The Farewell Tour

Mission Complete. Finally after 415 days in Iraq, after countless trips up and down Route Tampa, after so many nights at Patrol Base Love; I am complete. I left Holly, my friends, my family and my life on October 1st 2006. From there I had no idea what to expect. It was all still unsure where we would be fighting and what our mission would truly be. All we knew is that we were coming over here and we weren’t coming back anytime soon.

My first patrol was on October 17th 2006. My first IED attack was on that same day. The first time I fired my weapon with intent to kill was that day. That day, that attack just south of the small canal bridge set the pace for what became the wildest 14 months of my life. A year was packed full of roadside bombs, mortar attacks, RPG attacks, small arms attacks, culvert bombs, car bombs and guys wearing suicide vest. I witnessed two IED’s up close and very personally and have the Purple Heart to prove it. I saw it all with my own two eyes and no longer through CNN and FOX News. I finally saw just what it was all about over here, what it truly is to be a soldier and what it is to fight for your life.

But finally here I am, after all of that, sitting in my CHU typing what will be one of the final pages in this chapter of my life. I only got out of my tank and unloaded my weapons just a little over an hour ago. But unless something way out of left field or something terribly tragic happens, that should have been and hopefully will be my last patrol. I am done. I am passing the torch to the soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division and wishing them the best of luck with this little slice of Hell on Earth. No more Route Tampa. No more Patrol Base Love.

I can’t really describe the feeling. Part of me, if not most of me feels like it’s not even true. Like it’s all a cruel joke and we aren’t really leaving and until we go, “wheels up” and head to Kuwait I imagine it will continue to feel this way. But tonight was my last patrol. Only eight more days on the FOB. Twelve more days left in Iraq and only fifteen more days until I am standing on that parade field… Only fifteen more days…



Note: Due to a blackout this blog not quite so hot off the press. It's like 3 days old.