CDR T GOES TO IRAQ

PART WAY HOME

2009-09-23T02:11:00.000-07:00

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.

OUT OF HERE

2009-09-20T23:27:00.000-07:00

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!

GETTING CLOSE NOW

2009-09-06T02:12:00.000-07:00

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.

I CAN SEE THE LIGHT

2009-08-18T03:09:00.000-07:00

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.

THE END IS NEAR

2009-08-03T02:31:00.000-07:00

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.

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

DASH TO THE END

2009-07-18T04:42:00.000-07:00

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.

LONG TIME NO BLOG

2009-07-11T01:29:00.000-07:00

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.

HUMP DAY - HALF WAY HOME

2009-06-29T01:38:00.001-07:00

Yeh! We've reached the half way point of our deployment. While there's still months to go, I've reached some sort of milestone to hang my hat on. We have a saying in the military "Semper Gumby', be flexible. It means anything can change at a moments notice, but so far we're tracking to the originally planned return date.

We had a Hump Day party this past Saturday which involved another cook out and games. The games mainly centered on a dunk tank filled with over 150 bags of ice (with water). For some reason, only the Chiefs were recruited as the dunkees. I think they could have doubled the money raised if they had recruited the officers as well. But as you learn in the military, never volunteer for anything!! So as smart officers, we stood on the sidelines and watched. Actually I paid a few bucks for the privilege of sinking a Chief. It was fun watching them get dunked as I've never seen them move as fast as that day. As the day wore on, the enlisted folks kept refilling the tank with more ice. The Chiefs were truly blue when they finished their 15 minute shifts. There were also groups of folks walking around with buckets of water (and on the roof) dropping water on unsuspecting sailors. I kept looking behind me. The Supply folks also put on a great cook out conisisting of ribs, chicken, corn on the cobb, macaroni salad, and cake or pie. We were able to secure the food supplies, pre-cooked, from the Dining Hall as an official function. Everyone seemed to have a good time and it was a break from the usual routine.

I grew a moustache for a few weeks just to see how it would come out and then shaved it off Sunday. Hannah did not like the idea of her Daddy having one, even though she didn't even see a picture of it. She sent me an email I though quite cute. She said something about "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas" suggesting I should not have told her about it. The other man in the picture is my 'moustache mentor', the Command Master Chief. My moustache never got as bushy or black as his!

I tried out a new gym nearby our Camp. It was opened about a month ago but I've used the gym either in our Camp or Downtown. It's mainly used by contractors on base. This one is better than our gym but smaller than the one Downtown. However, it also has a computer and TV/movie room, pool table, and ping pong table. After I finished my work out I noticed a fellow by himself at the ping pong table. I haven't played in years and even then, it was just playing briefly with the family. I figured, what the heck, and asked if he wanted a game. He said he was awaiting his partner but happy to play in the meantime. We had a great practice and when his friends showed up, they asked me to play doubles. I've never played doubles ping pong in my life but it seemed like a fun idea. So I teamed up with the first guy (also a Navy sailor) against two Iraqi contractors. As a quick aside, I've met a number of Iraqi translators at the base. Most are from Iraq but not all. Typically, they are all Christian, as opposed to being Moslem, which makes them more reliable. One was from Michigan but born in Iraq. These two Iraqis were named John and George (Beatles?) from different parts of the country. They are all very friendly and typically do this not just for the money but also for the good of their country. Most of them earn the right to come to the US to live. After what they do here, it's difficult for them to do anything but leave the country. They do occasionally go home to visit but there's a risk in doing so. Well, back to the story... I asked the MWR rep for another two paddles but John says not thank you, I have my own paddle. As he pulls his personal paddle from his little case, I'm thinking about how badly we're going to be beaten. The real trick of doubles in ping pong is that each partner must hit every second shot to your side, as opposed to hitting whatever you can in tennis. There were plenty of times the opposition hit the ball to the other side of the table and I'm forgetting it's my turn I must return the shot. Despite my rustiness and lack of doubles play, we actually beat our competition, two games to one. And they were good! So, I'll have to look these guys up again. I think we'll have to buy a ping pong table when I get home. Loretta likes to play and I think the girls would enjoy it as well.

I'm now listening to NPR Radio talk about the withdrawl of Americans from Iraqi cities. It's true for the most part but we can respond to areas of difficulty as needed. We are seeing a rise in violence as Al Qaida is trying to make it look like they are in control but it is still far from the level of violence of just a few years ago.

Well, I've been at this for an hour now and want to take a little rest before going back to work. It's a little over 100 degrees today but feels nice compared to previous days. I hope everyone has a great week ahead.

CATCH UP TIME

2009-06-24T03:20:00.000-07:00

I'm taking time during lunch to get on my computer since it's almost impossible to get internet access at night. The system here is slow, antiquated, and rarely able to stay up for more than five minutes at a time. So I'll take this opportunity to catch up with everyone on the news.

It's good to know that the weathermen in this region are as bad in their predictions as back home. They forecasted Tuesday and Wednesday to be enveloped in a sand storm but it's clear and sunny. Why should I be surprised? We did have lousy weather last week, which I attached a picture of. It looks like dusk or night but it's really late afternoon. Visibility diminished to about 20 feet. It was the worst storm I've experienced.

We had a full Sunday off for Father's Day. Supply had a great cook out, probably the best meal since being here. I didn't quite get a full day off due to some liaison problems with the Marines. I've had a great experience working with and for the military the past 23 years, but the military is not excluded from incompetence. No need to go into details but I find other Services sometimes operate inanely. On the other hand, they probably think the same about us.

Things have slowed down here somewhat so I have the opportunity to work on my SCWs (Seabee Combat Warfare) pin. It's fairly arduous in regard to all that I have to learn and present in a SCWs board. It's almost like going back to boot camp, having to learn about weaponry, defensive tactics, and the like. It's all theoretical, thankfully, so I don't have to go in the field. Earning a warfare pin is a definite plus for my FITREP (Fitness Report) and possible promotion. I also get to wear it proudly on my uniform. So I might as well get it while I can. I'll be happy when it's over.

I continue to swim at the pool and work out at the gym. Despite the hot weather, it's still nice to bike to and from. Since it's all I can do to stay fit, it's important to keep doing it! I am still having problems with my achilles tendon so I am limiting my running.

We're coming up on our half-way deployment time, so we'll be celebrating this weekend with another cook out and entertainment, including a dunk tank. I'll probably volunteer just for the opportunity to stay wet (and maybe cool). I'd like to volunteer my Senior Chief because he would raise lots of money. He's known as the "No" man, because it's difficult to get any supplies out of him. So, without knowing for sure when I'll get home, we're definitely close to the half way point in this deployment. I know Loretta and the girls are happy to hear that.

We lost a few folks to medical issues. There is a small hospital here but for more complicated requirements we send our sailors to Germany. We recently lost our Admin Officer, another Commander, for unknown medical reasons. She went to Germany for tests and was immediately sent home. Due to privacy issues, we're not privy to the reasons but, thankfully, none are for combat or combat stress reasons.

We get the news here via Stars and Stripes newspaper and television. Albeit, sporadic, I am able to keep up with most of the news from home and other hot spots, like Iran and North Korea. We also get intelligence briefings on these countries that add to the usual media coverage.

I can't think of much else at this time, except I've grown a moustache. Just something different to do for a laugh. I'll shave it off by this weekend no doubt.

Have a nice week!

SAND, SURVEYS & THE MISSING ID CARD

2009-06-16T11:32:00.000-07:00

Today had a few twists to it, unique to Iraq and the military. First, we're having a heck of a sandstorm now. The high winds are whipping sand into the air which is then mixing with the falling rain. So it's like driving in a snowstorm but worse. It's probably more like driving into volcanic ash as you constantly have to use your wiper fluid and windshield wipers. Quite the weather! Driving to dinner at 6:30, it looked like the sun had already set. You could see dark brown clouds of sand looming nearby. By the time I parked nearby the dining hall, I could barely see 20 feet ahead of me. You could even see a thin layer of sand floating about the dining hall.

Earlier in the day, I completed a Command Climate survey which gauges the sailors' perceptions of the Battalion in regard to subjects of equal opportunity, morale, and leadership. Somewhere at the end of my particular on-line survey, a series of religious questions pop up, including if I believed in G-d, and did I think G-d was particularly vengeful, loving, or friendly. As I'm looking at these questions, I start to wonder what they have to do with the Command climate. There were 15 of these questions and if it wasn't for the fact I already answered 40 appropriate questions , I would have exited and voided the survey. So I finished the questionnaire, thought about it for a few minutes, and whipped up an email to the Skipper letting him know that I was not comfortable with religious questions being appended to a Command Climate survey. Later in the day the Skipper called me into his office to ask about these religious questions. I explained and he looked perplexed. He hadn't seen these questions. He then asked the XO and another officer who both said "no". So the only logical explanation is that somehow my survey mistakenly added 15 religious questions by accident. In hindsight it's amusing. Only in the military...

Yesterday towards the end of lunch I was relaxing upstairs in my loft when there was a loud knocking at my door and someone yelling "Four" (short for my designation as S4). With that tone, I figured it was an emergency or the Skipper. It was the Skipper, of course, and he was on a tear. At the start of lunch one of my sailors couldn't find his ID card, which he left in his computer. I happened to be in the area when this occurred and while it seemed obvious someone had removed it from the computer, the reason was unclear. He felt someone took his ID with malicious intentions. I said to wait until after lunch and then ask the other sailors who work in his space if they saw his ID card. I couldn't have been more clear. Well this sailor, who had complained a number of times that he was being unfairly picked on, was given an opportunity to air his grievances directly with the Battalion CO a few weeks back. In order to do so, though, he had to get permission from his chain of command, including me. As a quick aside, he and I get along fine and I've tried many times to help his see his concerns are more self-induced than anything. So I had no objections with him speaking to the CO and we signed the permission chit. Now, back to the story. The sailor takes his previous visit with the Skipper as an invitation to speak with him anytime he has an issue, which led the CO to become a little frustrated and charge into the Supply Office. So I jump into my boots, run down the steep ladder without lacing them up, and follow (more like run) behind the CO as he points to each of my sailors asking if they have this sailor's ID card. Along the way, I'm trying to lace up my boots and maintain some dignity. When the CO finishes with his questions, he turns to the sailor and tells him to get another ID card. The Skipper leaves and within minutes, one of my sailors appears with the ID card. He had pulled it from the computer in order to try and find the sailor who left it behind (you can't get into the dining hall without it and you shouldn't leave the card lying around). No malicious intent. You'd think the sailor who left the ID would now tuck his tail between his legs, realize the error of his ways, and apologize for creating such a ruckus. But no..... So we gave him formal counseling, reinforcing the importance of using the chain of command at all times. I even spoke to him offline, trying to get him to understand that his paranoia is unfounded. No luck.
P.S. I went to the Skipper to let him know that the ID card was found and that the sailor had not followed my earlier direction of waiting until after lunch. In turn the Skipper apologized and shared with me his reasons for storming about. We have a good working relationship and I know the CO isn't usually a bull in a china shop. Again, only in the military.....

I biked to the swimming pool today. Although the temperature was about 105 degrees (F), it wasn't that bad riding. I definitely wouldn't run in that type of heat. Getting exercise at lunch makes the day go faster and gives me more time at night to relax.

It was an interesting day and all humorous in retrospect. Oh, yeah, I also slept through three alarms on my watch and missed this morning's meeting. It's obvious I wasn't there because I have a seat at the "table". It's the first time that happened and the Skipper didn't even mention it to me. However, I have to set the example for my folks so I better not do that again!!

It's late once again and time for bed. I hope everyone has a nice evening!

POOL, PIGEONS, AND A BOMB

2009-06-10T00:39:00.000-07:00

It's Tuesday evening and I have a few minutes before needing to attend a training class on communications.

I had a good weekend overall. The Supply Department invited another unit to a cook-out Sunday afternoon in appreciation of their assisting us with inventory a few months back. We held it by the outdoor swimming pool and cooked up a ton of ribs and burgers. We then ate inside so that folks could eat and swim as desired. Not what the old swimming warnings used to recommend but hey, this is Iraq. It was fun to see the troops, especially the older ones, jumping off the side of the pool trying to perform cannonballs . I played some water volley ball and enjoyed it immensely. Having the day off and just 'playing' , helped me to relax. It was also nice not to have to shave for one day. I plan to do this again for the Department.

This morning I was awaken by pigeons landing on my air conditioner at 5:00. Dawn comes early and on occasion the pigeons feel it their perogative to flit about noisily. I have to get up and bang the A/C or window in order to chase them off. Needless to say, I don't have this problem at home.

Late this afternoon, I received a call from another of our Supply yards on the base. Apparently they found an old artillery round that had been buried a long time ago. Who knows how long it had been there. One of our guys discovered it and reported it to EOD (Explosives Ordinance). EOD took it to an empty area of the Yard and blew it sky high. Thankfully everything turned out fine. No worries; just another day in Iraq. It's kind of funny since the yard where it was discovered is where we fill BOMs (Bill of Materials) and we always pronounce it like "Bombs".

I am a little lame today. I did my two mile run yesterday and my achilles tendon (I think) feels sore. It only happens when I run, so I have an excuse to not run this month's 5K. I did a late night work out (the advantages of having a gym 20 paces from the office and loft) and am now hoping to wake up at 3:00 AM to watch perhaps the final game between Detroit and Pittsburgh. I may be crazy but you don't get to watch hockey every day over here. Wish me luck in getting up and staying awake!!

I'll close it off now so I can get to bed. I hope everyone has a nice evening!!

SUNDAY AT THE OASIS

2009-05-31T14:15:00.000-07:00

It's Sunday morning and my only opportunity to sleep in, which I did. The week sped by quickly yet the end seems so far away. I made the decision to give some of the Supply folks the full day off. They deserve it.

Last night the Chief's Mess (Chief's organization, for those wondering) invited the Officers over for dinner, in part to celebrate the Skipper's soon to be promotion to Captain. There was chicken, ribs, and steak, all delicious. A beer, or the like, would have really made the dinner. Oh well, you can't have everything, especially in Iraq. I had a pizza with the dentist Friday night, which helps to break the monotony of the Dining Facility.

We (the Navy) lost a sailor this past week. He was a Reserve Commander working for the Army Engineers traveling in an armored Suburban. The vehicle ran over an IED and there was nothing to be done after that. He was a CEC (Civil Engineering Officer) as are almost all Seabee officers, so the loss was keenly felt. We have a memorial service for him this week. Those I have spoken to agree that it was foolish to travel in an SUV, even when it's uparmored. It's too low to the ground and can't absorb that type of explosion. We've seen and heard of a number of MRAP attacks and in almost all cases, lives are saved that othewise were lost just a few short years ago. Our Battalion only travels in MRAPS and everyone has arrived back safely from convoys.

I have stayed in touch with another officer I met when mobilizing. He went to Peru, lucky guy. I enjoy receiving his emails, talking about how much fun he's having. The first picture I received in an email was of him at a soccer game, with thousands of rabid fans in the background. Another time, he sent a picture of him with the ruins of Machu Picchu in the background. As jealous as I am of his adventures, I find humor in being able to curse him for having such a good time. And I let him know it too. I think we both take delight in that. Well, I put the 'pen' down, so to speak, for awhile, to take care of business and then a tour of Abraham's Oasis. It's located on base, near the Euphrates, about halfway between the ancient cities of Ur and Haran . The oasis is mentioned by name in Islamic writings, although no specific stops on Abram's journey are referenced in the Bible or Quran. Still, it's one of the few stops for fresh water in an otherwise barren land, and it's reasonable to believe that Abraham stopped here to drink, bathe, and water his flocks. The tour was a culmination of four Sunday discussions of the three religions that considered him to be the father of monotheism; Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The area was virtually unsettled for thousands of years until the early 1900s.However, in 1985, former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein used the land surrounding the oasis to build an air base and paid the villagers to relocate. As years passed and the air base grew to totally envelope the oasis, it became neglected and unkempt. In 2003, coalition forces gained control of the Al Asad Air Base, and two years later U.S. service members began picking up the trash and debris that had collected at the oasis, restoring dilapidated buildings and cleaning up a small cemetery containing the remains of veterans of the Iran-Iraq War. It was a nice to step away from the typical arid beige vegetation to something more lush and green. The families that lived by the oasis planted many date palm trees which are very tall today. The actual pond of water is small but teeming with tiny fish. It was a pleasant way to spend the afternoon, just wandering the oasis.

My friend from Peru sent me an email from a friend of his in Baghdad, describing the different types of military folks working in Iraq and how they spend their free time. I felt it worth passing on and hope you enjoy it: 1) The Workaholic, at work until 11 PM each night cranking out more and more PowerPoint slides because there is nothing else to do, or you find the work fascinating, or your boss is a micromanaging idiot, 2) The Gym Rat, hopped up on Myoplex and protein shakes, whose goal is to bench 450 lbs and run a 6:00 mile on the treadmill by the time they leave as well as trying every new MWR-offered yoga, 6-pack abs and spinning class offered, 3) Siskel & Mohammed, watching the Top 1000 movies of all time on DVD including pirated movies from China (like the new Star Trek) weeks before they're even released stateside, 4) The Skype Junkie, calling home or friends for free via the Internet every night until the laptop battery runs out, 5) The Iraq Expert (self-proclaimed), the kind of guy that keeps up with "everything Iraq" but isn't interested in learning the language, the culture, or interacting with the people, just repeating what T.E. Lawrence said about the Middle East back in 1916, 6) Amazon.com Platinum Club, ordering books by the baker's dozen in order to catch up on 1) the classics, 2) any book claiming to make sense of this war because you don't feel like you get it yet, and/or 3) the "Twilight" series that you never would have had time to read at home, 7) Sun Tzu Armchair Warrior, knocking out the entire Naval War College Joint Professional Military Education Phase I course of instruction by the time you leave, 8) Christians in the Lion's Den, there's church on Sundays, choir practice, Bible studies, chaplains to see and charities to support every day of the week if you like, 9) Playstation War on Terror gang, playing first person shooter video games on their 225" plasma TVs at 15,000 decibels, shooting up Al Qaeda one restart at a time, and finally 10) A "Fobbit", someone who just likes to hang around the FOB (Forward Operating Base), doing a little Internet here, a little coffee at the Green Bean Cafe there, shoots a few hoops on the basketball court, drops off laundry at KBR every two days instead of five, but has never seen anything of Iraq besides work, the FOB, and the shuttle bus.

I thought the 10 types had some humor (and reality). I am running out of humorous things to say so I look for it anywhere I can. It's about 11:15 PM and I'm watching the Nedal/Soderling tennis match, already knowing the outcome but wanting to see how Nedal gets beat on clay. I'd like to watch the 2nd game of the Pittsburgh/Detroit series but that's on about 2:00 AM. Bummer. I hope everyone had a nice weekend!! Sorry for the length of today's blog. Take care.

THE BEGINNING OF SUMMER

2009-05-22T11:24:00.000-07:00

It's Friday night and normally at this time I'm either at relaxing at home with the family, going to synagogue, or given it's Memorial Day weekend, hanging out at the outdoor pool that just opened. So Happy Memorial Day weekend. Have a nice weekend but take a moment to remember what it's really about.

It is now getting into the hot weather season and it can get warm here. I'm in my air conditioned office much of the time but I do get out to see what's going on in the compound. It's hot just for those few minutes. A few days ago it was over 107 degrees. I have this image of the movie, "The Chronicles of Riddick" with Van Diesel. One part of the movie takes place on a 'prison' planet (think Australia many years ago) where the prisoners are kept many miles below the surface. When the sun rises, anything on the surface is immediately burned to a crisp, including humans. Iraq's not that hot, thankfully. We haven't seen the worst of the heat yet so I'm getting psyched for the full effect. I guess I need to experience 'really hot' so when someone says it's hot in Atlanta, I can tell them they have no idea.

I rode my bike to the pool and swam again. While I don't sweat much even in the middle of the day, my mouth gets really dry. Again, the lack of humidity plays out differently than back home. Tomorrow I run in the monthly 5K run. Many of my Supply folks participate so I must keep face and do the same. Last week I watched a bunch of guys compete in the strong man competition. Wow!! There were some incredible lifting challenges and I could only watch in awe. It turns out that endurance is as important as strength. I think some of those guys learned that lesson the hard way.

I had an interesting experience at work recently. One of my enlisted personnel felt there was some disrespect going on in the chain of command. It turns out some time ago that a few of my Leading Petty Officers (LPO) and Chief have said a few things out loud about me that this enlisted sailor heard and recorded on paper (he tends to keep notes). So I'm reading his notes and wondering how I should feel about this. Actually I wasn't mad at all. I almost find it humerous upon reflection. I told myself a few years ago that I would not concern myself about people's opinion of me as long as I was fair, honest, and respectful of them. After that, it's all about getting the mission done. I'd like to earn their respect for being fair and honest, but I never expected to feel the 'love'. So I was hardly offended at the comments. Frankly the issue was not what they said about me but the danger of showing disrespect publicly. It's detrimental to good leadership, plain and simple.

Part of the challenge is that I was 'parachuted' in at the last minute to the unit, I am quite a few ranks more senior than they are used to, and I am not as pliable as a junior officer would be. They (the enlisted Supply leadership) have been in the Battalion for many years and have probably, for the most part, given direction to the Supply Officer. So I understand where they are coming from. Anyways, I met with my Chief to discuss the issue and approached it in a very positive manner. I explained how much I appreciate his expertise and that the Department would not be the success it is without his knowledge and leadership. I repeated my modus operandi of asking for their input on key decisions. However, that does not mean I will automatically do what they recommend. I do consider their advice and then make the best decision I can, based on all the facts I have at hand. Once I make that decision, I expect it to be carried out as one team with no dissent. I explained that it's important that the junior enlisted only know the final decision, not what went on behind closed doors. He understood. I told him to work with the LPOs and make it a general leadership training topic as opposed to pointing fingers. If things weren't challenging out here, something would probably be wrong. Other departments have had discipline issues resulting in Captain's mast (where punishment is meted out). We've been fortunate to avoid that.

We get another day off this weekend in honor of Memorial Day. That means a cook out of burgers (yeh burgers) at noon, followed by Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning off. That, is a good weekend for us. All that's missing is the beer or in my case, the cider.

My hockey team lost in the playoffs but certainly gave a great accounting of themselves. I'm still trying to catch the playoffs on TV. I just don't want to get up at 3:00 in the morning to see it. Hopefully this weekend I'll catch some games.

Loretta's sister, Carol, is in from Calgary and the family is delighted to have her with them. Erica graduates Saturday and so Carol will be there to see this exciting event. She will be with the girls for 10 days so it should be a nice visit. Congratulations Erica! Hannah has finished Grade 7 and has one more year of Middle school, then off to High school. She had a good year. Great work Hannah!

I've got to get my beauty sleep for tomorrow's 5K run. It's not too far but I don't run well in the AM. I need more time to lubricate my joints but at least it won't be too hot at that time of day.

Again, have an enjoyable Memorial Day Weekend.

SUMMER IS COMING....SOMETIME

2009-05-14T10:58:00.000-07:00

I keep preparing for the summer blast and the weather keeps toying with me. It's like expecting rain and it never comes. We're hovering in the 90s and in fact it's supposed to hit 99 degrees F in just a few days. I thought we'd be well into the 100s by now. Not that I'm arguing.... We are advised to keep hydrating and while I think I am, these light headaches and other indicators tell me I need to drink more. I am being tricked by the fact there is little humidity here. I ran 5 miles the other day and sweat less than I would playing 5 minutes of tennis in Atlanta. Don't worry Loretta, I will start drinking more to keep on top on this. In the meantime, the weather is survivable. It's actually quite comfortable in the early AM and tolerably comfortable in the evening. I rode my bike to the pool today and although my mouth was dry, I didn't feel too hot.

What other little anecdotes can I share with you? Well, for one thing, I met with some sailors from a sister Seabee unit in the South of Afghanistan. They were sent her to scour our construction yard for things needed back in Afghanistan. We're closing up shop (in the months ahead) and they're just getting started. We have the benefit of living and working at an established base whereas they are building from the ground up. They sleep in tents with bunk beds. We sleep in comfortable trailers or the like, with a maximum of two persons per room. I doubt they have anything near the amenities we have here, including better dining halls and recreation facilities. Apparently they have a gym the size of a postage stamp. We have a decent gym right in our camp and an even bigger one "downtown". I am very fortunate to be in Iraq, never mind the risk of attack being greater in Afghanistan. Although I could die of boredom at times, I won't ever complain about how lucky I am overall. Now, if I could only drop some weight......

The Chaplain is not only our Batallion spiritual leader but also someone to share your thoughts and concerns with at times of need. I hear he is a very busy man these days. I haven't seen him out and about these days. He used to linger around the smoke pit, puffing on his pipe. I think he's overwhelmed and the sad part of it is there's no escape. It's not like a psychiatrist that calls it a day and goes home (a real home). He can't even go out for a drink.

Ocassionally there are Command investigations to look into improper behavior. Every unit has it's share of these and I did some (investigations) back in Rota. My Junior Officer assistant is investigating one now. It's a kind of a funny situation but the results may not be for the person involved. When you're in the military and deployed like this, there is no such thing as "off the clock". You can't misbehave on your own time. Everyone knows this but "stuff" still goes on.

Our CSE (Convoy Security Escort) teams consist of young, highly motivated guys, eager to carry out the dangerous duties. They escort our work teams that carry out construction projects. The construction folks are probably a little older and then there's the HQ folks like me, that are typically even older. I definitely have more years of Service (and age) than most of the folks here but that's also a reflection of my rank.

The last little story I'll share is in regard to our Safety goals. The military takes safety very seriously. The words 'military' and 'safety' are an oxymoron but outside of combat, the miltary is very concerned about keeping people safe. We even have an office and personnel dedicated to just that role. Like you see in construction sites, we post the number of accident free days accumulated. The highest we've ever had is 15 days. None of the accidents were life threatening but with the work we do, they're bound to happen often enough. Most days, in the morning staff meeting, the Safety Officer tells us the current count. When we hit the 10 day mark there were nervous jokes about how we might actually get past the 15 day mark. Well, sure enough on the 16th day, the Safety Officer stood up and announced that an accident occured the night before. It wasn't even work related. Some young sailor decided he could jump a dirt berm with his bicycle and ended up sailing (notice the pun) over his handlebars and breaking his collar bone. I'm sure if he knew about the safety record he wouldn't have attempted the jump....yeh right!!

I've dribbled on long enough and if you're hanging in this long with me, you must either be family or have time on your hands!! But thank you none-the-less. Take care!!

TIME OF CELEBRATION

2009-05-08T11:28:00.000-07:00

I may be in Iraq but the celebration of life events goes on at home. Hannah is turning 13 tomorrow, Mother's Day is Sunday, and Erica graduates on the 23rd of this month. So Happy Birthday Hannah, Happy Mother's Day Loretta, my mother and Loretta's Mom, and congratulations to Erica on graduating Lassiter High School shortly. I send my love and congratulations to my family. We'll celebrate again when I get home.

It's been a busy week in that the days seem to fly by. I've been going to 'school' for various certifications I need and a Seabee Pin (also called a "Bug") I'd like to earn. It's a little overwhelming to spend several hours a day (and night) learning new things while carrying out my regular duties. I now have an Assistant Supply Officer aboard to take some of the load, although that entails a certain amount of work as well.

Overall, the work is going well. We're almost finished inventorying every piece of equipment and supplies that we own and ahead of schedule. Almost as soon as that's done, we are already planning for the contingency of being the last Seabee Battalion here. Nothing's definitive yet, but we are planning for the 'worst' case. From a work load perspective, Supply has the most "stuff" to move out, so we're in the spotlight. As usual, it's just another challenge.

Tomorrow is a special day for us. Instead of the usual 6.5 days of work a week, we will be off Saturday afternoon through Sunday morning. That may seem ridiculous by civilian standards but this is a treat. One day off!! It's also funny to think you expect someone to answer their phone late at night but it's true. I went to dinner tonight and came back around 8:00 PM. There was a message from someone else saying that I could call them up to 10:00 PM. Most of the senior enlisted and officers go back to work for a few hours after dinner to catch up on extra work. It's just how things work around here.

Last week, we had a long ball golf driving contest to raise money for MWR (Morale, Welfare, and Recreation). I hadn't played golf in a very long time but then I suspect others hadn't either. I was in for fun, whatever the cause or opportunity. The MWR team found a long, flat, open field and placed cones for out of bound markers. Somehow they came up with 5 drivers (who plays golf here) and I supplied the balls (remember I'm in Supply - don't ask). I came in a little late so some had already driven. I must say that I was pretty rusty and shanked 3 of the five balls. But 1 of my shots went straight and true for 285 yards, including some rolling. I had first place and the honor of the Supply Department at stake. Unfortunately, there were other challangers (and repeat ones) with better skills and I ran out of time and money to reclaim my rightful place. I settled for 2nd place with a vow to redeem myself once again.

Saturday afternoon, Supply will have a cook out in celebration of Mother's Day. We do have a fair contingent of mothers who I'm sure miss their kids vey much. We hope this celebration will ease their pain a little. We're cooking T-Bone steak that we inherited from the previous Battalion. With a little luck and a professional chef aboard, I am counting on the first good steak since I arrived. For a fait accomplis, I would only ask for a cold cider to wash down the food. Alas, no alcohol is allowed on base.

We finally opened our Battalion Barber Shop for business. I insisted on being the first customer. Our barber is actually a hair stylist instructor in the civilian world so I knew I was in good hands. I did notice more gray hair than usual falling on the cape. But that's life.

Well, once I again I need to say goodbye. It's late here while it's only mid-afternoon for those back in the USA. I'll write again in a few days. Until then......

OUTSIDE THE WIRE

2009-04-27T00:01:00.000-07:00

On Saturday I took a trip outside the wire to see what life is like in Iraq and to observe some of our projects. We headed in a convoy to Lake Thar Thar about a 3 hour drive from Al Asad. We had built a temporary boat ramp to address the loss of the permament ramp, which was no longer functional due to drought.

I was assigned as a passenger to a MRAP (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected), the newest armored vehicle designed to protect against IEDs and most other forms of attack. It carries a crew of 4, including a gunner. I was accompanied by another passenger who coordinates these projects. We wear full body armor including helmet and are buckled into a 3 point seat harness. If anything happened, we were fully prepared for it.

The MRAP has rectangular bullet resistant windows, which allowed us to see out as we were traveling. Most of what we saw was the typical beige sandy landscape but closer to the Euphrates River there was significantly more greenery, including grass and Date Palm trees. There were also some orchards but we didn't see any fruit on the trees. Garbage is strewn everywhere, something I see often in other 3rd world countries. We passed through several small towns where people were out and about. They seemed unconcerned with our presence, focusing more on their livelihood. There was a fair amount of police and military presence in and outside of towns. In some areas we saw a single soldier standing a post and in other areas we spotted groups of soldiers manning roadblocks. For the most part, we went around those. We also saw homes, some of which were large, others which were very simple. A landscaper would not do well in these parts. These homes all sit on dirt or gravel.

We were able to walk around the project site at Lake Thar Thar. The lake is very pretty and I was entranced by the nice blue color of the water. Something different than beige!! You can see a picture of the lake and dam in the attached picture. I'm told that the lake was off limits to the fishermen until now. We did see some of their boats, which are fairly simple in design. I don't think they even use a motor.

We headed back after about an hour with the additional construction equipment loaded on the flat bed. We were making good progress until one of the trucks broke down. We had to stop by the side of the road several times in an attempt to fix the engine. Each time we had to position our vehicles tactically to keep some distance from each other and to be on the look out. The gunners up in their cupolas would keep their weapons aimed at distinct positions so that everyone had an assigned field of fire. For the most part we would allow the Iraqi vehicles to pass us. Several years ago, that would have been an unacceptable threat. Now, we try to minimize inconveniencing the population. Some of the Iraqis were afraid or unsure if they could pass us. Sometimes when we stopped on the highway, they would turn around and go back against the traffic, then cross over to the other side and proceed against traffic again. I guess they must have known what they were doing because no one was blowing their horn and there were no accidents.

We did see a number of kids playing by the side of the road and they were waving to us. For the most part, the Iraqi's either paid no mind to us or were friendly. We didn't notice anyone being unfriendly and there were no hostile actions against us.

Given we were now towing the broken vehicle at very slow speeds, and no wrecker was going to meet us, we decided to drop the vehicle off at a small base not too far from Al Asad. While there, we had dinner and I definitely will not complain about our set up at Al Asad any more. We finally rolled into AA at about 10:30 PM, almost 13 hours after we began. I was really patient about the whole thing because you learn not to expect anything to happen according to plan. While wearing body armor and being strapped in a car seat for 13 hours is not my idea of fun, it was a great experience overall. I now have seen one of our projects, I understand how a convoy works, and I had a chance to see Iraqi life outside the wire. A great deal of our Seabees work outside the wire every day, either leading convoys or working on the construction projects. I have a lot of respect for the work they do. Many of the Battalion members were here in 2005 when conditions were much rougher. They had to wear their body armor while working, with mortar rounds falling around them. The situation is much different now but we still take the threat of an attack very seriously.

One funny note to this situation. While traveling on convoy, there are no truck stops or restaurants that we can pull up to and use their bathrooms. So we have to pull over to the side of the highway. We were instructed to basically walk up to the middle of the truck on the right side of the vehicle (closest to the edge of the road) and pee against the tires. Personally, I do better with trees, but this was the first time I was ordered to pee on a vehicle. Fortunately, no one could see us from the road. I'm told that females have to scoot in between the tires and squat with someone holding a sheet around them so no one can see. Such is life in the military.

That's my adventure and I hope they don't get more wild than that. Today I rode my bike to the pool and went swimming over lunch hour. It will never match the fun of swimming in our outdoor pool at home, but it will do for now.

I hope everyone is doing well at home and enjoying the beautiful Spring weather. It's getting into the 90's here now, but thankfully without humidity.

Take care!!

HOW I CAN TELL THE DAYS OF THE WEEK

2009-04-19T11:49:00.000-07:00

Hello all! It's Sunday, which means I get to sleep in for one day of the week. The rest of the week goes the same but Sunday means a half day off. I hope we work ourselves into getting every Sunday off. I guess I'll have to make that happen for my Department.

I've been interviewing all of my enlisted personnel to get a better idea of their past military experience, what they do in civilian life, their family life, and their future plans for the military. It's been a good way to get to know them better, to be aware of their state of mind while here, and to suggest ways to get them promoted or to achieve whatever their goals are. They are all a great bunch of folks. Wow, do they work hard.

Sundays are generally more relaxed with a 1:00 staff briefing. Normally we start our briefs at 0730. We go around the table and generally pass word on our Department or Company status. The S-2 (Intelligence) also puts out word on recent events outside the compound that we have general interest in. Occasionally, he'll put on a brief about another country for our general education. It's all quite interesting to learn about their population, ethnicity, economy, politics, and other tidbits that can't be mentioned here.

It was a beautiful day, with nothing but sunshine and temperatures in the 70's. Much like Atlanta today, I suspect. I'm just waiting for the temperature to soar. I try to get out of the office for breaks and to see what's going on around the base but for the most part, I am office bound.

I did go swimming last night. Other than forgetting my goggles, it was a nice outing. It's not easy trying to swim with your head above water. Today I did some quick pull ups, dips, and sit ups before dinner. I have to feel like I want to eat. Tonight I tried their Phillipino cuisine, which wasn't bad. It's not like what I remember in Spain when the Phillipino wives cooked up some great treats.

The dentist and I were coming back from dinner (I usually have a vehicle and give him a ride) and asked him to help me move some furniture around from my old room to the one next door. I am going to set up my deputy in the middle room as my old end room gets too dusty. When I opened my old room it almost felt like I was at the beach. Sand was everywhere. When we tilted the wardroom on end, sand poured off the top onto my clothes and boots. It's really quite hilarious. You can only laugh at the situation. So now my deputy will have a less sandy room with better furniture. Oh by the way, Supply has control of all of the rooms so I can make those things happen.

Another suicide took place earlier this week. We can always tell because communications get shut down until the next of kin are notified. It wasn't on our base but in one of the others in the AOR (area). It's sad that they don't see what good things life has to offer them after Iraq. The military is very concerned about this as are all of us individually. Thankfully, I have a mature bunch of sailors that have good lives and people waiting for them at home. Some of these young folks can't picture their lives outside of their current situation. I know I have a loving family and friends waiting for me back home along with a lot of fun things I want to do.

We had a 5K fun run the other day and mst of my Supply folks were running. I was encouraged to run with them but I don't like running first thing in the morning. So I got up early to see them off, then walked to the dining hall and proceeded to stuff myself, then meet them back at the finish line. There they were, all feeling very proud of themselves, and me feeling very fat and guilty for not running. So I'll do the next one with the group, creaky knees and all. At least I'll feel better when it's over.

I still need to get that golf thing going......

I think that's enough for tonight. It's almost bed time. Oh yeh, I can also tell it's Sunday because I change the bed sheets and wet mop the floor every Sunday. You'd be surprised how well I sleep on such a crappy mattress. The only problem is when I wake up in the morning and have to flee to the ablution trailer to take a pee. I do miss the convenience of a bathroom in my house!! Oh another story. We have a watch post set up at one of the main berthing areas for our Battalion. Their little post faces the bathroom trailer. Apparently the watch standers were keeping score of how many times each person was going to the bathroom in the middle of the night. Somehow word got out so that game is over for now.

Good night everyone!!

I SEE RED

2009-04-15T05:12:00.000-07:00

The big sand storm has arrived (kind of). It's not blowing like in the movie Hidalgo, but the sand is in the air, making the sky very hazy and red (you really can't see the sky). Yet it's not very windy. Even when driving in the the middle of the day, everyone's headlights glow brightly. We all wear sun glasses or goggles and/or face coverings.

I heard from the Captain of our hockey team that we are in first place. I miss hockey more than any other sport I play. I hope they win the playoffs.

As I mentioned last time, I am trying to do any activity that mixes up the daily routine. Last week I was walking the "Yard" (supply area) and noticed that a set of golf clubs in a container. I was in the chapel yesterday and noticed a shoe box full of practice golf balls that someone sent out here (why and how did it end up in the chapel?). Thinking of those 2 things, along with a net (possibly for golf or pitching) I found in the "Yard", it seems inevitable that I set up some sort of practice tee. I haven't decided if I should make it a sand trap or use a rug to simulate grass. It should be fun to try out. If nothing else, I'll improve my sand game.

Work is going fine. We are very busy conducting inventories of everything we have while higher echelon is asking for updates faster than we can provide. I invite them to come out and help. Our folks are doing a great job and I appreciate their hard work.

I can't think of much else to say at this point so I'll sign off for now. Regards to all!

BREAK THE ROUTINE

2009-04-09T03:54:00.000-07:00

We had Passover dinner last evening and about 30 folks showed up. Some Jewish, most were not. The fellow sitting beside me was a civilian from Detroit, of Syrian descent. He has close ties to the Jewish community there (I think he's Christian, not Moslem) and wanted to attend the Seder. The Rabbi was very entertaining, explaining the reasoning behind many of the traditions of Passover as well as its history. We had all of the traditional foods, eggs, greens, bitters, matzo ball soup, charoset, and yes, even gefilta fish. To those unfamiliar with gefilta fish (just saying it is diffcult), it is a white fish that is basically made into a oval shape and stuffed in a jar with clear jelly to preserve it. Believe it or not, it doesn't taste too bad but most of us just eat it this one time of the year. At the end of the meal, the Rabbi had us singing non-traditional songs that spoke to the history of Passover, but using popular tunes such as several Beatles hit songs, the Flinstones, Some of My Favorite Things, A Spoonful of Sugar, etc.... It was fun as everyone knew the tunes and the words were printed for us.

I now have several dozen boxes of matzo for future distribution to anyone wanting some. We also received several dozen boxes of kosher Beef Goulash that can be stored on the shelf for years. It's similar to MRE (Meals Ready to Eat) that the military issues except these are kosher. I had such high hopes for these meals since kosher meat is usually the best kind. After heating it up and tasting it, I must conclude that MREs taste better. There was too much fat on the meat and not enough meat. Also the total fat is 43% of daily value, saturated fat, 59% , and cholesterol, 34%. I could eat a Haagen-Dazs ice cream bar for less fat content and be much happier in the process.

I must be running out of things to say given that I'm rambling on about meals. Speaking of which, it get pretty routine here for meals. I've tried eating at the 3 different dining facilities, Burger King, and very occasionally Pizza Hut (doesn't taste like Pizza Hut). I've missed meals to try and make the other meal more appetizing. After awhile, it all feels the same. The food is good, I just feel like a goose on a conveyer belt getting fed, to eventually be turned into pate.
So today, I went for a run at lunch and got a haircut, anything to break up the routine. Tomorrow afternoon I'll try swimming again. Given the limited places we can go and a 6.5 day work week, everything blends into eachother. I just keep reminding myself why I am here. It could be worse.

Well I must shower now and pop back into my uniform. I wish for once I could eat dinner in my PT gear. Rules are rules. Take care......

OF MICE AND SNAKES

2009-04-08T06:06:00.000-07:00

Well it's another windy day in paradise. Not really a sand storm but lots of wind. You have to be careful opening some doors. If you let go, they'll fly off the hinges. I really hate the wind because I cannot wear my contact lenses. I have nice glasses but they never feel the same as contacts.

Today is first night of Passover. I've been involved with the Jewish Chapel here assisting with Passover preparations. We have a Jewish Chaplain (Rabbi) who flew in from the States. He makes it his goal to be with the troops during the Holidays. His family must be understanding.

We've been receiving tons of Passover goodies from the military and mainly civilian groups back in the States. It's nice to know we are being remembered, particularly at this time of year. So I have no worries about eating matzo all this coming week. There's also preparations for Easter going on.

Every unit has a chaplain whose job is not only to provide religious services but to be a supporting hand to the individual sailor and Marine that needs to talk to someone. I don't condone smoking cigarettes but in this case our chaplain's pipe (tobacco) habit has served him well. You can pick up a fair bit of information by the smoke pit (actually it's a gazebo) and so the Chaplain can get a sense of the unit's morale by just hanging out. He's a good sort, easy to talk to, and ready to take or give a joke. He's also had to deal with serious issues along the way, including providing training on suicide prevention. Unfortunately, there's been too many deaths by suicide of young soldiers this year. None from our Battalion but we are always on the alert. Being away from home, not having a regular life, combat stress; all of these are potential catalysts that can lead to suicide. We are all involved in learning the signals and to helping our fellow sailor/soldier who may be in trouble.

On a happier note, I have a mouse friend in the Officer's wardroom. I was watching a movie last evening in the wardroom, which is a room with a large TV, movies, books, a fridge, and microwave, just reserved for the officers (we're not elitist, the Chiefs and 1st Classes have their own facility as well). It really belongs to the Junior Officers (JOs) but all officers can use it. When we took it over from the previous Battalion it was a little dusty and had tons of old boxed food in it. It should have all been thrown out then. On top of that, the JOs had a cook out two weeks ago and left the buns sitting in the wardroom. They weren't moldy but were certainly stale. So I'm watching the movie and I hear tiny sounds. I look over and there's a really cute mouse nibbling on the food. Of course there's the accompanying mouse poop and potential for problems. Just yesterday, we were sent an advisement to keep our spaces clean as during this time of year the snakes like to come out. And they like the rodents. So where there's mice, there's going to be snakes. So I wrote an email to the Senior JO strongly suggesting he organize the other JOs to clean up the mess. He took care if it this morning. But what a cute mouse. Hannah/Erica, don't worry, the mouse will find another home!

I hope that everyone is doing well and coming out of the cold weather okay. Happy Passover to my Jewish friends and family and Happy Easter to all my Christian friends.

GUNS AND BUTTER DON'T MIX

2009-04-06T04:00:00.000-07:00

It's Monday afternoon in Iraq. I'm starting to try a few new things in order to avoid 'island fever' (staying on the base feels like a small island). On Saturday, I went swimming at the 25 meter pool. Although indoors, it is still a chilly 70 something degrees. It was a nice change of pace and I will try to keep up with it. I also looked into guitar lessons at MWR (morale, welfare, recreation) but it's in a large group, with few guitars. I strummed a few chords just to confirm that I have no idea what I'm doing. I'm not sure if I'll continue given that private lessons would be best.

The weather is nice these days. There hasn't been a sand storm in almost a week, a change from past weeks. The temperature is climbing into the low 80s, and the worst is yet to come.

I am hoping to visit Abraham's Oasis sometime soon. It's located on base and purported to be a stopping point for Abraham in his travels to the Promised Land. From the pictures I have seen, it's a lush green oasis with date trees. Aside from its biblical value, it truly is an oasis in a land of desert sand. I can't wait to see it just for the change of scenery.

Oh, okay, about the butter thing. I can't buy butter anywhere and I can't get it shipped in. So, occasionally I take some tiny butter cups (plastic bottom, paper top) from the dining hall to put on the bread I keep in the office. Several times, I've forgotten to take it out of my pocket but there's been no leakage. This time, I left 3 of them in my pocket for hours and with the hot weather..... I was getting out of my truck going to dinner when I felt something wet in my right pocket. At first I didn't realize it was butter until I put my hand in my pocket. Yuck!! I managed to clean out the mess, go to dinner, and then beg the Turkish presser to iron my other uniform right then. Thankfully I have 3 uniforms to wear but nothing else!!

I watched hockey on TV last night (Detroit vs. Minnesota). It was a great game with Detroit scoring the wining goal with less than 1 minute left in the game. It reminded me how much I miss playing the game. I need to see how my team is doing at home.

That's all for today. I hope everyone is doing well.

TURNING SUPPLY INTO CUSTOMER SERVICE

2009-04-02T00:24:00.000-07:00

Here's several personal notes followed by some Supply specific comments.

I was able to watch last night's ABC and NBC news this morning. It's funny to see them both on the same station, one after another. The military is allowed to basically rebroadcast anything as long as it doesn't provide paid advertising. Instead we get military advertising. It's not too bad a trade-off.

I guess even in Iraq we are not immune to April Fools jokes, with the Skipper pulling a fast one. We always have staff call at 0730 each morning with the Company Commanders and Department Heads, like myself. At 0730 sharp, the Master Chief yells, "Attention on Deck" and we all pop to attention until the Skipper walks in and says, "Seats" (then we sit). Well, on the 1st, he swapped roles with one of the Chiefs who looks kind of like him (similar height, complexion, both with shaved heads). He even gave him his reading glasses and shoulder holster to wear, et voila, instant skipper. It was very funny. The Chief ran the show like the skipper but he's not as humorous as our real Skipper. When the real Skipper had something to say, he'd suggest answers to the pretend skipper to say. We also recently received some Iraqi interpreters and the Intel officer pretended he had confiscated some illegal contraband from them. It was a fake magazine with one of our officer's picture on it and titles of articles to be found within the magazine. It was also very funny.

After the meeting, we frocked a new Chief. It means he gets to wear to rank but not get the pay until his date of promotion is permanent (in a few weeks). It's a big thing to make Chief and he was definitely made welcome by his fellow Chiefs. I'm sure they'll have a party in his honor but without alcohol.

They just installed air conditioning in my room and none too soon, I might add. It's starting to warm up. I can't imagine when it hits 120 degrees +.

It's the weekend coming up but it's just another work day for us. I received a care package from my brother and sister in-law from Calgary yesterday with all the Canadian foods you can't get here or even back in the US. For example, pure Canadian maple syrup, Aero chocolate bars, and Dad's Oatmeal cookies. Most of my US friends have no idea (other than the syrup) of these unique Canadian foods but they are good. I'm also getting several Passover packages as it's that time of year. I'll have more than enough matzo to eat for the next week.

As we get settled into our daily routine, I see areas for improvement within our department. I've observed our Supply folks now for several weeks and everyone of them is a hard worker. They are learning their jobs well and I can't say enough about their dedication. However, they are mainly technicians, concerned more about accountability and less about the value of customer service. We aren't profit driven like commercial business; it's just a matter of going that extra step to serve the customer. I am trying to get them to realize that you can have accountability while providing customer service. So I started with a Mission Statement that reads: TO PROVIDE EXCELLENCE IN CUSTOMER SERVICE WHILE ENSURING ACCOUNTABILITY. We had an interesting experience that reflects my plan to get them thinking more about customer service. Our chaplain came into the office, stating that two of his chairs were non-functional because the castors were broken. All my customer service rep heard was 'broken castors' and handed the chaplain a catalog for office parts, asking him to find the replacement parts. I heard about this from the chaplain afterwards. He wasn't upset, he just was letting me know. I went back to the office and found out that we had two fully functional chairs in inventory. I not only gave the Chaplain 2 new chairs but had a CSR bring them to his office. At the end of our day, I had all the Supply folks gather around for pass down and using this as an example (no names used), asked them what they thought the chaplain really needed when he said he had broken castors. I think one person got it; that he simply wanted working chairs. I also mentioned that while ordering castors is technically the right answer or perhaps one of several answers, there were other possible solutions inside and outside of Supply. Ordering the castors, by the way, would have taken another 3-4 weeks to receive. I suggested finding extra chairs that another office might have, or to look on our shelves to see what we have in inventory. I also suggested that if they had to buy from the catalog, not to simply hand it to the customer. Instead, they should help the customer find the item, especially when it's a chaplain. I have lots of work to do in this area and will keep bringing up tips and suggestions to improve our customer service. In the meantime, I'll have our Mission Statement prominently displayed in all of our workspaces and in the customer service area so as to let the customer know what we are about and to remind the Supply personnel that the customer is as important as maintaining accountability of our inventory. Well, enough about the business.

That's about it for now. I hope everyone has a nice weekend.

WE'RE ON OUR OWN NOW

2009-03-30T13:12:00.000-07:00

It's late Monday evening (early afternoon back home) here in Iraq. We're getting into a routine now so there's not a lot of new things going on. The previous Battalion just left so it's all on us now. I lost my eating buddy (the other Supply Officer) but gained my dentist friend who just came from Stateside. There aren't a lot of senior officers in the Battalion so I have limited options for people to hang out with. The dentist is funny, so it will help to pass the time quicker.

I have moved into the loft above the Supply Office. I feel like the firemen who sleep in their firehouse and slide down the pole when they get a call. In my case, I just have to slide down my ladder. It's about as large as my previous room but better protected from the elements. It also has a TV (yeah) and linoleum floors vs. plywood. Speaking of TV, we only receive military channels which transmit a variety of American shows. One channel show CNN and then later in the day flips to FOX News. I guess they feel it reaches out to all political spectrums. Right now Jay Leno is on, probably from a show a few days ago. Next is David Letterman on the same channel. Nothing is on the same schedule as in the US.

We've been having a bunch of sand storms here. They say it's unusual to have this many but I'm told they can get even worse. It just gets hazy and very windy. The sand doesn't cut you up or get into your hair but it's not easy or comfortable to work outside. We sometimes have to suspend work until the winds settles down.

It's nice to be in Supply. We do have a few special perks that help make it a tad more comfortable. We have a kitchen area with fridge so that we can store things for later use. I have several chefs (in civilian life) who can cook up a storm. We'll put on a few special dinners for my folks and for other Battalion ocassions. I usually eat breakfast in the Supply area instead of driving to the dining hall.

Today I took a tour of the base laundry facilities run by contractors. We send all our laundry to them and it's part of my Supply responsibilities. They have row upon row of washers and dryers stacked on each other. I asked why I sometimes have green residue on my whites and that most of the clothes look dull after washing. The green is actually fabric softener that didn't quite soak in the wash and they use water from the river (filtered of course). But, hey, it's free and the clothes do smell okay. Beats scrubbing them on a rock by the river ourselves. The sand probably doesn't help with washing or the durability of these machines.

I'll try to think of some other "only in Iraq" experiences for the next time. In the meantime, I am doing fine, other than missing the family. The time is passing quickly and without much difficulty. I hope everyone on the homefront is doing well.

SAND OR SNOW, CHOOSE YOUR POISON

2009-03-23T23:12:00.000-07:00

It's Tuesday morning and all is well, except it sand day!! Sometimes I think I'd chose a foot of snow over the sand. I woke up to the sound of rain outside. It's wierd but everytime it rains here (which isn't often) the sound seems to remind me of falling buttercups ( the flowers). I don't know why, since I've certainly never seen any fall. At any rate, the sound of rain here is different from home. Rain always preceeds or follows a sand storm. In this case it preceeded one. It's not too windy out but visibility is definitely restricted. For safety reasons we have to either stand down from outside work or limit it. I wear my glasses as it's not worth fighting grit behind my contact lenses.

Yesterday was a better day for my morale. I think taking a run later in the day was good for the mind as well as the body. Although I do walk around quite a bit, I've been remiss on my workouts. It felt good to get back into it, especially after this cold I had for several days. I ran about 2 miles with the other Supply Officer here, at less than normal speed, but it was a good workout nonetheless. I need to keep it up if I am to play hockey again when I return.

Earlier in the day I had someone take a vey large bolt cutter to a very large lock and free some of the bicycles chained up here for months. It seems that past Battalions have bought bikes and left them behind at the end of their tour. I washed and oiled it, now I need to get the gears working. Once I figure that out, I'll use the bike to ride "downtown" to the gym and swimming pool. It will give me something different to do. I'll have to park it indoors to protect it from all the blowing sand.

I received a distance learning Navy course in the mail the other day. There are about a dozen books I have to read, aside from the work assignments I need to complete. It will keep me busy and should improve my promotion chances. I look forward to learning something new!!

The current Supply Officer here is ready to go home. Since we have essentially completed turnover and I now have the "chair", he's been driving me and himself nuts trying to figure out how to keep busy until their flight leaves. So his day is measured by the number of meals he's eaten and cigars he's smoked. It's been fun to hang with him but he definitely needs to get on that plane and head home. We're ready to run with the ball at this point. It's been interesting so far. I have not "practiced" Supply in many years so this is a good opportunity to get back into it. I no longer need to be in the weeds but it helps to keep up with it.

My day usually consists of a 0730 staff call, which allows all the Company Commanders and Department Heads (like me) to put word out. We also get intelligence briefings each morning along with the CO's feedback. We're then off to work by 0800, lunch around 1130, and dinner by 5:30 PM. I usually end up working in the evenings, checking emails, or talking with my Senior Chief about the day's events or things to do. Somewhere in there I try to get a work out. For a change of fair I ocassionally go downtown to eat at Pizza Hut or Burger King. Most days, I don't spend a nickel, and on average I'm lucky if I spend $3 a day. That's a pretty good savings plan. Most of what I will earn is also tax free, working in a war zone.

I am hoping to move into the "loft", a room above my Supply office. It protected from the elements so I don't have to come back to a sand covered room every night. It also has a TV and DVD player so I can catch up on the world news. I'll take it over as soon as the current Supply Officer leaves. Then maybe I can get more comfortable. I also try to grab a daily edition of the Stars and Stripes paper for world information.

I've received lots of emails from friends and family, thank you. It is nice to keep up with what's going on in everyone's lives. It keeps me closer to home. Erica turned 18 last Friday and had her Prom night. I wish I could have been there but I know she had a good birthday weekend with friends and family. I've been getting pictures from Hannah.

I'll call it another day for now. As always, more to follow.

LIFE IS ALMOST SETTLING INTO A ROUTINE

2009-03-20T00:40:00.000-07:00

We are still in the process of turnover between our Battalion and the previous one. Things are starting to get settled, as far as our work routine and life in general. There's really not much to the routine. I almost feel like a shipwrecked sailor on a island. There are few places to go or see on base (you don't go off base unless you're on a mission). There are few things to do. We typically work late hours, so other than a few hours of relaxation at night, that's about it. If I sound like I'm in a funk, that's probably about the size of it. On the other hand, I do appreciate this is war and again, it's about the mission. It's not built around my enjoyment.

I've had a cold the past few days. I'm really surprised I didn't get one earlier when we were on the field exercise or when we just arrived in Iraq. This too shall pass.

Last night, I finally broke down and got a haircut. I took the other Supply Officer to dinner at Pizza Hut as a way of saying thanks for helping me with the turnover. Afterwards we were passing the barber shop and I was debating on whether I was desperate enough to get a haircut there. I tried a few days ago but had to leave when I saw most of the guys getting all their hair cut off. They all talk about the convenience factor but I just can't bring myself to getting a buzz cut. I don't think it's vanity; I just can't stand the feeling of little to no hair. Loretta and the girls would argue my hair is already to short but there is a line in the sand for me. Well, anyways, somehow I had missed the fact that there was a beauty salon next door to the barber. My eyes lit up and I went in and asked if they cut men's hair. They said yes, for $5. Now Hassan may not be a Calvin (the guy who cuts my hair back home), but he did a pretty good job. He must have spent 20 minutes fussing with my hair, including a splash of Williams Electric Shave (like Aqua Velva) at the end. He even gave me a quick back and arm massage, which made me feel like putty. I must have really tense muscles these days.

Here's the funny part. As I'm getting my hair cut, 2 Marines walk in. I'm thinking it's odd that they would go to a beauty shop for a haircut since they usually have it cut high and tight. The first guy sits down in the chair, the girl pulls out what looks like a yard of dental floss, and does some fancy stuff with it on his eyebrows!! Then his buddy, who looks like a really tough guy, gets the same thing done. I was floored but figured it was the closest thing to R&R that they'll see for a year. Pretty wild.

I get depressed every time I walk into my hut. There is a fine layer of sand on everything, including clothing and electronics. I try to keep everything covered but it's about impossible. So I've decided to take the loft above my office for my room. It's much less dusty, has windows, and includes TV and DVD player. Originally my Supply Assistant, a LTJG, was going to take it but rank has its privileges. I think the previous JG told his Supply Officer that he would be better off separating his work space from living quarters. In hind site, it was a clever ploy to get the space for himself. So I'm hoping to take over the loft in another 3-5 days and start feeling better about my living conditions.

There are a number of off-road bicycles sitting outside the Supply Office. We think most are left over from previous Battalions. I will take my pick of the lot and start to use it to ride "downtown" to the gym and pool. That will help to break up the routine somewhat, although it won't match the road biking I used to do around Roswell. Some are locked up and no one has the key. The Seabee answer is to use the universal key, a bolt cutter.

Supply Officers are neither born nor bred in the Seabee community. Unlike CEC (Civil Engineering) Officers, we try not to spend much time in the community. It's a bit of a culture clash as to how they want to conduct business and how we are supposed to. The previous Supply Officer hates the Seabees (not personally) and can't wait to get back onto a ship. It's probably responsible for his 6 cigar a day nervous habit. I plan to limit my intake and make up for it in some other way. I have already butt heads with other Department Heads but am trying to keep it professional. Regardless, this will be a good Supply experience.

Well that's about it for now. It's hard to keep track of the days but I'm told we've been here for only a week and a half. I think I have a better idea when I count the number of shirts in the laundry bag. One day blends into the next.

Oh, it's Erica's 18th birthday today. It's hard to believe she's 18 or that we're getting that old that we have an 18 year old. Happy Birthday Erica.

Regards to all.

IN IRAQ AND THE FOOD IS FINE

2009-03-15T04:20:00.000-07:00

Well, I can now tell you more about my ultimate destination (not vacation). I am in Iraq at an airbase, outside of Baghdad. We arrived 3 days ago, at night, as usual. We took a C-17 from Kuwait and crammed it with our personnel and gear. You know it's uncomfortable enough traveling commercial air in non-business class seats. Now try it with full battle rattle (body armor). I felt like a canned sardine. You almost needed a can opener to pry us out. Thankfully I was on the aisle.

After the usual waiting to get checked in and find our bag, we got to our rooms around 5:15 AM, just in time for breakfast. I chose to go to bed and get some rest in advance of a 1:00 PM briefing. I actually felt pretty good when I woke up. Like any new place they all have their quirks. The bathroom trailer consists of sinks and urinals at one end and a row of toilets on the other. Some genius decided to make wide isles as you walk down the row of toilets on your right and left. However, they forgot to think about how much room someone needs between their knees and the door when they sit. For a small guy like me, my knees almost touch the door. My toes definitely poke out the bottom of the door. If you're tall, you better keep the door open. It's almost impossible to paper the toilet seat. The minute you turn back to sit down, you've probably knocked the paper off the seat.

I headed "Downtown" a little early so I could shop the Exchange for some items. It's nothing fancy, believe me and many of the items for sale are covered in sand. I have to keep reminding myself this is war time. We received our list of "do's" and "dont's" and then headed back for dinner. I guess they call this base "Camp Cup Cake" for a reason. There are 4 or so dining halls spread throughout the base. The one I use the most is absolutely monstrous, probably the size of a footbal field or larger. You can eat almost anything, except what you want most; home cooking. I can't say I'm starving out here but I sure do miss Loretta's cooking. There are a number of food lines so that you can get the usuals like pasta, or burgers, or a different meal each time. They have an okay salad bar and some fruit. You don't have to pay, it's all provided free by Uncle Sam. I laugh at the signs that say "Portion control in effect". I'll have to take a picture of a tray of food I ocassionally get. I do stay away from the deserts though and I'll be at the gym shortly.

So here's the sleeping arrangements. Most of the enlisted are in shipping containers, two to a room. It's actually better than it sounds They're wood lined and reasonably roomy. The more senior personnel get SWA Huts, which are really made of plywood with a corrugated roof. They're more roomy and I have no roomates. It's just a square room with a bed, locker, table, and chair. I do have a small fridge and will get a TV. The shower and bathroom trailers are close by but I have to get dressed to get there. Our Battalion work spaces are five minute away, so I have an easy walk over in the AM. Being Supply, we keep a stock of cereals and milk on hand so I eat breakfast there.

We're in the process of turnover with another NMCB unit (Navy Mobile Construction Battalion), which involves doing inventory before assuming responsibility for the items. I basically supply consumables, vehicle parts, tool kits, mail, laundry, and barber services to the Battalion. My senior Supply leadership, who works for me, have plenty of experience. I just throw my 2 cents in now and then. I'll also be trying to earn my Seabee pin and a Joint Service course in the next six months.

Every so often I try to do a reality check, reminding myself I am in Iraq and trying to gauge my feelings about it. I'm definitely not worried for my safety. I think it's harder just being away from the family and home. I am ready for the challenge of being a Supply officer here. Aside from missing the girls, I already miss the green grass and trees of Atlanta, and the idea of relaxing by the pool or lake. I keep thinking of the ocean and the beach, even though I am surrounded by the desert (go figure). It's austere here, no doubt, but I have it better than most.
My purpose here is to help us finish the job we started and to get everyone home safely. I continue to remind myself of the reason I am doing this and the inconveniences are diminished.

Another anecdote and I'll sign off. I have the end cabin, which is really part of a longer cabin meant to house 18 or so personnel in bunk beds. It's actually subdivided in 4 separate rooms or cabins. One usually has the benefit of a side window when you're the last cabin. Well, there are no windows in any of the cabins, probably for safety and ease of building reasons. What I do get, is lots of sand underneath the eaves when the wind kicks up. I bought a duster just so I could clean off the sand each night when I come back to my room. Frankly it's a loosing battle. Loretta is sending me some plastic sheeting so I can cover my desk before going to work each day. We had a sand storm the other day and thankfully I covered the bed with a ground sheet. Otherwise I would have gotten my wish of laying at the beach.

That's it for now. I hope everyone is doing well.

I Sell Body Armor for a Living but.....

2009-03-09T11:40:00.000-07:00

Another day in Kuwait. Today was a "sighting in day" where we had to make sure our rifle and pistol were sighted in correctly. Officers are rewarded with having to carry 2 weapons but I much prefer the pistol. I'll be able to stow the rifle once I get to our base in Iraq.

We drove about an hour to the firing range in the middle of the desert. The only thing I saw were camels, young and old, moving about. The weather was hot but not humid. It was also quite windy with sand blowing everywhere. Imagine sitting at the beach in Ft. Lauderdale on a windy day. It blows in your face (and everywhere else) and plays havoc on your weapons. While waiting for our turn to shoot, we practiced several shooting tactics, including the prone position. Try doing that with full body armor (front and sides) and a helmet to boot. I sell body armor for a living but wearing it all day long is not my idea of fun. I have a new found respect for all the war fighters who have to work in body armor day in and day out. At least I can say I understand their business and mean it.

We pulled out the MREs for lunch. Mine was beef stew. It was another great meal but I couldn't help think how much better it would be with a good Spanish Rioja or Bordeaux wine. Then I got to thinking I won't taste wine for another 6-7 months. That was hard to imagine.

When it came to my time to shoot. I had to carefully get down in the prone position, making sure I did not bury the barrel or magazine receiver in the sand. Then I had to get my cheek (face) on the butt stock, somehow overcoming the obstacles of the body armor below and helmet above. I am usually a good shot, but in this case I just wanted to get through this as soon as possible. Again, I have great respect for the guys who do this all the time.

The first responsiblity after shooting your weapon is to clean it. So as soon as we returned, following a nice shower, it was off to the armory to clean my pistol and rifle. Sand was everwhere. I was suprised the weapons worked at all. Now I have to carry both with me everywhere until we get to Iraq. There's no threat here. I just have to hold onto them whether I shower or write emails, such as now. The rifle is on the desk in front of me and the pistol under my arm. They're like another appendage! It reminds me of boot camp.

I had a nice dinner at the Dining Facility which offers almost anything you want, including great deserts and ice cream. I have held off until now, finally submitting to the desert gods with some vanilla ice cream (Loretta, I had a salad with tomatoes). If you don't like their dinner you can buy meals at the local Subway, KFC, Pizza Hut, or McDonalds on base. A touch of home!

Well it's late here and I must catch up on my beauty sleep. More to follow in the days ahead.

ALMOST THERE

2009-03-07T10:50:00.000-08:00

It's a race against time. Can I keep my eyes open long enough to finish this blog entry? Time will tell.

Well, I can tell you now I'm in Kuwait. We took a contract airline to Bangor Maine, then onto Leipzig Germany, and finally onto Kuwait, where we will remain for a short time. It's a good opportunity to acclimatize ourselves to the desert before moving onto our final destination. There's definitely sand everywhere.

The trip was long but uneventful. I am bunking with about 12 other officers but it's temporary. Life is okay with hot showers and flushing toilets. The food is excellent and available 24 hours per day so I have to watch what I eat. My stomach is still trying to adjust. I am adjusting to the 11 hour change in time zones fairly well. I think most of my bunk mates are already asleep. I will follow shortly.

Not much else is new. The next blog should be coming from Iraq. Until then, be well.

2009-02-28T13:24:00.000-08:00

Well, I'm back from the field exercise, having survived 5 days without a shower and only MREs (Meals, Ready to Eat) to eat. I've done this in my early Canadian military career but it gets harder (mentally) as you get older. The purpose of the exercise was to evaluate our readiness to move forward. We had to show that we could defend our encampment and convoy movement from attackers.

As far as living conditions, imagine walking into a giant field in pitch darkness (no lights allowed), with ankle deep mud, and not knowing where you're supposed to go. That was my experience the 2nd day of the exercise. After finding my way to the Supply area, I located a shipping container where 4 of us lay down our sleeping gear. That night, I was greeted by a cacaphony of snooring by at least 2 of the folks in the container. That went on another 2 nights. I should have set up my tent! I got more sleep than most (benefits of being in Supply) so I really have nothing to complain about. Also, given the serious nature of our mission, this was an important training evolution.

MREs aren't that bad to eat. There's a large selection to choose from and the entree is hot. It comes with a plastic sleeve that holds a slender heating pad. You activate the heating pad with just a few ounces of water. You pour the water in, insert the packaged entree into the plastic sleeve, wait 5 minutes et voila. I had spaghetti and meat sauce, chicken dumpling, and penne pasta. It also comes with a lot of extras to round out the meal.

During the exercise, we had to wear our tactical body armor with full plates, front and sides, and helmet. I've been selling the stuff for years; now I can relate to the soldier wearing them. It is very heavy and limiting in movement. Protection definitely comes at a cost. Hopefully we won't have to wear it very often in the future.

The past few days have been the Supply show. We've been issuing desert uniforms and helping folks send back any uniform and personal items not needed for our final destination. While we've made our physical transition from Woodland to Desert uniforms, I think we are going through a similar mental transition. No one talks about it or seems tense. In fact most are ready to move forward, having begun preparing for this in early December. Most of the guys have gotten very short haircuts, somewhat a reflection of their warrior attitude. It's hard to believe these are all Navy guys. I think, in fact, they are more like Marines than Navy. I'm a holdout, however, and will go for a short but not "shortest" haircut. I'm ready to move forward as well because it means getting home sooner to my family. Regards to all!!

2009-02-19T21:17:00.000-08:00

It's late Thursday night and the week has flown by. Funny, the first week seemed to go on forever. Fortunately today I had some time to take care of personal business. For the first time as well, I was able to get in a workout during the day. It was a very nice day, indeed. I hope the same weather holds for the exercise.

Tomorrow evening I drop off my gear which will be transported to the exercise site. It includes typical camping gear, body armor, and of course TP. One must be prepared! We then report at 0400 Saturday, 4:00 AM for you civilians, to await movement to the exercise. I'll get to bed early and hope to sleep on the bus (I hope it's a bus).

I don't have much of a role in the exercise so I will try to learn more about what the Seabees do, yet try to stay out of their way at the same time. I'll hang out with the dentist (another CDR) who doesn't know what they heck he's doing there either. We should have a good laugh about it.

They call the one man tents a "tea cup", I suppose because it's almost like one. I must say that the military has come a long way from making a tent out of 2 ground sheets. It's the length of a body and not much wider, uses fiberglass poles and unzips from either side (good tactical idea). It also has a fly that can camouflage the tent either for the woods or the desert. I practiced putting it together several days ago so I would not be stumbling over it if we set up camp late at night. I'm glad I did!

I'll let you know how it all turns out in my next entry. Until then, wish me luck.

Oh, one last thing. The XO brought the Battlion together, standing in our Companies, for some inspiring words. Since I have done a good job hiding myself at the back of the formation (a very large formation), I did not hear a single word said. Regardless, we all gave the "Hoorah" in acknowledgement. Hoorah is a strong "yes" in Seabee speak. (Mom, don't get it mixed up with the "Horah" dance.)

While I may poke fun at the military in general or the Seabees more specifically, I have the uptmost respect for their loyalty, dedication, and committment to their duties, their fellow sailor, and our country. I've not heard one gripe or complaint about being pulled out of their civilian life or having to go to Iraq. If you want to learn more about the Seabees, here is a good website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seabee. I've included their logo above, which is pretty cool. I've sent the girls a Seabee flag, which I hope they will fly on occasion.

Good night at last.

2009-02-18T22:37:00.000-08:00

Well, today was M16 rifle qualification day. I haven't shot the M16 since Rota, Spain back in 2003. The backdrop for the shoot at Point Magu was beautiful. Behind us were georgeous hills leading to the Pacific Coast Highway. Directly behind the targets was the Pacific Ocean. Although I could hear the ocean, the berms hid them from view. Oh, what punishment not to touch the ocean.

I'll be issued a M16 rifle and M9 pistol but expect I will just carry the 9mm. Slinging a rifle everywhere is not fun. I also marched in to the range with the class. That was something I hadn't done in probably 15 years. I suspect there is a lot of basic military drills I will be doing again. This weekend I am going into the field for a final exercise evaluation. I won't play a direct role in this but they want some senior officers in the field.

It's kind of funny, on one hand I am doing basic military training and on the other hand I am running the Supply Department. It's just how this works. Everyone is measured on basic military training yet we all still have to perform our regular duties.

I am constantly meeting new personnel, mainly within the Battalion. They are almost all reservists with civilian jobs at home. Everyone is very friendly and I enjoy learning about them, specifically what they do in the civilian world and within the Battalion. They are all interested in my civilian job for obvious reasons.

Well tomorrow I take CBR (Chemical, Biological, and Radiological) training. I've taken this training dozens of times before, starting all the way back with the Canadian military. It always ends with donning protective clothing, including a gas mask, and being subjected to a tear gas attack. If the mask fits properly, it's never a problem.

That does it for today. An early start again tomorrow.

2009-02-13T18:43:00.000-08:00

Wow, week 1 is about over. It seems so long ago that I departed Loretta and the girls to start my military duty. It was difficult leaving them. We've had a hectic 6 weeks trying to get ready for this deployment but it was also a special time. Knowing that we'd be apart for awhile, we made the most of it. I think we learned to appreciate what's most important in life; just being with each other.

There's an expression in the military, "Hurry Up and Wait". It's hard to explain but put simply, everything works on military time. As it turned out, I was in a small group of officers and enlisted getting mobilized. Since I had almost all of the records they needed (medical, dental, other paper work), everything went by quickly. Medical finally caught me and gave me the anthrax shot. I survived. On Monday I was able to meet the members of my Supply team and start to get a handle on some of the issues we have to deal with. Some of the folks have been aboard since DEC 5th, so I have some catching up to do.

I completed the check-in process Wednesday and then moved over to the Seabee Battalion full-time. I will be in training the following week to learn about the M-16 and CBR (gas mask) gear. Although we don't expect to use them, it's always better to be prepared.

The following week I will be going into the field. As much as I like to camp, I am not looking forward to our field exercise where I will be sleeping in a one man tent under the stars. I'm okay with camping, just not in the winter and not without showering. Oh well, it's only 4 days. Some folks will be in the field for 2 weeks.

Without talking specifics, we'll probably move forward shortly thereafter. I've seen pictures of the base we'll be staying at in Iraq. Although our base is somewhat austere, it's apparently better than many other camps in Iraq. I suspect I will be housed in a wooden hut that could probably sleep 8+ persons. I understand I'll have the hut to myself, as I am in charge of issuing berthing. Perks of the job I guess.

The Seabees model themselves closely to the Marines so the terminology is different than the Navy (although the Seabees are Navy). I have to get used to terms like Battalion, Companies, Platoons, and Squadrons.

Earlier in the week I went "shopping", compliments of Uncle Sam. I figured I'd pick up my uniforms and some body armor but it was a lot more. I didn't even get this much gear in boot camp. I felt like Hannah buying a new purse (sorry Hannah!) every week. They issued me 3 sets of gloves, each for a different purpose, woodland camouflage outerwear (Gortex) and Desert Camouflage outerwear, boots, long johns (3 sets), scarf, balaclava (for the desert?), helmet. plates, body armor, ammo pouches, two types of pistol holsters, goggles (for the sandstorms), poncho, ground sheet, single man tent, sleeping bags, large back pack, flight bag, 3 day back pack, medical kit, shovel, rifle sling, camel back, flashlight, strap cutter, canteen, and a few other assorted items.

I am currently staying in a DV (Distinguished Visitor suite) as they were out of regular suites. So life isn't too bad at this point. I will enjoy the relative luxury while I can. The galley is apparently terrible so other than breakfast, no one eats there. It's long days but with no family to come home to, I can spend the necessary time working. I miss the girls but they have kept me happy with emails, pictures, and phone calls.

We had a pack out review last night, where we talked about what we could take forward with us, what the allowable weight limit was, and how best to pack everything. It kind of hit home as to the reality of where I am going.

On a final note, we stood formation today. I haven't stood at attention for over 5 years now. It all came back real easy but it just seemed so strange. I told them to hide me at the back of the formation; all the way back behind H Company, the platoons, and squads.... ah, the privileges of being a senior officer. More to follow next blog.