My name is Jason Pyska, and I'm the platoon leader for second platoon Baker Company. Since the last letter the men of Baker Company have suffered a time of great sadness and some success. For those who don't know, SSG Trost and SPC Roodhouse were killed in combat. At the memorial service we remembered SSG Trost and SPC Roodhouse not just as great soldiers but special people. They were men who touched all the lives around them. Whether as a father, a brother, a son, a squad leader, or team member they worked and succeeded in making the world they lived in better. Their loss is deeply felt by us all.

As for our missions, Baker Company has been part of numerous operations lately that have uncovered huge caches of enemy weapons, ammunition, and explosives. Along with finding and destroying the enemy's tools of war we have conducted several raids and sweeps in which we captured enemy bomb makers, planners, and fighters. It is a slow and difficult process but we are fighting the enemy and he is running from us.

As for the time of year, I would be lying if I said I'm glad to be in Iraq right now instead of with my family for the holidays. All of us here miss you all back home very much. You may never truly know how much your love in the form of letters, packages, and news from home means to us. We know that as we sacrifice here in Iraq you sacrifice at home during these holiday times without us. I just wish to thank you for your support. We all look forward to the day our job here is finished and we can come home to you, our families and friends.

1LT Jason Pyska
2nd Platoon Leader