Update from Home and the Field

Happy Friday everyone!

Just wanted to catch everyone up with the HomeFront. All is going great. We're on a countdown now! We're due in less than two weeks! I can hardly believe that it's almost over. The Pea enjoyed our silent weekend in Virginia, so much so that the midwives say that she went from 6lbs to 7.5lbs in less than a week! All that weight and I was only eating veggies and drinking water! Maybe it was all the energy that I conserved when I wasn't talking. Anyway, we're both feeling great. As a matter of fact, I'm spending this weekend with my family. I've been getting that "shouldn't you be at home" look from many people in the community, but I just feel too energetic to be cooped up in the house wondering if "today's the day."

Hope this finds you doing well. I'd like to thank everyone again for the most amazing baby gifts. I feel so blessed to have the love and support of so many amazing people. Your energy lifts me and I could never find the appropriate words to appropriately express the depths of my gratitude.

I'll keep you updated!
Love
Nik

Here is Geo's latest update:


Dear Family & Friends,

Our two new teams are now effectively integrated with the rest of the Brigade Team. I'd like to welcome Nikki Reed to the mailing list. Her husband, Robert, was one of my company commanders when I commanded the 2nd Battalion, 103rd Armor, and he joined us last week with the new National Guard team. As the saying goes, it is a small army. They live in northern Virgina, but unfortunately do not have a family network.

Most of this past week has been taken up with training for the two new teams, doing some of our own training and in servicing vehicles. The weather has been great, with the days topping out in the 80's. Tomorrow is the big Victory of the Islamic Nation parade that our ANA troops will march in, and the celebrations run over into Sunday. Our counterparts have been working hard, and we all hope that it is a good event for them.

I am afraid that the team is going to start going in seperate directions soon. Beginning next week, the ANA brigade will be moving into another area of operations for about four months, and some of us will be going with them, while others will remain here at Darulaman. Some of our guys are also going to going to new assignment to mentor the Afghan National Police.

I have an agreement with the guys that I would provide general information about our team, and that it would be up to each one of them to let you specifics, including their assignment.

Otherwise, it is business as normal next week with some highlights being our first ever re-enlistment seminar for the ANA because one of our kandaks has about 200 soldiers getting ready to end their term. We will also be doing some communications and medical evacuation training.

Best Regards,

GEORGE M. SCHWARTZ
LTC, AR
Commander
1st Brigade, 201st Corps (ANA ETT)