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For the past 363 days (not that I’m counting), I have been fortunate to work with the personal security detachment from Aegis under the leadership of Ronnie, the Aegis Detachment Commander in Mosul. The Aegis team members in Mosul are true professionals in every way. One thing has always stuck in my mind. Before every mission outside the wire, the Aegis team leader for the move gives a pre-mission brief to the clients just before loading the vehicles. As part of the standard briefing, the team leader says “In the unlikely event of an incident…” That phrase, spoken in the proper Queen’s English, is burned into my mind, thanks to Andy H.

At the barbeque, the night before Rick left, one of the Aegis teams presented us each with a hand carved eagle. In our thanks, both Rick and I expressed the same sentiment. We and our families are extremely grateful for the care and concern demonstrated by the Mosul Aegis teams on each and every mission. Every time I left the wire, I trusted Aegis with my life without hesitation.

I’m also thankful that they presented the eagle carving before I mailed my footlockers!

Aegis Gifts

We conducted our quarterly Aegis client training yesterday and today. Our timing couldn’t have been better. Yesterday the temperature got up to 100F (38C), and today it hit 104F (40C). Fortunately, going to a weapons range while deployed to Iraq is not quite the ordeal it is at home station. It also helps that Aegis handles running of the range and even supplies the weapons and ammunition. They also provide the transportation. All USACE has to do is shoot. The “Annie Oakley” award has to go to Liz. She seemed to enjoy the shooting immensely!

Here’s a closeup of her target.