One of Ours

...Four days ago a car bomb exploded at the front gate (a few kilometers from where I work). It shook all the buildings on base. There were several Iraqis killed but there were surprisingly few casualties for the size of the explosion. Every day the base receives mortar or rocket fire but it is mostly ineffective. A rocket attack two nights ago wounded one soldier (shrapnel in the buttocks) but there hasn't been a death in months. There is a good system to hunt down those who are firing the mortars and rockets and we are already getting better at responding. While it seems dangerous, I think if you talk to most soldiers here they would say that they feel very safe here on Anaconda. The 1st ID soldiers are the only ones walking around in helmets and our bullet proof vests...