"Thanks Saddam...Love what you've done with the place!!" and "You're Going to Love it Here""

So Long Chu # I 21-AB...I will not miss you

22 Jul

            “Al Asad...you’re going to love it here,” or at least that’s what KBR wants me to think.  My days at Victory Base Complex have come to an end and I have moved out west.  If you could think of a location out in the middle of nowhere, in the desert, and far away from any civilization, then you are probably thinking of some place in the Sahara Desert.  Al Asad is out in the middle of nowhere, and it is in the desert, but there is quite a bit of civilized life on this base.  There are no palaces, and no pristine man-made lakes, AND no Indirect Fire (IDF)...which after a couple of close-calls at Victory, I will take any day.  Let me go back to my departure at Victory.

            I laugh when people talk about their “horrible” experience on a plane trip in the states (I wrote this before you had your plane issues Gretchen).  People complain about sitting on a runway for 30 min in a decent HVAC environment.  Try having to load all of your (all the passengers doing this) bags in 120 degree Hotness, and then sitting in a C-130 OVEN for 45 min-1 hr waiting for takeoff, wearing full body armor.  That was my day, constantly loading/unloading bags and equipment, sweating, and finally reaching Al Asad...luckily it is a short plane ride.

...Teach a Man to Fish, and he won't BLOW up your convoy

            When we got here, we unloaded all of our stuff, got our brief about the base and headed to our new living arrangements.  After about 30 min of messing around with the key and the lock to my CHU, I finally got inside.  I was not issued any linen (they ran out), so CPT Rodgers (works with me) leant me some extras he had.  Although we are in the desert, it gets somewhat cold at night, and all I had for covers was a thin sheet.  I pulled out one of my ABU blouses, completely turned off the air, and then I was able to fall asleep.

26 Jul

           

   Man it gets DUSTY here!  We are located in a valley and the wind comes rolling in from the desert and brings a lot of dust with it.  I can’t walk around during the day without my sunglasses, and the 120 degree heat doesn’t help either.  The wind blows, but it is a blast of hot air across your face.  The first couple of days here were very uneventful.  I’m just about set up in my office, so I can continue normal operations.  One thing about this place is there is a lot “less” of stuff: Less choices at the Chow Hall, less scenery, less items at the BX/PX, and less BANDWITH.  It is quite a difference skyping with Gretchen here than doing it back at VBC.  It gets a little frustrating after a while, so we usually resort to just the audio chat, and every once in a while we bring up the cameras.  All is quiet on the Western Front, but at the same time, I do miss the perks of “Palace Life.”

That's ALL dust...and it gets worse!!

BATMAN sheets.....FTW!!!

            I went to church the other day and there were only 5 people.  We played recordings of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir as our hymns, and with the Ugandan church service immediately after ours, we only have time to do Sacrament Meeting.  We are hoping that as more and more folks head out west, that maybe we can get some better attendance.  As I said earlier, there are not a whole lot of things out here, but what they do have is an indoor pool, a nice movie theater (too bad the projector quality sucks) that has a Green Beans (like Starbucks) and Subway, a pretty nice MWR set-up for watching TV, playing video games, etc., and a lot of “Haji” shops with pirated movies and TV shows.  There is an old soccer stadium that now is used as a running track (no grass or pavement, just dirt) and all the haji shops are housed under the stadium.  I am still questioning if I am truly going to “love it here,” but I am doing my best to make the most of it!

"FRAG-GO Rock" and "A Chance to Excel"

13 Jul

It either says "Sink Navy" or "Stink Navy"...

The Army has a funny way of performing C2 (Command and Control) operations...they come in the form of a “fragmentary order” or FRAGO.  Now these FRAGO’s are no joke; the Army breathes and lives by FRAGO’s...if there’s no FRAGO, there’s no action....You want to go to the bathroom at 2pm everyday...yep, put out a FRAGO!   There have been a lot of changes made to our processes over the last month, and with changes comes FRAGO’s.   Now, I will say that FRAGO’s are generated more as an ultimatum...when you can’t get someone to do something by just saying please.  Fortunately for our shop, we work with some pretty compliant organizations, which means we can relay a request and it is usually followed.  I think a lot of the compliance comes because they fear the FRAGO.

            Today I attended a memorial service for two folks that were killed by an explosively formed projectile (EFP).  Back in Alabama we would walk our students through simulated IED lanes and we would always tell the students about the EFP concept.  It’s a little different than an IED in that they use metal (usually copper) to cut through metal, so these things can penetrate HUMVEE doors, convoy trucks, etc.  They are very deadly and quite popular right now.  In the service, they showed a lot of pictures of the two and had various eulogies from commanders, platoon leaders, friends, etc.  It reminded me that although we are trying to get out of here, bad guys still want to kill us.  I also came to the conclusion: no matter how much evil there is in the world, there would always be sufficient “good” to offset it.  One thing that kind of concerned me about the funeral service was that the Chaplain touched on things like the resurrection, but really never associated it with the two young men.  I am thankful that I know and understand the eternal perspective.

17 Jul

"Lefty" eating a fruit loop

             

Crabs like fruit loops as well

One of my biggest leadership “pet peeves” is when someone masks a job or a task with the phrase “a chance to excel...”  For instance recently I was approached by Lt. Col Standridge (J4 Trans Deputy), about “an opportunity to excel” by basically being a travel agent for our move out west.  I get it, I am the Captain in the shop, lowest on the officer todem pole.  Just tell/order me to do something and I’ll do it.  Don’t add “a chance to excel;” what, have I not been “excelling” in the previous tasks that I have performed?  Rant aside, I have basically set up a small Installation Deployment Readiness Cell (used to run one up at Bolling AFB), where I can track flights, set up cargo load dates, and really take control of this process and keep the Army from “screwing” it up.  So, yes...I will be out of Victory soon and after the last couple of nights I am really glad. 

Friday I was coming home from work and the gym and as I got to the final bus stop, I heard the sirens.  They had us evacuate the bus and hit the dirt.  There were probably 4 or 5 “Incoming, Incoming” announcements and I could hear some “booms” in the distance.  That was the first time I was outside during the alarms, which freaked me out a little, because I was nowhere near a bunker to take cover.  Now when people ask me how I am doing, I reply, “well, I’m not shot and I’m not blown up, so I must be having a good day!”  I do this is in jest, but to some degree it seems like you are either lucky or VERY unlucky when it comes to indirect fire.

...You're Welcome Ladies!!!

SOOO much better than the Chow Hall!!

            Last night I got to hang out with one of my Major buddies from CAST (pre-deployment training).  He and several others from the J3/J2 staff have a BBQ every Sunday evening to just sit and talk, network with other people, and overall just relax after a hard week’s work.  One LTC who was there coined the days in Iraq as “365 days of Monday;” so true!!

Happy Birthday America...and "You're Fired"

5 Jul

You have to have a Pool Pass

Since yesterday was the 4^th of July, I was given half the day off.  Originally, it was supposed to be the full day, but we had to come in for the morning Commander’s Update, knock out a few projects with loose ends, and then since it was such a nice day, I decided to walk home, passing by the pool at Freedom Rest to gather some intel and do some Recon.  When I got home, I slept for about 2 hours, played Xbox, watched a movie and skyped with Gretchen.  In the late afternoon, I hit Freedom Rest, a “club med” for those passing through Victory Base Complex.  Folks that are in other areas can get a 4 day pass to Victory and stay at Freedom Rest.  Freedom Rest has a nice work out center, several conference rooms, a movie theater room, a game room, outdoor fishing, biking, a pool etc. Since I am military and I am stationed here, I have access as well.  I took a nice dip in the pool and hung out there for a couple of hours.  I checked out the gym and decided that I was going to make the extra effort/distance and start working out over at Freedom Rest.

There had been some rumors floating around that 4 Jul would be a high risk evening when it came to indirect fire.  There was not one “peep” throughout the night, and I am glad/thankful for that.  Although, I swear that I had dreamt that the alarms went off and we received indirect fire.  It was nice not to have “rocket’s red glare and bombs bursting in air” for once.  Happy 4^th Everyone!!

 

9 Jul

Sun setting behind the haze...

            I can’t believe that I have already been here a month.  Time is going by a lot faster here than it did in Afghanistan.  I was able to see pictures of Elise and Gretchen at Schiltterbahn, and family keeps posting videos of Elise on Facebook, so that helps out a lot with the long distance.  It sounds like everyone had a good time this past weekend, which makes me happy, because we truly live in a great country; I miss it quite a bit.  For the past 5 weeks or since I arrived here, we have had a nightly meeting with our two-star concerning transportation issues.  It reminds me a lot of the “Board Room” in the show “The Apprentice.”  All the organizations around Iraq attend through video teleconference, and we are the element that sets up the meeting, makes sure the General gets his slides, and follow up on any open issues.  I mention the Board Room, because some of the organizations have not figured out yet that the General has all the answers.  He asks questions to see how the different organizations will answer and react.  Now, there are a couple of “no-names mentioned” organizations that “Tap Dance” and get very “Flustered” when the General asks particular questions.  He reminds me a lot of “The Donald,” and with this being the 11^th hour, I am pretty sure “You’re Fired” will not be coming out of his mouth anytime soon.

"Big Brother" watching over us...

            It is no surprise and it is in the news everywhere that there are plans to get us out of Iraq by the end of 2011.  However, the “bad guys” want to be able to claim that “victory” and so they continue to “harass us” and people are still dying.  I ask that you keep them the families of those that we have lost in your hearts and prayers.  The news today said that June was the deadliest month in Iraq over the last two years.  I also want to say that we are doing good things, and the fact that “yes” people are dying is still relevant, but our strategic resolve and plan has been working over the last couple of years.  Now that we are in the 4^th quarter “the bad guys” are going to do everything they can to make it look like a “retreat” rather than a withdrawal.  I just pray that the Iraqi government can get their act together and prepare for what is to come after 2011.

"Big RIG" and Lucky Charms

29 Jun

            In Guatemala they called me “Grandote”, at Bolling AFB they called me “LT” or “Hey You!”—(no real nickname there).  At Bagram they called me “STOL Nazi,” and at Maxwell I was known by “CoCo-Motion.”  The folks at my shop decided to give me a name: “Big Rig”...part, because of the fact that we oversee truck movement...hence the “rig”; part comes from the fact that I am a tall guy, and the other part deals with RIG (Rockstar in Guatemala)....I guess they saw my BLOG!!  So, sorry Orions, but CoCo-Motion is no more...(unless of course I come home early).  I think there is some mockery behind it...you don’t find too many Air Force guys working in a joint service logistics office overseeing Army ground transportation.  I don’t mind it; it’s all good fun!!  I will say that they haven’t told me that I am sucking at this job yet, so I must be doing something good :)

            Tonight we had the opportunity of attending a dinner presented by the J4 (our big boss) honoring some wounded warriors.  Due to our nightly ritual however, we could only make the dinner and then we had to leave.  It was at the Joint Visitors’ Building...a 4 star hotel for general officers, situated right on the lake looking out at the Al Faw Palace.  One of the wounded warriors was burnt from head to toe, and had to have skin grafts done all over his body.  I was amazed though, because he was the most funny and optimistic one.  He made one joke: “I would like to apologize to the fact that right now I am “mooning” some of you in this audience,” and “I now have to pick lint out 5 different places on my body.”  It was inspiring to see someone who has went through “HELL” be able to get up and laugh, joke, and make people smile.

           

Day 26

2 Jul

            The other morning I decided to have Lucky Charms for breakfast, which I usually despise them, but I had to give them props, for indeed I was lucky.  The other night I got home from work was skyping with Gretchen and then out of nowhere, I heard a “FWOOOMP.”  Now, you learn quickly around here that one you hear a “FWOOOMP,” there is usually a “BOOOOM” that follows.  From previous experiences here, there have been warning sirens and “incoming, incoming,” but this time I did not get that luxury of a “heads up.”  

R.I.P. KBR trash can

 The “BOOM” shook my entire CHU (house) and Gretchen told me that she could see stuff moving in my room.  A cloud of dust also entered my room and chunks of debris were raining down on my roof; I knew that this one was “too close for comfort.”  At that moment I had to get off of the Skype, so I tried to hang up on her as smoothly as possible, making every indication that I was okay.  She had a pretty rough day that day, and I am thankful that there were friends to console her.  Several mortars landed around base, but one particular one imbedded in a “T-Wall” about 30 yds from my door.  As soon as we got the “all clear”, I went out to see if there was anything I could do to help...mind you, I didn’t know if there were any injuries, rubble, etc.  I ended up getting kicked out of my CHU because they had to cordon off the area.  I decided to go over to the MWR area so I could use the Internet to get back in contact with Gretchen.  I sent her a quick Facebook message and then headed back to the area.  After about two hours, I was able to get back to my room.  I walked over to the site and apparently the only casualty from our mortar was a KBR trash can.  I was a little shook up, so  I listened to an audiobook and fell right to sleep.

30 yds from my door

            I was able to talk to the guy whose CHU was right on the other side of the wall.  He told me that he works the night shift, so that “Boom” gave him a rude awakening.  He told me that upon impact, every door in his room opened up.  I look at this experience and I think, “no big deal, because there were no serious injuries,” but indeed I must say that for about 50 of us that evening, luck was on our side.

We are in July, which means we are getting closer to some high visibility, large movement pieces that requires a lot of oversight on our part.  I am getting accustomed to all the Army acronyms and I may just be getting the hang of Army ground trans.  We will see what challenges July brings.

Feeding the ducks has become part of the daily routine