Jerry Lambert... A True Professional

I thought when I started this blog, it would be a great and fun way of keeping a record of some sort of my time over here. In the beginning this was the case, but as time has gone by, I find it hard to discuss or write about the misery over here.

But today I must write about a friend...

Jerry Lambert was killed today (October 11, 2006) at approximately 1100 hours, Baghdad Time, by an Improvised Explosive Device. He was working on an abandoned Iraqi ASP (Ammunition Supply Point) near Saddam's home town of Tikrit, providing security for an Explosive Ordinance clearance team that was reducing muntions favored by the insurgents. I can't say much more about his mission, but I can talk about Jerry.

As most of you know Jerry was one of the crazies, always happy, wearing those outrageous gym outfits that only the guys from Florida would wear, hell he showed up at Stapelton for a trip down to CTA wearing a sleeveless muscle shirt, gecko striped "Bobby Brown" pants, that only made it below his knees and puffy colored socks. His colorful stories brought tears of laughter to all.

I met a different Jerry Lambert over here in Iraq. A more serious man, a family man, a man who was serious about what he was doing over here. A true professional, A man who had found God.

I had the opportunity to speak with Jerry almost daily when he called the Tactical Operations Center here in Baghdad, for a communication check prior to going outside the wire. Always in good spirits for a guy living on a mobile site. Jerry sent emails out all the time, mostly about religion, some times jokes. I always read the jokes, rarely read the religious ones.

I don't know why I didn't read them, maybe I have just not been a real religious man, but nightly I do pray for my family, close friends and two boys battling cancer " Jake and Jeremy ". Maybe that's a bad thing, but I guess we all figure out what works for the individual in their own personal way.

After receiving the emergency call for help, doing all the things we do to get QRF, Air Support and Medic heading that way, I found out that it was Jerry that got killed. Later on in the day I found my self looking through my emails trying to find one that Jerry had recently sent me, forgetting that just yesterday I had deleted all of them trying to save some space on my laptop.

As I stated at the beginning of this entry, the misery of this place has almost become unbearable, being here in the TOC, I speak and meet most who work on the project, get all the reports of fatalities and incidents. It recently has become a very dangerous place here in Iraq for all. Not that it wasn't already dangerous. Now adays it is not a matter if you are gonna get hit, its where are you going to get hit.

As more areas are turned over to the Iraqi Security Forces, it seems more and more people get killed or severely injured. Can't quite figure that one out. U.S. Coalition Forces have lost many (2,740) and so have we the civilian contractors - count as of today depending on who you get your information is 650.

I still in my heart believe that we are doing good over here, helping people help themselves. I know that most of the Iraqi populace wants democracy, freedom to do all the things that free people get to do. Up in Northern Iraq "Kurdistan" people live that kind of life today, parks, restaurants, hotels and not having to fear sectarian violence and insurgency. If only the rest of the country could follow suit.

My condolences go out to Jerry's family and close friends.

Jerry... I will miss you brother