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!