The last entry

So this is it! I have been back a week+ now. I have reached for my weapon, I have beeped the horn when I went to back up and I continue to have bad sleep habits. On the good side, I have tightened up the garage, played golf, rode my bike 40 miles. I love being home!

You guys be cool.

Leg 4 done!!

Thanks everyone for following along for the past 15 months. I don't know if this is my last entry but MAYBE!?!?! I am so happy to be home!

Salude!!!!!!!

Salude!!!!!!!!!

Remote control and gin/tonic-----life is good!!

Ahhhhh TV!!! 63 inches of fun.

Making my way to the house

Bobbi and I drove back to SA. Lou and John needed a ride to the Houston Airport so they came along. This was our final pic together from the deployment. I couldn't have survived without these two.








We had a little party when I got home. It was a small gathering of friends. I have decided that I look really tired. Some more people showed up but I forgot to break out the camera so these are the only pics I took.

Did I mention it is good to be home!?!?!?

some pics from Camp Virginia

Emptying out my camera since I am up at weird hours still.
Ronald and me hanging out
Tent city
All the American fast food we want
Using the sun to turn on the lights.

The Welcome home celebration

I really wish I could have taken a picture of the Soldier's faces. Iwas in amazement so I bet there were several that felt the same way.




Great posters and enthusiasm from the family members. It was like 2:30 am.






walking down steps from the plane. The Commanding General was there to shake our hands.

Pics from the plane

look how green it all is

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Garrity grabbing the Irish Whiskey while in Ireland

We're HERE!!!!!!!

I am offically in the US of A!! I have pictures to upload and I will soon. Tonight we drink live Vikings!!!!!!! The welcome reception was wonderful. All the families hanging out at 2:00 am and welcoming us home felt great! I even had a tear in my eye. <---yes, me! I promise to publish pics of Ireland and the airplane ride soon.

3rd LEG has begun

Hello from Shannon, Ireland. I am in need of a shave and I need to freshen up to prevent the cruddy butt but I am on my way home. Sitting in the airport using wireless internet reminds me of what it is like to have normal conveniences. Ireland is pretty from the plane. I am recharging my batteries for the camera so I will have plenty of pics to show soon. The phone lines are really long but Soldiers calling home to tell everyone "Here I come!!" I am excited about getting my ass home.

Second leg over!!

Packing up the tents in Iraq for a 02:45 flight. Don't matter, we are headed home.

Me, LTC Dickerson and MAJ Green

packed in like sardines but it don't matter.

Just arrived in Kuwait. Tired but still happy

War is Hell!! sipping StarBucks at Camp Virginia, Kuwait. Waiting for the next flight back Stateside.

Leg 2 done

Hello from Kuwait!  I am slowly and painfully making my way home.  I have decided to keep a good attitude the whole way no matter what. Of course there is a ton of hurry up and wait as usual but who cares I am coming home.   Haven't slept in a day but here I am updating the BLOG....more later.

TOA = Transfer of Authority

TOA is when you give over the control to a new unit. It was officially today. I now have no responsibility but to get home safely. Here are some pictures from the ceremony. It was a lot of Pomp & Circumstance but it was really nice.

Here is the official party. The incoming Command Sergeant Major and Commander and the outgoing CSM and Commander and finally the Brigade Commander to the far right. That is COL McGrath my Commander giving his farewell speech.

Here they cased the colors (unit flag). They open them again when we hit soil back at Fort Polk.

l-r = Col Mike Calder (Chief Nurse 1st MED Brigade) and Col Bob Tenhet (Commander 1st MED Brigade). We were all old friends from our days at Fort Bragg. For my civilian followers the Brigade Commander is like the CEO of a Hospital System. He runs all the medical assets in Iraq. He is the head Kahuna for medical folks in Iraq. He gave me a coin afterwards!!! (Army tradition to give coins to people who have done a good job).


L-R = LTC Fabrizio (Occupational Therapist); COL Schneider (Physical Therapist), me, and CPT Whelan (OT). Fabrizio is the OT Bobbi will possibly replace in the last 90 days of his rotation. COL Schnieder is the Corp level Surgeon. She works for a 3 star general as his medical guide. Whelan was replaced by Fabrizio.

Pics around Victory Base Complex or VBC

Nothing to do since the 14th CSH is in our places working. Just waiting for a ceremony now to make it official.

Here is Lou Stout and I washing our hands at the outside sinks created by Saddam Hussein to go along with his man made lake. It is nasty as hell in the lake so no swimming unless you want to catch something. I am only looking to catch a plane ride home.

More pics around the lake. One on the left shows the top of the perfume palace. Named because the top looks like a bottle of perfume and it is where the hookers stayed.


Palace named - Victory over America. Inside has murals on the wall showing American troops being defeeated by Iraqi soldiers. Saddam built it after the Gulf War and brainwashed his people to believe they defeated the Americans. Of course it was one of the 1st buildings bombed this time. funny...

1st Leg of the trip home done

The crew that came out to see me get on the MRAP. (L-R) LT Wilson, CPT Hurtado, LTC Daniels, and LTC Velayhudan. It was really nice of them to see me off...or were they just making sure I got on so they could go party.

"Sir, your charity awaits!!" I road in the 2nd truck. Called an MRAP and I felt safe. No bombs penetrating it.

Roads in Iraq. I wonder what the vehicle with the roses on it was doing?

We have cows!! bombed out backyard.

my college hooptie does not look so bad now. The definition of the bad lands??

More photos..wonder if this guy has Verizon? "Can you hear me now?"

Back in my old room. These are all my worldly possessions ready for me to carry on the plane.