The old thread "MikeD Donations" can be found here
Christmas in the desert page is here
here's a few new messages we got from Mike today...
[ QUOTE ]
Hey Kristie,
Thanks so much for the donations and support, that's very much appreciated to know that some back home still realize that we're out here. So many Americans only seem to realize what goes on in the 10 foot circle around them, or when the next episode of "Friends" is playing.
My unit here has 12 pilots. We could use all sorts of stuff. MRE meals are getting old, so things like microwave raviolis, spaghetti, etc would be good. Snacks and stuff as well as sundries would be good. Small pillows (I sleep with a folded field jacket for a pillow). Sundries and stuff (toothpaste, etc).
I'll come up with more things as I think of them. Again, thanks to you and Doug for your thoughts. Only 4 more months to go.
Mike
[/ QUOTE ]
and
[ QUOTE ]
The area around here is rainy and muddy as hell right now. Was dusty as hell, but the rains made everything a mud pit. More stuff like snackies such as beef jerky, microwave meals (better than macaroni and cheese MREs everyday), maybe some of the latest Playboys . Yeah, the flak jacket pillow gets old, and the poncho for a blanket doesn't do much. But hey, when sleeping in a small tent or back of a Humvee, what does one expect?
The people around here seem alright, but it's the old Vietnam style of not knowing who is who and who is enemy, who is friend; so you're almost forced to treat everyone leery until you can know who's who. The average Iraqi is just like anyone else, they just want to live life, have a business, and take care of their family. Unfortunately, other Iraqis and foreigners don't want that, and they're the ones that are killing US soldiers as well as fellow Iraqis. It'll take some time to convince the people that they really are free, that Saddam and the Ba'athist Party members aren't coming back to power, and that the enemy element of terrorists will eventually get rooted out.
I don't really buy the reason we cam in here, the "imminent threat" of WMDs, but that needs to be dealt with in the political circles. Right now, we're here, and we've stripped the government from the land, and we're now responsible for cleaning up the mess in the kitchen, so to speak. If we cut and run now, all the deaths, both sides, will have been for not. A crappy situation I know, and I certainly don't care to be here, but while I'm here, I'll do the best I can to try and make at least a little bit of a difference...to somebody.
Thanks again, Kristie, for all that you and Doug are doing. It's appreciated more than you'll ever know.
Flew a mission last night. Crappy weather/night and down low well within SAM missile and gun range in order to escort a convoy through a hostile stretch of road. Real pain in the ass flight since it's tough being in the rain and under the clouds while trying to follow a road and keep a few vehicles in sight without flying into the ground from spatial disorientation. Ask Doug if he'd like to trade jobs with me.
Mike.
[/ QUOTE ]
Christmas in the desert page is here
here's a few new messages we got from Mike today...
[ QUOTE ]
Hey Kristie,
Thanks so much for the donations and support, that's very much appreciated to know that some back home still realize that we're out here. So many Americans only seem to realize what goes on in the 10 foot circle around them, or when the next episode of "Friends" is playing.
My unit here has 12 pilots. We could use all sorts of stuff. MRE meals are getting old, so things like microwave raviolis, spaghetti, etc would be good. Snacks and stuff as well as sundries would be good. Small pillows (I sleep with a folded field jacket for a pillow). Sundries and stuff (toothpaste, etc).
I'll come up with more things as I think of them. Again, thanks to you and Doug for your thoughts. Only 4 more months to go.
Mike
[/ QUOTE ]
and
[ QUOTE ]
The area around here is rainy and muddy as hell right now. Was dusty as hell, but the rains made everything a mud pit. More stuff like snackies such as beef jerky, microwave meals (better than macaroni and cheese MREs everyday), maybe some of the latest Playboys . Yeah, the flak jacket pillow gets old, and the poncho for a blanket doesn't do much. But hey, when sleeping in a small tent or back of a Humvee, what does one expect?
The people around here seem alright, but it's the old Vietnam style of not knowing who is who and who is enemy, who is friend; so you're almost forced to treat everyone leery until you can know who's who. The average Iraqi is just like anyone else, they just want to live life, have a business, and take care of their family. Unfortunately, other Iraqis and foreigners don't want that, and they're the ones that are killing US soldiers as well as fellow Iraqis. It'll take some time to convince the people that they really are free, that Saddam and the Ba'athist Party members aren't coming back to power, and that the enemy element of terrorists will eventually get rooted out.
I don't really buy the reason we cam in here, the "imminent threat" of WMDs, but that needs to be dealt with in the political circles. Right now, we're here, and we've stripped the government from the land, and we're now responsible for cleaning up the mess in the kitchen, so to speak. If we cut and run now, all the deaths, both sides, will have been for not. A crappy situation I know, and I certainly don't care to be here, but while I'm here, I'll do the best I can to try and make at least a little bit of a difference...to somebody.
Thanks again, Kristie, for all that you and Doug are doing. It's appreciated more than you'll ever know.
Flew a mission last night. Crappy weather/night and down low well within SAM missile and gun range in order to escort a convoy through a hostile stretch of road. Real pain in the ass flight since it's tough being in the rain and under the clouds while trying to follow a road and keep a few vehicles in sight without flying into the ground from spatial disorientation. Ask Doug if he'd like to trade jobs with me.
Mike.
[/ QUOTE ]