Letters From Iraq

Now we stare in the face of yet another challenge. Now approaching our 11th month, we find ourselves possibly traveling to secure yet another city in our grand tour of Iraq. A city that you will definitely hear about as the Iraqi elections approach.

The most eventful news I write to inform you about today is that we are staying through the Iraqi elections. Thus the "one year" deployment will likely surpass the 365-day mark since we left the states.

Many of you want to know "what is it like out there?" I'm sure there is lots of coverage on the news. I have already shared pictures with you of my living conditions. Here are some more personal shots that I would like to share with you guys.

I am no longer in Baghdad. I am now heavily immersed as front line medical support and the sole doctor in a series of intense raids aimed at capturing Muktadr Al Sadr. The pursuit of this man and his militia has completely altered my life here.

The Iraq situation is often portrayed negatively. But even through the harshest of combat environments some positives do pop up here and there. I thought I'd change the tone of this email and try to point out some of the positives, both on a larger level and for myself.

When I would come home from school back in the day and my parents would ask.... "How was your day?" I would always answer "nothing much." No matter what happened to me the day seemed uneventful from my perspective. I guess here too I have fallen into the "same old routine." My life is so different from that just 5 months ago, yet things that I would never have imagined myself doing are becoming "normal.

Thought I'd share my uniquely proposed "Bose's Exit Plan From Iraq before June 30th" with you all today. I understand the Bush administration and nations are debating the future of this country. Below is my humble solution based on a very eventful day.

Two months 20 some days into deployment so far. Feels like an eternity yet not even 3 months. The novelty is gone as we settle into our "routines." Troops struggle to keep morale up. Now we look ahead only to see and endless tunnel of time.

I hope this goes down as my most terrifying day in Baghdad and these go down as my only injuries. I will consider myself extremely lucky.

Wow! I cannot even begin to put in one email what I have experienced here in Baghdad since I arrived on the 1st of February.

On the first day of arrival the outside perimeter of our camp was attacked and exchange of gunfire occurred! A very warm welcome indeed! Since then we have been dressed in full battle gear—a new look for me that some of you may not recognize.

It has been a crazy past 72 hours! Received my 48 hour (less than 48 hour) notice on Monday of my Wednesday departure. Somehow managed to move out my household goods and tie up loose ends just in the nick of time!

I've been assigned as a front line medical provider in downtown Baghdad and pretty much the only U. S. doctor on the west side of the city (close to the Red Cross building that was recently bombed). I'm apparently the sole doctor for about 1200 troops.