Afghanistan this time of year...

So this is my first blog in quite some time. A lot of things have changed since my last entry. Phew... where do I begin?

Well, I'm at FOB Delaram II. It's pretty quite around here. I was at Kandahar Airfield for a while there but things changed. I was sent to Camp Leatherneck to support the Marines. Shortly after arriving there, my services were needed at Delaram... so here I am.

I feel a little remiss to you my reader. I've not kept up with politics like I should've. Things have been a little crazy. Trying to keep up with all the movements I've been through. They keep happening to and that in itself should be a full time job but sadly, it's not.

Let me take a minute to thank Apple for creating iTunes and the iPod.

Anyway, the point is, that things are crazy out here. It's hard to believe I've been out here going on 7 months now. I've gone through a number of facial hair styles and currently my hair is hideous. Some things just lose importance. Granted I must keep my appearance acceptable but it's more understood when you're in a warzone with limited resources.

I've been privileged with the honor of getting to know many more of our great men and women serving, mostly in the last couple of months, they've been of the Marine variety. All of them have their stories, their hopes, their dreams, their losses. To me, being out here makes it personal. When you're out here with them, working, eating, bathing... they regain their humanity. I think a big problem with the world today is the idea of "out of sight, out of mind." Because we don't see these folks on a daily basis, we begin to let ourselves think they are objects and not flesh and bone.

I think a grave injustice we face right now is the reason we're here, 9/11. We're on our 10th Anniversary of that fateful morning. Isn't it crazy to think about? Almost 10 years ago, a single act of evil changed us all. I was lucky enough to visit NYC roughly 8 months ago (right before I got out here), call it me trying to get that little bit of pride together before I was to come out here. The injustice is that those who've died, both on that morning and out here in response of that morning, are being forgotten. They're just a number. We've gotten back to our lives as if nothing ever happened. Remember folks, 9/11 wasn't an accident. There was malice behind it. So please don't get complacent.

I'll be flying again soon, getting to a new destination for a little bit to do my job. I ask for your prayers. However, when you pray, don't just pray for me. Pray for those out here with the tough jobs; those who sleep in holes they dug and filled with hay, those who patrol dangerous areas daily, those who have the unfortunate task of route clearance. Pray for those who've paid the ultimate price in the fight to give you Freedom.

Lastly, remember this thought. History doesn't always repeat itself... sometimes it sure does rhyme though.

God bless.

Proud to be an American by birth and blood,

Dale Skrobot