Merry Christmas everyone!!

Ho Ho Ho, what do you know...it's December. Man am I glad for that. I've been trying not to count the days until I go on leave, but I do see time passing rapidly. We are still busy with 24/7 operations. Some of the mission sets have changed, so my company is flying more days than nights. By that, I mean we typically have an 0700 hour or so takeoff time, so we have to show up at our TOC (tactical operation center) at 0400. For me that's an 0245 get-up so I can do my usual push ups and sit ups, chew on a granola bar or a cookie, start drinking the Gatorade, shower, shave, and do a short Bible devotional. Then a quick look at some aircraft stuff, clear my mind, start concentrating on the mission, and I'm out the door to work. We will likely get a shutdown at BIAP (Baghdad Inter airport) for fuel and some lunch, then we're back at it. Many times, we won't get back til after 1800, so we all get to reset our night vision goggle clock (60 day currency). By the time we do all the after action items for the aircraft, log books, mission paperwork, etc., we are released about 2.5 hours after we land. Then, time for a quick meal in the DFAC, swap laundry, shower, and get to bed. Long days, but time goes by fast. Haven't had much activity to talk about...we still see people shooting up in our general direction at night, but nothing to report for all my day flights. I'm very grateful for that. I just completed a stretch of flying 6 out of 7 days. I was pooped to say the least. You'll start to see where you just aren't quite as sharp in some small cockpit tasks as you were back on day 1. Then you make corrections, and suddenly realize it, and start paying closer attention. We talk about complacency at each of our flight briefs before we jump in the seats. Flying over Baghdad as much as we do, its amazing what you can see. Many areas are still battle-damaged, and the majority of it to most pilots here--it's a dump. Most of the time we refer to our missions as doing the 'Baghdad shuffle', or for the Sesame Street fans, 'Shuffleupagus'. We've flown by some bad looking 'hoods' near Sadr city, where I was sure there would be a missile coming up to meet us...but nothing happened.

Still being a DNR guy, I'm appalled at the uncontrolled burning of anything and everything. I guess it's one of the perks of winning an all expense paid vacation to the Middle East (the brochure mentioned the beach?). There's the most unusual smells, too. It would be nice to someday get this 3rd world country to start paying closer attention to its environment. I know right now, we're just praying they can survive this insurgency. By the way, I am a big fan of 'the surge'. I believe the extra ground troops have helped uncover a lot of weapons caches and other items that would have been used as IEDs against troops or fired at aircraft overhead. I see the convoys returning to Balad on the roadway (I always breathe a sigh of relief when we get back safely inside the wire) and I want to tell each one of them thanks when I see soldiers in the DFAC. I'd have to stop everyone on the way in...I don't think they want me to do that. GO Ground Troops!! They are the real heroes around here.

Other items of interest, we've had a lot of VIPs coming in. I've helped plan quite a few of the AMRs (while doing my 2 weeks at brigade each month) to get them moved around... The Holiday season seems to bring out extra visitors. We've flown the Sec of Def, lots of Senators, Iraqi prime ministers and local Shieks, a bunch of wrestlers from WWE came to visit our DFAC, and how about Kelly Pickler from American Idol? She came through with a group of 15 and a bunch of musical instruments. What an entourage. Robin Williams, Kid Rock, Miss America, and some others from Comedy Central were here yesterday. Don't forget, Gen Patraeus has a permanent detachment from our 12th CAB flying him every day, too.

One evening a while back, there was a local Shiek who's wife was going into labor prematurely. The local medivac helicopters were alerted and picked her up and transported her to a hospital at FOB Speicher (Tikrit) or up to Mosul for the proper equipment she would need. Pretty cool to be helping wherever we can...we are always trying to gain trust, and win the hearts and minds of the people. It makes me feel good that we can transport as many people as we can by air, and keep them out of ground convoys...we are saving lives every day. We get to help move all the upper level commanders (and plenty of other soldiers, too) as they continue to work to get this country to be able to stand alone in its own democracy.

On to some DNR notes--still feeling like fall to me. We are seeing lots and lots of birds...huge flocks of crows that number in the thousand's. Lots of pigeons. Over Baghdad, we've had some minor bird strikes (minor for us, very terminal for the pigeon hitting us at 130 mph). I've had a quick look at some waterfowl lately, and am happy to see the ever popular coot is doing well here. I've also seen what looks like mallards, and even some shovellers (neighbor ducks...the kind you shoot and give to your neighbor...they don't taste very good). The shovellers look just like the ones I see across the road from my fisheries office back home every spring. Suppose they followed me here? Nah...

These fall temps, now ranging from about 33 to 55 every day, still tricks my mind into getting ready for deer season...the sunsets and sunrises make me think about the whole deer stand thing all over again. But thankfully, it's just about Christmas. With that, I wonder if the insurgents are a little busier shopping these days? Our December mortar attacks are down a little from the last months...only 13 (that I've been here to react to). The dust levels have been a bit better as well. I flew one day, when it was absolutely clear for 20 miles...looked like I was flying back at home in October. The next day we quickly returned to dusty visibility...does make nice pics of sunrises and sunsets though.

There have been some personnel changes here and there, trying to keep our mission completion level high. I guess when you bring 450 people together to work long term like this, there's bound to be a few squabbles along the way. You can pray for all our personalities to work well together for the remainder of our time, to stay focused on the mission. Our battalion TOC is decorated for Christmas, along with every office space too. There will be a BN Christmas party for those who can attend (remember, staggered work shifts). I hear some Christmas music playing once in a while, and it really hits me that we are a long way from home. For most of our soldiers it will be easy to keep working right on through the day, get chow, and go on to the next day. This is the ultimate in 'Groundhog Day', if you know what I mean. We just keep doing the same duty, being as safe as we can. Please pray for our soldiers to find a moment in the day to recall, or realize for the first time that Jesus is the reason for the season.

I'm one of the fortunate ones with school age children at home, who were granted their leave somewhere near the Holidays. I start the 2 day or so process to get home tomorrow. I'll be happy to shovel some white stuff, not think about mortars landing on my head, and spend a lot of time reassuring my beautiful 8 year old daughter that God is watching over all of us here, and that I'm okay. Looking forward to celebrating the birth of our Saviour...

May you all have a Blessed and Wonderful Christmas with family and friends. Stay alert at home, and be safe. Thanks.

(Be nice if I could make it home by Christmas eve...)