MVS1
08-25-2007, 07:01 AM
As some of you know I am in the Air Force. In my career field I often deploy augmenting Army units supporting their communications systems. Well I got a call from a good friend at work that is currently deployed to Baghdad doing the job I was doing this time 2 years ago. Part of our duties is going to FOB`s (Forward Operating Bases) and resolving radio interference problems. Sometimes it is due to too many antenna`s in a confined area, sometimes its actually jamming from enemy`s.
Anyways back to the point...Mike was at a FOB in southern Iraq and when he went up on the rooftop of a building to take signal measurements, he heard a shot and felt a slight shove, like a strong gust of wind. All of the sudden small arms fire erupted from below the building in response to the sniper fire. One of the Army Sgt`s knocked him down and told him that they needed to get off the roof. They climbed down the ladder and went to sit down and wait out the fire fight. At that point the Sgt pointed out that Mike had taken a hit. Not believing him, Mike told him `no man I`m fine`, and then the Sgt told him to take a look at his backpack. The snipers round had gone in on one side and out on the other. Well they got a good laugh about how lucky he was and that he was lucky insurgents could not shoot straight, etc. It really rattled him once he had time to sit down and think about it, mostly because he had decided earlier that morning that he didn`t feel like carrying around the additional weight of the ballistic plates and had taken them out of his body armor vest. Not that they would have helped anyway since they only provide front and rear protection and not side hits.
Anyways, I ask that no matter how you feel about us being over there, keep the safety of the Men and Women serving there in your thoughts and prayers.
Anyways back to the point...Mike was at a FOB in southern Iraq and when he went up on the rooftop of a building to take signal measurements, he heard a shot and felt a slight shove, like a strong gust of wind. All of the sudden small arms fire erupted from below the building in response to the sniper fire. One of the Army Sgt`s knocked him down and told him that they needed to get off the roof. They climbed down the ladder and went to sit down and wait out the fire fight. At that point the Sgt pointed out that Mike had taken a hit. Not believing him, Mike told him `no man I`m fine`, and then the Sgt told him to take a look at his backpack. The snipers round had gone in on one side and out on the other. Well they got a good laugh about how lucky he was and that he was lucky insurgents could not shoot straight, etc. It really rattled him once he had time to sit down and think about it, mostly because he had decided earlier that morning that he didn`t feel like carrying around the additional weight of the ballistic plates and had taken them out of his body armor vest. Not that they would have helped anyway since they only provide front and rear protection and not side hits.
Anyways, I ask that no matter how you feel about us being over there, keep the safety of the Men and Women serving there in your thoughts and prayers.