From Balad Air Base in Iraq

Hello from Captian Ray Orr! Ray is still at Balad Air Base in Iraq. His return date is sometime in early April. Ray is apart of the 332 Air Expeditionary Civil Engineering Sqadron. This photo was taken by a CNN reporter after Ray and his troops had attended a memorial for 3 of their team members who were killed by an IED earlier that week. The enlisted members of the sqadron are returning this week, all officers must stay on for several more months. It is dirty, either wilting hot or freezing cold, and not much fun. They work 18 hour days and out of 5 months, he has had 3 days off. He is very much looking forward to returning and getting back to 'normal life'. He is most looking forward to taking a long, hot bath (they are only allowed 5 mins to shower) and sleeping in his own bed. When looking left to right at the photo, Ray is the second soldier. Please keep all our troops in your thoughts and prayers. The work they are doing is dangerous and difficult...and not many of them relish fighting in this war.