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
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