It looks nothing like the land of milk and honey.
For a few weeks now, Stryker brigade Soldiers have been hearing how great it would be for them, once they left the windy, muddy, dreary camp pacesetter for there perment home on Mosul.
Quarters with heat, hot tasty chow, hotter showers every day.
All that may be true, but when the first major chunk of the Birgade finally arrived in Iraq's third largest city Saturday, they found the streets weren't paved with gold.
25,000 Soldiers from the 101st Screaming Eagles are coming home to Ft. Campbell Ky. in the next several weeks.
They will be replaced by the 5,000 Soldiers of the Stryker Birgade.
A headquarters Detachment from Ft Lewis will come and take over the command of coalition operations.
Saturdays convoy of 112 vehicles and 347 passengers was the first largest element to arrive in Mosul. All made the 250 mile journey relatively safely..

Writer Michael Gilbert is embedded with the Stryker Brigade in Iraq he is with the Washington tribune.... More as it comes in.... Pa Pa Paul