Rhode Island Rally

A General from Rhode Island stopped by today for a visit with his troops. The following picture was taken at the conclusion of the General's "Meet & Greet" and shows our RI troopers decked out in their new Army Combat Uniforms (ACU's).

Lives Of Service

Abraham Lincoln once said, "In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years". My crew today is the epitamy of those words...here are three guys, not one of them younger than 54...doing thier part in support of the war effort and enjoying the moment.

Although I never mentioned it during the flight, I could not help but think how cool it was to be working with guys who had dedicated thier lives to the service of others. Collectively, their backgrounds range from a retired teacher/football coach, a supervisor with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and 30-year military officer who has flown combat missions in Vietnam, Desert Storm and now Operation Iraqi Frredom (OIF). You have to see it to believe it...and if you could, you would be inspired.

PA Paparazzi

A freelance photographer who doggedly pursues military celebrities sent these exclusive photos of PA Pat & Family while on leave. Sir, you have a lovely family and we can't thank you enough for your efforts in Iraq...BUT...

Mister, is it not about time for you to put away those fish toys and get back to work!

Labor Day Picnic

Just like at home, summer holidays in Iraq usually involve a cook out. Since we are short-timers, our C-23 company was tasked with hosting the Labor Day picnic. In preparation for the event, our Commander talked the jet guys into picking up some Bratwurst & Burgers on one of their VIP trips to Germany.

After completing the day’s missions, we gathered at the ThunderDome (our hangar), for an afternoon of mandatory fun. Brother Randy and RI John manned the charcoal grills while a capable management staff supervised their work. For dessert, the “Triple S” pilot team concocted an excellent batch of homemade ice cream.
Although the lines were long and the crowd demanding, our grill men never cracked under the pressure---a true testament to the training they received in their youth as fast food workers. These grill warriors cranked out a variety of meats cooked to perfection, which included the Bavarian Brat, Numberger Brat, Smoked Bratwurst, Poultry Brat, Kaiser Brat, Curry Brat, Bacon Brat and the Gunny special---the Cajun Chili BratBurger Stew…which the 1st Sergeant gave a big thumbs up.