by Peter Hill
12/16/2008

With Christmas coming in quickly and thoughts of everyone spending time together soon, I thought I would write to you and tell you all -- I wish I could be there.

My time here in Iraq has been quite a learning experience. I have made some new friends, some of whom I expect never to see again.  It is not because I don't like them. They wouldn't be friends if that were true. I hope I will not have to come back here someday, and I don't expect they will be coming over to Massachusetts.

My time here is not as fulfilling as I would have hoped. It seems that the Iraqis are just taking advantage of the American soldiers. They see how much stuff we can get for them, how much work we can do for them. They don't really seem to believe that when we leave, their government will not do things they way we have set up for them. There is so much corruption over here. I guess it's the same no matter which government you have. I won't get into that right now.

I did enjoy working with the Iraqi soldiers up there in Mosul the first three or four months, setting up the motorpool operations and suggesting an easier way to do things, to track things. They were hard workers. Well, I use that term loosely. They did do what I asked.

I was able to acquire quite a bit of stuff for them, and they always thanked me. It just seemed to keep going though " can you get us this... can you get us that..." I finally said, "No. I know we keep putting in requests through the proper chain, and you keep getting nothing, but if I keep getting you things, it really does you no good. If we fix the vehicles, nobody in your general staff will know it. They will never start sending you the parts and making the system work."  Besides, the fact is that their country has more money than ours does. Enough about that.

The Iraqis start working somewhere between 0930 and 1000 hours and work until noon. They take one hour for lunch, and one hour for prayer, then go back to work from 1400-1600. They get Fridays off. They are on a 22-day work schedule  (22 days on, 11 days off). I would love that schedule, although it makes it tough to get things done. Just when the group you're working with starts to get the hang of it, they leave for 11 days. You get to start over again with a new group. The Kurds are much better than the Batallion down here in Baghdad though. They just don't care here. "Yeah, we'll do that starting tomorrow."  Then they don't even show up tomorrow, unless they need you to get them something.

I think I am ready to come home. I've been burned out. Wait a minute, I'm moving to a new location in January (we think). That will be starting all over again. So I'll be busy everyday so that will make the time go by quickly. Hard to believe less than four months now!!!

Some of the great things that I've been able to do while over here are things I never expected. I was stationed with US Special Forces. They were a great bunch of guys from out west. They would train the Iraqis in all the tactical things. They would take the Iraqis out on missions to collect bad guys, the guys who would be making the car bombs, or IED's (improvised explosive devices).

After some Night Vision Training we were able to drive on the SF missions on armored HMMWV's. As a national guard soldier, to be able to drive on a Special Forces mission is a huge treat for me -- being a part of a team effort to actually make a difference in the war. Not just driving supplies from one place to another on a convoy (not that there is any disgrace in that by any means).  But to take the guys responsible for making bombs off the streets. Wow!

We also got to do some fast rope training. The Iraqi soldiers were being taught how to slide down a rope, first off a LULL style forklift, maybe fifteen feet high, then out of a Blackhawk Helicopter. The oportunity presented itself to be able to take part in that training. So here I am, again, just a National Guard soldier from Massachusetts being able to Fast Rope out of a Blackhawk from 30+ feet. I didn't expect to be able to do that.

I truly am blessed. My wife Vicki loves me more than I can believe. She has put up with me being away. She has been passing her time by redoing a couple of rooms at home. She is not afraid to take on any challenge. I talk to her everyday, almost. She is my strength. I really am a lucky guy. 

I'd like to mention all the people who have been sending me stuff, but I can't list everyone. But, I will tell you, I have plenty of toiletries. I wouldn't mind some Dunkin' Donuts coffee though. Iraq certainly doesn't run on Dunkin's. They drink what they call Chi. I don't know why it looks like tea to me.

My First Sergeant is a bit of a cheese fanatic. He ordered $80 worth of Vermont Cabot cheeses. Let me tell you, if you have never had five-year aged Cabot Cheddar before, hold on to your socks. Wow, that is good stuff. I can't see buying a block for $35 right now but when I get back, yeah buddy. There is going to be a special occation for something. Maybe a wine and cheese party at the Greendale's on Highland Street.

I did learn that cheese has more taste when it's warm, so you should not eat your cheese fresh out of the fridge. I saw one of his blocks of extra sharp cheddar and all I wanted to do was make a mac and cheese. (Not the five-year stuff, that's too special) I think I've gone a little loopy on some of the things I miss. Almost a whole paragraph on cheese. Oh boy, I might be able to beat Klinger for that section 8.

Well anyway, I want you all to know I will be thinking about you over the next couple of weeks. I am doing just fine. There are some good people here to keep me company. Can't wait to see everyone. Time will go by fast for me. I hope it does for Vicki too, although she says it doesn't on a day to day basis. Hope you all have a safe Christmas season. I hope it's a white one for those who want it.
Love,
Pete