Yesterday I posted a letter from a guy in Iraq, and the responses were
mostly what I had hoped for.

I tried to keep all editorializing out of that post, only asking for support of the people, not support necessarily for the war.

The person who wrote it wanted, I think, to paint a multi layered image: the grim harshness of war, the toll on the people, a clear picture of the people there, a clear image of the enemy and the resolution and determination they feel for their effort.

Most responses indicated people got it:

I want to thank you for sharing this with us!!! It really opened my eyes!! My husband is in Iraq right now, and now I understand while he was home on his R & R, he was a changed man. I tried to understand some of the things he talked about, tried to respect the things he didn’t want to talk about and just tried to go about a normal day while he was home. Now, after reading this, I really understand some of the things he is going through over there. He has said one thing to me, that is in this letter also…..It is worth our military being over there. He said it feels so good knowing that he is helping other human beings gain the same rights we enjoy. Again, thank you for sharing this!!!

Yesterday I posted a letter from a guy in Iraq, and the responses were
mostly what I had hoped for.

I tried to keep all editorializing out of that post, only asking for support of the people, not support necessarily for the war.

The person who wrote it wanted, I think, to paint a multi layered image: the grim harshness of war, the toll on the people, a clear picture of the people there, a clear image of the enemy and the resolution and determination they feel for their effort.

Most responses indicated people got it:

I want to thank you for sharing this with us!!! It really opened my eyes!! My husband is in Iraq right now, and now I understand while he was home on his R & R, he was a changed man. I tried to understand some of the things he talked about, tried to respect the things he didn’t want to talk about and just tried to go about a normal day while he was home. Now, after reading this, I really understand some of the things he is going through over there. He has said one thing to me, that is in this letter also…..It is worth our military being over there. He said it feels so good knowing that he is helping other human beings gain the same rights we enjoy. Again, thank you for sharing this!!!

So, I was sitting here today considering what to post on my blog.

I was gonna post some more rantings on the idiocy surrounding the Washington State Governor’s race,( and trust me, there’s plenty to rant about) but a co-worker got this from a friend in Iraq and forwarded it to me. I thought I might interest some of you.

When I consider my living and sleeping conditions, my drive to work, and my working environment, I feel a little sheepish considering how others live.

I can’t change anything in my life to make a difference to this person, but I can at least add him to my prayers, along with the rest of the men and women serving.

This is not a spam letter, this is real. Names have been withheld for obvious reasons.

***

I am presently working at the American Embassy in Baghdad in the Governorate Support Team (GST). The GST is a team of twenty Special Operations Civil Affairs soldiers that act as the liaison between the American military and the various ministries of the Iraqi government. We focus mainly on reconstructing the Iraqi infrastructure. I am in charge of Education. I am currently working to refurbish several hundred schools in the Governorate of Baghdad.