News from the Front

This is an older email from Terry but people have been asking what he is up to and this one gived the run down. He officially moved south this week and should be home around Valentines day. They keep on moving his dates around but knowing that he is coming home soon is comforting. It is stressful knowing that he has moved so close to Bean's arrival but I am trying to have some faith. Everything has worked out pretty well so far and I pray that it will continue. Keep him in your thoughts.

The real reason for my writing you all is to let you know that I will be moving shortly to a city located a couple of hours south from where I’m currently living. I’m being reassigned to a lead a small team flying. To be honest I’m not all that thrilled about it. I’m the only one leaving my location, I’m losing all my soldiers that I have been in charge for the last 8 months, and I’m going to work with a bunch of new soldiers most of whom just arrived in country. My commander called me into his office and told me that he felt I would be the best person to do it because I will protect our guys from being abused by the new unit which we are now being assigned to. He explained that I will take a small group from our company, soldiers that are from another location in my buddies platoon, and head down. The captain did tell me that this is a good thing, he trusts that I will do what needs to get done, but I’m still not thrilled to have to pack up all my things and leave my guys. He told me I was doing a good job, and that everyone has been noting how mellow and calm I have become in the last few weeks. Other officers have mentioned that to me in the past few days. But I think I the reason I have been pretty chill lately is because everything is working, I can’t explain it, but usually when I start a project I’m kind of a hard ass, not because I want to be, but because in the army you have establish yourself as a person that will not be stepped on. Soldiers will walk all over you if you don’t keep them in line. I’m just frustrated that now when the mission planning is going smooth, flying not to bad, I know the area well and now I have to go somewhere completely new, with new soldiers and start again.

There are both positive and negatives to the situation. The living conditions will be nicer, brick buildings with a bathroom, but I think that’s because there are frequent mortar attacks. The flying will not be as challenging, which I hate because I love the mountain flying, but I think there are more bad people down there, so that’s a little scary. And the final thing that sucks is although I’m in charge of my team, I’m not the overall OIC (officer in charge). The person that is just arrived here and although I have not yet met him, I have a great deal more experience. I’m just hoping this guy utilizes me and is not a tool bag. I’m just nervous about not flying as much now, you guys know me, I’m not one for sitting on the sidelines. So I’m not a happy camper, but I’m hoping it won’t be to bad. The place I’m going has multinational troops, I think the Italians, Brits, and Aussie’s will be there, so it could be cool.

Anywho, that’s about all I have. I will only have the internet for a few more days, then I’m going to disappear probably for a couple of weeks. No worries, I’ll try to figure out a way to communicate when I get set up down there. But I hope to have some access to the internet. Kate is doing well and is probably going to hatch the bean any day now, so that’s pretty crazy. I’ll keep you guys up to date. I’ll try writing again in two weeks when I start my journey back to the U.S for my vacation. Hope all is well, talk to you in a few weeks.