September Newsletter

September 2004 Newsletter

Jim Ellifritt, from Afghanistan

Rev. Jim Ellifritt, an ordained UB minister, serves as superintendent of Northwest Conference. Right now, he goes by the title Lieutenant Colonel Jim Ellifritt. Last October, his Army Reserves unit was called to active duty to help rebuild Afghanistan's infrastructure. He has been in Afghanistan since January 2004. His son, Jim Jr., also in the Army Reserves, has been in Iraq. Jim's monthly newsletters have been quite interesting. We pass them on for your benefit.

It has been hard for me to believe that this deployment began a year ago. Almost 12 months have gone by. I have been gone from home for 10 months, minus a great couple of weeks of vacation.

Things here are drawing to a close. I have begun this letter on numerous occasions and have been unable to get it done. One of the reasons has been laziness, and another reason is unknown futures.

There was a good chance we were to be extended, at least about 10 of us. Each day the story changed--you're leaving, you're going, you're staying a week or two extra, you'll be here through Christmas! Needless to say, it's been hard to figure out the future. We finally got the word the PRT CDR have replacements also!

As I write this letter I am looking at our PRT flag flying at half-mast. We are honoring those killed in the twin towers and the Pentagon and those in a vacant field. It is with much pride that I see our flag flying alongside the Afghan flag. The people here had nothing to do with the hijacking or bombing. There were a handful of hateful people, mostly foreign-born, who caused the mess we are in today.

The cost of this war has been high. I have been fortunate that there hasn't been a single injury at my PRT. I thank God daily for his protection. Not all of our PRT have faired as well as us. Here is a picture of the cost.

Sometimes I think we forget how this all began and that the cost of the Global War On Terrorism has been costly to families beyond those who had family members that died on September 11. We have had soldiers at several of our PRT's die, mostly through land mines and enemy contact. Each time, flags are lowered and people reflect. As you can see, here it was 2 US soldiers and one Local National. They paid the ultimate cost, one for the freedom of this nation, and 2 for the freedom of someone else's nation. For those close to the dust and dirt of the places we have been sent, the thought of that cost never dies.

This past month my son, Jimbo, was able to get home from Iraq on his R&R leave. He and Rachel had a great time. I was able to speak with him four times by phone. We haven't had the ability to connect outside of letters and email since his departure. It was hard for all concerned to see him head back for Iraq. He is back at his Forward Operating Base again. Please remember him in your prayers.

We celebrated Labor Day here at the PRT with a more relaxing day. We had the guys playing 3-on-3 basketball, horseshoes, volleyball, and card games. The mess section served steak and crab legs. We capped the night off with a card tournament and movies. It was a welcomed relief for the day. The Force Protection guys greatly enjoyed a relaxing day. The Officers and NCO's covered all the missions outside the wire.

Well that's about all the new news! As Always In Christ