To all,

Been over a week since I left the states and back again in the sandbox. It's been one very long week with only about 4-5 hours sleep a day and work all the others. Last night was one very long one with all the incoming attacks. Can't wait to go outside and do some patrolling. Did a stint on the guard tower yesterday at pre dawn. All we saw and heard were some jackels (I did bring my varmint call) Imagine a Master Sargeant and a Lt Col sitting and observing armed with a M14 and M79 grenade launcher. More to follow.

CD

Good to hear from you CD! It's hard to image you being so darn far away. I got your son's targets posted in the match.

Keep us all posted on what is happening over there!

Michael

To all,

Been over a week since I left the states and back again in the sandbox. It's been one very long week with only about 4-5 hours sleep a day and work all the others. Last night was one very long one with all the incoming attacks. Can't wait to go outside and do some patrolling. Did a stint on the guard tower yesterday at pre dawn. All we saw and heard were some jackels (I did bring my varmint call) Imagine a Master Sargeant and a Lt Col sitting and observing armed with a M14 and M79 grenade launcher. More to follow.

CD

Were the jackels two legged or four legged?

Dan

How's that varmit call work????? :)

Combet Driver

Good luck over there and you take care. My family and I will be praying for you.

I didn't know there were jackles over there. Let us know how the varmit call works.

Be careful and be safe

Thanks

Got plenty of two legged varity and few four legged ons.

Good to hear from you. What part of the country are you in? Keep safe and check in when you can. Randy

Balad, Iraq

Balad, that is the Baath party region, very hot spot last year at this time, hope they have tamed it a little since then. Be carefull and as I constantly tell my son, keep thy head down. Godspeed. Thinking of your son as well.

Hey CD hope all is well with you. How are you doing? Need anything. Drop a line when you can.

S-S,

Doing well here. Have had a few rocket/mortar rounds impact inside our small base camp inside the large base camp. Last thursday even had a few airburts overhead, No injuries. Haven't done any successfull jackel calling yet, usually too busy.

There's a pond 25 meters from the back end of our tent city which I brought my fishing pole for but the **** truck was dumping its waste in there. So no fishing either. (did do some fishing last trip in the Eurphertes river with a drop line) Other than that doing well. Do run quite a few ranges for my troops but limited to only 25m right now so JB match is in no threat from my M14! Wish I had one of my lever actions with me. Here's a pic of our mini gun on top of one of our Gun trucks used for convoy escort.
http://www.zerohold.com/kevin/2004_0622_101716aab.jpg
http://www.zerohold.com/kevin/2004_0622_102827aab.jpg
Pics were taken at Ft Campbell back in May. Minigun is made by Dillion Aero (same company that makes our Dillion presses). Cyclic rate is 3,000 rounds per minute or 50 rds per second!

Good to here from ya CD. Great pics. Too bad about the fishing. I am sure that would have been a welcomed diversion. Keep the messages coming.

Glad to hear you're well, and you top-knot's still in place! That mini-gun looks like quite the medicine for two and four legged varmints!

Thanks for the updates, and do keep us posted.

I'll certainly keep you in prayer!

God bless you sir!

Great hearing from you CD... God bless you and your family! If you need any reading material or lever guns sent a part at a time holler! Drop me a PM with your address.

Michael

Please, if there is something that you can use over there that we could help with (other than ammo for the minigun), let us know. And as the others said, keep you head down (I kept my head down but always thought my butt was sticking up).

Dan

Thanks guys, I'm still doing well. Saw couple of jackles the other night driving but didn't have my call on me. Been wondering how my rabbit call would work over here. Later that same night had a jackrabbit type run across the road on me kicking up a big ol dust trail. Guess I can use that call now. Going to try and get down to Baghdad to see my son this week.

RD- How's the match coming along?

I sent in another target for the Marlin 1894 lever last week. Micheal has not got it posted yet but the standings are. That really does make things come into focus to see where you are in the contest. I may get to shoot another target today. I think I am about where I need to be load wise. I'm having trouble getting primers locally right now but there is a gun show in Charlotte in a couple weeks. I will stock up there.

Hope you get to see your son. Try to give us a feel for Bagdad since what we get from the media is the bad.

Had 17-20 rockets/mortars attack our camp yesterday. No injuries from my unit. Did talk to the MPs this morning and they live box trap the critters here. Seems we have foxes, jackels, lynx/bobcats, mongoose and wild dogs. They take the jackels and dogs to the dump and shoot. Let the others go. Seems the cats have their home by the pond 100 yds from my old tent.

CD and Chief...

Just getting caught up with the latest on the forum as I've been tied up with work since last Thursday. I got your target Chief, the day I left. Anyway, I figured the spreadsheet format of the stats that I use would help everyone understand where that sat. As each match gathers ten participants, I will post the standings. ONE MONTH TO GO. I hope to start shooting targets this week. I've been really focused on getting a hunting load up and going for my 444T and not much else.

Rocket attacks... keep your head down! I'm with Chief, any first hand accounts of what is happening would be appreciated as I just don't trust the media to give us the real story.

Michael

Guys,

Finally got down to see my son. He's doing great for a newly wed. Talked his command to giving him a pass to come back up to my base in Balad for a few days. Also found out I've got some lynx/bobcats in the pond next door. Will post a pic later.

CD

Good news there CD glad you and yours are doing well. Look forward to the pictures.