Convoy

Cause we gotta little ol' convoy, rockin' through the night Yeah we gotta little ol' convoy, ain't she a beautiful sight? Come on an' join our convoy, ain't nothin' gonna git in our way We're gonna roll this truckin' convoy, cross the USA [Baghdad] Convoy... Convoy...

For once I am not describing throwing fruit at fish, or the ever evolving sitcom that is the WTF 134. I finally got to be a real soldier today. As you can see from the lyrics by legend CW McCall, I went on my first convoy today. I performed duties as truck commander or TC as they say in the military. I was the point man so to speak. It bascially consisted of me keeping my ear in a radio and relaying all communication to our driver while watching for naughty hajis along the stretch of highway affectionatly called the Highway to Hell. It fortunately did not live up to its name today. I was able to lock and load my weapon as we rode outside the wire. I had the anticipation and adreniline flow that the PSD (personal security detail) goes through everyday. I thank them for getting us to our destination and back to Camp Victory safely. It was a very smooth ride, or as smooth as it can be considering where I am at. The fifteen or so minutes it took to complete our route seemed like an eternity on the way down. The IZ (International Zone) as they call it is nice, although it has that U.S. House and Senate Office building mixed with a Radison Hotel look. Many of my friends call it the Land of Milk and Honey. I like to call it the Baghdad branch of the U.S. State Department or contractor hell, depending on your perspective. I have included a photo that I took of the notorious crossed swords. It was a great experience all the way around and it was nice to get out of the office. I have also included one of me right after obtaining my HUMVEE license the other day. The roads of Victory will never be the same. Thanks for reading. I will be heading on pass for a few days and out of touch for a bit. Take care