Note: SGT Cody L. Lambert was dropped from this list on 14 Jan 2006 due to 60 days of no contact.

15 Nov 2005:
I wanted to update again and let everyone know that things are business as usual in Iraq, which is to say, quite dull. I have however, changed companies within the battalion, and therefore my address has changed.
The new address is [shown above]   
Not too terribly different, but it will facilitate any mail getting here if you change that D to a B. The unit is still roughly the same size, give or take one or two, i still don't know quite everyone yet. But i have learned that we're gonna have to revise the item list a little. We need...SPAM. [non-pork variety only] That's it. AndI'm talking like food drive quantities. Strange as it may sound, it has become quite the delicacy over MREs and we come up with new and ingenious ways to cook it daily. We have even devised our own backyard grill for the purpose. We have become natural born grillers.
But aside from our strange culinary habits, we just keep making the rounds, hoping for some excitement, and waiting to go home. Not to much to tell this trip, but don't worry should things pop up, anysoldier will be the first to know. Gotta go.
-SPC Lambert

30 Oct 2005
Hello,
This is SGT Lambert, with an update from Iraq. Sorry it's taken so long to get to this, but we don't get around to computers much.
We are currently living and working in Talafar, Iraq, and things have been going along smoothly. It's actually been a fair bit quiet compared to my last deployment, which is somewhat of a relief.
On the 15th of October, the elections were held, and from what I'm told, the constitution was voted for and passed in Iraq. As far as I personally know, we had many polling sites in Talafar, a good voter turnout, and no incidents. You can't ask for much more than that, aside from getting MTV to hold an Iraqi version of "Rock the Vote," but I don't see that happening any time soon.
We've moved into a few houses in the city and made them our base, and progress there is moving along. Part of the "priorities of work," is to continually improve your fighting position, and ours is fairly livable. We've rigged up electricity, and thanks to the ingenuity of some of the platoon members, we have both 220 and 110.
As for any changes in what we need? There's not too much. We've come to the point that we don't even want to look at MRE's anymore, so any food items would be great. Instant noodles, ravioli, mac & cheese, stuff like that. The candy is great too.
I can't really think of too much more, I mostly just want to thank the people who have already shown us so much support. You've been great and helped us out a lot.

The picture is our platoon's Halloween photo, and we're posing in front of our little house. I am the one kneeling behind the red lightsaber with the shades on. Thanks a bunch everyone.
-SGT Lambert

29 Sep 2005
Hey everyone,
   This is a news clip i just got off of yahoo news, and i figure it best sums up how i was going to tell you of yesterday's events. And...it's fairly accurate.

Iraq's First Female Suicide Bomber Kills 6 By LEE KEATH, Associated Press Writer Wed Sep 28,11:10 PM ET

- A woman disguised in a man's robes and headdress slipped into a line of army recruits Wednesday and detonated explosives strapped to her body, killing at least six recruits and wounding 35 — the first known suicide attack by a woman in    Iraq's insurgency.

The attack in Tal Afar near the Syrian border appeared aimed at showing that militants could still strike in a town where U.S. and Iraqi offensives drove out insurgents only two weeks ago. A female suicide bomber may have been chosen because she could get through checkpoints — at which women are rarely searched — then don her disguise to join the line of men, Iraqi officials said.

Iraq's most notorious insurgent group, al-Qaida in Iraq, claimed responsibility for the attack in an Internet statement, saying it was carried out by a "blessed sister."

The bombing came a day after U.S. and Iraqi officials announced their forces killed the second-in-command of al-Qaida in Iraq, Abdullah Abu Azzam, in a raid in
Baghdad over the weekend. His death has not slowed insurgent violence, with at least 84 people — including seven U.S. service members — killed in attacks since Sunday.

    President Bush warned violence will increase in the days leading up to a key Oct. 15 referendum on a new constitution, a document that has sharply divided Iraq's Shiite Muslim majority and the Sunni minority that forms the backbone of the insurgency.

"We can expect they'll do everything in their power to try to stop the march of freedom," Bush said. "And our troops are ready for it."

The truth of the matter is that the suicide bomber of yesterday, while it was a woman, was no female terrorist. She wasn't an al-qaeda blessed sister, either. These sick bastards had kidnapped a mentally handicapped girl, strapped bombs on her and forced her into the crowd. The army recruits they speak of were all for the iraqi army and no american military were injured. It was the first major attack we've had in this city, but i think it will pave the way for more.
    Naturally, everyone's remaining more vigilant than ever, but i think to be honest, some of us are hoping for something to happen. It's been too quiet here, and that just doesn't add up. I gotta go for now, but don't worry, we'll be careful.
   Cody

11 Sep 2005
Hello everybody,
   I got a digital camera, so now...pictures for everyone, whether you want them or not. The picture as well as written updates will continue.
   Cody

04 Sep 2005
Hello wonderful supporters,
   My name is SGT Cody Lambert, and once again my boys and I find ourselves in Iraq for the third trip. OIFIII, they're calling it. I don't know if anyone remembers me from last year when I was an anysoldier contact during OIFII, but we are back in the Mosul area and doing pretty much the same job, security for the elections. However, this promises to be a bit longer of a trip.
We're with the 82ND Airborne Division, but more specifically, 4th Platoon, Delta Company, 2/325th Airborne Infantry Regiment. We are the mighty 4th Platoon Thundercocks. The platoon is mostly from Texas (myself), the Midwest, and one guy from Alabama. We're a pretty tight group, mostly like brothers. We even like the ones that smell a little funny.
Our living conditions, are decent to not bad...for me at least. Some of the new guys are grumbling a bit, but at least we are in solid buildings, and we do have power. And our "house" doesn't smell like an old stable which is a marked improvement from the last trip.
We've no microwaves or anything like that, but i've been able to cannibalize the burn barrell to heat up water and cook my Easy Mac, and that is pretty much all there is to life.
But aside from the fireplace macaroni and cheese, the things my guys and I are looking for most are little snack items, like granola bars, candy, fruit snacks are great. Things like hot cocoa powder, coffee, Kool-aid or tang. Mach 3 blades are hard to come by around here, but one of the biggest gripes is the nicotine situation. As it is our life-blood, and for whatever reason most of us only use it over here, it is paramount. The imported cigarettes and Copenhagen from Europe are enough of a reason to be fighting as a roadside bomb, and the guys here would just love to get their hands on a fresh can of American cope, or smoke a real Camel Light. Well, I have no space left, so I'll close this, but not without saying God bless you all [my new address is shown above].

20 Feb 2005
From what we're being told, it appears that we'll be out of this city within a month and on a bird home shortly thereafter. I want to thank you so much for all that you and your site have done for me and all of my guys. I don't know what we would have done without it. Every mail call, the packages came in droves. It got to the point where it was too much for the platoon, and we started passing it out to anyone we saw. I am truly amazed.
   I also want to thank each and every amazing American who sent us care packages, that I was not able to personally respond to. You all are what makes this site work.
   I will always remember this and when the 82ND comes back as I'm sure we will, you will be the first to know.
-SGT Lambert

03 Feb 2005
The iraqi election on the 30th, was a glaring success, i'm told. We were there, but not allowed to go near the actual elections, so we didn't quite know till the polls closed. And they were safe too. In fact, they were eerily quiet. We were all expecting for (and hoping, i must admit), a fight on that day and it never came. The town was so quiet, it was unnatural. We thought the quiet was leading up to something, so there was this tension in the air you could taste, but then...nothing. So we rolled up the polling centers and went home. And then we got a new mission. We had to move, and now we're getting ready to free and secure (drum roll please)..."old mosul."
I thought it was all one city, you know, mosul, but apparently one's old and the other's new. Ironically, you never hear anyone say new mosul, they just say mosul. Cross the river though, and HOLY COW!...we're in OLD mosul. Better tighten the straps on our helmets boys, these old mosulians are kee-razy!
   Okay, so i'm not too sure if the sarcasm comes out in the e-mail, but i promise it's there. So much of my humor is lost without the crazy voice inflections i'm known for. But anyhow, on the flip side, as i'm told they say in the "hood", we got blown up again yesterday. I must say this is starting to get a little annoying. This is #2 that's actually hit us, but #6 that we've encountered, just as a platoon.
These guys don't get it. We're the energizer bunny.
Throw all the bombs you want at us, we're just going to keep coming. When will these children learn. SGT Lambert wins, and he sure as hell don't quit. Good news is, only one injury in the blast. My guy Bermea, took a BB size piece of metal in the cheek. He's still with the platoon, and in great spirits. He says it only hurts now when he chews or laughs, and he hasn't stopped laughing. He's a great trooper. I have a lot of respect for him. The truck took a lot of flack though, 4 flat tires and a lot of shrapnel embedded in the mighty stout, armored doors, i saved a bunch of it.
   That's about all for now. Will write again later.
    Cody

16 Jan 2005
This is to check in an update you with how things have been going here in iraq. We've been moved to mosul, iraq since dec 31st to help with the upcoming elections. We don't know exactly when we'll be leaving here, but the hope is that we will roll out of here around february 15th. With that, our living conditions have gone from bad to worse. We are living in a combat outpost in sector. When i can i'll send pictures. We have no running water, electricity or nothing like that. Our walls are simply concertina wire, with dirt mounds behind them, and claymores at the gate. In fact, my platoon is currently living in a stable that we had to muck out, burn and then bleach, just to get some overhead cover and shelter from the wind. However, every now and then, we come to camp freedom for a refit, where we can email, but no phones.
   This city is also quite hot. We come into contact frequently, as we kind of go out looking for it, to draw attention away from the impending elections. Our platoon has been hit with two roadside bombs already with following ambushes. This leads into the main focus of my update. The first one left us with two casualties. My platoon leader, 2LT Forseth, Eivind, had lacerations to the face and messed up his arm pretty bad. My roommate back at the homefront, Sgt Lopez, Jose, took shrapnel to the leg and lost his right eye. They are both currently at Walter Reed Army Medical Hospital. I would like to organize a support group or something like the anysoldier site, to cheer them up and let them know that America cares. These men, my friends, paid a heavy price while defending America over here and i would like nothing more than to see support for them to come pouring into Walter Reed, but i don't know how to orchestrate it. I don't know any more than the fact that they are at Walter Reed. Remember, that i am just a dumb grunt.
Any help you could provide, maybe turning a portion of this site to the sole purpose of supporting our wounded brothers would be great.
Other than that, not much changes around here. It's just wake up, go out, look for trouble, and come home.
I'll update again when i can.
    -SGT Lambert

24 Dec 2004
My name is SGT Lambert, with Delta Company, 2/325th airborne infantry regiment. We are in the 82nd Airborne Division and are stationed at Ft. Bragg, NC. This is our second trip over here, but because our accomodations were much better last time, we left many things at home thinking that we could get them here and are now hurting for amenities. Our living conditions are as follows: We live in tents with electricity and lights. The voltage rating is 220. We had heat until it started burning down tents, but that's no biggie. Things my guys could use are mostly small but mean a lot. First, just mail. Letters and cards of support would go a long way towards boosting the morale. A lot of us don't really get letters from home and it would be nice. Other than that, small things like mach 3 cartridges, travel mirrors, and other hygiene products would be nice. Real toilet paper...something better than this Iraqi one-ply sandpiper would have us hailing you as gods. Instant hot cocoa packets would be a godsend here in these winter months. Despite popular belief, it gets COLD in this desert. Candy items like jolly ranchers and sunflower seeds would also go a long way. Phone cards would be a plus. And if anyone could find it in their hearts, well, for some strange reason you can't find Camel cigarettes here in Iraq. Seems odd, i know, but their nowhere to be found. Our best bet is Miami cigarettes, but i personally believe they are stuffed with woodchips as opposed to tobacco. Oh, and some of these guys are really partial to Copenhagen.
   I just found out about this program today, and i think that it is the greatest thing since sliced bread. Whatever y'all could do to help us out will be remembered forever. God bless you all.
    - SGT Lambert