tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56134992011-04-22T00:01:58.932+03:00<b>The Story of an American Soldier in Iraq </b><br><br> Life as a soldier in Baghdad, Iraq is definitely interesting and full of life changing experiences, like... being shot at and blown up! Yee haw, what fun eh?<br><br> Actually, it has its ups and downs, and as a journalist in the US Army (assigned to CJTF-7 Public Affairs) I've had the chance to see many things that others have only heard of through the news themselves - I hope you'll enjoy them too, through my eyes. ; )B.B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18254827178582361696noreply@blogger.comBlogger141100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613499.post-1161846172694875212006-10-26T08:29:00.001+03:002006-11-21T04:35:53.216+03:00

It's been almost three years since I returned home from Iraq, but it still regularly affects my life. I'm now out of the Army, and a student at WSU Pullman; using the money from the Montgomery GI Bill to get an education in Zoology and Wildlife Ecology. I'm in my first term here, and I can tell you the absolute freedom that college students enjoy is a blessing that more adults should add to

B.B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18254827178582361696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613499.post-1112861213836168762005-04-07T11:39:00.000+04:002005-04-07T12:06:53.836+04:00

I realized just the other day that though I had come back to the blog to piece in missing letters here and there, that I had never written a final note.I got home safely in early February of 2004 and after a month of leave at home, returned to "duty as usual" here in Heidelberg, Germany where I'm based. I also took the month of June off to recognize my dream of touring Europe; I explored Italy,

B.B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18254827178582361696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613499.post-1075441871466527582004-01-30T08:42:00.000+03:002004-01-30T08:52:46.530+03:00

I feel a real mix of feelings today - both happiness and a little sadness - as I prepare to head home and leave Iraq behind. I'm happy to be leaving this war torn area and heading back to an American base where I can walk the streets without fearing for my life, but I'm sad because I have made so many very close life-long friends while I've been here. During my stay in Baghdad I have met an

B.B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18254827178582361696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613499.post-1075320597752129232004-01-24T22:00:00.000+03:002004-01-28T23:11:31.983+03:00

Well I've finally calmed down from a case of the shakes that a mortar hit (a little too close to home) gave me last night. I was sitting in our office on the phone talking to my dad when a huge boom sounded and the building shook. "Oh SHIT!!!" We all dived for cover and I said a very hurried 'bye' to my dad. It only took a few seconds to throw on our gear. When no more blasts followed after

B.B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18254827178582361696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613499.post-1075322464884953592004-01-19T21:10:00.000+03:002004-01-28T23:55:40.450+03:00

This morning as I was finishing up a guard shift (had just been released) at the Palace of the Four Heads (now the Coalition Provisional Authority HQ) I felt the building rumble. A major blast had occured somewhere - it felt like maybe right in the CPA parking lot - but no more blasts followed so I didn't think too much of it. I headed to the "JOC," (an area that houses representatives from all

B.B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18254827178582361696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613499.post-1074851926836126392003-12-25T12:58:00.000+03:002004-01-23T23:47:47.436+03:00

Merry Christmas Everyone! I hope this letter finds everyone healthy, happy and enjoying all the best of the Christmas season! I’m doing well – still in Baghdad, but redeployment gets a little closer every day! This year was difficult for me, but filled with much deeper learning and discovery than even five easier years might have brought me, so I can’t complain. The year started with

B.B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18254827178582361696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613499.post-1067949652148593912003-10-29T03:30:00.000+03:002003-11-04T15:40:50.480+03:00

After the rocket attacks we had to return for our gear - at least enough for a few days until the area was safe enough to move out of fully. This is what I saw... The Aftermath and the power of prayer Truthfully, when the attack happened I was too busy concentrating on what I was doing and too hopped up on an adrenaline rush to feel scared. As strange as it may be, I felt excited, like you

B.B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18254827178582361696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613499.post-1067949118545680872003-10-26T22:28:00.000+03:002003-11-04T15:34:01.750+03:00

I wrote this within an hour of my exodus from the Al Rasheed after the rocket attack. I wanted to capture what had happened before it ‘changed’ in my mind and I started questioning myself about what had really happened or forgetting. I hope you find it interesting! Love, Becky. Inside the Attack on the Al Rasheed Hotel, Baghdad, Iraq THUD…..THUD…. THUD… My mind tried to incorporate the

B.B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18254827178582361696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613499.post-1067948632976687662003-10-22T13:56:00.000+03:002003-11-04T15:26:31.536+03:00

Hello everyone!! I know it’s been a horribly long time since I last wrote a nice long letter, but there wasn’t much to talk about! I had to wait until a few things ‘piled up’ ; ) A few weeks ago the Al Rasheed Hotel,l where I’m staying in Baghdad was hit by mortars. The ‘bad guys’ set up seven in some scrub a ways away and only three fired – two hitting the Rasheed and one flying into

B.B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18254827178582361696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613499.post-1059410141513572512003-07-28T20:35:00.000+04:002003-07-28T20:35:41.556+04:00

Well, Saturday was enjoyable, until it was almost over... I had the day off from work (my one day a week) and slept in until almost noon. Then one of my infantry friends, Shane, from downstairs came up and we watched a few movies - about half of "Daddy Daycare" before the skipping (pirated disks remember...) drove us insane, then "Daredevil". I was always into comics as a kid, but never

B.B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18254827178582361696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613499.post-1059134147551444622003-07-25T15:55:00.000+04:002003-07-25T17:36:56.400+04:00

July 22, 2003 Hello Everyone!! I realized this week that it’s been almost a full MONTH since I wrote a letter!! I actually had to open up my last one to see where I’d left off… I know, I’m horrible :P Now that we’ve finally “settled in” to a semi-normal routine it’s hard to keep track of time. I have been thinking of all of you regularly though! Well, since my last letter we moved

B.B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18254827178582361696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613499.post-1059133863709735672003-07-25T15:51:00.000+04:002003-07-25T15:51:03.720+04:00

May 24, 2003 Hello everyone! Okay, it’s been a while since I’ve written, but as things calm down there is less and less to write about. I guess at the top of my ‘news’ would be that one of the stories I wrote has caused a little bit of a media explosion. I wrote a story about 2 brothers who were reunited here by accident after more than four years apart. It turned out really well and

B.B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18254827178582361696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613499.post-1059133279940220412003-07-25T15:41:00.000+04:002003-07-25T15:41:19.960+04:00

April 11, 2003 Hello everyone! It's been a few days so I figured I better write again. :) At last report, we were supposed to be heading forward (again) but thisn morning we heard that plans have changed (again). Now we are again unsure when we'll actually move - rumors say anywhere from 1 week to a month, with 2 weeks looking like the most likely. Anyhoo - not much too new. The

B.B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18254827178582361696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613499.post-1059133166408845262003-07-25T15:39:00.000+04:002003-07-25T15:39:26.410+04:00

April 7, 2003 Hello Everyone!!! I finally got email again - I just hope it lasts! They say that Army Knowlefge Online is the only email account that we can access at all out here (when we DO have internet!) so this will be the one to write for the duration of my stay here. At the most I'll only get to it every few days, but it's better than the once a month satallite phone calls huh?

B.B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18254827178582361696noreply@blogger.com0