Happy 4th

The day started out like most other days here. Got up, checked my email in my room, when to work and checked my email there. It was really a pretty normal day, no mission, just the day to day meetings and general office work. I didn’t really notice anything different, until we got to lunch. For lunch we had all sorts of BBQ food and red, white and blue decorations everywhere. Dinner was the same. Throughout the day some people would remember what day it was and give each other the obligatory “Happy Forth of July.” I took the chance to call Mom and Dad and wish them a happy Fourth; sorry I didn’t get the chance to make more calls. Just as I was figuring that this would be the first Fourth of July without any fireworks, I overheard the Sergeant Major tell out First Sergeant to get all his 203 gunners and meet outside at 8:00pm. The 203 is usually for firing grenades, but they can also fire flares. So, just as it got dark, we all gathered outside with the 203 gunners, flares in toe, for a short “firework display.” It wasn’t quite the same (a flare from a 203 puts off a lot of light but no booms and bangs) but it was the best way to celebrate the birth of the USA from Afghanistan.

I hope that everyone back home had a great Fourth of July, complete with better BBQ and “real” fireworks.

Thank you and God Bless.