Merry Christmas

I would like to send out a very heartfelt Merry Christmas to all the men and women serving at home and abroad to keep our country free and prosperous. You are in my thoughts and prayers every day of the year. Keep safe and stay smart. God Bless you all.

War struck close to home again in Maine. I spent an uncomfortable night last night, not knowing the names of the 2 Maine servicemembers who were killed in Mosul yesterday. It wasn't until mid-day today that the names were released. Althought the 2 servicemen weren't anybody I knew, it is still sad to have these deaths so close to home.

http://news.mainetoday.com/midday/index.shtml#3

Gov. John Baldacci has released the names of two soldiers serving in the 133rd Engineer Battalion who died in a rocket attack on their base in Iraq. Sgt. Lynn Robert Poulin, Sr., 47, of Freedom, and Spc. Thomas John Dostie, 20, died in Tuesday's attack.

Poulin was a metal worker with Company A. He was married with two adult children.

Dostie was a mechanic. His parents live in Somerville.

Also, 10 other members of the Maine Army National Guard unit were injured. One was a soldier from New York. Seven returned to duty after being treated. Staff Sgt. Harold Freeman, Jr., and Sgt. Christopher Rushlau were transported to Landstul Regional Medical Center in Germany for treatment. Their conditions were not considered life threatening.

Initial reports said a 122 mm rocket ripped through the tent's ceiling. But the military was investigating whether a bomb was planted at the tent in Forward Operating Base Marez, where the blast sprayed shrapnel as U.S. soldiers sat down to lunch.

Flags will be flown at half-staff to commemorate the loss of Sergeant Poulin and Specialist Dostie on the days of their funerals.

The battalion, whose mission is to maintain and repair everything from airfields and command posts to bridges, is due to return to Maine this spring. It has units in Gardiner, Portland, Skowhegan, Belfast, Lewiston, Norway and Saco.

MaineToday.com/Associated Press

My finals were finished last Friday, but I won't have my grades until after Christmas. I know some students from other colleges, and they already have their grades. Kind of wierd that a small college like Thomas isn't able to get their grades published quicker than a week and a half. I have a feeling that this semester is going to bring my GPA down a bit. It definitely was not my best semester.

3 finals down - 1 more to go, and its a real hum-dinger! It is the only cumulative final I have this semester, and it is my Systems Analysis class. Lots of stuff to remember from all the way back in August up to now.

If any of you are feeling generous with your time, please stop by my website and click on some of the Google links on the right side. I could really use the cash! Help feed my family!

http://www.dextercomputersolutions.net/

Thanks.

One final down, 3 more to go! Can't believe another semester is coming to an end. But unlike other semesters I've had at Thomas College, I'm glad this one is almost completed. My Anatomy & Physiology final was today. Now I can throw the book away and drop that stuff from my memory. A&P isn't exactly what I thought I'd have to take for a computer degree! Oh well, the whole "well-rounded" student thing, I guess.

I spent 30-straight hours working on my networking project on Friday-Sunday (early morning). Overall, I think it came out real well. Now I just have to create a powerpoint presentation to present the project to the "management team" for my final.

Read this article and it made me sick: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6661835/

Because these "soldiers" didn't take the time to read the contract they signed, they want to blame their situation on the Pentagon. Come on guys, do you know how much this is a slap in the face to all the soldiers who have served before you. Do you think the guys that jumped into France in WWII were watching a calendar, counting the days until they could go home. Many of them didn't return home for over 2 years.

This is not all to say that I don't feel your pain in having to serve away from your families and loved ones. However, serving in the military is a sacrifice, PERIOD. You join to serve your country, not pad your bank account, and not to only go to college. Bottom line, you need to serve your nation, and if that nation tells you it is using it's contractural obligation to extend your enlistment, just shut-up and do it.