Reverend Recoil

It looks like nobody else here listens to the blues. "I sent my baby a brand new twenty-dollar bill. If that don't bring her home, I know my shotgun will."

The only things that are secret with the KC's are the initiation ceremonies. If you are curious as to what goes on, imagine what Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn would come up with. You will not be far off.

Thank you for your support. American forces and contractors are the best supplied forces in the world. We really have everything we need. There are some things that we want or wish we had. Keep in mind that anything sent to Iraq has to go through Kuwait first. Do not send any pork products or anything as immodest as a Sports Illustrated bikini calendar. Send no liquor. Inside the trucks from Kuwait the temperature is 140 degrees, so most chocolate goodies and aerosol cans are out. The things most enjoyed here are music CD's and movie DVD's, pocket knives, Mag-Lite flash lights, re-chargeable AA batteries, t-shirts, magazines, AT&T phone cards and work gloves. Some of the more exotic items in demand are Leatherman Multi-Tools, and Willy-X sun glasses. It is best not to send electric powered devices unless they can run on batteries or the European electrical standard of 240 volts, 50 Hz. The things we enjoy receiving the most are personal letters and photographs. It's the family things that I miss the most and makes no difference who's family those things come from. If you send letters and pictures, be sure to include a return mail or email address. Don't forget the ladies. There are many here and their needs and wants are a little different than the fellows. Mark the box Male Soldier or Female Soldier. Thanks again. Your thoughts, prayers and support make a big difference for us in Iraq and Afghanistan.

I'm a 3rd degree Knight of Columbus. Does that count? Shriners always ride the coolest skooters and dune buggies at 4th of July parades. I wish the KC's would do something like that.

What's your favorite blues line? I gots many, enjoy. "There's a pair of shoes on the floor... where mine should be A coat in the closet, that I know don't belong to me. A hat on the table, beside the bed A fifth of Old Taylor...almost dead Now before you say "Well that just can't be!" I'm telling you it can, 'cause it happened to me." "If you get yourself a little money Better buy all you can get Cause I ain't never seen a armored car Follow'n a funeral yet." "There's two kinds of music, the Blues and Zippity Do Da." --Dr. John "I have a hard time missing you baby With my pistol in your mouth You may be thinking about goin' North But your brains are staying South." "All these chicks get really rough, Callin' for whiskey and a dip of snuff In the night, In the night, In the wee, wee hours Between midnight and day " --Professor Longhair, In The Night Reverend Recoil A.K.A. Gimpy Lassiter - Harp Blow'n Blues Man With fear and loathing in Iraq

The day I got out of high school I became a roustabout for $7/hr in the Louisiana oil patch. I was making the BIG bucks back then. A Dixie beer was cheaper than a Coke. Papst Blue Ribbon was 79 cents a quart. Right now I am in Q-West, Iraq. I would pay $20 for cold Dixie right about now.

Monty Aghazadeh is the son of Dr. Fereydoun Aghazadeh, my LSU Engineering professor from twenty years ago. He wrote me such a fine letter that I just had to copy it for you. Reverend Recoil Dear friends and family, As you may or may not know, during the past two nights I have been volunteering in the special needs shelters on LSU’s campus to help the victims of hurricane Katrina in any way possible. I am writing of my experiences there to show everyone who reads this that all the support demonstrated through volunteerism and through donations is truly making an unbelievable difference for the evacuees. I can tell you right now that all the victims are extremely thankful of your continued support. The victims that I talked to are unbelievably gracious about all our community and nation has done to support them. Please forward this, so all may be aware of their situation. The following are only a few of the many encounters I had with numerous individual victims: When I first entered the Maddox fieldhouse, I was told many of the victims had not had baths for several days and volunteers were desperately needed to bathe these people. I was asked to bathe an elderly paraplegic gentleman. After a slight moment of hesitation, I stepped up along with one of my friends and we gave this gentleman a sponge bath. I cannot think of a more humbling experience. The man was very thankful. At one point, I was in the bathroom cleaning out the pan I used to wash the elderly gentleman. Next to me was a man shaving. I looked at him through the mirror and started up a conversation with him, I had no idea what I was getting into. He started to, in detail, describe the events of the last few days. He told me how at 7am the day of the hurricane, he intended to leave his house because the storm had gotten too bad. He started to pick up the necessary items, but in literally 15 minutes his house was covered with water as he scrambled up to the roof. Little did he know it at the time, but he would have to remain on that roof for almost 2 days until he could be rescued by a helicopter. I could see his skin was unnaturally charred from sun exposure. As I stood there looking at him in the mirror and listening to him, I occasionally glanced back at myself and wondered if any facial expression would appropriately capture my concern for the situation. None would. All I could do was occasionally express my sympathy as I heard him out. Next, I came across a lady, Cynthia, who wanted to go to the bathroom but was having slight difficulties putting her shoes on. I asked her if I could help her with anything. She looked up at me, thought for a second and then said, “You got any scissors or knives?” Cynthia wanted me to cut off the back part of her shoes so that she could slip them on and off with ease just like slippers. I soon found a small pocket knife and my friend and I began sawing away at the backs of her shoes to make them more accommodating. In 10 minutes we finished the task and she slipped them on. She looked down at her shoes, admired them for a moment, looked back up at us and displayed genuine excitement for the slight modification of her shoes. It’s just amazing to me how such a small simple thing can make such a large difference. I suppose that’s how life always is though. During the second night, I wheeled one lady, Ms. Gayle, to her bed when she entered the field house. She was apparently very tired, but evidently still in good spirits as she jokingly asked me if there were men in the shelter: she was having a bad hair day. Ms. Gayle was a retired hotel chef and told me all about her career and promised that she would teach me how to cook as well, starting with the first lesson of egg poaching. Her slippers were tattered, wet, and torn so I found some socks for her in the stack of donated items. I personally put them on her myself and watched her face light up. She insisted on giving me a hug and made me promise that I’d visit her again tomorrow. Next, there was a call for a male volunteer to help an elderly gentleman to the bathroom. After searching for 15 minutes, I found a free wheelchair – these are treated like gold at the shelter – and approached the man, Mr. Leslie. I helped him out of his bed and onto his chair and began to wheel him to the restroom. He told me how he had not heard from his wife and kids since the hurricane and was quite worried. When we entered the bathroom, he needed help getting on the stall so I had to place my hands under his shoulders, lift him up, and basically place him on the stall. After returning, to his bedside, I sat and talked with him for 30 minutes about anything and everything until he fell asleep. He was very thankful. At one point, I wandered over to the PMAC and found one lady sitting in a chair among a group of bed-ridden patients. Her name was Mrs. Janet. She looked unbelievably exhausted and lonely so I sat next to her and began talking. I found out she was sitting there watching over her daughter, a severe diabetic, and her husband, a very elderly man. They had been stranded in Metairie during the hurricane and were unable to evacuate for some reason or other. Mrs. Janet had to stay in their family home for 3 days after the hurricane without electricity or water and take care of her husband and daughter. During those days, she desperately hoped and prayed someone would come by and discover them in their severely damaged house, despite the fact that they were the only people remaining in their neighborhood. Eventually some policemen found them and the family were evacuated to Baton Rouge in an ambulance. Before I knew it, almost 2 hours had passed, we were amidst a lengthy discussion of whether prayer should be allowed in schools, and I had successfully taken her mind off the unbearable situation she had to face. I honestly feel this made a difference. These are just a few of the numerous tasks I performed while volunteering, but I think they accurately and forcefully describe just how important and essential volunteers and donations are needed and appreciated during this time of need. Best Wishes, Monty Aghazadeh LSU student

I like Old Milwakee because it is always on sale.

The 450 Marlin might work.

If we would have faced all the toilets to Meca the prisoners would be defecating in the tents, barracks, chow hall and everywhere else. There own military facilities were no more saniatary. They can only be house broken one way.

KBR was given the contract to provide ablution units (US Army portable toilet trailers) for inmate use at Booca Prison, Iraq. Four sixteen-seat ablution units were installed with water and sewage disposal tanks. After three months it was noticed that two of the units were in brand-new condition and the others showed extreme hard use, even for Arab standards. After three more months it was well apparent that the prisoners would only use the two well worn toilet units and refused to use the ones in new condition. The reason was finally explained by one of the Pakistani prisoners. The prisoners refused to use the ablution units in new condition because the toilets inside were faced towards Mecca. KBR had to go back in the prison and move the two ablution units around. Now all four toilet units are equally utilized in the same Arab standards of sanitation. Everybody at Booca Prison is happy, for now.

The latest count is over 900 killed. A front end loader and dump truck was used to clear the discarded shoes off of the bridge the next day.

Sorry, I don't know any of the Congers from Baton Rouge.

Thanks for your thoughts and concern. All my friends and family are in the Baton Rouge area. They are all getting along well. Almost all of them have electricity now. My home is still standing. The shed that covered my lawn mower has blown away and the property is covered with trash and tree branches. My three sons are cleaning it up today. I am one of the lucky ones. My house is empty right now. I may put up a New Orleans family there. It is kind of hard to manage such things while in Iraq. I think I will let my brother handle everything. I was the plant engineer at the foundry that produced the giant flood pumps for New Orleans. They have an 8ft impeller, 40 inch discharge nozzle, and are coupled to a 400 hp diesel engine. I think eight of them were made in 1968. Even so, all the experts and civil engineers knew these pumps would be ineffective if the levies broke. These pumps did what they were designed to do. They worked well against heavy rain fall but not against the 25ft tidal surge. All this happened while I was traveling from Baghdad to Mosul. I was able to keep up with the news but at times it was hard to find an Internet plug-in. Most of my time online was spent emailing the folks back home. The population of Baton Rouge has doubled. Schools are packed with refugee kids. Hotels are full and rental property is no longer available. LSU has canceled its first home game. They may cancel the next one. The Saints may not play a home game this season. My brother is in electrical sales. He experienced hurricane Andrew in Florida. He is now in Baton Rouge expediting generators, cable, and all other electrical hardware. He has been working 20 hours per day this week. The Arkansas National Guard has left Iraq and is headed straight to New Orleans. They are well experienced in dealing with armed and lawless punks. I am sure they will make sure the punks in New Orleans get special treatment. I say kill them all and leave them where they fall. They are nothing but in-human predators taking advantage of other's misfortune. It is just a matter of time before New Orleans' crime problem becomes Baton Rouge's crime problem.

Sailor is right about the differences in the 9.3x62 and 9.3x64. Chambered Lothar Walther barrels are availible from sporterexpress.com. Lothar Walther 9.3 x 64 Rifle Barrel Lothar Walther manufactures the exact barrel that has been used by many of the best European gunsmiths for years. The quality of this barrel can not be matched by anyone else. These barrels are regarded at the premium barrel for Mauser customs. Each barrel comes with a polished contour, a radius sporting crown and is long chambered and threaded for Mauser 98 Large Ring actions. These barrels offer a cost savings over other barrels as each chamber is honed and is slightly long so a reamer is not needed. To set headspace all you need to do is set back the shoulders and breach face. Order by style and caliber below. Item #: 100-235 Availability: Special Order Style: 722 Caliber: 9.3 x 64 Our Price: $194.99 Lothar Walther 9.3 x 62 Rifle Barrel Item #: 100-234 Availability: Special Order Style: 722 Caliber: 9.3 x 62 Our Price: $194.99

Take a look at the 9.3X62 Brenneke. It may have everything you are looking for in performance, plus loaded ammo, bullets, and cases. The 9.3X62 Brenneke also has more case shoulder for head spacing and is availible in pre-chambered barrels for the 98 Mauser.

"Reverend Recoil" is just a name I made up for no reason. Pretty cool, huh! Reverend Recoil Still in Baghdad, Iraq.

Two Muslim mothers are sitting in the cafe chatting over a pint of goat's milk. The older of the two pulls her bag out and starts flipping through photographs and they start reminiscing. "This is my oldest son Mohammed. He'd be 24 years old now." "Yes, I remember him as a baby," says the other mother cheerfully. "He's a martyr now," mum confides. "O! That's so sad dear," says the other. "And this is my second son, Kalid. He'd be 21 now," says the first Muslim mother. "Oh, I remember him," says the other happily, "he had such dark, curly hair when he was born." "Yes, Well, he's a martyr, too now," says the mother quietly. "Oh! Good gracious me," says the other. "And this is my third son. My baby. My beautiful Ahmed. He'd be 18 now," whispers the first Muslim mother. "Yes," says the friend enthusiastically. "I remember when he first started school." "He's a martyr too now" says the Muslim mum, with tears in her eyes. After a pause and a deep sigh, the second Muslim mother looks wistfully at the photographs and says: "They blow up so fast, don't they?" Enjoy, Reverend Recoil

I will spend three weeks at home for Christmas and then go back to Iraq. I will leave Iraq for good June 2006. Two years in this sand box will be enough. I have seen no antiques firearms in Iraq. In Afghanistan there are many black powder muskets for sale in the market. I have only seen pictures of them from KBR workers that have return from that area. They are percussion fired but the butt-stocks are curved similar to muskets from the 1600's. I doubt if they are true antiques. I think they are still being made in gun shops along the Pakistan border. Reverend Recoil

Bucca Prison Blues Bucca, Iraq Bucca Prison is located near the Persian Gulf and the Port of Iraq. The prison at this time houses 7,500 Arab insurgents and Iraqi thieves and murders. KBR has the contract for design and construction of the prison force protection. While I was there a prisoner slung a rock at one of the guard towers. The rock entered the gun port and hit the grating over a female soldier’s head. This woman corporal is about 5’-5” and maybe weighs 125 lbs. She never said a thing. She quickly came out of the tower with her shotgun and bandolier of ammunition. As the prisoner reach for another rock to throw, she expertly spun her 12 gage shotgun around her shoulder and through its sling and fired from her hip with blazing speed. I was impressed. It was like watching Annie Oakley in action. The blast hit the prisoner in the center of his chest. He dropped to the ground and flopped like a goldfish out of water. Fortunately for him the 12 gage shell was loaded with only a rubber slug. When the prisoner was finished with his convulsions, the corporal calmly walked over to him, racked another shell into the chamber, and put the barrel to his head. Nobody throws rocks at her tower anymore. Reverend Recoil

Yesterday four Arab insurgents were trying to wire up a cell phone to a 155mm artillery shell by the side of a rode in Baghdad. Aukmed: Which wires did Mohammed tell you to connect? Abdule: I think it was the red, white, and black wires. Aukmed: You think! What do you mean you think? You had better be sure! Abdule: Mohammed said to connect the same colors as our glorious revolutionary flag. Ali: You fools! Is that any way to design a high-density micro-processing cellular system? The Samsung cell phone infidels don’t care what color our flag is. There has to be a better way. Ibrahim: Well, there is always EMMMO system. Aukmed: EMMMO? That sounds complicated. It may be too high tech for us. Ali: What is the EMMMO system? Ibrahim: You hold the wires in one hand and say, ‘Ennie Meany Miney Moe. Catch an Infidel by the toe. If he hollers, let him go. Ennie Meany Miney Moe.’ Ali: Is that all? Ibrahim: Then you say, 'My Mullah told me to pick the very best one.' And then make the connections. Aukmed: Where did you get that system, from the gypsy woman? Ibrahim: No, PC Magazine. Besides, it worked the last time. Abdule: May Allah be with you. Ibrahim: Ennie Meany Miney Moe. Catch an Infidel by the toe. If he hollers, let him go. Ennie Meany Miney Moe........ B O O M ! Reverend Recoil

This is a good story I found on RatKill.com. Enjoy, Reverend Recoil. Another time, when all four sons still lived at home, we were sitting around the kitchen table in our log cabin -- we homesteaded in Canada beginning in 1972 and built all of our buildings (house, barn, sugarhouse, bakery). A mouse came across the kitchen floor, then stopped and looked at us. I said, 'Watch this.' I slipped out my knife -- I have always carried some kind of knife -- pen knife, belt knife, pig sticker -- and whipped it at the tiny mouse. It pinned it to the pine board flooring and it died instantly. My kids were in awe. My wife was unhappy with the dead bleeding mouse in her kitchen and the new knife wound in the flooring. I felt pretty good about the whole thing and didn't let on to the extent of my surprise. I disposed of the mouse -- I fed it to the porch cat -- cleaned my knife, and accepted adulation and high praise...always nice to be a hero to your kids. John Mahoney Log Cabin Chronicles

If somebody tells you, "Cheer up. It could be worse." Just wait a while. It will get worse, but be glad nobody is trying to kill you. This weekend I will pull out my harmonica and play some Blues. Revrend Recoil Baghdad, Iraq

You can be sure that there is still a piece of Sir Winston in every Britton. “we shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender,” Sir Winston Churchill, June 4, 1940

You Know You've Been In Iraq Too Long If .... Generally: You start to think "it’s not so bad here". You say "this place sort of grows on you". You say, "it feels cooler today" and find out that the temperature is 110. You call your tent (trailer if you're lucky) "Home". You get excited at the idea of "ICE". You feel naked with out your body armor. You feel naked AND helpless without three knives and a multi-tool. You notice that an expert from every profession is in Iraq except lawyers. Apaches excite you much more than Blackhawk's or Kiowa's. What happens in Iraq, stays in Iraq and it sucks. Armaments: You don't jump when a door slams or someone drops something. You aren't alarmed when every second person you see has a gun or two or three. You kick the M-16 on the floor aside without a second thought when you sit down in the Dining Facility. As an unarmed contractor you feel like a person of no caliber. Knives are not officially armaments so you get the biggest one you can find. A Glock 9MM on a lady's hip is considered sexy. Mortars and rockets are "Okay" compared to vehicle bombs. You can measure distances based on explosion sounds. You fabricate Hillbilly armor by bolting scrap steel plate on the sides of your Hummer. When a "Red Alert" sounds and you're leaving a DFAC, you would rather go back in and have more coffee instead of seeking shelter in a bunker. You know the difference in sound between "Incoming " and "Outgoing". Bullet tracers arcing across the night sky are so pretty. Entertainment: You get excited at the prospect of seeing the latest gun camera videos. $5.oo for a pirated DVD is a little pricey....especially if there is only one movie on it. You are disappointed if you can't find a new pirated movie a day after it is released in theatres stateside. You are a Cool Hip-Cat for forming your own hillbilly jug band. Sitting around with your coworkers talking about different ways of being killed is considered "Water Cooler Talk". Golf in Iraq requires only one club, a sand wedge. The bunkers in the golf course really are bunkers. Convoys: Bullet holes in the cab of your tractor is no longer alarming. Tractor selections consist of "Up Armored or Not" not Volvo or Mercedes Benz. Convoys consist of as many extra Hummers and large caliber weapons as the Convoy Commander can find. The M2 50 cal. Browning machine gun is called the “Ghetto Blaster”. Driving on the sidewalk is normal. Playing “chicken” with donkey cart divers is normal. Hit-and-Run fender benders are treated as mere warnings. Hurling candy at Iraqi kids with a sling shot is a sport. The speed limit in Iraq is whatever speed red-lines a Hummer’s engine. You get upset that you don't get "C-130" Frequent Flyer Miles. Your carry-on luggage includes a flack jacked, helmet, and a MRE. Driving through the traffic circle of death has lost its thrill. Hygiene: You enjoy waiting 45 minutes for the toilets to refill. It's ok to brush your teeth with the brown water that comes out of the faucets. KBR buzz cuts begin to look stylish (Even on girls). Flies don't even hang around the truck drivers. A bath is taken with a bottle of water and a box of baby wipes. Your first experience with an Arab squat toilet is something to write home about. Having to take a show after Turkish truck drivers…..well, you just don’t want to know. You have your own roll of toilet paper stashed in your tent/truck/back pack. Sooner or later everybody gets a case of the Babylonian Two-Step. A shower with water that is neither to cold to hot and contains no mosquitoes is a priceless unattainable luxury. Surroundings: "Texas Barriers" are something other than a device to keep Texans out. "Jersey Barriers" are something other than a fence to keep Holsteins away from Jerseys. You get excited with the presence of clouds in the sky. You can’t sleep without the lulling sound of a diesel power generator. The security guards are Ghurka or South African. There is only one lawn mower in Iraq. It’s true. I saw it in Mosul. Dining: You look forward to Mohammad's Mango ice cream as the treat for the day. Powdered eggs taste OK. Arab cooks just don’t know what to do with grits. You consider plastic ware the Place China. You can distinguish inherent qualities of various plastic utensils. The quality of the plastic utensils becomes a hot dinner topic. Lettuce for your salad is a luxury. You have become to believe that ham should be grey in color. No matter what animal you are eating, it will be flavored with curry. Going to another mess hall is an adventure. MRE’s start tasting better and better. Putting Thousand Islands Dressing on you hamburger bun instead of mayo/mustard/catsup is normal. You automatically pick up two plastic forks whenever beef is on the menu. You accept the fact that fajitas do not require tortillas. Sliced hot dogs on a pizza served in a KBR DFAC is good eats. You can not decide if you are going leave a brownie and some milk during a mortar attack. Fashion: You think desert combat boots look great with shorts. Sand between your thong sandals actually feels good. You can recognize 12 different camouflage patterns. You've given up on shoe polish. You have wound on an Arab head rag at least once. T-shirts at the PX are: M, L, XL, XXL & KBR. Condoleezza Rice is one hot babe. Living Conditions: You consider your self lucky if you have a trailer with its own private Western Flusher. You are soothed by the sounds of helicopters flying six feet over your trailer all night long. You get a big smile when you see your pressed clothes at the KBR laundry. You get a bigger smile knowing they didn't lose your laundry. You get the biggest smile when you get back someone else's laundry and now you have more underwear than before. You think the bullet holes in the roof of your trailer is just another form of ventilation. Garden gnomes and plastic pink flamingos from eBay appear in your trailer park. You get upset because the post office won't ship your looted artifacts. You haven't had water from anything other than a bottle for months on end. You consider broken sandbags just a new beach expansion. The idea of a double wide trailer is only for the very rich and powerful. Forgetting you military ID makes you feel naked...but pants are optional. "Only one rocket has hit the camp" is excellent news. Cardboard boxes have become substantial pieces of furniture. Communications: Stars & Stripes seems to be a liberal newspaper. It feels normal to have to run outside to make a cell phone call. You start ordering pocket knives, cowboy shirts, and harmonicas over the Internet just to get stuff in the mail. Rumors are spread about who received something mailed in a plain brown wrapper. You call your coworkers as soon as new T-Shirt patterns arrive at the PX. "Can you hear me" takes up 50% of your cellular telephone conversations. Your conversations are sprinkled with "Roger that" and "Good copy".