Mr. Semman

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11892317/

Saw this on the internet news. It has been what I have been hearing all along from our service personnel.

These were the people that I worked with and led a few years ago. I miss them and pray for them every day. What the news media just doesn't get is that our service personnel, Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard will never be defeated. They adjust, adapt and overcome the obstacles shoved in their paths. While they remain kids at heart, they have seen and performed miraculous feats that other men and women their age will never do. They will save the world or die trying!

Gary Lapine

__________________
ZeuS Olympus ZTR 1000
ZeuS Guarenius ZTR 900
Ageis F2
Bach 3C
Bach 5C
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"Let your words be soft and sweet. You never know when you will have to eat them!"

Manny Laureano

They're the best, Gary, and we love them. People with good hearts just trying to do their best day in, day out. Thanks for posting that and I give it up for the Washington Post for printing something positive. The deserve the credit when due.

ML

Solar Bell

This came this week from my bass player's son-in-law, a captain serving in Afganistan. Thought I would share it.

Family and Friends,

I have made some Afgahn friends and decided to live here
indefinitely and become a mujahideen freedom fighter to outst the
infadels from my native soil. So starting today, I will start to grow
my Muslim beard, skip showering altogether, and cover my wife with a
burka (sorry Nik, if you love me you will go along with it...or else).
The only problem is I have this really great tan on my face and neck but
my body is still blanched by the lack of sunlight found in northern New
York. I fear they might see through my guise. Maybe if I say "Durkah
Durkah Johnny Jihad" (famous insurgent password) they might let me into
their little clique. Seriously though, I have made some friends
including Aziz "The Baker" (pictured in the attachment). Don't know if
he really does the baking or that is his equivalent of a Soprano style
mafia name. He speaks little to no English but his "foot" bread and
baked beans are pretty damned good. He operates a little Afghan bakery
here on the base. It is a good break from the routine of American food
and he and I have hit it off somehow. Good dude. I drink "chai" (tea)
with him. Drinking tea is the equivalent of drinking in Jay's
trailer...its just the right thing to do. And seeing how alcohol is
stricly forbidden (by Muslims and US Forces alike), tea is all we got.
Some of you could do well with a trip to a Muslim country...luthshes
(with an Eddie lisp).
Things are going real well for us here and this mission is infintely
easier than the one in Iraq. The people here want their country back
and they want nothing to do with the Taliban or Al Qaeda. They actually
want to have a better life, go figure. All I can do is keep sending
artillery rounds into cave complexes and soon enough these people will
have their country back. My guns have 2 confirmed kills on the Taliban
already and we are looking for more. One guy was a cousin of some other
important Taliban leader...maybe the equivalent of the 1 of hearts if we
had a "deck of cards" here. Nothing huge but still a victory. I have
only gotten outside of the gates twice and enjoyed each trip. No IEDs.

Well I miss you all and hope things are well stateside. Thanks for
taking care of my new family.

Love
D



They are doing a FAR better job than the media let's us know.

We love all of them.

-cw-

__________________
Chuck Willard
The Willard of Oz

"Don't be afraid to see what you see."
Ronald Reagan

Alex Yates

Wow.....great stuff. Thank you for sharing guys. I hope the heavens take care of our soldiers, get them through their missions and bring them home safely.

BTW...Chai is delicious. For those of you who have not yet tried it, give it a whirl. Yummy! When I have the time, I make the concentrate from scratch, which is then mixed in equal parts with milk. You can also fiind TAZO and Oregon Chai brands in the grocery store. Drink a cup in honor of "Soldier D" and all of his fellow soldiers.