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From Detachment 2632	From Detachment 2632
From Detachment 2632	December 12, 2005, Sandra Wardell writes: What a treat to see all your pics and read about Ladder 18!  SMSgt Roberta Smith forwarded this to some of us here at the Air Force Clinic.  I am the Nurse Practitioner here caring for female troops.  I see women mainly here at Balad AB/Fort Anaconda, but they send me gals from all over Iraq north of Baghdad.  It's a great job, and I am honored daily to take care of these women.
I want you to know what a GREAT pleasure it was going over to see the Convoy troops on Christmas afternoon and bringing them the shirts and popcorn. I had the most fun of the whole Xmas day right there fooling around with them, taking pics, being a bit silly. I've attached a couple pics you might not have gotten. My sister in Maine refers to me as the Desert Queen and sent me the red feather boa for Xmas, so I decided to let the regs go for just awhile and wear it for this event. I've already been stopped more than once this morning and thanked by guys who are in this Convoy unit and wanted to let me know how much they appreciated it. I know now that there is a special comradeship between folks like our FDNY and active duty troops, all because of the special missions we serve and the experiences we take from them. We are bound together by service and commitment and a common acceptance of their inherent dangers. Thank you for taking the time to care so much. We are all honored to do what we do every single day. Best Wishes from Iraq, The Convoy/FDNY/Christmas Queen, Capt Wardwell	What an experience it is, being here in the desert, living with daily mortar and rocket attacks, talking with soldiers who lay it on the line every day outside the wire.  I wouldn't trade it for anything, and I'll certainly never forget any of it.  Please know that there are thousands of incredible, brave, strong, wonderful people here making our world a little bit safer and freer one step at a time.  Let the people who speak out against our mission know that it really is worthwhile, that we do believe in it and understand it more than they ever will.   And bless you for your support of Ladder 18.  Theirs, too, is a job for the few, the brave, the people who will not call themselves heroes.  We love you all and thank you for thinking of us.  Have a memorable, safe, peaceful Christmas, and PLEASE drink a little extra egg nog for me!!!!   Best Regards to all, Sandy   Sandra Wardwell, Capt, USAF
Captain Boylan and crew with Kevin checking out the pics from the troops on Christmas 2005 at Ladder 18 Engine 15. Those are the t shirts they sent to the troops, in time for Christmas.	Seeing this on the anniversary of 9-11, and with Kevin back from Iraq and visiting... just seeing smiles at the firehouses on the anniversary of the attacks was incredibly powerful.

This flag flew over the base in Iraq in their honor.
	Message to the troops

Page 1 - Kevin Arrives at L20 for the 5th Anniversary of 9-11-01
Page 2 - Gifts from the 1st Cavalry, Nora, 115th Forward Support Battalion  
Page 3 - Troop Shirts Christmas 2004 in Iraq
Page 4  - Catching up with L20, 1st Cavalry, Nora in 2006
Page 5 -Troop Shirts Christmas 2005 Ladder 18 invades Iraq
Page 6  - Fort Anaconda, Balad, Iraq becomes Fort Pitt, Ladder 18, FDNY
Page 7 - Christmas 2005 more: Detachment 2632, Air Force Clinic, Sandra and back to Ladder 18
Page 8 - Ladder 111 Engine 214 invades Iraq