I am no longer a virgin. I went up north for the first time and have sent pix out. There's a bunch of stuff I will hit on tonight, so hopa ya got a cup of coffee or have gone potty already.

I went north for the first time yesterday and I must say, I am completely and utterly in awe and yet humbled by my mere existence on this earth. As we crossed the border, I immediately noticed that there is alot of garbage, I mean alot. It just blows all over the place here, and the shamals certainly dont help. It collects against everything and just sits until a shamal from another direction sends it elsewhere. Additionally, you can see where the previous border has been. Anyway, there was a certain tightness in my stomach, I guess it was from not knowing what I was literally driving into. We were of course locked and loaded and I had the Annie B right above my head and I knew she would look after me and allow no harm to lay its deadly hand on me. We continued and the one thing that really struck me was the sheer dismal living conditions that the Iraqis live under. But there are strong contradictions here. They live in literal mudbrick huts, that are made probably by themselves, but everyone has power and, ironically, satellite TV. Damn near every hut had a dish on top, yet it looks like with a good rain that their homes would simply dissolve.

A very heartbreaking sight is the children that line the roads as we pass through. They look, beg and plead for handouts, yet we do not and cannot stop. When they look into your eyes, it takes everything you have not to grab one or all of them and bring them back to where we have it so well. Very adorable girls and boys asking for sustinance in order to live, but they have satellite in their homes. What a topsy turvey way of life. You see older Iraqis watching, and those who are in their mid teens start to wear the man-dresses that is common and the females start wearing the burkas, yet still show their faces. I have seen very very beautiful teen age women here and handsome men, who watch us as we pass by and I wonder what they think as the American military might roles by. like I said, I would to stop and show them, help them find a better life, but in the back of my mind I tell myself, this person may be trying to kill you...

The drive was hot, but not uncomfortable. The gunner, of course, needs to be basted every 15 minutes to keep him from drying out because he is right under the sun, but we are able to get breeze through the cab. We got a cooler full of water packed with ice, which melts by the time we return, but it keeps the thirst at bay. I probably drink 3-4 liters, and piss once. We cant stop, so I have to fill a water bottle manually and store it until we get to our destination. Note self, that bottle aint filled with Gatorade. You can see herds of sheep that must cover a 300 meter by 300 meter space and a lone Iraqi woman, dressed in black, tending the heard. The husband, at least I am assuming he is, is doing other chores. As we pass by, their kids run towards us in what seems to be the dash of their lives, looking for handouts. Again the same response. Not because we are not a giving people, but for their safety. They cant understand we cant stop and we dont want any accidents. Some wave at us, others flash the peace and thumbs up, and others, Im sure, look on with contempt. Goats, sheep, and camels are all over the place. As we were passing by, goats sort of magically appeared, just popping up, and then you realize they are coming up out of a little cut in the earth. Kinda funny, but even more funny and eerie is that I have heard of others stopping for what ever reason, in the middle of no where, and its like Whack a Mole starts. People just pop up. I suppose, for the varmint hunters, its like prairie dog hunting. Little heads just appear, magically. One person even had Viagra for sale. When I was told that, Im like where in the hell would you even have a place to use it????

Remnants of the move northward are every where. Old fighting positions and bunkers litter the landscape, along with demolished buildings. Powerlines destroyed have been replaced with even bigger powerlines, the old towers a reminder of the destruction that was wrought from previous battles. Junk yards with burned out hulls of military vehicles and civilian vehicles dot the terrain. Along the way, fuel carriers that had been destroyed for whatever reason are simply dragged off the road and left, yet the scars of the flames tattoo the roadway. Bizarre.

We pass other country's military troops and they wave, each executing their assigned missions for their little area of operations. People say we bear the brunt of this, yet we still have the most dominating force in the world, so I, in my humble opinion, can only say we obviously will have the most troops here. Duh. Other countries are pulling their parts...

As we near our destination, I am told of a ziggurat that is near by and we can see it in the distance. It is about 4000 years old, and was built by what are considered pagans here. Which is odd, since we are in the cradle of civilization and the basis of 3 religions, that it is here. Christianity is dwarfed, being a mere 2005 years old. Abraham's birthplace is nearby, and it is overwhelming to think I am on the same ground he once walked. I am humbled to be in this land...

Our arrival is anti-climactic. Weapons are cleared and we go to eat. I must say the civilian or military engineer who designed this should have been shot at dawn. The chow hall and cess pool are one in the same! I would have said it was an appetite killer, except they had some pretty good mexican so I chowed. Couldnt help myself. Of course, I had a bowl of baskin robbins mint chocolate chip right after. There's always room for ice cream. After a brief stay, I relieved the gunner and took my position behind the Annie B. She was glad to see me, as I was her, just like when I cam home earlier this month. We collected or mission and set forth for the journey home. Damn, the strap I sit on was developed by someone straight out of the Inquisition, as we big ass was painfully aware of its presence. We start home and again we pass other countries checking the highways, making sure travel is safe. Its nice out, temperatures in the mid 90's, and the breeze blows right over me. Always tactically aware, I adjust my throat armor, just in case. By now its dark out ( it gets dark around 645 my time) and the sky is pretty much clear, other than the ever present dust cloud that smothers the country because of the shamals. I see lights speeding towards me. I caress Annie B and she knows my intent, her task and purpose is to keep us alive. I advise my driver, and says its the Iraqi police letting us know they coming up behind us. They pass, waving and beeping. They are proud to do their part for their country. Whatever attack happens, they keep volunteering because it is their country and they want to assume control. God bless them. Travel continues, and of course the sky lines are eerily lit, oil wells belching Satan's finger skywards. I am told this is common in the oil industry to burn off oil and the sludge pools. Its bright, bright enough to light my cupola that I am in. I am pretty well protected up here. I try and make my 6 foot four frame as small as possible, but that would take an act of god or something similar to happen. I rotate around, training Annie B's gaze on what she must destroy if need be. Man I love her and all her power she possesses.

As we near home, I get with an awfull stench. Turns out there is a dead ass on the side of the road, not yet, probably nor will it be, removed by humans. I started thinking about heading north from Wausau and seeing the carcasses of dead deer on the side of the road and telling myself to roll up the window to stop the smell. After a mile or so it passess. By now, my ass is screaming for relief so I stand and enjoy the breeze. Im up briefly, not wanting to be the stopper for incoming rounds or an IED blast, and adjust this big fanny to minimize the pain. Turns out Im bruised when I looked today. I already have a plan to supply the battalion w/ ass gaskets to help out on the long haul. Very uncomfortable, but this will be tended to. We arrive back home with out much fanfare, clear weapons, mission successfully completed.

Now, other business, and it reverts to recreation and welfare, of which I have been justly assigned. Since I am not home for bow season, fellow bowhunters and I started talking a few days ago. We are coming up on bow season and how much we will miss it. I said what if we could get a range going over here, something we could shoot at? Everyone agreed and I, of course, was nominated to head up this project. So I set out to contact anyone and everyone I could about donating 3-D targets for a range. I went to Mathews bow, gander mountain, cabelas, Rib Mountain Bowmen, and, low and behold, Ted Nugent's webpage. Ted's webpage responded with succes!!! Stacey, the president of Ted Nugent USA in Florida put out the word and we have targets inbound!!! Tim Case from Cabela's responded and said we will be taken care of and thanked us for our service to our country and said it was the least he could do, and he would help us out with whatever we needed. This is the reason I'm proud to serve, among other things. They should be here next week. Pix of that will definitely follow.

I was also on Muskyhunter, and responded to a column in regards to the price of gas. I stated my point and a few said I was the only one who had the right to bitch about it, which I guess I do. Well, after some conversation, myself and other soldiers have been invited on a couple of fishing trips, both to Canada and Georgia. I dont care what the liberal media says, the majority of this country is behind us. Cant wait to take them up on the offer, although I gotta get permission from Momma.

Well, this is a big one so I am done. Thanks for reading and stay tuned. Definitely more to come...

Sl'ainte