Michael B. Cotter is the Air Force son of a friend and was recently sent to Iraq. He's a medic serving in a camp hospital there. In a recent email (5/12) to his mother he wrote:

"This is Michael...it has been crazy...I am seeing things I thought I would never see. I am working in the ER taking patients right off the Black Hawk and into the ER. After that we assess the patients and treat anything that needs to be treated right away. While that is going on, the doctors are assessing the patients as well to see what they need to do in the OR. Once we have the patients stable, we take them straight to the OR.

The days are usually long - 12-13 hours. I actually had my first day off yesterday in about 10 days, but there is not much to do when you are off besides sleep, or catch up on the sleep you have missed. It hasn't gotten too hot here yet and has stayed around the 90's during the day, but we have hit 110 a few times. ...

I miss everyone a lot. I miss the lake, I miss the cooking, but most of all I miss being home with family the most. I love and miss everyone...hope to hear from you all."

Michael's address is:

SSgt Michael B Cotter
32nd AEW/EMDG-ED
APO AE 09315-9997

Some things to send Michael:

Magazines (they have time to read short articles, not books) Send magazines like Reader's Digest, People, Sports Illustrated. Micheal is a Nascar fan. Anything Nascar related would be good. He's a BIG Dale Jr. fan.
Chewy candies (Starburst, Tootsie Rolls,, etc)
Trail mix with dried fruit.