Round Numbers

Checking in, the next blog reader will be #1000! I'm so blessed to have people reading about and praying for Daniel.

If you're #1000, take a screen shot of the counter at the bottom (it's the "print screen" button on a PC keyboard. To put the screen shot into the email, just "paste". I have no idea how it works on a Mac). I will send you back a special thousandth visitor prize! -email removed for SPAM prevention-

Adding to the list

Spc. Orlando A. Perez, 23, of Houston, TX, died Feb. 24 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered from small arms fire during dismounted operations. He was assigned to the 2nd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, Vilseck, Germany.

All of us here offer our sincere condolences to the loved ones Perez leaves behind.

I have not heard from Daniel since his phone call, but this notice was finally posted on Stryker News. One of the things we do is try and read between the lines. "Dismounted Operations" means the squad had left the Stryker had were on foot. I'm guessing they were all under fire, including Daniel, and they were witness to his death.

I try and imagine the theater which will play behind Daniel's eyes when he's home on leave. He has experience and memories we cannot begin to imagine. I suspect he would wish to forget.

Loss

Daniel called me this morning. They are moving tonight to their undisclosed location, but he wanted me to know that on Stryker News within the next couple of days, I would see a 2-2SCR death from their platoon reported, and it wasn't him. The family had been notified, so communication blackout was over.

Daniel said he would write to me later about it, but said, "it was quite an experience." I am guessing he was there. Pray for all involved.

Oh it's a jolly holiday

They're moving. Of course the location is undisclosed. Get serious. At any rate they have been and are moving so for a while his contact will be spotty, if non-existent.

Keep checking back as I will keep you posted with what I know, and if there is nothing to report, you may get lovely pictures or videos of the best ways to cook okra (answer - not at all).

In the meantime, please keep Daniel tucked safely in your prayers. His mood is down and his outlook bleak. He's really ready for his leave, but I worry if he's seen one too many bloody bodies at this point - those are images which never leave.

Kentucky Derby

No horsing around, this is just a quick post to tell you he's hoofing it away from his computer for a few days. That you understand he's OK is the "mane" reason for the post.

Other than that, there have been semi-official rumors that 2-2SCR will be back in Germany by Halloween, a month earlier than expected. As with all things Army, we believe it when we see it, although you may begin jockeying for position to shake his hand when he returns.

He took this picture with his new camera on patrol Feb 3rd. He's quite pleased to have the camera and is planning on publishing some of his war zone images when he returns.

It's Shmoggy Out

Daniel received a gift of a shmog (head covering the men wear) from one of the Interpreters ('terps) named "Kareem". I told him his own mother wouldn't know him to look at this picture. Oh wait, that's me.

Thank you to Rose C. and her group. The 'terps received VERY gratefully, your package of gloves and other warm stuff. It was a brutal January and they were cold. What a wonderful thing you did!

Anyone out there have soap/shampoo/conditioner samples from frequent stays in hotels? Those are great things to package up and send for the 'terps as well!