TIRED

After quickly writing my last post they told us that we would not have to go out again on that mission.  The mission is not over, but someone else will be finishing it.  We needed a break.  It was a barrier mission to Sadr City.  12 to 13 hour days in the most dangerous part of town.  Not only were the hours long, but the stress was high.  I just woke up after sleeping 10 hours!  I was exhausted.  We have a couple of days to recover before we have to go out again.  Up to this point I know that we have not had to do such a difficult, or dangerous, mission.  I think it is because our platoon does a good job and the higher ups are starting to trust us with more and more.  Thankfully nothing happened and we all got home safe (at least no one was injured in combat; one soldier tripped in his gun hatch and fell into the truck twisting his ankle really badly). There was action all around us though.  After the first night they found an IED that had been placed about a block away from us WHILE we were in the area.  A couple of soldiers were killed within a couple of blocks of our operation area the second night and last night we heard several large explosions nearby, but don't know what they were from.  That part of town is a little crazy these days with local elections set to take place in a week.  It might get better after they are over.  Probably not though.  It is the rough part of town.  It was the rough part of town before we got there, like south Dallas or southwest Fort Worth.  

On the bright side, in the short time that I have been here I have already seen lots of signs of progress.  The main highway that we travel on between here and Baghdad is in the middle of being resurfaced.  The northbound lanes have were recently finished for several miles and work has begun on the southbound.  We like coming home because the last 10 miles are smooth on fresh pavement without potholes or blast craters.  The Iraqis are doing the work, and they work during the day.  Every night we go out there is more fresh pavement waiting for us.  There is a bridge near our camp, on that same highway, that was bombed during the invasion.  Only the northbound side is open with a huge hole in the southbound side.  They have been working on that since I got here, and are almost finished cleaning the broken span up so that a new one can be built.  Everyday new material is delivered to the site in preparation for the construction.  I can see lots of bombed out buildings, but I can also see lots of new buildings and buildings under construction.  More noticeably since January 1st, I can see a lot more Iraqi activity, especially traffic.  They are leading more convoys and taking control of these clean up operations.  Lots of trash has been picked up.  It is a good feeling knowing that I am helping this country improve itself.  It will take lots of time and lots of money but the momentum is building.  

Now for a day of rest and relaxation!  I can get back to work tomorrow.