Update from Shane 8/23/05

23 August 2005
Got off of OP 3 at 0700 this morning and went to quickly get my over night stuff to go out to Dog Patch. Got to the tracks this morning and everyone was gone. No one was in sight. Finally about 10 minutes before we pulled out everyone started to show up. We were just a little late pulling out of the gate, but still had plenty of time to get to Dog Patch before 0800. On the way out of the gate, the driver of my track, who also happens to be in my team runs into a barrier on the way out of the gate. Bent the RPG rack on the left side pretty good. but other than that nothing big. But boy was SSG Collins was pissed. we headed out there with no more problems. After we got everything off loaded from the tracks I went to sleep because it had been over 24 hours since I have been asleep. But sure was nice to lay down on that cot and grab a couple of hours of sleep. Got up about 2 that afternoon and read for a couple of hours waiting on my shift to start on the roof. By the time my shift was over, dinner had made it. It was baked chicken it was O.K. Nothing to write home about but it wasn't bad either.
Then we set around and talked and me and 3 other NCO's talked about different things and debated about the Iraq constitution and if it would work or not with Muslim Law. My opinion is as long and the majority vote for it and agree to what ever comes up it will work, and that there are a couple of laws that we have that is based on our Christian religion. The prime example is same sex marriage. This debate went on for about 3 hours.
It was nice to set around and just talk.

24 August 2005
We got in this morning about 0830 and everything was great coming in no problems. We came in and got clean up and washed the Dog Patch dirt off of us and shaved. I almost had a beard when I came in this morning. Then we had to go to the white house (that is where most of the Bravo guys lived before we moved into Cans) and had to tear some stuff that was built in there out of the rooms. That took about an hour and a half no big deal. Came back and had a package on my bed and from no one else but the most perfect wife in the world with a new camera and some other goodies. Thanks for that, love.
So now I am off the rest of the day until I have OP tomorrow afternoon from 1 until 7 P.M. with Jackson. Then on the 26th we go back out to Dog Patch. We are suppose the have our first meal in the new dining hall tonight. I sure hope so because the are taking down the old as I type this e-mail.