A holiday gathering

December 22, 2004

There was grumbling at first, Grinch-like complaints that holidays were canceled until March when they’d return home.

Staff Sgt. Brian Hurst said the Christmas music blaring from speakers at the center of Camp Taji was killing him. It reminded him too much of home.

But as 3rd Battalion’s Delta Company settled into its Christmas party today, the soldiers began to loosen up a bit.

There was spontaneous singing ... and poetry.

“I just want us to take a couple of hours where we can all be together,” Capt. Chad Higginbotham told his men. “We don’t have that opportunity very often over here.”

The party fell on the eve of change for Delta Company. It’s getting nine new soldiers to replace those who have gone home. At the same time, about eight soldiers are about to leave on a mission to Butler Range, near the Iran border.

The soldiers will spend Christmas and New Year’s at Butler Range working security, away from home and the buddies they’ve come to know as family.

During the party, Soldiers took turns talking about what they’ve been through together and the fact that home is getting closer every day.

Lt. Donald Brewer of Texarkana stood up and told the crowd to hang in there, to push on through and take care of one another.

He is arguably the best patrol briefer in the company and is often mimicked for his football-coach style of motivational speeches.

“If you can look up, you can get up, men,” he said. “Don’t drop your guard, men. The guys on your right and left need you to watch over them, men.”

There were snacks and presents and company T-shirts.

There were hugs and laughter and football championship predictions.

And, there was a reading of “Delta Company’s Night Before Christmas” by its author, Staff Sgt. Josh Chambliss of Bradford.

The poem is too long to include here, but here are a couple of snippets:

“T’was the night before Christmas, when all through Camp Taji,

Not a creature was stirring, not even a Haji [slang for Iraqi].

The IEDs [roadside bombs] were strung along Route Senators with care,

In hopes that Delta Company would soon be there.

The gunners were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of .50 Cals [machine guns] danced in their heads;

And [Staff Sgt. Brian] Hurst in his IBA [body armor] and I in my cap,

Had just settled down for a short winter’s nap.

When out on the pad there arose such a clatter,

Lt. Miller peeked from the bunker to see what was the matter...”

Chambliss went on to say:

“...More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,

Top shouted and cursed and called them by name

Now First! Now Third! Now Fourth! And Fifth! [platoons]

Make ready your guns, prepare for the blitz!

Haji’s in the wire! He’s scaling the walls!

Now fire away, fire away, fire away all!”

Posted by editor at December 22, 2004 11:57 AM