8-1-05

Hello everyone,

Sorry it's been awhile since I have written, but a lot has happened and I have been kept busy. If you haven't already heard, this last June marked two great achievements for me. One is that I had my two year anniversary since joining the Idaho Army National Guard. And several days later received my promotion to E-4, a Specialist, which I am glad to finally have earned.

Since I wrote last, I have been hard at work trying to learn some of the equipment we use daily to support our mission. Using the big military equipment is a lot harder than I first realized, however, now that I have gained that knowledge, I can use it once home.

Health; physically and mentally, has so far been good. I now have been away from home about five months now, four of which has been here in Iraq. The latest rumor I have heard is that it will be about 98 more days. However, that is only rumor and always with the Army, nothing is fact until it actually happens. But I do hope it's close to then, or even sooner, I miss the rain and a good thunder storm every now and again. Since June hit, I have yet to see any rain. It's just been hot and dry with temperatures reaching as hot as 124*F in the shade some days. Luckily it's less humid than where you all are. In Orofino the humidly in the summer is around 40 to 50 percent, while here I have only seen it around 20 percent. So not as bad, just dry.

I keep myself busy on my down time by watching movies or playing games on my computer. I have even gotten pretty good on the dart board playing cricket. I seem to be keeping myself busy and the time seems to go by quickly, which makes being here not as bad.

Hope I continue to hear from you all, I really enjoying getting all your letters, it makes my day to get mail.

SPC Andrea Westfall
andrea.westfall@us.army.mil

Editor's Note: We received this letter by email today. SPC Andrea Westfall graduated from Orofino High School in 2004 and is now serving with the 116th Engineering Battalion of the Idaho National Guard in Iraq.