‘Spirits Are Still High’

I want to close by saying thank you to those of you that have sent boxes.  It is very kind of you to take the time from your day to that.  Thank you to my neighbors who made Julie's birthday special with the lunch on Sunday.  I miss you all and think and pray for all.  Take care and God Bless.
Sincerely,
Greg

Fester, 41, of Ada, Mich., was killed Aug. 30, 2005, by a roadside bomb in Iskandiriyah.

Army Spc. Nathaniel Aguirre
June 11, 2006

hello mom and dad, i know i haven't talk to either of you in a while and at first it was because we were doing a 12hr on and 12hr off schedule so i was always tired. the guys in the platoon get missions off but since i am the medic i would go on every mission and when i got back i really didn't want to do anything since the heat drains so much out of a person. then my good friend and roommate died from a road side bomb while on foot and 5 others were all seriously injured which put me in a big slump. so i am really sorry about not calling or anything but luckly we have finally stopped patrolling because we are moving to a new area that is supposed to be much safer, it is near the baghdad international airport.

when we got to iraq my platoon had somewhere around 40 guys and so far 2 have died and 5 have been seriously injured to the point that they were sent to a hospital in germany and will not return to iraq. these past couple of months have been the worst of my life and i tried to keep a lot of it to myself because i did not want you all losing sleep over it, when i myself was already losing sleep. you should be happy though because we are leaving this area and will not return ever again. we will be grateful for our new area and hopefully no one else from our platoon will be killed or injured. right now i am trying to get moved to the aid station which means i will not go on patrols anymore because all of my friends in the platoon have either been killed or sent to germany.

i appreciate your strength to just sit there and wait while i am over here, and mom i meant for the chase money to come out of my viewpoint account sorry. dad please watch your health because i know you worry about me along with everyone else. i love you all and i should be home for leave soon.

Aguirre, 21, of Carrollton, Texas, was shot to death by a sniper Oct. 22, 2006, in Baghdad.