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Baghdad Hello Everyone,
Christmas came and went here at Camp Cuervo without incident and although it wasn’t Christmas at home, we certainly made the best of it and smiles were found on everyone’s face. We had a lot of fun with our gift raffle and our three key leaders each read a different version of "’Twas the Night Before Christmas" to all the soldiers in our Company. My favorite part of Christmas this year was the Christmas Eve Mass that I attended with many other soldiers and civilians. The priest spoke of how millions of Americans are praying for us during this holiday season and their hearts are with us through this seemingly lonely time. It showed me how fortunate we are as opposed to how lonely we are feeling. My first Christmas away from home was somewhat difficult as I found myself homesick and missing my family, which I expected before Christmas arrived. I spent Christmas Day in our Command Post listening for communication traffic and filling in for my soldiers who were given the day off. The officers in my Company worked through the holiday as well but I must admit it wasn’t busy at all, in fact, 1LT Schwab and I spent most of the day playing video games and taking care of some paperwork that otherwise would have been a very low priority during a normal work day. I was able to call my wife and fortunately, my whole family was there and they passed the phone around so we could all wish each other a Merry Christmas. It was wonderful to be able to call them because for hours and hours I tried to get through but couldn’t get a good connection.
I would like to change the subject to what many people have asked about but I can only disclose limited information about…..convoys. It is a very sensitive subject because we can not discuss procedures or counter measures. What I can tell you is the adrenaline level is always at its peak and it requires every soldier in the vehicle to be fully alert and have the utmost situational awareness. You have to scan the road and surrounding environment searching for possible roadside bombs, car bombs, and the potential of other enemy contact while traveling at speeds in excess of 55 to 60 MPH, this is not an easy task because it is a city that we drive through and there is so much trash on the side of the road that their bombs are not easy to identify. What I cannot tell you is what we are looking for to identify these possible hazards. For increased safety, we travel in up armor vehicles and Closing out this week’s column, I would like to thank everyone for their support once again, we have received so many care packages. I would like to send a special thank you to the Hampton Bays Fire Department and the Southampton Town Police Department for their generosity and a much appreciated visit (a good visit) to my family’s house for the Holidays; thank you so much! read archived articles | submit an article for review
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It was another quiet holiday for us here at Camp Cuervo. We are looking ahead to the possibility of going back to the States soon and are all very anxious about leaving as we have had a long tour here in Baghdad! We continue our daily responsibilities and are very happy that it has been so quiet. Returning to our families and loved ones may be just as much of a challenge as our mission here in Iraq has been. It will not be an easy adjustment, and for some soldiers it may be very hard to return to a "normal" life. One thing that is for sure, none of us are the same as when we left, nor will we ever be! 
The NBC Today Show filmed our Company and our story is scheduled to air on the Today Show December 31st. They filmed here for 3 or 4 hours but after all the editing, I’m sure the final cut will only be a few minutes long. It should provide an opportunity for all of you to see what our Aid Station looks like and will put a face to many of the names here in Echo Company. 
wear protective gear. What I cannot tell you is what the protective gear consists of. We travel as fast as the traffic conditions allow us and do not stop for red lights, intersections, or any other potentially dangerous hot spots. The people of Iraq are well versed by now knowing that when we approach, they pull off to the side of the road and allow us to pass. For our own protection, we do not allow vehicles inside of our convoys and we do not tolerate vehicles traveling too close or speeding up towards our convoys. Signs in Arabic writing are mounted to the back of our vehicles that explain to the local nationals that they need to keep back and do not attempt to pass us. Convoys are very serious missions and we never take them lightly. Our Convoy missions involve transporting patients to the Combat Support Hospital for further treatment. It is an enormous responsibility to have wounded or sick soldier place their safety in our hands ensuring that they will receive required follow on care at a specialized treatment facility. Our Front Line Ambulance drivers are among the best at what they do and are well versed and experienced should the have to react to enemy ambushes. Our ambulance drivers are on call 24 hours a day and driving at night is always an increased risk, these soldiers risk their lives for their fellow soldiers every time the ambulances roll out. 