Back from Iraq

[GIT-R-DONE]

A fellow co-worker has had his son over in Iraq for the last 15 months. Over the past year we have been through many conversations about him and his whereabouts, most of the time not knowing anything.

Well, he is back home on US soil now and at work a party was thrown for him with most of the guys at the shop present. I had never met him before this event at work and knew a lot about him, even though he knows little about me. Most of us were asking him questions about what it was like and where he was at.

He was part of a local unit trained to become a road block unit that searched cars at check points at different areas though out the country. He was in and spent most of his time in Baghdad and was moved to Fallujah as it was being taken back over by US forces back a few months ago.

When asked if he wanted to go back he said that he cared not to, but if he was told to go, he would. I had so much respect for him and what he had done, and I think he could feel it even though he was told many times form different people there. I am glad he is back and I had to ask him about what he sees on TV at night on the news and compare that to what is actually going on over there.

His reply is that we cant win over the older people there as they have been repressed for so many years, they are reluctant to change. On the other hand he thought we were there to win over the teenagers and small kids as they would be the ones over the next decade that would have a better understanding of the US position on their country. So, far he felt that it has been a positive change for the younger generation and as far as the news media goes, it is not giving a fair report on what is going on over there.

We got to talk about the news media and he said that for as big as the country is, the media would portray one incident ( car bombing for ex. ) as what is going on over there at every checkpoint. Not true. Its too bad we dont have accurate coverage on what actually goes on over there in Iraq.

All in all, it was a pleasure to meet him, thank him for his service, and wish him the best in his future, maybe go get a beer sometime. I am looking forward to it. Thanks for letting me share this.