6 January 2005 - As many of you can now see, the system is back up and running. I goofed, and I forgot to change the expiration date on the credit card this page is charged too. So the ISP shut us down for a short while, but with the help and diligence of my wife, we have rectified the situation with no major loss of data. Not that it would've mattered as I keep all these pages backed up. Since my last posting, a lot has happened here. Most important, and this is one of those things I am most happy about, the advanced party for our replacement unit has shown up. The arrived on New Year's eve, and have been getting themselves emplaced since then. While we're still running the major operations until they get settled, we are winding down our work. This new unit, however, they have a lot of work ahead of them. Additionally, since the new year began, Mosul has seen an increase in combat power. Don't let it be said that the Army is going to let Mosul turn into another Fallujah. In Fallujah, the military had pulled everyone out of the city and was on the fringes, until told to go in. In Mosul, we have boots already on the ground, in the city. AND we have tanks now!! I've been watching M1A1 Abrams tanks and M113 Bradleys running through the base, and into the city. Since the new year, we've had an additional 2000 soldiers show up, and I've heard that it will be many more than that. Oh man...housing is going to be a bitch!! If I can get a digital pic of the tanks and Bradleys, I will. When I first got into theater and saw the Stryker's with their slat armor and everything, running around the base, I was a little impressed. Watching these behemoth tanks drive through our base, has been awe-inspiring. There's something about 50 tons of steel rolling past you that just makes a man giddy! I love it! We're taking the fight to the insurgents. I wonder how well an Bradley or M1 will handle an IED going off next to it. I can't imagine it doing too much damage. That's a lot of explosives to move 50 tons. Plus, the biggest IED explosion we've seen on a Stryker only caused it to flip over once, and no one was injured inside. Bah! Guess the insurgents aren't as good as they say they are.

So with all these moving pieces, I'm sure someone is asking "And how does this affect your coming home?" As of right now, it helps keep us right on schedule. Unless the city erupts into hell, we're still laid on to get out of Iraq on the timetable that I had told people about before. So, no worries right now.

The 276th ENGR BN has reached another milestone in it's deployment...we've earned our second combat patch. We're now authorized to wear the 2ID Indian head patch, or the 25th ID Lightning patch. The 25th ID was one of the leading units during the WWI Pacific campaign, starting with Guadalcanal and leaping up through the Solomon's, the Philippine's, and ultimately to the occupation of Japan. The 25th ID is known as the "Tropic Lightning" Division b/c of it's swift move through the Pacific, or the tropics. Currently, it is the only division to be tapped to support two Stryker Brigade Combat Teams: 1/25 out of Ft Lewis, WA, and 2/25 out of Schoffield Barracks, HI. It truly is an honor to get to wear this patch, although the 2ID is still near and dear to the heart since it is my first combat patch. After the 25ID patch, I hope I don't get anymore.

That's all for now. Good to see everyone still reading along after all these months. the end is close!