Hey everyone. It has been an eventful few months! Lots of successful missions from the men in B/6-4 CAV. And lots of successful FIRE MISSIONS by the men of 1/A/1-6 FA. We have stayed busy indeed. We have had a lot of good times and we have built up the Gunline in the meantime as well. We now have our own MWR room complete with a 42" TV just waiting on a game system to complete the mix. The room was built entirely by the Soldiers of 1st Platoon with the guidance and support of some dedicated NCOs. Making a little time for relaxing is important, especially with the high optempo of the summer months. It has given us a little break from everything to just sit back and hang out. But the work is never over. We have also built up the Gunline with new and improved ammo bunkers, reinforced to the max! It is overwhelming to see how much work can be accomplished in such a short time with such limited materials. And with no complaints. It is a constant reminder of how fortunate I am to be given the opportunity to lead these men. And I know that my fellow LTs can say the same. Being out here in such a remote area, in one of the most heavily contested areas of Afghanistan, is what the Army is all about. These are the experiences that you read about in magazines and you hear about on the news. We get to live it. It may sound crazy, but I feel like this is what it's all about. Being a Platoon Leader here as been an amazing journey. So many things have happened during this deployment, from rockets and mortars to birthdays and festivals. I came here only knowing what I've read about Afghanistan and it's people in books and Army publications, but to live with them and understand their culture is another thing entirely. And they also make delicious kabobs too!

I am thankful for the experiences we have all shared up to this point. And I still know that until all of my Soldiers step foot back on ground at Ft. Knox, it is not over.

Always ready!

(here's a pic of my 'birthday surprise' from my Soldiers and the 1SG)