Another month gone by and the Apaches are still giving the fight to the enemy. Insurgents have had little success against our boys this month. It is definitely an amazing thing to watch our soldiers continue to hold their own on a daily basis with a grueling operational tempo. This month we celebrate Christmas and the excitement of the holidays. We will be having our official tank lighting ceremony on the 23rd. This will be a tradition for the Apaches as we will be lighting our tank which sits in front of the Apache Tower.

All Apaches will gather together for a night of Christmas carols including our favorite. O'Christmas Tank led by the singing of 1SG Sartin. Stockings are hung in the dayroom with care in hopes that Ole St. Nick soon will be there. We are including two special Green and Purple Stockings to go along with our 90+ red and white stockings. These two represent our two fallen comrades, SSG Vaillant and PFC Titcomb. Not a day goes by, nor event takes place without their memory firmly etched into our hearts.

In other news, SSG Falcon, our fearless NBC NCO and TOC NCOIC was baptized on the 9th of December in 30+degree weather. This was quite a tribute to the faith of this 24 year old NCO who endured just above freezing waters to show the world he had died to sin and was raised again to a new life in Jesus Christ. We congratulate SSG Falcon on his new spiritual journey.

This months birthdays include PFC Miguel of the Apache Bandaid team and SSG Rangel the Tank Commander of Apache 33 whose birthday fall on the 21st. Miguel is now 27 years old, and SSG Rangel is now 30. SGT Jones, the gunner, of SSG Rangel had a birthday on the 23rd and he is now 32 SGT Webb, our commo guy turns 33 on the 31 of December.