Poppy's Home!

He arrived today! Woo Hoo!

It's amazing to be all together again.

Next week is finals and graduations and a visit from Gommie and PaLo. No rest for the weary warrior...well, maybe a little. Chris will be here until June 6. It seems like a ways away but we know it will go very quickly.

Thank you everyone for your prayers.

Love to all, Linda Sophia

Some of A Company Personnel

Tappety, tap, tap, tappety, tap, tap...

Trigger, the Super Reporter signing in.

I felt it's about time to show some of the personnel in A Company, better known as the Kyotes. An undisclosed source, (Why am I always "undisclosed"?) who spoke on the condition of anonymity (And why always "anonymous"?)...Could you keep it down, I'm trying to work here, but this should answer your question... because he was not authorized to say anything! (I'm not?)...at all...stay out of this Poppy...I'm trying to work some magic here.

Here are some of the personnel in action.

CW3 Aidan Anderson served as the poster model for the 12th CAB welcoming everyone into Kuwait. When he's not defending the world against terrorists, Jhadists, Al Qaida, and people with a bad attitude, he serves as an AH-64D Longbow pilot down at the WAATS north of Tucson. He must have really said the wrong thing to somebody important in order to be invited along on this deployment.

CW2 Tyler Fricke prior to practicing Roll-over Training in an MRAP simulator. Tyler generally has that crazy disposition when he gets behind the wheel of anything. Must be something he gets in those care packages from Natalie. He probably knows my brother Tex, the Chandler Policeman. Seems when he was a teenager he got to meet quite a few of them.

On the C-130 out of Kuwait heading for FOB Delta, from L-R:  CW4 Paul Duff (full-time Instructor Pilot at Papago), SGT Dustin Jakes (door gunner, constuction foreman, and weight lifting guru), CW2 Aidrian Manuel (recording artist and self-proclaimed uniform model...but he has fun), and CW2 Chuck Hoelzel (2nd deployment, body builder and AH-64D Longbow pilot as well).

The other side of the C-130 out of Kuwait, from L-R: CW3 Emmit Williams (electronics wizard and Tucson police officer), CW3 Aidan Anderson (who you've already met), CW3 Josh DeLand (crazy man, 2nd deployment), SGT Casper Bierman (former car salesman and aspiring fixed-wing pilot), 1SG Enrique Hernandez (2nd deployment, the only sane person in the company...note the helmet), SGT Matt Ferguson (crew-chief, door gunner, and all-around nice guy), and CW2 Glenn Whiting (always smiling, must be happy).

CW2 Jonathan Rover (accountant, sail plane pilot, fixed wing pilot, seaplane pilot, UH-60 pilot...I think he genuinely enjoys flying) and CW3 Chris Pedersen (Oh yea, you already know him).

1LT Caleb Grandy (Military contractor to Boeing Helicopters, Mechanical Engineer, inventor of a high-speed electric-motored skateboard). One of the brightest young officers I've ever met. Recently got transferred out to serve at the Battalion Level. Our loss.

1LT Jason Kumle (serves as a Border Patrol agent when he's not flying with us). Sharp young officer, too. Recently got transferred out, too.

CW4 Marla McFarland (WAATS Instructor Pilot in OH-58 Kiowas) as she shows us how to relax when she calls her hubby who is a retired, former Instructor Pilot. Too smart. Nicknamed "Cougar".

Relaxation by Annihilation - the X-box games. From L-R:  CW2 Rovey, SGT Peter Leslie (pre-law student), 1LT Grandy, and CW3 Josh DeLand. Josh always wins. Always. He's highly competitive.

CPT Eric Salisbury discusses how Safety Goggles can save your eyesight. The CPT has a sharp wit and a great sense of humor. He is cursed to be totally misunderstood by his higher ups but unanimously loved and respected by his troops. Exceptional leader.

But why would anyone put on a pair of glasses and intentionally look so dorky...

...Well, guess we have an answer for that. Winner! CW3 Pedersen models Special helmet with simulator lenses during pre-deployment training at Ft Rucker. He hated that simulator, but ended up getting the most flight time of anyone in the company in the black box. His green skin color matched his uniform after too many hours in the box.

So there you have a sampling of the personalities in Kyote Company.

...Okay, Mr. Poppy, no more need for your "anonymous source" information. You're dismissed...

And that's the way I see Southern Iraq. This has been Trigger, the Super Reporter, signing off.

A Day at the Office

Some helicopter stuff.

Me at my desk.

My desktop. Okay, it's really the left side, but somebody has to be flying this thing.

One of our "backseat driver's", the left side door gunner doing some practice at the range. Pretty noisey, but very comforting for some reason.

Chalk One as we pulled up for a photo opportunity.

Chalk One landing for fuel at one of the the FARP's (Forward Arming and Refueling Point).

AH-64D Longbow at an unnamed northern base. (Yes, Pat. The CAV, see the Yellow Shield, is still at his old stomping grounds.)

CH-47 Chinook unloads while we get gas up and load passengers. Lots and lots of passengers and a tremendous amount of cargo space. What a workhorse. Great helicopter.

A Medevac UH-60 Blackhawk prepares to depart.

Following Chalk One (see the red circle) into an LZ. The LZ is also a Motor Pool. Lots of gravel. Dust wasn't too bad. Nice and cozy.

You never know who you'll get to sling gravel at. A Mercedes sedan. Sorry but you parked there buddy.

Mission accomplished. From left-right - CPT Tim Woods (Pilot-in-Command), SGT James Finney (Right side crewchief/door gunner), me (Pilot), and SGT Jamuel Ruiz (Left side door gunner).

It's a small desk, but a big workspace.

Love you all,

C-M/P/3

(Christopher-Michael/Poppy/CW3 Pedersen)

Trigger Reporting - Knee Problem Resolved

Tappety, tap, tap, tappety, tap, tap.

Good evening again, folks. Trigger, the Super Reporter on the scene today with Medical News direct from the front lines of Iraq.

Over the past two weeks, Mr. Poppy, aka "The Old Man of the Company", has been hobbling around like the Hunchback of Notre Dame, Quasimoto. Though it seems Mr. Poppy's hump had settled on his right knee. ("Hump? What hump?" You really should see the Mel Brook's version of the movie. It's a riot!)

After being grounded by the Flight Surgeon, CPT O'Nan, something had to be done.

So here it is. We have photographic proof so when Mr. Poppy goes the VA Hospital, the lowest-bidder-contract-doctor might have a chance at accepting this as proof. Maybe. (Doubtfully)

Avert your eyes if you need to. I know Mr. Poppy did!

Not to worry. Dr. O'Nan moonlights on the civilian side as a Cardiac Specialist. (Huh? Wait a minute...Can we get a 2nd opinion here?) He creates a sterile field. (In Iraq? Hardly.) "Relax. You're too tense." (So his perfectly rigid body wasn't relaxed enough?)

The highly trained heart doctor takes aim... "Right knee? Yea, okay. They both look pretty bad. I've got plenty of needles. We can do both if you'd like?" (Always willing to give and give and give...) "Now, we numb the site with a small needle. Unless you'd rather go without it and try for a Purple Heart?" (Mr. Poppy thought about screaming like a little girl right about now.).

"Then, we wait a little bit...Okay, that's long enough. (Wait! 1 minute! That's long enough?) Can you feel anything? (My heart is racing. Does that count?) Now a little bigger needle, you might feel some pressure (Mr. Poppy came to a hover 2 inches off the gurney at that point), and we drain off a little red stuff that's causing all that swelling. Not much juice. Are you holding out on me, Mr. Pedersen? Come on, relax..."

"Now we'll insert a little Lydocaine/Steroid cocktail. That should numb it and keep the swelling down. Are you doing okay? I told you to relax." (Breath in, breath out. I think I learned that at Linda's childbirth class. Yea, said that at Lauren's and Gunner's both. Boy, was I a big help!)

"Finally. That should do it. Well, Mr. Pedersen, how're you feeling? Any questions?" (Nope...thanks very much...Sorry, Doc...gotta' run....I think I hear my mother calling me...COMING MOMMY!!!)

So that's our brave warrior in in-action.

This has been a Medical News update from Trigger, your on-the-spot super reporter, signing off.

Mr. Poppy's Bird List

Tappety, tap, tap, tap...

Good evening, folks. Trigger, your roaming reporter here, bringing you Entertainment News.

Mr. Poppy has received fascinating e-mails from a source in Albuqerque who spoke on the condition of anonymity because she is not authorized to disclose classified information. (Don't you just love how reporters always use that phrase?) Her Bird List is diverse, extensive, and factual; the last point being somewhat questionable.

So Mr. Poppy, in an effort to stay competitve, has offered to provide an update on his extensive "Birds of Iraq" list.

Here goes:

1. Black-winged stilt (Yea, a water bird in the desert. Go figure.)

2. Collared Dove (See Fr's. John and James, that collar-thing can catch on in the Middle East.)

3. Rock Dove (No, it's not a pigeon. It's a rock dove, Cite - "Birds of the Middle East" fieldguide.)

4. House Sparrow (Attracted to Mr. Poppy's personal birdseed mix - sunflower seeds, tortilla chips, and Ritz crackers. Exquisite. Keep those packages coming.)

5. Barn Owl (Which lives in the Iraqi Air Force hangar, which just so happens to not have any aircraft in it. Must be an analogy there somewhere.)

6. Barn Swallow (Second "Barn"-type. And we don't even have barns here!)

7. White Wagtail (Pretty bird with a twitchy butt. Fun to watch.)

8. Egyptian Nightjar (One of the pilots said one swooped down on him one night. "It was the biggest bat I've ever seen!" Knucklehead.)

9. Parakeet (Ataklef at the laundry. Yes, we sent him a photo for his scrapbook. We keep up on International relations.)

10. Finally, a LITTLE BIRD (Special Forces OH-6. Hard to locate in the fieldguide. Might need to be added and classified a Raptor!)

So, remember Barbara (oops, I think I just gave away the identity of the anonymous Albuquerque source; Oh, well. You know how reporters are.), just because you're SLIGHTLY ahead of Mr. Poppy on your bird list, 4,968 to 10, it's not about "Quantity," it's about "Quality".

And that's the way I see it (as well as a bicycle can see anyway).

From beautiful, sunny, hot, dusty, hazy Al Kut, Iraq, this has been Trigger, your roaming reporter, signing off.

Change of address

The Army has done the unthinkable - sent soldiers' mail and packages back because the FOB turned into a COB. If you sent a package to Chris within the past few weeks, it might come back. There have been many e-mails from the support groups trying to figure out the problem. Some say it's fixed, then it isn't, then it is. There are many very unhappy soldiers at FOB/COB Delta, let me tell you. I fear for the person who decided to send all the mail back.

Editor's note: See Chris' comment - he received two packages yesterday!

Here is a workaround address for now:

CW3 Chris Pedersen
HHC 2-285th AHB
COB Delta
APO AE 09331 (09317)

Chris says he will be moving to a different base in June or early July. So stay tuned and check back here if you want to mail anything. I'll keep the address in the left margin up to date.

Thank you to everyone who sends him notes and packages. It completely makes the day.

Love to all,

Linda Sophia

Chris outdid himself!

So, I get an e-mail from Chris that includes a car ad from Craigslist. He's already contacted the seller ("Hi. I'm calling from Iraq about the car you have for sale...) and the mechanic to inspect it. I just needed to get the ball rolling. If you've known us for a while, you know that Chris is the car enthusiast and I love that cars run and take us places. Other than that, I really am not that into cars. And the only thing I ever really use the word "hate" about is...buying and selling cars. Aaaaaa. But, Chris had found the perfect car for Lauren, after many not-perfect possibilities that she would've been happy with but just didn't meet Chris' standards. It passed the inspection and, voila (well, okay, there's no such thing as voila in buying a car), Lauren had her own car.

Thanks to Grandma, and to Matt Workman who helped with all the transporting, the car was waiting for Lauren when she got home from school last Friday. Surprise!! The windows shook from the excited screaming when she found a set of keys on a little pillow in the center of her bed. Here she is with her car the next day:

It's a 1986 BMW 5-series, automatic, with 109,000 miles on it for $4,000. It's the oldest car in the family and has the least number of miles. In one year, she can get historic vehicle plates for it. It's so her.

The interior is in great shape. No cracks in the seats-it looks amazing. We all love the car phone/brick in the console! Of course it needs a few things tweaked and fixed but that's to be expected in a 24-year-old car.  She loves it.

Chris has a theory that you have to nab the good deals within three hours of when they're posted. He nailed this one, and he can't wait to get his hands on it. We'll warm up the buffer for him. Way to go, Poppy!

(No, Gunner, sorry, not yet. Fair happens later. Love you, though.)

Love to all, Linda