As I stepped on to the curb at LAX to try and use curbside bag check in I was greated by an elderly black man about seventy years of age. He didn't say a word but stepped towards me and pulled out his wallet and showed me a picture of himself in his early twenties. I was wearing my Army desert uniform as per orders and he saw something on my uniform that told him I would appreciate seeing this picture, he saw my "Jump wings". In the picture he was wearing a paratroopers cap with the old Airborne glider patch of the very first U.S. Paratroopers.

I took a chance and asked him if he was with the "Triple nickel" to which he replied "Naw, I got there right after they were deactivated and went to the 505th". He was pleased that I assumed he was with the "Triple nickel" and validated my place among true Paratroopers. The "Triple nickel" was the all negro parachute regiment of WW2 and were the very first people to parachute into forrest fires, the 555th was to be called the triple nickel and upon it's deactivation many of these men served in the 505th, which just so happened to have been my regiment in the eighties.

The man was working baggae at the airport and just smiled at me and said "You be real careful over there ya hear" to which I replied "I will and take care of yourself Paratrooper!". It felt good to say that to him and I'm sure it did him well to hear it. I took this as I sign that everything would be OK and my next few months were nothing to worry too much about.

I arrived in Dallas and we were all herded together to get our boarding passes and go through security screening. once we made it through we all kind of started talking again about Iraq and what we had done at home on R&R, most of us heard of the show "Over there" and felt it was just made for TV drama. I was given a reality check when I heard the news report that three soldiers had been killed near Balad by an IED, for the next forty-eight hours I would have to worry and wonder if it was someone I know, it wasn't. Still I managed to slepp most of the way to Kuwait.

In Kuwait I experienced alot more of the fellowship I saw weeks earlier on departure. I learned that my opinions and experience are very common through out Iraq and that most of us just want to go home now and leave Iraq to the Iraqis as soon as possible, and we all think that will not be for a very very long time.The men I shared my tent with in Kuwait were some really good men and soldiers and I really enjoyed speaking with them. It seems we've all had our brushes with death and believe in what we are doing, we just don't agree with the politics involved. I think that's because as soldiers we see things in black and white and know what needs to be done but just don't have the power to do so. So we do the best we can within our set limitations and hope for the best.

While I was home on R&R I fully enjoyed my time home and am really looking foward to resuming my life. My town of Oxnard never seemed more appealing and the little things that seemed to annoy me so much before I left no no longer mattered. Only twice can I recall did I have a moment of recall that was uncomortable, but only for a plit second. Once while standing in line for some food I heard a loud BOOM and became startled, it was a large trash can being dropped to the ground by a trash truck. The second time I was driving down the road and came upon a construction site a swerved to miss what could have been a just buried IED, it was just a pile of dirt with no bomb in it.

I was a little suprised to see the lack of attention for what was going on in my "other world" Iraq. There didn't seem to be any real concern over Ramadan or the elections. It was all just business as usual, which I suppose is a good thing since most of the reported news is not reflective of the actual situation here.

I recall visiting my fiancees workplace and speaking with some of her co-workers and they asked me about the television show "Over there". It is supposed to be about us soldiers and our day to days lives to include what's happening on the home front. I never saw the show and told her I really didn't care too either. My younger brother did ask me to watch part of an episode so I did and was really not impressed, although it seemed like good drama it really wasn't a good show. But it has to make ratings and therefore must stretch reality. But this was the problem, people are still forming conclusions about the situation here on movies and clearly biased reporting.

I did get the oppurtunity to speak to a few classes of local high school sudents, Royal High of Simi Valley, California and was quite impressed with the overall conduct and questions by the students. It was an honor to speak to such bright young Americans and give them honest observations from Iraq. I was not concerned with my message being screened by Army officials for what might seem demoralizing content. This is what the Army calls it, I call it the truth. Overall I am in full support of our mission here and believe this is the write thing to do. I just believe along with the good the bad should also be discussed, otherwise it just won't be addressed.

It was good to be home and I have definetly learned to be gratful for the United States of America far more than before I came here and really enjoyed my time at home. The good thing was I only spoke with two or three people that didn't support our efforts as oppsed to the hundreds that did. But maybe I should do like so many others and just listen to the Polls.

The next few entries will deal with my going home on R&R ( Rest and Relaxation ). My R&R started, for me, on the first of October when I left FOB O'Ryan for the LSA and my flights to Kuwait, Dallas and Los Angeles. As soon as I was no longer commited to going "outside the wire" it was time to RELAX. I must admit there were times over the summer I worried and wondered if that day would actually arrive.

I was dropped off at the start point and soon noticed something that will be lacking in my life when I, and hundreds of thousands of other Americans, will probably need back home once this is over for us, FELLOWSHIP. As I sat my bags down and sought out a seat I heard a multitude of conversastions taking place dealing with all of our different experiences from around the central part of Iraq and the city of Balad. It was as though we were all letting out a collective sigh of relief and could begin to relax around people that understood exactly what each individual was feeling, after all we've been doing this thing together hadn't we?

The chatter went on and on and every now and then the topic of home would come up but most of everything was on our immediate past. It just seemed like the right thing to do. I believe many will seek out this fellowship before too long.

When we arrived in Dallas two days later our plane was greated by an arch of water that the fire department had created for us to pass through, a Texas sized "Howdey and welcome home soldiers!". As we claimed our baggage and hurried to our conecting flights we were greeted by throngs of Texans with hugs, kisses, handshakes, goodie bags and well wishes. It was pretty early in the morning and these folks had been waiting on us, it meant a hell of alot to all of us. We were just in a hurry to get home and never really got a chance to thank Texas for being Texas. These people are what I call PATRIOTS and they are the reason so many of us are proud to serve our country.

It is important that I mention the politics involved with soldiers that have been serving in a declared combat zone overseas and their interaction with the public and PATRIOTS. I have mentioned in previous Blog entries that many people at the very top of the military chain often time lose touch with the common soldier and citizen and become more focused on political correctness. This stands to reason since many Generals must be approved by politicians or congress to get those stars. And what person that has rubbing elbows with senators and congressmen in their future plans isn't politically motivated? So, I'll get to the point.

Just hours before we left Kuwait for Dallas in our desert uniforms, as per command directives, many of us would have just as well worn jeans, we were reminded of COMMAND GENERAL ORDER # 1. That under no circumstance will any American soldier be allowed to consume alcohol, those that do will be punished under the UCMJ (Unifrom Code of Military Justice). By golly even if you've seen the worst the world has to offer, seen death and mutilation, experienced mans inhumanity to man, see those you've grown to love as never thought possible carried away in pieces never to speak to again, so what if you've sacraficed your entire life for the hope of the future and protecion of our country, don't you dare embarasse the uniform by having a cold beer with a WW2 vet.

This is a perfect example of what politics does to people. We must wear the uniform home because it reminds people we exist and certain people will benefit from our exposure, I for one am proud to wear it and enjoying being seen in it, I just wish I had a choice. I also wish I earned the right to share a beer with a grateful citizen without some politician trying to prosecute me for it. It's all a game of politics with sons and daughters and it really upsets me that we are all too often used in such a manner. The Generals would want the news to report that soldiers no longer curse, drink or think about sex, we do and will continue to do so. Right now there are even Generals in the Air Force trying to stop Chaplains from being religiously specific, more politics. So let me go on the record and say that if a citizen wants to by this soldier a beer and say "Thank you for what you've done" I won't play politics.

The "Log Pack" is a term we use for the people that go from point A to point B on a fairly regular basis and usually with the purpose of bringing supplies and maintaining logistics. But it also does something very important for us soldiers, it is usually the system used for getting soldiers to their start point to either begin R&R (Rest and Relaxation) or go home for good. So one really aticipates the day their name is called to "Meet the log pack". My day finally came after almost an entire year, I am going home for some R&R. I feel very tired and excited at the same time. One counts the days leading up to the moment you know what the future holds. By this I mean I will not be in harms way and time with my family is certain.

I will be missing a very important time here in Iraq. Ramadaan will begin next week as well as the elections and the much aticipated trial of Sadaam Hussein. We have been preparing ourselves for the worst and, as always, hope for the best. It just so happens I had to catch a ride on the Log Pack with some of the guys from Tennessee. They to are looking foward to the end of their obligation here and aren't thinking past tomorrow, that can be dangerous. As usual they were friendly and very focused on what we are here to do.

The month of September seemed to slow down things quite a bit and it seems to me the the local people are becoming more involved in helping us and the Iraqi Army. The heat is not as intense as before but still rears its ugly head from time to time. The quality of the food they serve us is just getting worse and is very annoying when some of the finest dining facilities in this entire region are the ones supplying our meals. Often times the potatoes we get for dinner seem like the same ones we got for breakfast. It seems as if we are getting leftovers for the sake of expedience. I plan on doing alot of eating when I get home is just a few more days

A few of the guys are headed home because they finished their tours here and it was sad to see them go but it was also good to know they didn't get wounded or worse. We of course must finish with the task at hand, and then our time will come.

Maybe after few days rest another entry will be posted, but I really do feel very tired at this time. We are all supposed to be allowed about ninety days of rest when we get home, I sure hope so.

A few guys finished their comitment here simply because