More Pictures Have Been Posted

These are some pictures from the Charlie Company Website. I don't see Erick in any of them, but it is interesting to see what is going on where he is.

The Last posting has items the marines need.

If you would like to send a care package, please scroll down and look at the previous post for care package requests from Erick's commanding officer.

What They Need

Mom just forwarded an email from the commanding officer which is cut and pasted below. It is a list of things the marines need. Please don't feel obligated to send stuff, but if you are so inclined as to send a care package, below are suggested items to include. Address below.

PFC Lohse, Frederick O.

1stBN 25th Marines CCo.

Unit 72190

FPO AE 09509-2190

The Supply Corner:
Supplies are at a decent level. Just continue with the last few items I requested the other day. Cans of tuna and the sorts and ramen noodles seem to be popular can’t remember if they were on the other list.
Chips
Magazines
Cookies
Q-tips
Ramen Noodles
Beef jerky
Slim Jims
Pillows
Stick ups / air fresheners
Foot powder
Hand sanitizer
Baby Wipes / sanitizing wipes
Listerine mouth wash
Cans of easy open things to eat. Tuna, etc
Crystal Lite on the Go

Needs of the Marines: I will make an assessment of how things went with all of the boxes yesterday and let you know. A few favorites are listed. With the tooth brushes and tooth paste we have received and what Mary Ann has on the way we will not need any more of that. Soap is good for a month it would appear. No more playing cards needed. Good on books for a while. Tissues good for a month. We should have the computers up and running by tomorrow as it takes a little while for the computers guys to update and convert to gov’t. Plus they are doing me a favor so can’t be to pushy.

Re-Post of Address AND more pictures

The Very Efficient Laundry Room on the FOB

Some Goats/Sheep/Iraqi Animals Eating Garbage

Iraqi Children

Erick's Mailing Address while in Iraq is:
PFC Lohse, Frederick O.
1st BN 25th Marines C Co.
WPNS Plt Unit 72190
FPO AE 09509-2190

More From Iraq

I think I see the back of Erick's head!

I could be wrong, but I want it to be him, so I am going to say it's him.

Does anyone else see it? For some reason you can't click on this pic. and enlarge it.

I can't figure out why. Sorry about that.
"We have been busy again the last few. We received several large boxes for the boys from Andi, with GIVE 2 THE TROOPS, to include a stereo cd player with some music. We have it set up in a small lounge where Marines can listen to it and escape for a little while when not on patrol. The marines want junk food but I think we need a few other things. Like Listerine to help prevent mouth problems like gingivitis. The boys are out day and night and If I don’t stay on them sleep comes before hygiene with a lot of them. Also multi vitamins as we don’t get much fruit if any. Need to keep our vitamin intake up. I will get out a few more pictures out. Keep up the support. We almost had a flag pole the other night and will be getting it here soon as it will take a little more craftiness to get it. Several of you have started to send flags. Our flag will fly over the city!
Preparing to go on a mission
1stSgt Grainger
Charlie Company,
1st Bn 25th Marines"

Two Calls This Weekend

Erick called Charlotte on Friday and our house on Sunday. He sounds good. Says he is getting sick of the food and asked us to send stuff. He mentioned gold fish, powerbars and pringles specifically. He said the kids come up to them on the street and speak to them in Arabic, so the marines have no idea what the kids are saying, so they just give them candy and move on. He has been patrolling and doing "other stuff", but did not specify what that other stuff is. He lives in the building with the plywood and sandbags in the windows (see picture below) on the 4th floor with 8 other guys in the room. One of the guys was one of his roommates at 29 Palms. He confirmed that there are lots of rats and they are rather large. He said it's hot...what else? He said he got to take a shower on Saturday and it felt really good... That's all I can think of that he said.

If you want to send a care package or anything he said he could use food, baby wipes, white socks, body wash, powerbars and candy to hand out to the kids...that's all I can remember. Shipping is to a United States address and the military sends it to Fallujah. We've heard it takes about 2 weeks to get there.

Happy Holy Week!

PICS to go with Posting below

This one is called Street Patrol
This one was labeled Charlie FOB

We Have Word from Fallujah

Mom got an email from a "communications sergeant". I guess he emails family about what is going on with Erick's company. It sounds like there are a lot of rats, he said, "We have been provided with enough rat traps and other rodent exterminating supplies for Charlie Company at this time." and he mentioned that he hoped the rat traps would also help with the rabid cat problem. Sounds like Erick is staying at the Four Seasons Fallujah!

This is the second paragraph of his email which is more interesting than the ratty first one. "Things continue to go well for the Marines in our area of Operation. We are out the daily and I can tell you, except for a few people, the locals are greeting us and the kids love us. We are making a difference as we allow the local governments and police time to gain control of the town. As you can imagine Fallujah is taking a little longer to settle down but is progressing quite well. The Marines are in high spirits and continue to do good things..... We are very limited on resources here since we are an outpost known as a FOB (forward operating Base) but without the base. It is actually fun this way because this is what the Marine Corps grew up on. We do have one building in our post so things are not all bad. They are actually better than the first time I was over here when we had nothing. The Pictures are coming I promise."

The sergeant also sent mom some pictures, we don't think we see Erick in any of them : ( but it is nice to see where he is and who some of his "buddies" might be. What do you call your co-workers/friends when you are a marine? Comrade? No, that sounds too Russian...hmmm a question for Fred. I'll get back to you. (there are more pics, too big to add to this post, I will make a 2nd posting w/ the other pics.)

This is the 1st Sgt's office.










This one was labeled "4th Platoon"