WYCD GRUNWALD’S OPERATION YELLOW RIBBON Blog #3 I can tell you being here already is not easy, but nothing compared to what our service men and women go through (and I keep telling myself this). I went back to the office on base to pick up my stamped passport. Good news it was there. Bad news my orders from the Dept of the Army are not. I explained that when I left my passport at the office last night they were there. Now they are not. Now I won’t be able to board the flight without them. Can I go to stand-by? Just kidding. Sometimes you find friends in the strangest places and I found one. Thank God for a nice guy named Rick who felt sorry for me. He had a copy scanned and e mailed. He said “Don’t ever let anyone take these away from you, you will be stuck in Iraq without them”. Trust me Rick, I wont lose them! I am not allowed to take any photos of the base I am on as you can understand or else I’d send you some pictures. This is like one of the bases in a James Bond movie no one knows about. But I snapped a few of my tent and the rows of tents. Shhhh don’t tell anyone! I wanted to take some of the guys walking around with stocking caps on. I know I was thinking the same thing. It’s in the 70s here, so why the hats? As of a few weeks ago it was 110! I like to keep it at 99.5 LOL. I guess when the temp drops here in the desert that your body is so used to it being so hot you really do get cold. When I got in the car with the guys last night I asked what the smell was. They told me it was the sand. And it really was! I guess if you can imagine what sand smells like then you know what I am talking about. The sand is so fine it blows around and gets everywhere. It’s so dusty and dry. I can tell I am starting to get dehydrated. That’s a bad thing this early on I better force myself to drink more. On a side note I forgot Kuwait is a dry country. Meaning No booze at all here. I found 3 mini bottles from the plane of Baileys in my back-pack. I will be guarding those things with my life. HA HA. When you’re here you have all the time in the world to think. It’s a good thing and bad thing. It makes what you appreciate what you have back home so much. Little things you take for granted you don’t even realize. Relationships, Family & even people you work with. Not you Bob (Come on I had to get one good shot at you I am 8,000 miles from home.) I am really missing home and Doc, Rachael, Jason, yes Bob and all my friends at WYCD. You feel so small and alone here. I feel badly for the soldiers who don’t have a satellite phone like I do. I feel like calling now but its 8 hours time difference and I am sure Dr Don & Rachael don’t want a call at this time of the morning. I can’t even imagine what its like to be over here for so long and not be able to call that often. I keep telling myself its only ten days. I brought a couple of pictures with me but that’s just making me miss people all the more. The guy next to me has been here 13 months. A wife and two kids at home. Now I am feeling guilty for thinking that way after hearing his story. Now that I think about it, it’s only been 24 hours that I have been here. I have a feeling its going to be a looooooooooong 9 days. I am already looking forward to the flight home. It would be so much easier if I had something to do. I CAN’T WAIT to get the WYCD Yellow Ribbon to the troops and talk to ours guys from the Detroit area. That’s why I am here. I brought so many gifts for the guys I have not handed out one thing yet. I hope I meet some Michigan guys soon. I am off to roll call. If I am late they take your name off the list for the stand by flights. After the day I have had so far I think I have time for a shot of Baileys. The guy in the next bunk spots that I have a mini bottle. He deserves it more then I do after serving us for the last 13 months here. It’s the least I can do for him. Cheers! Grunwald

Tell everyone we said THANKS!!

Hope you made the flight and you are as safe as you can be at this point of your journey. God Bless and Many Prayers Denise

Wow! I agree with Denise--hope you made your flight and you are safe as can be. We are all hear praying for you and thinking of you often. Janie

and the troops thats all I have to say. Krystina LP MI

Tell everyone thank you and they are in our thoughts and prayers. You take care Grunwald and God Bless you

It's official and in writing - you wrote that you missed Jason and Bob!!! You are doing something totally amazing. Let the guys there know that they are still in our thoughts and prayers. Be safe!!! Kim :-)

Keep yourself safe and hurry home!!

Hope you have a safe trip! My cousin was in Iraq three times and just got back this past May. Our guys appreciate you taking time to go there! Janise

If you talk to a Justin L. from MI tell him Hi from all his Family, Grandma Dee

I think it is so awesome what you are doing! I know the service men and women over there appeciate it ~ and I appreciate it too! I suppose it is good all the delays you have had because it will help create laughs and stories once you finally get to your destination in Iraq. (I am sure some of the military members have gone through some of the same things as you have in Kuwait :) ) I look forward to reading more of your stories. You are in my thoughts and prayers! Take care and Semper Fi. Dena (St Clair Shores)

Keeping you in our prayers - be safe! Gerry

...and we are still praying,for all,give our thanks to all the troops..ann

This experience will make you realize how good we have it here, while our guys in the military are there, defending our country. Be safe. Sheryl

stay safe and stay low when you get to bagdad

I have a really close friend there right now! He is from the metro Detroit area, his name if Terrill Ford! Tell him Nikki says "Hi and that she misses him so much! And to be carefull!!" Good Luck Grunwald!

Hi Steve. It's Jyl. Just woke up and wanted to see what was going on. That was nice you shared your Baileys..you are a sweetheart. The troops are going to love you....like we do. God Bless you and our men and women who we can't wait to have home too.

When something this good is meant to happen and it happens it makes all the turmoil you go through worth even more. You are amazing and a wonderfull person. Take care and remember that everyone here is praying for your safe return, and for the safe return of all our men and women. Tammie

Dear Steve, My family and so many other families would like to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for putting a smile on each and every soldier!s face as you present this yellow ribbon to them.. I know this will touch each and every heart of every soldier that continues to protect us.Thank you so much for this beautiful gesture to support our troops. If you see my son Cregger will you give him a big hug from all of his family.Can you also tell him that we love him ,we miss him and are so proud of him.He got to Iraq last Monday.May God bless you , every member of your team and every soldier defending our country.Debbie

Hi Steve Please be careful and stay safe, give all our Soldiers our Love and Prayers. Safe Journey Betty from Howell, Mi

Steve, You are truly missed. Please come home safe and sound. Tell every soldier you meet we say THANKYOU a million times over. Please be careful and I can't wait to hear you when you get back. love and prayers to you and yours. Tammy Columbus Twp. MI

Best of luck to you Steve. Tell all the soldiers over there we are always thinking of them and keeping them in our prayers. We love them for everything they are doing. Come home safe. - Emilie Hazel Park, MI

Thank you for going over there and showing the support from the us. my husband doug as been there for 10 months and will be there for 3 more months. so from my heart thank you for going over there and doing all you are doing it means alot to them. thank you again.