[Balog]

Hi everybody! I know it's been awhile since I posted any updates, but I've been busy.

I should be shipping out "soon." Much as I'd love to give ya'll exact dates that'd be a fairly big opsec "no-no."

My wife is still with me here in 29, but she'll be moving back to AZ as soon as I ship.

I'm excited to be going; we've trained hard and I feel really well prepared. We'll be operating in a major city, and I'm one of the few 0351's in my section. For those who don't know, 51's are the grunts trained to do demo and breaching. I'll be getting lots of work on raids. :evil:

Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers. I'll be giving my APO (overseas address) to one of the board members (most likely P95Carry, but I have to ask him if he's up for it) to distribute to any of ya'll who'd like to write or send packages (baby wipes baby wipes baby wipes). :D I'll try to update from incountry as often as I can, but we'll see how that works out. If I can't my wife should pop her head in to give ya'll the news every so often.

[joab]

Good luck and God bless.

I know you've been working towards this for a long time but it seems like just yesterday you were our little boot

[noonanda]

Semper Fi bro, take care and stay safe

[boofus]

Keep yourself safe and give 'em hell. :cuss:

[MachIVshooter]

Godspeed.

[P95Carry]

Hey John - sorry we are gonna lose you to overseas but let me wish you God Speed and watch that darned six - ya here!! Use every ounce of that training - and then some.

By all means feel free to PM with APO - it's important I think that we have some contact info - which can mean too for me and a few who might be interested, we can drop you a line now and again.

Best wishes.

OH yeah - and get your dear wife to swing by here now and again - that'd be great! :)

[Balog]

PM is sent! Many thanks Chris. I know some of ya'll have my wife's e-mail addy (Kor for example), and if the people who do could e-mail her to make sure she's ok every now and then that'd be much appreciated. Heck, everyone on this board can PM her with encouraging words.

PS If you don't know who I am, I posted a coupla threads before going to boot camp, and I've been updating every once in a while since then. A search should find some background material.

[P95Carry]

John - thought I had a link for that boot camp thread but, no can find. Search tho should find it for anyone interested.

I PM'd ya back but - suddenly realize, I have forgotten what nick your wife uses here!!

[Maddock]

Godspeed and come back.
Semper Fi.

[GoRon]

Thank you for your service. Godspeed and take care!

[Jubei]

Via con dios man...be safe.

Jubei

[NineseveN]

Thank you. And be safe, come home safe.

[Nightcrawler]

What he said. Take care of yourself, man.

[GT]

Take care and thank you for your service!

G

[longhorngunman]

As a lowly tax payer of America, I thank you greatly for your service to this great land, and that this country still creates such men of honor as yourself. :) Godspeed and I hope you get back to your wife and family soon. BTW what rifle did you get? K31, M44,Fin M39?

[czhen]

God bless you and keep your head down.

CZhen
FL

[Lennyjoe]

Stay safe my friend.

Also, if your family needs any help relocating to AZ then call on any of us THR'ers.

I'm in Tucson so if they are coming here then PM me and I will give you contact numbers for myself.

[VietVet 67-68]

Thanks for your service John, keep your head down and get home soon!!

Keith http://smilies.sofrayt.com/^/aiw/victory.gif

[0007]

If you aren't reading Micheal Yon's blog from overthere start doing so and read the archives. He's with a unit and telling it how it REALLY is... Luck and stay safe.

[vasilia zheitseva]

Semper Fi, God bless, & you 'd better make it back to us in one piece.

[Kestrel]

Balog,

God bless you (and your family) in your mission. Thanks for serving.

(By the way - I've seen other references to baby wipes being needed over there. Excuse my ignorance, but what are they used for? Do they have sanitizing properties? I'm curious.)

Thanks and good luck.

Steve

[TheEgg]

God Bless and keep you.

And don't forget to duck!!!!!!!!! :D

[wingnutx]

Good luck!

I think you'll find that babywipes are easy to buy throughout most of the country. If I go back I will pack a hell of a lot lighter, now that I know what the supply situation is actually like.

Send your AP address and a request list once you get there, and I will send you a package.

Say hi to hajji for me :D

[homeka45]

My sincere appreciation to you and your family. You are part of what makes our country so great. Thank you for your service and take care.
A big +1 to Michael Yon and his blog, great apolitical insight into what the troops are up against. They even had a story about using one of those breaching charges to get out of tight fix.

[rcm]

Balog

Sir, godspeed.

Thank you for your service. Get home safe to your family.

[enfield303]

Stay Safe man. Thank You.

[Balog]

P95Carry wrote I PM'd ya back but - suddenly realize, I have forgotten what nick your wife uses here!!

Oh yeah, that'd prolly be good to mention. :o

She goes by MrsBalog (http://www.thehighroad.org/member.php?u=12954). Don't think I'll have a chance to get online again before I'm incountry, so thanks for all the support!

Oh, and if you need to buy any flashlights, batteries, or Pelican cases try Battery Station (http://www.batterystation.com). At the request of the good people at Candle Power Forums (http://www.candlepowerforums.com) they set up a PayPal donation account and hooked me up with a variety of flashlights and other items. Awesome, awesome folks. They really helped me a lot.

[P95Carry]

Thx John - I should have remembered her handle - kinda easy to remember - or should be! :)

Safe travel and, to repeat - stay in one piece.

[phoglund]

Thank you for your service. My family and I appreciate your sacrifice. Your nation is behind you.

[Balog]

Update:

Well, I've made it to Iraq. Still getting settled in and won't be running any missions for a lil while.

However, I'm safe, comfortable, and reveling in the fact that overseas chowhalls really are better than the ones Stateside. :) Just talked to my wife for a few minutes; she's moved into her new place and doing as well as can be expected.

Thanks for the support, keep us in your thoughts and prayers.

[Thin Black Line]

Good luck and stay safe.

Remember to carry your own roll of toilet paper when you go through
Kuwait.

[lwaldron]

THANK YOU!

And, remember the Kevlar (****)flap.:

http://www.justanothersoldier.com/2003_12_01_archive.htm

[P95Carry]

Thanks for the support, keep us in your thoughts and prayers. Of that you can be sure John - do drop an occasional update when you can and watch six.