The Dog Days of Summer are here. August is usually one of the hottest months of the year in Central Texas and the lakes are probably getting low. The water companies have probably put us on a watering schedule, but you probably already know that don’t you? You struggle to do any kind of work outside. Your gardens and your outside plants and flowers are also struggling. The tomato plants are not producing anymore and it is actually time to think about planting Fall tomatoes. The good news is that September is getting close and the rains usually come about the time Dove Season starts on 1 September.

What is important from a Veteran’s point of view? 31 August, the End of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), 2010. We have several Iraqi Veterans in Post 2933. They will remember the start of this operation on 20 March 2003, following an Operation called Enduring Freedom that began in October 2001 in response to the 9-11 attack. The stated goal of OIF was the removal of Saddam Hussein’s regime and destroying their ability of use weapons of mass destruction or to make them available to terrorist organizations. The last combat brigade left Iraq in August 2010. Was this the end? No, it was just the start of another operation called Operation New Dawn, which started the next day on 1 September 2010. These things take time don’t they??

Some facts about the veterans that served in Iraq during this period of time: Many Iraqi Veterans have been exposed to environmental and chemical hazards carrying potential health risks. Many veterans have sustained wounds from toxic embedded fragments. Most soldiers were exposed to some gases from burning oil/gas wells which can impact their heath, and many soldiers were injured from the blast of IEDs. About 238 of our military forces were killed and more than 1000 were wounded, while the enemy suffered an estimated 7,600 to 45,000 killed.

Our forces performed in an outstanding manner and the victory was swift. We give thanks to all of our Iraqi Veterans for their outstanding performance in this conflict!

Now, get ready as school will start near the middle of this month and the summer period will be over! The traffic in town will be terrible again. Patriots Hall will be started. We have a parking lot and sidewalks and hopefully we will have a foundation. The actual building of our Meeting Hall will start to take place too. And Dripping Springs Tiger Football is starting up again. Go watch the Tigers play!