IRAQ WAR

20 March 2003- 15 December 2011

Army Identifies last missing Soldier in Iraq through remains, reallo got me thinking.... its over... its hard to believe some times, 

US KILLED=4,487

US WOUNDED=32,226

MONEY TOLL=3 Trillion

       Is this how it was for the Vietnam war veterans? what did i do in that war? was it justified? was it all for nothing? talking to several Iraq war vets, we are speechless, i find the date of the final end of the war odd for me, December 15 is the exact day i set boots on ground in Afghanistan, we read papers and watched web videos of news that could not even buffer all the way, we played it anyways eagerly wanting to hear the news, talking about Iraq is finally over, i look over at all the men who have been there, wearing combat patches for there service in Iraq, wearing remembrance bracelets of "brothers" that where killed "in country" there, we looked confused and i think almost sad... we couldn't possible comprehend this in front of us, Iraq is over, where is our parade for possible "Victory-Iraq" day? is this how American does things now? like Vietnam, so thankful we are out and that is it? where is the support from the American people? the patriotic Americans i see on TV? "support the troops" type? "us troops withdraw from iraq" and that was it... next day get our gear ready to go into Afghanistan, and here I am.... here we are...  Iraq is a dream i have every now and then, Iraq is a ribbon with 2 campaign stars on my dress uniform next to Afghanistan Campaign, Iraq is a 4th ID patch on my right shoulder, Iraq is memories.... Iraq is over.. We served, some want to forget, I am proud.

 September 01 2008- August 24 2009

Iraq/Iraq Border US Patrol Base summer 2009

Charlie Troop, 1st Squadron 10th US Cavalry Regiment (Buffalo Soldiers) 

2nd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division

Forward Operating Base Kalsu

Hey, so a little more about the family side of my life, its not all war and work even though that is what it seems like some times.... I manage to squeeze in some time with my wife and my 4 sons, yes i typed correctly, F-O-U-R boys :)
The wife, her name is Vanessa

swear to God this is a real super woman, she should have as much or more medals than me! married for almost 5 years, 2 of those deployed and one separated, after Iraq there was a fall out, vary nasty, even filed for divorce (true story) but fuck that we are better than that shit, anyways.. she holds down the fort while I'm killing zombies (that's what my sons think I do BTW) bills/house shit, 4 boys, idk what she does most of the time, pretty much be super mom...

the Ford Boys=crazy

So when Im not killing zombies or at work Im hanging out with the little guys, Jaden (almost 5), Jaxon (3), Brayden and Bentley (1) :)

Ok, Name is Charlie, In the US Army, I am a Cavalry Scout In Afghanistan, now before you go thinking horses and Bad Ass stuff like that, vary old school, we are Mechanized on vehicles, I belong to a brigade that specializes is Strykers vehicle. The army in its amazing wisdom decided for the stryker unit not to bring strykers to a war zone, hey it it what it is....
Im with A great group of men, as diverse as America can get, young men who have not even been with a woman, and old crusty guys who have been here for a hot minute (we call one of our guys "Grandpa" he's not the oldest but shit does he look). from Porto Rico to Micronesia, Spanish, whites, blacks, men from the Pine Tree State to the City of Roses.
through-out my post I will alter or change names, locations,times and dates for Operational Security (OPSEC) after all we are kinda at war.....

this is the story of 2nd Platoon, Charlie-Troop,1st Squadron 14th United States Cavalry