Surviving... its not so bad.

[gogr2]

Hello all,

It's been a while since I have been on here. War makes internet connections not so easy to get. Though, through the science of parabolic dishes you too can pay an arm and a leg for internet. Despite the cost, It is worth being connected to family and friends.

Life is going okay out here in the sand-box. The base I am at is pretty nice compared to others I have seen. Work is constant with 12-14 hours shifts pretty much every day. Sometimes we can get a day off, but not guaranteed. Back injury has been keeping me from maximizing growth, but the back will heal and I still have another 11 months out here.

Hope all is well wherever you are all at. I'll be back at home base in Germany at the end of the year and on to a new army assignment sometime in the spring of 2009... praying for an extension in Deutschland.

Thinking Big in Northern Iraq,
Gabe

[MAZIVKAROLY]

Gabe,

First, thanks for your dedicated service.

Here's to your persistence in maintaining your fitness level and progressing whenever possible.

Hope that you receive your extended stay in Germany.

All the best, always, in all ways!

Bill

[gogr2]

Thanks Bill! I'm proud to serve the nation, its people, and really the world entire. The news isn't always truthful (in both directions), but know that things are getting better out here in the "Sandbox."

[DaBigGuy1]

I also want to say thanks and you have my good wishes out there!

And yes, give yourself time to heal and before you know it you'll be on the maximum growth road in no time! I know the feeling as I have been nursing tendonitis and forearm pain which is really keeping me from maxing out, but I tell myself to give it time....the body will appreciate it!

Keep in touch and Max Lifts to you!!!

Ron III----III

[BigLittleTim]

Dear gogr2,

Best wishes to you for a safe tour of duty and utimately a sweet berth back in Western Europe. I have a lot of friends who are, or have been, stationed in Iraq. No matter what your politics or feelings regarding the war and the administration, you have to admire the strength and dedication of our armed forces.

I've heard the gyms in Iraq are full of huge bodybuilder security guards and contractors. Strange, a friend of mine in the service who is completely anti-steroids when States-Side has no problem with enlisted men juicing in Iraq as "it's not illegal there".

Anyway. Enjoy the eye-candy and keep your head down.

Cheers, big man.

BigLittleTim

[cutlerfan]

Thank you for your service! I say that whether you are for or against a specific war/location; the military men and women who sacrifice their time, energy, and often their lives deserve our total support! Keep on holding on! Peace, cutlerfan

[abbraxis]

Well, I don't personally know any soldiers in Iraq and I really want to say thanks to you and all the others for EVERYTHING you guys do. The things you guys give up... so we don't have to... is an extreme gift that no one can really repay.

A friend from high school was in the army and went to Iraq. He was too young. He came back home and killed himself. It was very sad.

I can't imagine the stress of an enviroment like that. Whether you're in the green zone or not - just being deployed and redeployed away from friends and family... and constant air conditioning .

You deserve the thanks and gratitude of all.

[gogr2]

Hello Everyone,

Thank you for your "thank you"s... Everyone has a job, mine just happens to involve many sacrifices. It can suck, but in the end, I know I've been a part of something huge that is changing the world for the better.

BigLittleTim: There are a good number of big guys around. They are more frequent at the smaller bases where all of our grunts/ground-pounders (I say that in a brotherly-love way and likewise they call "MI Puke" in the same way) are tasked, but we still have our share at my big base. As for the steroid use, it is still illegal out here (General Orders still apply). However, its not that hard to get away with it as the usual piss-tests we take back in garrison are infrequent to non-existent. When you have to ship in the supplies from Germany, get them to the various bases, return the samples to the main bases, then send the samples back out to Germany for analysis... it becomes more work than it is worth. Oh, and I'm not a big guy... yet.

Abbraxis: Sorry to hear about your friend. A lot of stuff that happens out here FUBARs your psyche. Thankfully the military has more head shrinks in the rear waiting for our return to help us as well as deploying us with soldier/shrinks to help us deal with things on the spot. Also, the Chaplaincy corp receives a lot more psych training to support us. As for the stress, most of us tend to hit the gym to relieve it. Though, after a while, you get almost apathetic about things like the sporadic attacks on the base... mortar attacks still rattle you, but the small arms fire doesn't.

Again, thanks to all of you for your support. Keep all of us in your thoughts and prayers... also keep the people of Iraq (and Afghanistan) in your prayers as well. You think we soldiers have it bad... realize that this is happening in their neighborhoods, cities, and homes.

Catch you all later,
Gabe

[Faust2001]

I've had a friend go twice and I'm glad he's come back fine.

Hope things go well and you get reassigned to Germany. Is Ramstein the only base? It's the only one I hear about.

[gogr2]

Originally Posted by Faust2001

I've had a friend go twice and I'm glad he's come back fine.

Hope things go well and you get reassigned to Germany. Is Ramstein the only base? It's the only one I hear about.

HI Faust,

No, there are many bases out in Germany and Europe as a whole. You mainly hear about Ramstein as it is the Air Force Staging base where troops head out to the two theatres of war. The military as a whole is drawing down troop strength out in europe and consolidating bases... So by the time I get back from Iraq, there will only be about 5 bases left in germany.