August 25: Another Day and Another Patrol in Iraq

UPDATE: Welcome, Blogspotters!

Last night we arrived back at FOB Loyalty. It was nice to eat at the DFAC.

It is amazing how our troops--day after day, month after month, in 100+ degree weather--go on about their mission and do such a great job. In addition to the heat, they have to wear their body armor, kevlar [helmet], and ammo. They say that you get used to the sweating all day; when it is time to go out on a mission they are all focused and the rest is put into the background.

I have never appreciated showers more than after each day out in the heat here. For those in the smaller outposts, it could be days before they get to a shower, but you would never know it by their positive attitudes. Sure, they get down and tired, but they are motivated by doing the best possible job on their missions.

The past few days, we went on convoys--or were with units who go on convoys--just about every day, some two or more convoys a day. Today we went on a Route Clearance (RC) Convoy with Alpha Company, 2nd Brigade, Special Troops Battalion, 2nd ID. Their job is so important: They go out every day and drive along the roads, checking for IED's and the lastest EFD's we have been hearing about in the news.

The RC convoy we went on today was comprised of seven vehicles--led by the "Husky"--which spots suspicious items first. When something suspicious (potentially explosive) is spotted, the large "Buffalo" vehicle comes to the forefront to deal with it--you have to see these on video or cable or in the picture we will post to appreciate the size and technology. Sgt. Dailey narrated the entire convoy, and you will all get to hear that on the Internet soon after we get back. [We were in one of the newer RG-31's. Jim was able to film better as the windows were bigger. The RG-31 is higher off the ground and bigger than the Humvees we have been in.]

The RC convoy's job today was: clear the that route a high-level military convoy would be using to travel to a meeting with Iraqis. There were a number of suspicious items found, but the "all clear" came after "interrogating" each item. To do "interrogate," the Buffalo gets close to the suspicious item, then a camera that gets even closer so that soldiers can see the bomb without endangering themselves (there will be more detail on these vehicles and technologies on the interviews we will broadcast).

Once again today, we were out in the highways and roads in Baghdad. Hopefully, we got good film footage for all to see back home when it's broadcast on Altitude Sports and Entertainment and recorded on DVD's.

After we returned to the base, Captain Bob Gordon (Alpha Company commander) and SFC Jason Lambert both sat down with us. They talked about their day-to-day mission, and the great job their soldiers are doing. They also said hello to four of their men who are back home recovering from their injuries.

We then had shout outs from 17 soldiers who come from all different parts of America, all of whom are now based at Ft Carson. Jim Martin did a special shout out with those who live in Colorado, which will be seen on the big screen at one of the sports games at the Pepsi Center in Denver.

We have more interviews coming up. More later!!!!

Thank you for taking your time reading these posts. Hopefully I have been able to bring to you a small idea of life here in Iraq with our troops. Please let others know about this blog. And later, when the interviews are ready to air, we hope all of you will start sharing them with everyone you know. It is time that millions of Americans clearly hear of the progress being made in Iraq, directly from our military.

Thank you again to FbL, Patti and Soldiers Angels!!!

Until later,

Bob Calvert