4th of July

Kyle got to come home for the 4th. He leaves to go back on Monday. We have enjoyed our time together with our family and look forward to when he comes home next summer for good. Here is a letter that we received as an update as to what the marines have been doing for the the last month. I will continue to post these as they come, which should be once a month. Thank you for all of your support and prayers!

(Sorry but I cant get the pictures to show up from the letter)

INDIA COMPANY 3RD BATTALION, 24th MARINES

Dear India Family,
June has been incredibly busy, with some of the most intensive training a company can go through in the span of one month. Since our last newsletter, the Marines and Sailors have conducted live fire platoon attacks, Arabic language training, operations in urban terrain, vehicle mounted training, and a full scale company attack with battalion mortars and machine guns in support. They have fought through disorientation by escaping from a mock Humvee after it has been flipped over, filled with smoke to simulate a fire, and had all but one of its doors locked from the outside. Additionally, the last week of the month was completely in the field at K2. Here is what "K2" means to the Marines:
Staff Sergeant Doak of 1st Platoon radios instructions to his squad leaders during a firefight in Kilo-2,while an Iraqi police officer and interpreter look on.
A complete mock Iraqi village has been constructed at Camp Pendleton and filled with role-players. These actors are Iraqi citizens who have come to our country to assist with our training. A cadre of Iraqi Army soldier role-players attach to our Marine patrols as they jointly patrol the populated village. There is a Sheik, mayor, a cell of insurgents, local police, and all of the complicated tribal connections we would see in a comparably sized Iraqi town. India Company has spent the last week as if we were in Iraq, interacting with the "locals" while on patrol, and being subject to attacks of every kind with full Hollywood special effects in support. Some of the training involves simunition rounds, which are high velocity paint pellets that create the closest thing possible to live-fire training with a live opposing force. The Marine Corps has done everything it can to equip and prepare us for any foreseeable circumstance.
Throughout all of this, the Marines and Sailors have performed not only well but with great endurance. As always, you all should be very proud of what they have accomplished so far, and the spirit in which they have done it. I thank you for your continued support, because you help to provide the strength that I witness in the men each day.
May God bless you, and have a wonderful and safe Independence Day celebration.


Major Doug Woodhams
Commanding Officer, India Co. 3/24