Ryan and Christy's Place

Hey everyone,

I just glanced over to the total of posts that have been made this month and I'm really surprised that we've only gotten around to making this the third one with the month almost gone. I still am receiving lots of responses from people all across the states, and I can't express how awesome I think it is that we are able to connect to so many people.

I haven't really felt like posting that much lately. The past couple of days have been the first ones I've truly had off in weeks and exhaustion had really set in with me. I guess it's just been a constant flow on the emotional roller coaster of being here. We've been stationed here nearly four months, and it seems like every day just seems to drag by.

We've also suffered another tragedy amongst the Peacemakers of 2/278. Last week, Spc. Paul Thomason III of Talbott, which is right on the outskirts of my hometown of Morristown, was killed when the hemitt truck he was driving was hit by an improvised explosive device on it's way back here from Tikrit. Injured in the same attack were two members of my regular unit the 190th Engineer Company, Spc. Tony Lambert and Spc. Shawn Hall.

I really don't know what to say about it. Anytime we lose a soldier it really hurts all of us in the Army because we are one huge family. This really hit home though because two guys that I spent five months training with back in the states were seriously injured. I know these guys, I trained with them and we even drank a few beers together. It's like somebody hurt your brother, you get really pissed off and you want to get back at the bastards that did it.

I didn't know Spc. Thomason personally, and  I spent a long time trying to put a face on him when I heard the news. Everyone here at Bernstein was very saddened by the news and we are seeking to rectify his death and pull our units closer to prevent anything like this from happening again. My thoughts and prayers are with his wife and four kids back home, every soldier here would do anything that they could to be able to bring him back home with us. We held a memorial ceremony for him this past Tuesday that I didn't get to attend, but I wish I could have made it. I heard that it was very nice and that they honored him by promoting him to sergeant posthumously.

Lambert and Hall seem to be doing ok though from what I have heard. Lambert has been flown back to the states and he will have a rough road ahead of him toward recovery, he had a few broken bones and a collapsed lung, and probably more than that. Hall is back with us now after a concussion and we are thankful that he's ok.

It just really sets in the reality of what we are facing here in Iraq. One day you think that you are making huge progresses, and the next, something tragic like this happens.

I just hope God continues to look after each of us and brings us home safely.

God Bless,

- Ryan