Pictures

Hello everyone! So not much has happened since the last post. We did some shooting at the range. We were able to have all the guys practice shooting out of the hatches of the stryker while it was moving, which was pretty cool. Operation New Dawn has officially commenced as of today. We are doing a class tomorrow on "working with the media" to go over some talking points and how to handle an interview in case any reporters or journalists ambush one of the guys. I finally gathered some good pictures. I tried to get at least one picture of everyone. Now you can all put faces to names. Enjoy!

The platoon got to eat lunch with the Iraqi Federal Police. It's family style and you eat with your hands. Very interesting.
SPC Barnes is shooting the M9 9mm pistol in this one. We let everyone get familiar with the pistol, as most have never handled one. Only the medics (Doc Ward) carry pistols.

The guys are all re-zeroing their weapons in this one. We wanted to make sure everyone is hitting where they are aiming.

PFC Scott and SPC Serrano and hanging out in the back of the stryker during a mission. Usually we just sit around for about an hour while COL Frost conducts his meetings with the Iraqis.

This is my and the platoon sergeant, SFC Mangalino.

Here is PVT, soon to be PFC Lopez, and PVT Hart.

Background: SPC Barnes and SFC Mangalino. Foreground: unknown and Doc Ward.

Here is downtown Baqubah, the town closest to FOB Warhorse, and the one we frequent quite often for meetings.

SPC Jordan sitting on the ramp of the stryker.

PFC Scott handles all our communications equipment on top of all his other duties.

The guys spent a few hours one day practicing recovery operations in case one of our strykers breaks down.

Here is the guys' squad leader, SSG Yates, the only guy tough enough to eat an MRE when he doesn't have to.

SSG Vancour (right; not in the platoon) and I standing on the Tigris River.