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Hi Tom,

I'm sure you're wondering who this is, my name is [deleted] also known as SPC [deleted] and I'm a Soldier in the U.S. ARMY. I am currently on month 8 of a 15 month tour out here in Iraq. I am currently assigned to C1-17 FAR out of Fort Sill, OK. I am active army and work with a field artillery unit, specifically working with the M109 155mm Howitzers also known as the Paladins. Since field artillery isn't really used anymore due to urban combat being the type of combat seen these days, our mission out here is convoy security. We are currently working out of Camp [deleted], Iraq AKA [deleted] and we run convoys from the south all the way up to the central part of Iraq just north of baghdad.

The south isn't too dangerous but the farther north you get around the baghdad area, the more dangerous it gets. Haven't really seen any combat action myself except for a small arms attack on our convoy thankfully. I somehow manage to avoid the IED's and EFP (explosively formed penetrator, the real killer out here) which I like to think is God looking out for me.

Anyways, I'm catching myself going off on a tangent lol, so much to talk about concerning Iraq but I better make sure I have some stuff to talk about in future emails hehe. Well, I just got back from a mission yesterday morning and didn't have the chance to thank you for the packages via email before I left on the mission. I wrote a thank you letter and dropped in in the mail box which I hope you received, and also my rooomates sent you one as well. I received the 3 packages of jerky/sunflower seeds/tuna/crackers and magazines and want to say thank you for the awesome stuff inside of it. My 2 roomates who I share a trailer with don't really get any care packages from people, so since there was quite a bit of goods in there, I shared with them some of the jerky, tuna, crackers, and seeds. We all really loved it and still have a bit more of it to go through until it's been expended hehehe. I just wanted to make sure that you know how much it means to know people back in the states are thinking about us out here and don't forget about us. I really appreciate you taking the time and funds to put together 3 packages like you did, and want to let you know that it is appreciated.

I just recently started using my camera on missions so hopefully I can send you some pictures shortly. My father, the one who you heard about me from, showed me a knife collectors forum which has a special fighter's section in it for troops deployed. I think that's really cool and hopefully later on tonight I can register an account and maybe post up some pictures from out here in Iraq of our missions and some of the sights out here to see. Unfortunately on my thumbdrive I only have six pictures but I'll send you a few of them for now. I need to load up the pics I took the other day of us doing a vehicle search on a suspected weapons smuggler from this last mission. Iraqis out here have been using caskets to transport rockets/rpgs/small arms weapons to and from locations.

Well I had better get to work, here at the office right now, going to attach those pictures and send them your way. Just want to say thanks again though for all you did with those packages and it is appreciated! Can't say it enough how much it means to have people like you supporting us soldiers out here iraq. Well look forward to hearing back from you Tom, and expect more emails soon.

Sincerely,

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I wonder who will carry the first Randall into Iran?

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