From: CPT Michael Erlandson
Subject: Good luck this year
Date: Wednesday, August 2, 2006
To: Rocky Rees

Rocky,

I was just on the Ship website trying to get myself updated on what the upcoming season will hold for the Raiders this year. It looks like you are in for another promising year. I see Pete is now the offensive coordinator, I can’t think of a better man for the job.

I was reading about camp starting and a thought popped into my head…its been 10 years since the first time I stepped onto that field…and not a day in August passes still, without thoughts of 3-a-days, aches and pains, and being too tired to know my own name. At the time, I remember hating every minute of it. As I look back now, there isn’t anything I wouldn’t give to be there right now.

Instead, I’m 35 miles north of Baghdad in the middle of a war zone. We are pounded by enemy mortar rounds at night and run over their IEDs by day. We have lost two soldiers this year and have had more than 40 soldiers wounded in action. Tonight however, I can’t stop thinking about camp, the start of a new year, and how I wish I could do it all one more time, having the perspective I have now…

If you could, pass this onto the team as something to think about as they go through camp this year, maybe it will give them some perspective and a little incentive to dig a little deeper when the going gets tough.

1. 90 degrees isn’t hot, it’s warm. It was 134 degrees here yesterday and we are running around with 60 pounds of body armor on…while people are trying to kill us.

2. Aches and pains are only temporary; they go away.

3. Most importantly, your time on the field is fleeting, so make it count. One day you will look back and realize this and wish you could do it all over again.

Last but not least, former Raiders, in places all around the world, are waiting with eager anticipation for you to take the field…and WIN!

It starts now.
Good luck
Mike

CPT Michael Erlandson
FOB Normandy, Iraq

The photo with Rocky was taken during Mike’s senior year (1999-2000). Mike is pictured on the right in full battle gear just prior to an air assault mission in July.