Remembering!

U.S. soldiers from the 1st Armored Division search for weapons caches along the banks of the Euphrates River near the Iraqi town of Hit on April 18.

Just remembering a few Fathers who couldn't be home today.

Happy Father's Day wherever you may be!

Kiss a Soldier!

Most people have no idea!

That's right. Most of us can't truly comprehend how dangerous it has been in Iraq and Afghanistan for our men and women in uniform.

In the above video, you can see a convoy of vehicles approaching. When the lead vehicle reaches the middle of the screen, an improvised explosive device (IED) explodes. An (IED) is a bomb constructed and deployed in ways other than in conventional military action. They are typically comprised of conventional military explosives such as artillery rounds, bombs, or mortar shells and attached to a detonation mechanism. This has been the weapon of choice in the present day conflict in Iraq. To date, approximately 40% of coalition deaths in Iraq have been caused by IED's.

Munitions rigged for an IED discovered by Iraqi police in Baghdad in November 2005

This video gives me a whole new level of understanding about how lethal these IED's really are. I've never been that close to an explosion and I don't want to be. I certainly have expanded respect and compassion for those who have lived in such a dangerous environment for so long.