Rory Update & An Interview with a Soldier

Hi all,

This was posted about Ramadi on CNN today...

Clashes in Ramadi

In Ramadi, west of Baghdad, battles flared sporadically throughout Sunday, an independent journalist told CNN. There were two differing casualty reports from the mostly Sunni Muslim city.

According to Iraq's Ministry of Health, clashes between U.S. Marines and insurgent fighters left at least three Iraqis dead and 26 others wounded.

But the director of a hospital said his facility received 10 dead and 40 wounded. The U.S. military said it was checking the reports.

That being said, no US casualties have been reported from this event and Sarah heard from Rory this AM. Be sure to check out Sarah's Update in the comments section of the previous post!

Recently I was corresponding online with another soldier that was stationed at Rory's same camp. He is currently on his way back home as the 2ID relieved his unit, but he had this to tell us about conditions where Rory is living:

Q: Do all the barracks at your camp have beds w/mattresses (as opposed to cots)?
A: There are both beds & cots.

Q: Does the military issue you bedding or do the soldiers have to buy it themselves? (sheets, blankets, pillows )
A: They are military issued or you can buy other blankets at the px.

Q: How are troops housed? By platoon? How many typically sleep in one room?
A: Usually by company, & my section we had 5 guys in a room

Q: Has the laundry service improved? (I read that many soldiers are scared to use it because they loose your stuff.) Do most soldiers use the service now or are they washing their own stuff?
A: No, the units have bought washing machines & we are doing are own laundry since we do it better.

Q: How are the showers/toilets?
A: They are ok, but the port-a-johns are nasty.

Q: How often is mail call?
A: Everyday except Sundays.

Q: In your experience does there seem to be a lot of misplaced mail or mail that was tampered with (i.e. stolen stuff)?
A: No, i haven't had any of my mail stolen or misplaced.

Q: On average, how long is it taking for letters and packages to get there?
A: It usually takes 2-3 weeks.

Q: What kind of stuff is most needed/most valued at your camp (or maybe stuff you can’t get at the PX)?
A: Personal products, dvds, soda & other snacks, chairs, xbox. The PX has just around anything people really need out here: shampoo, shaving, toiletries, etc.

Q: Do soldiers need electrical converters or does the Army give them to you?
A: The Army buys them.

Q: What did you guys do last year at Christmas and is there anything special people back home can do to make the holidays better for our soldiers over there?
A: On Christmas, the brigade had the day off but nothing special happened.

Q: How often do most people eat at the mess hall as opposed to MREs?
A: Most people use the mess hall since it costs $30 million a year to operate it & KBR runs it.

Q: What do soldiers do in their spare time at your camp?
A: Watch dvds, play sports - volleyball, softball, football, play video games - playstation or xbox

Q: Does the Army still use interpreters a lot?
A: Yes, all units have interpreters.

Q: Do any of the soldiers make any attempt to learn Arabic?
A: I believe some of them are attempting but not many since soldiers are more interested in talking with family & friends.

Q: In your opinion, has the situation in Ramadi gotten worse or better and more or less dangerous since you got there?
A: Ramadi is getting better since the Army & Marines are cracking down on the terrorists out here as opposed to Fallujah.