Active Unit News

What our families are hearing:
Bob Babcock - "Deeds not Words"
President, Americans Remembered, Inc. - http://www.americansremembered.org
President, 22nd Inf Regt Society - http://www.22ndinfantry.org
Past President/Historian - Nat'l 4th Inf Div Assn - http://www.4thinfantry.org
babcock224@aol.com

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What Our Families Are Hearing From Our Soldiers in Iraq:
1) This is for the woman who wanted some ideas for her husband's birthday...I always make my son a birthday cake so I couldn't miss it this year. What I did was I got two metal cookie tins (white). I glued the top to the bottom of one to look like cake layers. I glued the bottom tin to a paper doily so it looks like its on a plate. I got cording and glued it on the top, around the middle and around the bottom so it looks like icing. I decorated with stickers and then glued candles to the top tin lid. It surprising looks like a cake : ) I filled each tin with things he liked that would survive the trip, nuts, etc. (Ed Note: No better combination than American ingenuity and the love of a mother...)
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I wanted to reply to the lady asking about what to do for a birthday. Well my husband just turned 21 last week and his grandmother and I got together and I asked our friends and family to send him 21 of something. he got 21 bags of chips, 21 lollipops, 21 puzzle books just silly things to make him laugh. My husband is B/1-10 cav and he said that they are doing good but ready to come home.
2) I just got a letter from my Hubby (4th MP Co, 3rd plt) yesterday. It took 13 days to get to me. It was a beautiful letter & updated me on everything we ont have enough time to talk about when he calls. He asked for Imodium AD, Easy Mac, ME, Ramen Noodles & drink mix in every box. He said they went to Kirkuk and that the people there were so happy to see them. He said most of them there are Christians & thanked them for coming to Iraq. He asked one of the families if they knew where he could get ice & they went into their house & brought him 2 bags & some flowers! He tried to pay them but they wouldn’t hear of it. It makes me tear up even writing this now. He said honey these people are so poor, they don’t have running water or electricity. He said that he is usually part of the Quick Reaction Team that goes into town to try & find gunmen when they shoot at the gates. He also asked for more film because he is taking pics like crazy. The last thing he said is that he loves & misses us & he loves getting my letters.
3) Our son's unit (3-16 FA) is living at the Hammad Shihab hospital north of Baghdad. The "Iraq Today" newspaper recently did an article on the soldiers and the citizens who are working to rebuild this hospital. The editor, Hassan Fattah, was kind enough to email a picture of our son, which was included in the paper. I don't have the article to send you, just a photo copy. Hassan Fattah wrote us a nice note saying "Thanks for your note. I have attached the picture of your son. You should be proud that he is one of the people making Iraqi lives just a bit better." It's nice to know that some of the Iraqi people appreciate what we are doing for them, and we are always proud of our son, because he is a good person. He also just became a father for the first time - a baby girl born Aug. 15th!! Mom and baby are doing great and living with us.
4) My son who is with the B-3/29 FA Bn from Ft. Carson was able to call his wife this morning with the news that he was on two days r&r. He was enjoying a swimming pool, air conditioning,a real bed and a phone! He was,in his words "in hog heaven!" The temperature in Iraq is 111 today but my soldier ,for two days, is safe and comfortable!
5) I wrote to you a couple of weeks ago when we got word that my nephew had been in an ambush. He was badly hurt but is now back at Fort Carson recuperating. His Dad is now with him and things are coming along. I have talked to him every day and can tell in his voice that he is getting better. Like I said before, I still have people in Iraq that I care about and will continue praying for all of our troops safe return home. My nephew is a true American hero and I am a proud aunt. I hope that everyone knows what a fine job all of our soldiers are doing in Iraq. Take care everyone and God Bless Our Troops. A proud Aunt of a 1-8 Infantry(MECH) soldier.
6) A reader sent this update from the CO of Company C, 3-67 Armor: We have been busy as usual! The company has slowed down on conducting raids. We completed three raids this week, resulting in the arrest of two more Baath Party members who were planning attacks on Coalition Forces. Our focus is now on locating more Baath party members and Wahabi (Religious Faction Extremists) members who are planning attacks on our forces. Once we locate them, we will arrest them and continue to keep the area as clean as possible. We are also continuing on with Support and Stability Operations. We have submitted a proposal through Congress for a $350,000 water plant to be built in a local town outside of the city we live in. We have been very busy taking applications for a form of the new military entitled ICDC (Iraqi Civil Defense Corps). This organization was formed to aid the police to help with the crime and acts of violence in their country. Most of the people are ex-military and seem to be working fine. Some good news has come about this week. We just got a satellite in, and we are trying to get the system hooked up so we can watch the news as well as sports, since football season has just begun. Thank you again for all your support, the men are doing well, and the quality of life around here has improved a lot over the last 60 days. I also am very aware that you ladies are watching the news and know of all that is going on here. We are still working very hard with a goal to return home soon!

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