Underneath their kevlar helmets............

.....and beneath the body armor ....there are people. Something the media rarely captures............

A letter from Josh:

Hey Nicole how are you doing. I am sorry that i sent you an email with
just pictures. I wrote about a 3 page email yesterday to you, and then
the computers crashed because they run off of generators, and they had
ran out of gas. I WAS SO HOTT. So now I have to retype it all. But that
is ok too. So how have you been doing. I was so worried that you
wouldnt write me and email back. But I am so glad that you did. That story
with the little boy in the grocerystore was really cute. I went to the
website that you gave me, and it WORKED. WOW you look like your all of 25
at most. The picture of you in Kuwait in the tent with an old navy
shirt on, you look like 19! I bet you get hit on alot by airforce guys, as
well as army. It looks like you have been everywere in the world. I was
amazed to see all of the pictures you had, with all the places you have
been. That is something very special. Not everyone gets to leave there
state more or less the country. My step father is at the same place
lace you are. He is leaving there in June. I
believe. Is going back to pope for a week before he deploys to Rammestein AFB
in germany. He will be there for about 4 months. He is there with the
53rd APS. he is 6'7 so you cant miss him. He says he works night shift
though. Anyways the reason that I didnt go to Ft. Bragg, is because in
my contract, I didnt have airborne school guarnteed to me. So by not
having that I wasnt promised a slot. The recruiter told me if i wanted in
guarnteed that I could not have left for basic until Dec. 2003, but he
assured me buy taking me to get an airborne physical, that he drill
sgts at he end of AIT would ask if anyone would like to go to airborne
school, well they didnt, so thats how I ended up in texas! I havent really
done that much in texas though I was only there for like 2 and a half
months and then I came over here. Things are going preety well here. The
usual missions, going out and looking for stuff to do. I am on a
PST team ( Personell Security Team) for our Battalion Commander, and
Battalion Command SGT Major. So anytime they leave, I am with them. I
guess you could say that I am kinda like a body guard. thats how come I
am always going to BIAP, or the green zone, or sader city. Its because
usually they have meetings up that way. As far as my address in Iraq I
can give you that. But i dont need anything at all. My church send me a
huge box every 2 weeks, and my mom sends a box everyweek, but here it
is. It usually takes 2 weeks to get mail over here. In response
to how we got over here, we flew out of Ft. Hood on a Commercial
Airline. It was one of the biggest planes that I have ever flew in. We flew
from Texas to maine, and stayed for about 45 min, due to ice on run way,
then we flew from there to Frankfort Germany, and stayed at like a
little military airport. I saw alot of Airforce there, and then we fle
w into some Kuwait Airport. It was at Camp Wolverine, which ever one
that one is. It was about a 22hr flight overall. I will never forget it
eighter. So how have you been? How do you like the airforce, I no you
just love you job. You are a really sweet person. WOW. you
seem like one of those " cool moms" you no the kind you see in movies. I
dont no. Maybe your not to busy today. I hope you got the email with
those 4 pictures. I have sent about 5 dissposible cameras home and my dad
put them all on a CD. He is sending it to me as we speak, so when i get
it I can show you some more RECENT photos of me if you wish. Well,
thats about all thats going on for now. I hope your doing well, and are
staying cool. It is really hott over here. You take care, and i am so glad
we got to talk again.
Always
Josh