Hi all, well it's been 6 days since my last post.... sorry for leaving you with baited breathe on my next installment.... LOL.

It has been a busy week around here. Tuesday I had spent the whole day in a meeting (joy) and ended up not eating which led to me getting under the weather on Wednesday. Thursday was spent making up for those two lost days. Friday we had a scheduled outage so we did alot of re-arranging of our power/enviromental systems for our satellite system which led to an extended outage when we tried to come back on-line (hello Mr. Murphy (if it ain't broke don't fix it)). That afternoon we finally had our command photo's taken (below). I don't know why, but some of you want more pictures of me so I have included some more.

Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit Two Battalion HeadQuarters. I'm in the back, the antenna almost points right to me.

The N-6 crew (my guys)

Front row (left to right)

IT1 Ginicie Rushing (with the big gun), EODMU2 CO CDR Bradley McKinney

Back row (left to right)

ET1 Bryce Bills, ET2 Kevin Mills, IT1 Jason Schouweiler, It1 Vasquez Upshaw and me!

Taking down the flag after the photos. We are not allowed to fly the flag over non-sovereign soil(embassy) in Iraq, it is part of the politcal nonsense that has been wrapped up in this war.

Hanging out watching other pictures being taken.

Well, that it for another short chapter of my life in Iraq (work, eat sleep repeat 7 days a week).

Jolly Roger 14 (my callsign) Out

aka that Chris guy.

Hello everyone. Not much to report, just another busy week in Iraq.... Our users have been giving us a run for our money this week but I guess that is to be expected. I got a chance to site in my weapon this week, that's always good for blowing off some steam.

Me all goobered up in my gear


























I received this movie in my email and I could not stop laughing: http://s111.photobucket.com/albums/n142/chris_dudas/?action=view&current=catfan.flv&refPage=&imgAnch=imgAnch1

Another good one: http://ebaumsworld.com/2006/07/pugbowling.html

We had a couple of Generals in today for a brief on the current Counter - IED (Improvised Explosice Device) operations. These are currently the number one cause of death for servicemembers. That is why we are here with such strong numbers for EOD.

Well enough of that. If you like something you see feel free to leave a comment at the end of the post, there is an icon to do so.

Oh, one more for the road (me being my usual self....)











Chris

Greetings, I hope this finds everyone OK. It has been pretty somber around here due to anohter death of a shipmate from Mobile Unit Two, Story: http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=111206&ran=84484&tref=po . Western Iraq is still a pretty dangerous place to be "on the job". We usually find out right away and go into a communications blackout to give the CACO folks back home time to notify the next of kin. I could not think of a worst way to findout a spouse/child had died than thru the news or tearful freinds calling to mourn your loss that you did not know about.

Well enough of that. I would like to thank all of the E-cards I recieved for our wedding anniversary. Yes, I wish I was back home wife my beautiful family but hey, Miriam has volunteered to take the children for two days so Robyn and I can celebrate twice next year! Sometimes you just have really dig to find the silver lining.

Anyway here are some more photos:

CPO's in the desert, from left to right:
CMC Scott Faison, YNCS Anthony Williams,
EODCS Douglas "Rock" Phillips and
ISC Matthew Fenner.





















Another Sunset in the desert
















I hope everyone has a good day,

Chris

Well we have a new mailing address:

EODMU 2 BATTALION HQ
COB SPEICHER
ATTN: ETC (SW/AW) Chris Dudas
APO AE 09393

With that being said if you already have things on the way from the states with the previous address on it that’s fine it will still get here but the Mail room recommends we use the new one from now on. Also the USPS offers a $7 flat rate box that seems to make over here a little bit quicker.

When it come on to getting things FED EX over here that’s a different address and the FED EX person comes right to our compound so you wouldn’t have to wait until it gets to the mail room and tossed around. The FED EX mailing address is:

EODMU 2 BATTALION HQ
COB SPEICHER
ATTN: YOUR NAME
EOD COMPOUND, BUILDING B-3
TIKRIT, IRAQ

One month down and what a month it has been. I celebrated my 19th year of service on the 3rd, I participated in our 911 memorial service and we welcomed three new Chief Petty Officers into the Chief's Mess on the 15th. Monday (18th) Robyn and I will celebrate our 13th anniversary.

Thank you to the New Pointe Homemakers for their Care Package I received. The Peanut M&M's got two thumbs up.

The tunover with EOD Mobile Unit Eleven went well and they are now back at their home duty stations on the west coast after a well executed tour of duty. Our Counter IED mission continues and the Iraqi people are slowly taking on more and more responsibility for their country. Hopefully we will begin to start pulling forces back before too long (crossed fingers). My crew of five continues to do good things around the Battalion by keeping our satellite and networks up and running so I can send emails and post this Blog, LOL.

The temperatures are starting to come down (100 @ dayt and 76 @ night) now if the wind would only stop blowing all this dust around it would not be so bad.

Well it is getting late so I will end this a have a good weekend and a love you all, oh and pictures to follow.

Chris (aka the squid)

Three new CPO's

EODC Paul Darga Memorial

Sandstorm over our neighbor compound