BlackFive

Blake Powers, the Laughing Wolf and Blackfive.net's Civilian-in-Residence, is in Iraq reporting for PMI/The Long War Journal and Blackfive...donations to PMI (a non-profit media organization) keep independent reporting possible from the Long War.

There are many people that I will be thanking for this embed, from those of you who have and are donating to PMI to Soldier's Angels. There are many people here I need to thank, but I want to start with the group who have coordinated this embed.

Rear echelons usually catch a lot of flack, some/most of it well deserved. I can be particularly bad about that for a number of reasons. That said, when I find something or someone good, it makes it an even greater pleasure to point it out as an example of how things should go or be done.

I've found that office here in the form of Captain Michael Signore, Sergeant Rebekah Spencer, and Specialist James T. Deady at the Embed Coordination Office. Captain Signore's command is a good one, and they have gone above and beyond in their work for and with me, and have even offered hospitality in the older, true sense to go with that. I know there are others under his command, but these are the people I've worked with and they do a stand-up job. Their patience, help, sense of humor, and desire to get me what I need and where I want to go is very much appreciated. Their work can be a bit of a thankless task, especially when things happen, what's desired isn't possible, etc., but they do all they can to help myself and the others who embed here do our jobs and do them as well as we can.

Thank you.

LW