Letters from Iraq

• Adjusting to life back home: From bombs to baby bibs

  I remember all my visions of what it would be like to finally come home from a war zone. It would be so amazing to return with my health and my friends standing by me. I would get off the plane and everyone would be cheering and clapping and be [...]
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  Posted: July 24, 2008, 3:58pm EDT
  by pbaniak

• Wahoo! We’re coming home, Lexington

  Number of comments: 5
  WAHOOOO!!!! We come home tomorrow, and as you can imagine everyone is in a great mood! We’re out of harm’s way and back on U.S. soil, and I gotta say it feels great to be back in the United States of America! Our families our excited and anxious and so [...]
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  Posted: June 26, 2008, 1:23pm EDT
  by pbaniak

• The legend of Billy Jack West

  Number of comments: 4
  I was born on March 27, 1973 in Lexington, Ky. I am really proud of that. I love Lexington and will try to stay close to it my whole life. What I find amazing though is that Colonel Billy Jack West, our Brigade Commander, joined the Army before I was born. [...]
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  Posted: June 18, 2008, 10:25am EDT
  by pbaniak

• When not fighting, he?s caring for soldiers

  I’ve mentioned Command Sergeant Major (CSM) Terry Cowan in my blogs before, but I think the time to give him some individualized attention and thanks, is way overdue. Terry lives in Nicholasville with his beautiful wife Sue and four talented and special kids! By the way, Hi Eric, Austin, Adam and [...]
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  Posted: June 02, 2008, 5:38pm EDT
  by pbaniak

• I?m so sick of ?Supporting the Troops?

  Number of comments: 9
  Are you sick of hearing ‘support the troops’ yet? The yellow-ribbon bumper stickers on the cars, the American flags on the houses in the neighborhood, signs in the windows, TV news announcing troops are leaving/coming home from the war. Are you sick of it all yet? I’m sick of it, [...]
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  Posted: May 26, 2008, 6:13pm EDT
  by pbaniak

• A special message for Mom

  Number of comments: 6
  How can I ever really thank you Mom? As an infant you nursed me and gave me love. I couldn’t do anything for myself. I couldn’t speak, couldn’t read, and couldn’t write. I could always eat, as you would find to be true throughout my life, especially as a teen. Yet it [...]
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  Posted: May 05, 2008, 6:44pm EDT
  by pbaniak

• The war the media isn’t showing you

  Number of comments: 9
  A friend of mine e-mailed me about my latest blog and you know what he said? “According to your blogs Iraq isn’t too bad at all. You make it sound like a great place to be where everyone does the right thing. We get long with the Iraqi people, and they [...]
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  Posted: April 21, 2008, 10:15am EDT
  by pbaniak

• Just when you think you’ve seen it all…

  Number of comments: 7
  Just when you think you’ve seen it all, something else happens. I’m only 35 years-old but I’ve been lucky enough to travel the world – literally. Let me run through the list quickly: Japan, China, Singapore, Thailand, Kuwait, Iraq, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Somalia, Kenya, Australia, Panama, Mexico, Venzuela, Canada, [...]
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  Posted: April 14, 2008, 9:37am EDT
  by pbaniak

• March Madness rivalries extend all the way to Iraq

  Number of comments: 3
  You don’t know about March Madness, you only think you do. You think March Madness is crazy endings to NCAA tournament games and big upsets. That’s part of it. Now let me explain my March madness. I  am literally on the opposite side of the world from UK’s opening round game [...]
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  Posted: March 20, 2008, 1:20pm EDT
  by pbaniak

• News of Patterson’s injury spreads fast, causes reflection

  Number of comments: 7
  Patrick Patterson got a stress fracture? Great! There goes the season. Even though it might have left a while ago anyway. We were on pretty good stretch there. We won the last 10 of 11?! Right? I’m in Baghdad, so we don’t get news on the express train. We did, being [...]
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  Posted: March 03, 2008, 11:25am EST
  by pbaniak

• Recognizing Black History Month in Iraq

  Number of comments: 3
  
  

  Alright everybody, listen up. Just because we’re in Iraq doesn’t mean we don’t take time to recognize Black History month. The U.S. Army does a great job of recognizing the achievements of African-Americans who have served in the Armed Forces, as well as keeping soldiers of all races informed [...]

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  Posted: February 25, 2008, 2:15pm EST
  by pbaniak

• A soldier’s Valentine

  Number of comments: 8
  
  

  I miss my wife. It’s going to be Valentine’s Day soon, and she is 7,000 miles away. A hug is all I want. Maybe a kiss. Either way, I have been on military orders the last two Valentine’s Days in a row.

  Last year on Valentine’s Day I was [...]

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  Posted: February 08, 2008, 6:47pm EST
  by pbaniak

• Life lessons learned from a UK tailback

  Number of comments: 5
  
  

  I grew up, for the most part, in Lexington. So I automatically became a UK fan of all sports. I mean ALL sports. I?ve been to everything from UK tennis matches to UK basketball games and everything in between.

   I used to ride my bike when I was 10 years [...]

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  Posted: January 29, 2008, 5:53pm EST
  by pbaniak

• Back in Baghdad, missing home already

  Number of comments: 8
  
  

  Well, I?m back in Baghdad and as you can imagine I miss my wife and my baby. It was even more painful to come back after being home for two weeks and holding my daughter. She is so precious, and her mother is amazing. I did learn that babies [...]

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  Posted: January 15, 2008, 4:44pm EST
  by pbaniak

• Meeting my daughter for the first time

  Number of comments: 5
  
  

  Let me begin this blog by saying to everyone I’ve seen and talked to on my visit home it’s been great seeing and hearing from you! To all my brothers and sisters in the 138th and all our extended families – I wish you the best and brightest New [...]

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  Posted: December 31, 2007, 9:38pm EST
  by pbaniak

• Merry Christmas — and a welcome visit home!

  
  

  Merry Christmas everyone!

  I got lucky and was granted my vacation time (the Army calls it “Leave”) and am able to be home for Christmas! As I write this it’s 4:18 am at the Dallas Radisson hotel. I fly into Louisville today and will get to hold my daughter for [...]

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  Posted: December 23, 2007, 11:19am EST
  by pbaniak