Day · by · Day

Hi all!!
I hope you are all having a warm and wonderful Thanksgiving this year. I hope you find yourselves surrounded by family, friends, and all of your loved ones. I hope the sounds at your dinner table at filled with laughter, laugh, and warm fuzzies. I had planned on making calls home for the holidays, but due to a change in my work schedule for the week, the time difference just isn't going to make that possible. So I wanted to pass on my warmest wishes to you somehow and here it is. I sure wish I was home to share turkey day with you, but I look forward to being home and sharing in the Christmas holidays with my family, friends, and loved ones!! And no need to worry about a lack of festivities here. We had a wonderful feast here. The unit put it on and it was a great turn out. There was lots of good food and laughter all around. And when I came home, to share an afternoon of movies with girlfriends (and an untimely base-wide power outage), the barracks were full of the smells of Thanksgiving from those who chose to cook here and share the fellowship in their own barracks room.
I love you all! I miss you and can not wait to see you!

Love Always,
Amanda

Happy Halloween All!! The Koreans don't celebrate this bewitching holiday, but they really enjoy watching all the silly Americans wander through the town dressed as a myriad of western icons. They think this holiday is very cool and get more excited about it than we do, I think. The base was supportive of those who enjoy the opportunity to drape themselves in holiday costumes by providing "haunted" spots for the children of all sizes to visit. Tonight, the streets are runneth over with ghosts and goblins running from living quarters to living quarters asking for treats or promising tricks. AFN (Armed Forces Network) Kids entertained those big kids who remained indoors on this spookiest of holidays by running continuous old favorites of days long ago (and a few recent ones too!). From Pooh Bear to Charlie Brown and on to Scoobie Doo, I got my fill of trick or treat from inside the comfort of my own room. May you all have a happy Halloween that's full of treats...and not so many tricks. I love you all!

Tonight, as I strolled home from work on a chilly evening, there was a young mother in front of me walking her grade-school child home. There was a hint of firewood burning in someone's wood stove or fireplace not far off-base and the gentle breeze carried the scent right past me. The trees, all covered in gold and auburn leaves, shifted gently with the motion of the swirling air. For a moment, I forgot I was far away from home on this beautiful fall day. For a moment, I forgot that I wasn't walking home to a kitchen full of warm, home-cooked smells hanging heavily in the air. For just a moment, I let myself linger in that memory of home. I allowed myself to enjoy the simple reminders of homelife brought on by the familiarities completely encircling me in warm fuzzies. Then my mind, in an effort to bring me back to the reality of my life in Korea, flashed forward a memory from just the night before. The memory of a Huey-chopper coming in for landing. He was flying low and right over my barracks. It's sound so distinctive. Not at all like the Chinooks that will occasionally make a pitstop here, and definitely not like the jets that streak across the sky. Last night, I sat in my window and watched that helicopter head for the flight line, slowly working it's way through the sunset colored skies of crimson and blue. Such an awesome sight, but a constant reminder of this place I call home. Such a contradiction of emotions between just last night and this evening, yet both bring on feelings of comfort and even joy. Two extremes met in the middle by warm, happy, fuzzies.

Today's entry is nice and easy, it's just a link. But it's a link to a very special website. Please take a moment to visit it and set through the two minute movie. It is my wish for you, and I'm sure your wish for all those you love. Enjoy and know that you are loved!

www.mayyoubeblessedmovie.com

Autumn has fallen. The trees are beginning to show hints of pink at the tips of their outstretched limbs. The temperatures are beginning to dip (thankfully, since our A/C was shut off about two weeks ago!). The kids are back in school. Friday night was full of cheers and support for the high school football team playing their first game of the season. (They won 34-0!!) If there was only the smell of leaves burning somewhere in the distance, I could convince myself I was setting on the porch at home with the people I love. But it won't be too long and I'll be standing in mom's kitchen inhaling deeply the smells of warm zucchini bread baking in the oven. Eddie is on the verge of beginning his OCS experience. Sharing that with him will only help the time move by more quickly as I reach for that first week in December when I get to board the airplane and come home, if only for a short time. For now, I'll just close my eyes, feel the warm autumn air drift around me sweeping me into a slew of thoughts about halloween pumpkins, farmer's markets, and other heartwarming memories that provide me every day with my silver lining. I hope all is well in all of your homes. I miss you all and think of you each and every day. For now, I just look forward to that extra hour of sleep I'll get when daylight savings takes effect. It's all about baby steps. *Smile. God Bless. Take care. Enjoy the fall.

What is one of the best things about being back on an Air Force base? Well....the airplanes. The sounds of jets, the sights of jets. It's by far my favorite thing about living on an air force base. This may surprise some people as it most would probably assume that the sound of jet engines would become annoying. But for me, it is a beautiful sound. I can't explain why. Maybe it's knowing the amount of power it takes to get that plane into the air. Maybe it's just the way that the sound reverberates through every molecule in the air, causing vibrations in all solid matter. Maybe it's just simply my child-like fascination with watching a machine so heavy defy gravity and float amongst the clouds. We have three main aircraft here. All three are just awesome to sit and watch do their fly-bys or "touch and go's".

The first is the F-16..

Common to most military installations, it is still my favorite aircraft. It is so sleek and quick. I love to watch it climb high in the sky and make it sharp turns left and right. One of my favorite things to do is watch them practice combat maneuvers or see them practice stunts for air shows. It is just amazing to me the talents of those pilots and the quickness of this plane.

Next, the A-10 Warthog.

This is the first time I have ever been stationed with this aircraft but was an AWESOME sight to see. It is about one of the goofiest looking things I have ever seen. It is so "boxy". But it maneuvers like the F-16 and is equally amazing to just sit and watch.

And last but certainly not last, the Dragonlady (or the U2, as it less-affectionately referred to as..)

This aircraft is absolutely an amazing sight to see. So flat and sleek; to watch it take off into the sky takes your breath away, so quick it climbs for the stratosphere. Long after you have lost sight of it, you can hear it's engines roaring in the distance. The skill of the pilots who fly this masterpiece of human invention is awe-inspiring. Someday soon, I hope to tour it.

People who have seen me dumbstruck on the sidewalks must think me one of the "special" kids in school. I have no shame in stopping everything that I am doing when I hear those engines fire up. I will stare at these beautiful flying machines for as long as I can see them or hear them, with my mouth agape in silent awe. My favorite time to catch them in flight is after dark when I can see the trail of their fire-hot engines trying to keep up with the aircraft racing towards mach speeds. But no matter what time, day or night, I will always set in amazement as they soar through the skies. They are, by far, my favorite part of the Air Force. And it is what I always miss most when I am anywhere else in the world.

There is something very reminiscent of Kuwait in the air today. I can't quite my finger on it, but the moment I stepped outside, I was swept away in it. Maybe it's the perfect balance of warm sunshine and a cool breeze. Maybe it's the slight hint of seasalt in the air. Whatever it is, it's put me in a happy, warm fuzzy kind of mood.
We've had quite an eventful week. First, the biggest news of all. Wednesday, we found out that Eddie has been accepted to the Marine Corps Officer Candidate School. His class starts October 8th, and at the end of it, in December, he'll be pinning on his set of gold bars. This is great news as this has been Eddie's dream since he joined the military. Aside from that, I completed my first operational certification. I am now in training for my second already. Everyone here is quite impressed with my "high-speed, take charge" kinda attitude. It always makes me laugh to myself. If only they'd seen me 5 years ago when you couldn't slow me down. Nowadays, I find myself getting tired quicker than I did in the past. *Smile. Let's see, mom's school started last week. She's teaching first grade this year and is just head-over-heels for her class of cuties. Dad's retirement was approved, so he's now enjoying the "easy life". Ben and Lynne leave for Georgia next month. And Ben sent me the most awesome home-made DVD of Lucas. That child is HUGE!
But there's a quick catch up on life nowadays. I have tons of ideas for journal entry stories, I just haven't really had much time or energy as of late to be able to set down and get them online. I promise to try and do better.

I love you all!

There is this unusual phenomenon when you travel overseas. It is a physical reaction to your new environment and is named "the crud". In Japan, it was the "Japanese Crud", most commonly caused by the "yellow dust" that floated downwind from the local crematorium. In Kuwait, it was the "Kuwaiti Crud", often caused by a reaction to constant dust and dirt. In Afghanistan, the "Afghani Crud", it was caused by...well, EVERYTHING! Here, it's the Korean Crud. And I am sure that quite a few lines back you caught on to the trend. *Smile
The Korean Crud has struck me. The environmental cause? I'm not real sure. Most times it has something to do with the change in local food's cooking standards, or the standards of local water. Other times, the crud is simply attributed to the air quality in your new location. It could be a combination of all. Or it could be none of these, and just a simple virus that's found it's way through the immune system's defenses.
I can't blame it on local food, because I haven't eaten it in a couple of weeks. The base on water can always be held somewhat accountable, but the water was just tested and the results were very good. It could have been the chow hall. I could have just possibly consumed something that, in the mass production of the meal, was not cooked thoroughly. Or, as I said, it could just be a "bug".
All the same, it's taken me out. I started feeling sick Monday. It's now Wednesday. I'm on quarters (assigned to stay at home in my barracks getting plenty of rest and fluids) until Thursday. It's been an awful couple of days, which have included erratic sleep and the inability to keep anything down. I am, however, on the "up-side", I think. I was actually able to eat some Jello and soup today, which is an improvement over yesterday. So, hopefully, I'll be back on my feet by Friday and able to return to work.
That it the latest update on the goings-on here in Korea. My apologies again, for such a delay in entries. I haven't been much up for anything that required I drag myself out of bed. I hope to be back to telling you about my current home very soon.

Always,
~Amanda~

Morning all,
I wanted to take a moment real quick to put down a line apologizing for my written silence as of late. I have started my "real" job, which means I've also started my "real" shift schedule. I am still trying to adjust and am having trouble getting my body to understand when it's supposed to sleep and when it's supposed to be awake. So my apologies. I promise to be up and writing again soon.

~With Love~

Okay, okay. Let me start this entry first and foremost with an apology. This heartfelt "I'm sorry" goes to all those people who are going to read this entry while suffering themselves through triple digit heat. But I must, absolutely must, take this moment to describe to you this ever-changing climate that I live in. So with STORYTELLING begin.
First, let me start with telling you how it all began a week ago. In the midst of my first exercise, hauling my skinny butt up and down hills going to and from work, carrying and/or wearing gear that weighs maybe just a little bit less than my WHOLE BODY WEIGHT, it was hot. And I don't mean warm..oohh, I'm working up a bit of perspiration. I mean HOT..as in, "I'm sweating like a fat man on a black tar rooftop and I ain't ashamed" kinda HOT! I had to take a spare t-shirt to work along with baby wipes because I'd sweat through the shirt I wore on the hike up to work. The baby wipes..well, you were living under six layers of sweat now caked into your skin. Trust me..baby wipes become one of life's necessary items! And the trip home in the evenings, you don't casually undress and get into something a little more comfortable once you have finally arrived. No, you PEEL the clothes from your body. There is no removing socks, there is rolling them down inside out to the bottom of your feet and then, with a quick snap, detaching them from your toes. Pretty gross description, huh? Yea, get over it. *Smile. That was my life for a week..and, may I say, for many more weeks to come during my year long tour here.
So Thursday comes, and God has smiled upon us and said.."You look thirsty. Here, have some water from the heavens". And a light mist of rain started to fall. Ahh..it was a beautiful thing. If I wouldn't have looked like a total whack-job, I would have been out running in it with my mouth hung wide open like a small child trying to catch snowflakes on their tongue. My aim would have been teeny-tiny raindrops.
Then Friday comes, and God must have seen our delight in the cool refreshing moisture descending upon us, because he increased the flow...by a LOT!! By 0900 Friday morning, that light, easy, misty rain had become a sheer wall of water falling from the skies. Two seconds in it, and you were soaked through to the bone. Luckily, my day started at 0600, so I was safely indoors before the wall came. However, there was always the walk home. And oh..my..goodness. I have spent hours in lakes, pools, oceans, seas, showers, bathtubs..nothing compared to how wet I was after walking home that day. And I was wearing a poncho. My combat boots, which sat out on my A/C unit all weekend are still wet on the insides. But anywho's, what did this onslaught of rain mean? Only that monsoon season has arrived and in FULL FORCE!! Friday we received a foot (that's 12 INCHES!!) of rain by 700 in the evening. Manhole covers were springing themselves from the roadways to make way for the mad rush of water forcing it's way beneath in the drainage ditches. Low lying areas of base were completely sank underwater. A firetruck that arrived to aid some CE personnel with the manhole problems had water up above it's stepping rail! The majority of the tires were underwater. The binjo ditches (these normally docile drainage ditches that are about a foot and a half deep by a foot wide that run along every sidewalk and roadway on Osan) were completely overwhelmed and water was just running amok!! (**Cue the Animaniacs music.."We're running amok, amok, amok.") Sorry..train derailed for just a moment. Back to my story.
So, me, in all my adventure and courageous stupidity, had wandered out in this beautiful weather because..well, I had a package that had been sitting at the post office all week long due to the exercise. And I wanted my goodies!! That would be worth, wading through small raging rivers, right? hehehe. Well I should say..WRONG..but I can't. The goodies in the box were dang good goodies. Definitely worth the getting soaked. And you know darn well that there wasn't a base taxi to be found (yes, we have base taxis for when you're tired, hot, wet, or just too dang lazy to walk to your dorm building or work or wherever). But me? I waited. I was already wet. Couldn't get any wetter. And my shoes were now rubber flip-flops, so if nothing else, I would float away on the top of them if the water really overcame..well, everything. Happy ending? I did end up catching a taxi. It took about 20 minutes, but it was worth the comfortable and dry ride home.
So Saturday..another foot and a half falls before days end. But let me stray for moment to tell you how the day started. I was awoken by the most hellacious boom of thunder I have ever heard. I live in a concrete building and I swear to you, the walls shook. It cracked right overhead and you could feel the particles in the air just reverberate from the impact. The storm lasted most of the morning and throughout it I wondered if the sky was just going to tear itself open and send the heavens crashing to the ground. Never have I experienced a storm so intense.
By the end of Saturday, there were waterfalls everywhere on base as the water flowing down the hilltops tried to force it's way to a resting area. Binjo ditches had turned into raging rivers of rapids. (I was supposed to go on a white-water rafting trip on Saturday, too. That's the funny part. It was, of course, cancelled. But all I would have really needed to do was go buy a little innertube and I would have had myself a good old time floating, and at times braving roadway rapids, around the base!) The streets turned into lakes, which overflowed to the sidewalks and the lawns. I promise you, I began to build an ark in my room. I took note of all the four legged creatures I'd seen since my arrival to Korea and began to create a plan for how I would rescue them two-by-two and we'd all sail away to the Sea of Japan, where we'd hopefully catch ourselves a southward current, definitely NOT a northward one, and float out to the Pacific Ocean where surely those good ole Navy boys would come to our rescue. But, the waters receeded before the Ark was finished and so I scrapped it. Now, the ground is littered with earthworms who, in trying to regather their homes and probably assorted family members, have died while trying to cross that great white land we know as the sidewalk. And the sky, oh, it's full of the dragonflies that are always so prominent here. I swear, on any given day, you can look up and see, at a minimum, a dozen dragonflies flitting around overhead. On a day like Sunday, when the air was thick with humidity and the bugs are enjoying their first day of sun, those dragonflies can be seen in groups of 20s, 30s, even 50s. I promise you. It is a crazy, but beautiful sight to see. Not so beautiful? The spiders that have also come out of their dark holes to feast on all those careless bugs. *shivers... Big BIG spiders.. So between the dragonflies and the spiders, I'm recommending Ben and Aunt Linda never take a trip to South Korea. *Smile.
And now it's Monday. And OH MY GOODNESS...is it HOT!! What's stupid is that it's only in the high 80s/low 90s. Not really all THAT hot! But with all that moisture sitting around that is now evaporating and making it's way back to those same clouds that exploded overhead just days ago, it's HUMID. And I mean the kind of humid where you can feel the air and you can't breathe it, because your lungs were just never meant to carry anything that heavy! If you go out for 5 minutes, you need a nap. It just sucks every bit of energy and life out of you. Easy answer? Stay indoors with the air conditioning, right? I mean, duh..it doesn't get any easier than that. WRONG!! Unless you have behaved like a proper woodland creature and squirreled away excess food for after the exercise (which most people don't), you have to walk to the chow hall to eat! Personally, I don't know that it was worth it. I mean, I have enough junk food in my room to subsist for at least a little while. But if I'm going to have the energy to walk to work tomorrow, I'm going to have to walk to the chow hall and get some proper food. And so I did...Argh! So now I sit here, with a belly full of the right kinds of vitamins and minerals and starches..yummy. And I sit in my air conditioned room. And this is where I shall stay. Until tomorrow..when I have to endure it all over again. But hey..it's Korea. And there always has to be a silver lining, right?
Silver lining..okay. Let's think about this. The silver lining. Oh I know. It really isn't all that difficult. One, this weather promotes a beautiful, green environment that we get the pleasure of living in every day. The trees are healthy and green. The grass is soft and green. The bushes..you guessed it..green. Everything, healthy and green. Silver lining two (yep, I found two). I have a WHOLE NEW level of appreciation for my military forefathers who had to fight a war in this without air conditioning to go to each evening and binjo ditches to help at least redirect the flow of the rainfall into more appropriate areas (for the most part). They trudged through swampy, wet, humid conditions day in and day out. They walked through the spiderwebs that make me cringe every day. They shook out the earthworms who'd made a cozy home in the troop's boots or bed. And they probably didn't have time to find the beauty in the dragonflies gently carressing the skies. So thank you! For if they hadn't done what they did, I wouldn't be able to appreciate all the things that I can now about Korea. And without those, a silver lining would most certainly be an impossible find.
Okay, so that's my daily ranting, done and over with. I hope you enjoyed and that it made you laugh or at least smile. And I hope that moreso, it brings you to a place of self-reflection where you'll begin to appreciate the little things you have even more. And you can thank a veteran whose endured things you could never (and I promise you, you could not ever) even begin to wrap your mind around.

I love you all!
Amanda

P.S. At some point, I will have to include pictures of me in MOPP gear, just purely for your own entertainment. I look like a modern day Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle! (Without the cool white bandanas, of course). *Smile.

Yea..the pups got it good!

Hello to all. I'm back and I'm once again setting on the other side of the world from all the people I love. Korea is where I currently reside, and where I shall remain for the next 365 days. Well less than that now since I've been here for a month, so actually around 334 days..but I'm not counting. *Smile. It is a small price to pay for the three years in England that shall follow this "hardship" tour. And there my husband and I shall be reunited under one roof and our guest bedroom shall be constantly filled with family eagerly awaiting the chance to visit Europe.
So what did you miss? Since Afghanistan?! A whole lot! I know, I've been awful about keeping this thing up to date while I was stateside. However, due to the pressing of many family members who'd like to virtually share in my overseas adventures, I have promised to do a much better job of telling the stories of daily life in a foreign land. So a quick recap, how about that?

30 Dec 2004 - Eddie and I were married on a beach at Kaneohe Bay. There were 5 people present; myself, Eddie, the pastor, the pastor's son, and Eddie's supervisor. Our reception dinner was a Luaua at the Halekoa, just the two of us of course. *Smile.
Feb 2005 - Eddie was transferred to Maryland to join me at Fort Meade. He, of course, has been completely successful in adjusting to the the change of a new command and making a stellar name for himself.
09 Jun 2005 - My first nephew is brought into the world. Lucas Donovan Sklenar was born to my little brother Ben and his beautiful wife, Lynne. Healthy and happy, he was a big boy upon arrival..just like his daddy.
Jul 2005 - Mom, Eddie and I take a two week trip to Europe where we toured Paris, Lake Como, Milan, Florence, Sienna, the Tuscany region and Rome. It was a trip that will never be forgotten and someday I'll get the virtual photo album up and running online so y'all can share in the spectacular images.

Life is pretty quiet until 2006. Then it's:
02 Jun 2006 - Eddie finds out he achieved the score he needed to be eligible for selection to the Marine Corps Officer Training School. The next two weeks prove to be very hectic with paperwork needing to be finalized and boards to be attended, while still trying to enjoy the family time we had before I leave at the end of the month.
15 Jun 2006 - I found out that I made E6!! I am going to be promoted to TSgt within the next year, actually closer to 6 months. I couldn't be more relieved to have finally achieved this landmark in my career.
16 Jun 2006 - Amber and Phil had a beautiful wedding day. Amber looked just like a princess and countless times, her beauty left me speechless and in tears. I couldn't be happier for these two and wish them many many years of happiness and love.
28 Jun 2006 - I fly out of Baltimore to begin my year-long tour at Osan AB, Korea. It was a long flight. 19 hours I think, with no layovers from Atlanta to Seoul. An awful, awful long time to be stuck on a plane. And I could never catch more than 2 hours of sleep at a time. Needless to say, I have never been happier to put my feet on solid ground.

Jul 2006 - present: Settling in proves to be hectic. With my TMO arrival date being a month later than i was originally told, it becomes quite lonely without my stuff and, most importantly, my lifeline to the ones I love and left behind. There's training that needs to be done, an exercise to participate in, more shots that need to be poked into me (I swear, human guinea pig..right here!), and a very thick and muggy climate to adjust to. It's been crazy, but it's gotten me to here. A month into my tour already. 11 to go. (Not that I'm counting). And back online to share my adventures with you. So feel free to read along and drop a comment or two when you feel the desire. I'll try to make a new entry once a day or every other day, but at the minimum, I will write once a week.

I hope everyone is well. I look forward to sharing my stories with you. I love you all and think of you every day. Take care and STAY COOL!! (Geez, I leave and the sun turns full tilt onto the US)
God Bless..

Hello to All,
Well the end of my days in Afghanistan are in very near sight. As of right now, I am due to depart Kabul this Friday. Though I anxiously look forward to reuniting with my family and friend, my heart is weighed down with the sadness of departing a group of people who have touched me, affected me, and changed me in magnificent ways during my 120 days here. I have had the extreme pleasure of working alongside a phenomenal group of people here and it will be very difficult to leave them.
My time here has been one of constant change. Every day always brought along something new. That change has fun deep through me both professionally and personally. I have seen myself change, this country and it's people grow, and my career reach out to uncharted territories. I am only better for all these things.
Personally, my time here has included memorable moments such as dining with Mr. and Mrs. Rumsfeld, Gen Myers, and their entourage. My heart and soul have been baptized in open faith by a loving chaplain here who helped me find my way back to my Lord. I have closed many open wounds that kept my heart and mind from pressing beyond heartache and healing. My life has been graced with a new man who I have known as my own personal angel. He has taken my hand and helped me through hard times of change and acceptance within myself. He has made me smile during times of fear. He has touched me deeply and my heart is very grateful for his love and warmth.
Afghanistan and her people have tasted freedom and democracy and crave more. Their desire for it grows day by day, and with it comes a determination to rid their land of the ugliness and hatred that thrives within the terrorists who once found sanctuary here. Women carry their heads high. Children laugh and skip as they make their way to the school that provide them with a badly needed education deprived to them for so long. Men look to industrious means for financial support of their families. They find it in the markets and their own skills, rather than at the end of a rifle, rocket, or other mechanism of death. These people are stronger and better. every day I have seen change in them and every day I believe more and more strongly in our purpose here and that we are winning this war. Who needs proof beyond the election day here to know that? The other day, I was out in the city with my deputy J2 and OIC. I saw a sight that made me smile and warmth rushed through me. It was such a simple sight, but one that I will never forget. A young man and young woman, obviously in love, were walking down a busy, traffic-jammed street, openly holding hands. There was nothing about their demeanor that tried to hide their affection for one another. The young generation growing up through these days will know a future with beauty and brightness thanks to the efforts of the US and our coalition friends, as well as their own strength and passion.
We have survived and eluded many potentially disastrous situations here with calm heads and logical reasoning prevailing. The government is stronger, therefore her people are stronger. We have endured multiple attacks of all sorts that were lobbed, launched and executed by the enemies of peace and happiness in this land. They have not managed to take the lives of any of our fellow soldiers here. They have failed at causing any serious damage to our facilities. They were unsuccessful at deterring us from our mission or scaring us into going home. We can only look forward to the day they realize that their efforts are fruitless and rejoin society as productive, respectable members of the human race. But until that day comes, we will continue to resist their efforts at fear and destruction. We will continue to find and destroy their "toys". We will continue to hunt them down in their stone-walled caves and toss their criminal selves behind bars of metal and into walls of cement. We shall deprive them of life and daylight until they can learn to play nice in the sandbox or depart this life, either way the people of Afghanistan will be safe with them off the mountain paths.
Professionally, I have been blessed here with strong leadership and unfaltering commitment by every person I have worked beside and beneath. I was given countless opportunities to step outside my normal area of knowledge. I have learned more in these four months that I have learned at any other point in my career. I have seen how every thing we do, no matter how small and menial it may seem, has a very large and definable impact. Every single thing we do makes a difference. Sometimes it's easy to forget that when we sit in the security of our stateside bases, but we must never forget. We must never become complacent in our daily duties thinking that no one will ever know what we did. For that one small, "meaningless" thing you did at your desk ended up through many channels in the hands of decision makers who help to change the lives of people you have never met but who love you and are indescribably grateful to you for just taking the moment out of your safe and comfortable day to take care of that one small, "meaningless" task.
I have loved every moment of my time here. My heart is filled with joy and sadness all at the same time. They have a motto here of "one team, one fight", but I have found it to be as much "one family" as all else. I have redefined hero in my own mind. The heroes here stand out on the mountainsides, in the flatlands of the desert, and then there are those in the shadows. Every person I have met here will be forever remembered as a hero to me. I can not say enough wondeful things about these people. They are amazing and awesome. I am much indebted to them for their love, care, guidance and security. We have laughed together, some of us have cried together. They have touched my heart and soul and I will never forget them.
I hope you have all enjoyed reading about my experiences here. I look forward to sharing the pictures and memories with you in person. I know now that the media at home is full of sensationalism and half-truths. The focus for the public being aimed only at tragedy and despair. I can't wait to get home and share with you the stories of success and rejoicing, for there is much more goodness here than not. Thank you to everyone who helped me in getting out here. Every one of you was instrumental in some way in getting me out here to this and I am deeply indebted to you. Thank you.
And thank you to everyone who kept me and my comrades in your thoughts and prayers. They have kept us safe and warm. Please continue to do this one small thing every day, it has a huge impact.
As the leaves have drifted gently from the treelimbs and the beautiful deep shades of surrounding mountains have turned to white, the seasons change and so does my path. My path returns me home to all of you and I look forward to returning to my life there. The same Amanda, yet different...better. I will see you soon.

All my love,
Amanda

My mom sent this to me and I wanted to share it with all of you. I think it says what needs to be said very well. Love you all. Will be home soon.

US SOLDIER IN IRAQ RESPONDS TO FIRST DEBATE
JB WILLIAMS.COM ^ | OCTOBER 4, 2004 | CAPTAIN RON HAYES,US ARMY, IRAQ
http://jb-williams.com/soldier-debate1.htm
US soldier in Iraq responds to 1st Debate! By CAPTAIN RON HAYES
LETTER TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE BY A SOLDIER IN IRAQ
>>>>>>>>>
In response to the 1st Presidential debate!
The 1st debate in the campaign for presidency of the United States
raised some crucial issues that are still a cause for confusion to the
American people. I decided it's time for a viewpoint from someone who is
in the middle of this war and has no room for debating this issue.
I have been in Iraq almost 9 months and I have seen the good and the bad
of this war. Terrorists from other regions have been "pouring over the
borders", but certainly not for the first time. They are making contact
with other members of Al Qaeda and other terrorist supporters on the
inside of Iraq.
There are many tribes in the Sunni Triangle that openly invite foreign
terrorists and provide refuge to those who join and help them. Tribes
that are so dedicated to their cause of preventing a free Iraq, a Middle
Eastern US ally, that even amid extreme impoverished living conditions,
they will not respond to rewards offered for key Al Qaeda leaders.
25 million US dollars for Zarqawi should be enough to influence someone
to provide information on his whereabouts, but apparently it's not. The
roots of terrorism run deep with some tribes in the Sunni triangle in
Iraq. Terrorism was not born when the US rolled in on March 19th, 2003!
Terrorism has been networked across the globe, and Iraq has been a major
hub for terrorist activity long before we arrived.
The 1st debate between Bush and Kerry has highlighted a chasm between
the two campaigns, more importantly, the two men regarding the question
of Iraq and its role in terrorism. This is a split that is impossible to
comprehend from where I stand!
Of course the war in Iraq is part of the war on terror! When Senator
John Kerry said "the president made a colossal error of judgment by
diverting attention from the war on terrorism and the hunt for terrorist
leader Osama Bin Laden", he could not be more wrong.
When Senator Kerry said that "Mr. Bush was not candid with the public
about his reasons for invading Iraq or the difficult fight ahead",
besides exhibiting a poor memory, he showed an incredible lack of
ability to see that no mission will ever go exactly as you plan it.
A candidate for the US presidency ought to know that your enemy is going
to have something to say about how the fight is fought. The enemy is
going to do the unexpected, and plans will change. I am sorry that it's
not an ideal scenario for Senator Kerry, but no war is.
I am repeatedly asked what the soldiers feel about the war in Iraq.
Soldiers in the US armed forces come in all shapes and sizes… and
viewpoints. I don't pretend to speak for all soldiers, but I do believe
that most men and women in today's military share something very close
to these same beliefs.
Most soldiers here believe in the mission in Iraq. They know, like I do,
that the former regime in Iraq was an important component in the war on
Terror. There is no doubt that terrorist cells have been allowed to
operate within these borders for some time, and that Hussein's regime
most likely provided financial support as well!
Do the soldiers want to be here? I have not met a soldier yet that does
not want to come home, who wouldn't? But they do believe in this
mission. Most soldiers believe that it is imperative to keep the mission
going at least until security is established in Iraq.
There is no greater dishonor to the 1350 plus coalition and contractor
deaths, and over 7,000 wounded men and women, than to plan a retreat
before a reasonable assurance for the success of the new Iraqi
government can be attained.
I don't know where this concept of get in and get out was started, but
sometimes wars are not accommodating to that theory. The United States
has earned a poor reputation for resolve to finish the job, and it's
time the proponents of that trend, like Senator Kerry, realize it and
correct it by stopping their efforts to politicize our mission.
Kerry's message to the troops was, "Help is on the way!" In what form
Senator Kerry?
You have alienated the coalition countries that we fight beside every
day. You cannot articulate a plan for success, and you have no grasp
that this war was even necessary. Thanks, but no thanks!
"Wrong War, Wrong Place, Wrong Time?" You tell that story to the
millions of impoverished, and persecuted Iraqi people who for the past
generation have lived with the fear of being marched out into the desert
and shot for their beliefs.
You tell that story to the families of those bodies recovered from the
dozens of mass graves throughout Iraq. Try to sell that load of bull to
the little kids who were denied access to their water in the Marshlands
of Iraq and left to starve to death. Sell it to someone else, but not
me!
Senator Kerry sent a message to the American people in his closing
remarks that said that he will "get your kids home and get the job done
and win the peace".
I am a 38 year old man who joined the military 18 years ago, and I have
yet to find a "kid" in Uniform from the United States. I have however
found many good young men and women who are proudly serving their
country.
Men and Women from all over the United States have joined the military
of their own free will, knowing that one day they may be asked to put
their lives in harms way. Very few of these men and women want to be
here, it's just a commitment that we made, and one that we intend to
honor.
I sincerely hope that you enjoy your moment in the spotlight Senator
Kerry! I know that in the end, the bull that you have been selling to
the American people will be recognized and that the voters will let you
know what they think of it come November.
American's need a president who will make sound decisions, and not be
afraid of what the global community thinks. That man is already in
office, and will remain in office for four more years!
>>>>>
Captain Ron Hayes
US Army, Iraq

This is going to be a short entry, but behold a great story. It will demonstrate to you the wonderful changes that are happening in this country and how the people are grabbing onto their freedoms and holding on with a grasp that won't let go.
Prior to the days of Taliban rule, the people of this country would fly kites. They'd have great kite flying contests. The objective, of course, being that your kite was the last flying in the air. They'd use all kinds of ways to bring down their competitors kite so they could have the honor of kite-champion. When the Taliban came into rule, kites were one of the first things to go. These simple toys brought joy and honor to the Afghani's, therefore it had to cease. Now, you know what I see most every day, filling the blue sky? Kites. Everywhere you look, in all directions, there is a kite somewhere floating in the horizon. When I am out and about, taking care of duties around the city, and I happen to see a small child at the end of one of those kite strings, there is a beautiful smile stretched across their face and you can see them giggling with the joy of flying their kite. Even with the ever-still present of Taliban in the area, they defiantly send that piece of joy into the sky as if to say, "Your presence here is no longer terrified and definitely not desired. The Americans shall not allow you to stop me from flying my kite. This is my freedom".
Other examples of the Afghanistan people standing up and showing their strength to the evil that hides in the dark shadows are these. The soccer stadium that held the brutal murders of innocent civilians during Taliban rule will once again hold this international sport in it's walls rather than slayings and beheadings. The soccer stadium was just one of many sites to hold a voting center where people walked out into this once feared place and made their mark on history and freedom.
Women are walking around with their heads a little higher. More and more they are stepping out from behind the burka and showing their beautiful faces to passers-by. Children excitedly gather together for their trek to school, backpacks full of supplies generously donated by so many of you, ready to experience true education free of fear.
It is a beautiful time here. The seasons are changing. Society is changing. These people, everyday, grow a little bit stronger and more faithful in their newfound ability to control their own fate. So, the next time you see a child flying a kite, smile. It is such a simple pleasure, but one that can prove so much to the enemies of joy.

I love you all. Thank you for your love and support, as always!

09 October, that is the magic date here. It is the day of the first real elections this country has ever known in a democratic society. It is the first real elections they have known in their history! The campaigning has begun, the posters have been hung, the babies kissed, and the hands shaken. Soon, these people will walk into their first voting booth, and cast a vote for their choice of President. It's an exciting time. It's a historic time.
Despite the challenges of rough terrain, animals used to carry voting ballots and a large number of the populace being illiterate, this country is charged with the energy and power of having a say in the decisions that affect and change their future. Being a part of that is truly something special. I feel honored to be here helping to provide the security that is part of making this day happen.
Of course, those who are enemies to change can not be forgotten. Tensions increase and the threat grows every day that we creep closer to election day. Vigiliance is an every day requirement. Situational awareness is as natural as breathing now. These enemies, they are adament about their "jihad". But they underestimate the world's determination to bring this country peace and stability. They cannot scare us away. They cannot intimidate us into running away. We will stand strong behind this country and her people. We will carry them into the future and hold them up until they can stand on their own.
These people have a beautiful culture and have never known the riches of other societies who take so many things for granted. They waste nothing, and creatively find ways to fix or reuse everything. They are self-reliant when it comes to survival. They deserve a chance at life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
These next 10 days shall prove to be a test of the will of the Afghani people. I believe they will persevere. They will win this war of mental warfare against the enemies of this country and it's stability. We will win the war of security for a vulnerable nation.
~God Bless. Keep us in your prayers even moreso for these next 10 days, as they will be needed~
All my love and a special HELLO to Uncle Leon. (Thank you for the email. I promise to get back to it as soon as I can!)

Each morning brings upon us a multitude of beauty and surpise. As I have described in previous entries, Kabul sets surronded by majestic mountain ranges. All around us, our horizon is composed of peaks and crevices as the earth juts towards the sky with power and grace. Until recently, these hills were made up of an array of oranges and reds. Each morning, the sun would creep over the mountaintops and light up the hillside, bringing out the awesome, rich colors of earth. The midnight darkness would be chased away into the caves and canyons as daylight made it's presence known. I always felt as though the colors of fall that I love so much stateside were ever present in my day as I stared off into the distance.
But now, winter is slowly inching it's way into our surrondings. Not only can you sense it's coming through the briskness of the morning air or the straight chill of the night, but as I stare off into those mountains there is a new color clinging to the mountaintops. It stands in stark contrast to the rich colors of past. It shines bright and gleaming, radiating the sun rather than saturating it. It's WHITE. The warm rich mountaintops now have a snow covering.
The seasons, they are a-changing. It's hard to imagine Afghanistan having a winter like those I've known on the east coast, but by the chill in the air recently, I'm learning quickly that we share a common climate. And the rich fall colors I have so loved during my stay here are slowly transforming into the clean, crispness of winter. A surprise to my eye, but a beautiful surprise all the same.

A gift was given to me recently by someone who has touched my heart and soul deeper than any other before. It was a book. Some say the way to a man's heart is through is his stomach. Well, the way to my heart is through the written word. And a more perfect gift I could have never requested. It is a book titled "Leading with Soul". For those of you who know me, you know that my role as a leader in today's armed forces is a role I take to heart and have set as the pinnacle of my daily life and military career.
I started this book only this morning. And it is afternoon, and I have completed it already. I have been unable to put it down. So eloquently written, it is a story of a man so wrapped up in his career he loses his self. He is lost, because he has committed so much of his life and love to his work yet he feels like a failure and his company is faltering. He is sent in the direction of a sage by the name of Maria. This woman has an impact not only on his ways of thinking and looking at life, but has an even greater impact on his heart and soul. These changes that she brought about him, this light that she shed on the dimming light in his life, brought him peace and happiness as well as renewed success with his company and companionship and cooperation with his employees. It is an absolutely fantastic book and makes countless points that the reader should internalize and roll over to bring more success, peace and happiness to their own lives. This book, in my opinion, should be added to the military's NCO recommended reading list. I feel that if more NCO's, SNCO's and officers read this book, their relationship with their subordinates would improve leaps and bounds. It provides so much insight into being a good and productive leader. "The heart of leadership is in the hearts of leaders". Read this book to get a true understanding of what this means.
Not only did this book touch me in an "educational" sense, but moreso because Eddie's reason for giving me this gift (and what a gift it was, on multiple levels) was because he is always referring to me as his "Maria". Until this day, I did not understand the significance of that reference. Upon completing this book, I am flattered and take that reference as a deep compliment.
Our relationship started out very much as a spiritual journey for each of us, though neither of us knew the affect we were having on the other, we only knew the effect the other was having on us ourself. That friendship and bond has evolved into a passion and love that neither of us have ever known with another human being. It really is, beyond words, awe-inspiring and beautiful.
So, thank you Eddie. Thank you for this wonderful book, for sharing it with me so I could continue to learn how to trust in my heart and soul. Thank you for the huge compliment of seeing me as your Maria. And know, that you are that same person for me. (I won't call you my Maria though. You look NOTHING like a Maria! *Smile) Thank you for giving me the opportunity to learn through the written word how to be a better and stronger leader. I love you!
For all the other readers of this journal, I highly recommend each and every one of you go out and find this book. Read it. Think about it. Let it touch you and make you reflect on your own lives and purpose in love, life and career. It WILL make you a better person, a better leader, a better follower.
God Bless. All my love!

Hello everybody,
My apologies for lack of keeping this thing up to date. There hasn't been too much going on lately. As we like to say here in Kabul, a quiet day in Afghanistan is a good day!
The days here are getting cooler, and the nights are downright chilly! Now, keep in perspective my current location. 88 degrees here seems cool during the day. *Smile. I am in so much trouble when I return to the east coast!!
I was baptized last Sunday. What an awesome and breathtaking experience. (Breathtaking not only because of the spiritual moment, but because the water was ICE cold!) For those interested, I have plenty of pictures to bring home. Unfortunately, because these computers are so slow, to email them home would take me days!!
But aside from that, not too much exciting happening here on the Middle Eastern front. It's hard to believe my journey here is half complete. I really don't know where the days go. Plans are in the making for holiday visits when I come home, to include taking Eddie home to meet my family. (He really doesn't know what he's in for. *Smile).
To all of you in Florida and Alabama, specifically Frank, Judy, Ross and family, my thoughts and prayers are with you as I've seen the news coverage of the devasation that hurricane wreaked on the area. I hope all of you are well and that your homes survived without too much damage!!
Hope all is well otherwise on the homefront. I think about y'all daily and miss you.
God bless. Love, Hugs, and Kisses.