Letter From Iraq #18

The new year is nearly upon us and the good news that comes with that is that according to the countdown timer that we have here at work we will have approximately fifty days left before we start heading home.  To most people fifty days still sounds like a lot, but when you take it into context of the whole deployment it isn’t so bad.  Most of the Army people here are on fifteen month deployments and most of them can’t imagine only having fifty days left until they get to return to their families.

I want to take a quick second to thank everyone who took the time these past few weeks to send emails, cards, and packages for Christmas.  As I mentioned last week, I have been spending a lot of time at the post office lately to help them get all of the incoming mail sorted in time for mail call each day.  One of the days that I was there, right before Christmas, I was actually able to find two packages that were sent to me while I was there sorting.

The funny thing about both of the packages is that they both had a letter in them that said they didn’t think that they would arrive by Christmas.  The post office is a wonderful mystery and I have a feeling that a lot of people don’t really know how it works.  Through the magic that is the post office though, they were able to get them here in time.  I want to thank the Moszers from Bismarck for the package that they sent.  I really enjoy the beef jerky and all of the other goodies.  I have also started reading the book that you sent and so far it is pretty good, though I haven’t gotten too far because I am in the middle of a different book right now and I would like to finish that one first.  I also want to thank you for the clementines that you sent.  I love them and they didn’t last to long since I ate them both right away after opening the box and finding them.

I also want to thank the Dyer family from Tumwater, Washington.  Sandy works at the Law Library at the capital with my girlfriend Megan and has been reading these letters when Megan brings them in.  I appreciate the box of snacks and the letter, even though I think we have only really met in passing, it’s still nice to know that people every where, even people that I don’t know all that well, are keeping us in their thoughts and prayers.  I’m also intrigued by this lasagna that you speak of, I’m not sure it would have made it through the mail, but if it had I definitely would have scarfed it down.

In all of the letters and emails that I have received, everybody tells me that they hope that I have a good Christmas, even though I am so far away from home.  Well, in all reality it turned out to be a pretty good holiday.  Christmas day wasn’t all that exciting since I slept most of the day but Christmas Eve proved to be quite a bit of fun.  While I was at the PX that morning I was being helped by one of the civilians that also attends the Catholic Mass and so we knew each other.  She informed me that the civilians, local nationals, and third country nationals were having a Christmas party that night.  She told me that there would be music, food and games.  In the military we have a large number of people that are from the Philippines and so I have attend some Philippino parties in the past and they are a lot of fun and the food is great.  Once I was told that there would be food I was sold on the idea of getting out of bed early for a party.  So that evening I got up a little early and headed over to the party.  I kind of figured that I would be one of only a handful of military people there but in all actuality there were quite a few people there.  And as always the food was great and the games, even though they were a little different, were still enjoyed by everyone there.

The convenient part of the party was that it was just down the street from the chapel and so after being at the party for a while I was able to just walk a short distance to go to the church for Christmas Eve Mass.  A lot of the people from the party also made it to church.  After mass was over I was invited back over to the party.  As much as I would have loved to have gone back over there, I had to work that night and so I wasn’t able to keep partying, but it was fun none the less.

On Christmas the big deal that was going on here was the meals that are served at the DFAC (Dining FACility).  From my understanding, it was a lot like what they do for Thanksgiving and so that means the place was all decked out in decorations.  One of the other traditions around the military during holidays is to have the higher ups serve the food.  So when you go to the DFAC and you go through the shed to have your ID checked it might be a First Sergeant that is checking them instead of a Private or a Specialist.  When you go through the line to get your food it is a Captain or a Lieutenant Colonel that is serving instead of the normal DFAC workers.  It builds the sense of family that you often see in the military.  Even those these soldiers, marines, sea men, and airman are so far away from their families in the states it doesn’t mean that they don’t get to spend the holidays with family.  It isn’t a biological family but we care for each other just as much as if they were our brothers and sisters.

The only other thing that has happened here in the last week is that Megan and I decided recently to get a cat.  We decided on a black and white one since it would match all of the cow stuff that I have in my apartment.  I was even fortunate enough to get to pick the name and since I got my pet naming abilities from my dad I decided that we would name her Moo Cow or just Moo for short.  When Megan picked up Moo from the shelter she told them what we were naming her and they thought it sounded like a 3 year old picked the name.  I think it’s a very catchy name and soon everyone will want to use it.

Well, as a look at the clock it is telling me that it is time for me to sign off for another week so that I can get the last of my work done for the morning and then I can go to breakfast.  I wish everyone a very happy New Year and I think this next one will be best one yet.

If you have a question that you would like to ask or just want to say Hi feel free to email me at john.iraq@hotmail.com.  If you would like to write and send the letter through the post office my mailing address is:

SSgt Ferderer, John B.

F Co. 5-158 AVN (AF Weather)

FOB Diamondback

APO, AE 09334

Until we meet again, Have A Great Air Force Day!