More Random Pics...

I have a few pictures that I never got around to posting so I thought I'd put them up now. They are between 2 weeks to 6 months old.












This was one crazy night. For two hours the night sky was filled with gunfire. Millions of rounds were fired all around my compound with tracer rounds coming from every direction.















One can eat outdoors in this fine establishment without fear of being sniped or having those pesky rockets drop from above.















There are bad guys on the other side of that wall.
















I ride in these sometimes when the helicopters stop flying. They are seriously armored and have taken direct VBIED hits leaving only cuts and bruises on those inside and 10 ft craters outside.
















Here we are about to make a trip through the red zone to catch a C-130 flight down to Kuwait. As you can see we all take our weapons with us whether we're civilian or military.

It's Raining Bullets

Whether it's celebratory gunfire or an attack whenever a bullet is fired into the air it obviously has to come back down. Our building is routinely hit by falling bullets. Last month we counted five new holes in our ceiling. When we find the bullets we add them to our collection. Whenever we hear a lot of gunfire outside we put on our protective gear; helmet, body armor...

Looking up at one of the holes in the ceiling.

A bullet that went through the metal roof then lodged itself into a piece of fiber board.

Another bullet we found

... and another

Sand Storms

Sand storms are a normal occurrence here although they are somewhat rare this time of year. This picture was taken last night in a lot we keep all of our armored trucks parked. The visibility was down to about 150 feet. Anytime the wind kicks up for more then an hour or so the dust start flying.

The New Year

It's been a rough start to the New Year. Many more deaths, fighting, kidnappings... etc. Business is brisk in my compound. Despite this I managed to get out again for a couple of hours. This wasn't a mission so the only thing I was armed with was a camera.


Saddam had many palaces including this building which was designed to be a fake. Hoping his enemies would target this building Saddam built it, furnished it and even held functions within it so that it appeared to be one of his homes. Although a fake it ironically sat above a very secure emergency bunker.



In 2003 we attacked Baghdad using, among other weapons, 500 and 1000 lb JDAM munition systems. Here is the interior of the palace above after one such strike.








Another shot of Saddam's "fake" palace. This is the center of the palace under the central dome.









Although this shot looks like it was taken outside it is actually one of the main corridor's inside the palace. When it was hit with bombs the ceiling was destroyed.






Again we're inside the palace yet exposed to the elements because most of the roof is gone. In the picture we see Dan (sitting - he works for me), Capt Murray (we work together) and a female reporter.

New Year's Resolutions

New Year Resolutions... Yes I know this is a tired old cliché but we all do it so here are some of mine for the New Year. I'm not sure why I am posting this list except that maybe by posting it I'll be more likely to follow through with these. If there's one thing I can count on it's being reminded of this list when I'm slacking...

1. Make it out of Iraq safe and sound, in one piece with all of my original body parts intact so that I can bore all of you in person rather then through this Blog site.
2. Be a better brother. What I mean is I'd like to be more present in my brother and sister's lives. The older I get the more I realize they are really cool people and how important family is.
3. Be a better Uncle to my 3 favorite nephews and my favorite niece. I need to make a greater effort to show them "Uncle Mike" is proud of them and that I think they're great kids.
4. Be a better friend. I need to see my friends more often then I do. It seems like I'm always making an excuse to opt out of a night out with my buds.
5. Seek to be as honest as possible all of the time. I believe this serves us more then any other approach. Even if the truth hurts a bit.
6. Get my stupid back left molar crowned once and for all. Stupid molar...
7. Give a little more to charity then I do now, especially give my time if I can find a way to do it. I am keenly aware that I spend more time complaining about the way things are then I do helping to fix things. Maybe I should put my body where my mouth is.
8. Speaking of my body... I want to get in better shape. God knows there's plenty of room for improvement.
9. Learn to play the guitar (the first 9 times I started don't count)
10. Eat healthier and better food; ok, that can include better coffee and better beer.