So here we are, Iraq, true story. Spring is here and Baker company has hit the gym. Everyone is getting huge. Not everyone actually, I'm pretty much staying the same but most everyone else is getting in shape. Maybe it's the spring air. It still looks like Iraq. It unfortunately still smells like Iraq, but right now as the temperatures rise a little it isn't the miserable cold of winter or the oppressive heat of summer. Its just nice.

Things for Baker Company are going fairly well. At the time I'm writing this 1st platoon is out on the streets off of route Michigan searching homes and trying to rid the area of terrorists and their supporters. Most recently the company participated in two missions in the Al Jazeera region not far from our camp. Despite the missions having fancy and exciting names, things went rather quietly. We talked business with the sheik, found out the going rate for a cow is eight American dollars, and had some excellent hot Iraqi bread. Most of the Iraqi people we met were pleasant and some were actually happy to see us.

As our time in Iraq draws down and we look to leaving, key members of our unit have been selected to participate in a program to train the Iraqi Army that someday will take over in Iraq. While these men are still part of our unit and we see them at the end of the duty day, their responsibilities now take them to the other side of our camp where the Iraqi Army lives. Through the hard work of those selected officers and NCOs the United States will someday be able to leave a stable and secure Iraq.

From all of us here in the Sunni Triangle we wish you well and look forward to the day of our return.

1LT Jason Pyska
2nd Platoon Leader