Well, the holiday season is quickly receding behind us and we are rapidly approaching the halfway point of our deployment and that much sooner to coming home. I hope and trust all of you made the best of the holiday season, and know that we will all appreciate them that much more when we are back together again with loved ones next year.

The Hardrock family here in Habbaniyah made the best of the circumstances. On Christmas Eve, 3rd Platoon under 1st LT Highley and SFC Sturgeon were called out to maintain order at a small protest out in an area called Mudiq, and then returned to the FOB for a Christmas Eve meal of steak and lobster tail served in the company area out of plastic Mermite containers. On New Year's Eve going into New Year's Day the company conducted targeted raids on known insurgent locations in our area. Certainly not the most festive way to spend the holidays, but it certainly helped to take your mind off of them! Despite all this activity (or perhaps because of it!) morale within the company remains high. There is not a time I walk through the company or platoon areas that I do not hear the sound of laughter or good-natured ribbing. That is not to say that we don't all want to get back home, but with true professionalism, your Soldiers continue to make the best of the situation.

Also recently, the company's mission has changed slightly. We are currently conducting more QRF (Quick Reaction Force), and LOC (Line of Communication) security missions and less FOB (Forward Operating Base) security missions for the foreseeable future. This was a change which the soldiers had wanted to have happen for a while, and I think it will make the time go more quickly. The big focus in Iraq for the immediate future is the upcoming election on 30 January. Essentially, the Iraqi people will vote in an assembly which will then draft a constitution which will be ratified by another vote in October. Here in the Al Anbar province, of which Habbaniyah is a part, the concern is that the current security situation may not allow for a safe and secure voting environment. Bear in mind that whatever mission we Hardrock soldiers are called upon to perform in support of this important event, if any at all, we will accomplish with great fervor.

CPT John H. Sandler
Company Commander