PICTURES!!

WOW! It has once again been FAR too long since the last post. In all the holiday business I've forgotten to take the time to update you all...sorry! This post is mainly to share some pictures John has sent me as well as some I've gotten from some of the other soldiers in his unit (Thanks SGT Cross!). John and his guys have been doing well and staying busy with missions. They have been having some mechanical problems with various trucks which has been frustrating for them all!! John wanted me to pass along that he has enjoyed and really appreciates all the cards and packages he has received! He feels very loved and blessed by you all. He also really enjoys getting facebook messages or emails so keep them coming! But over all John reports that they are all healthy and well and really missing their families during this holiday season. Please continue to pray for both the soldiers and their familie!

Well I hope you all are having a wonderful holiday season and have a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS! Thank you so much for all the kind words of encouragement you have sent my way...some days are much harder then others and those thoughtful words have definitely helped me through. I can't express how thankful I am to have such loving and supportive friends and family. I love you all!

John's "room" (he looks a little drugged lol)

Like I said...truck problems...

 Camels! (John still refuses to ride one haha!)

 John out on mission

Some of the other NCO's in John's Platoon (Kilby, Cross, Marsh)

SSG Cross out on mission

 Out on mission

John out on mission (looks pretty boring and sandy out there!)

 Some of the soldiers from John's Platoon

John and Jon (Cross)

 Cross and John

The Army may have my soldier...but I have his HEART!

So I've been dying to share pictures of John's Christmas Box, but didn't want to ruin the surprise and post them before he received the box. I had such a good time making it for him! He received the box today and called and told me how much he loved it! Definitely made my day =) For those of you sending anything to John, it has been taking about a week for the packages to get there. Mama Webster, I don't know if he told you, but he's gotten your packages and love them too! GOOD NEWS...John says they are much closer to getting internet on their personal laptops...which means more communication and probably more frequently. That is the best Christmas present ever!! It was definitely hard not having John home for Thanksgiving...but was thankful I was able to skype with him for over an hour that morning. He was also able to skype most of his family members, which was such a blessing for them!

John reports that he and his soldiers are doing well and staying busy with missions, briefings, and duties around the FOB. Last time I spoke his John it sounded like he had a cold...so hopefully he's taking the vitamins and Emergen-C I sent him :)

John promises he will let me know of any needed items...and I will post them on here for any of you wanting to know what he might need.

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving with your families.
Enjoy the pics!

The Box! 

(for those wondering, Spooby is John's army nickname from some of the other NCOs)

One of the sides...

Another side...

Letter, Stocking, Healthy gifts...

big bag (6lbs!) of protein is John's christmas present from my parents!

 (John says thanks a bunch Mom & Dad Babcock!)

Junk food and snacks (special ordered Venison Jerky!)

 More snacks.. 

(from what the guys say, you can ever have too many!)

 Homemade Christmas Gifts and more boot socks!

(CD of some of our favorite songs, Christmas wreath, Photo album)

FOB Lagman

Hey Everyone!!

Sorry its once again been a while since an update...

John and his unit left Kandahar a few days ago and are now settling into FOB Lagman. John says the food is much better there - which as everyone knows food is very important to the happiness of men haha! The living quarters are the same as Kandahar and they are in large tents. Unfortunately, right now there is no wireless internet, so that is why you haven't seen John online on FB or skype lately. There is only internet on the computers provided by the Army and the guys have very limited access to them due to the volume of soldiers wanting to contact their families. John says they are trying to get wireless internet so they can all use their personal computers. I really hope this happens soon! Going from hearing from John daily to not knowing when the next email or message will be has been hard this week. I'm quickly learning that the NCOs are staying much busier then the other soldiers right now. And that the higher the rank the less free time to message and talk with family - at least for now. BUT, I am very thankful that John makes every effort to contact me when he can! =) John told me today that they have started going out on missions, and they are enjoying their jobs as of now. I think they are just having fun finally putting to use the months and years of training they have had. I'm finishing up John's Christmas box and will post pictures of some of his surprises once he has received the box. Please feel free to send stuff to him and his soldiers - as they all love receiving things from home. If you have any questions about what or if you can send a certain item please let me know. John doesn't have an specific requests as of the last time I chatted with him. But I will post any requests on here as I get them!

Thank you again for your prayers for John an his unit! They are greatly appreciated.
God Bless!

Kandahar Air Field

Hey everyone... the long awaited update...now where to begin! Well for those of you who don't know, John is currently in Kandahar, Afghanistan at the Kandahar Air Field. This is a very large base with lots of different branches of the military and units coming and going daily. The following is a link that takes you to a newsletter about Kandahar Air Field...its not one from John's unit but gives you some information on the location/weather/facilities/ etc there. John will be stationed at this base for an undisclosed amount of time before heading to his final fob - I won't know that he's moved until he's already there. Right now they are spending their days on the shooting range, training, working out, doing laundry (John says there is dust EVERYWHERE), and in oh so fun briefings (John's favorite...NOT!). They are 8.5 hours ahead of us time zone wise, which has made it a little tricky connecting to chat. I see now that God knew what he was doing when I got a job on nightshift...as John and I end up being awake and asleep around the same time! It has been SUCH a blessing to be able to skype with John and/or facebook message him almost daily! John has warned be that this will change when they move, as they will be a lot busier/more exhausted from missions. I think the guys bodies are slowly adjusting to the jet lag, time zone changes, and as John reports, "odd food"! They had their first sand storm warning the other day, John said they could see it in the horizon but I guess it died out before reaching the base. John seems to be in good spirits (as do the soldier that make funny faces and wave behind him during skype calls) and staying in good health, Praise the Lord!!

The following is John's address for his final destination and where he will be all year (not the location he is currently at). According to the postal service it takes anywhere from 2-3 weeks for a package to get to him. If you have any questions about how/what/or when to send something please don't hesitate to ask! There are also plenty of resources online about what you are and are not allowed to send (nothing that will melt, spoil, break (glass), aerosols, pressurized containers, etc).

SGT Webster, John
883rd Route Clearance Company
FOB Lagman
APO, AE 09383

Here are some pictures of I've found online of Kandahar Air Field...

The base from above

Welcome sign!

Sleeping tents (I think they are or are similar to what John is staying in. Inside there are a bunch of bunk beds)

Now some pictures that John took while in Texas/Meixco! 

Sgt Padgett

Big gun!

One of the vehicles they use during route clearance

The following pictures were taken by the troop greeter at the airport in Maine

My handsome Sgt!

(L toR) SSG Kilby, SSG Cross, SPC Pendland...and not sure of the other guys names!

 Captain McVeigh and SSG Essic

Update coming soon!

Hey everyone! SORRY it has been sooo long since I last updated you all. It has been a busy two weeks including spending an amazing time with John and some of the other NCOs and their women in Las Vegas! Unfortunately I only have time for a quick update....but promise I will post more about the vegas trip with pics soon! John and his unit are currently in transit to their final location/fob (forward operating base). This means that phone communication is gone and connecting by internet is hard because he only has limit access to it right now. I can say that they are have had safe travels so far and Johns says where ever they currently are it is freezing cold and snowing! Quite a change from the 80-90 degree weather in Vegas and TX. It has been very hard adjusting from seeing him, to him being gone again and talking to him numerous times a day, to never knowing when I will next hear from him. Please continue to keep his unit in your prayers and pray for continued safe travel for them all! Also please pray for the families/wives/fiances/girlfriends that are here state side and also adjusting to their loved ones being gone with limited communication. I have talked with a bunch of them via facebook and it has been a very tough past few days for us all. Thanks!

Spooby!

So, John keeps telling me how busy they are ALL the time: this mission, that training, on the range, yada yada yada (as he likes to say lol!). BUT!, I have proof that this may in fact not be true....see picture below! 

Thank you SGT Cross for this picture =)

Well all jokes aside, John and his soldiers actually have been really busy lately. They have been doing many mock training mission throughout the day and night to prepare/test them on what they will face while in Afghanistan. This weekend they are going on 6+ hour missions with 45 min breaks in between around the clock. So, if you can't get in touch with John this weekend that is why. I know that John and all the soldiers are ready to get through this weekend and on to their 4 days leave starting Tuesday night! John and I can't wait to relax in Las Vegas with Sgt Cross and Sgt Kilby and their better halves! Please pray for safe and smooth travels for all of us! I'm sure I will be taking TONS of pictures and will post them when I get back! I'm SOOO thankful for this 4 day leave, because the last month away from him has felt like 6 months. sigh. I can't wait for the year to be over and all the men of the 883rd to be home SAFE with their families! Please continue to pray for John and the soldiers at they prepare to leave for Afghanistan soon.  

All decked out in their "battle rattle"

Hanging out in one of the vehicles

 Heading out on a mission!

PICTURES!

Hey everyone! John sent me a few pictures the other day....so I'd thought I'd share! Gives you a little idea what his surroundings look like and what he's been doing at Fort Bliss. Enjoy!

Here is one of the robots they use for route clearance...some boys never grow out of remote controlled toys!

Some of John's soldiers...

John in a vehicle talking on the radio

Trucks

Soldier

Sept. Spartan Newsletter

Hey! I received a newsletter from the 883rd Sapper company....thought you all might enjoy reading what John and the soldiers have been up too. I have also attached some pictures they sent! Enjoy =)

Greetings to all the Spartan families from Fort Bliss Texas. 

As you all are aware, the 883^rd/881^st Route Clearance Company embarks on a historical event.  We are preparing for battle. 

The majority of our Spartan Company arrived to Fort Bliss Texas on 14 September 2011 and jumped right into action.  During the time at Fort Bliss, the Spartans have completed several things such as medical, dental, vision, and all other kinds of necessary paperwork.  We have lost a few along the way but the rest keep going.

On 19 September 2011, the Spartans departed Fort Bliss and travelled to Forward Operating Base Westbrook which is located in New Mexico.  The living conditions include 14-man buildings with shower and bathroom trailers. The land which we live on is a great representation of what we will have in Afghanistan.  While here, the Spartans continue to complete classes and a variety of training to include ranges across the New Mexico area.  These classes and ranges are prudent to us having a successful deployment. Classes include Blue Force Tracker allowing us to communicate and identify other forces in the area. Drivers’ training includes route clearance virtual systems, hands on driving and rollover simulator. The ranges we have trained on include our personal weapons, machine guns and our long range rifles with both day and night qualification.  These weapon systems will be our life line during the deployment.  The times the Spartans were at these ranges, they were paired up with other branches of service.  The Spartans were the Tip of the Spear assisting the Navy and Air Force with their qualifications. The Spartans still have a long road of training ahead.

This is one of the ranges - John has spent a lot of time training his soldiers on the range lately

This is one of the various training simulators

Class/briefing...or as John calls it..."death by powerpoint" haha!