I arrived in Kuwait a few days ago. It is a transition point for all Navy personnel going into and out of theatre. We get our Warrior Transition overview here. It's also a good way to decompress here without a lot of responsibilities. We can wear our PT gear everywhere, including the dining hall. Compared to Iraq, that is a nice change. Unfortunately, as with everything military, there are other quirky rules. For example, you cannot have any prescription glasses or sunglasses around your neck or on top of your head in the dining hall. Why? Don't ask me. It's a small price to pay for being able to wear gym clothes to the dining hall but we never get off scott free.
I saw a U Tube video of flooding in our sub-division and it was pretty dramatic. Thankfully we're situated fine but some neighbors have had considerable damage. We have a nicely sloping backyard that can take a lot of water before it would ever get near our house.
I just finished my work out for the day, will have lunch, and then off to the outdoor pool for a few hours. Somehow, sitting by the outdoor pool (or boating) is what summer is about and I missed that this year. This will help to make up for it. We just have a 2 hour "warrior transition" class tonight and one on medical tomorrow and that's about it. So lots of free time to relax. It's hotter here than in Iraq but at least it's not peak hot season.
I've finished all the classes, easy day. There are things to be aware of when returning home, i.e. look for signs of stress, medically or psychologically but I don't think I'll have too much to worry about. I will not go back to work for several weeks, to have time to spend with the family and to reintegrate into society, so to speak.
I just booked a trip for Loretta and I to Hearst Castle. I was there many years ago and enjoyed it. It should also be a nice coastal highway drive.
I've got to run to muster now (we still do that each morning).
Just a little while now until we see the good 'ol USA.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Sunday, September 20, 2009
OUT OF HERE
The time has finally arrived when I am about to leave for home. For Operational Security reasons I can't say the exact date but it is soon. I will be making an interim stop in Kuwait to go through Warrior Transition (not that I need to transition from being a warrior), which should take about a week. As I look at it, I just moved my desk, chair, and computer to another very dusty part of the world. Of course I deprived myself of family, friends, and creature comforts, but I was not a warfighter. I feel the transition should be fairly easy but I will go slow and take some time to reintegrate at home and work.
We actually had the mother of all sand storms (that I've experienced) just a few days ago. That orange hue with strong winds is something I won't easily forget. And then we had lots of rain yesterday morning, the most I've ever seen since being here. When that happens, all the sand (really dirt) gets muddy so you don't want to step in it. I guess this is Iraq's way of saying goodbye.
I'll probably feel like a transient in Kuwait but at least I can walk around in gym shorts and enjoy their outdoor pool. I'll try to get some sun on my white body. I've been getting some excellent training (workout) guidance from an HM (Medic) who is also a fitness consultant back home. He has completely rearranged my workout routine in the attempt to help me stave off old age. I want to improve my endurance and strength for hockey and biking and if this doesn't do it, nothing will. He was really pushing me and I felt it for a few days. Thankfully, I've had two days off but want to get it going again. I'm really taking advantage of his free advice!! We'll do some more workouts in Kuwait.
I'm looking forward to seeing Loretta in California and then to being with the kids shortly thereafter. It's the longest we've been apart. While I do have a new Reserve billet, this will be my last deployment. I hope to bring my military career to a close with 25 years service (I have 22 now), which should be in advance of any potential future deployment.
Thank you all who have supported me throughout the deployment. I may send one more blog from Kuwait and that should do it!
We actually had the mother of all sand storms (that I've experienced) just a few days ago. That orange hue with strong winds is something I won't easily forget. And then we had lots of rain yesterday morning, the most I've ever seen since being here. When that happens, all the sand (really dirt) gets muddy so you don't want to step in it. I guess this is Iraq's way of saying goodbye.
I'll probably feel like a transient in Kuwait but at least I can walk around in gym shorts and enjoy their outdoor pool. I'll try to get some sun on my white body. I've been getting some excellent training (workout) guidance from an HM (Medic) who is also a fitness consultant back home. He has completely rearranged my workout routine in the attempt to help me stave off old age. I want to improve my endurance and strength for hockey and biking and if this doesn't do it, nothing will. He was really pushing me and I felt it for a few days. Thankfully, I've had two days off but want to get it going again. I'm really taking advantage of his free advice!! We'll do some more workouts in Kuwait.
I'm looking forward to seeing Loretta in California and then to being with the kids shortly thereafter. It's the longest we've been apart. While I do have a new Reserve billet, this will be my last deployment. I hope to bring my military career to a close with 25 years service (I have 22 now), which should be in advance of any potential future deployment.
Thank you all who have supported me throughout the deployment. I may send one more blog from Kuwait and that should do it!
Sunday, September 6, 2009
GETTING CLOSE NOW
Hello again. It's been several weeks since I last wrote but I've been honestly busy, as you will read. I wrote parts of this blog earlier in the week so it refers to some events in the present.
Our advance party has just left for Kuwait and I’ve just taken a big step in completing my SCWs (Seabee Combat Warfare) qualifications. It seems like the Battalion and I have crossed a threshold. Everything is coming to an end. By the way, we are the last Seabee Battalion likely ever to be in Iraq again.
The SCWs qualification preparation was the most rigorous academic process I have ever been through. This process included:
- Attending evening classes four nights a week for two month.
- Completing four large correspondence manuals with tests after each chapter.
- Taking a final exam on all subjects.
- Studying and memorizing the entire curriculum in preparation for the Board.
- Taking the Board in front of 6 experts, including the CO
and XO of the Battalion for over two hours.
I have to know every weapon in a Seabee Battalion’s TOA (table of allowance), how it operates, what its purpose is, and how far it can shoot (point, area, and max. range). I have to know every radio they have, and all the specs about it. I have know First Aid, CBRD (Chemical, Biological and Radiological Defense), Naval and Seabee heritage (history), military organizations within the Navy and outside. If you’ve ever watched the Seabee movie with John Wayne starring as ‘Wedge Donovan, they know everything about it from the Seabee song to the name of the tractor Wedge drove to his death. When I finish my board, I will have to sing the Seabee song, loud and clear (I did).
We had a cook out tonight, sponsored by three officers being promoted shortly. Normally they have to buy the food and alcohol but since you can’t drink liquor here, they got off ‘cheap’. Although they were Buba burgers (which you can get at home anytime), they were the best tasting burgers I have had since being here. It almost felt like a home made BBQ. Wow, do I miss good food!
I’m trying to get over a cold that everyone at the camp seemed to catch almost at once. There were a bunch of Chief Selects (future Navy Chiefs) that had been cloistered together all week for training and it must have spread from there. My Chief Select brought it back to the Supply Department and sure enough it’s been working its way through the Department.
My buddy, the dentist, is leaving shortly for home. We’ve had some good times together and I will be sorry to see him go. He is a good friend and he has made the time go a little bit faster.
I met with the Board, presented my brief and camp layout. They grilled me for 2 hours and 20 minutes last Monday, then asked me to come back later in the week. I had to clean up a few construction jobs, add a few slides to my brief and continue answering more questions. That's normally been the case for Officers. Tonight, they grilled me for another 2 hours. I pretty much knew by the end of the 2 hours that I had answered their questions well enough, especially considering I'm not a CEC (Civil Engineering Officer) and I don't do this for a living. They deliberated about five minutes and had me come back in. The CO then pronounced my briefing good but said there were a few areas I needed to re-do. At that point my heart was starting to sink, dreading the thought of coming back for more questions. The Skipper is quite the joker so after a long pause he smiled and admitted he was just pulling my leg (the Comms chief put him up to it). So I shook everyone's hand and walked out of there dazed, thirsty, and hungry. After all the months of classes, studying, tests, and preparation for the Board, I feel numb and unsure of what to do next, especially since we are finished our work here. I will definitely start packing myself, and work out as much as I can.
One funny moment occurred during the Board interview. Somewhere about an hour into the first board, one of the officers asked if Supply provides some blousing straps (used to tuck you pant bottom around your boot). I responded innocently that we do and asked if he needed some. He commented back, “No, but you do.” I guess in my nervousness in preparing for the Board, I had, for the first time ever, forgotten to blouse my pant legs. It provided a moment of comic relief and for a few days afterwards various officers kept checking my pant legs.
Now that it’s all over, I definitely have time to relax. Yesterday I began working out again and packing things up. I am also starting to think beyond Iraq and to life at home, which I very much look forward to. This has been an interesting and positive experience overall. In some ways, it puts the final piece of military “TO DO” list in place. I’ve been in the military, in one form or another, since 1978 (including time in Canada). All that time I have trained for the possibility of going to war. I wasn’t eager for it but accepted it as a possibility. In some way I wanted to put that training to use, to do my share for my country and fellow soldiers/sailors, and to be a part of something bigger. I may not have agreed with the war in Iraq but we’re here and need to finish the job. I’m proud of the work we have done and the huge sacrifices American servicemen and women are making. I think the real unsung heroes of these wars are the wives, husbands, and children of serviceman that have to keep a fairly normal life at home. I could not have done what I did here without Loretta believing in me, supporting what I am doing, and stepping into larger boots as a single parent. Trust me when I say that the single most pressing thought on each sailor’s mind, especially the older ones, was how the family is managing at home. Many were distracted by problems at home and eventually had to leave Iraq to take care of their issues. I know Loretta had many trying moments but she carried the extra burden, many times quietly, in a way that allowed me to keep focus here. I thank her and the kids for bearing the pressure and making the sacrifices they did. I am ready to come home and assume my role as father and husband again.
I'll continue my military service another few years but without worry of being recalled again. I have been given a new (reserve) billet starting January that will have me working out of Williamsburg, VA. Not a bad place to be located. I will be a "Senior Evaluator" of the ELSG (Expeditionary Logistics Support Group). I spent some time in that Group as a Training Officer of a Cargo Handling Battalion and OIC of an Air Cargo Unit. It should be an interesting (part time) job. The SCWs qualification will definitely be an asset in this job and I'll still be in camouflage uniform.
Loretta will be coming out to CA to meet me just before I demobilize and we will have a nice 4 day vacation together. We'll be headed to Santa Barbara area. I am looking forward to our time together and then to seeing the kids again.
Well, I plan to go swimming in a bit, then back to the office to do more packing. We shred and burn most documents for OPSEC purposes. If we throw away uniforms we have to shred them first. You don't want to leave anything behind that the enemy could use against us. The Army is taking over our camp and we're seeing more of their presence each day.
I'll probably do one or two more blog entries and then call it a day. We leave in a few weeks for Kuwait, briefly, and then home. See you all soon!! Thank you all for your support, both personally, and to Loretta and the kids. It shows you care and that makes a difference.
Our advance party has just left for Kuwait and I’ve just taken a big step in completing my SCWs (Seabee Combat Warfare) qualifications. It seems like the Battalion and I have crossed a threshold. Everything is coming to an end. By the way, we are the last Seabee Battalion likely ever to be in Iraq again.
The SCWs qualification preparation was the most rigorous academic process I have ever been through. This process included:
- Attending evening classes four nights a week for two month.
- Completing four large correspondence manuals with tests after each chapter.
- Taking a final exam on all subjects.
- Studying and memorizing the entire curriculum in preparation for the Board.
- Taking the Board in front of 6 experts, including the CO
and XO of the Battalion for over two hours.
I have to know every weapon in a Seabee Battalion’s TOA (table of allowance), how it operates, what its purpose is, and how far it can shoot (point, area, and max. range). I have to know every radio they have, and all the specs about it. I have know First Aid, CBRD (Chemical, Biological and Radiological Defense), Naval and Seabee heritage (history), military organizations within the Navy and outside. If you’ve ever watched the Seabee movie with John Wayne starring as ‘Wedge Donovan, they know everything about it from the Seabee song to the name of the tractor Wedge drove to his death. When I finish my board, I will have to sing the Seabee song, loud and clear (I did).
We had a cook out tonight, sponsored by three officers being promoted shortly. Normally they have to buy the food and alcohol but since you can’t drink liquor here, they got off ‘cheap’. Although they were Buba burgers (which you can get at home anytime), they were the best tasting burgers I have had since being here. It almost felt like a home made BBQ. Wow, do I miss good food!
I’m trying to get over a cold that everyone at the camp seemed to catch almost at once. There were a bunch of Chief Selects (future Navy Chiefs) that had been cloistered together all week for training and it must have spread from there. My Chief Select brought it back to the Supply Department and sure enough it’s been working its way through the Department.
My buddy, the dentist, is leaving shortly for home. We’ve had some good times together and I will be sorry to see him go. He is a good friend and he has made the time go a little bit faster.
I met with the Board, presented my brief and camp layout. They grilled me for 2 hours and 20 minutes last Monday, then asked me to come back later in the week. I had to clean up a few construction jobs, add a few slides to my brief and continue answering more questions. That's normally been the case for Officers. Tonight, they grilled me for another 2 hours. I pretty much knew by the end of the 2 hours that I had answered their questions well enough, especially considering I'm not a CEC (Civil Engineering Officer) and I don't do this for a living. They deliberated about five minutes and had me come back in. The CO then pronounced my briefing good but said there were a few areas I needed to re-do. At that point my heart was starting to sink, dreading the thought of coming back for more questions. The Skipper is quite the joker so after a long pause he smiled and admitted he was just pulling my leg (the Comms chief put him up to it). So I shook everyone's hand and walked out of there dazed, thirsty, and hungry. After all the months of classes, studying, tests, and preparation for the Board, I feel numb and unsure of what to do next, especially since we are finished our work here. I will definitely start packing myself, and work out as much as I can.
One funny moment occurred during the Board interview. Somewhere about an hour into the first board, one of the officers asked if Supply provides some blousing straps (used to tuck you pant bottom around your boot). I responded innocently that we do and asked if he needed some. He commented back, “No, but you do.” I guess in my nervousness in preparing for the Board, I had, for the first time ever, forgotten to blouse my pant legs. It provided a moment of comic relief and for a few days afterwards various officers kept checking my pant legs.
Now that it’s all over, I definitely have time to relax. Yesterday I began working out again and packing things up. I am also starting to think beyond Iraq and to life at home, which I very much look forward to. This has been an interesting and positive experience overall. In some ways, it puts the final piece of military “TO DO” list in place. I’ve been in the military, in one form or another, since 1978 (including time in Canada). All that time I have trained for the possibility of going to war. I wasn’t eager for it but accepted it as a possibility. In some way I wanted to put that training to use, to do my share for my country and fellow soldiers/sailors, and to be a part of something bigger. I may not have agreed with the war in Iraq but we’re here and need to finish the job. I’m proud of the work we have done and the huge sacrifices American servicemen and women are making. I think the real unsung heroes of these wars are the wives, husbands, and children of serviceman that have to keep a fairly normal life at home. I could not have done what I did here without Loretta believing in me, supporting what I am doing, and stepping into larger boots as a single parent. Trust me when I say that the single most pressing thought on each sailor’s mind, especially the older ones, was how the family is managing at home. Many were distracted by problems at home and eventually had to leave Iraq to take care of their issues. I know Loretta had many trying moments but she carried the extra burden, many times quietly, in a way that allowed me to keep focus here. I thank her and the kids for bearing the pressure and making the sacrifices they did. I am ready to come home and assume my role as father and husband again.
I'll continue my military service another few years but without worry of being recalled again. I have been given a new (reserve) billet starting January that will have me working out of Williamsburg, VA. Not a bad place to be located. I will be a "Senior Evaluator" of the ELSG (Expeditionary Logistics Support Group). I spent some time in that Group as a Training Officer of a Cargo Handling Battalion and OIC of an Air Cargo Unit. It should be an interesting (part time) job. The SCWs qualification will definitely be an asset in this job and I'll still be in camouflage uniform.
Loretta will be coming out to CA to meet me just before I demobilize and we will have a nice 4 day vacation together. We'll be headed to Santa Barbara area. I am looking forward to our time together and then to seeing the kids again.
Well, I plan to go swimming in a bit, then back to the office to do more packing. We shred and burn most documents for OPSEC purposes. If we throw away uniforms we have to shred them first. You don't want to leave anything behind that the enemy could use against us. The Army is taking over our camp and we're seeing more of their presence each day.
I'll probably do one or two more blog entries and then call it a day. We leave in a few weeks for Kuwait, briefly, and then home. See you all soon!! Thank you all for your support, both personally, and to Loretta and the kids. It shows you care and that makes a difference.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
I CAN SEE THE LIGHT
It's been a few weeks now of status quo. We have dates for departure and although I am one of the last to leave, it's not too far off now. Some of the folks are already talking about what they are going to drink on their stop over back to the States. I do hope we stop in Ireland as I should be guaranteed a good pint of cider (the real stuff).
I still have my Seabee Warfare Qualification Board ahead of me so I'm not quite relaxed yet. This is where the dentist comes in to help me (remember, I helped him layout his presentation in Power Point). He passed his board a few weeks ago (on his 2nd try). It's like having a test on a complete year's worth of studying and having to remember it all. I'm not worried about presenting to the Board (I do stuff like that all the time); it's just remembering all the facts and figures that I will immediately not use and forget afterwards. It is a worthy pursuit, however, and a proud achievement, once accomplished.
There will be a Army unit coming in to occupy our camp facilities. That helps us in not having to de-mil (take apart) certain aspects of the camp. There will probably be a two week period at the end where there is very little to do, so I'll just keep busy with exercise or watching some movies. I am excited to be coming home and don't think I'll have any after-effects. They do send us through a warrier transition class but since I didn't do to much 'warriering', I should be fine. I just crave the simple things in life, like a nice bed, good food, private bathroom, and most of all my family.
I found out that my civilian company is being sued by the Federal Government so I don't know what that means long term. Frankly, I'll just roll with the punches on that one. I am still promised my job but now have another new boss, someone I do know from before I left. He managed the law enforcement side of the business.
I have been making preparations for Rosh Hashanah here at the base. Apparently there is a Conservative Rabbi coming in, with little to no military experience. It should be interesting as I have no idea how many Jews are on the base now and I'm sure almost none of them are Conservative. I think he will adapt to the needs of the soldiers and sailors here. There are two Jewish organizations in the US that really look out for the military. Some send religious supplies, others food and goodies. It's nice that they care that much. One will be sending a lulav and etrog. Hint...I will not be here to enjoy it.
So for now, my days are spent studying. The business end runs itself for the most part. We do have lots of awards, evaluations, and fitness reports to give out, but most of that is written now.
I was laughing about something the other day but can't remember now. Hopefully we'll get a few good laughs in towards the end of this deployment.
In the meantime, be well.
I still have my Seabee Warfare Qualification Board ahead of me so I'm not quite relaxed yet. This is where the dentist comes in to help me (remember, I helped him layout his presentation in Power Point). He passed his board a few weeks ago (on his 2nd try). It's like having a test on a complete year's worth of studying and having to remember it all. I'm not worried about presenting to the Board (I do stuff like that all the time); it's just remembering all the facts and figures that I will immediately not use and forget afterwards. It is a worthy pursuit, however, and a proud achievement, once accomplished.
There will be a Army unit coming in to occupy our camp facilities. That helps us in not having to de-mil (take apart) certain aspects of the camp. There will probably be a two week period at the end where there is very little to do, so I'll just keep busy with exercise or watching some movies. I am excited to be coming home and don't think I'll have any after-effects. They do send us through a warrier transition class but since I didn't do to much 'warriering', I should be fine. I just crave the simple things in life, like a nice bed, good food, private bathroom, and most of all my family.
I found out that my civilian company is being sued by the Federal Government so I don't know what that means long term. Frankly, I'll just roll with the punches on that one. I am still promised my job but now have another new boss, someone I do know from before I left. He managed the law enforcement side of the business.
I have been making preparations for Rosh Hashanah here at the base. Apparently there is a Conservative Rabbi coming in, with little to no military experience. It should be interesting as I have no idea how many Jews are on the base now and I'm sure almost none of them are Conservative. I think he will adapt to the needs of the soldiers and sailors here. There are two Jewish organizations in the US that really look out for the military. Some send religious supplies, others food and goodies. It's nice that they care that much. One will be sending a lulav and etrog. Hint...I will not be here to enjoy it.
So for now, my days are spent studying. The business end runs itself for the most part. We do have lots of awards, evaluations, and fitness reports to give out, but most of that is written now.
I was laughing about something the other day but can't remember now. Hopefully we'll get a few good laughs in towards the end of this deployment.
In the meantime, be well.
Monday, August 3, 2009
THE END IS NEAR
It’s been awhile since I last made a blog entry. It’s probably because I’m getting close to the end of the deployment and having to trek “downtown” to use a computer.
I definitely feel the end (of the tour) is fast approaching. If not for the warfare combat qualification I am pursuing, I would be much more relaxed about the whole thing. There is not much day-to-day management I need to be doing as the Supply Department pretty much runs itself. I have plenty of time to study now so I have no excuses.
While eating dinner Sunday evening, I met a few contractors (former Marines) that work at the base. They were telling me four years or so ago, you could get anything you wanted on this base through a Turkish-run black market. I won’t go into specifics, but there were no taboos back then. I guess there was too much attention being focused on fighting the enemy outside the gate than within. Now that things are calmer, there are more restrictions on base. I sometimes think I am naïve, or better put, ignorant of illicit activities. I know there are a lot of things going on within the camp and base that I never hear of. If it doesn’t involve my folks, I don’t get involved in gossip and my rank precludes me from ground floor interaction. It’s just as well.
I definitely feel the end (of the tour) is fast approaching. If not for the warfare combat qualification I am pursuing, I would be much more relaxed about the whole thing. There is not much day-to-day management I need to be doing as the Supply Department pretty much runs itself. I have plenty of time to study now so I have no excuses.
While eating dinner Sunday evening, I met a few contractors (former Marines) that work at the base. They were telling me four years or so ago, you could get anything you wanted on this base through a Turkish-run black market. I won’t go into specifics, but there were no taboos back then. I guess there was too much attention being focused on fighting the enemy outside the gate than within. Now that things are calmer, there are more restrictions on base. I sometimes think I am naïve, or better put, ignorant of illicit activities. I know there are a lot of things going on within the camp and base that I never hear of. If it doesn’t involve my folks, I don’t get involved in gossip and my rank precludes me from ground floor interaction. It’s just as well.
As you’ve read, the Iraqis are taking a greater role in their own security. The base is still protected by US serviceman as we would not leave our lives in their hands. As you also read in the papers, there still are IEDs and other bombings going on throughout the country and in our region. I wonder at what point these terrorists will finally just give up and leave. The country will not go back to its old ways of sectarian strife.
I am still keeping busy with exercising, mainly swimming and the gym. It sure helps to keep my sanity. I was about to leave the gym last night when I was invited to play singles ping pong. As always, it was fun. Thankfully, I don’t ride my bike very far these days. The chain keeps slipping and it’s hard to peddle. I keep thinking it will fall apart at any moment. The good news is that I didn’t have to pay anything for it and can just abandon it when I leave.
We had a ‘closest to the pin’ golfing competition last week. Yours truly had the best wedge shots but, alas, not the closest to the pin. It was fun to watch some of the entrants trying to play golf for the first time. Most of them were ‘worm burners’ that ran atop the desert sand, bouncing off the hescos (reinforced dirt barriers). We did it on the back lot where we store the construction vehicles. I can imagine trying to explain the need to replace a windshield struck by an ‘enemy’ golf ball! I was the only smart one in that I brought a little rug to hit the balls off of. Everyone else just hit them off the dirt/sand or used bottle caps for tees. The pin was 90 yards away surrounded by what looked like green Astroturf. The ‘grass’ was actually green sweeping compound you usually throw on the floor to help sweep up dust and dirt.
I helped my buddy, the dentist, to prepare for his warfare qualification board this past weekend. He has no computer skills whatsoever, I mean nil! He doesn’t use one in his practice and his assistants do all of the computer entries. So I helped him lay out the power point slides and neaten up the presentation. I was happy to help him, in part driven by altruism, in part because I will get him to help me with the tactical pieces, which he knows better than me.
We had some really nasty sand storms last week. Apparently there about twice the number of storms this year over last. They say it has something to do with the winds and with the severe drought plauging the country. Either way, these storms are both fascinating (like seeing your first snowfall) and a pain (similar to shoveling snow the 3rd time in a week; the thrill is gone). I put on my daily disposable contact lenses and wear glasses with a gasket seal to prevent sand from getting in my eyes. Two weeks ago, we had the central air conditioning in the Supply Building fixed. When they turned it on for the first time in 3 months, I thought the building was on fire. I was up in my loft at the time and saw smoke (actually sand) coming from below. All the sand in the ducting got blown out the vents and into the building itself. It was so thick I couldn't see 10 feet in front of me. Luckily there was not smell, except dirt and I quickly realized what had happened. It stayed hazy for several hours, even with the doors open. I’m surprised I didn’t get a respiratory infection from all the ‘crap’ in the air. Needless to say, I had to clean my room, again.
Some of our folks are gone to Kuwait now, so we’re getting smaller in size. As I’ve said before, I have great folks, so they’re easy to manage. Knock on wood, I have not had a single sailor of mine in trouble this deployment. It will not be difficult to re-integrate me back into society. I doubt I’ll have any PTSD, other than the horrors of lousy meals, a warped single bed, no place to go, and too much sand. There’s nothing I’ll miss about the place, as compared to Spain. I look forward to seeing family and friends again and to making life as normal as possible.
I have attached a picture of me golfing (or as close to golfing as it can get here). I’d like to know who the fools were that first brought these golf clubs out here to begin with? I also have a large shoe box of golf balls that someone mailed out here. Who does these things?
Take care. I look forward to seeing everyone soon!
CDR Warren Taninbaum
Supply Officer, NMCB 24
I am still keeping busy with exercising, mainly swimming and the gym. It sure helps to keep my sanity. I was about to leave the gym last night when I was invited to play singles ping pong. As always, it was fun. Thankfully, I don’t ride my bike very far these days. The chain keeps slipping and it’s hard to peddle. I keep thinking it will fall apart at any moment. The good news is that I didn’t have to pay anything for it and can just abandon it when I leave.
We had a ‘closest to the pin’ golfing competition last week. Yours truly had the best wedge shots but, alas, not the closest to the pin. It was fun to watch some of the entrants trying to play golf for the first time. Most of them were ‘worm burners’ that ran atop the desert sand, bouncing off the hescos (reinforced dirt barriers). We did it on the back lot where we store the construction vehicles. I can imagine trying to explain the need to replace a windshield struck by an ‘enemy’ golf ball! I was the only smart one in that I brought a little rug to hit the balls off of. Everyone else just hit them off the dirt/sand or used bottle caps for tees. The pin was 90 yards away surrounded by what looked like green Astroturf. The ‘grass’ was actually green sweeping compound you usually throw on the floor to help sweep up dust and dirt.
I helped my buddy, the dentist, to prepare for his warfare qualification board this past weekend. He has no computer skills whatsoever, I mean nil! He doesn’t use one in his practice and his assistants do all of the computer entries. So I helped him lay out the power point slides and neaten up the presentation. I was happy to help him, in part driven by altruism, in part because I will get him to help me with the tactical pieces, which he knows better than me.
We had some really nasty sand storms last week. Apparently there about twice the number of storms this year over last. They say it has something to do with the winds and with the severe drought plauging the country. Either way, these storms are both fascinating (like seeing your first snowfall) and a pain (similar to shoveling snow the 3rd time in a week; the thrill is gone). I put on my daily disposable contact lenses and wear glasses with a gasket seal to prevent sand from getting in my eyes. Two weeks ago, we had the central air conditioning in the Supply Building fixed. When they turned it on for the first time in 3 months, I thought the building was on fire. I was up in my loft at the time and saw smoke (actually sand) coming from below. All the sand in the ducting got blown out the vents and into the building itself. It was so thick I couldn't see 10 feet in front of me. Luckily there was not smell, except dirt and I quickly realized what had happened. It stayed hazy for several hours, even with the doors open. I’m surprised I didn’t get a respiratory infection from all the ‘crap’ in the air. Needless to say, I had to clean my room, again.
Some of our folks are gone to Kuwait now, so we’re getting smaller in size. As I’ve said before, I have great folks, so they’re easy to manage. Knock on wood, I have not had a single sailor of mine in trouble this deployment. It will not be difficult to re-integrate me back into society. I doubt I’ll have any PTSD, other than the horrors of lousy meals, a warped single bed, no place to go, and too much sand. There’s nothing I’ll miss about the place, as compared to Spain. I look forward to seeing family and friends again and to making life as normal as possible.
I have attached a picture of me golfing (or as close to golfing as it can get here). I’d like to know who the fools were that first brought these golf clubs out here to begin with? I also have a large shoe box of golf balls that someone mailed out here. Who does these things?
Take care. I look forward to seeing everyone soon!
CDR Warren Taninbaum
Supply Officer, NMCB 24
Saturday, July 18, 2009
DASH TO THE END
I’m at the White Elephant again, inputting my comments for the week. I have to time this right as every sailor and soldier without a computer or internet connection tries to make their way here for computer time. So I’ve written my notes in advance and sent it to my COMCAST email address. From there, it’s an easy cut and paste.
It’s getting stranger here by the day. Supply is almost packed up, we have a team of folks departing for an assignment in Kuwait, and everyone in ‘management’ is planning for drawdown. But I can’t get too excited yet as we still have several months to go.
Planning for departure creates a whole new set of challenges and my supply ethics are running up against the "I will do whatever it takes" attitude of the Seabees. Civilians might imagine a Supply Office like Tony Curtis in the movie Operation Petticoat, who will take what he needs regardless of who it belongs to, or the guy who cuts deals by trading things from his Supply warehouse. We’re a professional bunch of officers, taught to account for everything that moves in and out of our control. With this drawdown, the Seabees are looking for easy ways to get rid of excess items. It runs up against my better judgment and we've ended up in the Skipper's office a few times. So far, he's supported me, which ultimately helps keep him out of jail (that’s my job by the way; to keep the Skipper out of jail). I'm not here for a popularity contest but I suspect my name is mud in a few quarters these days. For the record, I am all about getting the mission done. However, accountability is a HUGE issue these days and the regulations are designed to ensure proper oversight.
Now for more fun things….
Earlier in the week, I woke up at 3:00 AM in a sweat. Aside from the heat, there was also complete silence, unusual, since I keep to A/C running at night. My first thought was there was another generator failure but it turns out that my A/C unit finally conked out. It had been troubling me with loud noises and freezing up the past few weeks. As I may have mentioned before, birds have occasionally perched on the window unit, most often at dawn (around 0500 here). I didn't think much of it until the technicians pulled the unit from the window. It seems that a lot of pigeons had roosted and left a deposit through the top vent of the A/C unit. To them, it was the ideal bathroom; take a poop and it disappears below their perch into the base of the A/C unit. Well, the electricians had the bright idea or rolling the A/C, in a controlled fashion, down the steep stairs to my office below. Good idea for them, bad for me. Dirt and pigeon poop started to pour through the stairs (thankfully all dry) and onto my second desk where I keep the Secret computer. Around here you expect anything so it's wasn’t that big a deal. I grabbed the broom and air duster and went at it. My room was also trashed with boot footprints on my floor. I have mats specifically for my boots, but they were all over the floor. A good mopping took care of the problem.
I had fun playing ping pong a few nights back. It was doubles against an Iraqi I played a few weeks back and another Army soldier. My partner was the same Army fellow I played with a few weeks back. We won the match and I announced our “Navy” victory at the morning staff call.
Today is our 60 yard dash. It's to raise money for MWR and is broken out by age category. Luckily I have a chance in the 50+ category but I may end up racing the Skipper (not good). If I win in that category, I will eventually race someone in a lower age group. I doubt I'll go far but it should be fun. I got some tips on how to start out but I'm more like a skater, pushing off side to side, than running straight ahead.
Yesterday was 'Flak Friday' again, (reminder) where we wear our tactical vests and plates and our instructor pulls a card from the deck. We ran through the entire deck, all 52 "missions" as he calls it. I'll never look at a deck of cards the same way again!
I hear there is rain in Atlanta (always good) and then too much rain in Montreal (not good). Erica finished her first week of college and so far, so good. She seems to enjoy it and the class sizes are very reasonable (around 20).
Well, I must get ready for the sprint. It takes us old guys longer to warm up. Until next time... stay well.
It’s getting stranger here by the day. Supply is almost packed up, we have a team of folks departing for an assignment in Kuwait, and everyone in ‘management’ is planning for drawdown. But I can’t get too excited yet as we still have several months to go.
Planning for departure creates a whole new set of challenges and my supply ethics are running up against the "I will do whatever it takes" attitude of the Seabees. Civilians might imagine a Supply Office like Tony Curtis in the movie Operation Petticoat, who will take what he needs regardless of who it belongs to, or the guy who cuts deals by trading things from his Supply warehouse. We’re a professional bunch of officers, taught to account for everything that moves in and out of our control. With this drawdown, the Seabees are looking for easy ways to get rid of excess items. It runs up against my better judgment and we've ended up in the Skipper's office a few times. So far, he's supported me, which ultimately helps keep him out of jail (that’s my job by the way; to keep the Skipper out of jail). I'm not here for a popularity contest but I suspect my name is mud in a few quarters these days. For the record, I am all about getting the mission done. However, accountability is a HUGE issue these days and the regulations are designed to ensure proper oversight.
Now for more fun things….
Earlier in the week, I woke up at 3:00 AM in a sweat. Aside from the heat, there was also complete silence, unusual, since I keep to A/C running at night. My first thought was there was another generator failure but it turns out that my A/C unit finally conked out. It had been troubling me with loud noises and freezing up the past few weeks. As I may have mentioned before, birds have occasionally perched on the window unit, most often at dawn (around 0500 here). I didn't think much of it until the technicians pulled the unit from the window. It seems that a lot of pigeons had roosted and left a deposit through the top vent of the A/C unit. To them, it was the ideal bathroom; take a poop and it disappears below their perch into the base of the A/C unit. Well, the electricians had the bright idea or rolling the A/C, in a controlled fashion, down the steep stairs to my office below. Good idea for them, bad for me. Dirt and pigeon poop started to pour through the stairs (thankfully all dry) and onto my second desk where I keep the Secret computer. Around here you expect anything so it's wasn’t that big a deal. I grabbed the broom and air duster and went at it. My room was also trashed with boot footprints on my floor. I have mats specifically for my boots, but they were all over the floor. A good mopping took care of the problem.
I had fun playing ping pong a few nights back. It was doubles against an Iraqi I played a few weeks back and another Army soldier. My partner was the same Army fellow I played with a few weeks back. We won the match and I announced our “Navy” victory at the morning staff call.
Today is our 60 yard dash. It's to raise money for MWR and is broken out by age category. Luckily I have a chance in the 50+ category but I may end up racing the Skipper (not good). If I win in that category, I will eventually race someone in a lower age group. I doubt I'll go far but it should be fun. I got some tips on how to start out but I'm more like a skater, pushing off side to side, than running straight ahead.
Yesterday was 'Flak Friday' again, (reminder) where we wear our tactical vests and plates and our instructor pulls a card from the deck. We ran through the entire deck, all 52 "missions" as he calls it. I'll never look at a deck of cards the same way again!
I hear there is rain in Atlanta (always good) and then too much rain in Montreal (not good). Erica finished her first week of college and so far, so good. She seems to enjoy it and the class sizes are very reasonable (around 20).
Well, I must get ready for the sprint. It takes us old guys longer to warm up. Until next time... stay well.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
LONG TIME NO BLOG
Well it's been a long time since I last wrote. I've decided it's not worth paying $60 per month for poor internet service. Most nights, it's impossible to gain access as the system is so overloaded and the rest of the time the service just doesn't work. So here I am at lunch at the "White Elephant" MWR (Morale, Welfare, and Recreation) Center, using computers that aren't tied into the military network. The military does not take kindly to blogging and other social networks so it blocks them 24 hours/day.
So there are few things going on these days. We are packing gear and equipment up for our eventual move in a few months but it almost feels like we're going now. It's kind of wierd I must say. I am also going to loose a number of my personnel at the end of this month for another mission but they are going somewhere safe, just not home yet. So we are definitely on top of our game and ready to move out when the word comes down.
I was at the Class IV Yard today, where we keep our construction material. It is definitely getting smaller as we move material to where it is most needed (sorry for being cryptic folks). It's nice to see things getting accomplished, all due to the hard work of our Seabees.
My A/C has been on the fritz the past few nights. Apparently it freezes up! Can you imagine anything freezing up in the 100 plus degree weather? So I go to bed with a comfortable A/C setting and wake up at about 0400 feeling rather warm. Luckily we have A/C specialists here and they will probably have to replace the unit. I shouldn't complain because I'm not sure what they have in Afghanistan, other than a cot and tent!
Yesterday was Flack Friday. I attend a 3 time/week fitness class run by one of our corpsman. He is a physical fitness trainer in civilian life and very good at what he does. I have a few more training routines to add to my workout now, thanks to him. He is both creative in his routines and fun. We love to complain about how hard he works us but it's all good. So for the first time Friday, we brought our tactical body armor with front and back plates, to our workout. I figured it weighed about 25-30 lbs. He then took a deck of cards and explained that each suit and number/picture represented a routine and the number of times we had to do it. Spades represented push ups; Clubs, crunches; Diamonds, squats; and Hearts, planks. So, given there ae 52 cards in a deck, we did this 52 times of course. For example, the Ace of Spades, meant we had to do 14 push ups. He would immediately draw another card and we went into that routine. Now I know how a turtle feels on it's back! It was a fun workout though.
Yesterday was Loretta's birthday (I won't say publicly how old) but the girls took her to lunch in Roswell and she seemed to have a nice time. Loretta and Erica went to orientation at the Art Institute the day before so Erica has all the information she needs to start school Monday!! Wow, I can't believe it's here already for her. Apparently all of the 12 graduates this past year ended up in NY or abroad with jobs. It's a disciplined program and they run it very much like a business. Loretta and I think it's the right environment for her. She would probably feel lost at a larger public university and not get all of the technical training she will get at this school.
I've been told that things are tough now in the body armor industry and that all the manufacturers are having to make changes. I'm looking forward to getting back to civilian life but am not sure what the economy will be like when I return. All I know is that I can sell and look forward to getting back into the saddle (after taking some time of to be with the family).
I think tonight will be pizza night with the dentist. I try to get to Pizza Hut once a week or so. It's been two weeks. Our Battalion is having another MWR fund raiser with golfing as the theme again. Last time I paid dearly for trying to be the longest drive. They know a sucker when they see one as they asked if I'd be interested in participation in a closest to the pin contest. Of course!!
That's about it for now. I'll try to keep this blog updated once a week at least. I hope everyone is enjoying their summer!
Take care.
So there are few things going on these days. We are packing gear and equipment up for our eventual move in a few months but it almost feels like we're going now. It's kind of wierd I must say. I am also going to loose a number of my personnel at the end of this month for another mission but they are going somewhere safe, just not home yet. So we are definitely on top of our game and ready to move out when the word comes down.
I was at the Class IV Yard today, where we keep our construction material. It is definitely getting smaller as we move material to where it is most needed (sorry for being cryptic folks). It's nice to see things getting accomplished, all due to the hard work of our Seabees.
My A/C has been on the fritz the past few nights. Apparently it freezes up! Can you imagine anything freezing up in the 100 plus degree weather? So I go to bed with a comfortable A/C setting and wake up at about 0400 feeling rather warm. Luckily we have A/C specialists here and they will probably have to replace the unit. I shouldn't complain because I'm not sure what they have in Afghanistan, other than a cot and tent!
Yesterday was Flack Friday. I attend a 3 time/week fitness class run by one of our corpsman. He is a physical fitness trainer in civilian life and very good at what he does. I have a few more training routines to add to my workout now, thanks to him. He is both creative in his routines and fun. We love to complain about how hard he works us but it's all good. So for the first time Friday, we brought our tactical body armor with front and back plates, to our workout. I figured it weighed about 25-30 lbs. He then took a deck of cards and explained that each suit and number/picture represented a routine and the number of times we had to do it. Spades represented push ups; Clubs, crunches; Diamonds, squats; and Hearts, planks. So, given there ae 52 cards in a deck, we did this 52 times of course. For example, the Ace of Spades, meant we had to do 14 push ups. He would immediately draw another card and we went into that routine. Now I know how a turtle feels on it's back! It was a fun workout though.
Yesterday was Loretta's birthday (I won't say publicly how old) but the girls took her to lunch in Roswell and she seemed to have a nice time. Loretta and Erica went to orientation at the Art Institute the day before so Erica has all the information she needs to start school Monday!! Wow, I can't believe it's here already for her. Apparently all of the 12 graduates this past year ended up in NY or abroad with jobs. It's a disciplined program and they run it very much like a business. Loretta and I think it's the right environment for her. She would probably feel lost at a larger public university and not get all of the technical training she will get at this school.
I've been told that things are tough now in the body armor industry and that all the manufacturers are having to make changes. I'm looking forward to getting back to civilian life but am not sure what the economy will be like when I return. All I know is that I can sell and look forward to getting back into the saddle (after taking some time of to be with the family).
I think tonight will be pizza night with the dentist. I try to get to Pizza Hut once a week or so. It's been two weeks. Our Battalion is having another MWR fund raiser with golfing as the theme again. Last time I paid dearly for trying to be the longest drive. They know a sucker when they see one as they asked if I'd be interested in participation in a closest to the pin contest. Of course!!
That's about it for now. I'll try to keep this blog updated once a week at least. I hope everyone is enjoying their summer!
Take care.
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