"Arkansas Online
 
    "Arkansas' Voice on the Internet"  


About the journal

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette staff writer Amy Schlesing has returned stateside after traveling nearly a year with the Arkansas National Guard’s 39th Infantry Brigade in Iraq. (Photographers Michael Woods, Stephen B. Thornton, Karen Segrave, Aaron Skinner and Staton Breidenthal also spent time with the brigade in Iraq.) The brigade was part of the largest rotation of American troops since World War II. The 4,200 soldiers with the brigade rotated into Baghdad with the 1st Cavalry Division to replace the 1st Armored Division.

Below are links to some of Amy's observations during their trip.

Amy's news articles | Photos of the 39th | Amy's guest book


 March 25, 2005

A final farewell

Goodbye 39th Brigade.

That’s harder to say than I thought it’d be.

Continued ...

Posted by Amy at 03:11 PM


 March 18, 2005

Delay, waiting, more delay and cold

I slept in a bathroom last night.

It was the warmest place I could find.

Continued ...

Posted by Amy at 03:11 PM


 March 13, 2005

The stress of waiting

The army has a mandatory decompression period for soldiers coming out of Iraq before they are allowed to fly home.

At some point, decompression becomes recompression.

Continued ...

Posted by Amy at 09:40 AM


 March 11, 2005

New standards for living

I awoke with a start at 6 a.m.

Reveille was blaring from loudspeakers somewhere outside. The trumpeted song was annoying.

Continued ...

Posted by Amy at 09:39 AM


 March 10, 2005

Waiting in Kuwait

I’m nestled into a top bunk at Camp Doha, Kuwait.

Rain pitter-pats on the warehouse’s tin roof.

Continued ...

Posted by Amy at 10:45 PM

Other entries
Different games (03/09/2005)
Strange goodbye (03/07/2005)
Finally moving on... (03/06/2005)
A subtle demeanor (03/05/2005)
A chaotic campout (03/04/2005)
A wait that demands patience (03/03/2005)
Intensely shared memories (03/01/2005)
Close quarters once again (02/28/2005)
Dealing with change (02/26/2005)
A tiny, furry - and hungry - guest (02/23/2005)
A traumatic shortage! (02/22/2005)
Saying goodbye to a different culture (02/20/2005)
Extra precautions (02/19/2005)
A personal touch (02/18/2005)
A year of changes (02/18/2005)
Preparing for home (02/15/2005)
Signs of change (02/14/2005)
Unsettling reactions (02/11/2005)
Changes in the wind (02/09/2005)
A well-deserved treat (02/06/2005)
Yard sale! (02/03/2005)
Painful pictures (02/01/2005)
Gestures and broken speech (01/29/2005)
Dusting off duffle bags (01/25/2005)
Too much water (01/22/2005)
No time to think: Fight or die (01/20/2005)
A day closer to home, a job still to do (01/19/2005)
A happy crew (01/16/2005)
Eager return (01/15/2005)
For the little things, shukran (01/10/2005)
A change in perspective (01/05/2005)
I just wanted to fly away (01/04/2005)
Canine lessons (01/01/2005)
A staunch protector (12/26/2004)
Christmas in a war zone (12/25/2004)
War zone cheer (12/24/2004)
A holiday gathering (12/22/2004)
Baghdad Elvis (12/21/2004)
Holiday in a war zone (12/13/2004)
A necessary delay (12/11/2004)
Squeak! Squeak! (12/10/2004)
Learning to laugh — quietly (12/09/2004)
A soldier thanks ‘a platoon of heroes’ (12/02/2004)
An increasingly metropolitan camp (11/29/2004)
Hankerin’ for sweet potato pie (11/28/2004)
A longing for flowing water (11/28/2004)
Things to be thankful for (11/25/2004)
Meals on the run (11/22/2004)
Attempting calm under fire (11/21/2004)
“Do you like green eggs and ham?” (11/21/2004)
Wind, mortars and dust (11/17/2004)
A different enemy (11/16/2004)
Grateful for the gunners (11/14/2004)
A special day (11/12/2004)
An odd warning (11/11/2004)
Explosive sounds! (11/09/2004)
Traffic jams, Iraqi style (11/07/2004)
A different priority (11/02/2004)
The mud returns (11/01/2004)
The bonds of memories (10/30/2004)
Mourning a lost pot (10/26/2004)
A good luck Rhino (10/25/2004)
The lost is found! (10/23/2004)
A special cup (10/21/2004)
A break for the donkey (10/13/2004)
Fruitless searches (10/11/2004)
Easing tensions (10/10/2004)
Finally: Rain! (10/09/2004)
Suspicious island (10/06/2004)
Captures and closure (10/05/2004)
Moving on with a smile ... and tears (10/04/2004)
Coming clean on laundry routine (10/03/2004)
Recognizing sacrifice and pain (10/01/2004)
Game day! (09/26/2004)
A night hunt (09/24/2004)
Treasures from home (09/23/2004)
The price of translation (09/20/2004)
A dish of hospitality (09/18/2004)
A change of command (09/13/2004)
A watery patrol (09/10/2004)
“Dear John...” (09/09/2004)
Unexpected green (09/08/2004)
Good for the soul (09/03/2004)
Improvising lunch (08/31/2004)
In praise of ‘near beer’ (08/30/2004)
A reluctant promotion (08/28/2004)
Bullets and soccer (08/21/2004)
A canine specialist (08/20/2004)
Structural reminders (08/19/2004)
Anticipating danger (08/17/2004)
Water rescue (08/13/2004)
Tense waiting (08/11/2004)
Jokes and child’s play (08/06/2004)
Voltage drops, tempers surge (08/04/2004)
Reminders of home (08/03/2004)
Climbing a monument (07/31/2004)
Relaxing with lizards (07/30/2004)
A general’s visit (07/28/2004)
A face of courage (07/26/2004)
The aftermath of a fight (07/25/2004)
Scuds and scarves (07/24/2004)
A surprise package (07/23/2004)
Fighting back (07/22/2004)
To warm a heart is child’s play (07/21/2004)
Another day, another year, another beginning (07/19/2004)
Decisions in a hot room (07/16/2004)
A cool breeze - and weapons (07/15/2004)
Beating a memory (07/14/2004)
The race for steaks (07/10/2004)
Tracking time (07/09/2004)
Uncomfortable reactions (07/08/2004)
Falling with grace — maybe (07/07/2004)
Reminders of home (07/05/2004)
Unexpected quiet and wandering sheep (07/04/2004)
Exercising rights (07/02/2004)
Markets and culture (07/01/2004)
Flying dirt and dust (06/28/2004)
Solar power really works (06/26/2004)
An off balance rug (06/25/2004)
A slip and a laugh (06/24/2004)
Worry and rumors (06/23/2004)
Goats, sheep and “Geeps” (06/19/2004)
Equipment woes (06/18/2004)
A new experience (06/17/2004)
Troubled waters (06/13/2004)
Camp camaraderie (06/12/2004)
Walking and waiting (06/11/2004)
Sunflowers and sweat (06/09/2004)
Advice for the new guy (06/07/2004)
Breaking up a team (06/04/2004)
A roadside bomb (05/31/2004)
Surreal luxury (05/28/2004)
Palace legends (05/26/2004)
A surprise letter (05/24/2004)
Incoming shots (05/23/2004)
Off to market (05/22/2004)
Blue guitar and all (05/16/2004)
To market (05/14/2004)
Ode to a coffee pot (05/13/2004)
A flower and a kitten (05/12/2004)
Radio man (05/11/2004)
Watching either other’s back (05/10/2004)
Sorting out shots (05/08/2004)
Promotions and melons (05/07/2004)
A horse of course (05/05/2004)
Different views (05/02/2004)
Moving day (05/01/2004)
Chow time! (04/30/2004)
Lighter attitudes (04/27/2004)
Babies and home (04/26/2004)
Bonds of war (04/25/2004)
Sudden awakening (04/24/2004)
Cautious dining (04/23/2004)
Gunfire! (04/22/2004)
Water and unique mud (04/20/2004)
Letters and a feather (04/19/2004)
Sleep when you can (04/18/2004)
Changes in the air (04/17/2004)
Unpacked and a surprise! (04/12/2004)
Shower time (04/11/2004)
Location, location (04/10/2004)
Stress counters fear (04/09/2004)
Ready to turn in (04/08/2004)
Ending the wait (04/06/2004)
Kuwaiti dust bowl (04/04/2004)
Fast Shower (04/02/2004)
Heat and Weapons (03/30/2004)
Kuwait Funk (03/29/2004)
Early Mornings (03/27/2004)
Adjusting to Dust (03/26/2004)



















Copyright, permissions and privacy policy
Copyright © 2008, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc. All rights reserved.
This document may not be reprinted without the express written permission of Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc.