Time flies. I’m “in between” classes, so I’m just reading ahead for the first class of the Fall session, which starts on August 20. This weekend, I got some work done replacing broken shelving in Marcia’s fabric room, cleaned up and fixed up a couple of things in the woodshop, harvested a metric big volume of veggies (mostly tomatoes), made more salsa, made some chili, and… oh, yeah, worked at the office for a few hours yesterday. I’ve got gear that’s making me very, very angry (as nearly everyone’s favorite Martian has been known to exclaim).
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Our condolences to the families, friends, and units of these fallen warriors:
- Sgt. 1st Class Bobby L. Estle, 38, of Lebanon, Ohio, died July 28 in Wardak province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered from enemy small arms fire.
- Pfc. Jose Oscar Belmontes, 28, of La Verne, California, died July 28 in Wardak province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered from enemy small arms fire.
- Spc. Benjamin C. Pleitez, 25, of Turlock, California, died July 27, in Mazar E Sharif, Afghanistan.
- 1st Lt. Sean R. Jacobs, 23, of Redding, California, died July 26 in Khakrez, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when he encountered an enemy improvised explosive device.
- Sgt. John E. Hansen, 41, of Austin, Texas, died July 26 in Khakrez, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when he encountered an enemy improvised explosive device.
- Gunnery Sgt. Jonathan W. Gifford, 34, of Palm Bay, Florida, died July 29 while conducting combat operations in Badghis province, Afghanistan.
- Gunnery Sgt. Daniel J. Price, 27, of Holland, Michigan, died July 29 while conducting combat operations in Badghis province, Afghanistan.
- Lance Cpl. Curtis J. Duarte, 22, of Covina, California, died Aug. 1, while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.
- Spc. Kyle B. McClain, 25, of Rochester Hills, Michigan, died Aug. 1, in Salim Aka, Afghanistan.
- 1st Lt. Todd W. Lambka, 25, of Fraser, Michigan, died Aug. 1, in Paktika province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when he encountered an enemy improvised explosive device.
- Pfc. Jesus J. Lopez, 22, of San Bernardino, California, died Aug. 1, in Paktika province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when he encountered an enemy improvised explosive device.
- 1st Sgt. Russell R. Bell, 37, of Tyler, Texas, died Aug. 2, in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when he encountered an enemy improvised explosive device.
- Staff Sgt. Matthew S. Sitton, 26, of Largo, Florida, died Aug. 2, in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when he encountered an enemy improvised explosive device.
