So I get back to my unit's vintage WWII barracks at North Fort after Thanksgiving for a week of good training, and some high-speed gear issue. While we still dont have kneepads we now have body armor, new helmets (someone took an angle grinder to the ol' K-pot and its about 4lbs lighter and you can actually shoot in the prone with it!) MOLLE "rifleman" gear- the vest sucks because it loads all the weight on the shoulders the ruck looks cool but its got a plastic frame, and the 3-day assault pack which is universally loved, it looks like a school bag, carries a camel pack, and sure as hell beats carrying the ol ruck into the field every day. We got a buncha other stuff too, goggles, glasses, gloves, a polar fleece 'ski-suit' (? fueled rumors we were going to Korea not Iraq, its comfortable but warm as hell)....

Anyhow, the next day we awoke to find out....Charley Company was no more :( Our beloved Comanche banner has been retired and all of us rolled into Alpha Co. to form an infantry sized unit. To be sure Alpha is a bunch of good guys, and I like our squad leader a lot, but man, our CO at Charley was a Gulf War vet, had gone through OCS some years ago, and was a real top notch guy, he still checks up on us as if we were his kids. Our 1st Sgt too has been re-assigned and that caused many tears to be shed. At our last formation we all ripped our nametags off and gave them to him....he was our daddy and he still watches over us like a hawk making sure no bit of good knowledge goes uncirculated, another combat vet and longtime Charley Company member, we're having a hard time facing the knowledge of a combat zone without him and our CO. Alpha's leadership is capable, but lacks the combat experience and time in the field with us....all in all it was worse than the day they told us we were not taking our tanks to Iraq...

The training continues to be challenging and top notch with excellent instructors and a lot of hands on. We're now in the urban combat phase of our training and only have mounted training to go. We all got to play with door-busting techniques and I nearly ended up with a face full of pine board after prima(?) cording a practice door the other day...MOUT is very cool stuff.

I'm off my 240B and have been re-assigned for the time being as the hummvee driver and grenadier....rediculas because I nearly fragged myself when I tried to throw a grenade in OSUT this last spring, and earned the nickname "short round". Im sure the other guys in my squad are with me in praying for a '203 for my M4...

Speaking of M4s...man, this is COOL s#!t, aimpoints, foregrips, RIS systems, tac-lights, the M16 guys are getting ACOGs....I've really come to fall in love with Whiskey-Nineteen-Thirty-Five, my assigned M4...I've got a lot of faith in my abilities with her, even though I remain a comitted AK nut. I've been taking my little 4x Colt scope into the field with us and have gotten enough attention over it to be assigned as a designated marksman for my squad :) that and a perfect qual score....I'm thinking about getting something a little huskier that I can put on the flat top, so I'm gonna do some shopping tommorow.

Anyhow, Merry X-mas to all, just wanted to share. I'll leave you with some of the songs of our unit-

(to the Mickey Mouse club song)

Come along and join our song, you know we're fucked again,
F-U-C K-E-D A-G-A-I-N
fucked again,
National Guard!
fucked again,
Charley Company!
Where ever we end up going, we're fucked again, so come along and join our song you know we're fucked again,
F-U-C K-E-D A-G-A-I-N....


We've also got another tune about one of the more social Sgts, formerly assgined to second platoon, Charley, who came out one drill weekend not too long ago to find gay pride stickers on his Jeep, since then he's been known as the "Rainbow Warrior".....this is his song and its to the tune of "When Johnny Comes Marching Home"

The Rainbow Warrior leads the pack,
hurrah, hurrah,

The Rainbow Warrior leads the pack,
hurrah! hurrah!

The Rainbow Warrior leads the pack,
We put him in front, we dont trust him
in back, and we all go marching deep into
central Iraq.....

The Rainbow Warrior never cowers,
hurrah, hurrah,

The Rainbow Warrior never cowers,
hurrah! hurrah!

The Rainbow Warrior never cowers,
he stands at attention while we're in
the showers, and we all go marching deep into
central Iraq.

The Rainbow Warrior is one hell of a troop,
hurrah, hurrah,

The Rainbow Warrior is one hell of a troop,
hurrah! hurrah!

The Rainbow Warrior is one hell of a troop,
We're not in the Airborn but he'll still pack your 'chute, and we all go marching deep into
central Iraq......

The Rainbow Warrior is out of luck,
hurrah, hurrah,

The Rainbow Warrior is out of luck,
hurrah! hurrah!

The Rainbow Warrior is out of luck,
with gay pride stickers all over his truck,
and we all go marching deep into central Iraq...

Thanks for sharing man! Btw what kind of Internet access do you have over there?

Nothing at North Fort, as we dont even know where in country we're going to be, we dont know what sort of access we'll have. Ask me 'bout March....I hope....we were supposed to be there middle of next month but that was before losing our tanks. Go Guard.

Got a bud who is installing LAN lines in Baghdad for the Army (He's a Sgt. I think now) and he says they've got some pretty high speed stuff, I'll be happy if the cell I bought works there....$1/min....still, worth $30 a week to talk to my wife for a little bit....