Christmas Greetings to you Gang,

Did you know that war doesn’t wait for Christmas?  We had an alarm red first thing this 
morning.  And then my commander send out a touching email about how he found his peace at 
Christmas.  He was having a restless night sleeping and he got up and went to the hospital 
because he knew people would be awake there.  He wandered around making his usual rounds 
where he ended up in the ICU.  A four year old Iraqi little boy, victim of an IED blast 
was lying there restlessly.  He had part of his colon removed, his liver lacerated, and 
several shrapnel wounds to his arms and legs.  His father was sleeping next to him in the 
room.  My commander started to rub the little boy’s head and the boy eventually drifted 
off to sleep.  When my commander would stop rubbing his head the little boy would wake and 
put his hand back on his head.  It was then that my commander found peace at Christmas.  
The tears welled up in my eyes as I read the story.  

At Christmas dinner, I sat with three of our patients.  They were all the Army.  One of the
soldier’s wives was pregnant.  Another soldier was spending his 2nd Christmas over here.  
They all remarked on how nice it was staying with the Air Force.  Earlier in the evening 
we went around the CASF singing carols to staff and patients.  They said they would never 
see that where they were.  From muddy trails in their Hum Vs to sitting with us having a 
nice dinner.  When you think you’re tired of your accommodations and life here, one simply 
has to talk to a soldier to bring them back to solid ground.  We could always have it worse.

Then as we were finishing our Christmas dinner here at work, there was an announcement 
that the hospital was in need of O Negative blood.  Amanda and I and two others went to 
the hospital to give our blood.  Unfortunately Amanda was the other one who could give.  
(The one girl didn’t weigh enough and I’m indefinitely disqualified from donating as I 
lived in England for more than three months.  Until there’s a test for Mad Cows Disease, 
then no donating for me. :))  Anyways, it was neat to see Amanda give blood.  The 
technician taking her blood said that there was someone waiting in the operating room to 
receive her blood.  As soon as Amanda’s blood went through the minimal tests it would be 
flowing into another person.  She was literally giving the gift of life.  

It certainly has been a memorable Christmas.  One I would choose not to repeat, but one I’m
glad to have had.  Merry Christmas and God bless you all!!

Love Always,

Dandy ready to pack her bags and come back home Aaron