To Whom It May Concern

Out Of Iraq!!!!!

We are currently sitting in Germany, and I'm playing about 6 Euros a half hour for internet access!! The temperatures are freaking freezing. Well, 50 degrees with rain, but for all practical purposes, when you are coming from 120 degree weather then 50 is freezing to you!

We spent the last couple of weeks cleaning up and getting ready for our departure in Tallil, Iraq. A lot of people like myself sold all of the stuff in their rooms, tv, fridge, microwave, etc, to people from the new unit who were going to be moving into our rooms. Then finally, a couple of nights ago, two of our platoons hopped on C130's and got the hell out of there.

But not 1st Platoon. Our flight got pushed back 12 hours. So there we were in our totally barren rooms with everything packed up, waiting to leave again. We all sat around outside, talked amongst ourselves, read books, played cards, and were generally bored and sleepy but too excited to really lay down and get much more than a cat nap in.

12 hours goes by, once again our flight time is pushed back, another 12 hours, but this one wasn't so bad. We were all about to watch the Nebraska/Texas football game. Unfortunately it didn't go the way we wanted it to, but that's how things work sometimes. Then, FINALLY, at 0730 on the 22 of October, we were airborne in our own C130, headed for Kuwait.

Upon our arrival in Kuwait, because we had to wait for so long we ended up close enough to the departure time (to go stateside) that we didn't have to go to waiting camp, we were allowed to just ground our gear and wait for the plane to arrive. That took forever also. The plane coming in had problems, in the United States in Delaware, the tail fin 'broke off' of the plane we were supposed to be coming back in (YIKES!!!!). So instead of getting out of here at midnight it was closer to 4 in the morning. Everyone was so freaking hungry, we were about ready to start mixing water with sand and eat some grimy pudding when finally the buses arrived to take us to the plane.

So, finally, airborne again bound for the USA, and now on a layover in Germany. I'm watching everyone buy chocolate and stuff, and I'm getting hungry. Everything here is really expensive, BUT HEY!! WE ARE OUT OF IRAQ!! I'm so excited to get home and see my baby, drive my car, see my family, etc. Wow I could use a delicious Nebraska steak from one of a number of fancy places in Omaha. Oh, or perhaps Valentino's buffet. Oh, or maybe Papa John's pizza. I guess you can see where I'm currently at on Maslow's hierarchy of needs!! Oh, and sleep, I want real sleep. Sleeping on an airplane is just counerproductive, you end up with a rank mouth, a stiff neck, and drool on your chin.

BUT AT LEAST I'LL BE BACK IN CONUS IN ABOUT 12 HOURS!!! I MISS YOU ALL!! Can't WAIT to see you!!