UPDATE FROM CAMP BUCCA!!!

From the other side of the world: Camp Bucca, Iraq
During OIF 2007-2008

20071124
Hello all! Happy Thanksgiving to all, and thank you for sending me emails and cards on my birthday. Just a little update on the life in Camp Bucca, Iraq. Not much really changes here from day to day, but the weather seems like the only thing that is changing right now. It is now a couple of days past Thanksgiving and almost at the half way point to heading home for good. I will be coming home for the Christmas Holidays. I’ll be home for Christmas and New Years Eve. When I was in Camp Buehring they told us to put in for our leave dates and they said to pick 2 time frames that you want to go home and I was blessed to get my dates. The dates that I picked where 20 December thru 4 January and the other that I picked was 19 December thru 3 January. How funny they said and they gave me 19 Dec – 3 Jan. Another good blessing that I got. I am so excited, but I will just wait to be really excited once they put me on the bird to fly out of this hole here. Well, the rainy season is almost here as they (Iraqis) say. They say it rains and rains. So, what we are doing at work is doing some improvements out at the Compound where I work to try and keep the soldiers dry. Some of the jobs that some of soldiers have won’t have a choice but to get wet. We tell the troops to make sure you have your wet weather gear at all times in there Ruck Sacks. We are all ready. Life at the compound is the same, boring days and exciting days. Sometimes I like the exciting days, but then sometimes I don’t. When we have those days like that, sometimes we stay there hours after our shift. I can’t say a lot of stuff about this place for the security reasons, but boy howdy let me tell you. I have so much to say about this place but I can’t. When I get home I will have lots and lots of stories to tell around the camp fire for those who want to attend at the lake. I feel like one of those Vets now that have the war stories. My stories won’t be as intense as those where, but I do have some stories. There is a lot of war hero’s throughout Iraq though. And believe me, I try not to be one of those hero’s, but because of my rank and my position, sometimes… I have no choice. I will explain the word hero once I come back home. It’s not like that, but you’ll see once I come back home. EVERY soldier is a hero!
I think what I see as one of the most exciting things to see out here is to see how all the Coalition Forces work together. We work with Romanians, British, and a few others. We Army Troops are working with Navy & Air Force. I don’t see many Marines here at all. If there here they are hiding. Anyway, ya’ll take care and God Bless!!

Looking forward to coming home, loving, & missing ya’ll,
SSG Gonzalez