Ultimate Cheerleaders (The First Five Years)

I completely missed this when it was published on BaltimoreRavens.com back in March. Former Ravens Cheerleader Mark Citarella is a Captain in the Maryland National Guard and his unit has been activated and is being deployed to Iraq. He wrote this for the Baltimore Ravens website:

We arrived here in Washington just three short days ago, and it feels like we have gotten so much accomplished already. We are training at a very fast pace, because we are set to leave for Iraq in a little over a month. Surprisingly, all the soldiers are motivated and ready to learn. Each new task that comes their way, they seem to complete with ease and are asking for more.

Since this unit was pieced together from different states and different backgrounds, it is amazing to see how well they are all coming together. It’s like a family. We are all forced to cling to one another and lean on one another and we have done so with no friction thus far.

We spend every hour of the day together, so it is easy to get to know one another on a personal level. The stories that you hear about each person will touch you on a different level. One soldier left behind a newborn and another soldier's wife is due to give birth at the end of this month. Soldiers are leaving their wives with four children, single parents leaving their children behind with grandparents and friends. The sacrifices we have all made both on a personal and professional level are more than most people could bare. Yet, the soldiers continue to pledge to do their best, stand by one another, do our duty, and come home to what we all know best ... and that is you all – our loved ones, family and friends.

The next couple of weeks prove to be challenging, but if the first few days is any indication of how things will go, I have very little to worry about. The soldiers have developed a motto that I like because it fits me personally: "NO MISSION IMPOSSIBLE!" That works because we being asked to do so many things that we have never done before and we have no choice but to complete them. I think we truly believe that motto.

I included is a picture of me getting ready to go to training. We have received the desert brown uniforms, but we can't we can't wear them until the command says we are fully trained and ready to go. The brown vest is my body armor and the whole package weighs about 30 pounds. It is not as bad as it seems. The bag on my left leg is my gas mask. My pistol holster (not in the picture) goes on my right leg and that is what I will probably be wearing everyday. Sorry I wasn't smiling. God bless and I will send more soon!

Sincerely,
CPT Mark Citarella
Former Baltimore Ravens Cheerleader

A previous post on Mark is here.