RefugeRat.com

The pictures submitted recently to RefugeRat.com brought mixed feelings both while taking them, and then while reflecting on my thoughts of these past 14 months of our 15 month deployment.

We would like to take just a second to thank the folks at RefugeRat.com for their continuous correspondence, constant care, and concern.

I only wish the relationship that has been forged these last  two months would have evolved much earlier in our deployment.

In that we could have documented our entire journey, and how the Army transformed our off duty passion into more than just the RefugeRat moniker.

RefugeRat.com states that their focus is on "Waterfowl products for the public refuge hunter on the move." Well, that's precisely what we were doing. Moving.

During our 15 month tour we were retrained for three different areas of specialty and moved between multiple areas of Iraq and Kuwait six times in five months.

Only for approximately one month of this time did we have living conditions other than open bay tents. We made the best of it, but our only regret is that we didn't document it better with photographs, thus giving a better overall "picture" of our experience.

In these photos are three individuals that make up a cross section of cultures that truly defines how the Army can take anyone, put them anywhere, at any time, and make things happen.

The tall skinny kid (21 years of age) is Spc Eric Steffensen from Riverside, California. He has served four honorable years in the Army and upon the unit's return will be getting out and going back to California to attend college.

Before this deployment he had always been into car racing, computers, and normal teen stuff. He and his father had been fishing a few times, and he had a general like for the outdoors, but had never explored it much.

Sgt Robert "Bob" Pierce is the shorter guy in some of the pictures. He hails from Liberal, Kansas and has spent about 18 years in the Army. Other than hunting and fishing with his pal described next, he enjoys Nascar, NY Giants football, and Kansas college basketball. He has been an avid outdoorsman for approximately 19 years.

Sgt Criss Dougherty is the mainstay in all of the pictures taken. He joined the service from Morehead, Kentucky in 1996 has been in the Army for 14 years.

Besides hunting and fishing, his hobbies include University of Kentucky basketball, University of Tennessee football, and Nascar. He has been fishing and hunting for close to 30 years, and has always been a Refuge Rat at heart, and by his actions.

Criss and Bob have been friends since approximately March of 2001. They have hunted and fished together at every opportunity on public access land and water. Though they can't say they're always successful, there is always a good time had.

During the current deployment, Eric was around the two quite a bit for work. His interest began to grow about hunting in general, and after many discussions has decided to give it a try. Eric is soon to leave the Army and go back to California and continue his life. With the help of a couple of good friends and RefugeRat.com, I'm sure along with his memories of the Army, he will also have everlasting memories from the field and blind to carry him through life.

The picture of the guys in front of the sign are at the main headquarters of FOB Delta, Iraq.

The photo of the tracked vehicle at the top of the page is the M270A1 MLRS (Multiple Launch Rocket System). This vehicle has the capability to fire 12 thirteen foot long by nine inch wide rockets at a rate of five seconds each, or two missiles that can shoot 300 kilometers. In Desert Storm, these highly lethal rounds were called "steel rain" due to the grenade like bomblets they drop.

The second vehicle shown is the latest attempt to stop the shrapnel from IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices) that comprise the main arsenal of Iraqi insurgents.

In closing, we would once again like to thank RefugeRat.com who supports the service members and all we do.

Many of us couldn't do what we do without you.

Respectfully Submitted,

Sgt Criss Dougherty

Sgt Robert "Bob" Pierce

Spc Eric Steffensen

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