Holiday Love

School Day...Making My Visit With the Police to the Local School

Soldiers Serving Children Food...Another Picture You Won't See In The News

Me and Some Locals After Some Hot Chai Tea!

Dear Friends,

Thank you all so much for sending me videos, letters, packages, and all other things that are good this holiday season. I'm trying to get out some cards of my own, but unless you send it by the 6th of December there's a pretty good chance that it won't get to the states by Christmas...oh well...I'll have to get moving. In other news I finally made it to the big base after many weeks of letting my hair grow out of control. In addition to getting a much needed haircut, I was able to eat at the big, nice cafeteria. There's really no substitute for that food here in Iraq...we do our best at my little base, but it is truly a treat to fill my belly with the goodness of the big cafeteria.

Anyway, we just started watching a movie called "The Bema Seat" this past Thursday at Bible Study. The response was incredible. The movie is about a man who is retelling his life in a monologue from heaven after the rapture. It's a great low-budget film that struck a chord in everyone who was there. It was revealed that some of these Soldiers weren't even sure whether their salvation was guaranteed...saying that they thought they could loose their salvation if they "messed up" really badly. My commander and I spent a long time taking the group through scripture talking about the assurance of salvation after you commit your life to Christ. It's funny how easy it is to sometimes get a response out of people...just relate to them (in this case we used a movie...something all Soldiers relate to since movie-watching is a preferred past-time for many while deployed). God continues to work here in IRock. I'm almost 3 months into this deployment, but I believe God is just beginning to teach me His lessons this deployment. Luke continues to do well too. I'm gonna go ahead and post his mailing address in case any of you want to send him Christmas letters as well. Please continue to pray for me and the men of Able Company...we continue to be protected no doubt as a result of your prayers. Thank you!

CPT Luke Calvert
HHC, 4/2 SBCT
APO AE, 09344

Numbers And Stuff...

Rubbing Shoulders With The Locals

Operation Port-a-Potty...Yeah, Its Delivery Was An Actual Mission

Another Beautiful Fahs Girl...Mallory!

Dear Friends,

My job involves a lot of numbers these days...OE254, 1523E(U), M88. These all represent pieces of equipment that I'm constantly trying to make sure that we have. Sometimes it can be frustrating, but who else can tell you everything and anything about a RL39. Ha! Anyway, life continues to chug along. I have a pretty good routine...traveling around a couple of the days each week with enough tasks to keep me busy 'til the end of deployment. There's never a boring day for me here.

The Bible Study also continues to go along well. We have our regulars, but we are trying to get the word out to more people. Recruiting at the Sunday chapel service is a good start. I know that there are more hungry folks here on the base. I just need to seek them out. In other news...well, honestly there's not much other news...oh wait...that whole being an uncle x 3 thing...my niece is absolutely beautiful. See her picture above (Mallory). I'll miss her first few months, but it will be great to finally meet her when I get back home. I miss you all. Until next time!

My Dogs...

Recent Pic From Our Company's Patching Ceremony

Courage Living Up to Her Name...Hiding In a Corner

Dirty Getting a Night-Time Snack

Duty and I After a Hard Day's Work

Dear Friends,

I can't remember if I mentioned before that we have three dogs here at our base. Well, we do, and all the Soldiers here love them. They all three have very distinct personalities. Courage is the only female, and she does not live up to her name. She is very shy and skiddish until she warms up to you, but once she does she is very sweet. She looks almost like a yellow lab. Dirty lives up to his name. He is a scraggly looking dog always playing in the mud, but he has a great personality...energetic, funny, and super friendly. His name is definitely a term of endearment...everyone likes him...unless he sneaks into the cafeteria (which is the one place the commander forbids him to be). The third dog, and leader of the crew, is Duty. He is a burly-looking dog with a very protective demeanor. He goes out on foot patrols with the Soldiers and barks to keep civilians away. He's actually doing them a favor...making sure they don't walk where they aren't supposed to. Most here say that Duty is their favorite. I personally like all three. Overall, these dogs are a source of comfort and release for most of us here, but we're trying to figure out what to do with them after we leave...we'd hate for them to become "wild dogs".

Okay, so it is the Holiday season...which can make deployed life difficult for some. I am blessed to have family and friends back home sending me all sorts of Christmas cheer. Thank you so much for your support. Also, remember to not feel badly for me...I love my job. Most people can not honestly say that. Deployment continues to be a blessing for me as relationships grow, my faith is tested, and we continue to finish the work America is doing here. I will write again soon. Until then!

p.s. Kate, you can tell your brother that his video is hilarious...I think that someone once said that imitation is the ultimate praise...so Charlie...thank you.

What Day Is It?

One Of My Favorite Pic So Far...Soccer Balls to Kids In Local Village

Me With Local Villagers and Police

Local Police and Me After a Meeting

Dear Friends,

My job is busy. That is the closest to a complaint that you will get from me. Other than that work is rolling along. My routine is wake-up, read the Bible, work out, meeting, and then work until 10 or 11pm. It makes my days go by very quickly leaving me asking...what day is it?

In other news, we are moving the Bible Study to Thursdays. I have been having a lot of people come up to me this past week and want to talk about spiritual stuff...the Bible, why I am different than other Soldiers, or maybe even just general advice/questions. I guess God saw me ignoring those around me with all the other distractions...so he just brought them to me. An unfortunate report, however, is that one Soldier who had been coming out and asking a lot of questions left the base because of a bad ankle injury requiring surgery. I'm hoping I can touch base with him again when we return back to WA.

What else? The weather is going south in a hurry...cloudy, cold, and rainy. It makes everything more difficult...especially rolling down side roads in Strykers...our recovery crews are getting a lot of practice getting vehicles (Strykers, fork-lifts, port-a-potty cleaning truck) unstuck. Everyone is still safe though. I'll write again soon!

Hard Week To Pick A Headline...

Giving The Thumbs Up...Before a Mission

PLT Before Training Day

PLT After a Tough Workout

PLT During a Pre-Mission Briefing

Dear Friends,

Much has happened in the past week or so. Let's start here in IRock. I "lost my job" but really got promoted. I say "lost" because I will no longer be leading a platoon on missions. I'm now the XO of my company, the executive officer, or the 2nd in command, or the logistics whiz, etc. Long story short...this is the next step in my career, but it is hard to say goodbye to a job that I've loved and had for over 14 months. They are still in good hand though...the new PL seems like he'll do well. The pictures above are all of my old platoon...good bye my dear Soldiers!

What else? My brother Chris got married in Mexico (destination wedding), and try as I might I never got through on the telephone. My dad sent me pictures via email letting me live vicariously through those who were with him. Everyone there looked like they had a blast. Chris...when you read this...tell the new Mrs. Fahs that I love you both, (she looked beautiful), and I wish that I could have been there.

Also, I saw Luke again. He's doing well, but I think we could both benefit from some more prayer...specifically still that we would get 3 months together during this deployment. I also have an update about my friend Tina who has been ill for the past few weeks. Although she is still recovering, she has improved and is sending us all encouraging reports. Thank you to all who kept her in your prayers (we did a global prayer assault on this one...IRock to WA).

There is more to say, but I commit to keeping posts short...I know that there are only so many minutes in a day. Overall, I am busy learning my job, but I am ready to do it. Thank you for your continued prayers, mail, and support!