A note from Bob Merry @ Fort Hood preparing to head to Iraq to defend America...

Good evening everyone, well it has been 24 days since I left Georgia and I am still here at Fort Hood, Texas. I have 28 days and a wake-up before getting on a plane for Iraq. Since my last e-mail training has intensified some. We have been going through weapons qualifications on the 9mm and the M16. We wear the IBA (protective vest) which has steal like plates inserted in the front and back which combined weigh approx. 20 to 30 pounds everywhere we go. We also carry our weapons with us constantly. For those who don't think I can shoot, sorry to disappoint everyone, but I qualified and it is a challenge with all the crap that we have to wear.

The last few days we have been going through Close range marksmanship qualifications and close quarters combat. CQC is when a 4 men team enters a building and clears it (looking for the bad guy). Live rounds in a small room with 4 guys shooting (pucker factor!!) This coming week I will be firing the 50 Cal., the biggest weapon system that our teams will have while in Iraq, it's going to be a fun week blowing stuff up.

I have learned a little more about our location in Fallujah. I have been told that we will be living in a 40 foot con ex (a huge metal storage box) 3 men to a con ex. The good news is it has AC. Of course until I get there I want know for sure if all of what we are being told is true. I was also told that the closest shower facility is a 20 minute drive to Camp Indiana. That means more time on IED Boulevard.

Well some of you are bored by this so I will cut it off at this time. I will try to write again one more time before leaving the country. My wife and kids are coming out to Texas for Memorial day so I am hoping to have one day off to visit with them.

Take care,
Bob