27 JAN 2007 Another window

27 JAN 2007 Another window

I received many responses after airing my poor attempt to honor the memory of two fallen soldiers.

My bro, Ted, told me that his station had recently interviewed the families of Blair Emery and Joel House last week.

http://www.necn.com/Boston/New-England/Village-in-Maine-suffers-losses-from-Iraq/1201316752.html

I wish I could have been more successful at expressing the depth of sadness, loss, and anger I feel considering these young lives cut short. But I don’t forget that it is not my opinion or assessment that matters; it is the effect on their families that matters. I hope that I get that across.

But as I often do, I find that when I have failed to make my words carry the depth of truth, there is someone else out there who has succeeded. I was referred to SSGT Tristan Ruark’s blog, “Angry American” by Laurel of Books for Soldiers who was such a staunch supporter while I was in Balad, and continue to support many troops who are still over there.

http://www.roodawg.blogspot.com/

He is a squad leader serving in Iraq. He tells us of the life and death of Duncan Crookston, one of his troops.

http://roodawg.blogspot.com/2008/01/rest-in-peace-crookston.html
http://roodawg.blogspot.com/2007/09/in-loving-memory.html
http://roodawg.blogspot.com/2007/09/baby-steps.html

And here see SSGT Ruark with his family on his R&R

http://roodawg.blogspot.com/2007/12/rnr.html

Read about the first year of his current deployment.

http://roodawg.blogspot.com/2008/01/2007-year-deployed.html

Mind you, I’ve traveled there and back and he still has a spell to go. I’m glad he is accelerating
toward the day he journeys home. I think that you will find SSGT Ruark’s blog incredibly engaging as I did, reading page after page. I echo his feelings about a Christmas spent apart from family:

http://roodawg.blogspot.com/2007/12/christmas-wish.html

It was great to see another troop who marveled at the surprise of snow in Iraq.

http://roodawg.blogspot.com/2008/01/when-hell-freezes-over.html

Lastly, with apologies to those who won’t appreciate the scatological nature of this post, I was baffled, amazed and thoroughly impressed with another troop who shares my practical attention to the deuce but has reached a tactical level far above my simple plan of “number two walks”.

http://roodawg.blogspot.com/2008/01/when-hell-freezes-over.html

I may no longer be able to give you a view on life in Iraq, but he is definitely someone who can.