Scott in Iraq -- News and Notes 

Second Deployment

Photos from the Deployment day....

Scott's address for sending cards, notes and packages:
Sgt. Kirkpatrick, Scott
B CO 1-30th INF 2ND BCT, 3ID
UNIT # 42543
APO, AE 09361

May 11, 2007, Where is he?
Over there somewhere, we don't know and he ain't tellin.... When we get news it will be here as soon as we get it, photos too. We have only heard from him through Christy when he called to say they were safe on the ground in Kuwait. Since then no words and that is what we are expecting this tour.

He did say he would check his guestbook every chance he gets, so please sign it and leave him a note.
Thanks, Ed and Marti

July 5th, 2007, It has been over six weeks now since we have heard anything from Scott. But, news is starting to show up on the net about his unit. His unit is "B" or Bravo Company, 1-30th, 2nd Brigade Combat Team or BCT

July 11th, 2007, Scott called Christy and she reports that they have been out on patrol 24 days straight and that Scott sounded really tired. A new story in Stars and Stripes is linked below about Alpha Company in Scott's unit. He is in the same area as these guys.

July 15th, 2007, A phone call home from Scott.....
Scott called on Sunday morning, he is very, very tired.  It was such an emotional relief to hear his voice, I answered the phone expecting someone else and there was his voice saying, “Hey!”.  We got cut off 6 or 7 times for some reason, (he was using an AT&T phone bank!) but he kept calling back.  He has been out on patrol sleeping on the ground for 24 days but now has 48 hours off for a memorial service.  His company, Bravo, lost a soldier to an IED the other day.  The unit also lost two bomb-sniffing dogs to the same explosion, some other soldiers were wounded by shrapnel and are now back on duty but one soldier was sent home to Walter Reed.  It’s a dangerous and tough mission they have.  They are not yet seeing much small arms fire, but instead lots of RPG’s, IED’s and VBIED’s.  He told me that he shot up a VBIED as it approached him.  He knows he hit the driver who then backed into an alley where the car caught fire and burned.  No explosion he thinks, but isn’t sure because he said right then he was overcome by heat and dehydration and fell out of the action.  Scott said his platoon has captured more high value targets than any other in the area and that they are having a big impact on the number of bombs going to Baghdad. 

They have had no access to the internet since they left Kuwait so about the only contact he has with home is cards, letters and care-packages.  They do reach him at his forward patrol base.  I asked him what he needed and he said nothing really other than news and letters. Oh and cigarettes of course.  Some have asked if phone cards are good to send, but he says not, as they don’t all work there and he has one that Christy keeps refreshing with minutes.   He is out on patrol so much that food and perishable things sent to him just linger in a pile in his tent while is gone, so they go to waste in the heat.  The guys up at Battalion stole their AC units so they can only really sleep at night and food and other perishables just turn into some sort of desert crud.  He said he appreciates all the kind thoughts but he hates to see it ruined, so letters or notes about what we are all up to would be great.  Just isn’t the same as the “luxury” accommodations they had at the FOB in Sadr City last tour.  FOB Murray is what used to be Uday Hussein’s mansion on his horse farm, but Scott is not stationed there, that’s for the brass.  When he is back at his base he’s at FOP Falcon, a satellite base to Murray that is un-air conditioned tents instead of a palace and swimming pool. He did say that the area around there is very lush and green being right next to the Tigris River and all in all, a place he would want to visit again if it weren’t for all the people with guns.

He asked me to say that he misses everyone back here, especially Christy and that all the kind words and thoughts that you pass on to him in letters or postings really mean a lot.  When he can he reads and writes in his journal.

Thanks again to all of you! We love you guys!
Ed and Marti

~ ~ ~

Links to news stories about what is happening in the immediate area around Scott's unit and what they are doing

7-13-07 Stars and Stripes - Security patrol near Forward Operating Base Murray searches for weapons, explosives
7-08-07 Stars and Stripes - Stopping insurgents before they hit Baghdad
7-04-07
 Washington Post - Pilots Shot Down in Iraq Tell of Dramatic Escape
Comrades Rescue Ambushed Officers
7-04-07
 Dogface Daily News GIs Bring Security to Arab Jabour
6-28-07
NPR - Slow Going for U.S. Forces South of Baghdad (this link may go away after awhile)
6-30-07
6-23-07
Dogface Daily News - Marne Torch Heats Up

 

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