David Winter's Tour Feburary through May 2005

Feburary

As of February 2, 2005:

To send Dave a message email Mrs. O'Donnell and she will pass it along.

A message from Dave:

Hello.
Just to update you. We are working with the ING (Iraqi National Guard) to get better at defending themselves and work better as an army. The Scouts have started signing our (LHS) flag and it will be moving out of the palace next week to a new camp for a little while but my address will still be the same. Haven't gotten any emails from anyone at the school yet either. I'm doing well, starting to get hot here. I'll keep you posted.

Dave

As of March 14, 2005

A note from Dave:

I'm doing good- missions every day sometimes 2 or more.

Things are better now that I don't live in the palace. I have to walk further
to chow, that's a down side, but I have a room with a locker and more personal space then I did. And the most important thing is that my team doesn't live with the rest of the platoon or the company.

Its been raining for 4 days finally stopped and is getting hot, I feel the summer starting now.

Hope everything back in your homes are good and hope to hear from ya'll
again soon.

Later
Dave

SCOUTS OUT

As of March 19, 2005:

Here is a couple of picture of the palace I lived in me in my gun truck and 1 of me and another scout SPC Sadang.

Dave

As of March 21, 2005:

Well to give all of you an update:

There is not much going on right now that I can say. But The good news is i'm coming home for my mid tour leave next month. Yes its soon but its gonna be time either way I go. Whether it be a lot of months at the beginning of the tour or the end, I just assume to have it now. Plus I have a friend that is leaving the theater of operation soon because of medical reasons and I want to see him.

Thank you for all the emails that I get. And Mrs. Gonzalez, thank you for the care package. After I got what I wanted from it, every one wiped out the box. So thank you from me and my fellow Scouts. I'll have more of a chance to send pictures soon. My wife is sending me a digital camera.

DAVE
SCOUTS OUT

As of April 6, 2005

Things here are getting hotter, the rainy season just ended so it has nothing to do except get hotter. Our job is getting closer to finishing up with the Iraqi National Guard (ING). For our next job we get to train new IA (Iraq Army) troops. These guys have had no interaction with American troops so its going to be a challenge. Our job is to pretty much to weed out the ones who are there to cause problems and be possible terrorists. But not to worry that's what we are here for and can take of ourselves.

We are getting ready to move once again. We can't figure out why we are moving again but we are. We get to move back into the Green zone to a place like our palace but a better setting. I'll send pictures when I can. And I will be home in 2 more weeks. Yeah, my 15 days of R&R.

Talk to ya'll soon
DAVE

SCOUTS OUT

Hello everyone,
We stared training the Iraq Army this week. Let me say it is a big task taken on by us. With people rotating out for leave such as myself, things are getting very stressful. But we will manage it. New uniforms, boots and weapons were given out to them, and they loved it. We are working on rifle marksmanship right now, but there is other tasks for us to take on, such as leadership, getting the Sergeants to think on their own and not have an office there doing it for them. Inventories- making sure they don't sell off there AKs is a big thing here. My section and I are doing very well now that leave has started. 2 Scouts have already returned to the states now I get my turn tomorrow.

Hope everything is good in the states and look forward to seeing everyone when I get back.

DAVE
SCOUTS OUT

As of May 10, 2005:

Well I'm done with my leave and headed back to Iraq today. I was very happy
to get the chance to come home and see everyone, and get a break from the
people over there. Thank you everyone for everything that you have done and for the prayers keep them coming. I will email again when I get back to my base and settled into my room.

Thanks again and can't wait to see everyone in a few months.

Dave
SCOUTS OUT

As of May 17, 2005:

I hit the ground running as soon as I got back to the section. We have been on the range late hours and started teaching patrolling procedures to the Iraqi Army. We even have taken them on a patrol in the green zone to practice without ammo(them not us). Other then that that's all we do. Nothing new yet just that we are moving a long faster then we thought we would.

Talk to every one soon
DAVE

SCOUTS OUT

As of May 25, 2005

Well its 110 every day now. Yes 110 degrees. And yes I have to wear my bullet proof vest on the range during that heat. Things are happening here that aren't good but I'm still safe and ok. With all the hard work, sweating in the sun and dealing with the Iraqi Army, there has been good news brought to us. Our replacements have done their reconnaissance of the Area of Responsibility, which means they are close to taking over from us. There is a really good chance that I will be home for Christmas, maybe even Thanksgiving but that's pushing it. So the good and the bad for this week. Thank God its almost over, can't wait until Friday. Since we work Sunday to Thursday, I get all
mixed up on the days of the week. I can't wait until I can work a real schedule with real hours.

Every one take care.

Later
Dave
SCOUTS OUT

As of May 31, 2005