Get Well Soon!

Our thoughts, prayers and well wishes go out to Rob Brooke, one of Rory's friends and barrack mates, who was injured yesterday when an IED went off near his vehicle. Rob sustained a concussion and thankfully no one was killed. Rob, take care and get well soon! We are pulling for you guys and think daily of the sacrifes you are making on our behalf.

Julie, hang in there. We are here for you and your children. We will all get through this together--one day at a time.


What lies behind us and what lies in front of us pales in comparison to what lies within us.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

1000th Hit!

Eeegads! We've hit the 1,000 page view mark. Yee hahh! OR should I say "Hooaah!" Boy, we sure do love our Rory. Thank you everyone for reading and posting. Keep it up!


"My heros don't wear tights and a cape, they wear kevlar and camoflage."

Thursday's News

The following was reported from the Arabic News Agency, Al Jazeera, so take it with as many grains of salt as necessary:

...Allawi's warning

On Tuesday, interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi reportedly sounded a warning to fighters in Falluja and the neighbouring city of Ramadi to shun violence or face the consequences.

His comments came after hospital sources said nine people, including women and children, were killed in two pre-dawn raids by US warplanes on suspected targets in Falluja on Monday.

US forces also bombed Sadr City in Baghdad late on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, three members of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan Party were killed and two others injured on Tuesday in the Jalawla area, north-east of Baquba city, when unknown assailants opened fire on them.

Ramadi violence

An Iraqi group has said it had kidnapped a member of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) who it described as a "spy" working as a translator for the US army, according to an Internet statement posted on Wednesday.

"The body was found with a tag attached to it saying he worked for the US Army"

Bilal Dulaimi, police officer

The Army of Ansar al-Sunna, which last month posted a video tape of the apparent beheading of what it said were three KDP members, said in the statement that it had abducted Luqman Husain Muhammad in the western city of Ramadi on 5 October.

"He said he participated in the questioning of jailed Iraqi mujahidin and also in US raids of homes of Muslims in Ramadi," said the statement which was dated Wednesday and carried on a website often used by Islamists.

It was not possible to verify the statement's authenticity.

The KDP is one of two main Kurdish groups represented in Iraq's interim government.

Also in Ramadi, police said they found the bullet-ridden body of an Iraqi working as an interpreter for the US military.

"The body was found with a tag attached to it saying he worked for the US Army," said Bilal Dulaimi, a police officer in the city.

He said the corpse was taken to the main hospital in Ramadi, which has been the scene of frequent clashes between US troops and Iraqi fighters.
Aljazeera + Agencies

A Letter Update from the Commander

COMMANDER
2ND BRIGADE COMBAT TEAM (STRIKE FORCE) 2ND INFANTRY DIVISION
AR RAMADI, IRAQ 09395-5058
October 1, 2004

A Letter from the STRIKE FORCE Commander to the Families of our Soldiers deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom:

To Our STRIKE FORCE Family:
Greetings from Iraq! The 2nd Brigade Combat Team (STRIKE FORCE) has arrived in Iraq, and it’s fully engaged in the Global War on Terrorism and Operation Iraqi Freedom. It’s hard to believe that in the last 4 months, this Combat Team has alerted, trained, equipped, deployed, and is now fighting and defeating terrorism in Iraq. You can rest assured that your loved ones are the best trained, best equipped, and, simply put, the best team I have ever had the privilege of commanding. You can be proud of the job they’re doing.
A Soldier’s life is a tough one, and without the true love and support of his family and friends, it is very difficult to sustain the drive and intensity required in this lethal and demanding environment. Our nation has asked a lot of our Soldiers, and they continue to perform remarkably.
I’d like to take this opportunity to thank you – the family and friends of our Soldiers. It is also you who sacrifice. Without your untiring love, your commitment, and your faith, our Soldiers could not endure. They, without question, derive their strength from you.
I will strive to keep you informed through postings on this web site. Together, we will endure, win this fight, take care of our Soldiers and reunite at our new home, Fort Carson, Colorado.
God Bless You, and God Bless our remarkable Soldiers.
STRIKE FORCE! KILL THE ENEMY!

GARY S. PATTON
Colonel, United States Army

Bulldog nets 75 detainees
[10/4/2004]

Source: 2 BCT Public Affairs Office

Army Sgt. Dustin Peregrin of 1st Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment and Marine Sgt. Christopher Gimello of 4th Civil Affairs Group, log in the serial number from a captured AK-47 assault rifle in Ramadi, Iraq Sept. 30 during Operation Bulldog. CAMP RAMADI, Iraq – 2nd Brigade Combat team launched a sweeping operation in Ar-Ramadi Thursday to deny anti-coalition forces safe haven, round up suspected anti-coalition leaders, and exploit weapons caches used against legitimate forces in the area.
This is the third brigade-level operation in as many weeks, with the goal of increasing the security environment for the residents of Ar-Ramadi by keeping enemy forces on the run.
“We will not abandon Iraqi cities and see them suffer the same fate as Fallujah,” said Warrant Officer Christopher B. Wallitsch, brigade targeting officer. “We are determined to maintain our foothold in this city and drive out those who choose to disrupt peace and stability here.”
This operation closely follows Operation Longhorn, last week’s operation that was successful in routing insurgents and criminal fighters in the city. This operation, named Operation Bulldog, netted 75 anti-coalition fighters, as well as scores of ammunition, weapons systems, maps, and communications equipment.
“This brigade combat team will remain relentless in its pursuit of fighters in this city who are targeting the peaceful residents to instill fear within them,” said Wallitsch. “We will not stand for that and we are taking every measure necessary to deny those fighters a safe haven from which to operate.”
The units fighting on the ground continue to work with Iraqi and multinational forces to bring peace to Ramadi.
“We can’t do it alone,” said Wallitsch. “It will take a consistent, coordinated effort between all friendly forces in the area to improve the safety and security of Ramadi.”
The 2nd Brigade Combat team, although an Army unit, is assigned to the 1st Marine Division at Camp Blue Diamond, Iraq, and is augmented with a Marine infantry battalion.
The 2nd BCT deployed from the Republic of Korea in August to replace 1st Infantry Division, which was operating in the Ramadi are for one year.
The Army recently announced the 2nd BCT will not return to its home station of Korea after its tour in Iraq is finished in one year. Instead, the brigade will be restationed at Fort Carson, Colo.

A Couple Random Points...

No news but just a few more tidbits of information that I thought you might like to know about:

--Rory has access to a small fridge and an ice maker. It's not clear whether he has to share this between 26 other guys, but it is much better conditions than many other camps have.

--Ramamdi has a mess hall that is considerably better than what other camps have (some soldiers are still eating MREs!) The mess hall is open quite a bit and food is available often throughout the day. Hours run something like this: 530am-8am, 1130am-130pm, 5pm-8pm, then 1130pm-1am.

--The same or close to the same ranks are usually housed together.

--When Rory comes back from his deployment, he will have to go directly to Ft. Carson, CO for debriefing before he is released for any leave. Many 2ID families are already preparing for the homecoming. I will keep you posted on any news with this regard.

--Here's a site that talks about R&R. We don't know if Rory will get leave or not, but Mark says it if he does it's not likely until the spring. Keep your fingers crossed.

--Here's the MWR tents (Morale, Welfare & Recreation). They consist of the "computer labs" (tents with computers in them) and the "Gym" (tents with free weights/work out equipment).

Monday Morning News

Here is the only mention of Ramadi in the news today, from an Iraqi news organization:

04-10-2004, 11:07
Other incidents
Elsewhere, a roadside bomb detonated in the city of Ramadi, killing two Iraqis. "Two people were killed and six others injured in a bomb blast... in the west of the city," said Atallah Dlimi, a police lieutenant in Ramadi, AFP.

I did hear from another person who has a loved one in Ramadi (different unit) who said that the phone lines had been shut down for a few days so that families of wounded could be contacted.

Marines capture foreign fighters in Al Anbar

CAMP BLUE DIAMOND, Iraq – Marines from Regimental Combat Team 7, 1st Marine Division, captured three foreign fighters Sept. 29, near Al Qaim.

One Palestinian and two Syrians were taken into custody along with other local anti-Iraqi militants during the raid on a safe house near the Syrian border.

In a related incident near Ar Ramadi Oct. 3, Soldiers from 2nd Brigade Combat Team, currently attached to the 1st Marine Division, discovered more than $350,000 in U.S. currency, more than $250,000 in U.S equivalent currency from 15 countries and several passports during a routine vehicle search.
Multi-National Force-Iraq stands committed to assisting Iraqi Security Forces in providing assistance to the people of Iraq from foreign and local anti-Iraqi criminals and terrorists.

Release #041003f