First a quick introduction. I am Captain John Sandler, the new Charlie Company Commander as of 14 November 2004. I have been soldiering for close to 14 years as both an infantry NCO, and after attending OCS (Officer Candidate School) in 1998, as an infantry officer. I am an old captain at 39 (old but fit!), single with no children, and my parents currently live on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Okay, so why am I the new commander you may ask? As some of you may already know, my good friend, and former Charlie Company Commander Will Jones, was wounded in the lower legs in early November. Rest assured he is receiving the best care (as are all of our wounded soldiers), and is recuperating back home with his wife Suzanne and children, and still active in the FRG (Family Readiness Group).

Will left behind a great company, as I'm sure you are aware, and the company leadership; myself, the 1SG, platoon leaders and our great NCOs, continue to insure that your loved ones are competently led on the battlefield, and taken care of to the best of our collective abilities.

As noted in my salutations, the holiday season is upon us, and by the time you receive this we may already be in the New Year and that much closer to our return to Fort Carson. I realize that this is a difficult time for all of you, for this is the time of year when families should be together, and for the majority of our company, this cannot be. I ask that you continue to be strong in the absence of your loved ones, and take great pride, and let your children take great pride, in the enormous undertaking we have been committed to which keeps us from you. This vast undertaking is nothing less than the rebuilding of an entire country; its infrastructure, its education system, its government, and its very pride and sense of national identity. And this can only be done, and is being done, by the outstanding soldiers I am surrounded by everyday; your husbands, sons, and brothers.

As we continue our missions here as the most tasked line company in the battalion, I am ceaselessly amazed by the versatility and resiliency demonstrated daily by our soldiers. In Spartan conditions, and far from home and family, I have yet to see our soldiers demonstrate anything but unflagging motivation, and esprit de corps as they execute their vital mission in this real world environment. Their ability to execute a combat mission one day, and the next day, or even several hours later, transition to a humanitarian operation, be it delivering food relief to the population of Civil Town, delivering school supplies to the children of Khalidiyah, or conducting a presence patrol to give the Iraqi people a sense of security; seamlessly transitioning from aggression to compassion as the situation warrants is something unique and awesome to witness. The level of professionalism and compassion from soldiers as young as 18, is a true testament to both their training, and more importantly, to the strong and supportive backgrounds from which they come, and for this I offer you my most heartfelt appreciation for the strength you have shown.

In closing, I wish you and yours the warmest of holiday seasons, and ask that you continue to keep your loved ones in your thoughts and prayers until the day of our safe return.

CPT John H. Sandler
Company Commander