Staff SGT Donald Wayne West, Jr., enlisted in the United States Army National Guard on September 11, 2001. As part of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Company A of the 150th Combat Engineers served active duty Aug 29, 2004, until Dec 30, 2005. SSGT West returned to college in January, 2006. He married Lauren Ritchie June 9, 2006, at Seaside, Fla., and they have three children. SSGT West completed military service at Camp Minden, LA on Aug 23, 2009.

Monday, June 27, 2005

Day 160 - Bombs Away!



Dixie Sappers are at it again!

Officials announced today that our soldiers of the 150th Engineer Battalion detained 25 suspected terrorists and uncovered five weapons caches during an operation in Ojeer al Sharqi.

Items seized and subsequently destroyed included:
* 573 mortar rounds,
* 37 rockets,
* three 155 mm artillery rounds,
* 14 rocket-propelled grenades,
* 24 land mines, 80 hand grenades,
* 1,000 feet of time fuse,
* 105 projectile fuses,
* 22 cans of small-arms ammunition,
* two 81 mm mortar systems,
* two 70-pound bags of bulk explosive,
* a can of hand grenade fuses,
* an RPG launcher,
* a 40-pound shape charge,
* a Milan antitank missile,
* an SA-7B guided missile, and
* a 14.5 mm anti-aircraft gun.
The 150th is attached to the 155th Brigade Combat Team, a U.S. Army unit assigned to the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward) in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

"He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him." Daniel 2:22


Want more good news from Iraq? Arthur Chrenkoff's post is a must read to find out who said this:
Today I am traveling to Brussels to join representatives of more than 80 governments and institutions in sending a loud and clear message of support for the political transition in Iraq.

A year ago, in Resolution 1546, the U.N. Security Council set out the timetable that Iraq, with the assistance of the United Nations and the international community, was expected to fulfill. The Brussels conference is a chance to reassure the Iraqi people that the international community stands with them in their brave efforts to rebuild their country, and that we recognize how much progress has been made in the face of daunting challenges...

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