LETTERS TO KUWAIT

Response from Lt. Randy Shingledecker

Received November 7, 2005 via email

I have no words to describe how I felt reading all those letters. I deeply

appreciate them, and they were the highlight of my time here so far. I was

impressed with everyone's questions, and was happy to be updated on all the

new things around Walla Walla. I'll do my best to answer your

questions.......Mr. Reardon please share this e-mail with all the great

kids.

 

I am a Lieutenant Commander in the United States Navy and first joined after

I Graduated from Western Washington University in 1981. I graduated from

WA-HI in 1977. Just to clarify, I'm not a Navy SEAL, I'm an Explosive

Ordnance Disposal Technician (EOD)and Navy Diver. Our mission and training is very similar to the SEALS, and people get us mixed up all the time. They sometimes refer to us as the Navy Bomb Squad. The training I went through lasted about 2 years, and there is no question it's one of the Navy's

toughest programs. So I was on active duty in the Navy for 10 years, and

have been a reservist since. I have included some pictures to show you what

this place looks like, and some the work we do disposing of explosive

devices on land, and underwater.

 

Now to answer some of your questions:

- we have been gone since February of 2005, and will return about the 3rd

week of January

- I have access to e-mail, so I stay in touch with family and friends that

way

- we will do the best we can to celebrate the holidays here

- our daily routine depends on what the situation is, we sometimes work very

long hours

- the weather is pleasant now, but over the summer is was between 110-120

degrees everyday

-we spend a lot of time responding to IED's (improvised explosive devices )

that people use to harm U.S. troops and equipment. It's our job to safely

dispose of the items so no one gets hurt.

- yes, we all miss our families a lot, but we believe in what we are doing

and will be home soon

-when I played football at WA-HI we were 7-2 my senior year, I was the

center and Mr. Reardon's brother was the kicker.

 

O.K, it might take a couple of more e-mails to answer everything. If Mr.

Reardon thinks it's a good idea, I'll make a slide show of our whole

deployment and stop by to show it and talk with you. The men and women who

work for me send all of you thanks from the bottom of their hearts. Your

letters reminded all of us why we are here, and we are proud to serve so

that we can all continue to live free lives. Please feel free to e-mail me

anytime, stay out of trouble and "do what the teacher tells you". I look

forward to being in Walla Walla soon.

 

Sincerely

 

 

 

Randy Shingledecker (Big Red)

Lieutenant Commander USN

Please click on the icons below to access larger versions of the picture

                       Send your comments to:  sreardon@wwps.org