| Author | Message | ||
     Bartimus |
Hey folks, Just an update on how our friend Brian Cessna, AKA Stingaroo, is doing in Iraq. I received this email from him today, with these three attached pictures. Bart, wondering if you could do a small favor for me and post a few pics up on badweb. One is in Kuwait with myself, the dealer, and two other Buell riders. The next two are from my room at JSS Nassir Wa Salaam, between baghdad and fallujah. Its on old barracks, pretty drafty and run down, but at least it has a roof and some power! Things are going ok, basically just running missions in our Stryker. I do Lethal Tgting, which is basically police work finding bad guys and detaining them or hunting them down. I also work with a small kill team which is about 6 doods, 3 of which are snipers. I am still in charge of Fire Support, which is limited due to all the security agreements. My Stryker rolls when the company commander rolls out. I am part of his PSD as well, so like company missions, and key leader engagements, we pull security, check buildings, etc. Take care buddy, perspectives are changing as usually happens when you see reality. You know what I'm talking about. Brian    As you can see, the flag he brought to homecoming has covered some miles, and Brian is proudly displaying it where ever he sets his boots... His email address has not changed. You can still send him emails at: Stingaroo499@yahoo.com. Semper Fi!  | ||
| Firemanjim |
Bart, thanks for the update on our boy. Tell him we are proud of him and to be as safe as he can. I want to have another beer at Homecoming with him. | ||
| Denisea |
 VTC Brian and Thank You! PS: Is a snail mail possible? D | ||
| F_skinner |
Bart, thanks for the update. I sent Brian an email because I am guessing the BadWeb along with other web sites are being blocked where he is at. Not only that I expect there is an OPSEC concern as well. No matter it is good to hear from the young man. Tell Brian we will have a beer for him in May. Frank | ||
| Stingaroo |
Hello everyone! I am sorry I have not been on here in so long. Thank you Bart for posting the pics. We do have internet access, the problem was it was so slow that badweb would time out before everything loaded. We just got faster internet so I can now get on here, but Frank is right. It is limited on what websites we can visit, we are not allowed to us geek sticks, but hey we got 10 computers for 150+guys, and we got the internet! Kate is doing well, I usually try to shoot her an email, letter, or phone call every other day. Hopefully when I get home we finally get to take our honeymoon! Trying to keep the price down on that so we can get a house and call it home. She is actively searching, my one guide line is it must have a shop with room to tear a vehicle down and restore, and room for a 1942 GMC 2 1/2 CCKW to be parked. Other than that she has all the freedom to check into places. This place is an infantryman's dream. I know I am not 11B but as a 13F Fire Support NCO you still live with the dogs. We have hard buildings, although a little drafty, electric most of t he day off of generators, a chow hall with 2 hots a day, few coolers with gatorade, we are trying to get as many AC units as possible working, and we even have 3 phones we can call home on! No tents or trenches its freakin nice. Also the highest ranking person here is a CPT so we dont have any spit and polish, just have your gear squared away and a well oiled rifle, your good to go! I am allowed to tell you where we are, and little bit about what we are doing but thats about it. We are doing rather well, we do joint missions with the Iraqi Army and Police, but basically Iraq ,is, well... Iraq. There are sewage puddles, garbage everywhere, buildings with mud walls and grass roof, but have a satellite dish hanging out of them, all kinds of vehicles in different states of repair rumbling down the roads. I got tons of video and pics, offer me a beer, maybe I will share them... I modified the crap outta my Stryker. Welding, mechanic, and wiring abilities run in the veins, and next thing you know, your 8 wheeled 400hp Stryker looks like something out of Mad Max. I love it. I have taken tons of pictures, will be happy to share them when I get home. Also I have a nice little Buell Pin JB welded to the inside of my cupola as a motivator whenever I am down and out. I gotta tell you, I have told the story of Homecoming over and over again. Some guys did not beleive I talked to Erik Buell, when I showed the pic of me with him and the banner they freaked out. I told them, its not all about Erik, but the people he pulled together. One picture that everyone laughs at is Jim H. sitting at the bar with me and his mouth wide open making the sounds of a Pratt and Whitney radial engine. And of course Bart, Prior and I with tongues sticking out at the Boiler Room... Oh the good times. Oh and Frank I appreciate the email thank you! I will post my address, if you guys feel like dropping anything in the mail, it will be appreciated. By the way XB9er (Chris Hawn, I think that is his handle) lives about 2 buildings over from me. We are spreading the word of Buell, Badweb, and it's community like wildfire. You can reach me by snail mail. Mail goes to Liberty (POG Town) then whenever we get a supply convoy we finally get it. Welp, gotta hit the shower and get ready for a mission. Take care everyone, hope to hop on here and do some browsing at somepoint! SSG Cessna, Brian M C Company 2-112 Unit# 43007 Camp Liberty APO AE 09344-3005 PS POG=People Other than Grunts. | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
Hey, I recognize that hat. Funny thing, I was clearing out some stuff the other day & found the last one of them that I'd forgotten about, & as my Buell blue star hat is past wearing it'll shortly be doing head covering duty. You fellas look after yourselves out there. | ||
| Bluzm2 |
Brian, When you next pop in (thanks TONS for the update BTW), let us know what you guys need over there. But when you do, be prepared for a LOT of mail! Brad | ||
| Bill0351 |
Have we had a fundraiser for deployed Badwebbers recently? I would be in for a $20 if someone wanted to do the collecting. When I was there, a local radio station sent us a huge box of really nice boot socks donated by Wigwam. Grunts go through a lot of socks. Is that something you guys might need? Bill | ||
| Ulywife |
Brian - good to see you posting. Thank you for your service. Have we had a fundraiser for deployed Badwebbers recently? Yes we have. In fact, I still have a few things from our last BadWeB care package that didn't fit in the box. If you'd like to contribute, I'll add it to the package and send it to Brian and Chris. I just e-mail Alex today for Brian's address. Great minds think alike! You can PayPal to Ulywife (at) gmail (dot) com | ||
| Bill0351 |
$20 sent. | ||
| Billinpa |
Thank you for your service. Keep safe!! | ||
| Jerry_haughton |
Bart, thx for posting; Stingaroo, damn good to hear from you, brother. You sound great. Stay safe, kick ass, and get home soon - me 'n Denise gotta case of cold Yuengling here at the 'Dome with your name on it.  FB&D | ||
| Prior |
Brian, Glad to see your post. I've been out of the loop a bit lately and don't have internet at the new pad! Glad to hear things are going well and glad to hear you got the package I sent. We'll have you down this way for some decompress time and riding time this fall when you get back. Kristi- Brian posted his address up above, that's worked for a few things I've sent him. Prior | ||
| Brinnutz |
How about tobacco? When I was deployed, I had my GF mail me chew from the states... Luckily I quit since though. | ||
| Prior |
Brinntz, I think they have pretty good access to that type of stuff. I sent off a few cans of Cope with Brian when he left, and he's not asked for any more since... | ||
| Brinnutz |
Well, I guess we should ask. I bet the Cope he gets is the nasty shit in the plastic cans. Gotta get him the cardboard cans...less preservatives and better flavor. | ||
| Ulywife |
Brian - if you have any special request, let me know. I'll do what I can. Kristi | ||
| Bluzm2 |
Brian, On a related note, I got this from a coworker today. Her brother (also over in the sand box) sent her these pic's. They were taken on Saturday.... in their bathroom at his base!!! Brian, watch your 6! Yikes! Brad    Our folks over there aren't safe anywhere! Brad | ||
| Stingaroo |
Wow, you all are so generous! Wilson, yes you are correct, plastic hadji Cope. Any tobacco products from USA gets spread out amongst friends because its about as precious as gold! I am slowing down on tobacco products, willing myself to quit dispite the whole "crutch" thing under stress and whatnot. Best thing it does is just keep you awake, but a couple Rip Its does the same thing. Brad, thank God we do not have flushing toilets. Just showed the pics to 5 other doods, they are freaking out. You know your on JSS when you can walk out in the dark with no lites or optics, touch a porta john door, Postive ID on what type it is, know the position of the urinal by the type, and pee without hitting your feet. haha. Kristi, I hate asking for things for real. You all dont have to send much, just something little is very much appreciated. Something for me personally would be a set of cheap sheets with like motorcycles, sponge bob, or He-Man. Whatever is gayer the better. We have a little competition... well enough said about that. If you feel like writing me a letter, that would be sweet, I will try to reply as soon as possible. For the guys, any kind of nutrition bars, protein bars, tobacco, snacks, magazines, cheap movies, whatever. We have limited supplies of fruits and veggies (we get some from the local economy) so some health food would be good. Socks, yeah. Bill has obviously been here and got the T-shirt (along with the retarded sun tan, and lungs full of sand) Your best friend is your feet, Gold Bond foot powder, and some socks would be sweet. A few newspapers from Wisconsin, PA, OH, CA, NY and MD. Most of us are PA boys, but there are a few from those areas here as well. I greatly appreciate you all thinking about us. Whatever we get will be much appreciated. I am going to try to take a peer at the patrol tracker and see when Hawn and I will be able to snap a pic in front of one of our trucks. I will probably have to wait till I get back to Liberty to the pic to someone to have it posted. Some of the REMFs back there have personal computers with internet access. I will have to develop a plan to gain access to it... Alrighty, gotta go pull the .50 of the Stryker, calling for a heck of dust storm. So far vis is down to 50 meters and the wind is picking up (sand is coming through the cracks now.) Take care everyone, and most of all thank you. Brian | ||
| Ulywife |
Brian - I'll see what I can pull together. I'll post up when I send the package. If anyone else wants to contribute, let me know. We can fill several boxes! We have two Badwebbers to take care of! | ||
| Xb9er |
If you guy's could send over a Uly for brian and I to get around the JSS on that would be great. haha The pictures of the, I'm guessing cobra really freaks me out. I am now thankful that we have portta johns and not real deal crappers. I'm going to go now and check underneath the covers on my bed. chris | ||
| Denisea |
Brian, Package #1 on it's way.  FB&D | ||
| Ulywife |
Be on the lookout for 2 packages for you and Chris, compliments of BadWebbers! | ||
| Toona |
Chris/XB9er, I'll get some stuff to your dad to send over. | ||
| Stingaroo |
Jerry and D, got your package today, thank you!! I am sitting at Liberty right now and will be spreading the love as soon as I get back to the JSS. Everyhting is white so I am assuming there is a bottle of foot powder in there somewhere... Brian | ||
| Court |
Brian: How many Buellers in your unit? Court | ||
| Denisea |
Yikes Brian! And Very Sorry! Never thought the Gold Bond plastic bottle would erupt. Usually put EVERYthing in several ziplocks.  Okay, will know better for #2 - suggestions? FB&D | ||
| Stingaroo |
Court, lets see. In C co, there is SPC Hawn and myself, soon to be is SGT Force, Spc Peck and about 2 others. There are others who maybe joining the ranks, from a Blast all the way up to the 1125R. I spend quite a bit of time answering some questions, then give them the Badweb website. Denisea, haha its all good. The socks ate most the powder that came out, right now I got on a pair. Guys thought it was funny i took them right out of the box, put them on, and went for a run. I had a sweaty white streak all over my calfs and shorts! You can imagine the comments I got on that one. For a second box, any bike magazines, Buell related material, history magazines, even an auto locator. Feel free to through in a couple pics of your latest adventures and drop in a note. When we come down to visit, I will have to repay you big time! My guys and 3rd Platoon (Hawn's) are moving into a different building. The CAV has showed up to operate out of here and I guess they want our nice buildings we worked so hard into getting into shape. The building we are moving into has no power, water, missing most the windows, garbage, and no real living comforts. I can say we will probably have most those problems taken care of by the end of this week. My respect for the CAV is pretty much gone now. Ok, time to get busy, Brian | ||
| Xb9er |
Jerry and D. Brian brought over the box this morning. Thanks to you guys. I also am wearing a pair of socks right now. Its true Brian and I are getting kicked out of our buildings. The engineers are working on them now. I was over yesterday and wired up a new fuse box(Toona dont fall off your seat) we should have power going in about 2 days. It is going to be nice, but like Brian says all respect for the 1st cav. is lost. Too bad because there is a lot of history behind their really really big unit patch. The weather here has been really comfortable but today it is really hot. I would say its going to get really hot in about 2 weeks. Makes me happy were are mechanized!!! chris | ||
| Denisea |
Brian and Chris, Sorry to hear 'bout the move. Hope that works out - you guys have to put up with enough already! Waiting for Jerry to get back from Washington so we can finish up your box - since the last one was from California, one from the mountains of Virginia this time should have a different look. And hey, Stingaroo, it's the least we can do! |
