armchair dot tech

I figured I should do an update as I haven’t done one in a while with all the stuff that’s been going on. We reopened the internet cafe about 7 days ago, and people starting coming back in from Fallujah around 6 days ago. They are rotating in for a couple days of R&R, and then back off to the city for 3-4 days. Basically, 4 on, 2 off, and so on. Among 3/5 there was about a dozen KIAs and a larger number of casualties. Two (1, 2) KIAs were in my section, Motor T. Those of us from Truck Co (PA) had no casualties in Fallujah. Loosing a fellow Marine is never good, but we did come out of there with a lot less injuries than expected. In Ramadi, Truck Co marines have been taking a beating over VBIEDs (vehicle born improvised explosive device, military slang for car-bombs driven by suicidal maniacs). Several of the Truck Co Marines received shrapnel to their legs, arms and face. At least 1 that I know of got taken back to Germany, and is probably home by now. He received shrapnel to his arms and face. I am told that he is in high spirits and wishes that he was back out here with all of us. I guess that (as he always says) he’s “The real deal, John Chmill”. I got some pictures off of Galterio and Cunningham. Galterio’s pictures are in the OIF2 section, and Cunningham has his own album. Granted, Cunningham’s album contains a very weird mixture of OIF2, California, and Home pictures, but it’s all good. Both albums have some pictures of the inner city of Fallujah, and I have more promised from other people on their way. I’ll post them as I get them. Cheers, John