Iraq Update - Hello from the surface of the sun edition.
Outdoor Dawgs - hello from the surface of the sun. It has definitely reached oppressively hot, with the daily high near 120 and the low in the mid-90s. One day last week it was 107 degrees at 9:30PM. You all have probably been following the news, and know that Mosul was recently liberated from ISIS. The final phases of this battle of good vs evil has officially commenced, with the liberation of the city where Al Baghdadi declared the caliphate, and the ISIS capital of Raqqa under siege. Much fighting remains, but the end is in sight.
On February 10, 2007 I attended the change of command ceremony where an amazing leader, General Petraeus, assumed command of the Multi-National Force Iraq in Baghdad. I can still remember writing that letter home, noting how I was standing at rigid attention in the cool morning air, while the Iraqi and US national anthems were played. Almost 10 and a half years later, I stood again in Baghdad on a hot summer day listening to those same anthems while another amazing leader, Danger 6 - Major General Joe Martin, bid farewell.
I am continually impressed at the abilities and capacities of these great leaders to condense complex thoughts into just a few, impactful words. I carry this line from GEN Petraeus' 2007 speech with me every day: "The way ahead is hard, but it is not hopeless." I will now carry one from MG Martin: "I am proof that average leaders can accomplish great things when surrounded by extraordinary people."
We are officially on our downward slope here, having only a few months to go before we return to our families. This is what we have looked forward to since December, and it is strange that a sense of nervousness sets in as that time approaches. Will my youngest daughter remember me, or be shy when she sees me? How do I not insult my wife as words can't describe the amazing job she has done managing our household, full time job and two rambunctious little girls and all their activities for a year? What will our new normal be?
This nervousness has my Team on edge, and it is getting a bit chippy around the office. If we can make it through the next two weeks without incident, we will be able to cruise to the finish line. That's kind of a downer, but I tend to get retrospective after these events. Those questions will work themselves out soon enough.
I have thoroughly enjoyed keeping up with the C&D threads, and look forward to adding my contributions again when I get home. I should have several weeks off to resume my kitchen experimentations, restarting the weekly bourbon posts, and getting some hunting and fishing in before fully returning to normal life. I am really hoping for a mild end to the summer, and cool early fall. I will be completely over the heat once leaving here.
Here's to watching Freeze buckle during the Q&A this week.
MAJ SapperDawg
