SGT Eric Cooper (AKA Medicyne Eagle) begins his 4th combat tour on or about Nov 21st 2005. He has been a Celtic Shaman around 5 years and followed the Wiccan Path about 10 years before that. Eric runs a Pagan Military Grove called Forest Moon Grove and a combat branch called Desert Moon Grove which he started in Balad, Iraq in 2004 The Grove will need supplies for the coming year, particularly candles, incense, Pagan books (particularly Faerie and Dragon oriented), books and materials for Divination and Scrying, and anything morale boosting including little luxuries like flavored creamers for coffee, which are particularly highly prized! To support Desert Moon Grove, email roxanne@exploringthecauldron.com

Here at Pagan News, we pray for a swift and peaceful end to the war in Iraq. Whatever the politics behind it, we support the troops that are being asked to put their lives on the line each day over there. Consequently, for the coming year (and possibly longer) we will do what we can to support the Desert Moon Grove, and hope to keep in touch with Sgt. Cooper, who just sent us this update along with a wish list for the troops.

Hello everyone, everything has leveled out now thanks to all of you. Please do keep our Stryker unit in your thoughts and prayers as they have been extended and as we speak are enroute to a hot zone until its calm which is dangerous beyond belief and is very trying on all of them and their families as they have been gone for a year and now will be longer so i imagine alot of families are pissed. Michelle is better, No Cancer so we are doing the happy dance, just MS and they are still doing tests. She is counting down days for us to be home and we are planning on coffee like i said for all who can make it. Will also be planning a Desert Moon Thanksgiving in our apartment. We found another Pagan group in Balad where Desert Moon was born so have contacted the leader of that group and will find more details, am getting stuff together here to send down to him as seems like a young group. Temperatures here are still low 100's and now are seeing sandstorms. Some of you have been asking about Lebanon and no we haven't felt any repercussions from that war even though it is right across Syria from us. Violence in Tal Afar has slowly been escalating according to our out-site Soldiers so please do keep candles lit for them as well and keep them in your thoughts. Haven't heard alot from our Soldiers in Afghanistan so can only keep candles lit for them and have faith they are alright as im sure they are only busy. Would like to thank you all again for all the support you have shown us this year we can always still use the normal candles, incense, altar tools, and books, we are good on coffee but can always use coffee creamer. We are planning our Lammas and our Turkish friends are bringing fresh Turkish bread for Lammas bread as they will sit in on Lammas with us. Will close for now hope you all have a wonderful Lammas and will be seeing some of you in person in a few short months. Bright Blessings. Eric