I'm Wondering If People Know How Much Work It Is

If you are a dedicated reader of this not-updated-nearly-enough-to-expect-loyal-readers blog, you know that Greg and I founded and run a nonprofit organization called Pro vs. GI Joe. There have been times when I've written about how proud we are of it - and that's true. I've also written about progress we've made - and that's true. But I've never elaborated on just how difficult it is to get a NONPROFIT (meaning, NO PROFIT) organization up and running. Especially one that requires advanced technology, access to celebrities and professional athletes (often times with annoying and aggressive publicists and managers in the way), and cooperation from our military at war. Oh, and there are just two of us working the beat - in addition to other jobs that actually pay the bills.

Now, I'm not saying this to warrant pity. I'm just not sure, based on conversations I've had recently, that people realize how much work it is. Because we are a nonprofit, we rely solely on donations, contributions and more than anything else, a belief in what we are doing.

In case you don't know, this is what we do: We set up real-time video game competitions between professional athletes in the states and troops stationed overseas via the internet using XBox Live. Basically, we connect soldiers to athletes in real-time for some good hearted and fun competition!

Sounds like it should be cut and dry, right? Not so much.

First you have to have a website because when you talk to people about your biz, they understandably ask to be directed to it. Good websites, the kind that give you some cred, are not cheap. So then you have to basically pitch your nonprofit to a company that produces them and hope they believe in what you do - and HOPE they donate it out of the goodness of their heart. We found that with AWS Sports (our FIRST believer!!), though there was some cost to us. Then you have to file for the 501c3 status with the Federal Government and it is not easy - especially when you have little to no experience in the nonprofit world! That also costs hundreds of dollars - and there is no donation for this!

So once you're a few thousand dollars in the hole, you can start making calls to companies and corporations you feel would appreciate what you're offering people - in this case, our troops. That is about as easy as getting a professional athlete on the phone. It's incredibly difficult and requires tenacity, persistence, and a certain amount of bravery. You also have to be on your game because their time is valuable and if you do get them on the phone, your first pitch has to be a good one. I've spent a lot of time speaking in front of people, but it's daunting knowing that if you don't sell it quickly, you will lose them quickly...and you NEED these people because you are hoping to use THEIR resources (product and money) to grow your organization.

Bottom line is, a year after coming up with the idea, we are now planning our first competition between professional athlete and soldiers stationed in Iraq. The road we've taken to get here has been challenging, frustrating, tiresome, and awesome...and we've got a lot of people and companies on our team...but we need more.

We need donations. We need financial sponsorships. We need athletes. We need celebrities. We need more website traffic.

I'm not expecting people to open up their wallets and purses and give it all to us! I guess I just want people to know that when you dedicate yourself to improving the lives of others, it's a lot of work - and in the nonprofit world, there is little to no compensation for the work you do. And trying to figure out how to get money in order to make your vision a reality is trial and error...and soooo hard to figure out. You basically have to go to a company and/or corporation and tell them why they should spend their money on you instead of the hundreds of others that ask for it.

AND WE HAVE A SUPPORT-THE-TROOPS NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION DURING A VERY UNPOPLULAR WAR!

Most people know the difference between supporting the war and supporting the troops but believe me, some people don't!! And when you finally get someone on the phone and you say you're from a "nonprofit organization" [translation: "we want free stuff"], they are immediately skeptical!

I could go on and on about the challenges and I probably will as we plan events and travel the country connecting our GI JOES to our PROS. It's incredibly rewarding and we do it because we KNOW we are unique. We KNOW you will love it. We KNOW the athletes and celebrities will love it. We KNOW the companies/corporations will love it.

But most of all, WE KNOW OUR TROOPS DESERVE IT.

www.prosvsgijoes.org

I'm On A Jet Plane

I'm leaving Iraq tonight...and should be home in about two weeks. I will follow this up with a longer post very soon but I just wanted to say thanks to everyone who read this during my deployment. I didn't post nearly as much as I'd hoped I would but I won't stop simply because I am leaving. There are still stories to tell and I will post them here.

More from Kuwait...

Fallen Soldier’s Family Shows Iraqis Love

I love this family. I would like to think I could be this selfless if ever tested the way the Barnes family has been. I don't need to explain it now; just read this story written by Staff Sergeant Tony Lindback from the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). This is an incredible family....and an amazing community. It's just unbelievable.



PATROL BASE YUSIFIYAH, Iraq – Whoever said violence begets more violence never met the family of Sgt. Nathan Barnes. American Fork, Utah, native Sgt. Nathan Barnes, a Soldier with 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, was killed in Rushdi Mullah, Iraq, when his unit came under attack by small-arms fire July 17. Rather than hold bitterness toward the people of a foreign land where their son died, Barnes’ family is embracing them. Barnes often sent home photos of children in the areas he served. His father, Kevin, said Nathan truly loved the Iraqi children. Nathan’s love for those children inspired his father and other residents of American Fork to collect enough donated items to fill a 40-foot shipping container. Sewing machines, book bags, newborn kits, personal hygiene items, food, toys, children and women’s clothing, school supplies and even wheelchairs were donated to residents in and around Rushdi Mullah and Yusifiyah, places Barnes did most of his service in Iraq. Rushdi Mullah, where Barnes was killed, is one of the communities now supported by Rakkasan Soldiers of 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). The Rakkasans took on the task of distributing the items once the shipping container arrived in Iraq. Company C, 3-187th Inf. Regt., distributed some of the gifts at a school in Mullah Fayad, an impoverished Yusifiyah community. Santa Barbara, Calif., native 1st Lt. Casey Zimmerman, who helped hand out the donations at the school, wanted everyone to know the source of the aid. “I made a point at the beginning to convey who Nathan Barnes was, how he died, and what kind of loving family and country he belonged to,” Zimmerman said. “I bet we saw over 1,500 men, women, and children – mostly children.” The generosity of the Barnes family and the American Fork community led to a similar address in Rushdi Mullah by Brig. Gen. Ali Jassim Muhammad Hassen Al Frejee, commander of the 25th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division. “A Soldier who came from thousands of miles away and was killed here – his family spends money to rebuild this area,” Ali said. “We have to respect that.” Capt. Clifford Kazmarek, commander of Company B, 3-187th Inf. Regt., said the experience was remarkable and humbling. “I have just the greatest amount of respect for that family for doing this, and I know that the people here truly appreciate it,” Kazmarek said. The citizens received most items with a smile and without hesitation. But there was one gift that had many children puzzled. “The Frisbee befuddled them,” said Pittsburgh native Capt. Michael Starz, commander of Co. C, 3-187th Inf. Regt. “They didn’t quite grasp the concept. They thought it was a serving plate so we had to engage with the kids for a few throws until they got the idea. In the end, though, they still said, ‘Where’s the football?’” There were many footballs – soccer balls to Americans – handed out as well. Thousands of Iraqis from Rushdi Mullah and Mullah Fayad benefited from the generosity. “I never imagined a family – American or otherwise – could provide unmitigated charity to the people of a foreign town in which their son was killed,” Zimmerman said. “The Barnes family and those who have contributed to their noble foundation are true testaments to America's values.”




God Bless Nathan and his family. Thank you for your sacrifice and kindness.

Something I Should've Done Months Ago

Every day I spend here in Iraq, I hear (but mostly read) stories about the GOOD things that are happening in this country. No, I am not hearing it from one of the four televisions perched up on the wall in the Media Operations Center at 3rd Infantry Division Headquarters in Baghdad. No, no, that would be silly. That would mean one of the Big Four networks would break from the norm and actually produce a story on the progress being made. Let me also say I realize that stories about the new Fish Farm Association in North Babil that employs thousands of local citizens to produce seven million pounds of much needed fish for Baghdad residents isn't as sexy as a story about a female suicide bomber strapping on a vest and killing herself and several Iraqis in their home. I get it. I make my living in television. I like to think I have a good understanding of what will and won't make the news.

But that doesn't make my job any easier.

In addition to being a journalist, I am also responsible for Media Relations. In fact, that is ALL I do down here under the 3rd Infantry Division. My job is to push our story to local and national media outlets as well as the Baghdad Bureaus here in Iraq. Let me just say this: it is no easy task.

Day in and day out, I sit behind a desk and call, email, and schmooze Baghdad media so they'll pay attention to the progress being made in the 3rd Infantry Division's Area of Operation - an area rougly the size of West Virginia.

3ID is part of last year's surge. It is the main division efforting (I don't know if this is a verb the military made up or a real word but I use "efforting" a lot here) the surge. 3ID's mission is to block accelerants (insurgents/terrorists/militias) into Baghdad, secure the population, and defeat sectarian violence in order to create conditions for long term Iraqi self-reliance.

For almost 14 months now, with almost 20,000 soldiers, 3ID has served remarkably, kicking down doors of terrorist safehouses, killing the enemy while protecting the popoulation, living on barely functioning patrol bases and combat outposts established in order to live among Iraqi communities (to better protect citizens from terrorists/insurgents). They are basically sacrificing the comforts and relative safety offered on a FOB (Forward Operation Base) to ensure a more stable life for Iraqis.

I don't say this to garner sympathy and/or pity for these soldiers; I say this to paint a better picture about what life is like out here.

The point is, that despite all the horrid images you see on the news - things that DEFINITELY occur out here - there are small miracles happening every day as well - and somewhere, in some province or holy city or farming community, SOLDIERS are providing a better life for IRAQIS. I'm telling you, it's happening. That doesn't mean the bad stuff isn't important...it is...but so are these stories and though you rarely hear about them, they are happening.

How do I know this if I am sitting behind a desk? Because every day, military journalists (myself included) risk their lives to tell the stories the mainstream media are reluctant to tell. I'm not naive; I get WHY they don't tell these stories. There are limited minutes and more important stories in the world to tell; If it bleeds, it leads; Polygamists, Popes, and Primaries take the top slots. Believe me, I get it. And I don't think everyone is reluctant to tell the stories; just the ones who ultimately make the decisions.

So that is why I've decided, in all of my frustration in not being able to deliver good news to Major Conway (truly, the best media relations officer I've ever met in the military and my boss), that I would post the good stories I can't sell to the Big Four on my blog.

I may have a relatively small audience, but if you spread the word, perhaps the audience will grow and the Big Four will see there are people out there who care about what we, the SOLDIERS, are doing EVERY SINGLE DAY to make this a better place for the people of Iraq. For us, it's not about politics; it's about caring and helping and compassion. It's about the value of another human life.

It's no wonder the powers-that-be at the Big Four aren't sold on these stories. They aren't the ones meeting these wonderful men and women, children, babies - Iraqis...touching them, hugging them, drinking chai with them, rebuilding with them, talking with them. They have no idea what their life is like, what OUR life is like.

So since they won't tell our story, we will. I should have done this months ago.

The following is a story written by SGT Kevin Stabinsky of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division on FOB Kalsu, Iraq. This is a wonderful story and not one media outlet picked up on it, despite my best efforts. From now on, I will post these stories here...and I ask you to spread the word if they touch you...or even if they don't. This is the kind of work your American soldiers do in addition to ridding this place of bad guys. They deserve recognition.



FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq - Her hands run across his hand, her fingers explore his features. She asks her father: Is he fat or skinny? Tall or short? She is trying to learn about the man she cannot see, the one who strives to end the mystery surrounding him and the world around her. First Lt. Michael Kendrick, platoon leader of 2nd Platoon, Company D, 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, said it is his goal to replace the mental picture young Noor Taha Najee has of her father with the actual image. Noor, a 5-year-old girl who lives in al Buaytha, has been blind since birth, a condition caused by poorly-developed corneas, said her father Taha. It is a problem which runs in the family. Taha's brother, Mustafa, also suffers from the birth defect, one that prevents the eyes from registering anything other than light sensitivity. Although the condition is genetic, it is one that can be fixed through surgery. Kendrick, a native of Phoenix, Ariz., and his unit have been working closely with doctors to try to get something done for the family. "To have her see her family, her brothers, to put a face to the voice, it would be a blessing," Taha said of the opportunity to help give sight to his daughter and brother. The Eye Defects Research Foundation, a nongovernmental organization based in Los Angeles, is already trying to schedule a surgery for the girl. On March 14, the Soldiers took Noor and her uncle to the 86th Combat Support Hospital in Baghdad to get an evaluation done on the two, which showed a higher potential for success with Noor. "We're on standby now, waiting for a doctor in L.A.," Kendrick said. He said they are now trying to find a local Iraqi doctor who would be willing to travel with Noor and her family to California. An Iraqi doctor is needed who could be shown the necessary follow-up care. Such a gift would seem appropriate for a girl who is described as very generous and giving by her father. "She's different from many other kids," Taha said. "She's always sharing. She'll give you anything." It is a personality trait which has endeared her to the 2nd Platoon Soldiers. "We've taken a real vested interest in the people here," Kendrick said, adding his Soldiers spend a lot of time on the ground, interacting with residents. "We empathize with the people. It pays dividends winning the hearts and minds. It keeps things quiet." Noor has developed quite an attachment to Kendrick, Taha said. "She likes to sit by him, and is always asking me about him and loves it when I tell her stories about him," he said. "She's only like that with Kendrick." As a father of two young girls himself - Presley, 3, and Parker, 1, Kendrick said he knows the importance of family and providing for them. While she may not be able to see what the Soldiers are doing for her, Taha said Noor can definitely sense the good will of Kendrick's platoon. "Love begins in the mind, not the eyes," Taha said.

Snapshot Of My Life

Yesterday was the sandiest day I've spent in the two years I have lived in this country. Unfortunately, it was also the day we packed all of our equipment in the Connex and we had to be outside ALL DAY LONG. I can't pretend I had it the worst, however. I had to be in the office periodically to work on Media Embeds and an upcoming Media Lunch in the Green Zone. The majority of the 302nd, on the other hand, had sand in every.single.crevice.

We're all coughing and wheezing today. Go figure. It was insane. And ORANGE!!

Just Another Video...

Just trying to post some additional videos from my time here. We have just a few weeks left in this sandy country...

This is a Thanksgiving video I made for my hubby and family. It's months old, obviously, but it's still relevant as the music behind it, Michael Buble's "HOME" is especially meaningful because it's soon going to be a reality!

Women's Military Appreciation

Wow, I'm terrible!! Sorry, it's been a VERY BUSY few months. I am now in Baghdad working with the 3rd Infantry Division. It's different...but good.

Here is a special I produced to celebrate women in the military in honor of Women's History Month. We've come a long way since the days of Deborah Sampson. Enjoy.

One Of My Stories from Iraq

This is a story I covered in December just outside of Balad. The American Military Police are training the Iraqi Police and this was one of the classes. These soldiers are active duty MP's from Alaska and are on a 15-month deployment. This is a really great example of American soldiers working alongside, and training, Iraqis so they can secure their own country and we can get home sooner.

It's So Nice To Be Home

I'm not exactly home but it sure feels close. After traveling for four days, sitting in Kuwait for two days, enduring a 2 hour trip to the airport in Kuwait, a 6 hour flight to Germany, a two hour layover, followed by a 10 hour flight to Atlanta, another two hour layover followed by a 2 hour flight to Dallas....I've ended up at the USO lounge at the Dallas/Fort Worth airport.

This place is fantastic. Full of wonderful people greeting us with cheers, handshakes, and patriotic salutes. They even have Diet Mt. Dew in the fridge. I'm salivating at the high speed internet. It's the little things people.

My clothes are dirty and I need a shower but I just can not wait to hop on that plane to California and hug my husband and doghter!

If you've ever thought of supporting a non-profit (other than Pros vs. GI Joes of course), the USO is a great place to do it...they make life better for troops and they're always there with a hug, handshake, and even a Diet Mt. Dew.

If you haven't guessed, I'm on my two week vaca from the sandbox. It's so great to be back in the USA!!

The Fallen

I must say that despite my best efforts, keeping up with this blog has been challenging. You see, I have internet in my trailer, without limitations, but I have to string the cord roughly 300 feet from the portal to reach my trailer and on several occasions, the cord has been severed and/or the connection lost. It works maybe 40% of the time and I pay $85 bucks a month for it! That's some costly instant messaging wouldn't you say? Point is, the only place I can update this is in my trailer and I can barely get on-line to email my husband! I do have internet access at the office but because they are government provided computers, we can't access most sites, especially if it has blog in the URL. It's quite frustrating actually because most news sites are blocked and articles I wish to read on the election or on the news that shapes our world aren't accessible. And since I don't have cable in my room, a lot of the time I feel fairly secluded from what's going on outside the cement t-wall barriers and constantina wires of the FOB.

But it's when I get outside the confines of this base that I truly find out what is going on. I am reminded, sadly, of the price many people are paying.

Two weeks ago, I was told to pack lightly for a pretty high-speed mission outside the wire. I didn't really know what was going on but I knew it wasn't going to be the kind of story I usually cover here on LSA Anaconda. This was, they said, the 101st Airborne Division's response to the death of three of their soldiers.

We left the FOB (Forward Operation Base) before the sun came up on a Friday, convoying through freezing rain and yes, snow in the desert. I traveled with the 2nd Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment out of Fort Campbell, Kentucky. Their mission was to suppress the objective (enemy) using 1200 rounds of highly explosive ammunition (artillery) from their offensive staging area 10 kilometers away. Basically, they were tasked with raining explosive hell on an Al Qaeda base camp (the objective) just south of Samarra until ground forces could go in and finish the job.

To understand this operation, you must first understand the events leading up to it. On February 8th, soldiers conducting ground patrols in the area received word about suspicious movement within the high reeded farmlands in Samarra. Those soldiers, consisting of squads from Alpha Company, 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, set out to recon the area. As they were doing this, they were ambushed by the enemy who, they later found out, were Al Qaeda insurgents conducting extensive operations against US and coalition forces in the area.

During the 3 hour battle, 3 United States soldiers died. 19-year-old PFC Ivan Merlo, 20-year-old PFC Phillip Pannier, and 22-year-old SGT David Hart. When our young men die, there is a price to pay. And that price came in the form of OPERATION FULTON.

It's unclear how many of the enemy were killed but what is clear is that their little sanctuary of hate in the middle of Samarra is now nothing more than an open air morgue of smoldering debris. No one wants to think of soldiers dying to further the war but in this case, these brave men truly did not die in vain. The offensive launched as a result of their deaths, Operation Fulton, unearthed one of the largest Al Qaeda strongholds in the region. Within those reeds were underground tunnel systems, dug-in fighting positions, medical stations, and escape routes. Al Qaeda planned and conducted attacks against US and coalition forces like dirty little tunnel rats until January 8th when our soldiers, including PFC Merlo, PFC Pannier, and SGT Hart fought and died to take them down.

When I cover stories like this, I am so humbled by what I see and hear. I talk to young men who helplessly watch their friends die and somehow, they still soldier on. When they talk to me, they are methodical in their thinking and speaking, almost robotic in their delivery. They are sad, I'm sure, but they keep emotion out of it. They have to. Because they aren't going home any time soon and this ambush may be just one of many they will face until that time comes.

It's also times like these that I'm reminded what my job is as a soldier. That although the last thing they want to do is recount what killed their friends, this is their opportunity, through me, to tell the story of their friends as soldiers, as heroes, as men. I'm humbled by that and I realize that if I didn't serve my country while holding a camera, you may never know the names IVAN MERLO, PHILLIP PANNIER, and DAVID HART and the sacrifice they made for all of us.

19 Year Old Ivan Merlo

20 Year Old Phillip Pannier

22 Year Old David Hart

Just So You Don't Think It's All Bad

I'm Ashamed But Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!!

Okay, so maybe I am not really that ashamed but I AM really sorry! Does that count? I keep promising that I will post more often only to NOT post and fib like a fool! Okay, so the buck stops here! Mark my words: I will post more often and I'm about to set a goal of two posts per week! I can do it! I know I can!

I realize I sound like a loon but I just put in an 18 hour work day on Christmas - I'm beat and probably a little nutty at this point. We had a pretty good day - a busy one - but good. I talked to my wonderful HUSBAND a few times which always make me incredibly happy and today even made me cry. I talked to my mom, my grandmother and my in-laws as well. It was wonderful to hear their voices. Everyone sent great gifts, which I'll explain with pictures later in the week, especially Greg who always manages to outdo himself!! He is so thoughtful and creative - unless you've seen the prizes (yes, I call presents "prizes") he gets me, nothing will prepare you! I truly hit the husband jackpot! Here's a tease: he let me know he has "A WONDERFUL LIFE". Eek, I can't wait to share!!

For now, though, I'm going to wrap this up and hit the sheets. I will be back tomorrow and I'm sure I'll find something interesting to talk about! Perhaps what's been keeping me busy for the last month? Yep, that sounds good. More on that tomorrow.

Until then, MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS! And to anyone who lost a child, husband, wife, grandchild, father, mother, grandfather, grandmother, or friend in this WAR, this year or any other, my heart and the heart of my family go out to you. Thank you for your sacrifice and I'm just so so sorry for your loss. We are all thinking of you today....

Apparently, Iraq Is My Catwalk

I’ve been a bad girl. It’s been almost a month since I’ve updated and I really am sorry for that. I know people look forward to hearing what is going on and seeing pictures. So much for my Picture of the Day, huh? I will be better, REALLY, I promise. I’ll be better.

It’s been a busy month, which is a good excuse for why I haven’t posted, but it wouldn’t be the truth. It’s just that when I finally get back to my trailer at night, usually after 9pm and a 12 to 15-hour day, I’m just too tired to be creative and/or entertaining. And I realize you don’t need me to be creative, you just want “me”, but there is some pressure when you know people will be reading.

Life out here is pretty good, all things considered. It’s very different than my first tour - I mean, really different. In the Green Zone in 2004, we were surrounded by hundreds of civilian contractors, federal employees from the Department of Defense and State Department, and local Iraqis hired for daily work in “the zone”. I was covering stories that spanned the country – from oil refineries, hospitals, schools, and even the Babylon ruins. Occasionally, those stories would involve soldiers but mostly, they were stories of rebuilding and restructuring, and often times they starred civilians who were paid big bucks to improve the quality of life in Iraq. Admittedly, those stories were fun because I got to travel and see a lot of things, but I didn’t truly get a solid appreciation for what the soldiers on the ground were doing on a daily basis – because mostly I was interviewing civilians. Now, although the mission isn’t as “sexy” (my detachment falls under a “sustainment” command – which means feeding supplies to troops in theater), I certainly do appreciate what the soldiers are doing on a daily basis and just how vital and important their role is in this conflict. I’m not talking politics; I’m talking soldiering.

Every day, there are soldiers who go on “route clearance” missions outside the wire. They are the soldiers who go out before the supply delivery convoys, usually before the sun comes up, and scout for IED’s or other known threats in the area. They do this so the supply convoys have a better chance of reaching their destination without incident – meaning, they clear the route of potential bombs that cause unimaginable damage and harm. Take a minute to think of that as your job – something that becomes so routine you forget there is a good chance it can kill you. Personalize it, if you can. It’s mind blowing to think of what theses men and women do for a living. That, for whatever the reason is they joined the military, they now find themselves confronting explosives head on and detonating them before they kill their battle buddies. It sounds cheesy but to me, it’s awe-inspiring. I do little in comparison to these soldiers; I simply put a camera in their face and ask for the privilege to tell their story but seeing it firsthand gives me a much deeper appreciation for how tough, and dangerous, a job it is.

We don’t get caught up in the politics of this War. In fact, I feel pretty out of touch with what is going on in the news, unlike last time. I rarely, if ever, have time to watch television or read the newspaper, and I don’t have any idea what is going on with the Presidential race. In less than a year, we will have a new Commander in Chief, and most of us are so busy with our mission, we have little time to absorb information that will help us cast our vote. I anticipate many trips here by Presidential candidates in 2008. The military vote is a large one and whoever is voted in office has a huge responsibility with our lives. I don’t envy that responsibility (shudder).

Before I came here, I authored a post on this blog labeled “Care Packages”. I thought it was fairly information and I knew some people might think the comment about the letters from school children being largely unnecessary was a bit harsh, but I didn’t think it would warrant this type of backlash:

Anonymous said...

My, my the Department of Defense is spending its money well on you. Pretty as a picture and living in luxery in Iraq. And that deal you have with Netgrocer (another client of your firm?) must be very lucrative.

Many soldiers are living in very remote, dangerous and inconvenient areas. They write daily to an organization you put down and say that any communication with soldiers would be GREATLY appreciated. Your crack about "random" letters from midwestern school children tells most of us that you are a PR plant. A well paid (and well housed) model posing as a PR person hired by the government to show us what a great old time our soldiers are having.

I support this effort and our troops and don't advise sending junk at all. However, it is very clear that you have an agenda and that the solders would be best served by the unpaid citizens who supprt them and not some press release writer like you are.

Wow...I'd love to meet this person face to face. Better yet, I'd love this person to meet my mom, my husband, my brother and sister, my in-laws, my friends, and my boss's at Access Hollywood and SDI who have also had to sacrifice and worry every single day that I've spent in Iraq since late 2003. I understand someone taking my post out of context, but this particular commenter clearly has an agenda of his or her own. Just for giggles, in case "anonymous" comes back for a second round of MY LIFE A to Z literature, I'll address some of the accusations with proof they are more than a little ill-informed.

Pretty as a picture and living in luxery in Iraq.

Does anyone else find this part of the sentence bizarre? "...living in luxery (sic) in Iraq". Who thinks that ANYONE is living in luxury in Iraq? hahahahaha...okay moving on.

I guess I should take the compliment and accept that sometimes I am pretty as a picture. After all, I am assuming the picture he/she is looking at is from my wedding and if HAPPINESS equals PRETTY, them I'm guilty as charged. As for living in luxery (um, spell check is key if you are going for credibility), try this out for size: I have sand in nearly every crevice; my fingernails, no matter how often I clean them, are always dirty; I share a porto potty with hundreds of strangers at least 5 times a day; I share a very small room with another woman, virtually guaranteeing little or no privacy for a year; I live on a base that is mortared several times throughout the day and my wake up call sometimes sounds like this: "this is the command post, there has been an indirect fire attack. I repeat, there has been an indirect fire attack. seek cover seek cover seek cover."; every day I inhale toxins and who knows what else from smoke that rises from the huge fire pit on base; several times a month, I seek to tell stories that can potentially kill me, because that is my job; my husband of just six months, my family, friends and job are more than 8,000 miles away; And I live in the most dangerous country in the world. Some luxurious life, huh? If I'm not mistaken, save for the "cot life" in Kuwait on my way here, I've never really complained about the set up, have I? Just checking.

that deal you have with Netgrocer (another client of your firm?) must be very lucrative.

hahahahahaha - I've personally spent hundreds of dollars at Netgrocer.com during my deployments. I've yet to see any dollaz coming to me....hahahahahaha. This is fun.

Many soldiers are living in very remote, dangerous and inconvenient areas.

This is very true and I have addressed the living conditions of these soldiers, including my appreciation for what they do. Perhaps he/she should read the entire post, and they'll see that.

They write daily to an organization you put down and say that any communication with soldiers would be GREATLY appreciated.

I didn't put any organization down; I simply said that many (but not all) soldiers want to communicate with people they know, instead of complete strangers. If you are not a member of the military, you probably don't understand. At first, the letters are cute but after a while, you crave personal communication. ALL communication is appreciated but some is more effective than others. That is all I was trying to say. Jeez.

...tells most of us that you are a PR plant. A well paid (and well housed) model posing as a PR person hired by the government to show us what a great old time our soldiers are having.

Bitter much? Yea, I'm Sydney Bristow and this is my version of Alias, only I'm a model and Iraq is my catwalk. How many models do you know are PR plants - in the most dangerous countries in the world? And how many models do you know make $28,000 a year working internationally, as I apparently am right now? Better yet, if I am a model posing as a PR plant, why do I look like a soldier? I'm wearing a uniform so according to "anonymous" that would make me a soldier plant, not a PR plant. Hahahaha...thanks for the model compliment though. Camouflage does suit me, I'll give you that. Keep reading this blog, and the one from last time, and you'll see, if the government is paying me to push positive stories about them, they aren't using their money wisely.

it is very clear that you have an agenda and that the solders would be best served by the unpaid citizens who supprt them and not some press release writer like you are.

Tsk Tsk. Again with the spellcheck. Look in to it. For the record, I think the soldiers are very well served by me, not as a "model pr plant", but as their battle buddy. I serve alongside them, with them at times, through 2 deployments, while documenting a truly unique and intense time in their lives; a time when all they want to do is succeed at their mission so they can return home in one piece; a time when many of them lose friends in an instant while keeping Americans safe to enjoy their freedom; a time when emails make the difference in their day and a care package from their family fuels the energy they need to keep going; a time when people like anonymous questions their service and try to make them feel guilty because they are provided with a decent bed to sleep on. But they keep going because that's what soldiers do.


Greg will laugh at me responding to "anonymous" and I don't blame him because I'm giving attention to someone whose comment was buried in a post from months ago. When I first read it, it really did bother me. In fact, I was pissed. But then I cooled off and laughed about it. The model bit was my favorite. And while I am no longer upset about it, I wanted to defend the allegations, not for most people who read this blog but for those like "anonymous" who feel I was disrespectful in my post.

Mostly, though, I'm fighting back because this deployment and separation is very painful to me. Every day I hurt, just like thousands of other soldiers, and whether they are resting comfortably in trailers or sleeping uncomfortably on the sand, the pain of prolonged separation is the same. And if one person, whether I know them or not, questions the sincerity of my service, I take it personally. I'm not some high paid model working undercover in Iraq; I'm an American soldier and this is my second tour of duty in a war zone in service of my Country. I am sacrificing, my family is sacrificing and thousands of Americans have paid the ultimate sacrifice. I will not allow some random comment to cheapen that.

The GI JOES are ready for the PROS!

I know I have been lax on my postings and I'm sorry but this has been an incredibly busy week. I will post soon, a long post that is long overdue, but for now HERE are some GI JOES stationed in Iraq who are talkin' trash to the PROS! They can't wait for the competitions to begin!

Snapshot of My Life

Here I am before the CLP (Combat Logistics Patrol) I went on outside the wire last week. The vehicle I'm standing in front of is a ASV (Armored Security Vehicle). I am aware I look like a Ninja Turtle but if we are attacked, that gear will help save my life. You can't see it but in addition to my M16, I am also carrying a camera and a tripod. People think our job is easy but any military broadcaster will tell you it's always a challenge being a "one man band" reporter on missions like these. There is nothing easy about that.

I Adore My Husband

I am back in Balad after a long week visiting Al Asad, Al Taqaddum, and Camp Hit. I am beat up and tired but THIS cheered me up. I had a package waiting on me when I got back to the office. Greg sent me all kinds of goodies that we love to share - gummy letters, Flammin' hot Baked Cheetos, twizzlers, and then my personal favorite (not his), Diet Mountain Dew. The best part is the note he put on each and every one of the cans that came in the box - each a different reason for loving me. I cried for the first time since leaving him over a month ago. Not that I haven't been sad but I've been able to keep the tears at bay because it's wayyyy too early in the game for me to be crying all the time. I am trying to be strong and keep it together but after a great but very tiring week outside the wire, this amazing package from my incredibly sweet husband provoked real tears. They weren't just "i miss him" tears; they were also happy tears because he made me smile when I didn't feel like smiling. I married my best friend five months ago and these cans are just a reminder that I hit the husband jackpot.

Snapshot of Our Life

INTRODUCING....
Our nephew Michael Anthony Zinone, III

Born October 16, 2007 @ 1:13pm. He weighed 8lbs and has "short blond hair and big lips", says his dad Michael Anthony Zinone, Jr. Congrats to his mommy Linzie, daddy Michael, big sister 2-year-old Isabella, Aunty Jennifer, Great Grandmother Betty and Grandparents Michael Anthony and Gail Zinone!

We love you! Love, Uncle Greg and Aunt Addie (and cousin Gumata!)

Snapshots of My Life

My feet hurt. We've been been running around a lot.

I took this pictures for my husband. He LOVES palm trees and this is a particularly beautiful one because it is perched just above Spring Lake on Camp Taqaddum, Iraq, a Marine and Army base that sits between Ramadi and Fallujah.

These sit just to the right of the Palm Tree. I'm not sure of their significance here but for me, it's all about Faith. Sometimes, you've just got to have Faith.

Snapshot of My Life

Here I am covering military operations in Al Asad, a base camp that is roughly a 30-minute flight from Balad. It's not too bad here. There is a chow hall the size of Costco and every component of the military has a presence here. I'm still traveling so details will come later.

Snapshot of My Life

I'm traveling for the next week. I'll post pics of my trip when I can.