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thedrifter
11-27-07, 08:34 AM
Dispatch From Iraq
(Created: Monday, November 26, 2007 9:49 AM EST)

U.S. Army Spc. Bethany Burdick, a 23-year-old Chariho High School graduate, has been deployed to Iraq with a unit of the Rhode Island National Guard. During her time there, she has been sending e-mails to The Sun to give area residents a sense of life at the front.

Here, from today, is Spc. Burdick's latest "Dispatch from Iraq."

From Bethany:

Sorry it took me soooo long, I finally got online!!

My platoon is currently in Ramadi Iraq. We will be living here until next summer when we come home. My squad will be living out at an Iraqi Police Station approximately 5 days a week, and then stay back at our place in Ramadi for about 2 days a week.

It’s great here in Ramadi, I’m living with the three other females in my platoon and the males are in a building next to us. We have a PX (store) with all the essentials, we have a huge chow hall, big gym, and a volleyball court in between our building. SFC ( Matthew) Hayden is my platoon Sergeant. He is also a Westerly Police Officer.

I’m definitely glad that I am in the Army because I get to go out on missions, unlike the females in the Marines that have to stay on base. I would be so bored if I couldn’t go out. It’s really quiet around here, hardly any problems with insurgents.

The Iraqi Police are coming a long way, we pretty much just supervise them, while they do missions and take care of the problems. Everyone is getting along great, we had Thanksgiving yesterday, the food definitely the same, we bought three live turkeys from the Iraqi’s and they were about the size of a chicken from back home. It’s tough for everyone on holidays and Christmas is going to be really hard, but with support from back home, everyone should get by just fine.

There is about 40 males with me and 4 females, so feel free to send any mail or packages that may lift their spirits and morale.

My address is SPC Burdick, Bethany, 169th MP CO APO-AE. 09396

Thanks for your support,

Bethany

Ellie