Pictures to be uploaded later.

Excuse me for taking a bit of space on the Chief's site. Tonight my wife and I traveled to Salt Lake to be with the Chief and friends at his club. The party was to start at 6:00 pm, we were a little early. We arrived before other guests and helped the Chief and his wife with the final set up. The Club was ready. Soon, Gary and Terry arrived. Gary and Terry flew in from Michigan to meet everyone, having played a pivotal role in getting FedEx to work with Operation Give and donating an incredible amount to the Chief, his fellow soldiers, the Iraqi people and others out of the goodness of their hearts.

After greeting them with hugs, my wife and I spent some time just getting to know Gary and Terry, having only met by email previous to this. While Gary had known the Chief before, this was the first time for Terry to meet the Chief. As we sat there, getting to know each other, those who had served with the Chief began to arrive. I recognized many of them from their picture, but couldn't tell you their names. Chief Authentico didn't make it, he being the only one besides the Chief I knew before they left. If you read this, know I was a bit annoyed that you didn't come.

For a while, the four of us sat and talked about this past year. We talked a bit about the Chief's journal, the experience he has had over the past year. We marveled at the changes that the internet has made for communication. Gary mentioned how shocked he was to receive an email from the Chief, letting him know he was okay and telling him about Iraq and mentioning his journal. Gary mentioned remembering sending care packages to Vietnam and how that experience made him want to help the Chief. Terry talked about learning of all of this from Gary. She mentioned how much she felt inspired to help as well. I sat there and quietly contemplated all that had taken place and all the coincidences that brought this diverse group of people together.

As the soldiers continued to arrive, Gary and Terry went to meet and greet them. Gary, Terry and their group had supplied Christmas for many of them and this was their first time to see and say hello. The soldiers were very appreciative of their efforts; you could see it in the hugs given and the smiles on their faces.

Around this time, I got a chance to meet Baghdaddy. We spoke only a short time and we found we had some connections that I didn't know existed. It was then that the Highland High School band came in. They played some patriotic songs for the soldiers, their way of saying thank you for your service. I was amazed that you could get a bunch of high school kids to come out on a Friday night. Following that, a group of Korean Folk dancers performed for the soldiers. They were quite amazing. Finally, considering the club is called the ¡°Mambo Club¡±, a Latin dance presentation was given, including the Chief's daughter. Amazing!

Following this, the music played and the soldiers and their wives danced and ate and talked. Watching the Chief dance, it is easy to see where he got his nickname. My wife and I drifted back, just watching the whole thing. I think it was Gary who I overheard asking a soldier about the difficulty in leaving his wife for so long. The soldier smiled and said even now, it was hard to leave his 5 year old long enough to come to the party.

We sat there a bit longer, just content to watch and take it all in. We decided it was time for us to leave; we took a few more pictures with some of them and made our way out. Who knows how long they went into the night.

As we made our way back to Provo, we discussed the evening. It was one I won't forget for a long time. It isn't that there was anything spectacular that happened, it was just the feeling there. While I'm sure, as a group, they would deny it, but there was a special atmosphere there, and, to be honest, we felt a bit like intruders. Everyone was incredibly polite and nice to us, many thanking us for coming, but we were out of place.

I've always read and heard about a bond between soldiers, those that have served in wartime together. I think I glimpsed a bit of that tonight. Luckily, all the members of this group made it home safely, so there were no toasts to their falling comrades, friends that went over with them. That didn't matter. This group of completely different people, people who up until about a year ago lived normal lives, the only thing in common with many of them being a member of the Guard, was bonded together during a year in the desert. As we watched them, in this moment of celebration and relaxation, we realized, even if they didn't, the link they all shared. We were a couple of outsiders given a small glimpse of this special camaraderie. Thankful to be allowed this moment with them as a group, our hearts were full of gratitude for the service they have rendered to us and the Iraqi people as we left.

Thank God for all of them, and may God bless those still there.