Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Address

I don't know why I didn't put this on the blog earlier:

SPC Samuel Tolman
BCo 1/8 INF BN
Unit # 43175
APO AE 09334

Thursday, March 6, 2008

Where did February go?

So, life doesn't calm down at all, but I get the morning off. I think I have had one day off this past month, in which I recall sleeping the whole day. Dang, I just looked at my watch and it is already a week into March. Owen, I am sorry for missing your Birthday, hopefully I can call home soon. Thank you to all who have sent me packages and letters, they are the only way I can really tell what day it is. Most importantly, thank you for all your prayers, I want you all to know that they help so much. Congrats to Dane and Olivia for doing so well at their Ballroom Competitions!

Nothing major has happened to me this month in Mosul. I think that is due to the increased level of security in the city. Baghdad has sent up an additional 3,000 troops to help maintain Mosul and we are going out twice a day at least, which is why I have been so busy. I often think that if I was paid for the amount of work I actually do, I think I would be very rich. But, of course, I am not in this business for money. I love what I do, which is protecting my loved ones. Some people don't believe that we are accomplishing this in Iraq. If you believe this, think about it this way, if the U.S. Military was not in Iraq, then Al-Qaeda would be in America. They love hurt Americans and it is easier to get to us than it is to go all the way to America. Of course, we aren't easy targets hehe.

On a lighter note, with the projector Pah got me just before I left, we here have managed to create an outdoor theater. It is pretty ghetto at the moment, but we have high hopes. To many of the guys are just coming back from patrols and go back to their rooms and do nothing. So, for the sake of moral and comradery we have put this together. Every night that we show a movie we are pulling a bigger crowd, so I am pleased that it is working.

Protecting your freedoms,
Samuel (Mark) Tolman