Quite a trip...

Well, I know that it has been over a month since my last post, but Dan recently took a big trip that had to be under wraps for a little bit. Back in December, we were at a Marine Christmas party and General Amos (the Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps) was there. Over the last 2 1/2 years, we have gotten to know him pretty well. He visits BAMC regularly and is truly every wounded Marines biggest champion. (I really could go on and on about all the things that man has done for the Marines here.) Anyway, we were in a casual conversation with him and somehow it came up how Dan would would love to get back to Iraq one day. (This has been a desire of his heart since he was injured, but we were thinking in 20-30 years) Gen. Amos paused for 3 seconds and then said to Dan, "What are you doing the first two weeks in February?" Long story short, the General, his aide and Dan started talking logistics and Dan had the trip of his lifetime. He left from San Antonio Jan. 31 to DC. Then on Monday, Feb. 1, a group of about 12 flew to Germany, Afghanistan, Iraq, Italy, Germany and back to DC in a two week period.

When Dan was in DC, he met up with one of his good friends and fellow Marine, Brooks Bohlert. Dan and Brooks met over five years ago during Officer Candidate School. They then went through TBS, IOC and were both assigned to 1/6 and proceded to go on both deployments together. Brooks was one of the first guys to get to Dan when he was injured.

Some of you might remember that when Dan was injured, he was flown out of Iraq to Landstuhl, Germany. When he was there, this trip, he got to tour the hospital and meet the doctors and nurses. Something that is still hard for me to believe is that a couple of the nurses and doctors remembered him. They were listing his different injuries and remembered that he came in with another Marine (Cpl. Luis Blanco)

After Germany, the group went to Afghanistan. Dan was always sorry that he didn't get to deploy there, but at least now, he has put "boots on the ground" there.

Next on the agenda was Iraq. We never expected this, but amongst other things, General Amos had organized for Dan to go back to the intersection where 3 of his Marines were killed and he and Luis Blanco were injured. (Dan did not take pictures, but others did. I do not have them to post, but will post them as soon as they are sent to me.) Here is the email Dan wrote that night.

I am currently in Baghdad and wanted to send you a note while I could. We have been moving non-stop since I left. We came into Iraq this morning from Afghanistan. We visited every Marine position in Afghanistan. The environment is so different from Iraq. I will tell you all about it when I get home, but I wanted to fill you in on today's events. First sorry for waking you up, but General Amos ordered me to do it. I am glad that he did. As I was talking to you I was standing in the same exact spot where Luis and I were wounded and where Nathan, Cliff, and Manny were killed. I tried to take it all in, but it was the most surreal experience that I have ever had. We landed at Camp Ramadi on MV-22 Ospreys in the afternoon. We then were briefed on the current situation by Col. Lopez commanding officer of RCT-6. He was the speaker at 1/6's birthday ball that we attended after I was wounded. We were taken out to vehicles and given a convoy brief. After the brief was over I was presented a flag that had been flown in my honor on Camp Ramadi. I want Macy to have it. After all she is my little DAR. We then loaded vehicles and proceeded to the intersection where I was wounded. As we drove through the city I was amazed by the number of people on the streets and the way the city looked. Buildings that had been seriously damaged by bombs, rockets, and machine gun fire had been completely restored. The roads that used to be riddled with holes from IED's had been repaved. People were shopping, laughing, and living normal lives. As we turned on the road where I was wounded we dismounted the vehicles and approached the intersection. I recognized it off the bat. The street had been repaved, but there was still a hole where the secondary IED had gone off. As I walked down the street I talked to the locals (they had an interpreter accompany me). It was good to shake their hands and to see their smiles. As I reached the intersection I saw Iraqi police at the intersection. They had been sent out to provide security for us. I stood there unable to believe that I had returned. I took a knee and thanked the Lord for sparing Luis and my life. I thanked Him for Nathan, Cliff, and Manny. I thanked him for the opportunity, and prayed for the families of the Marines that I lost. I then took out a note that I had written and placed our battalion coin on top of it. The note read:

Nathan, Cliff, Manny,

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friend. You were always faithful to the end. You will always be my Marines.

I left the note and the coin at the spot were over 2 years ago I lost these fine men. Once I got up off my knee the General brought over the Iraqi police lieutenant who was in charge of the Iraqi security. We talked to each other through and interpreter and told me he remembered the IED attack. He was a native of Ramadi. I don't know if at one point he had been part of the insurgency, but now he was wearing the uniform of his country and community. With tears in his eyes he said thank you and that the sacrifice of my Marines will never be forgotten. I told him I was proud of him and the sons of Ramadi and that the sacrifice that my Marines and I made was worth it. Peace between him and I was made today. In the spot where I was ambushed by a complex IED, small arms fire, and where I was wounded I was ambushed by smiling children. The children came up to me and thanked me for what I had done. They hugged me and gave me kisses on both my scarred left and right cheeks. The locals that were standing around also came up to me and shook my hand and thanked me. It was a very moving experience for not only me, but every Marine that was there. The SgtMaj for RCT-6 was the SgtMaj for 2/4, the first Marine battalion in Ramadi. They lost over 30 Marines during there 7 months. Being able to share that moment with him was very moving as well. I still cannot believe the events of the day. Peace was made in the eyes of the people I meet and in the faces of the children. I pray that Iraq and its people take the opportunity that we have given them and live long, good and peaceful lives. I am forever grateful for the opportunity that I was given today. As I walked back to my vehicle I felt a peace in my heart.