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Joe Raedle / Getty Images
U.S. Army soldiers from the 2-82 Field Artillery, 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, wait with their armored vehicles as they prepare to convoy to Kuwait from Camp Adder in Iraq on Dec. 7, 2011, near Nasiriyah.
Joe Raedle / Getty Images
U.S. Army soldiers from the 2-82 Field Artillery, 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, go through one last check as they wait to board their armored vehicles and head to Kuwait from Camp Adder in Iraq on Dec. 7, 2011.
Joe Raedle / Getty Images
U.S. Army soldiers from the 2-82 Field Artillery, 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, wait to drive their armored vehicle in a convoy to Kuwait from Camp Adder in Iraq on Dec. 7, 2011 at Camp Adder, near Nasiriyah. After seven months in Iraq, the 3rd Brigade is pulling out of the country as part of America's military exodus.
Joe Raedle / Getty Images
U.S. Army Sergeant James Linville from Brandon, Florida and Justin Herdman from Dover, Arkansas of the 2-82 Field Artillery, 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, visit a McDonald's after arriving in Kuwait from Camp Adder in Iraq on Dec. 7, 2011 at Camp Virginia, near Kuwait City.
We've been publishing photos from the U.S. military's pullout from Camp Adder in Iraq on PhotoBlog. Today they crossed into Kuwait and are officially out of Iraq. Looks like they got to enjoy some fast food upon their arrival in Kuwait.
More photos from Camp Adder on PhotoBlog.
Update Thursday noon ET:
Getty Images photojournalist Joe Raedle has been embedded with this first Cavalry unit since Dec. 1. He sent us some thoughts about his time with the unit and their departure from Iraq.
The unit and their experience in Iraq:
I get the feeling most of them are pretty happy to be going home. It’s been a long 7-10 month rotation for these guys.
In a contrast to some of the other times I have been covering soldiers, these seem to have enjoyed the experience for the most part. In the short time I was with them in Camp Adder, I went out on a couple of patrols, as well as, to witness the commander of the unit Lt. Col. Robert Wright visiting with some of the local leaders. They genuinely seemed to like and trust each other. Some of the soldiers attributed this to the fact that they eliminated most of the bad guys and because of a cease-fire called by Muqtada al-Sadr to allow the U.S. to exit from the country.
The commander was also able to establish a trusting and friendly relationship with the local sheiks who would bring food to the base and allow the commander to stop by for lunch, which he and the troops look forward to because they said the food and tea was really good.
Nasiriyah and leaving at night:
I think I’ve been here about five times and from what I just witnessed, albeit only a few days, the very low hostility level between the Americans and Iraqi’s in Nasiriyah would indicate the pull out will leave behind an area that will be able to build on a successful handover. Of course, there are so many factors that can’t be seen at this point that it’s a bit hard to say.
Nasiriyah seemed pretty peaceful. I think they left at night because no matter what, being in this part of the world opens up opportunities for people to kill American soldiers so the night departure was a way to minimize the chances of being attacked. They treated the exit as though there was a real threat.
McDonald’s
They were all talking about what they were looking forward to at Camp Virginia in Kuwait and most seemed to be jonessing McDonald’s. There is a limited amount of fast-food on the base and since they got here early in the morning that was one of the few places open. They did have fast food on the base in Iraq but it closed a few months ago as they shut the base down, so they had been eating MRE’s for a while.
Going home and work:
I think they are all looking forward to being home with their families for the holidays. I heard some of them mention that it would be hard to leave the military and find a job. Because of this, some seem to be taking the opportunity to go to college when they leave. But the ones who have said the job market is tough, don’t seem to be saying that they would stay in the military just because of that. Many of the soldiers are looking forward to making the military a career because they like being in the military and enjoy the job.
Personally, the holiday season itself isn’t that important. We spend a lot of time on the road and just being home with my wife and friends at any time of the year is a good time. Pancho (Bernasconi, Raedle's boss) felt it is important, given what happened this year, for me to be home to spend time with my family so I plan on taking advantage of that. -- Joe Raedle
(Raedle was captured along with several other journalists and held by Moammar Gadhafi loyalists in Libya earlier in this year and fellow Getty Images photographer Chris Hondros was killed in Libya along with Tim Hetherington)
Leave a Comment:
See and I thought the headline meant they were going to WORK at McDonalds! Don't laugh, most of these military job skills don't translate to the civilian world. It's very unfortunate, but true. I know plenty of vets personally that are intelligent, hard working, honorable, and the best they can do is a retail job without additional training. The GI Bills barely cover an associate's degree, which is all but worthless nowadays.
I would rather work scraping gum off the floor than seeing my brother bleeding out on the desert sands of Iraq. I'll bet they would too. So would their wives, sons, and daughters.
The outcome will be what it is. People in this area and other places around the globe have been killing each other for thousands of years over religious differences and the intolerance will never change. That's why religion is such a cancer in our world and has been since it's inception. Our pulling out or the appearance that we are leaving is just that, we won't be very far away as you know it's been decided that we will ramp up our troop levels in the Gulf and now we have troops in Australia, so the war machine just keeps on churning. The Middle East will be the end of us all sometime in the near future, the nukes will be flying and millions will die over religious ideology and because of our corrupt policies in that area we will be sucked in to a war to end all wars. It's what the neocons want and they'll get it.
Huzzah!
You know I wish they would come home and just chill for the rest of our lives in peace, But that will not happen cuz of Iran. Not all Iranians heck know but most. They fight when their born not by choice but cuz of relligion. aya. . So that means they will keep on trying to hurt USA, we the people will fight for the rest of our lives against these fricken idiots. I'm sorry to say.
not true, dont try to fit everyone in one box, one way, not all is black & white. It just doesnt exist. It's illogical. Look around and pray that if you're in some crisis some day, it won't be an arab or arab muslim that saves your @rse. You just never know ok? Life is funny like that sometimes.
These guys deserve a break!
It feels good to see them being able to enjoy themselves after what they have all been through
Welcome home, and job well done!
I took the headline as soldiers coming home just to be forced to work at McDonalds.....which unfortunately may be true.
Well done. Welcome home.
As far as I am concerned, anything with a US price tag on it should have been destroyed and left the way it was found...in the sand. I wouldn't have given them a thing. Billions on Billions spent in Iraq on buildings and equipment and all left to people who would rather see us all dead.
I'll buy these heroes all the extra value meals they want. Thank God you all will soon be out of that hell hole!
Let Israel deal with Iran. We've done enough.
For the troops next deployment, they will be sent to Detroit and Newark, New Jersey. Flack jackets a must. And you thought Iraq was dangerous. Perhaps Oakland, Richmond, San Jose and Stockton for the most battle harden.
Thank you troops for all of your service and sacrifice...don't let your guard down now though...you aint here yet...so keep yourselves and your buddies safe and get back here where ya belong...in one piece...safe and sound!!! Ooh Rah!
thanks guys for all you did in Iraq !!!! It's always nice to get rid of the old and be ready for the new crap the politicians create for you. Real warriors make it all happen .
If they are lucky, they might just find a job at the Mac when they get back. (for teenager wages)
I would rather work scraping gum off the floor than seeing my brother bleeding out on the desert sands of Iraq. I'll bet they would too. So would their wives, sons, and daughters.
Here-Here. Well said ltcommander72. We agree.
Get out of here you fool.
True....US should leave but I'll bet within a year of departing, al Sadr will take control of at least Bagdad and the south creating linkage with Shiite Iran. Then the Arab world (especially Saudi Arabia) will really be alarmed and possibly have to act.
Come on dude, dont throw a wrench in here. The troops are coming home finally! its a joyous occasion (remember one of those?) and its the holidays.
They need to hear support and cheer right now, they've had "enough" gloom already. Chill.
Lol! This so very American. I remember getting short and there was nothing that made me salivate more than the idea of a cheeseburger. Always been a bit of a nut about veggies and such but when you can't have one, a big Mac becomes a big deal, hehe. Thanks to all our troops and welcome back. I'll have to remember to take my youngest, (now 33!) out for a happy meal when he gets back next time.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Years to all US military personnel and their families.
welcome home everybody! have fun(rrr)! thank you all and have a very merry christmas!!
I hope this Country will get some leadership that thinks with their head befor getting us and the kids in another war. Dam the Republicans sure do a good job of it
I'm really glad for these guys, however I hope they don't let their guard down one iota b/c it's near the end that people (soldiers, students, anyone) get over confident and end up getting pounded.
I hope we killed enough bad guy leaders that the miserable country (Iraq) may have a chance at coming into the 21st century, and they leave those murderous Mullahs in the dust where they belong.
A Vet
Has anyone checked on what the U.S. tax payers are leaving in Iraq and what did they gain in the past ten years of war.
This country is headed down the drain.
This should have happened 9 years ago. In summary, we lost 4,000+ Americans, spent billions directly and trillions indirectly in order to arrest a man who was hiding in a spider hole. George Bush obviously never heard of Confucius who said : "Don't use a cannon to kill a mosquito."
But then again that is not surprising since George Bush is to philosophy what a turd is to Chanel #5.
Next up. Iran...brace yourselves for another War. We all know damn well that as soon as we leave, Iran's going in. Kinda worked out perfectly if you think about. We need more evidence/ rationale to go after Iran, why not wait for them to breach Iraq's soverinty, then start a war with them.....gee, think this was an accident?
all the while China sits back and smiles...."we lend more monies to fat america...haha".
Why do they have homey skull caps on in the desert?
Desert's cold at night....
Oh... I thought this was an article about job opportunities for returning vets.