excavation site under St. Peter’s Basilica, attending an audience with the Holy Father, visiting each of the four basilicas in Rome, and walking in the streets where St. Gianna worked, lived, and prayed.

Incredible colleagues! They have covered classes and writing lab hours at a moment’s notice.

Snow! Admittedly, I’m probably only thankful for a white Christmas because I have not shoveled a flake since Scott left thanks to the generosity of our amazing neighbors for whom I am incredibly grateful!

Thoughts and Prayers! Sunday school groups out east, prayer chains in Iowa, novenas and lit candles in Wisconsin, countless individual prayers. They mean more than anything, and they’re working! Know that you’re all in our prayers, too!

Marriage! My sister wed Ben in October. I was pleased to serve as the matron of honor and Gianna was the adorable flower girl at the beautiful private ceremony in a quaint chapel in central Wisconsin. We are grateful to have Ben as part of the family!

Adorable Gianna--what a blessing! She is growing up so quickly; it seems impossible she will be three this month. She is obsessed with Dora, wants to eat nothing but peanut butter, hot dogs, and the occasional serving of peas, and misses her Daddy. She has even started saying separate “daddy prayers” after our regular night time prayers.

Safety and security! We praise God that Scott and his group have remained safe. More now than ever, we are grateful for the hundreds of thousands of troops and their families who regardless of politics or position have volunteered to do their part to help provide peace on earth.

CHRISTMAS!
The birth of our savior--the greatest blessing of all!
We pray you and your families have a wonderful Christmas and

are blessed in the new year!

School's Out!

Scott and I both finished school yesterday. I submitted semester grades and Scott had his last oral board for the SCWs pin. He has been in class after class and taken test after test. After a three-hour oral defense, he was finished. Surprisingly, three hours is relatively short. A guy he spent time with in Mississippi spent 8 hours in his and had to go back the next day for three more. Hopefully now that this hurdle's been jumped, he'll have a bit more time for sleep!

Steel Stories

Scott's back in steelwork and since he has no fear of heights, he was volunteered to do some work 26+ feet up in the air. So, he headed up the ladder only to discover the ladder stopped about five feet short of the piece of steel he needed to mount. After analyzing the situation, he begrudgingly made his was back down the ladder. Another Seabee was volunteered. He too made his way up--and down. There was no lone left to be talked into volunteering, so Scott decided to give it another go. He climbed up the ladder and reconsidered the possibilities. His chief called him down, told him to forget about it. Did he not realize that was as good as a double dog dare??? Scott yanked himself into a partial chin-up and swung his body onto the beam before finally being able to tie-off for safety. (There's a reason steelwork is the second most dangerous job.) I'm sure he was quite pleased with himself, that is until a chief ten years his senior walked onto the job site, strutted over to an I-beam that was straight up in air, and managed to shimmy up the thing in no time. Granted, the chief is a journeyman steelworker, but I'm sure it was a bit deflating. In any event, it made for an interesting first day back in steelwork and a great story that is sure to get greater with time. By the time he gets home, I bet the steel beam will have been at least 40 feet in the air!

No Peeking!

Scott received many packages in the last few days. He decided to wait until Christmas morning to open everything so that the day is marked in a special way. He asked that if anyone wants him to open a package early, he or she should email him at ramzeeola90@yahoo.com.

SW1 Ramsay

He has has office jobs, driving jobs, and miscellaneous other jobs, but for the first time since he mobilized back in June, Scott was assigned to do steelwork--what the SW stands for!

It may not last, however. Scott's roommate was on a construction project in which many Turkish civilian contractors were involved. Apparently the communication gap was making progress impossible until Scott's roommate told a higher-up that Scott knows some Turkish. Scott was called off of his work site to translate and while his working vocabulary has diminished a bit over the past 15 years, he was able to get the two groups on the same page and the project up and running. Afterwards, he was grilled on his language skills. Given the number of Turks and Azeris on base and in the area, translation may become another job to add to the list.

The Fewer. The Prouder. The Seabees!

A group of Marines who had gotten themselves in a bit of troubled were sentenced to a day of hard manual labor. Their punishment? To work with Scott's company for the day. What Scott's group does day in and day out is what the Marines consider punishment!

Go Navy! Beat Army!

The Midshipmen pulled out a huge victory--the first shut-out in 30+ years! Scott was able to watch the game. The command was projecting up on a huge cement wall. It meant a late night for the sailors but I'm sure it was well worth it especially since they were the winners. I'm sure the soldiers on base will be dragging tomorrow!

Unfortunately, the shout-out Scott was a part of was not aired. I've got feelers out to see if I can get a copy of his Badger shout out. I'll post it if I track one down.

There's Still Time!

Believe it or not, the Christmas presents I mailed on Monday, November 24 arrived today--in just 10 days!

I had written on the sides, "Do not open until Christmas day!" I even gave him strict orders that when he saw that message on a box, he was not allowed to read the customs slip! I didn't know if he would follow my rule though, so I devised a test. When he told me it arrived I said, "wow, already? What date did it say it shipped?" If he answered, I'd know he cheated. Luckily, he said he didn't know because he didn't look at the label. So either he wants to be surprised or he wants me to think he wants to be surprised.

In any event, if you haven't yet sent a card off to your favorite sailor, you have time to get it there by the big day!

SCOTT THOMAS RAMSAY
NMCB-27
DETACHMENT 4, CHARLIE COMPANY
FPO, AA 34099-2204

Testing, Testing, Testing

No, I'm not checking my mic. Scott is in the process of earning his Seabee Combat Warfare pin--a three-test process. He had a written test this morning which he passed with a solid score. He has two more tests to come: a preliminary oral board and the final oral board. Scott tests and presents well but this is a pretty big deal so let's pray that he is able to demonstrate his knowledge and strength during the tests to come.

Gobble, Gobble!

A few days before Thanksgiving, Scott reported that the mess hall (cafeteria) was advertising a "Hawaiian Thanksgiving"--not a turkey, giblet, or cranberry on the menu! When it came time to head to lunch, he and his roommate decided they just couldn't replace cranberries with pineapple and gravy with poi. They started a pilgrimage, if you will, for a more traditional dinner.

There are five mess halls on base and each serves their own menu from day to day, meal to meal. They decided to walk from hall to hall until they found one staffed by people who knew what Thanksgiving is about. They eventually found it complete with turkey, stuffing, potatoes, even green beans with almonds! But, alas, there was no cranberry relish. Thus became the quest for their evening meal! I never heard if they found it.

Just in case, I had sent a Thanksgiving-in-a-box:
Turkey Jerky
Sweet Potato Chips
Craisins
Pumpkin Muffins

It wasn't really anything like the real deal but I figured if he had been in the field, it would have been better than a Swiss steak MRE!

We hope your Thanksgiving was blessed. We have much to be thankful for including your love, support, and most of all, your prayers! Thanks!

Holiday Greetings and Reflections from Iraq

Scott sent a letter in four parts: an opening salutation, a description of his work, a reflection on his disposition, and an indication of the future. Each part is posted below as a distinct entry. I hope you find his insights as engaging, sobering, compelling, and enriching as I do.

Greeting (Part 1 of 4)

Feast of Christ the King, 2008
Al Asad, Iraq

“I had much to write to you, but I would rather not write with pen and ink; I hope to see you soon, and we will talk together face to face.” (III John 1:13-14)

“At the same time, prepare a guest room for me, for I am hoping through your prayers to be granted to you.” (Philemon 1:22)

By some miracle of God I got a day off today. It is my second day off since getting here a couple months ago. I decided to spend it writing a letter to all the people who have written me or prayed for me while I’ve been here. I feel terrible that I am unable to return your mail and well-wishes individually at this time, but I feel blessed for the kindness all of you have shown me! You are wonderful relatives and friends! My plan is that when/if I get another day off, I will phone all those who have written me here.

This is a three-part letter. The first section is a general portrait of my work here within the boundaries of rules and security limitations. The second section is my frame of mind. The third section is the future. Please do not feel like you have to read the whole thing. Skim it or discard it if you want! We can catch up in person in the spring when I’m back home! That would be infinitely more entertaining, I’m sure!

Happy holidays! – In Christ Jesus, Scott Ramsay

Reality: Iraq is Hard Duty (part 2 of 4)

“Behold, the day of the LORD comes, cruel, with wrath and fierce anger, to make the earth a desolation and to destroy its sinners from it. For the stars of the heavens and their constellations will not give their light; the sun will be dark at its rising and the moon will not shed its light. I will punish the world for its evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; I will put an end to the pride of the arrogant, and lay low the haughtiness of the ruthless. I will make men more rare than fine gold and mankind than the gold of Ophir.

And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the splendor and pride of the Chaldeans, will be like Sodom and Gomorrah when God overthrew them. It will never be inhabited or dwelt in for all generations; no Arab will pitch his tent there, no shepherds will make their flocks lie down there. But wild beasts will lie down there, and it houses will be full of howling creatures; there ostriches will dwell, and there satyrs will dance. Hyenas will cry in its towers, and jackals in the pleasant palaces; its time is close at hand and its days will not be prolonged.” (Isaiah 13:9-12, 19-22)
Exhaustion. Mind-numbing exhaustion. Up for thirty hours or more of loading and unloading trucks, driving truck, and that most quintessential of military activities: “standing by.” Sentence fragments. But then the zoned-out mind thinks in sentence fragments. Prowords, comm, truncated thoughts ala Orwell’s 1984. Wired awake, road hypnosis, mesmerized. The thought occurs to me that you could get almost anyone to do almost anything if you deny a basic need long enough – rest, freedom from pain, bathroom privileges, water, food, you-name-it. Just dangle that carrot in front of the donkey. But I don’t think on this long – thinking hurts. Being. Pure being.

My mind drifts on to what I put in my combat pack. I almost packed a stuffed ladybug that my daughter had sent me in an Operation Homefront box. It was either the ladybug or all my ammunition. The thought to leave some ammo at “home” and pack the animal was almost a rational one at the time; tired people don’t think straight. In the end every round I have squeezed its way into my pack. (As corny as it sounds, I had made a promise to a guy I don’t even know at Don Sommermeyer’s birthday party that I would never get an “I don’t give a care” attitude over here, and that was the tipping point for the ammo over the ladybug.) I bid the stuffed ladybug adieu and left it standing sentry over my gear at Camp Cupcake.

Stay awake. Have to stay awake. Yawns. Micro-tremor in the eyeballs. Pale skin. Bags under the eyes. The temperature never seems right when you’re at the brink of collapse. Twenty hours awake and on duty. Thirty hours awake and on duty. Forty hours awake and on duty. (Of course there are rules against all this but they can be waived in wartime.) Finally the head bob.
I know all the tricks. Keep pumping caffeine into your system. The military has this energy drink called Rip It. They also give you this espresso stuff called Shock – it comes in Mocha or Latte cans that look like automotive fluid containers. When this quits working you get your a-driver (assistant driver) to talk to you. Keep shifting in the seat. Keep moving your head around. Then you blast the air conditioning until you’re frozen (the windows don’t open on most tactical vehicles). Then you try pain, which is actually pretty effective – everything from pressing on nailbeds, rubbing my sternum, pinching myself hard, et cetera. After that you make up some bologna excuse for why the convoy has to stop – convoy commanders are loath to stop in “Indian Country” – and you get out and walk around the vehicle checking your cargo straps for ten minutes while Al Qaeda is supposedly zeroing in on you and your position. The remedy of last resort for head bobbing is this nasty chewing gum called “Stay Alert.” I cannot convey in words how disgusting this stuff is; it is absolutely enough to make a maggot retch. The longer you chew it, the more bitter it gets. It comes with a cheerful endorsement: PROVEN EFFECTIVE AND SAFE BY WALTER REED ARMY INSTITUTE OF RESEARCH. Great. The same people who brought us the anthrax vaccine are now in the gum business. I would have hated to be taking care of the monkeys the day they fed them this awful/offal stuff – thousands of hyper-energized, ticked-off lab primates simultaneously shoving their fingers down their throats. I must confess that when I’ve chewed Stay Alert my first instinct is always to look for a dead camel on the side of the road, hoping that if I could just chew on its moribund mohair fur and some desert lice, I could just possibly get the taste out of my mouth.

At some point in these marathon work stretches, my mind always wanders to a cousin of whom I have no memory: Allen Adams. I haven’t heard anyone speak his name in years – you know how it is with the names of those long dead, it is almost taboo/eerie to speak their names even when one is alone. Anyway, he tried driving from Nebraska to Wisconsin or some such thing and fell asleep at the wheel a few miles from home. He thought he could drive a few more miles but he died instead. I bet he was a good guy; I bet he THOUGHT he could make it. And I bet I’m no less human than he was. A big thing touted around here is that last month there were more non-combat deaths than combat-related deaths in Iraq. Awesome. The U.S. pushes people beyond human limits more often than the enemy kills us. Strange thing to brag about.

At last the outpost. Usually some forlorn spot in the desert although one time I did drive to one of Saddam’s old palaces. The opulence of the palace, contrasted with the squalor and poverty of the nearby cities (I am not allowed to name them but they are some of the most notorious names on the planet), makes one boil with righteous indignation. And then again the thought occurs to me that if most of the world walked through most of America they’d probably be indignant. In a philosophical tone I tell myself, “The despot is dead. Tried and executed. Why begrudge him this monument to his megalomania?”

But today it’s an outpost of the plywood and canvas variety. Time to bed down for the day like a vampire or some creature nocturnal anyway. There always seems to be a rodent-infested tent set aside for travelers to make up food at any hour. None of it really appeals but I force something down to accompany that mashed-up protein bar I squirreled away in a pocket. Rodents. I don’t like rodents. Besides being vectors of disease they attract snakes. Iraq has forty or so venomous snakes – asps, adders, cobras, who-knows-what’s. Supposedly two of the asps are so deadly that they won’t even send a Medevac if one of them bites you. (You’re already dead so why risk a helicopter crew’s lives?) I think in reality somebody would call for a helicopter anyway – no one out here has a PhD in zoology and reptile identification. I find a GWOT cot. Good. I hate the Vietnam ones that are still floating around – they have this metal bar that goes across the small of my back. I put my rifle beside me and then: Collapse – utter, total surrender to physiological reality.

You always seem to wake up a few hours later; you never seem to be able to get back to sleep. The reasons vary – air ops, heat, cold, millions of flies, tentmates, residual caffeine, a full bladder, a cough, who-knows-what. Today I wake up sweating to death and my sleeping bag sticking to me. The power’s been off for a couple hours and there is no air conditioning. I stare at the ceiling of the tent and all its holes letting the daylight in. Most of the holes are taped; the age and type of the tape makes for different colored holes. The effect is that of a planetarium. The red hole is Mars. The next is Betelgeuse. The one over there is the Morning Star. A landing helicopter swoops in so low and loud it feels as if it will land in the tent itself. My planetarium shakes violently to and fro. At last the Day of the Lord, when the firmament will shake and pass away with violent intensity and heat. Isaiah, Zephaniah, the rest of the prophets – they were right, I knew it! Well maybe not, the helicopter passes and “the heavens” return to their previous serenity.

Dust everywhere and in everything. Moon dust. Dust like talcum powder six inches deep. Dust midway up the boot or higher generates suction to the ground. And merely walking around generates a cloud up to one’s waist. Dust even has a smell to which I have still not quite accustomed myself. They call it the Sandbox for a reason. We are naturally filthy. Water is in short supply. Some outposts have showers. This one does not so I make do with some baby wipes and a liter of bottled water. I offload my truck.

Now I have to do the pre-trip checks on my Oshkosh truck. My truck is my life out here. The fluids and everything had better be right. Get some fuel. I walk past a pile of unexploded ordnance – IED materials. This stuff’s the real deal. No one hauls that stuff very far or keeps it for very long. A guy I knew from my squad at the Green Bay reserve center got killed by an IED over here – Chuck Kiser from Cleveland, Wisconsin. He was in the Naval Reserve with me and then joined the Wisconsin National Guard. It makes you think. A recent Navy Times had an article stating that two years ago they were finding/exploding 2600 IED’s a month in Iraq and that now they’re finding around 550 a month and they tend to be less lethal. How comforting. I generally spend my last several minutes of freedom on the hood of my vehicle reading the Bible. I’ve been into Saint Paul’s letters lately.

A couple last checks of my gear and it’s time to put on my “battle rattle.” The whole get-up must weigh fifty pounds. Groin protector. Bulletproof vest. Kevlar helmet. Flameproof flight suit and gloves. Ballistic glasses that look like something Robin wore on the ‘60’s TV series “Batman and Robin.” Sometimes a wire hanging out of my ear, sometimes not. Oh well, there’s no one here to witness how patently ridiculous I look except for a desert fox and her kits. And those bats. And that scorpion.

Back out into the desert night. A patch of earth lighter than the other terrain – I don’t like that. Natural calcium deposit? That ubiquitous greenish clay stuff? Nighttime mirage? Freshly disturbed earth concealing an improvised explosive device? Green cheese? The Sea of Tranquility lies just beyond the horizon you know, or so the landscape suggests.
At last Camp Cupcake, my home away from home. Fuel up. Check in. Go home for some sleep and be back later the same day for more loading and unloading trucks and cargo.
The typical workday is about 13 or 14 hours long at Camp Cupcake, longer when I’m away from here. I have not written one note/letter since getting here. I apologize to all who have written me and “heard” silence in return. I just have no time at the end of any of my days here. I have been in Iraq for more than two months and I have had two days off… and they weren’t “really” days off. I truly love all of you and appreciate the time and effort it takes for you to write me. I will try to call everyone who has sent me anything at some point. Lord-willing, I will return to you in the spring and we will celebrate together. Thank you.

In the meantime, meditate on these words of beloved Saint Paul, “I coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel. You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities, and to those who were with me. In all things I have shown you that by so toiling one must help the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” (Acts of the Apostles 20:33-35)