Russ Chewning

JoeyA

JoeyA

Efren's Mini-Tourn BACKER
Silver Member
This message is primarily for our AZ buddy Russ and any other AZers over there.

Just promise me one thing. Promise me that if you are surrounded by insurgents that you won't go peacefully. http://news.yahoo.com/s/mcclatchy/20080312/wl_mcclatchy/2877385

I hope that you will keep a gun on your person at all times and if they try to take you prisoner you will shoot to kill every last one of the rotten bas****s.

Sorry, but that's the way I feel and it's getting worse for me by the day.

My wishes for your safe return are fueled by more than my desire to get another free beer out of easy-e and deadpoked. :)

JoeyA
 
JoeyA said:
This message is primarily for our AZ buddy Russ and any other AZers over there.

Just promise me one thing. Promise me that if you are surrounded by insurgents that you won't go peacefully. http://news.yahoo.com/s/mcclatchy/20080312/wl_mcclatchy/2877385

I hope that you will keep a gun on your person at all times and if they try to take you prisoner you will shoot to kill every last one of the rotten bas****s.

Sorry, but that's the way I feel and it's getting worse for me by the day.

My wishes for your safe return are fueled by more than my desire to get another free beer out of easy-e and deadpoked. :)

JoeyA
Click to expand...

Hey Joey! Just so you know, my last bullett was always saved for ME! It sure beats the alternative.
 
easy-e said:
Hey Joey! Just so you know, my last bullett was always saved for ME! It sure beats the alternative.
Click to expand...

Wow...that would suck to have to think about that...Many props to you for your service...

I can only imagine of course since I was never there, but I think I probably would have considered carrying a pocket bomb of some type...

As a last resort...If I thought I was going down...I would try and take as many of them with me as I could...
 
BRKNRUN said:
Wow...that would suck to have to think about that...Many props to you for your service...

I can only imagine of course since I was never there, but I think I probably would have considered carrying a pocket bomb of some type...

As a last resort...If I thought I was going down...I would try and take as many of them with me as I could...
Click to expand...

Easy enough, I usually had plenty of C-4 on me:D
 
Come on Russ, where are you???? Do you even carry a gun out there? I don't think I remember any of the contractors carrying guns in the IZ.
 
1. Thanks for your concern, it is greatly appreciated.

2. I AM still in Baghdad, Iraq. I changed my location because it tended to draw comments from supportive people. This would inevitably cause "certain people" to come out of the woodwork screaming in response "HE'S NOT IN THE MILITARY!! HE'S NOT IN THE MILITARY!!"

I got tired of rushing to correct people before the militants came out of the woodwork to attack me, so I took my location down, and changed it to "In a trailer." It refers to the fact that I am housed in a small two man trailer here in the International Zone. I also changed my signature to make it absolutely clear that I am no longer in the military. I HATE arguing about that.

3. I am not directly in harm's way, as I rarely travel outside of my compound. The rockets virtually stopped months ago when someone on the U.S. side made a deal with Muqtada al Sadr, and Sadr called his Jaysh al Madi (sp?) militants off. JAM is now transitioning to a political group, and away from armed conflict with Iraqi Security Forces.

4. We are not allowed guns. As far as I know, the only people other than security firms and military who are allowed to carry guns are State Department and Federal employees. But, as we do not generally travel outside of our compounds, there is not a need for one.

(Side note: Dunno if I ever told you guys.. I designed the Audio/Video system for Prime Minister Maliki's Operation's Center. Includes video teleconferencing equipment, and one of those cool video walls like you see behind the newcasters on Fox and CNN.. Good stuff!)

Russ
 
Russ Chewning said:
1. Thanks for your concern, it is greatly appreciated.

2. I AM still in Baghdad, Iraq. I changed my location because it tended to draw comments from supportive people. This would inevitably cause "certain people" to come out of the woodwork screaming in response "HE'S NOT IN THE MILITARY!! HE'S NOT IN THE MILITARY!!"

I got tired of rushing to correct people before the militants came out of the woodwork to attack me, so I took my location down, and changed it to "In a trailer." It refers to the fact that I am housed in a small two man trailer here in the International Zone. I also changed my signature to make it absolutely clear that I am no longer in the military. I HATE arguing about that.

3. I am not directly in harm's way, as I rarely travel outside of my compound. The rockets virtually stopped months ago when someone on the U.S. side made a deal with Muqtada al Sadr, and Sadr called his Jaysh al Madi (sp?) militants off. JAM is now transitioning to a political group, and away from armed conflict with Iraqi Security Forces.

4. We are not allowed guns. As far as I know, the only people other than security firms and military who are allowed to carry guns are State Department and Federal employees. But, as we do not generally travel outside of our compounds, there is not a need for one.

(Side note: Dunno if I ever told you guys.. I designed the Audio/Video system for Prime Minister Maliki's Operation's Center. Includes video teleconferencing equipment, and one of those cool video walls like you see behind the newcasters on Fox and CNN.. Good stuff!)

Russ
Click to expand...

Good to hear you are well, Russ. Stay safe.

Do you have any videos that you could be allowed to upload to youtube. Would love to see some of your work and just anything that you are experiencing over there. You should be recording some of what you are experiencing and what you are seeing for posterity. There will come a day when you wish that you had recorded some of what you have seen and done over there.

Best Regards,
JoeyA
 
Russ Chewning said:
1. Thanks for your concern, it is greatly appreciated.

2. I AM still in Baghdad, Iraq. I changed my location because it tended to draw comments from supportive people. This would inevitably cause "certain people" to come out of the woodwork screaming in response "HE'S NOT IN THE MILITARY!! HE'S NOT IN THE MILITARY!!"

I got tired of rushing to correct people before the militants came out of the woodwork to attack me, so I took my location down, and changed it to "In a trailer." It refers to the fact that I am housed in a small two man trailer here in the International Zone. I also changed my signature to make it absolutely clear that I am no longer in the military. I HATE arguing about that.

3. I am not directly in harm's way, as I rarely travel outside of my compound. The rockets virtually stopped months ago when someone on the U.S. side made a deal with Muqtada al Sadr, and Sadr called his Jaysh al Madi (sp?) militants off. JAM is now transitioning to a political group, and away from armed conflict with Iraqi Security Forces.

4. We are not allowed guns. As far as I know, the only people other than security firms and military who are allowed to carry guns are State Department and Federal employees. But, as we do not generally travel outside of our compounds, there is not a need for one.

(Side note: Dunno if I ever told you guys.. I designed the Audio/Video system for Prime Minister Maliki's Operation's Center. Includes video teleconferencing equipment, and one of those cool video walls like you see behind the newcasters on Fox and CNN.. Good stuff!)

Russ
Click to expand...

Thanks for all the BS reassurances. Joey and I both know better though. It ain't safe over there for any Americans! Get your ass in gear and get back over here. I REALLY don't want to have to come over there looking for you. I'm getting too old for this shit, and so are you.

DUDE, you promised me a pool game, so quit ducking me. Next thing you know, someone will be calling you Gingerbread II. :D
 
Yupp.. Russ and others (like me currently) are Non Combat Personel....
Whenever I have to go there I dont get a damn thing to protect myself with.. which all in all isnt a bad thing.. 99% of folks do need to be carrying anything anyhow...
 
smokeandapancak said:
99% of folks do need to be carrying anything anyhow...
Click to expand...

Very true. I am going to keep politics out of this, but we are doing great over there!
 
Russ Chewning said:
4. We are not allowed guns. As far as I know, the only people other than security firms and military who are allowed to carry guns are State Department and Federal employees. But, as we do not generally travel outside of our compounds, there is not a need for one.



Russ
Click to expand...

No guns is pure non sense. IMHO.
 
CocoboloCowboy said:
No guns is pure non sense. IMHO.
Click to expand...


And so is multiple screennames on a pool forum.. but hey.. whatever .....

The are a WHOLE BUNCH of civvies down range and putting a weapon in 9 ot of 10 of their hands would be about the dumbest thing you could do....


You obviously have never stepped foot in the sandbox....
 
BRKNRUN said:
Wow...that would suck to have to think about that...Many props to you for your service...

I can only imagine of course since I was never there, but I think I probably would have considered carrying a pocket bomb of some type...

As a last resort...If I thought I was going down...I would try and take as many of them with me as I could...
Click to expand...
Like Sailor did in Uncommon Valor?

UncommonValor.jpg

Patrick Swayze: "Why does he wear that grenade around his neck?"

Reb Brown: "Sailor always said that if the world got too sh!tty he would just pull the pin and see whats next!"

(Simpsons Comic Book Guy voice) Best 80's Vietnam POW rescue flick EVER!

My favorite movie line of all time is when Swayze and Cobb are fighting in the river bed and Swayze goes all Bruce Lee on him.

Sailor: "Boy, using that oriental martial bullshit on me is gonna get real expensive."

Then proceeds to unleash a Street Fighter like combo of kicks on him.

I have been waiting my whole life to use that line :D
 
JoeyA said:
This message is primarily for our AZ buddy Russ and any other AZers over there.

Just promise me one thing. Promise me that if you are surrounded by insurgents that you won't go peacefully. http://news.yahoo.com/s/mcclatchy/20080312/wl_mcclatchy/2877385

I hope that you will keep a gun on your person at all times and if they try to take you prisoner you will shoot to kill every last one of the rotten bas****s.

Sorry, but that's the way I feel and it's getting worse for me by the day.

My wishes for your safe return are fueled by more than my desire to get another free beer out of easy-e and deadpoked. :)

JoeyA
Click to expand...


nice post sir!!!! you have and have had my respect, now go play Jay.:D ;) Seriously Russ needs to bail out on that gig, $$$ dosent matter when your dead, hell i have been in bad shape the past 3 years with my back and wow that has put things into perspective.
 
Fatboy said:
nice post sir!!!! you have and have had my respect, now go play Jay.:D ;) Seriously Russ needs to bail out on that gig, $$$ dosent matter when your dead, hell i have been in bad shape the past 3 years with my back and wow that has put things into perspective.
Click to expand...

Fatboy, Russ is his own man and that's the way it should be. If I were in his shoes, I would probably be doing a similar thing. I admire him for having the guts to go to that sludge hole and make a living for himself and his family. In some people there is sometimes a certain desire for excitement which can even be mortally risky that stimulates them to do things that others aren't want to do. In many cases, the greater the risk, the greater the appreciation. So, it doesn't have to be only about the money. The money is great but if there isn't another little something, maybe some patriotism, maybe some belonging, maybe a feeling that it's just the right thing to do at this time then he isn't there.

You, I, nor anyone on this forum, hell, anyone on this planet can't really suggest that we know what's best for Russ and his family. Well, we can but we really don't know sheit. My own brother re-upped for an extra tour of duty in Vietnam because of the money (or so he said) and trust me, a sergeant's pay wasn't all that great back then even with hazardous duty pay. That extra 12 months cost him dearly but he's never complained and I have never looked at him with anything except astonishment and awe as he attempted to make his way through the rest of his journey. We haven't lived a life in Russ's shoes so there is no way we can know what's best for Russ and his family.

But as we do in our own individual ways, we can all let him know that we care about him, all Americans and especially our soldiers who risk everything they have in that part of the world.
Stay safe Russ.
JoeyA
 
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easy-e said:
Hey Joey! Just so you know, my last bullett was always saved for ME! It sure beats the alternative.
Click to expand...

I'm with you Eric. I would save one for me, too (but only one :) ). I look forward to seeing you again in the future and maybe we'll have time for you to share with me as to what's going on over there from your perspective.

Thank you for your service to our country.

JoeyA
 
It Ain't Easy Getting Old.... Huh ?

JoeyA said:
I'm with you Eric. I would save one for me, too (but only one :) ).
JoeyA
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You don't need to save a bullet. I just read where you were killed 5-0.
5-0 ? Oy-Vey !
Doug
( were you playing opposite handed ) :)
 
Smorgass Bored said:
You don't need to save a bullet. I just read where you were killed 5-0.
5-0 ? Oy-Vey !
Doug
( were you playing opposite handed ) :)
Click to expand...

Now that ought to have all of those whining bangers coming out of the woodwork looking for a game with me. Yeah, Buff shot me down like a dog. Ran 3-4 racks and one 9 ball on the break. (He missed one stinking ball in the five racks). You do get around. :)
JoeyA (didn't play much with either hand)
 
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