Christmas Eve 2007

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the FOB
Not a creature was stirring, cuz they were still doing their job
Of making presentations and creating large briefs
To be given to the boss, the CG and chief.

The stockings were hung on the file cabinets with twine
While the new guys were sulking and staring to whine
About lack of free time, TV and the cold,
We told them “Quit whining and do what you’re told!”

“We’ve been here for 8 months and have 4 more to go.
Your puny 6 month tour will get you no show
Of sympathy or tears,” we say with a glare
And look for some common sense (which is blatantly not there).

Christmas Eve in Baghdad, well, it isn’t much fun,
For there will be no enjoyment until the work is all done.
The slide shows keep growing and briefing’s a pain,
For the light in the tunnel, I suspect is a train.

But we do the best we can as we build all the tomes
While friends and family send us reminders of home
Like real Christmas trees sent from a snowy state
How it passed customs is what we debate.

And trees that are fake get their own type of bling
By creative soldiers and cans of Silly String
Instead of detecting booby traps or finding trip wires.
Safety note: Be sure not to get it too close to fire.

Knick knacks from home decorate the shelves
With army men, Snoopy, snowmen and elves.
While penguins and polar bears sing Christmas stories
The IRR Christmas pumpkin shines in all of its glory.

Boxes of treats pile up on the tables
As we stuff ourselves with cookies our belts are not able
To hold back the onslaught of goodies and food
All sent from home to get us in the Christmas mood.

Will Santa come to Iraq? Well, we surely don't know
If he'll brave the danger (and the complete lack of snow).
His sleigh better have countermeasures and pass all the tests
And Rudolph and Santa better have bullet proof vests!

Christmas away, well, it just plain stinks
There’s no family to laugh with, no eggnog to drink
And no sneaking kisses from the person you love
While standing beneath mistletoe hung from above.

But despite all the sniveling, we are all above ground
And have use of our body parts (no reason to frown)
We don’t like what we’re doing and the time is not fun
But we’ll keep doing what is asked of us until we are told we are done.

We might not make much progress or win the war today
But we’ll keep on trying so that our children can play
In a world without fear of speaking their mind or worshiping their God
Or terrorist threats and roadside bombs.

So on this Christmas Eve while you sit with the fam
Singing carols and dining on turkey or ham
Remember the soldiers, the airmen, marines,
The sailors and heros that you’ve never seen.

For they don’t need more hand sanitizer or boxes of wipes
Or expensive tins of cookies filled with holiday hype.
While these things they are all useful and give us a smile
They will soon run out after a while.

Instead send some love, a letter and some time
And give them something that doesn’t cost a dime
They just need your support for they know you are there
Where they want to be
Just send them a prayer.

Support those who fight so you don’t have to stress
About ever losing the freedoms that you possess.
They sacrifice so much for all the right reasons
Which is, after all, the spirit of the Christmas season.

Maybe one day we’ll have peace, but until then,
We are blessed to have soldiers to protect us again and again.

I've got a few days go before I see my family and friends

And I will miss spending this Christmas with all of them.

That's okay, because I will see them all in a few days,
While I try to make up for the time that I've been away.
And as go back to my trailer with dreams of a Christmas white,
I wish a Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.


Merry Christmas everyone.