An Advisor's Work Is Never Done

Top spends a lot of time and effort advisingthe Knights on the correct execution of searches when we're out on operations with them.

The Knights still find ways to get creative.

The Benefits of Maintenance

Today was maintenance day; among our other adventures today, we took time out to take our beloved MRAPs in and have the maintenance techs ensure that we're good to go for another week. The techs notices the abuse--er, fair wear and tear--that the Mungadai vehicles have been exposed to during the course of our duties in Mosul.
Voodoo wondered what state our vehicles will be in when we finally leave. We unanimously agreed. We'll be leaving our vehicles in the same condition Jake and Elwood left theirs.

West Side Story

Usually, we work the west side of Mosul. Yesterday, we got the chance to look at Mosul from the east side of the river. Pictured is the Ras al Koor neighborhood, in the part of Mosul called Old Town--a quick look at the pictures demonstrates how that area got that nickname. This is a piece of the Mungadai's usual working areas, seen from far enough away that it is almost pretty.

Pimp Your Own Ride, Bub

No, look, really guys; we love the National Police and all, but when you roll with the Mungadai ya gotta butch up a little, will ya? Ixnay on the owersflay my brothers.

Clear, Hold, Build

We just successfully wrapped up a large, 6 day combined operation with Iraqi National Police (INP) with Transition Teams and Coalition Forces (CF) in one of the most densely populated areas of Western Mosul. It was successful in many ways with the INP Leadership focused on Battle tracking and command and control and letting their junior Officers lead their men and reporting higher, also it was a joint effort with ISF and CF Soldiers searching together instead of the US Soldiers leading the way as they're accustomed to. We saw a lot of progress in the area as well, there were construction crews remodelling homes, sanitation workers cleaning some garbage (if they can start getting it into dumpsters...) and road crews. All the shops were open too, the only problem with that is if you are shopping you might end up getting stuck inside the cordon for 8 hours, small inconvenience. You can buy anything from sandals (how do they fit, Top?) to soccer balls (someone tell the Sherta), fresh meat (on the hoof one minute and on the hook the next) to falafel (Hello Kitty missed out on this round). After the missions the INP handed out about 150 humanitarian aid packages per day to some of the families in need. All in all, some great signs of progress that don't reach the newspapers and I'm glad to be a part of it.

Where's Hello Kitty?

You don't call, you don't write, you don't post. Your roommate is worried sick about you. He just lies in bed (your bed, actually), crying and trying to compensate for the empty feeling of loss by eating honey buns

Happy days are here again

Brownies from heaven or at least Pennsylvania, 50 lbs of brownies from minn woods mom's church. Thanks mom

Another first for the Mungadai

They say that it's impossible to get an non-combat related award while in combat, but we made it happen. The fammed CSB (combat sleepers badge)was awarded to the witch doctor. Great job!!!!!!!!!

A gift from up above

This was sent to the mungadai, enough for all to enjoy . Thank you

All things Mungadai

A couple days ago I received two very large boxes in the mail from my sister-in-laws friend Kim. She and her church group sent us a very nice gift box in the past but I didn't expect this! She made, by hand, 12 very cool United States Army blankets with Mungadai embroidered on the back. I barely have the skills to make a sandwich and she was able to make these amazing blankets! Although I am now presented with a problem, 11 of us and 12 blankets, 1 extra. Maybe we'll have a "last man standing" competition with our interpreters. From all the Mungadai, Thank you Kim!!