Keep yer head down Bruce!

[Bret4207]

Bruce Drake will be heading back to Afganny-sand soon. Dano67 and I got to have a little chat and supper with him last night, a very nice time. That's Bruce in the middle and Dan to his right, me with the hat.

Best of luck Bruce and know that we'll be thinking of you.

[slim1836]

A big "THANK YOU" for your service to our country. Keep your eyes open and your mind focused on the task at hand, and post when you can.
Slim

[Trey45]

Godspeed Bruce.

[82nd airborne]

If you will post your fob adress when you arrive, I would be happy to send care packages to the soldiers in your command.

[Firebricker]

Bruce, Thank You for your service you'll be getting a lot of prayers CB crowd. FB

[waksupi]

Smooth trip, Bruce!

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

Thank You Bruce for all you have done, and what your willing to do, stay safe.

[462]

Wishing you all the best, Bruce.

[PatMarlin]

Go get em' Bruce!

[TCLouis]

Hooah! !

Keep things safe as can be for you and those around you

Remember the Patton quote . . .

'Make them die for their beliefs'

[Echo]

Godspeed, Bruce.

[Ajax]

God speed and keep you head down. I appreciate what you are doing for all of us over there. Please post your address for your company and I will send out a care package to you.


Andy

[EMC45]

Stay alert, stay alive!

[bruce drake]

Once I get settled there next week I'll post an address for all the homefolks.

I have a 25-man(including women) section that will be working with me so anything you guys send would go to them first.

Bruce

[BD]

Good luck and stay safe.

BD

[nicholst55]

Watch six; head on a swivel! Stay safe, and come back home with all your parts still attached!

[Cherokee]

Thank you for your service and God be with you, and your people.

[Frank46]

Take care and may God watch over you. Frank

[MT Gianni]

Good Luck Bruce, My younger brother and fellow board member Moldy Joe is at Bagram,AFB for the next 5 months if you get that way. His unit is re-plumbing bathrooms abik.

[GabbyM]

So how do you feel about cigars?

I don't smoke myself and I think it's not good. But then if I'd of been there and had of I'd of liked a smooth cigar.

We have a member here whom sent my almost step son a box of cigars to HML/A 167 and he shared them with his men. They will never forget that. So simple but so nice. Just imagine being in Al Assad then FOB to the Syrian border. Then you get a box of cigars from a retired Lt Col. USMC. That is not a small thing. It's huge. Michael told us when they flew out they could see the mountain which Jesus climbed to meet Satan . Then they would fly into battle.
They and a few XXX thousand friends shut down the border. When they get back the sand is in every crevice. Run you r tongue over your teeth and you feel the sand dust. Chomp your food and it's gritty. Wash your mouth out with water then sit back and have a smoke on a cigar from a friend back in the USA.

It's a huge deal to the young soldiers and Marines.


something they'd not buy for themselves because its' an hours wage fore people whom make more than they do. Not some Cracker Jack toy to be thrown out to the masses but something special just for them.
An item they'd feel guilty buying because they have responsibility back home. If we send it they feel no guilt. Just joy that some one sent this little thing to them . In a few hours they'll have to get up and do it again. Hopefully it will be a boring job. Since excitement is not a good thing when in a war zone.

God Bless them all.

[82nd airborne]

Once I get settled there next week I'll post an address for all the homefolks.

I have a 25-man(including women) section that will be working with me so anything you guys send would go to them first.

Bruce

Oh you dont want the case of Lyman moulds we had boxed up for your deployment? Im just kidding. But seriously, let us know what they could use. I know what used to make for a good package, but then again, there wasnt beds or PX's last time I was there. Reading material maybe? Seemed to be a hit when I was there.

[Trey45]

No idea if it still holds true, but when I was mailing care packages to one of my best friends in the sand box, the big request items were those little high intensity flashlights (EagleTac and Fenix are top quality and inexpenisve) Knives, both straight and folding, flavor packets for bottled water, reading materials, and music.

[jmsj]

Bruce,
From my family to yours, Thank you and God bless. We pray for are brave men and women in our military nightly. Come home safe, jmsj

[David2011]

Bruce,

Thank you! May you and your entire crew return safely, richer for the experience.

David

[sundog]

Hooah!

[smoked turkey]

Bruce:
Just want to add my 2 cents here because what you are doing is huge. It is trite I know, but I along with the others will be praying for your safe return.

[bruce drake]

48 hours out from the flight so I'll let everyone know my Cast Boolit posts may thin out for a little while until I get the team settled and running.

Bruce

[Bret4207]

Best of luck my friend, God be with you and all our troops.

[9.3X62AL]

Bless you and your contingent, Bruce. Thank you and them for all you do for us.

[square butte]

Bruce - Go with God. Stay safe around the edges. Drop in whenever you can. I do apprecaite your service.

[acemedic13]

Glad they are sending in the big guns now, things are getting a bit hot there. Stay safe and make them pay for everything they try to get........

[bruce drake]

Thanks fellas. They can't run when we own the night and climb the mountains better than them.

Bruce

[sundog]

That's right, Bruce, but the little bastidges know where the caves are, just like what happened at Iwo Jima. It's tough duty for the folks in the field, and I salute them.

[thx997303]

Bruce,

Although we seem to disagree on a lot of things, it doesn't matter much.

Stay safe out there.

Watch for those antique mil surps too. They are a bit fond of them.

[bruce drake]

Corky,

We usually blow the caves with them in them just like WWII! We'll dig them out later... ;)

THX. Aye, we often choose to disagree over things but I'll agree that I also am very interested in those antique milsurps as well. If I can find a decent 1888 Martini-Henry MkIV rifle or an 1889 Artillery Carbine over there I'll be a happy camper!

[Dean D.]

Bruce, not much I can add that has not already been said other than a huge THANK YOU!

Let us know who and where to send the packages to.

God Bless you all.

Dean D.

[Recluse]

Bruce, I know in my day I never really looked completely forward to some deployments and missions. However, it is what we trained for and there was always the deep sense of duty about doing what needed to be done.

The men and women serving today represent the best of what we're about in this country. As a mustang officer, you are privileged to lead these fine troops, and this old Ssgt salutes you.

God Bless and stay safe and come home.

:coffee:

[bruce drake]

We've landed in Kyrgyzstan (which is just north of Afghanistan) and are taking a 48 pause on the trip to get use to the weather and the elevation before flying on.

Willl give everyone an update when I land and start getting things in order.

Bruce

[45nut]

God Bless and come home safely with all your troops!

[Muddy Creek Sam]

Bruce,

Thank you for your Service and Watch your BackSide.

Sam :D

[part_timer]

May God bless you and your family.

[bruce drake]

Whew,

Its been a busy few weeks.

Settled into Kandahar and starting to get a little free time (note first time on CB for a while)

Mailing address is:
Drake, B.M.
HQ RC-South - OPS PAO
10th MTN DIV (LI)
APO-AE-09355

And the fun continues...

Bruce

[a.squibload]

Best of luck, and thank you to you and crew for your service.

[PatMarlin]

They got a 7-Eleven nearby Bruce? ...:mrgreen:

[JeffinNZ]

Whew,

Its been a busy few weeks.

Settled into Kandahar and starting to get a little free time (note first time on CB for a while)

Mailing address is:
Drake, B.M.
HQ RC-South - OPS PAO
10th MTN DIV (LI)
APO-AE-09355

And the fun continues...

Bruce

Bruce:

Is that address a US military address? Would I just add "USA" on the bottom for international mail?

[bruce drake]

Jeff,

you can add USA to the bottom. It's a post office in New York City that supports our units with direct mail when we are serving overseas.

Bruce

(It seems like I'll be able to post a little more regularly now that we are settling in.)

[bruce drake]

We have a good mix of Romanian, Dutch, French, Australian, Canadian and British here as well so it's a truly International HQ.

[Bret4207]

FRENCH!!!????? Good Lord, what next? Are they there in case you need to surrender you'll have someone who knows the ropes?

[bruce drake]

They are logistical members from the french air force. We make a point of keeping them on base so we don't have to rescue them later.

[Bret4207]

The French Air Force? Hmmmm, must be they keep them around to fly the gov't out of soon to be German territory....

[JeffinNZ]

BRET: You know the best two things to come out of France ah? GERMANY!

[bruce drake]

Jeff!

You da Man!

I got your package yesterday!

I now have introduced my staff to both the Vegemite and the Marmite you sent.

Spread thinly on a cracker is the way to go for me. Not sure I'll ever spread it as thick as the suggested serving photo on the label though.

One of my soldiers says it smells and tastes like cat food...She didn't ask for a second cracker!

So you have contributed to my keeping my B vitamins up during this deployment!

I've got an Aussie Captain coming in for training today so I'll share with her as well!

Bruce

[twotrees]

So you didn't want Red to send Vegemite to camp on the hog hunt, but you eat it over there???

She's having a laughing fit, thinking about you trying to hold your nose, chew and smile all at the same time.

More new suck...... er I mean recruits to try it out on, Eh???

Red says to say "G-Day" to all the Aussie folks for her.

"She'll be right, Mate"


TT and RedFoxy

[bruce drake]

Rick,

I'm trying it at my pace!

About a pinky finger's worth on a RItz is about all I can take at one time.

The new troopers got a spoonful like I did the first time!

Bruce

[JeffinNZ]

Sorry Bruce. I missed your post the other day. Glad it arrived. Watch those Aussies. They will sell their first born for a taste of the good stuff while away from home! LOL.