In the Stars and Stripes newspaper they ran this picture of Santa. I happen to think it looks a lot like him so I wanted to share it with you guys. Hope ya'll have a very safe, wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year. Hunney, tell the kids I said I love and miss them, and you know I love you thisssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss much

The pic you see there is our xmas shot here at the Quality Control Section. Don't you feel safer at nite knowing that we are guarding you? hahaha. Here is another "cute" email that I recieved recently, enjoy.

A SMART SOLDIER...

A United States Army soldier was attending some college courses between assignments. He had completed missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. One of the courses had a professor who was an avowed atheist and a member of the ACLU.

One day the professor shocked the class when he came in. He looked to the ceiling and flatly stated, "God, if you are real, then I want you to knock me off this platform. I'll give you exactly 15 minutes." The lecture room fell silent. You could hear a pin drop. Ten minutes went by and the professor proclaimed, "Here I am God. I'm still waiting." It got down to the last couple of minutes when the soldier got out of his chair, went up to the professor, and cold-cocked him knocking him off the platform. The professor was out cold. The soldier went back to his seat and sat there, silently. The other students were shocked and stunned and sat there looking on in silence. The professor eventually came to, noticeably shaken, looked at the soldier and asked, "What the hell is the matter with you? Why did you do that?"

The soldier calmly replied, "God was too busy today protecting America's troops who are protecting your right to say stupid shit and act like an asshole. ................So, He sent me."

Someone sent this too me in an email and I thought ya'll might like it.. I'm sure Byte will get a kick out of it..lol.. enjoy!

Dan Rather, Peter Jennings, Cokie Roberts, and a tough old U.S. Marine
Sergeant were all captured by terrorists in Iraq. The leader of the
terrorists told them that he would grant them each one last request
before they were beheaded.

Dan Rather said, "Well, I'm a Texan; so I'd like one last bowlful of
hot, spicy chili." The leader nodded to an underling who left and returned
with the chili. Rather ate it all and said, "Now I can die content."

Peter Jennings said, "I am Canadian, so I'd like to hear the song "O
Canada" one last time." The leader nodded to a terrorist who had
studied the Western world and knew the music. He returned with some rag-tag
Musicians and played the anthem. Jennings sighed and declared he could
now die peacefully.

Cokie Roberts said, "I'm a reporter to the end. I want to take out my
tape recorder and describe the scene here and what's about to happen.
Maybe someday someone will hear it and know that I was on the job till
the end."

The leader directed an aide to hand over the tape recorder and Roberts
dictated some comments. She then said, "Now I can die happy."

The leader turned and said, "And now, Mr. U.S. Marine, what is your
final wish?"

"Kick me in the ass," said the Marine.

"What?" asked the leader? "Will you mock us in your last hour?"

"No, I'm not kidding. I want you to kick me in the ass," insisted the
Marine So the leader shoved him into the open, and kicked him in the
ass.

The Marine went sprawling, but rolled to his knees, pulled a 9 mm
pistol from inside his cammies, and shot the leader dead. In the resulting
confusion, he leapt to his knapsack, pulled out his M 4 carbine and
sprayed the Iraqis with gunfire. In a flash, all the Iraqis were either
dead or fleeing for their lives.

As the Marine was untying Rather, Jennings, and Roberts, they asked
him, "Why didn't you just shoot them in the beginning? Why did you ask them
to kick you in the ass first?"

"What," replied the Marine, "and have you three Assholes reporting that
I was the aggressor?

I think I post this every year, but it never fails to touch me every time I read it.  I hope it means as much to ya'll......

Different Christmas Poem
    
    The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,
    I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.
    My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,
    My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.
    Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,
    Transforming the yard to a winter delight.
    The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,
    Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.
    My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,
    Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.
    In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,
    So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.
    The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,
    But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.
    Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know, Then the
    sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.
    My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,
    And I crept to the door just to see who was near.
    Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,
    A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.
    A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,
    Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.
    Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,
    Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.
    "What are you doing?" I asked without fear,
    "Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!
    Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,
    You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"
    For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,
    Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts..
    To the window that danced with a warm fire's light
    Then he sighed and he said "Its really all right,
    I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night."
    "It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,
    That separates you from the darkest of times.
    No one had to ask or beg or implore me,
    I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.
    My Gramps died at 'Pearl on a day in December,"
    Then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gram’ always remembers."
    My dad stood his watch in the jungles of 'Nam',
    And now it is my turn and so, here I am.
    I've not seen my own son in more than a while,
    But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile.
    Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,
    The red, white, and blue... an American flag.
    I can live through the cold and the being alone,
    Away from my family, my house and my home.
    I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,
    I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.
    I can carry the weight of killing another,
    Or lay down my life with my sister and brother..
    Who stand at the front against any and all,
    To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall."
    "So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright,
    Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."
    "But isn't there something I can do, at the least,
    "Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?
    It seems all too little for all that you've done,
    For being away from your wife and your son."
    Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,
    "Just tell us you love us, and never forget.
    To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone,
    To stand your own watch, no matter how long.
    For when we come home, either standing or dead,
    To know you remember we fought and we bled.
    Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,
    That we mattered to you as you mattered to us."

Some days I wonder why I do this...  it can't be for the money, the Army doesn't pay enough... it can't be for the glory, there are  no stars in the military...  maybe, just maybe, there are those of us who still put service to country above service to self.   For whatever reasons I still want to wear this uniform, thank you baby for putting up with and supporting me, I Love You dearly