I am in Iraq

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Im in Iraq

2005-07-05T17:12:00.000+04:00

I'm back! Things have been relatively uneventful for me lately, which is good, I guess. Mostly I find myself daydreaming of going on leave, I know it's going to be just excruciating to the last day but soon I'll get a brake. They work us to death here, if I was working a minimum of 12 hours a day, seven days a week as a civilian I'd be bankin'. It just keeps getting hotter here and we seem to have daily sand storms. Some days it looks like it's going to snow all day but the haze is just dirt, so instead of the days just being hot, I'm also covered in dirt. Though I'm unable to see the future, I'm certain this is the hottest, dirtiest, most miserable place I'll ever find myself. To make things worse, I had my first meeting with what is surely a creation of evil. Some of you know how I feel about spiders, (and some of you, no doubt, already know where this is going), and for those of you who don't, I'll direct you back to the "creation of evil" quotation. Yes, I had my first encounter with the infamous (meaning "more than famous"), Camel Spider. I had taken trash to the big dumpster and while throwing everything in I got oil on my hands, but I saw a clean one in the dumpster and reached in and grabbed it. As I stood up I saw something out of the corner of my eye, and let me tell you, it was fast. I jumped back and it raced right under me on the rim of the dumpster, about chest high. When I moved back it jumped (it did not fall!), it jumped towards me, off the dumpster. Luckily, it missed me or I'd have been run out of the army for screaming like a little girl. It ran under the hummvee and I found myself saying to myself "self, 120 is not really that hot, a nice walk (or run) back to the motorpool sounds pretty good". But I decided to try to get a picture of it for everyone and I moved the hummvee forward and tried to find it on the ground, but it had vanished (because thats what spiders do, they know they can scare you more if they pull the "now you see me, now you don't" trick). Now, who says I don't love you guys. I was prepared to face a huge, mutant spider, with nothing between us but a camera, for YOU!! Insurgents are one thing, just as long as the president promises never to send us into caves to destroy the camel spider population. I don't think I'd ever recover from that. I hope you all enjoyed my story, just a little entertainmen at my expense, I can deal with that. So next time you see a spider in your house, don't freak out, I promise you it won't be the size of a rat and look like the thing from Alien that attatches itself to your face (and that's the best I can honestly describe it).

Aside from that, the 4th of July has passed and it reminded me alot of the 3rd of July or even the 10th of May. But, it is honestly and truthfully, my pleasure and priviledge to serve here for all of you. With all that goes on over here, I mean it sincerely, I hope everyone enjoyed their holliday and for those of you who drink beer I hope one of them was consumed in my name! Not much else happening here, I hope to hear from you all soon.

I love and miss you,

MARK(EY)

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iraq

2005-06-28T14:03:00.000+04:00

I know I've gotten lazy about my journal lately, I have been busy but not so busy that I can't give everyone an update. I was recently informed on a phone call that when I don't write for so long everyone tends to start worrying. I'm sorry if I worried anyone but I'm still doing well here so that's good, right!!

There hasn't been that much to talk about, at least not to me, I've kind of settled into a routine here so everything is pretty Blah. It is incredibly hot day after day and I am on the day shift in the motorpool (7am to 7 pm). It's actually a releif for me to go out on patrols because I hate being in the motorpool and though I am pretty good at my job, I still don't like being a mechanic. I enjoy going out and being a gunner on one of our 113's (a smaller personell carrier than the Bradley) and sometimes I still get to dismount with the infantry. We had a VBIED (car bomb) detonate where I always patrol about 10 days ago. Luckily the only casualty was the guy in the car. We had just left the area five minutes before, also, he detonated the bomb too soon. Aside from that, things are pretty much the same here. I'm actually going out tonight at midnight for anywhere from 12 to 18 hours. We never know when we'll be back.

I try to read the papers or check the internet to see how the Angels are doing and am happy to say that they are going to go all the way this year!! I spend my free time trying to catch sportscenter at the gym to follow sports (that's another thing I hate being away from). However, after 12+ hours a day in the sun during 120+ degree heat it becomes difficult to get motivated to do anything but sit three inches from my air-conditioner. When I go back to Colorado in July I'm going to freeze, I haven't felt 60 degree temps. in five months ( just 7 more to go). It's probably not good for my mental health to be counting the days untill I come home this far out but neither is being shot at and blown-up.

I hope all is well back home ( CA and CO ) and can't wait to see everyone again. I wish I had time to come back to California and see grandma and everyone (and of course do some surfin' with Joe and the family Boyer), but I really can't wait to see Adam so Colorado it is! I'll write again soon and I promise to stay out of the crossfire so you won't have reason to worry. I love and miss you all.

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I moved

2005-05-22T17:03:00.000+04:00

I know it's been a while since I've written or called but if you think moving is a pain in the butt I hope you never have to do it for the army. Holy crap do we have a lot of parts and paperwork and stuff to move. But it's done and I am now at Camp Liberty in downtown Baghdad. We are located right next to the airport, BIAP (Baghdad Int. Airport). My mailing address is basically the same except for the camp and the zip. Now it is camp liberty, Iraq APO AE 09372. We are supposed to be here for about 3 months and then move again ( I can't wait, we just finished unpacking the office and motorpool. I got here Saturday and just found out where the computer center is and am still trying to figure out exactly where everything is. I haven't got much time right now but I promise to make another entry with in the next couple of days.

I liked Camp Taji much better, there are more bugs, bombs, and bullets flying here but that's not a big deal. It's just so much hotter here. All I can think about is the beach or a pool, so those of you who have access to one or the other ( or you spoiled ones with both, Josh!!) You better take advantage! I'd kill someone for a weekend at the beach. Anyways, I'm out of time here. I love you guys and want you to know I'm doing fine. Iraq can't stop me, I'm invincible, always have been (except when I broke my leg, but I was like 4 so what did I know!!). Hope to hear from everyone soon, Bye!

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Im in Iraq

2005-05-02T17:12:00.000+04:00

I'm back!!

I've had a busy 2 weeks or so. We were called on to respond to that civilian chopper that was shot down about two weeks ago and I hope never to see anything like that again. About 2 days after that we were called on to go to Baghdad for some raids and patrols for three days which then turned into a week turning up next to nothing. Let me tell you, if you've never experienced sleeping in the back of a Bradley with 4 other guys for 5 hours a day (not five hours in a row of course) for a week straight, DONT!! It was one of the few times I wished I wasn't 6' 1''. When we got back from that mission is when all the car bombs started moving north of Baghdad (where I am). Two days ago we lost a couple of captains to a bomb wired to a guys trunk. One capt. was showing the other how we check vehicles on the roads and opened the trunk with the other capt. standing next to him. Generally this falls down the ladder as my, and other lower enlisted soldiers, job. I'm still not sure why there were two captains on the ground searching a vehicle. It's been kind of hectic since then, we've lost more soldiers from this camp in the last 2 weeks than they had since the year started.

As far as I can tell, we are still moving to Camp Liberty in Baghdad. We're not to stoked about this decision. We had really gotten settled in here and now we have to pack everything back up and go 30 miles down the road into the big city. Of course they haven't told us for sure that we are leaving, that would be entirely too easy, but because it would be the worst scenario for us to have as little notice as possible we fully expect to move. Soon. I've been told the living conditions at Liberty are roughly the same but that the motorpool (where I work) doesn't have any buildings. Which means we will be outside litterally all day (I can't wait till it gets hot!!). Until today we'd been averaging about 104 degrees for the last week, and that was the end of April. I will be sure to let you all know if/when I move what my new address is.

Otherwise, things are going well here. Thanks to Dad, Bunny, Ryanne (is that spelled right?), and Sam for the easter package that finally got here (it only took a month) they must have accidentally sent it to the wrong place first, Mars perhaps. And Thank you to the Williams family for the packages, the "puppy chow" was absolutely destroyed but it still tasted great. They opened the pool here yesterday but I haven't had a chance to go. I figure if it's going to be rediculously hot here I might as well find a way to enjoy it. I'll pretend it's the beach and the morter fire and explosions we hear during the day are just waves crashing (see how well denial...I mean positive thinking, can benefit you!!) Anyways, I'm doing fine and I look forward to hearing from everyone. Love ya, Mark.

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untitled

2005-04-22T10:09:00.000+04:00

I'm back! I get to sleep in my own bed again, even though my feet hang off the end even when I lay diagonal, it's better than where I've been attempting to sleep. Over the last two weeks I've only been here at the camp a total of about 48-hours and when I was here I had work to do and then I'd roll back out. Hectic just aint the word! Good to be back though and a day off for me to boot!!

We have done a few midnight raids in the town over the last 10 days but nothing significant has happened. Three days ago I was riding around the town in one of the Bradleys and an IED went off luckily it was detonated a little late. It did some damage to the outside of the track and gave those of us inside a good jolt, I hit my head but was wearing my helmet so I was fine. We captured a couple of suspects yesterday and raided (brace yourselves now) five chicken houses!! And didn't find crap! Actually, technically, we found lots of crap but no weapons or mortars or rockets like we'd been "informed" was there. That is one of the worst smells ever, we had guys come out throwing-up, I held my breath before we went in (I'd like to thank my many years spent trying not to drown at the beach for my lung capacity).

Speaking of the beach, It is getting hotter by the day here and walking through fields and running through buildings with all my gear on is some work out. I'm not a violent person but if I have to chase someone this summer he is going to be extremly sorry I caught him (and I WILL catch him, I don't run in this heat to come up empty handed). There is a rumor that we (1st squadron/ 11th ACR) may be moving to Abu Graib (or however you spell it) where they had the big deal with the soldiers abusing the Iraqi prisoners. I don't know if we are going or not though and I'll let everyone know when I find out. I've been gone less than three months and thats good enough for me, I'm ready to go back to the beach every weekend like I used to and I promise never to complain about anything again. Ever. I count on Joe and Amy to let me know how the surf has been (not that I could actually ride it but I'll keep trying!).

Also, if anyone wants to send me pictures, for now I'd recommend sending them by mail because I don't have enough time to download them here, these computers are really slow (Stacia, I haven't seen the wedding pics, It took forever so I gave up).

Overall I'm doing just fine here and I thank you all for your support. Hopefully you won't have to wait 2 weeks for me to update this again. I love and miss all of you and I'll be home before we know it (I've decided that's one of those few lies that no one minds being told) works for me!!

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I'm still here

2005-03-29T11:20:00.000+03:00

Hi everyone!

It's been a while I know. I've been out for the last 5 days or so in Al Tarimiyah (I think thats how it's spelled) and it was a busy 5 days!! These guys must have more time on they're hands than before because for the last week and a half we have been finding bombs on the roads everytime we roll anywhere. I got to do my first raids over the last few days, and I thought sweeping the fields and roads for bombs was a rush!! We go into houses (some are mud huts with three rooms and some are mansions), we clear the rooms one by one looking for explosives, guns, spools of wire, pretty much anything that does not look or feel right and confiscate it. Sometimes we catch the bad guy but most of the time we end up having to let them go. It gets kind of frustrating. I have some pictures of the palm groves here that we search through, they like to hide their stuff out there, and it's like jungle. Weeds to my waist and miles of big palm trees. I was surprised how green this place is, I expected it to look like Fort Irwin (dirt and rocks, though there is plenty of that here). I've found that I really enjoy going out as a dismount with the infantry guys. It's really exciting, kind of scary and when I get back to camp I feel like I've actually had a hand in the good that we are here to ensure. It's a nice change of pace from turning wrenches in the motorpool and the infantry guys are always saying it seems like I've been doing it for years, they don't have to worry about me doing the right thing.

I've been doing well here. I get a lot of guys wondering "why are you always in such a good mood in such a crappy atmosphere?" But the fact is the worse mood you let yourself be in the more things are really going to suck. I'm going to be here a long time so I don't let anything get to me. I actually have a day off today so I get to relax and send some e-mails, go to the gym, SLEEP! (woohoo!). I found an IED on sunday while I was on patrol in the town. I was about three feet from it and standing on the edge of a canal. I had to go down the steep, muddy embankment to a boat we found there so I called the platoon leader over to see what it was. Man, I couldn't get up the slope fast enough!! We all ran across the street and took cover, luckily it didn't go off (that'll let you know you're alive!!). About five minutes later a big one went off about 300 yards down the street, no one was hurt and the Iraqi National Guard caught the guy responsible. Let's just say they don't have any Rules Of Engagement to follow with people like that.

I'm out of time but I'm doing fine here. Hope to hear from everyone soon.

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untitled

2005-03-20T11:42:00.000+03:00

Hi everyone!

Sorry I've taken so long to update this but you know the deal. First I'd like to say thank you to Mrs. McDonald's class for all the e-mail and support. I'll try to answer some of your questions as the days go by here.

I haven't been outside the wire in a while so not much has gone on for me, I did just get off about a 30 hour work day though so I'm going to bed real soon (maybe before I even get to my room). We had a transmission go bad in one Bradley and another got partialy blown up, thankfully no one was hurt. Otherwise not much is going on, we still have things blowing up on or near post and it is starting to get pretty hot. I've been told the temp. in the summer generaly tops out at about 150 degrees (I can't wait!!). I've never had much problem with heat, most of you know how much I love to lay in the sun at the beach (ah, the beach, I think I'm going to cry!) but 150!! and no ocean in sight, I mean COME ON! Also the bugs are begining to show their ugly little heads. Lots of mosquitos and things I've never seen before. Everything here seems to have stingers, wings, and a real bad attitude!

Anyways, enough of my sad little story, I am still doing well here and the days go by pretty quickly. My supervisors want to send me to the E-5 board by May so I should be a seargent in the next few months. To make that rank in 3 yrs. in my job means I must be doing the right things, so I'm pretty excited to get that done.

They are kicking me off as I type this but after nearly three years in the army I've gotten really good at ignoring people. I hope to hear from you all soon. bye.

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my journal

2005-03-08T18:59:00.000+03:00

Hi everyone!

I'm sorry it has taken me so long to "write" again, I've been busy and they like to shut down the communications on the camp. Usually it happens when someone is killed so when you don't hear from me weekly or so something is probably going on.

It has actually been pretty quiet here the last four days or so. I did go "outside the wire" for the first time on Thursday. I sit in the back of a Bradley Fighting Vehicle (BFV) for about 40 minutes while we go from the camp to the water treatment facility in N. Baghdad. On the way we scan for IED's along the roadside, sometimes we have to dismount the vehicles and walk along the road to look for them. Brilliant!!! That was probably the most frightening thing I've ever done. When we got to the water facility we worked on one of the Bradleys that was down then we had to guard one of the gates. We search people entering and leaving the facility and search the trunk and under the hood of the cars. When we took over the place it turned out they had been using it as a base to build the explosives they like to conveniently leave by the road. There is a whole little community inside the plant (homes, mosques, schools...). We work there with some of the locals who are supposed to guard the place but we can't trust them. They start talking to eachother and looking at us out of the corners of their eyes.

The first night I was there the "security guards" there kept trying to find a reason to get off early so we thought something might be up. I was on duty from 10p.m. to 2a.m. and we heard all the dogs around the place start barking then some shots were fired at the facility. No one was hurt and it only lasted about 20 seconds. I came back on Sat. afternoon and not much else has happened since.

I'm doing well here. I get three meals a day and when I'm off early enough I go to the gym and wear myself out for the night. As far as things I need, I don't really know. Anything you'd like to send would be appreciated. I hate asking for stuff. I know that makes it difficult, sorry!

I really appreciate you all e-mailing me it's nice to know you're checking up on me. Thanks for the support and I'm sorry I haven't been able to call or e-mail anyone individualy but I only get half an hour at a shot. I should be getting internet in my room eventualy (that's the rumor anyways) so I'll be able to spend more time on the internet soon.

I love you all and thank you so much for your support!! Bye.

SPC Mark Cochran

8 March 05

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Marks Iraq Journal

2005-03-01T17:19:00.000+03:00

Hello from Iraq!!

It's Tuesday afternoon the 1st of March. I got off early today because we had a memorial to go to. Two of our soldiers were killed by an IED (explosive) on Friday and we had an afternoon ceremony. That kind of sets the tone for my first week in Iraq at Camp Taji.

The first 5 days I was here we were attacked every day. In fact the first hour I was here we were hit by mortar fire. Then a rocket attack followed by more mortars and IED's.

I know it sounds crazy here but aside from the long days (and nights) of work It's not that bad. However, I haven't gone "outside the wire" yet so it will get more interesting (hooray!).

Our motorpool where I work is actually about 50 yards from one of Baghdads major highways, the only thing seperating us is a pile of dirt that most of us (not the short guys) can stand and look right over and some c-wire (spools of barbed-wire). A couple of days ago we were working out there and one of the numerous dump trucks that go by during the day contained more than just garbage. Three guys started shooting at us from the back of the truck. Good thing they couldn't shoot worth a damn. Whew!

Things here have been relatively calm today but working on these Bradleys and Humvees has been adding up to some long nights.

My time is almost up here so I'll try to get here more often but you should see the lines here. It's like "If everyone is here who is guarding the post!"

I love you all and appreciate the e-mails.

Marky

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Support our Troops!

2005-03-01T00:37:00.000+03:00

This post is to introduce Mark to the Blogsphere. PSC Mark Cochran is currently stationed outside of Baghdad, Iraq, and is one of the newest convoys of troops sent to the country. Hopefully this blog will serve as a means of communication between Mark and his family and friends, as well as a way for new friends to learn first hand what is happening in Iraq.
We all love and miss him, and hope he is well.
Feel free to post comments, as they will be automatically directed to his email; please don't spam.