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Wed, 12 Mar 2003 19:39:27
hi all,
I just wanted to write a quick email (I can
only sign up for a computer for 30 mins at a
ti me)
to let you all know how it's going.
I've been here at Fort Benning, the home of the Infantry branch, for 3 days now and I've been pretty busy. I've already inprocessed (lots of paperwork), been thru the medical clearing, had many shots for various diseases (both arms still hurt), got my equipment issue, and went to the range. I qualified with a .9mm pistol (first time in about 8 yrs).
So far, I'm doing great and it's all coming back to me. I'm also losing a lotof weight, but that's to be expected. I've been getting up around 430am and going to bed around midnight. I should have some time to catch up on my sleep this weekend.
Also, I should know by the end of this week where I will be deploying. I still have no idea.
Take care, and I'll write again soon.
CPT DW |
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Fri, 14 Mar 2003 21:14:09
hi all...
just to let everyone know - I found out where I'll be deploying to. I will be going to Kuwait. still not sure what day I leave, don't have orders yet.talk to everybody soon.
take care,
Captain DW |
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Tue, 18 Mar 2003 18:44:21
hi all,
i received orders which say to proceed to Kuwait on 21 March (Friday), but that also depends on flight availability, so it could mean anytime over the weekend...
take care,
CPT DW |
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Thu, March 27, 2003 13:59:08
hi all,
just wanted to let you all know that i've been in country (and all over the country) for the past three days. i've been thru a couple of scud alerts (fun! not!) and i've experienced my first sandstorm...imagine a tornado of cat litter and you can begin to get the idea, definitely
need goggles and a scarf over your face. you have very poor visibility, it really is bad
i also found out i am being assigned to a unit and i might be moving "north" hint: i was in this unit as a LT in Germany (mech inf) and they've been in the news ALOT lately
take care and i don't know how often i can access email... i will try to
send a postal address as soon as i can for snail mail
sincerely,
DW |
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Sun, 4 May 2003 18:51:34
hi all,
i just got back from iraq on may 1st... i was there for four days, i left on the 28th of april. i convoyed 400+ miles there and back. i even got to go to baghdad and i saw the airport, downtown, the tigris and euphrates rivers and saddam's palaces. i have a lot more stories to tell and more pix to show when i get home, which should be sometime this summer.
hope all is well there, and take care,
CPT DW |
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Mon, 19 May 2003 08:40:58
i think i have 4 meetings tomorrow instead of 5. i am not kidding about the meetings. the reason i have so many is that i am a LNO (liaison officer)between the 3 ID ROC (who i work for now) and the mayor cell. every camp has a mayor, LOL. the mayor is usually a lieutenant colonel (LTC). so i communicate between that LTC and my LTC. i am doing well. i told you (I was) submitted for an award and it got approved already. The award I got is the Army Commendation Medal, and it's actually my 4th award of that type, bc i got one when i left Germany the 1st time i was in 3ID and i got two while in 10th Mountain Division (one for Somalia, and one when i left the Army). I should also get an OER (officer
evaluation report)for this deployment bc i'll be on active duty for over 90 days as of June 10th. The only thing the ROC will evaluate me. It'll be one of the ROC Majors.
From Capt. DW |
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Date: Sun, 29 Jun 2003 09:42:43 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: Greetings from IRAQ
Hi All,
I was supposed to fly home earlier this month, but that got changed, and they sent me back to Iraq. This time I flew on a C-130 from Kuwait to Baghdad (last time in April, I had to do the long drive). I am no longer with the Third Infantry Division, I was reassigned to the Combined Joint Task Force and V Corps. I work in the C-8 Section (Resource Management). I still don't know when I am coming home. As of July 10, I'll be on active duty 4 months. It's not clear if I'll be released at the six month mark, approx. 2 months from now, or if they'll keep me the full year, which would mean until early 2004.I'll still need time to outprocess and take leave whenever they send me back to the states (that would take about a month alone). I hope all is well there. Please pray for the situation in Iraq to improve. There are still a lot of soldiers over here. I am doing well, working a lot of hours, sometimes more then my 12 hour shift, sometimes 16, 17, 18 hours a day. It is exhausting, as you can imagine. Hope to hear from you soon.
Take care,
Captain DW |
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Date: Tue, 5 Aug 2003 09:42:40 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: Outside the Wire...
Hi all, hope all is well where you are. I am still in Baghdad, Iraq. I still work seven days a week usually between 15-17 hours a day (0700 until 2200, 2300, or 0000). That's 7am until 10pm, 11pm, or midnight for you non-military types. I spend a lot of time in the office doing paperwork, emailing, or going to meetings, but I do get the chance to go outside the wire sometimes. On Sunday, I went outside the wire twice. I rode in a convoy to a base a little over an hour's drive north of Baghdad to Balad. I rode in the back of an open five ton truck under the hot sun with full "battle rattle," that is flak vest, Kevlar helmet, ammo vest, and weapons. I pulled security from the back of the truck with guys I work with - a Marine major, an Air Force captain, and an Air Force Sergeant. We all had an M16 and a 9mm each (locked and loaded). It was stressful because of all the recent attacks in and around Baghdad. We made it there and back safely however. When I got back to Baghdad, I ate dinner and then had to go back out at night to pick up some incoming personnel at BIAP (Baghdad International Airport, formerly Saddam Hussein Airport). This time I went in a Humvee. Made it there and back safely again. I finally got to bed around midnight, and had to get up at six. Back in the office again today, back to the grind. So hopefully you have some idea of what life is like here. Not easy. I am doing well, though, not to worry. Thanks to all who sent cards, packages, letters, and emails. I greatly appreciate it. I probably won't be back in the states until sometime in 2004. Hope to
see everyone when I get back. I will write again soon. Take care,
Captain Dennis Williams
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Date: Sun, 10 Aug 2003 21:09:09 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: A Trip to the Zoo...
Hi all,
Just sending another update from Baghdad, Iraq. I may have told everyone this already, but I work for C8 (Resource Management). This section is the Corps Comptroller for CJTF-7, the Combined Joint Task Force. So my section controls the money for all US and multi-national forces in Iraq for all different purposes. Today I went to the Baghdad zoo. The zoo suffered a lot from neglect and war. So this is just one of many projects going on in the city. We are
paying for the employees, food and care for the animals, construction, landscaping, etc. So I got to travel with about 15 soldiers (some who make regular trips there) and met many Iraqis who work there or were just visiting, since the zoo is open to the public even with the work going on. There are armed Iraqi police that also help provide security. I saw many animals at the zoo: bears, lions, different types of wild dogs, baboons, wild boars, camels, a tiger, and even a cheetah. The cheetah was once Uday's pet before it ended up in the zoo. Of course, we were careful driving to and from the zoo, which is located in Baghdad near the parade grounds (with the big crossed swords, that I'm sure most of you have seen on tv). It's also near the Al Rashid hotel and the Baghdad Convention Center; both are places that I've previously been
to. All of these locations are about a fifteen minute drive from the base I'm at. Before we left the zoo, we searched our vehicles, 360 degrees, and even underneath the vehicles, to make sure no one placed any "attachments" to our vehicles while we were in the zoo, if you know what I mean. The trip was fun, and it was good to get out of the office, but it's been extremely hot the past several days, in the 120s every day. Anyway, I'll keep sending updates as long as there's interest out there.
Take care,
Captain Williams
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Date: Fri, 15 Aug 2003 15:35:56 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: One by one here they come!
Hi All,
Here are some pics we shot at the zoo, I have to send them one at a time,
because I cant get them all in one email! Sorry! cool shot of this soldier on the playground at the zoo!
Captain D.C. Williams |
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Date: Mon, 13 Oct 2003 18:42:09 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: UPDATE FROM IRAQ
I know I haven't written an email update in while...so I'll fill everyone in on what I've been doing out here (besides working really long hours):
Last month I got to go to Babylon for the changeover ceremony. The Marines turned over control to the Polish division. You might have seen it on the news. It was a good ceremony (and historic). Gen. Sanchez gave a speech and so did the Marine General, the Polish General, and the Iraqi governor of the Babil province. I also got to walk around the ruins of ancient Babylon, and saw the Babylon lion statue (that's Daniel under the lion, from the Old
Testament story), and I also saw the reconstructed Nebuchadnezzar palace and Ishtar gate. I believe the real Ishtar gate is in Berlin (the Germans took it). Babylon is about 1 hour and forty five minutes drive from Baghdad.
I also met Drew Carey when he visited Baghdad. He and his entourage came walking into my office. I got to shake his hand and took a picture with him. I didn't get to see his show though...had to work!
There's still crazy stuff going on in Baghdad, as I'm sure everyone's been watching on the news. There's still a lot of good things happening in Iraq though...too bad the news only focuses on the negative. There are a lot of Iraqis who want freedom, and the people causing all the trouble are the minority.
I got to go on R & R for three days in Qatar. That was a nice break. Got some sun, got to see some sights, and ate some authentic Middle Eastern food. Got to drink some beer too!
Now I'm back to work in Baghdad. I'm busy, but at least the time's going by fast.
I'll write again in a few weeks.
Take care,
Dennis |
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Season's Greetings from Iraq
Hi everybody…it's been a while since I sent an email to all. A lot has happened since the last time I wrote. We captured Saddam and the American soldier is Time Magazine's Person of the Year. Good stuff, but there's still a lot of work to be done here. There are still terrorists and people who want to see the U.S. fail. We will deal with it and accomplish the mission, but it will take time and patience.
I recently got to visit the Special Forces camp not too far from Camp Victory where I am located. I got to try out an AK-47 on the firing range and eat a traditional Iraqi meal with some of the Iraqi Freedom Fighters that work with the SF. These guys hate Saddam, and fought with the US since the beginning of the war (and in some cases before the war). They are loyal to the US, and it was great meeting them. The news back home focuses on the people that are against us, and spends less time on the people that are on our side. There are Iraqis that like Americans!
I received a ton of mail in the past month or two so I want to thank everyone who sent a package, a card, a letter or an email. There are so many of you, and I don't always have the time to write to each and every person. So I will say it here, THANK YOU…
There will be a big meal on Christmas Day (just like Thanksgiving Day) for us in the dining facility, so I'm looking forward to that. They usually put on a good spread. Holiday activities are also planned…10k run, Secret Santa gift exchange, and a midnight mass on Christmas Eve. So don't worry about me, I will enjoy the holiday as best I can under the circumstances.
I am hoping to leave Iraq at the end of January/beginning of February. When I leave here I have to go back to Fort Benning, Georgia for a few weeks. I will also have 30 days of leave to take too. I'm still not sure when I'll be back in the NY/NJ area.
I want to wish every one a safe and happy holiday season! Happy New Year too!
CAPTAIN DENNIS C. WILLIAMS, BAGHDAD, IRAQ
23 DECEMBER 2003 |
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Date: Fri, 30 Jan 2004
Hi everybody,
Just a brief email to let you know that I'm back in the United States. I left Baghdad on Saturday (1\24\04) and flew into McGuire AFB in New Jersey on Sunday. I couldn't go home because I had to fly out of Philly and go back to Fort Benning, GA for outprocessing. I am still at Fort Benning now, but hopefully I'll be home by early next week. Thanks again for all of your support, and I look forward to seeing everyone again. Take care.
Respectfully,
Dennis |
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