Operation Tora Arwa V
Well, most of the battalion just got back from a four day mission to an area we haven’t been before. I’ll be posting an article with photos on Friday (I don’t want to get into the details now), but three of our guys were killed by roadside bombs and several others were injured. It’s been rough on all of us. A memorial service is being held on Friday. I’ll be covering the service with photos and will be sending back photos immediately. Please keep the families of those killed and wounded in your prayers. One of our fallen heroes is pictured in the photo of six guys sleeping below. He is second on the left. The photo was taken the day before he was killed.
Not an exciting job, but someone has to do it
Delicious Afghan grapes
I think she had mascara on...
A Soldier with a mortar tube sticking out of his assault pack pulls security during a patrol
I really wanted to hitch a ride on this camel for some reason
Always on the move; you sleep when you can
Desert bound 
August 5, 2009 at 12:30 pm
I’m so sorry to hear of the three young men killed. My heart goes out to you and the families. Last week our town buried a soldier killed by a roadside bomb – very sad.
Your photos are great as usual.
August 5, 2009 at 1:14 pm
I am so sorry to hear about the three guys that were killed. I am praying for the families of the people that were killed, for those injured in the attack, and for the rest of you as well. I cannot even begin the imagine how hard it must be. I look forward to seeing your coverage of the memorial service on Friday. Know that I am praying for you on a daily basis. If there is ever anything else I can do, please do not hesitate to let me know. Thank you so much for doing what you do and know that it is appreciated and respected more than you know.
August 5, 2009 at 7:39 pm
Hey Ang,
Good to hear from you as usual. I’ll keep you posted as often as possible. How are things on your end? It’s been terribly hot here lately. But the “cool,” fall months will soon roll in. While I was out on the op, the temperature at night would drop to about 80 and I would wake up shivering b/c my body is so used to 110 plus degrees. Craziness.
August 5, 2009 at 1:44 pm
It’s heartbreaking to hear of the loss.
Make sure you let everyone know that our thoughts are always with you, even more so when events such as this unfold.
Thank you for the update. The photos are wonderful, years down the road they will mean the world to you.
August 5, 2009 at 7:36 pm
Hey Heath,
I’ll pass on your message. It’s never easy, especially when all of these Soldiers have become such good friends. Hopefully I can keep this site updated more often to keep you all in touch with what we are doing.
August 5, 2009 at 3:26 pm
Thanks for the updates. Sorry for the loss. Hope things get better. I came back from Ramrod in June.
August 5, 2009 at 7:35 pm
Hey Joe,
Thanks for the reply! You can relate to the losses but it’s never easy. Hopefully things will get better as we get out of the hot, summer months. Take care and keep in touch.
August 5, 2009 at 6:35 pm
You guys are awesome and we truly appreciate your sacrifices! Thoughts and prayers go out to all families of those lost or wounded. Can’t imagine how hard it must be for your teams to have these losses….
August 5, 2009 at 7:33 pm
Thanks TC. I’ll post some more info on Friday after the memorial. Too often people forget the sacrifices our Soldiers make to keep our country and other countries a better place.
August 5, 2009 at 7:57 pm
Things are great on our end. It is about 95 here in Greenville right now and I am LOVING it. I love the heat so much more than the cold. Now I don’t know if I would love 110 degrees though. Is there humidity? We have the humidity and the heat so that makes it a little worse. Daniel is growing like a weed here. It is just crazy how fast the time goes by. I can’t believe he will be two soon! I know you know what I am talking about. You guys have two little ones. You must miss them like crazy! I’m sure that the time apart makes your time together so much more precious though. I am praying for Jen, Gavin, and Ava too. I’m sure they need it just as much as you guys do. You are so awesome to be doing what you do. And I always love to hear how you are doing. Just know you are loved and appreciated and prayed for daily. 🙂 Hope I get to see you again sometime in the future!! 🙂
August 6, 2009 at 12:31 am
My heart is so heavy today because of the awful news of soldiers killed and injured. It must be terrible to loose guys that you have trained, lived and laughed with ; I can’t imagine the pain that you are all going through. Just know that all of us back home are thinking of you and keeping you in our prayers. This terrible loss brings it home just how much our soldiers are sacrificing for this country. Please remember, at the services on Friday, that we stand shoulder to shoulder with you. We won’t let the death and injury to these good men be forgotten. They are fallen heroes and will be forever honored.
August 7, 2009 at 7:03 pm
Thank you & your fellow servicemen & women for what you are doing – please let the others you serve with that you are appreciated, loved & NOT forgotten. I have tears running down my cheeks as I read your posts. In our home we pray often for those serving in harms way. Our son served in Iraq a few years ago & his BN lost several men while there – our hearts go out to you. May the God of all comfort, comfort you now – it’s hard to lose one of your own & make those statistics you read about become REAL – those numbers represent REAL PEOPLE with REAL lives!
August 8, 2009 at 6:48 pm
It is with a sad and heavy heart that I stood proudly at dawn this morning awaiting the arrival of Pvt Patrick Fitzgibbon for his final escort home. I took the liberty of copying your photos of the memorial service you held for him and his commrades and printed them out. I gave them pictures to his Dad, Donald Fitzgibbon and he was very grateful. I am a member of the Patriot Guard Riders and we are honored to stand for those who stood for us. Our thoughts and prayers are also with your unit as you continue daily to serve your country, with the added burden of grieving for your friends and commrades. May God protect you and bring each of you home safely. If you can email me, I will gladly share some photos of the services here for Patrick. Thank you for this memorial page.
August 12, 2009 at 10:42 pm
that solder in the sunglasses sleeping is my big brother.thanks for keeping us up to date.
September 8, 2009 at 11:13 pm
I was with Patric Fitzgibbon the day he died. He was a good soldier and person always trying to do his best. I remember when Flyleaf (a rock band) came to Ramrod he got to meet them and was so excited about it. I’m glad he got the chance to go see them. That day will live in my memorys for the rest of my life and the lives of the soldiers who where next to him that terrible day. He will be missed and never forgotten….
October 9, 2009 at 2:12 am
My son is at Ramrod. Thank you for posting. I miss him so much. We pray for all of you all the time. The soldier sleeping in the picture with the caption “Always on the move, you sleep when you can” looks just like my son. He told me that the loss the unit sustained and about the memorial service. Thank you.