'An exercise in futility'
Pfc. Jason Henderson writes: "Our company just took over a new OP. This place is way the hell out in the middle of nowhere. The building itself looks straight out of the 14th century. The building is not only huge, but like so many buildings in this country seems as if it was built for warfare."
Pfc. Jason Henderson writes: "Our company just took over a new OP. This place is way the hell out in the middle of nowhere. The building itself looks straight out of the 14th century. The building is not only huge, but like so many buildings in this country seems as if it was built for warfare."
Pictures of Ar Ramadi
See images of Pfc. Jason Henderson – photographs of his time on the home front and other pictures he sent home from Ramadi, Iraq.
See images of Pfc. Jason Henderson – photographs of his time on the home front and other pictures he sent home from Ramadi, Iraq.
Enjoying time off while it lasts
Pfc. Jason Henderson writes: "We are back at Eagles Nest and what a change. Things used to be pretty terrible here, as in 8 on 8 off. Now we show up and its 4 on 18 off, or so I'm told."
Pfc. Jason Henderson writes: "We are back at Eagles Nest and what a change. Things used to be pretty terrible here, as in 8 on 8 off. Now we show up and its 4 on 18 off, or so I'm told."
Rarely is it 'everything according to plan'
Pfc. Jason Henderson writes: "It is not that this road is particularly dangerous by Ramadi standards, but it certainly isn't someplace that I would recommend for tailgating."
Pfc. Jason Henderson writes: "It is not that this road is particularly dangerous by Ramadi standards, but it certainly isn't someplace that I would recommend for tailgating."
Not an ordinary drive
Pfc. Jason Henderson writes: "We jumped onto the median of the 4 lane divided highway as usual. The median, aside from having slightly fewer potholes than the road, also is a much more difficult reach for the IED layers."
Pfc. Jason Henderson writes: "We jumped onto the median of the 4 lane divided highway as usual. The median, aside from having slightly fewer potholes than the road, also is a much more difficult reach for the IED layers."
Extension means missing holidays at home
Pfc. Jason Henderson writes: "It isn't that I agree or disagree with the decision (to extend the tours of all active duty Army units). My politics and theories on the world carry no weight here, but it is quite disappointing."
Pfc. Jason Henderson writes: "It isn't that I agree or disagree with the decision (to extend the tours of all active duty Army units). My politics and theories on the world carry no weight here, but it is quite disappointing."
A country in capable hands
Pfc. Jason Henderson writes: "... the Infantry is the Infantry. For those who understand no other explanation is needed, for those who don't, no words of mine can explain it. The Infantry aside, every man who is in my platoon signed up for a post September 11th Army."
Pfc. Jason Henderson writes: "... the Infantry is the Infantry. For those who understand no other explanation is needed, for those who don't, no words of mine can explain it. The Infantry aside, every man who is in my platoon signed up for a post September 11th Army."
The song of a soldier's sister
A poem composed by McCall Henderson, a Naperville Central student whose brother, Jason, is serving in Iraq.
A poem composed by McCall Henderson, a Naperville Central student whose brother, Jason, is serving in Iraq.
Little things help mom stay connected with son in Iraq
Last week, Cathy Henderson received a call from her son Jason, who is serving in Iraq, saying that his military stay was being extended. "Three more months of worrying," Henderson said. "... It's an ongoing thing. It never really leaves my mind or my heart.
Last week, Cathy Henderson received a call from her son Jason, who is serving in Iraq, saying that his military stay was being extended. "Three more months of worrying," Henderson said. "... It's an ongoing thing. It never really leaves my mind or my heart.
Emotional overload
Pfc. Jason Henderson writes: "I remember watching that tracer bounce off the column and move all the way across my field of vision. ... I am still trying to sort it out exactly in my mind. ... It was probably the single most intense moment of my life."
Pfc. Jason Henderson writes: "I remember watching that tracer bounce off the column and move all the way across my field of vision. ... I am still trying to sort it out exactly in my mind. ... It was probably the single most intense moment of my life."
