reprinted from May 16 2007

Ashely and Tasha’s mother sends the the following from May 10:

I am OK!

Just wanted everyone to hear my story before it gets blown way out of proportion.
Yes…I did get hit with a roadside bomb (IED)
Yes…I am ok. I only have a few little cuts and bruises
Yes…I do have some hearing loss in my right ear
No…I did not do combat rolls out of the truck while still moving
No…I did not hit it on purpose (i didn’t see it till last sec)
Yes…My truck did catch on fire immediately after the detonation

The IED was called a pressure plate…a thing where once there is weight put on it, it will cause it to detonate. My driver and I saw a little pot hole in the road at the last second. My driver swerved to the left to miss it and we both saw something black in it. I was about to call it up on the radio but my side front tire hit it. The IED went off under me, which is where the fuel tanks are.

The truck immediately caught on fire and we could not see through the windshield due to the flames and smoke. I told my driver to stop the vehicle. He was having a hard time to get it to stop…it is a very big truck and going 45 mph will take some time until a dead stop. I didn’t think the truck was gonna stop but as I was about to tell my driver to bail, he brought it to a stop.

I told him that there was no way I could get out on my side because my side was the side on fire. He jumped out and I was almost right behind him when I got caught on something in the truck. I tried to get my weapon but couldn’t tell where it was through all of the smoke. I continued to free myself from the cooler that was in the back seat. Just as I was about to climb to the front to get out, I got caught on my head set. I couldn’t find the cord to unplug it so I struggled with it to get it off.

This whole time my driver was yelling for me because he realized that I was not out of the truck. I finally got untangled and bailed out the driver door. As I jumped out I saw a post sticking up and I could have sworn I was gonna land on it. Thank God I didn’t.

I fell to the ground…it is a long drop. When I got up the truck totally burst into flames. I ran to the guntruck and got in. We then watched the truck burn for about twenty minutes before we left the scene. All of my stuff was in it. I have nothing. All I have is a couple of uniforms and some civilian clothes waiting for me back at base. I dont even have a weapon right now.

That all happened after 2 am. I got word around 7 am that the truck was still in flames. It will be on fire for a while. Eventually someone will pick it up and bring it back to base.

Everyone was ok and I am ready for another mission.
-tasha

More about Tasha and her twin sister, Ashley:
Our Best: Babe Edition TWINS!
Help Our Deployed Soldiers
Interview With Ashley and Tasha

Ashely and Tasha’s mother sends the the following from May 10:

I am OK!

Just wanted everyone to hear my story before it gets blown way out of proportion.
Yes…I did get hit with a roadside bomb (IED)
Yes…I am ok. I only have a few little cuts and bruises
Yes…I do have some hearing loss in my right ear
No…I did not do combat rolls out of the truck while still moving
No…I did not hit it on purpose (i didn’t see it till last sec)
Yes…My truck did catch on fire immediately after the detonation

The IED was called a pressure plate…a thing where once there is weight put on it, it will cause it to detonate. My driver and I saw a little pot hole in the road at the last second. My driver swerved to the left to miss it and we both saw something black in it. I was about to call it up on the radio but my side front tire hit it. The IED went off under me, which is where the fuel tanks are.

The truck immediately caught on fire and we could not see through the windshield due to the flames and smoke. I told my driver to stop the vehicle. He was having a hard time to get it to stop…it is a very big truck and going 45 mph will take some time until a dead stop. I didn’t think the truck was gonna stop but as I was about to tell my driver to bail, he brought it to a stop.

I told him that there was no way I could get out on my side because my side was the side on fire. He jumped out and I was almost right behind him when I got caught on something in the truck. I tried to get my weapon but couldn’t tell where it was through all of the smoke. I continued to free myself from the cooler that was in the back seat. Just as I was about to climb to the front to get out, I got caught on my head set. I couldn’t find the cord to unplug it so I struggled with it to get it off.

This whole time my driver was yelling for me because he realized that I was not out of the truck. I finally got untangled and bailed out the driver door. As I jumped out I saw a post sticking up and I could have sworn I was gonna land on it. Thank God I didn’t.

I fell to the ground…it is a long drop. When I got up the truck totally burst into flames. I ran to the guntruck and got in. We then watched the truck burn for about twenty minutes before we left the scene. All of my stuff was in it. I have nothing. All I have is a couple of uniforms and some civilian clothes waiting for me back at base. I dont even have a weapon right now.

That all happened after 2 am. I got word around 7 am that the truck was still in flames. It will be on fire for a while. Eventually someone will pick it up and bring it back to base.

Everyone was ok and I am ready for another mission.
-tasha

More about Tasha and her twin sister, Ashley:
Our Best: Babe Edition TWINS!
Help Our Deployed Soldiers
Interview With Ashley and Tasha