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Grad Writes from Iraq Hey folks, Craig Brasfield registered tonight from Iraq. If you get a moment, please drop him a line and tell him we are proud of him and are thinking about him. Here is a note from Craig: +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Mortar-ritaville Mortar: a launched projectile typically explosive upon contact with hard surface. What’s going on Dora High School? Here’s a little up front information about me. I’m Class of 1983 which makes me old I suppose, disabled vet from the US Navy, graduate of Auburn University with Bachelor’s in Mechanical engineering and Master’s in Civil and Environmental engineering, college administrator, and currently deployed to Iraq with the Army National Guard. All in that order. Okay, so I’m living in Iraq but it’s only temporary. I really live in Trussville, AL but I’m actually thinking about moving back to Dora. It’s strange, when I was there, I couldn’t wait to leave. Now that I’ve actually been around the world either on fun vacation getaways or with the military, Dora seems like a nice place to come back to live. I finally got tired of everything going on in Iraq so I decided to join the Guard. I waived my disabled vet status and joined in 2006. Now I’m in a place know as Mortar-ritaville. Actually the official name is LSA Anaconda. It turns out that this place gets mortar attacks about 3-4 times a day on average, hence the name Mortar-ritaville. It’s crazy here at times, we get shot in the morning and go running for physical fitness in the afternoon. My job is Operations Sergeant which means that I coordinate all the missions and duty schedules for the company. Yeah, I go out on missions also. I can’t really talk about the missions, but oddly enough they are nice change of pace from the norm. I’ve been over here since last summer and due to get to go home this coming summer. I would have never believed that I would turn 42 while in Kuwait (awaiting on orders for Iraq), in 140+ degrees temp. Of course I would have never believed that it would snow in Iraq in the winter time…but it did. I guess my point in writing all of this is, when you see some of the young Soldier’s that have returned from Iraq, say thanks to them. People like me…I’m older…it’s not that big of an issue. But these young man and women that are here, leaving home for the first time, leaving their spouse for a year only for their spouse to end their relationship while they’re gone because they haven’t had the time to bond in a marriage…They are the ones that need your thanks. So until I get back home, I’ll be wasted away here in Mortar-ritaville…except we can’t drink! |