The Gun Line MkIII

Washington, DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007…
The man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approx. 2 thousand people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.
After 3 minutes a middle aged man noticed there was [...]

(My observation of the anniversary of the D-Day landings is a quiet one:  My Grandfather was responsible for a number of the destroyers providing off-shore fire support for the invasion forces.  His contribution was as important as anyone’s but there are others’ whose stories of personal fortitude deserve to be celebrated in a louder voice [...]

Memorial Day…  A day to remember those who have gone before.
Particularly poignant here in Iraq.  It’s never too far from my mind, the fact that we have lost brothers and sisters on this very post.  Having been here for the better part of a year, and being the curious soul that I am, I know [...]

What is best in life?
Conan of Cimmeria would tell you:
“To crush your enemy; see him driven before you, and hear the lamentation of his women!”
Wellll…  In today’s age, not so much…
What I would see is a country rebuilt.  A country strong in standing, rich in history, and full of realized potential.
However, in the warrior’s eyes, [...]

We’re still in a combat zone, against an enemy that uses deception and stealth (because they can’t face us in a stand up fight…) so access by local nationals is strictly controlled.  Most of the folks on this base haven’t met an Iraqi, and certainy haven’t had the chance to sit down and talk with [...]

1100
The workday begins…
In the CP, the oncoming shift familiarizes themselves with the happenings of the previous night.  Nothing out of the ordinary, this time…  I dread the day when I wake up in the middle of the night to the din of confused conversation as everybody tries to wrap their mind around a tragic incident, [...]

LSA Balad…
0800
It’s a gentle awakening…  The light through the blinds casts enough light for my brain to register that it isn’t night anymore…  I open my eyes to see Phoenix’s face, the wallpaper on my laptop.  I am warm beneath the covers; warm, dry and safe.  There were times, in this very spot, when war-fighters [...]