A Promotion!!!!

Rory, Rob and Wilson got promoted today!!!! All three of these guys are pictured below. We are all so very proud of you guys! CONGRATULATIONS! I hope this brings as much of a smile to everyone's face as it did mine. Every day I wake up and think about what incredible people both Rory and Lauren are and how blessed and proud I am to have them in my lives and to have had the priviledge of watching them grow into such wonderful adults.





There is also a new letter from Lt. Col. Fant, where he mentions Dan Smith who as I mentioned in an earlier post was named soldier of the month.

You all should be proud of everything you have accomplished, because I know we are for you. Stand tall!

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Not much new news to report with 2-17. Leave dates keep sifting back and forth. Here is a new posting from Col. Patton discussing the criteria for leave. Rumor has it that they will be off patrol duty sooner than Jan. 1. I am quite excited about that.

The Desert Strike page has also posted a few new photos of Ramadi, though none contain Rory as far as I can tell.

For all of you who are my shippers in crime, the post office now has new Priority Mail Flat Rate boxes! Woo hoo! There are a couple different sizes and the rate is $7.70 and they can be as heavy as you want! That is quite excellent since I know my boxes usually run about $12-13 per box. The USPS has not yet decided if they will continue this after the holidays so take advantage of it!

Rumor also has it that 2-17 now has access to webcams on their Internet laptops. Ror, we hope to see your mug online soon!

This and That

I am a huge animal lover as is RW, so I thought it only fitting to link to this article about the 2ID mascots that are coming to Carson from Korea. Rory in addition to your fab club welcoming you home you may have a couple of great big dogs there too!

An AFP article discusses the diffulties of gathering information on insurgents from locals in Ramadi. Lt. Tad Tsuneyoshi, of the 1-503rd, is quoted, and the article follows his unit on a patrol.

-- A car bomb exploded Monday near Ramadi, killing at least six people and wounding at least eight others, Iraqi health officials said. The bomb targeted an Iraqi police station in the town of Baghdadi 136 miles (220 kilometers) northwest of Baghdad. No US troops casualties have been sited.