Kyle decided before he left for Iraq in December of 2006, that he would keep a journal of everything that was going on. That didn’t happen, as he was OBA (Overcome By Activity). However, he did manage to keep it up all throughout, here and there, whether he wrote something every other day or once a month. His journal was for his time there, events, work, emotions, everything; in order to share it for future generations to come, and now for you, our loyal listeners:

Entry #4 of 17:

18 Dec 06
1:00PM

Not much has changed since the 15th, just been on the same schedule as the rest of the time (ie: come in when the agenda says/whenever you want). I watched my first operation this morning. They killed the guy. Now I'm just getting packed for the helicopter ride tonight to my outstation for permanent residence. It'll be about a 2 hour trip, and I'll be wearing full IBA and my M9. I hear the helicopter trip is fun for about the first 20 minutes... guess I'll just have to wait and see. "

 

Kyle Mills
Kyle Mills
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Kyle Mills
Kyle Mills
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From Kyle, today:

I remember this helicopter trip... oh boy, do I remember this trip. This was probably the coldest I've ever been, even through growing up here in Binghamton. The prop blows straight in the sides where the gunners were located, the entire time - and I was right next to the gunner. Up that high in the middle of winter, it was freezing cold, consistently, for well over a few hours. Regardless of the desert of Iraq or not, it was COLD in the winter up there! I'm allowed to say now, that I was headed to Ramadi, Iraq. Ramadi was considered, at the time, to be the most dangerous location in Iraq. The insurgents had moved west from Fallujah, and they were using Ramadi to stage their uprisings, improvised explosives, and traffic foreign fighters through Syria and Saudi Arabia in to fight with Al Qaeda. Things from here on out get very busy, very rapidly! "

This is the fourth of a 17-part series, that will cover my entire journal, from my deployment to Iraq from December 2006 – July 2007. Check in next week for the next installment, when I've arrived to my forward operating base (F.O.B.).

CLICK HERE to see last week’s installment of this 17-part series.

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