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We’re back.

I want to apologize for neglecting the website over the last two months.  A lot has been going on.  A good deal of my free time was devoted to setting up an internet satellite system so we can get internet in our hootches.  A large group of us spent many hours on the roof trying to tune this system in.  Ultimately, some local Iraqis saved us from defeat and successfully tuned the system in.

From a professional point of view, we have been quite busy.  A few weeks ago, business had slowed down.  We had a reservist cardio-thoracic vascular surgeon here who would say, “there is not enough war to go around.”  (Referring to the lack of trauma and surgical cases to keep our surgeons from being bored.  But, in a combat support hospital, it is a good thing when the doctors are bored…)  Well, right before he departed, business started picking up.  First there was a mortar and rocket attack at the front gate.  There was also a Stryker roll-over that same day.  Next, there was a car-bomb that went off resulting in a 16 patient mass casualty situation.  About a week ago, there was some crazy fighting in Mosul.  A convoy of about 90 or more vehicles was ambushed by about 100 insurgents.  Why do you think 100 insurgents would attack 90 vehicles?  Don’t you think they would do much better attacking 3 vehicles?  These guys get an F for strategy on this day.  This situation resulted in 21 casualties.  We saw some wild stuff that day – a female came in with a .762 round (from an AK-47) stuck in her flack vest.  An infantry guy from the Stryker Brigade must have been hit with a huge piece of an RPG.  Although his injuries were quite serious, he surely would have been dead if not for the ceramic plate in his body armor.  One day later another Stryker soldier came in who had a bullet go right through the front of his helmet and didn’t leave a scratch on him.  A couple days later, there was a coordinated car bomb and mortar attack at a remote FOB resulting in 12 fairly serious casualties.  Needless to say, there has been plenty of war for everyone and not much room at the inn.