First Contact

Today our convoy engaged in its first fire fight. We took RPG and small arms fire. After we returning fire I was able to dismount and we cleared a field up to the base of the mountain where we believed the RPG originated.

When I first heard the blast, I heard small arms fire and my first thought was "that's real." We're not training any more. Those aren't blanks and pyro. At first I wasn't going to dismount and I felt some relief but also disappointment. A minute later my squad leader came to get me and without hesitation I grabbed my rifle.

We weren't able to kill anyone but we did manage to detain a Taliban who may have been involved and discovered a small weapons cache. So overall it was a good engagement.

3rd mission outside the wire and I've already earned my Combat Action Badge. Still waiting for my Combat Medic Badge but I don't like the thought of getting it at the expense of one of my soldiers. Maybe it won't be this way.

These people are cowards. They pop out of a hole, try to kill us, then run and hide. They don't care about innocent civilians, even children. As long as one US or NATO troop is killed, they'll get paid or achieve their objective. There is nothing more cowardly than launching missiles where and while you sleep under the cover of darkness. Except for, perhaps, using innocent children to stand on top of an IED as a marker so when our convoy rolls by they can detonate it from a distance and... the child.

Thank god none of our soldiers were injured. Let's hope things stay this way.