Well, this may be pretty delayed, but I'm finally in Iraq and fully immersed in my job as the Brigade Engineer. This is normally a major's job, but as it turns out the engineers organic to our Brigade aren't doing a whole lot of engineering. So what do I do without the need to manage engineer tasks? I'm busy coordinating the closure of the bases that our Brigade is currently occupying. So far our progress puts us on a good glide path to meet the President's promise of no "combat troops" in Iraq by September of 2010.
The job comes with a number of frustrations, but by and by it's a rewarding job seeing us slowly reduce our presence in the country. My biggest frustration is dealing with one individual, who I like to refer as "The Rock Star" because he's the one person in Iraq (an Iraqi himself) who can sign for a US occupied base for the Government of Iraq. This being the case, whatever "The Rock Star" wants, he gets. So we're often scrambling at the last second to cater to a man that apparently has little regard for planing or what it takes to make what he wants happen. We hope that as we close more bases the tasks common to every closure become routine so it's only a matter of reacting to "The Rock Star's" demands.
So far my quality of life is pretty good. I live in what is called a CHU (containerized housing unit) that can often be confused with a 20 ft semi truck trailer (minus the wheels). It has one window, three beds and a nightstand and bureau for each bed. Right now there isn't anyone else living with me due to the fact that the FOB has a good deal less personnel than it did just a year ago...or maybe I'm just too good looking, who can say? The first few days were rather lonely before I got Internet put into my room and was able to make contact with Heather and the boys. The down side to my CHU is that it's about a 15 minute walk from work and a 20 minute walk from the DFAC (dining facility). I added it all up and I spend about an hour and a half just walking on a daily basis. I wouldn't mind so much if I didn't have so little free time (the reason it's taken so long to finally write!). All in all it comes out to about a 14 hour work day, six days a week and 8 hours on Sunday.
To help me manage my sanity from working long hours I've been sucked into the Brigade's "Captain's Mafia." here are eight of us that eat lunch and dinner together. My nickname in the group is "New Guy," which I have no doubt will follow me through the remainder of the deployment, but they've been very friendly and conversation often provides a good source of entertainment.
I've been lucky enough to be able to talk to Heather over Skype every night since I got Internet. It just so happens that my evening call coincides with the boys' "nap time." Whether or not they're taking a nap is another story, but at least Heather can escape for a little while to chat. I'm sure I don't need to write about Heather and the boys seeing as how she is (and always will be) better at updating friends and family.
Well, I think that's all I have for now, I'm sure there will be plenty of funnier stories to tell as the deployment progresses!
Love, Mark
Pictures: I was at a place called Mahmoon Palace (Brad, you may have checked this place out the first time you were in Iraq). It's near Tikrit and was one of Saddam's Palaces.
An Iraqi toilet...how that constitutes a toilet, I'm not sure, but I know for certain I'd rather do my business over a hole in the ground at Kings canyon National Park than pop a squat in there.
Part 1 of 2, Notice the Republican Guard in all their glory, shooting off RPGs, Rockets and SCUD missiles.
Part 2 of 2, the other end of the spectrum for military forces. Whether they actually DID those things is another story.
The palace itself. The second story balcony was used to view passing troops during parades.
1 comment:
Mark, it was wonderful to hear from you and to actually have a "sense" of what your living quarters feel/look like...everyone knows what a semi looks like :) Hugs and love, Auntie Joan
Post a Comment