A Ferret, A Dumb Kid and Bang Bang
As I write this blog today, saying I am tired would be a great understatement. We started at 0530 this morning. We had to go to Tarmiyah to check all the Entry Control Points (ECPs). We wanted to start early to try and avoid some of the heat. No such luck as it was blazing by 1000. We were back to Taji by 1430.
Now for what happened that was worth writing about. Around 0730 we were parked by one of the ECPs, checking the Iraqi Army (IA) out and ensuring that they were doing their job correctly. In other words, they were searching the people as they entered and also spot checking vehicles. This one particular ECP is on the south part of the town and it's nearby a bunch of houses. There are Palm groves around this area as well. I noticed something crossing the dirt road ahead of me. I could not make it out right away. As it got closer, I realized it was a ferret. Not sure, but would be willing to bet it escaped from somebody's house. It was just running back and forth; in and out of the marsh like area. Since I was in the gunner's hatch, I could see it as plain as day. I noticed about six birds come flying in real low. Then they chased the ferret away. About 20 minutes later, I saw a man and two women walking on a cross street ahead of me. Trailing them badly was a dog. His poor paw was definitely broken or he had something in it. The paw was completely bent. He was trying so hard to keep of with his owners. (Yes you can cry now, but don't fear I have joke for you at the end of this paragraph). Then about 15 minutes later, I saw another dog and he too was limping. I guess the local dog gang must have had an initiation last night and they jumped those two in. (Here is the joke: What did the three legged dog say when he entered the cowboy bar? I am looking for the man who shot my paw.)
We traveled to another ECP and MSG L saw this kid walking along the Palm groves. He said the kid (Who was about 16) was carrying a basket, but was struggling with it. When he looked up and saw MSG L and his Humvee parked along side the road, he placed the basket on the ground. He then started acting like he was washing his face and his hand. He kept looking up at MSG L. When he noticed that MSG L was approaching him he picked up the basket and started to go back the opposite direction. MSG L yelled at him and he stopped. Inside the basket was an old Russian machine gun. We took the boy in and he squealed like a pig on everybody. The funny thing is MSG L is 57 years old. He told me, "If that kid would have just dropped the basket and ran, I would have never caught him with all this body armor on." Dumb kid, maybe he wanted to get caught.
Bang, Bang is the sounds I heard when we approached the last ECP of the day. The IAs were shooting at some wow-hobbies (Means bad guys or terrorists in Arabic). The bullets from the wow-hobbies was flying over me as we drove up. Of course I spun the 50 Cal around and grabbed my trusty M4 rifle, but I could not see them. They were smart and were hiding in a very heavy area of palm trees and wood like area. That did not stop the IAs from shooting. I don't think I was in any danger, but it does make you go "Wow".
So as you can see I had a very busy, but interesting day. Did I mention it was about 120, but with all that stuff on its about 130. I am enclosing a paragraph that the world toughest sheriff said. His name is Joe Arpaio and he is the sheriff of Maricopa County (Phoenix, AZ). Sheriff Joe is the one who makes the inmates wear pink underwear, pink tee shirts, eat two meals a day, serve them green bologna, only allows them to watch G rated movies, has chain gangs, and also makes them live in tents in the middle of the desert, when it gets to be around 120. (He also pinned my E-6 rank on along with Isabel) Here is the comment he had to an inmate who complained about tent city:
"It feels like we are in a furnace," said James Zanzot, an inmate who has lived in the tents for 1 year. "It's inhumane." Joe Arpaio tough-guy sheriff who created the tent city and long ago started making his prisoners wear pink, and eat Bologna sandwiches, is not one bit sympathetic He said Wednesday that he told all of the inmates: "It's 120 degrees in Iraq and our soldiers are living in tents too, and they have to wear full battle gear, but they didn't commit any crimes, so shut your damned mouths!"
Randy
"Sheriff Joe section was copied from Joe Willie on the Shrimpbox at http://joewillie.blogspot.com/
Now for what happened that was worth writing about. Around 0730 we were parked by one of the ECPs, checking the Iraqi Army (IA) out and ensuring that they were doing their job correctly. In other words, they were searching the people as they entered and also spot checking vehicles. This one particular ECP is on the south part of the town and it's nearby a bunch of houses. There are Palm groves around this area as well. I noticed something crossing the dirt road ahead of me. I could not make it out right away. As it got closer, I realized it was a ferret. Not sure, but would be willing to bet it escaped from somebody's house. It was just running back and forth; in and out of the marsh like area. Since I was in the gunner's hatch, I could see it as plain as day. I noticed about six birds come flying in real low. Then they chased the ferret away. About 20 minutes later, I saw a man and two women walking on a cross street ahead of me. Trailing them badly was a dog. His poor paw was definitely broken or he had something in it. The paw was completely bent. He was trying so hard to keep of with his owners. (Yes you can cry now, but don't fear I have joke for you at the end of this paragraph). Then about 15 minutes later, I saw another dog and he too was limping. I guess the local dog gang must have had an initiation last night and they jumped those two in. (Here is the joke: What did the three legged dog say when he entered the cowboy bar? I am looking for the man who shot my paw.)
We traveled to another ECP and MSG L saw this kid walking along the Palm groves. He said the kid (Who was about 16) was carrying a basket, but was struggling with it. When he looked up and saw MSG L and his Humvee parked along side the road, he placed the basket on the ground. He then started acting like he was washing his face and his hand. He kept looking up at MSG L. When he noticed that MSG L was approaching him he picked up the basket and started to go back the opposite direction. MSG L yelled at him and he stopped. Inside the basket was an old Russian machine gun. We took the boy in and he squealed like a pig on everybody. The funny thing is MSG L is 57 years old. He told me, "If that kid would have just dropped the basket and ran, I would have never caught him with all this body armor on." Dumb kid, maybe he wanted to get caught.
Bang, Bang is the sounds I heard when we approached the last ECP of the day. The IAs were shooting at some wow-hobbies (Means bad guys or terrorists in Arabic). The bullets from the wow-hobbies was flying over me as we drove up. Of course I spun the 50 Cal around and grabbed my trusty M4 rifle, but I could not see them. They were smart and were hiding in a very heavy area of palm trees and wood like area. That did not stop the IAs from shooting. I don't think I was in any danger, but it does make you go "Wow".
So as you can see I had a very busy, but interesting day. Did I mention it was about 120, but with all that stuff on its about 130. I am enclosing a paragraph that the world toughest sheriff said. His name is Joe Arpaio and he is the sheriff of Maricopa County (Phoenix, AZ). Sheriff Joe is the one who makes the inmates wear pink underwear, pink tee shirts, eat two meals a day, serve them green bologna, only allows them to watch G rated movies, has chain gangs, and also makes them live in tents in the middle of the desert, when it gets to be around 120. (He also pinned my E-6 rank on along with Isabel) Here is the comment he had to an inmate who complained about tent city:
"It feels like we are in a furnace," said James Zanzot, an inmate who has lived in the tents for 1 year. "It's inhumane." Joe Arpaio tough-guy sheriff who created the tent city and long ago started making his prisoners wear pink, and eat Bologna sandwiches, is not one bit sympathetic He said Wednesday that he told all of the inmates: "It's 120 degrees in Iraq and our soldiers are living in tents too, and they have to wear full battle gear, but they didn't commit any crimes, so shut your damned mouths!"
Randy
"Sheriff Joe section was copied from Joe Willie on the Shrimpbox at http://joewillie.blogspot.com/
Randy, PLEASE keep your head covered. Do you need any sunscreen? I think you should have helped those poor dogs. Do they vets over there? I'm sure they must, but you never know. Let me know if there is anything you need?
I love you Bubba,
Renee'
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5:37 PM