Sunday, July 8, 2007

Amazing Shirts!!

Excerpts from an email we just received
OpSec (Operational Security) prevents me from copying the email in it's entirety.
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Mom and Dad,
7 July 2007

It has been a while since I sent you an e-mail, at least one with any depth to it. I have been away from the internet for a while. Chaplain still hasn’t fixed the internet in our rooms, and I’m usually too busy to use the internet in our company command post. I just got in from a mission, actually I got back from dinner, but before that I was on an all day mission....

Your shirts are amazing. Or I should say the shirts all your friends, church, and Fredericksburgians in general bought us are amazing! My guys, and the other three platoons were thrilled to receive them. I have worn them for two missions already. They really shine when you take off the hot body armor, and your body dries out quickly. Because, no matter what you’re wearing underneath, having 75lbs plus of body armor and equipment is hot.

I had a free morning a couple days ago to take my guys to the range. We showed up with a wide variety of weaponry, Dad, you would have had fun. It reminded me of one of those redneck shooting videos you had. We brought my M9 (9mm pistol), M4’s, an M14 with new Leopold Mark 4 sniper scope, M203, M249 SAW, M240B, 12ga “sawed off shotgun’s”, and closed the mornings fun with several belts from my M2 (“ma deuce”) .50 cal machine gun mounted on a humvee gun truck. It was fun, and good training. The only weapon we didn’t shoot in my platoons arsenal was the MK-19 (Mark nineteen), a 40mm grenade launcher, firing approx 50 rounds/minute. I always mount in on my truck, since it’s the most casualty-producing weapon around. I also got to zero my PEQ4 laser using NVG’s before the sun came up. Then zero my M68 CCO red dot scope. I taught myself to fire using both eyes open with the CCO. Its odd at first, but once you get the hang of it, I really like the technique. I had never fired an M2 before, and had a good time shooting up the range with that caliber machine gun. I would hate to be on the receiving end of that weapon….

Dad, I’m not sure you know this, but the vehicle I mainly ride in is made by BAE Systems. There is a BAE Systems data plate with serial number on the side of it. It is called the RG-31. Have you heard of them before?

Well that about wraps it up for me. I miss you guys, and can’t wait to see you all.

Love,
Sam

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