OCTOBER 1 – I arrived last night in Baghdad at about 4:30 a.m. yesterday. I slept most of the day away to be only awakened by the knock of my captain that I work with. He spent the last 30 minutes bringing me up to speed with the present status of the team. The morale on the team is at an all-time low so bad that they had to transfer one of our interpreters to another team because a fight had broken out between him and another interpreter. I also found out that our chief had brought up formal charges against several of my team members. What drama! It was bound to happen anyway. This team chief has done so many things to put not only himself at risk but also this team. I know the guys felt a professional responsibility to make our higher command aware of these incidents. This chief in my estimation of things strikes me as being a master manipulator. He has taken the responsibility on himself to change the scope and direction of this team. It has been made clear from the outstart that our main focus would be as advisors to the Iraqi National Police. This team chief has gone way beyond our scope to change what really is his hidden ambitions. There is an investigation that he will have to go through as well. If called upon to give my account of what’s going on I will without a doubt tell the truth. I am disappointed that this team chief has attempted to tarnish the reputation of 4 people on this team who have impeccable careers in the army. I just don’t understand people’s motives sometimes for why they do the things that they do. We have 3 more months to go and I just think we need to finish this thing on a good note. It is true what the Bible says that ‘a little yeast leavens the whole loaf!’

OCTOBER 2 – The jet lag is really wearing on me today but I am determined to continue my workouts. I start with a 15 minute run on the treadmill followed by a workout with the weights and then back on the stationary bike for another 10 minutes of cardio followed by a good abdominal workout. I have been steady for about almost 3 weeks now. I can feel myself regaining strength again. Back home I am used to my weekly regiment of teaching 8 to 10 aerobic classes a week. Since being here in Baghdad I am fortunate if I get just an hour of exercise a week! This is the month of Ramadan here in Iraq. This is one of the Muslim observances where they will fast from sun up to sundown. Our leadership has told us to proceed with extra caution as we travel throughout our sector. Sunset around here is usually about 7 p.m. I noticed that our interpreters will begin to prepare their food. They will break the fast with a prayer and then they will eat. It is also an Arabic custom to not interrupt them with conversation while they are eating. The atmosphere in our sector is quiet for now but you can never be sure what will happen next.

OCTOBER 3 – I suited back up to join my team or what was left of it on a convoy to the station. We have about 6 replacement soldiers with us to cover the positions once held by my teammates. As we headed out the gate I noticed my stress level increase. There were no reported threats in our area so I was surprised by my reaction leaving out of the gate. I have done this mission since January and I guess this is something you just don’t get used to doing. There is something new going on here. Some of the residents have volunteered to form a group that will assist the National Police in the security of the area. They are called the ‘Guardians’. They will be paid for their services but their jurisdiction is limited to the area in which they live. To me, it’s just what we call in the States a paid neighborhood watch program. Again I am annoyed by this idea because if these guys are going to be paid for their services then they should be made to join the National Police force in their community. It just looks like another money pit into which we will dump our American dollars.

OCTOBER 6 – I have to get myself in bed. I will be leaving for this training facility with the Iraqi National Police tomorrow for 30 days! Part of me doesn’t want to go but the other part sees an advantage here. This will place my team and me out of the sector for a month. At this facility, I am told that we will have to teach a few classes but for the most part, it will be a safe and easy place. Just about all of the training will be conducted by the Australians. Also, this will help ease the tension that has been going on within the confines of my team. I won’t bore you with the details. It’s typical man drama mixed with betrayal and egocentric situations. I will have access to the internet while I am there but sharing 6 computers with 50 guys will definitely be a bit of a stretch. Also, another good consideration is that when we return from this training we will have about two weeks to prepare for our replacements that will be arriving. I am ready to come home now. Our team has dwindled down to just seven people. The chief of this team has really done a number on this team. The rest of us guys are trying to keep our spirits up but it’s hard not finishing this mission without the people you started with. I am so glad that I took leave late. I have my wonderful family to look forward to. I have my students and friends to see again and re-establish those relationships. In my heart, I am very happy right now. The joy of what awaits me back home is the motivation I will use to get me through these next two and half months.

OCTOBER 7 – We arrived at our training site with the Iraqi National Police today. I was worried because we would be traveling about 150 miles outside Baghdad in a 70-vehicle convoy! The threat level increases with such a display of soldiers and equipment traveling down the road. What also worried me was that we would be traveling over bridges that were over bodies of water. This trip would take about four hours. I made a joke to the guys saying “Can we stop at the rest stop and get lunch?” I knew the answer to this question. There were no rest stops and if anyone had to go to the bathroom we would be going past some areas that had green pastures available. The trip was, for the most part, interesting because I had a chance to see life outside Baghdad. There were little towns that existed where there was just a main road. The town is just like a tightly populated subdivision surrounded by palm trees. Some people will set up roadside stands that sell everything from bread to fuel. It was just my fortune that the truck I was riding in had this person, who shall remain nameless, who spent the entire trip complaining about everyone and everything! To make matters worse I have never heard the ‘F’ word used so much as an adjective. When we finally arrived I had to quickly go find the place I would be sleeping so that I could get away from this person. The thought that I had only 29 more days to go with this person really put a damper on my mood.

OCTOBER 8 – We jumped into our first day of training the Iraqi police with high expectations. This facility was and is a great idea for training. The location here takes all of these policemen out of their sectors and brings them to a place where they can concentrate on training techniques. This place is weird looking because there is a series of building complexes that were built but never finished to completion. They told me that the Air Force had started the construction on these buildings but they never finished them. They are being used now for police training. It has to be at least 6 acres of unfinished buildings out there; including one Mosque. These battalions are made up of policemen who are currently working in their sectors as well as new recruits. When they finish their 30-day program with us they will be given the ‘new’ National Police uniform which is a blue digitalized camouflaged uniform along with new boots. Right now what they are currently wearing is sad. Most of them are wearing a green camouflaged uniform that is the only uniform that they own. Almost half of them don’t even wear boots. Some of them wore dress shoes, and sneakers and I even saw a few that wore sandals! I’m starting to understand what the problem is with these people. It almost runs close to the problem that we have in the States. It’s called priorities! When the training day is done and I walk through the yard where the Iraqi barracks are located I can see that almost everyone owns a cell. As I travel throughout Iraq I can see that almost every house has a satellite dish!

OCTOBER 9 – Training was good today with the Iraqis today. My team and I set up a round-robin-like training stations in which we would rotate training every 45 minutes. My station was responsible for teaching proper techniques for holding, carrying, and patrolling with the AK-47 rifle. I had my interpreter at my side as I addressed the first group of recruits. “Salaam, Good morning my name is Sergeant First Class Lewis and I will be your primary instructor for this block of instruction.” This type of teaching is difficult because I have to talk slowly, line by line to give my interpreter time enough to translate my every word. I had about 40 men standing in front of me staring at me with a look of interest, confusion, and excitement mixed all together. It was my job to teach them this simple task while trying to keep their attention focused on me. I was able to pull it off by using the Lewis sense of humor and funny facial expressions to keep my audience mentally engaged. I wanted to be careful not to give them such a great stage show but I wanted them to take me seriously on the matters of carrying this weapon. We finally got through all of the training for the day. I was so exhausted. We had to line the men up in groups to prepare them to board the trucks that would soon be arriving to pick them up. Don’t ask me how it happened but one of the Iraqis asked me if I knew hip hop. It was my understanding that now that they have the freedom to watch anything that they want on television they have been exposed to American music; of course, the one that interested them the most was hip-hop music. When one Iraqi comes to talk to you, you can bet that three more are just right behind him. Before you know it they were clapping their hands and forming a circle around me. I didn’t have an interpreter at the time but it was obvious that they were beckoning me to dance for them. Well, you know Sgt. Roy can’t back down from a challenge so I did like any good-looking African American, Sergeant with an impeccable sense of rhythm would do; I danced! So for about 15 minutes, it was me and about 50 Iraqi policemen dancing. I was nervous that my leaders would frown upon this but they seem to take it as a goodwill gesture between us and the Iraqis. For me, it was some part of me connecting to a part of them.

OCTOBER 12 – This training facility has afforded me the opportunity to spend quality time with these Iraqi men. Each morning I have to go to the assembly area where I find all of the men who have committed to becoming National Policemen. This facility as I’ve stated is comfortably located about 150 miles just outside Baghdad. We have security here but for the most part, there is no fear of mortars or insurgent attacks while we are here. My job is simple. I show up to make sure all the men are accounted for and board the correct truck going to our training location. I have about 6 six groups consisting of about 30 to 40 men each. Each group has an officer and now a sergeant who is in charge of the men. I have been here for at least seven days now and already I have a reputation built up. We train from the hours of 6 to 12 noon. When we are done training some of the men will come up to me where they will bombard me with an endless stream of questions. Questions that range from where am I from, to how many children do I have? I wear two wedding bands and they saw that and assumed that I have two wives. Another interesting fact is that because I am black they assume that I like hip hop music. They are partly correct; I like some hip-hop music. About 25 Iraqi men will surround me and ask me to do a rap song. They mimicked the sound of a beatbox and motioned for me to bust into a rhyme. I know that I am not Kanye West or 50 Cent who are rappers that currently have CDs that are on the music charts. So I break out with my rendition of the 70’s classic “Rappers Delight’. They don’t know that that particular song is old school and that I am showing my age by it. Nonetheless, they are entertained by it and still, they beg me for more! My interpreter is too busy working with someone else so I gestured for them to sing me an Iraqi song. Immediately it started with one guy, then three more joined in and soon there were about 30 Iraqi guys singing and dancing around me. I join in the dancing and before you know it, we have a full-fledged festival going on! I don’t have a clue to what they are saying but I figured it can’t be too bad if everyone knows the words to the song!

OCTOBER 13 – Each day that I work with these Iraqi men I learn more and more about them. The training here is mandatory for all of the police units. The unit that I work with is here too amongst these other units. What is strange is that my unit was sitting in a certain area of the containment yard. I have never seen so many of these guys all at once. I was told that the reason was that the guys were mostly located in the safe houses working 24-hour shifts. An inside source told me that some of these guys have other jobs. They have worked a deal with the police battalion commander to have their names placed on the roles for pay. In return, they will hand over half their pay to the battalion commander who in return gets very wealthy by this arrangement! It makes sense to me. I teach a class on the AK-47 rifle. As I am teaching I can tell without a doubt that half of these guys that are sitting watching me teach are in no way interested in what I am teaching them! I have been a drill sergeant for 8 years and I know what potential soldiers look like. The array of men here ranges from a kid who tells me he’s 21 years of age but looks like he is 17 instead; to the guy who looks like he is in his fifties, overweight, and grandfather of three. It does make sense. The unemployment is so bad here that any man would be forced to take up a position with the police, army or in my case, the National Police. The problem that I have with that is that we get people who are here only for a paycheck. Their commitment level is very low. As I teach each class I try to instill pride in them for the job that they have to do but I am only met with blank stares of complacency. I become overwhelmed at times when I think of what these men have to go through to try to find some kind of normalcy in this country. My time is here is winding down. I soon will return back to Charlotte, North Carolina where my family and friends are eagerly waiting for me. I will come home to the security of my American lifestyle where I will pay my taxes, vote in the upcoming election, go on vacations, and resume the weekly pressures of my job. The sights and sounds of Iraq will turn gray and slowly fade into the background of my memories. I guess what I am saying is that my life will regain its purpose. That’s a good thing. I have come to know that these people don’t understand the price of freedom. I have also learned that as Americans, we don’t either. There is one side that is trying to understand the commitment of it while there is another side that takes it for granted.

OCTOBER 17 – It’s another training day here at the facility. We have about 3 battalions training here. We have set up round-robin training in which there are five training stations that are designed to teach a different subject matter. At my station, I teach how to properly carry, move, and patrol with the AK-47 rifle. Each class consists of about 30 to 40 guys. Already I am limited by the language barrier because I have to use an interpreter to translate each time I speak. If you haven’t used an interpreter before it takes some time to get familiar with the rhythm of using one. First of all the rhythm is much slower. I am so used to speaking and having my ideas and thoughts just roll into an internal rhythm in my head. Also, I can’t use technical words such as ‘technique’ or ‘scanning’ or phrases that I might use in basic training such as ‘aiming center mass on a target. The Arabic language doesn’t have words for these concepts. I found out from another trainer who was teaching me how to clear doorways and windows. He said that the Iraqi language didn’t have a word for the phrase ‘sneak a peek!’ So they had to find a word that best fits this concept. There is one thing that I have learned working with each group and that is they all have a sense of humor. I was teaching them the concept of aiming their rifle only when they have a ‘bad guy’ on their site. I used pantomime to convey a person shooting all of their ammunition up and standing there screaming like a girl and throwing rocks! Somehow this example was all that I needed to get a laugh out of them and to break the ice between us. When we finished our training for the day the men took a break in which they stood around smoking cigarettes and chatting with each other. I guess the word has gotten out that I am the sergeant who likes to dance with them. I was walking over to our truck where there was a cooler of cold drinks waiting for me. But before I could reach the truck I could hear my name being called in broken English “Lewes, Lewus,” A few of the Iraqi policemen motioned for me to come to them. My interpreter has taken a break so I am standing with 30 guys around me as they shout a thousand things to me in Arabic. One man begins clapping and starts singing some Iraqi song. I humor him and begin to clap my hands and join him by mimicking the words that he is singing. Before you know it we all are enjoying ourselves again. My American peers are looking at me. Some are looking at me with hopeless abandonment shaking their heads and others are laughing at me that I would even bother to relate to these men. I don’t care. It’s just the spare-of-the-moment experience that I might never get the chance to do again.

OCTOBER 18 – Another training day. I am disturbed because one of our interpreters tells me that most of these men here are criminals. I know that Iraq has a very high unemployment rate. Most of the men here must join the police, national police, or army to at least make a living. It explains it because the range in age between these men here is very diverse. There are some guys here who have told me that they are 22 years old but I wouldn’t give a few of them 18 on a good day. Then there are some men who really need to be home because they look like they are about 60 years old! Still, I don’t blame them. If I were in their shoes and this was the old job in town, I would take it too. Where the criminal part comes in is that I am told that some of these guys have committed acts of robbery, abuse, and murder of other Iraqis. Remember as I’ve stated this is a country of alliances. So whatever side you are on that is the side you will suffer the consequences from the opposing group. I was told one thing about one of the men here by another interpreter this man has killed many women! I could feel my anger rising up in my spirit as he told me this. He said that this man without regard for these women just killed them because he didn’t like them! He tells me that I am among thieves, militia members, and yes, killers. The main reason that most of the men are here is that involves MONEY. In the American army, we have a system to weed out people who come into the army with less than honorable intentions. I take a deep breath as I try to understand this rationale. The day is slowly approaching and the US won’t be here. I can’t wait.

OCTOBER 19 – I was given the unique opportunity to share the Christian gospel with a Muslim today! My interpreter and I were sitting up against a building as soldiers ran past us. Our job was to pretend that we were local people sitting around in the neighborhood. These soldiers were to ask us if we had seen any insurgents in the area. Our response would be “We have seen some strange men walking around in the neighborhood.” With that small piece of intelligence, the soldiers would move out to locate a fake IED that we planted for them to find. Well, my interpreter and I did this roleplaying for about 3 hours. It was then I turned to my interpreter and asked him “Who is it that asks you to do all of these religious things?” Let’s call him Jack. Jack proceeded to tell me about the beginnings of Islam and the prophet Muhammad. When he finished I started to tell him about Jesus Christ. In Islam, I was surprised to find that in Islam they recognize Jesus Christ too. But only as a prophet; Jack was surprised when I told him that Jesus Christ is still alive today! I then went on to tell Jack how God sent his Son Jesus into the world to save the world through his blood sacrifice. What was also amazing was later that day when we got back to the barracks I was reading the Bible sitting on my bed. Jack came and sat right down beside me and asked what I was reading. “The Bible,” I said as I made room for him on my bed. It was then that I showed him John 3:16 in the bible. He took my bible from me and began to read the text out loud, “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believes in him shall be saved. God sent his Son not to condemn the world but to save the world through him.” His eyes lit up with excitement as he looked at me. “This is very good!” I told him that I hated for anyone’s relationship with God to hang in the balance just because they were one prayer short of God’s grace and mercy! I told Jack this is why we call this the good news!

OCTOBER 20 – Today I had a unique experience. I had a haircut done by an Iraqi barber. The haircut wasn’t anything out of the usual but what happened after was worth noting. After my haircut was done the man asked me if I wanted the back of my neck trimmed. His English wasn’t that good so judging by his hand gestures I assumed that was what he wanted to do. So I just sat back and let him do his thing. I was a little nervous because he would do this with a straight razor. All in all his movements were reassuring and confident. After he finished my neck he said something else that I couldn’t quite make out. I said “yes” figuring it was some cosmetic thing concerning my haircut. The man pulled some string that looked like dental floss from a drawer and he put one end of the string in his mouth and the other end he twisted around his fingers. It was then that he began to pluck my eyebrows! He would twist the string around the hairs on my face and with a quick snap of his wrist begin to pull them out one by one. Not only did he do my eyebrows I felt some stinging sensations around the sides of my face as well. When he was finished he spun me around to face his mirror. I began to laugh because my face looked too manicured for me. I see myself as a warrior; not as a boy band member!

OCTOBER 21 – Tonight all of the American training teams are invited to have dinner with the Iraqi National Police General and his staff. I knew this wouldn’t be much of a surprise for me because I have tried Iraqi cuisine many times since my deployment here in Iraq. I have to be honest my officer and another sergeant friend of mine went to the American mess hall one hour before this meal was to take place! We had trained hard that day with the Iraqis and we were hungry and we weren’t in the mood to sit a meal and pick over the food we didn’t like. We had to be there at seven o’clock to take our seats. They opened the double doors to the Iraqi mess hall right on time. At this compound, the Americans eat separately from the Iraqis. Inside there were about 5 rows of those white plastic tables and chairs that you see at a family picnic. I personally hate sitting in those chairs because they feel like toy furniture and I feel like I’m going to break them. I am 6’2 ft, and weigh 250 pounds! On each table were plates full of food waiting for us. In the middle of the table were bottles of water and cans of Coke. The items on the dinner plates began with as always bread. Also, there was this tomato-based dish that had pieces of okra in it and a quarter part of a baked chicken that in essence really looked appetizing. Everything looked pretty good until the attendants brought out to every table this big platter for every table that had a bed of rice that was covered with these brown-looking pieces of pilaf. On top of the rice were pieces of boiled meat that were of all colors green!!!! I quickly took a quick glance to see the expressions on the faces of my teammates. I had to bite down hard on my cheeks to prevent myself from laughing hysterically at them! In Iraqi culture, the meal is the event where you show respect by accepting their hospitality by eating their food and drinking their drink. I was positioned at the end of the table which was a good way from the Iraqi officers who couldn’t see what I was doing on my plate. I had one of our interpreters in front and on the side of me, so I was safe. The meal went on without a distraction. The room was full of Iraqi and American conversation. It was one big noisy dining hall. The Iraqi colonel that my team worked with was sitting just three chairs down from me. During this year he has grown fond of me and the officer that I work with. We have on many occasions joined him for a glass of chai. We also were given the honor of breaking the fast of Ramadan with him as well. One observation that I have noticed about being here in Iraq is that I know that I am a big guy. Every time when food is served they all would assume that I eat a lot. I would also catch my team setting me up as well. When they are offered food that they don’t want to eat, they will make the host offer it to me. The truth is that I have become so good at giving the perception that I have eaten their food. Well as I was finishing up my meal the Iraqi colonel grabbed a fist full of chicken from his plate and offered it to one of our officers. I saw the look on his face when this happened. He looked like a five-year-old in kindergarten who was being made to eat his vegetables. I couldn’t hear what they were saying to each other but I saw my officer motion in my direction. It was then that the Iraqi colonel’s eyes met mine. He motioned his hand towards me. It was the hand that had the fist full of chicken. His fingers were covered with rice too. I also began to regress back to kindergarten. I was cornered. So, I raised my plate and extended it towards his greasy hands! He opened up his fingers and the chicken fell onto my plate! I attempted to display my best smile of gratitude towards him. I looked up and my teammates were looking at me trying to contain their laughter. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Wellbeing the great performer that I am I was able to get up from my seat to go get some watermelon from the dessert table that was located across the room. I craftily removed my dinner plate with the disgusting chicken on it and made my way to the trash barrels. On my way over to the trash, I was able to grab another plate in which I would place my dessert and return to my place at the table. Well, no one was the wiser. We finished our meal with a few speeches by the Iraqi General and his staff. I quickly headed back to my room. I was so thankful that we had eaten only a few hours before this whole thing had started!

OCTOBER 23 – There is an issue that deeply grieves me. This war and probably it is true of all other wars before has really cost American soldiers so much in the areas of their personal lives. I am hearing about so many marriages and relationships that are breaking up as a result of this war. I know part of the responsibility lies with the individual. Some soldiers when they heard that they were being deployed quickly married their girlfriends or some person who they thought was that special someone. Without understanding the strong commitment that it would take to uphold a relationship through a year of separation many soldiers found out to their displeasure what their relationships were really made of. Then there were established marriages that had pre-existing issues and this deployment was a perfect opportunity for a spouse to disclose her or his true feelings about their relationship. In some cases, it was a good time for that spouse to rediscover their newfound freedom. What worries me is that there will be soldiers returning home to face all kinds of domestic issues. The military has and will give us mandatory ‘returning home’ classes. This is okay but I think more is needed. As for me, I want all of you to know about the one important in my life. She is my wife Wendy. She has been my spouse for 25 years! She has weathered the storm with issues concerning my son and has overcome the pressures of dealing with my daughter’s previous health issues. While I have been away she has held down our home responsibilities as well. Before I left to go away with the army she quietly sat in the shadows as I became the ‘Sgt. Roy’ that you all know. She has waited for me at the end of many curtain calls when I have given her time with me away from so many people. When I have given the world my best for the day and I don’t have anything else to give she is still there waiting for me. Many of you don’t know the worse about me but she does and yet she still loves me. For me, this is how the war has affected my relationship with my wife as well. I have embraced a deep appreciation of what she means to me and our children. Many of you don’t know her. Many of you don’t even know what she looks like. That’s okay because she prefers it that way. I know without her there is no Sgt. Roy the fitness instructor; there is no Sgt. Roy the motivator trainer; there is no Sgt. Roy the soldier. I know the biggest room in my house is the room for improvement! We are coming into a wonderful time in our married life together. I am so excited about it! She deserves my best before anyone else. I am truly blessed. I would like to ask one thing of you all and that is your prayer and support for these soldiers that are coming home to resume their lives with their families. The transition will be difficult for some of them. For some, they will have to salvage their marriages through counseling and the support of their friends and family. Some will have no one to come home to but they really could use a friend that could just listen to them and help them to move on. Just keep these soldiers in your prayers as they reunite with their families.

OCTOBER 25 – I love working with the Australians here. It’s like working with a bunch of Steve Irwin (bless his soul) from the ‘Crocodile Hunter’ television show. I’m riding with one of the guys who works here. We have a truckload of Iraqi policemen in the back and we are headed out to the training site. “How’s it going mate?” he asked me in that all too well-known accent. “I’m doing all right, I’m just trying to get motivated for this morning’s training” I reply hoping to hear his opinion about the training here. We quickly exchanged names and pleasantries. I found out that he is from the city of Sydney. I told him that Australia was on my list as one of my dream trips that I hope to visit one day. He quickly gave me his feedback about Sydney and how much I would like it. The Australians who work here don’t wear military uniforms. When they go out on a mission which is mostly for the security of this compound, they will wear that ‘Crocodile Hunter-’ ‘-like-looking uniform which consists of a brown short-sleeve shirt with matching shorts and brown boots. They wear body armor and an oversized sunflop hat. We had a few minutes before we arrived at our training location when he asked me about what was the American response to the war. I could tell that he really wanted the inside, non-CNN bias story of how Americans felt about the war. I gave him what I thought was an objective view of how most Americans were growing tired of the war. The exuberant costs associated with funding such a war and the sacrifices in American lives were sensitive issues facing our nation. I will not use this blog or my platform to persuade anyone to change their political views. What I will do is write about the sites, sounds, and people that I come across in my journey. It will be up to you all to make up your own minds. This was also how I left it with my newfound Australian friend as he pulled the truck into the training area to let us off.

OCTOBER 27 – The time here has gone relatively fast. It’s been boring but to have 30 days free of not thinking about being attacked or blown up has certainly been a pleasure. My officer and I are making plans for the work that we have to do to get prepared for our replacements. There are several inventories that must be done along with items that I have to order. This is what I call ‘good work’. This is the work that we have to do to clear this camp and fly out of here! I can’t wait to get started!

OCTOBER 28 – A case of sadness hits me this morning. I guess it dawns on me that the relationships that I have formed with some of these Iraqi men are slowly coming to an end. There are about 10 people here that I am good friends with. Some are officers, interpreters, policemen; a few are mechanics, and one is the guy who makes our chai tea. They all know that my time here is drawing to a close. One night my interpreter turns and asks me “Lewis will I see you again?” I look at him and all that I could say is “hey friends are made forever. I will always carry you in my heart.” The phrase “in my heart” is an Iraqi term that is said when an Iraqi man respects another. I have spent a whole year with these people learning their language and customs! The challenges that they face as a people don’t even equal the problems that they will have to face as a nation. I did make this promise to him. I told him that if ever he should come to America he can find me anywhere! Everyone knows Sgt. Roy! I went on to tell them that I am loud, obnoxious, and live in one of the greatest cities in the south called Charlotte, North Carolina! In the meantime, I told him that right now he has a responsibility to make this country safe and stable. When I make friends, I make friends for life! It will be hard to say goodbye to them all but thanks to technology they all have email accounts!