Reply #16: I just hope my nephew is not

[Minimus]

one of the casualties that makes the count 1000. He is a Navy Seabee (construction battalion) and is somewhere in Baghdad rebuilding what our missiles destroyed(that concept has always been hard for me to understand).

Historically Seabees are usually out of harms way but the week he got there seven from his unit were killed because some jerk commander had them line up in formation to salute a visiting big wig and mortar was hurled. In one of his letters he told me that mortar is just randomly thrown over the walls and whenever he is outside he has to be in gear. I thought they were going to be throwing flowers...

I'm new to the forum.Thanks for letting me vent a little.