Hometown Heroes

Posted by
Matt Sanchez
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5/25/2007 02:19:00 AM
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Labels: Military
The actual border crossing itself was uneventful, you can barely tell there is a border from where we went in. There is one major thing to remember, Iraq is one hour ahead. Setting your watch is important when the schedule is highly regimented.
Once in Iraq, there is absolutely no stopping under any circumstances. Strapped in with full bodyarmor in a cramped space for a few hours adds tension to the trip.
I turned on the infra-red camera in order to take picture that didn't set off the flash. One of the soldiers was hit by an IED and didn't even notice it. He saw a flash out of the corner of his eye, but didn't realize there was a problem until his steering became difficult.
While on Iraqi roads, every bump on the road, box, or garbage is suspect. It's a very intense feeling of not knowing what can happen, but preparing for the worse.
We made it in to Camp Cedar, in Southern Iraq, everyone was safe and sound. It was late at night, but there was plenty of work to get done. Everyone knew there was a job to do and we all went about getting that job done. This flag flies at Camp Cedar, and it was one of the most reassurings symbols I had ever seen.
Posted by
Matt Sanchez
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5/24/2007 01:12:00 AM
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Posted by
Matt Sanchez
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5/22/2007 02:42:00 AM
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Posted by
Matt Sanchez
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5/22/2007 02:25:00 AM
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I'm doing two radio series, one called Hometown Heroes and another called "In their Own Words." So, I've been interviewing people pretty much since the moment I landed in Kuwait. What really stands out in my mind is how different the perception of the war here is.
I cannot tell you how different the perception of the war is, here in theatre. People are very focused on their mission and I'm just amazed by how little importance they put on the day to day stuff that we're all obsessed with back home.
Posted by
Matt Sanchez
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5/21/2007 02:45:00 AM
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Kuwait is no stranger to visitors. The name Kuwait literally means "Fortress built near the water," and that should be a clue to the type of company Kuwait has usually received over the centuries. This small country, slightly bigger than the state of Connecticut, was once the largest exporter of oil for the Persian Gulf. It's easy to imagine Kuwait as an Arabic version of Palm Springs, but this is what the country looked like when I arrived.
On August 2nd 1990, Iraqi forces under, the command of Saddam Hussein, invaded and occupied the very small country of Kuwait. Iraq and Kuwait have a long time relationship of separation and unity, the fact that Kuwait is so much smaller than Iraq has always made the little country into a tempting target for both of its big brothers to the North, Iran and Iraq. American forces have been based in Kuwait for several years now and many will be surprised to learn that an international coalition of countries use Kuwait as a base for both the country's defense and to support Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). I sat down with the Commander of Task Force Gator to discuss the little known international coalition that is working in the Iraqi theatre of operation.
Posted by
Matt Sanchez
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5/20/2007 02:52:00 AM
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