Fight to the Finish

Fight to the Finish

02-April-2009

This is month fourteen, day four hundred for those of us who left our families and friends while it was raining on Schofield Barracks, Hawaii December 3, 2007. Our operations and final surge are focused now on battle space security and project completion. This is our final month conducting combat operations in Iraq and all attempts are made to ensure a seamless transition occurs for the new incoming unit.

One might think that time would be allocated for Soldiers to prepare for their homecoming and prepare for the trip home. Instead however, Soldiers are denied movement back to their FOB’s to clean, pack and account for their equipment and all available bodies are pushed into the battle space to increase our presence and ensure security and stability remain.

Patrols are longer now than they have been over the previous fourteen months and rest and refit time is canceled all together. Maintenance on vehicles is no longer a concern and all emphasis and priority go to the completion of combat missions.

It’s now early February 2009 and the country of Iraq is starting to wake from its winter. The grass in the fields is dry but beginning to show hints of green. The very few wet patches of soil are beginning to harden, dry, and crack. It has only rained what one might consider “hard” once in Iraq this winter. The winter temperature could only be considered cold on a very few handful of nights.

 The sun is already starting to feel uncomfortably warm on exposed skin and on some days the AC’s have been kicked back on inside our dirty farm buildings to beat back the Iraq heat. Soldiers are already putting away their cold weather gear and only a T-shirt is required to stay warm. Winter has been more like a few days of mild cloud cover and only a few weeks of less than unforgiving sun.

In contrast, the winter months of last year were much harsher with colder temperatures, wetter soil, and a constant rain. Mounted combat operations were very difficult and sometimes even dangerous due to weather conditions. We lost countless man hours dedicated solely on vehicle and equipment recovery. We had dozens of severely damaged vehicles and were in a state of constant dampness and discomfort. Last year during this time we actually had snow fall in Taji and the capital of Iraq, a first for many many years.

 Then miraculously, literally over night, our replacements begin to arrive on Camp Taji. New unit patches never before seen on Taji and numerous new faces on Soldiers walking aimlessly and lost around the main FOB mark the nearing end of our tour and the beginning for another.

This ritual of seasoned now veterans observing fresh meat in a combat zone has occurred countless times and although my first experience this is something done two, three, and in most cases more for many of the Soldiers I now serve with.

Our replacements fly in by the hundreds every night on the Taji express. The motor pools and excess parking around Taji that have sat dry, dusty and barren are soon filled with new shinny Strykers and shipping containers carrying the new units needed supplies and equipment. Strykers arrive right out of the box with the latest armor and upgraded kits pre-installed. Even the replacements themselves have clean uniforms, clean boots and bright eager faces.

It does not take long for the influx of personal to quickly stress the logistics of the camp. Once only half full chow halls now have a thirty minute wait before you can get in the door for food. Seating is now limited and unavailable during peak dinning hours. The exchange can’t support such a surge of personal and soon lines at registers are out the door and the shelves are completely emptied of any merchandise. We have been patiently waiting for this month for the last fourteen.

In order to further facilitate and enable the success of our replacements the decision is made to move the current Service members still conducting extended patrols from their homes in to what is known as surge and overflow housing. What makes this move difficult is that we are expected to make this transition from our old housing of fourteen months to large, open, uncomfortable warehouses while still conducting full spectrum operations.

Soldiers hoping to catch some peace and quiet and maybe a break from working and conducing missions find themselves quickly packing all their belongings and moved or stuffed into overflow housing.

The air is stale inside our new quarters. With so many people cramped into a single space and people constantly coming and going all hours of the day make for peaceful rest impossible. Many get sick from breathing the air and the common cold once again begins spreading amongst the ranks.

Long December

Happy Anniversary 04DEC08 Today marks officially one year deployed and one year away from home.  There are days in Iraq that make a year spent in Iraq feel like a blink of an eye and there are days in Iraq that make a year feel more like a life time.  One thing is for sure, a year in Iraq has provided a life time of unforgettable memories from clearing the battle field of bad guys, to non lethal engagements such as road paving projects, school projects, medical clinics and the final days of transferring official authority back to the Iraqi government. The amount of energy, knowledge and willpower it has taken our approximate one hundred man company to accomplish such a mountain of a task is truly unbelievable and amazing.  The will power, drive, and willingness to sacrifice everything that these men have given over the last year is to be commended. In our small area of operation we have refurbished, resupplied, and rebuilt over a dozen schools alone.  Children K-8 who either would not attend school or had no school supplies a year ago, today have desks, pens, pencils, and professors available to teach.  The children in our communities now have newly refurbished facilities that for the first time have electricity, running water, air conditioners and heaters.  We have even begun the process of attempting to build a high school for children after they graduate 8th grade.  This project will not be finished while we are here but something we will be able to hand off to our replacing unit to complete.    We have contracted millions of dollars to road paving projects and key avenues of approach such as roadways to water treatment facilities, schools, mosque and villages.  By paving these roadways we have opened locations and facilities year round that before were completely closed during the winter months due to the heavy rains and mud.  Children in our area of operations now going to school will no longer have to walk in mud with their new school shoes and clothes.  The elderly in the new wheel chairs we handed out can now role all the way to the market to buy fruits and vegetables, something thought impossible a year ago.  Working parents walking or driving to work can now maneuver so much more freely year round.  Coalition forces can worry a little less about the roadway they role down every day.  Now a year later the roadway has a thick layer of black asphalt which is much more difficult to burry an explosive under compared to the dirt and mud roadways we have had to travel over day in and out.  The greatest gift we have given for our one year anniversary has been that of transformation and security back to the Iraqi government.  This gift of authority has such huge implications for both the Iraqi and US personal here.  One year ago a little program was created designed to stimulate economic growth and create jobs as well as security in Iraq.  This program was in the infant stages of creation and today has been the largest factor in the transition of authority.  For the first time Coalition Forces were paying local nationals to secure their own key infrastructure and road ways.  Putting the Iraqi “in front” has created a safer Iraq with less violent acts and allowed for greater freedom and flexibility in Coalition movement allowing us to access and create positive traction in infrastructure such as the schools, roadways and government facilities.  Today that little program has over a hundred thousand employees and the country of Iraq is less violent than it has been in eight years.  The program over the last sixty days has transferred from Coalition lead and funded to an Iraqi lead and Iraqi funded organization.  No longer are US dollars being used to pay these individual Iraqi security guards.  Now these once mafia type groups have been through training and recruitment programs and are now proud members of the Iraqi police and Iraqi Army agencies.   The Back Nine 04DEC08 Overnight the country of Iraq has transformed from a hot unbearable desert to a cold unforgiving landscape.  For this first time in almost ten months I see large gray and black rain clouds from approaching storms.  The sky is dark with grey and black rain clouds filled with rain and moisture.  Yesterday and for the last ten months on the rare occasion we saw a cloud they would be orange and brown made from blowing dust and debris. The sun is blocked by the thunder storm and at three in the afternoon fir the first time this year we cannot see the afternoon sun.  Rain falls on Taji and Hor al Bosh.  The rain falls so hard that the cracked earth and dusty roads are instantly transformed into flowing rivers of mud.  There ground is to dry to absorb the mass amounts of falling water.  The rain falls all day and with so much water from the sky that everyone and everything becomes saturated.  Our heavily traveled roads become rivers of flowing mud that only heavy four wheel drive vehicles can manage.  Taji and Hor al Bosh sees so much rain in one day that canals quickly overflow and the entire area is transformed from dry desert barren land to wet marsh land with lakes and rivers.  Our small forward operating base Hor al Bosh becomes so drenched in water the our generators become flooded and we lose power.  Internet and communication capability is knocked out and all men weapons and equipment are soaked to the core.   The site has not experienced flood like conditions since arriving a year ago.  Our Iraqi counter parts are even less prepared and less fortunate than us even though ironically they have been here since the beginning of time.   The roof and ceiling on our Iraqi counterparts building is made of mud and thatch.  With so much water falling the Iraqi building almost completely collapses.  The ceiling and roof take the brunt of the weight and massive leaks cause entire sections of ceiling to collapse bringing hundreds of pounds of roofing crashing in. A day later a recon of their conditions finds not single dry solder left in the unit.  Everyone is soaked to the core and the Iraqi men are attempting to get dry sleep and cover from inside their small Iraqi tanks.  Moral is rock bottom low and our once happy Iraqi men now carry long sad wet faces.  I honestly do not know what these people would do if someone was not there to tell them to fix the roof, if someone was not there to hold their hand.  Where would they be if someone did not give them materials and direct orders to winterize their building for the months ahead?   Out of kindness we give the Iraqi Army materials such as wooden support beams, plastic, sand bags and materials to repair their badly damaged roof.  After a week of hard manual labor the Iraqi Army has made the necessary repairs and their very poorly furbished command post will likely stand another winter. Still after weeks of good warm weather the ground here is still not dry.  The desert dust holds moisture as if its life depended on it and the ground remains moist hard clay.  Low ground still holds water and there are large ponds of water covering the country side.  Dirt roads that we have used for a year are now and did not manage to pave have become off limits and will be closed until next spring.      Violence of Action 04DEC08 We are only a few months away before our unit packs our containers and fly across the globe return home from more than a year of combat operations in Iraq.  We are beginning the process of transformation away from new impact projects and have shifted to completing outstanding projects and finding resolution and closure with the surrounding community.  We are closing up shop a little more everyday and anxiously await the arrival of the next batch of fresh faces here to relive us. A year has gone so fast with everyday filled with both stories of success and happiness as well as stories of tragedy and sorrow.  The birth of new children back home to the tragic loss of life from suicide attacks.  Some families manage to grow closer from this experience but sadly many have grown to far apart.  The faces of the boys I see today and not the same young faces I arrived with a year ago.  Many of the men look older and many will go home with traces of grey hair and a receding hair line.   Lieutenants have become captains, the young enlisted men are now junior NCO’s, and our senior NCO’s are a little more senior. As a unit we have done everything together stuck in extremely close quarters from eating, sleeping, to struggling with personal issues.  We have done all this together as a fighting force and in many ways a family for 365 days.  There have been no breaks and there have been no days off.  At no time could you get away from what is Iraq.  At no time was your personal issues personal.  Instead your personal issues are felt by the group and resolved openly by the group.  This is family.  This is the bond established within a combat arms unit that is discussed but only truly understood by those who experience.    Mid December 13DEC08 After you reach twelve months in theater the ARMY graciously pads your pocketbook with a little extra incentive money to keep motivation and moral high.  I would tell you that at this point no amount of money motivates a soldier to stay here a day longer.  We are two weeks away from spending our second Christmas in Iraq.  I can’t remember what a Christmas is anymore, we won’t have a Christmas tree and there will not be snow.  There will be combat patrols and a Coalition presence in our area of responsibility.  We will be out watching both day and night. There is so much to be thankful for though starting with the fact that we are still alive, and there are still family and friends back home that support us and await our return.  We will never forget those who have made the ultimate sacrifice before us. I might say that moral is down but moral would better be described as flat lined.  Holidays and significant events simply pass by each typical day in Iraq with only a blip on anyone’s radar.  There are attempts to make food better and celebrate the important holidays but it’s still the same ARMY chow and same people you see every single day just with a little extra salt and vinegar.  Today the end is this deployment seems so close yet still seems like an unachievable dream.  In the last month our small site has experienced multiple lethal attacks with the intent to harm.  These acts of violence seem more like probes on our defensive perimeter but are scary and real all the same.  For reasons we may never know individuals found it necessary to fire rockets on one particular night and the night of thanksgiving decided it a good idea to try and throw a hand grenade into our site.  Both attempts failed to do any serious damage or bodily harm thankfully but I would tell you events of this nature do have a physiological effects.  Explosions and gun shots are a way of life in Iraq.  After a year living with this background noise you are no longer shaken up when something goes boom, but when the explosions and booms are directed at you and intended to harm suddenly your body become very aware of the environment. The smallest vibration in the air raises now raises the hair from the back of your neck.  Late at night when something in our area of operation explodes and our little farm building shakes you don’t feel quite as safe or pass it off as friendly fire as easily.     Accountability 13DEC08 I can still remember the first combat patrol in Iraq December 2007 as if it were yesterday.  There was more mud last year the country side was not as green but it was just as cold as it is on this day a year later. Every Iraqi man I saw then looked like a terrorist and my enemy.  The small children looked dirty and innocent and everyone and everything was suspicious.  The first Sheik I was introduced to was a man over six four and easily weighing 280 pounds.  His hands the size of basketballs.  He is a giant of a man by any Iraq or American standard.  A year later that same man I almost see weekly.  I have sat in long discussions talking about our families and the dream of us one day together touring thje country side of my home in North East Oregon.  Our discussions talk about his years in the Army and him finding love three times and taking three wives and how after thirty children he might reconsider taking all those wives again if he had to do it again. We discuss life in the states and what I might do in with my future.   We discuss me brining another group of Soldiers to Iraq again in the future this time as a Commander.  We discuss the ideas of me living on a small farm in Iraq and taking a wife next door to him.  We have played so many scenarios over and over in innocent conversation.  This individual is a working member of the Iraqi population and has played a critical role in the security of both his people and mine alike.  I have met I think all of his wives and have interacted with a majority of his probably twenty children at his home or on patrols to the school.  We have given them toys, visited them at schools and treated them as our own.   Tragically earlier this month one of his young boys was playing with an Ak-47 that had been misplaced in one of his homes.  The young man accidently squeezed the trigger and shot his younger sister.  She died shortly after.  December has been no different than any other month in Iraq.  There are days that positive and there are days that just don’t end soon enough.

 

 

Business as Usual

Business as Usual

07-OCT-2008

 

Coming back from R&R I am at the main forward operating base only long enough to get my laundry turned in, attend a re-familiarization brief, and just long enough to get comfortable with service members practicing common customs and courtesy such as saluting and addressing me as “Sir”.     

 

My last night on the FOB it’s hard to sleep and almost depressing to think that when the sun rises I will be back in the saddle  attending meetings, briefings and attempting to solve the many complex problems Iraq has to offer. 

 

It’s hard to believe and accept the sad reality that late nights, boiled food, bunk beds, body armor and my individual weapon are my new reality once again.  Less than a week ago I was in board shorts and slippers enjoying the sun, sand, and scenery of a tropical paradise.

 

The welcoming party for soldiers returning from leave is short lived and as soon as you step back into the battle space you are immediately plugged back into operations.  No one is happier to see me more than my battle buddy who has been covering down on his job and mine for the last month.  His smile shines from ear to ear and a sense of relief is clearly scene.

 

An individual’s task in Iraq is hard enough, but taking the responsibility of another soon becomes very overwhelming.  I am back at the Bosh, back in the small farm house less than a day before the upcoming projects, problems sets, and complex issues are placed on my plate.  There is no time to recollect and day dream of the past month of joyful leave.  All thought and energy is spent on the current and future operations

 

Our operation environment has never been so safe.  There are still pockets of fighting but violence is considerably down. Progress is visible to everyone from economics, local government, and local security forces. 

 

The Government of Iraq as well as our Coalition Forces fight daily to maintain the fragile growing security in the country.  We are gradually transforming the small militia type organizations currently responsible for maintaining security across Iraq into Government of Iraq employees such as Iraqi Army and Iraqi police. 

 

The task is vital to the long term success in Iraq and a major operation affecting everyone.  The greatest challenge has been having two parties who disagree and lack any trust in one another, to sit down and work together.

 

 

Sahawa Payments

06 OCT 08

 

Today we paid one of our many small militia groups, a Sahawa, at our small FOB.  Over one hundred and fifty people lined up in their duty uniforms holding their official badge waiting patiently to receive their three hundred dollar a month salary.  These men work for ten dollars a day to ensure roads and key infrastructure remain secure in our OE.  This is the most reliable, safest, and well paying job around.  The alternative is being paid to conduct acts of extremism, risking life and limb in most cases.

 

This type of activity happens multiple times a month, month after month, usually without incident.  With continued developments and an Iraqi government that takes the reins more and more daily tensions are beginning to run higher within the ranks of these paid militias.  Tensions mount due to the transition from Coalition forces making payments to the Sahawa to the GoI and Iraqi Army making monthly payments. Payments will likely be late and unreliable at first where the Coalition buck is almost always on time and always available.   

 

Again these two groups do not trust each other and the common man is extremely concerned that he will not receive his hard earned salary; he will lose the ability to feed his family and lose the ability to make an honest wage.  His biggest fear is that the GoI will disarm and attempt to disband the Sahawa.  

 

The GoI is concerned because the Sahawa’s are often very disciplined and well armed.  They defend their homes and communities and take great pride in their responsibilities.  Not paying these men and attempting to disarm the common people will be very difficult if not impossible.     

 

Today’s payments do not go as usual, and even though I have only been on the ground seventy two hours I am responsible for the actions at our FOB.  Out in the Sahawa payment line a disagreement between an IA Soldier and a Sahawa member waiting for payment erupts. 

 

A heated argument breaks out between the two groups and soon IA Humvee’s with armed men are arguing and pushing back the growing mob of Sahawa members who outnumber the IA three to one.

 

The Local Nationals numbers quickly gather as the small village watches the conflict between the two groups mount.  Inside our walls we monitor the escalation of force until the decision is made to get a small security element together and attempt to resolve the conflict before gun shots and injury result.

 

My small security team is assembled in just a few minutes we march out our main gate towards the drama.  Shots are heard from AK-47’s as we near the exit of our site.  We can’t see the mob but gunshots usually mean injured people. 

Gunshots are not uncommon in Iraq but its Monday and Monday being the first day of the work week is just not a good day to deal with someone who has been injured or killed outside your gates. 

 

Dealing with angry citizens was not on the agenda today and I felt scared to leave the secure walls of my base after hearing gun shots.  I would much rather standby watching the drama unfold on the camera, safe from the harsh conditions outside, but it is our duty and our mission, so our small security detail confidently march to separate an angry mob of Local Nationals.    

 

Thankfully, once we reach the site of confrontation I am told that shots were fired in the air as a means to help separate the two parties.  By the time we arrive the mob has already dispersed.  Life appears to be back to normally as far as Iraqi standards go and payments continue. 

 

The Grass so Green and Oceans Blue

The Grass so Green and Oceans Blue

06-OCT-2008

 

We fly at 600 MPH racing west towards Europe, Kuwait and finally arriving back in Iraq.  I watch the sun rise from 10,000 feet at least three times before I achieve boots on ground status again.  Over thirty six hours on a plane to arrive back in theater.

 

The last time I was in Kuwait the temperatures were well over 110 degrees and the humidity so high that you were constantly wet and muggy.  In only a month temperatures have dropped so significantly that my long sleeve uniform and long pants are just enough to keep me comfortable. 

 

I have only been out of the Middle East a month but there have been significant changes to the natural environment.  The sun hanging in the sky no longer burns the skin when exposed.  The wind no longer blows hotter than the temperatures of jet engines.  Being outside is almost comfortable and pleasant again.  Summer has finally broken in the Middle East and a long awaited fall and winter approaches. 

 

I am back in Iraq and stuck in a small cramped air terminal somewhere in the middle of Iraq.  Hundreds of Service Members begin gathering in the small pax terminal all waiting for a massive dust storm to pass.  C-130’s and Blackhawks remain grounded.  Everyone and everything sits waiting for a break in the weather before soldiers can move from the small terminal back into Iraq and back to awaiting units.

 

After two days living from my assault pack and surviving in an air terminal the dust storm lets up enough to start pushing flights at 0400 in the morning.  We are lined up in separate chalks out on the dark runway and stand anxiously waiting for our arriving chariots.  Blackhawks quickly descend from the night sky onto cleared runways.  We are rushed out into the rotary wash and hastily loaded onto the helicopters all while engines scream and helicopter blades rip just overhead. 

 

This last stage in the flight is supposed to be routinely and should take less than twenty minutes, but this is Iraq and nothing is that easy.  This stage of the movement is simply a taxi flight not designed for lethal operations or maneuvers.  Our lift goes smooth and without incident. 

 

As fast as we are loaded we take off and are flying only a few hundred feet off the ground.  Cars, buildings, and people are easily identifiable from above.  The flight is only in the air long enough to get out over open Iraq desert when the door machine gunner begins firing burst onto the ground bellow. 

 

Flares are immediacy fired from the helicopter and a routine flight turns into the fourth of July in the wink of an eye.  Usually this type of action would be a rush, but I am returning to Iraq from leave, no weapon, no night vision no clue as to what awaits on the ground bellow. 

 

Quickly both helicopters in our formation begin maneuvering and soon we are performing figure eights with door gunners taking turns barraging someone or something below.  This action goes on what seems like eternity but was probably more like ten minutes.  The feeling is not adrenalin but instead anxiety.  Once satisfied our pilot’s maneuvers away and continue mission. 

 

Finally we are back on track and quickly moving towards our final destination.  We fly directly over Iraqi oil fields along the way and flames soar off the tops of the oil towers. We are so close that the warmth of the fire can be felt on our exposed cheeks.  Again more flares are fired and again the night sky lights with vibrant bright colors.

 

Moments later our chariot quickly descent from the sky and softly lands on the familiar ground of my forward operating base.  Doors role open, and again engines roar and rotary blades hum only feet overhead as we are unloaded. 

 

Home sweet home.  Five months to go before my deployment comes to an end.

 

Growing Pains

Growing Pains

31AUG08

Children should not be allowed to play in the streets at night. Once again it’s about 0200 in the morning and time for the majority of our personal at the FOB to call it a night. As individuals start preparing for their rack the all familiar sound of significant events squawk over our radios. Injured personal at our gates seeking immediate medical attention.

Like so many nights at the Bosh, Local Nationals are injured and at our gates seeking Coalition support. This is now a battle drill and has become a standard operating procedure at the Bosh. We hurry to the gate with stretchers, flashlights, medical supplies ect. to provide immediate care never really knowing the extent of the injuries.

Once at the gate we find a man cradling a young boy probably 12 in his arms; the boy is wearing a pale orange shirt and blue sweat pants, he is not moving and appears limp. Our local Sheik greets us at the gate obviously woken up from the disturbance. His hair a mess and he is not wearing his traditional headdress we have come so accustom to seeing.

The small gathering of Local National men seem anxious and claim that the boy was struck and ran over by a vehicle while playing in the street. As the man cradles the young boy and nonchalantly places him on our stretcher the first thought that run through everyone mind is a spinal injury.

We encourage the boy to move his feet but he can not, his eyes are semi glossy and he appears very confused. His father pulls at the boy’s toes and feet his and roughly handles the boy. It’s obvious the quicker we get the boy into our aid station the higher the chances of his survival will be.

Once in the aid station normal operating procedures occur. For just being struck by a vehicle there are few cuts, and scratches on the boy’s body but at such a young age we prepare a ground patrol to move the boy and his father to higher level treatment.

It’s the middle of the night at the JSS and Soldiers have been conducting operations all day. They are tired, yet Soldiers even at this hour are prepping vehicles and equipment for casualty evacuation. Within minutes a platoon and patrol are geared up and ready to escort injured personal to a higher level care.

The father insists that he carry his young boy to the waiting patrol outside. In hind sight this was probably not in the boy’s best interest. As the father attempts to load his boy into the Stryker he trips in the gravel and drops his son. The young boy strikes his head on the corner of the Stryker.

Immediately US Soldiers scoop the young boy up and again he is carried into the aid station. As the boy is carried in bright red blood runs from his head and stains our cement floors. The Doc who was cleaning up after the first assessment now has to bandage the boys head and once again prep him for movement.

For a second time we move the young boy to the vehicle this time ensure we maintain positive control and within a few minutes are on the road.

Life is not easy in Iraq.

 

R&R

01SEP08

Can’t sleep, can’t concentrate. Spent the last few nights lying in bed throughout the night counting down the minutes until I am able to leave Iraq and start my official R&R. I have been away from home and in the Middle East now for nine months. No alcohol, TV, college football, Super Bowl and so many other things I have taken for granted.

Every day here in Iraq has provided a challenge from dealing with cold-wet winters to extreme hot-dry summers, Sheik meetings and injured Local Nationals. The hours on the job are long and stressful most times and nothing comes easy. Iraq has not been a bad or negative experience by any means. I have seen and experienced more in nine months than I have in my short life time.

With all that said, a few days away from this country with time to relax and recover is well received. A chance to recharge the batteries before returning for the final months of the deployment is well deserved and has been highly anticipated. The wait is as unbearable as Christmas Eve.

A single bag is packed with only your essential items to sustain you while in transit back to the States. A small blanket, hygiene kit and one extra uniform is all you have space for on the many means of transit you will encounter while trying to leave the country from Strykers, Blackhawks, C-130’s to commercial airliners.

Preparing for leave has been like preparing for a vacation without any type of itinerary. Nothing is set in stone while in transit, where you eat, sleep, and bath are all dependent on time of day, space available, weather and so many more things.

The thoughts of reaching my final destination and seeing my family and loved ones are overwhelming. I have grown as an individual while being deployed and seen and experienced so many things since leaving home nine months ago. The camp fire stories could be told into early morning night after night.