I know just where your at Bro... I wasin iraqfor the first one. Desert storm... nothing like the feeling of coming home.

Anyway, good choice on the Custom. You are going to love it big time.

Keep your head down and your spirits up. Drop us a line now and then and let us know if you need anything.

Later

 

Excellent ride choice! Be safe over there and come home soon. We appreciate what you are accomplishing over there!

 

Thanks for all the support and the great pictures of your bikes. They definately have me excited to get mine. My wife has something planned for my return: A welcome home party at the dealer I think. I can't think of a better home coming than to be with her, my three kids and my new bike! - Definately the best things in life.
By the way, here is a picture of my team, advising the Afghan National Army, fighting the Taliban in Southern Afghanistan. I am third from the left, in the back row.

Thanks,

John
Major, US Army

[IMG]local://upfiles/28122/7A5FBF29CAC84128B71A380CFD026619.jpg[/IMG]

 

Just make DAMN sure you gethome safe and let us know when and where you pick up thenew bike.
I'm sure there are at least a couple ofpeople besides me hanging around herethat would be interested intaking a ride with you.
Assuming you still can ride after thewife and kids welcome you home.[sm=biker2.gif]



BTW what happened to the 1st ID? Don’t they let Privets, Corporals, and Specialists in anymore? It "looks" like1 Major (you), 5Captains and a Sgt on your far right. I think that grinning giantone over to your left isa Sgt E-5 (but I'm not sure, old eye's).I can’t tell what the two to his left or the low guy in front are. I'm guessing that thecivillians are interpretors.

Stay safe and get home soon. [sm=americanasmiley.gif]

Frank
former Spec-4 USArmy

 

Thank you John. I can't tell you how often I think about the service people overseas protecting our country when I'm out on my bike enjoying the ultimate feeling of freedom. I ride with a lot of vets. Be safe, get home and ride, ride, ride.

Oh and yeah we need to see some pics in January. You may have to trailor somewhere nice for a little R&R since I'm sure Kansas in January is rough.

What mods you going to be planning over the next 8 months?

Mike

 

Frank,

One of the BRO's (Big Red One) new missions is the advisor mission in Iraq and Afghanistan. These "transitions teams" like the one I am on, are designed to provide mentorship and "combat multipliers" (Air and medevac support) to the indigenous folks. Basically, we are doing the same mission theSpecial Forces havedone for years. Our teams are almost entirely composed of officers and senior NCOs and are led by majors at battalion-level and lieutenant-colonels at the brigade-level. It is a great job and is extremely exciting. However, you can bet that we are ALL gonna make it outta here and back to our families. That is MY number one priority.

Thanks,

John

 

Mike,

First of all, I'd like to say that I consider every bike that passes me on the road a vote of support for what me and my fellow service people do. It IS the ultimate expression of freedom and that is what we are out here risking our neck for.

Yeah, it is kind of a bummer to get back in January. I might have to toodle around my block during the break-in and then sit in the driveway drooling until the weather warms up. I am a reasonably experienced rider, but I don't trust myself on a new bike with patches of snow and ice around.

I am planning three stages to my modification plan. The first stage will involve the stuff I plan to buy immediately. These are a set of forward control 3" extensions. I am 6'4", so these will help me to feel stretched out on the bike; one of the new pleated, 60's style king/queen seats from the Harley catalog. I will save the stock seat for longer trips, but the pleated seat looks SHARP and should be comfy enough for the wife. Finally, I will probably get a set of saddlebags. Further down the road, I am thinking about some higher apes (Again, the height issue.) a fully chrome front end and controls and maybe an inverted fork. The theme I want to go with is slammed hotrod - Candy flames and chrome. I would like to get the 110" Stage 1 kit at some point also. Big plans and lots of time to work on it! I am hoping to swing an assignment to Germany again (I was there in the late eighties) so I can ride through Europe with loud pipes, reminding them why they don't all speak German right now.

Thanks,

John

 

...or Russian forthat matter!

 

John,
I understand,for a while in 69/70 I was a Spec4 attached to the5thSF and 173rd in VN doing much the same thing. Wetrained RFPF's (Regoinal Forces, Popular Forces, nicknamed Ruff Puff's) things likevillagedefence, marksmanship, mines, and boobytraps. It's often hard work but teaching people that they candefend themselves against the slime of the worldcan bea veryrewarding experience.

That would be a hoot, be even more fun to geta couple of dozen Hogs with loud pipes doing it together.
Hmmmm, I wonder how much it would cost to take a cruise ship over there with afew dozen Harley's in the hold.
Think we could get a group rate discount? Better yetgetHD corporate to sponsor the trip and call itadvertizing. That way they could write it off.

Thank you for you service, [sm=americanasmiley.gif]

 

Congrats on the order IronHorse. Just ordered the same myself, only difference is i'm not where you are and i'll be home in Oct. New color schemesjust came out but no actual pics of them yet. AAFES dealer has the list.Keep checking HD website, should be able to look at them either late June or early July. May God bless America and punish our enemies.