I’ve been telling ya’ll about my surroundings, so I thought that I’d take an opportunity to tell you exactly how this whole thing goes mentally. Those that I’ve talked to, I’ve told that it is a daily and sometimes hourly rollercoaster filled with moments of confidence followed by moments of loneliness and longing. Longing to be in a familiar place doing something you love to be doing! I’m amazed about how much my moods can change throughout the day. I can go from appreciating an amazing sun rise as I walk to the gym at 5:15am to getting out of the gym and realizing how far I have to go until my life comes back to the states and something more familiar. Rest assured though, that I choose to think about the good things, the things that make me smile, the things that I want life to be about…all those memories and wishes! I learned the hard way in college, how dwelling on past situations won’t get you anywhere, you can only learn from them and tweak them to perhaps get a different outcome in the future. Sure it’s ok to dwell, but only for a moment if for no other reason than to figure out what went wrong.
In that I’m reminded of a movie quote from a Beautiful Mind…the scene takes place toward the end of the movie when a representative from the Pulitzer committee visits John Nash and in a roundabout way asks him if he were crazy. John Nash responds, “Like a diet of the mind, I just choose not to indulge certain appetites; like my appetite for patterns; perhaps my appetite to imagine and to dream.”
Ya’ll know that I can be a very passionate person, and that I have some very strong opinions when it comes to life and how I believe it should be lived! With that there is a certain standard of life that I always want to adhere to. To this point in my life I feel as though I have been behind the curve and well….just playing catch up! When the opportunity came up a year ago to go to Chicago to work on the Whiting oil refinery I nearly lept at the chance to end my days of debt and get a step closer to that ideal of life that I had always imagined. That opportunity came to a close this past March when I got demobilized from the project in Indiana, a mere 8 months later, due to what would be major cut backs. Having to make a major decision quickly, the opportunity came along to come to Afghanistan and accomplish several things in the meantime. I would finally realize that desire to be debt free and working toward a life of standards that I believe are good for me.
Every couple of days I question what I’m doing here because I know that I could be doing something else that would provide the bridge from college debt to financial freedom just like this job does. Often times it’s what else can I do, or what am I good at that would allow me to be in a familiar place? I have to remind myself that I am here for a reason, especially since I’ve had déjà vu recently. I remember when I had déjà vu in California and I told my good friend, Ann, about it. I have always loved her response and I will always use it! She said, “Déjà vu is God’s way of letting you know that you’re on the right path!” So since I’ve had that, I no longer question where I am or what I’m doing! I just go with it, cause there is a plan! Getting back to what I was saying…at the end of the day I just don’t believe there is any place that I should be or anything else I should be doing. I can’t think of another job that provides the type of adventure that this one does, let alone, every three months! I got into this profession for a reason; to learn how to run my own business whatever I deem that to be one day! I truly believe that this is what God has planned for me and I’m soaking up every moment I can; learning as I go!
I hope that this entry finds you doing well and enjoying every step, bumble, and triumph along the way!
I keep forgetting, but here is my new address:
Brandt Cook
Fluor
FPO, AE 09372
I actually already got one package, and it arrived in 5 days!!
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Copy Cat…
Most of you know how observant I am. I never fail to miss when someone happens to where the same shirt, 2 days in a row or if someone were to wear something gawd awful. I’d be the first to point it out and say, “Seriously, what the heck are you wearing???” ….”What? Did you get dressed in the dark?”
Anyhow, I’ve continued my observant ways over here, and most notably I’ve noticed how all the trucks & SUVs are the same as you would see in the states. It’s actually the trucks and SUVs that are one of the things that keeps me grounded, and away from thinking how far I am from home! It all started in Kuwait when we got off the plane and into the first SUV (a Chevy Suburban). On our way to the hotel, all I saw was Toyota Prados. In actuality, they were Lexus 470s( the bigger Lexus version). All the cars that you would think they would have (a tad bigger than Cooper Mini) they didn’t. I mean I know that Kuwait is a very wealthy country, but that just didn’t register. I guess that without knowing, I had a ton of pre-conceived notions about foreign lands. In Kuwait, I still think they need Minis it isn’t as if they’ve got to climb a mountain to get to that ski resort?? Or maybe they just need it in case they stuck in the sand? I truly felt as if we may have had bullet proof glass in the Suburban, especially as we entered into our hotel compound and were met by a fully armored Hummer. The guards at the gate actually wisked our car with a mirror that looks much like a super large version of the little mirror that the dentist sticks in your mouth for checking around your teef!
Bagram was no different in the car look-a-like contest as there were more of the same in the SUV department. What I found most strange was the amount of Ford trucks that were on the Bagram base. I can’t tell you how many Ford F250s & Rangers there were driving around on a daily basis. This was no doubt due to the American contractor that was running the O & M at Bagram (KBR). At least the Fords didn’t hide behind their true name…they were actually called F250s. Toyota I guess feels the need to make the folks over here feel special or something. The Toyota Tundra or Tacoma that we all know and are used to seeing is called the Hilux over here, with a small twist. The truck bed is a good 2 ft smaller than the American version. My guess is that the truck is one of the primary uses of transporting workers to and from the jobsite and seeing as the dudes here are so very tiny, Toyota didn’t see the point in making the truck bed as long…ha! Another one of Toyota’s copy cats is the Toyota 4-Runner, or as it’s known over here the Surf. It all looks completely the same just with a big “Surf” emblem up and down each side. Yeah, that’s another thing. Instead of having the vehicle name across the back, often times in a tasteful inconspicuous manner they feel the need to spell out the name across the side in big, bold letters!! Not sure why, but nonetheless that’s the way they have it! Another one of the nuances of the Middle East!
Well, there’s my most recent observance…I’m sure there’ll be more to come!
Hope all is well!
Anyhow, I’ve continued my observant ways over here, and most notably I’ve noticed how all the trucks & SUVs are the same as you would see in the states. It’s actually the trucks and SUVs that are one of the things that keeps me grounded, and away from thinking how far I am from home! It all started in Kuwait when we got off the plane and into the first SUV (a Chevy Suburban). On our way to the hotel, all I saw was Toyota Prados. In actuality, they were Lexus 470s( the bigger Lexus version). All the cars that you would think they would have (a tad bigger than Cooper Mini) they didn’t. I mean I know that Kuwait is a very wealthy country, but that just didn’t register. I guess that without knowing, I had a ton of pre-conceived notions about foreign lands. In Kuwait, I still think they need Minis it isn’t as if they’ve got to climb a mountain to get to that ski resort?? Or maybe they just need it in case they stuck in the sand? I truly felt as if we may have had bullet proof glass in the Suburban, especially as we entered into our hotel compound and were met by a fully armored Hummer. The guards at the gate actually wisked our car with a mirror that looks much like a super large version of the little mirror that the dentist sticks in your mouth for checking around your teef!
Bagram was no different in the car look-a-like contest as there were more of the same in the SUV department. What I found most strange was the amount of Ford trucks that were on the Bagram base. I can’t tell you how many Ford F250s & Rangers there were driving around on a daily basis. This was no doubt due to the American contractor that was running the O & M at Bagram (KBR). At least the Fords didn’t hide behind their true name…they were actually called F250s. Toyota I guess feels the need to make the folks over here feel special or something. The Toyota Tundra or Tacoma that we all know and are used to seeing is called the Hilux over here, with a small twist. The truck bed is a good 2 ft smaller than the American version. My guess is that the truck is one of the primary uses of transporting workers to and from the jobsite and seeing as the dudes here are so very tiny, Toyota didn’t see the point in making the truck bed as long…ha! Another one of Toyota’s copy cats is the Toyota 4-Runner, or as it’s known over here the Surf. It all looks completely the same just with a big “Surf” emblem up and down each side. Yeah, that’s another thing. Instead of having the vehicle name across the back, often times in a tasteful inconspicuous manner they feel the need to spell out the name across the side in big, bold letters!! Not sure why, but nonetheless that’s the way they have it! Another one of the nuances of the Middle East!
Well, there’s my most recent observance…I’m sure there’ll be more to come!
Hope all is well!
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Routine Anyone???
Well, it’s hard to believe that I’ve been in theatre for a month now? I can honestly say that it has flown by! I mean with working all the time, every day often times 13hr days; time has a way of speeding up for some reason? I guess the more hours of your day that are taken up, there leaves little time for reflection and give yourself a chance to slow down! I’m sure that I’ll get this chance every three months when I’m embarking on my travels! I mean with 2.5 weeks at a pop, there will be plenty of time to relax and actually sleep in…probably 7am will be my new sleep in time!! I thought that I’d get more in depth this time about my new surroundings here at Camp LTN (Leatherneck), and actually describe what a typical day is here on the base…
I’m in a 10 man tent that is cooled nicely to a chilly temp of about 65! I think that this is truly a guy thing in that we like it cold while we sleep….so ladies take note! I bet that our tent would have a better chance of cooling our water more quickly than our little mini fridge in the work tent. Anyhow, I wake up every morning about 5:30 or so. I walk about 50 yds out of my tent to the shower room. The shower is kinda similar to what I encountered in college with 9 shower heads in a single room. In college you were lucky if there wasn’t anyone else in the locker room that day and you could actually turn a couple of shower heads your way!! Here I think that the circumstances have changed just a tad! This shower room is more or less like walking a gang plank with showers on either side of you. The set up is really just a temporary thing and that is obvious! If you look in the pictures I’ve posted you can see that it looks like… kinda odd. The other picture from the shower room is from the sink area, which is pretty nice, other than the fact that the mirror provided is similar to one that you find at the carnival, contorting you a bit….just enough to make shaving a challenge! On that note, I’ve entered into a beard growing contest with my buddy that I’m going to Oktoberfest with! He’s got two weeks on me, but we’re measuring from our chins and I already had a goatee! So he’s got a bit of a head start, but not much! The winner of the contest buys dinner and drinks for our night in Dubai…so either way I’ll be happy to drink or pay!! I must say that I am already counting the days to that first drink! This is my first time actually growing a beard and not just being lazy. I like it so far, and I think that I’m almost out of the itchy phase! Take a look at my picture and tell me what you think! Not too bad in my opinion….
After the shower, I come back to the meat locker and get ready. I’m usually in the work tent by 6:20 cause the work tent is just another 50 yds in the opposite direction of the shower. Like I said, I have everything I need in a city block!! Either first thing in the morning or at the end of my day is when I try to call folks. So if you see a really goofy number, THAT’S ME!! PICK UP YOUR PHONE!! After I get all booted up I go to breakfast where I watch AFN and try to catch up on some sports. I was fortunate enough to see UFC 100 fight where Lesner didn’t even make it a contest in my opinion. I mean for crying out loud that dude is huge! My breakfast usually consists of eggs, hot sauce, two yogurts, wheat toast, and some water…see healthy! I usually get my coffee fix back at the tent! I actually steal cups from the DFAC because for some reason the tent only has those little puny cups that hold about 3 SIPS of coffee. I don’t even know why the coffee cup making companies even waste their time on such a small cup??? I mean it’s not like folks use them for espresso?? The morning goes by really quick as this is when I’m most motivated! For some reason I’ve been really motivated in getting everything on the cost side set up here! When I’m kinda burnt on the spreadsheets, I got a lot of little things that make a difference so that I can split up my time! I love the whole getting organized thing, but at the same time it really makes me realize how unorganized the last guy was. I mean really?
It gets really hot here (avg. 120) and so we are encouraged to drink plenty of water, in fact I believe that the Army drops off two pallets of water every couple of weeks. I’m not talking about a small pallet either. These pallets are at least 7ft high! I usually average about 8, 16oz bottles of water a day…that’s a lot of water!! After filling my first hump with water in the morning, I usually go to lunch around 1pm. The lunch isn’t that much to speak of but I manage to make sure that I have a big meal so that I can have a small snack in the afternoon, an apple, and then I’ll have a couple of yogurts and some fruit for dinner. That one thing that the heat has always done to me decreased my appetite and made me take more “trips” to the bathroom! Speaking of which…the thrown room!
Well I had to tell the story of the toboggan in Bagram, now there is the thrown room of Camp Leatherneck! The bathroom is in a tent that looks much like a tent you sleep in. Let me assure you, that you don’t want to sleep in this tent! Anyhow the thrown room is set up with a set of 6 toilets in the front, with another set of 6 toilets in the back. Each set is separated by two latrines. Getting to the toilet is actually something very new to me for going to the toilet, you see, there are two steps up to the toilet. So once you sit down, you feel like you are on display for all to see! The actual steps remind me of bleachers from grade school that you used to sit on during a pep rally or some type of sporting event…the kind that retract!!! Too funny! And if Bagram was bad about the curtain about not having any private time, that was nothing. The piece of cloth that comes down doesn’t even matter, cause your knees just stick out anyway. Basically the rule of thumb in the shower and bathrooms is…keep your head down, the one that sits on top of your shoulders for all the funny people out there! I tell ya, if anybody ever thought that I was a person who can talk about anything and nothing is taboo, well I’m that person to the nth degree now! Sorry to keep talking about the showers and latrines, but I gotta tell ya the set up of these facilities that make me crack up! It is truly funny to see what you have to deal with on a daily basis, you really learn to respect and appreciate the things which you have become soooo accustomed to. The little things are what truly matter, believe me!
On that note, I’ve said to many people that if you don’t keep your sense of humor that you will never make it! I mean this is a really desolate place to be, but there a ton of folks around you who are here just like you, going through the same experience! You are absolutely forced to make the best of it! The sense of humor is what gets you through it! Sure there are serious times, but there are plenty of moments of laughter! It really is weird how things like mortars become apart of life. The chances of you coming close to a round, let alone one injuring you are about the same as getting into a fender-bender on your way to work! They’re that uncommon! So think of it that way….do you really go to work every morning, scared that you are going to get into an accident? So that’s the same type of mentality that you gain while you're here.
With all this I’m reminded of one of the funniest, and yet somehow one the truest quotes that I’ve ever heard!
“Don’t sweat the petty stuff, and don’t pet the sweaty stuff!”
I hope that everyone is doing well, and talk soon!
I’m in a 10 man tent that is cooled nicely to a chilly temp of about 65! I think that this is truly a guy thing in that we like it cold while we sleep….so ladies take note! I bet that our tent would have a better chance of cooling our water more quickly than our little mini fridge in the work tent. Anyhow, I wake up every morning about 5:30 or so. I walk about 50 yds out of my tent to the shower room. The shower is kinda similar to what I encountered in college with 9 shower heads in a single room. In college you were lucky if there wasn’t anyone else in the locker room that day and you could actually turn a couple of shower heads your way!! Here I think that the circumstances have changed just a tad! This shower room is more or less like walking a gang plank with showers on either side of you. The set up is really just a temporary thing and that is obvious! If you look in the pictures I’ve posted you can see that it looks like… kinda odd. The other picture from the shower room is from the sink area, which is pretty nice, other than the fact that the mirror provided is similar to one that you find at the carnival, contorting you a bit….just enough to make shaving a challenge! On that note, I’ve entered into a beard growing contest with my buddy that I’m going to Oktoberfest with! He’s got two weeks on me, but we’re measuring from our chins and I already had a goatee! So he’s got a bit of a head start, but not much! The winner of the contest buys dinner and drinks for our night in Dubai…so either way I’ll be happy to drink or pay!! I must say that I am already counting the days to that first drink! This is my first time actually growing a beard and not just being lazy. I like it so far, and I think that I’m almost out of the itchy phase! Take a look at my picture and tell me what you think! Not too bad in my opinion….
After the shower, I come back to the meat locker and get ready. I’m usually in the work tent by 6:20 cause the work tent is just another 50 yds in the opposite direction of the shower. Like I said, I have everything I need in a city block!! Either first thing in the morning or at the end of my day is when I try to call folks. So if you see a really goofy number, THAT’S ME!! PICK UP YOUR PHONE!! After I get all booted up I go to breakfast where I watch AFN and try to catch up on some sports. I was fortunate enough to see UFC 100 fight where Lesner didn’t even make it a contest in my opinion. I mean for crying out loud that dude is huge! My breakfast usually consists of eggs, hot sauce, two yogurts, wheat toast, and some water…see healthy! I usually get my coffee fix back at the tent! I actually steal cups from the DFAC because for some reason the tent only has those little puny cups that hold about 3 SIPS of coffee. I don’t even know why the coffee cup making companies even waste their time on such a small cup??? I mean it’s not like folks use them for espresso?? The morning goes by really quick as this is when I’m most motivated! For some reason I’ve been really motivated in getting everything on the cost side set up here! When I’m kinda burnt on the spreadsheets, I got a lot of little things that make a difference so that I can split up my time! I love the whole getting organized thing, but at the same time it really makes me realize how unorganized the last guy was. I mean really?
It gets really hot here (avg. 120) and so we are encouraged to drink plenty of water, in fact I believe that the Army drops off two pallets of water every couple of weeks. I’m not talking about a small pallet either. These pallets are at least 7ft high! I usually average about 8, 16oz bottles of water a day…that’s a lot of water!! After filling my first hump with water in the morning, I usually go to lunch around 1pm. The lunch isn’t that much to speak of but I manage to make sure that I have a big meal so that I can have a small snack in the afternoon, an apple, and then I’ll have a couple of yogurts and some fruit for dinner. That one thing that the heat has always done to me decreased my appetite and made me take more “trips” to the bathroom! Speaking of which…the thrown room!
Well I had to tell the story of the toboggan in Bagram, now there is the thrown room of Camp Leatherneck! The bathroom is in a tent that looks much like a tent you sleep in. Let me assure you, that you don’t want to sleep in this tent! Anyhow the thrown room is set up with a set of 6 toilets in the front, with another set of 6 toilets in the back. Each set is separated by two latrines. Getting to the toilet is actually something very new to me for going to the toilet, you see, there are two steps up to the toilet. So once you sit down, you feel like you are on display for all to see! The actual steps remind me of bleachers from grade school that you used to sit on during a pep rally or some type of sporting event…the kind that retract!!! Too funny! And if Bagram was bad about the curtain about not having any private time, that was nothing. The piece of cloth that comes down doesn’t even matter, cause your knees just stick out anyway. Basically the rule of thumb in the shower and bathrooms is…keep your head down, the one that sits on top of your shoulders for all the funny people out there! I tell ya, if anybody ever thought that I was a person who can talk about anything and nothing is taboo, well I’m that person to the nth degree now! Sorry to keep talking about the showers and latrines, but I gotta tell ya the set up of these facilities that make me crack up! It is truly funny to see what you have to deal with on a daily basis, you really learn to respect and appreciate the things which you have become soooo accustomed to. The little things are what truly matter, believe me!
On that note, I’ve said to many people that if you don’t keep your sense of humor that you will never make it! I mean this is a really desolate place to be, but there a ton of folks around you who are here just like you, going through the same experience! You are absolutely forced to make the best of it! The sense of humor is what gets you through it! Sure there are serious times, but there are plenty of moments of laughter! It really is weird how things like mortars become apart of life. The chances of you coming close to a round, let alone one injuring you are about the same as getting into a fender-bender on your way to work! They’re that uncommon! So think of it that way….do you really go to work every morning, scared that you are going to get into an accident? So that’s the same type of mentality that you gain while you're here.
With all this I’m reminded of one of the funniest, and yet somehow one the truest quotes that I’ve ever heard!
“Don’t sweat the petty stuff, and don’t pet the sweaty stuff!”
I hope that everyone is doing well, and talk soon!
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Leatherneck or Bust....
So as I left you last time, I was reassigned back to the southern part of Afghanistan in what is known as Task Order #4 and I’ll be working at Camp Leatherneck. Some of you may have heard of it in the news lately as Camp Leatherneck is the home base for the newest US offensive known as strike of the dagger. So here I am hoping to stay a while…..
My journey south began last Thursday at about 2am, when I went to take a shower. That night marked the first time since the Kuwait hotel that I was able to actually sleep on a mattress. I tell ya since this whole thing began, it amazes me the little things that become important, things that you would’ve otherwise overlooked and not thought much of. Last Wednesday my overlooked item was a mattress. It had been a whole 16 days since my last time on a mattress, and I was soooo thankful even though I only slept on it for 3 hours. Anyhow, the travel folks picked me up at 2:45 am and we headed to the Pax terminal. Me and the person whom I will spend the most time with over the next year, Cassandra (pictured above), piled up all our stuff and got it palletized, which is the military’s way of checking baggage. You go out to the flight line and put your bags on the palet at which point baggage handlers proceed to strategically place your stuff on the palet. In Cassandra’s case, the handlers had their work cut out for them with having to place about 8 pieces of stuff, including a TV. You see Cassandra is queen of comfort, and as long as she has that, she is ready to go to work! I had the best time watching military jets take off going out into the distance, watching the day start around 4am. I tell ya there hasn’t been an overcast morning here yet, each day is beautiful and totally peaceful!
We made our way on to the dash plane about 5am which is the equivalent of a commuter jet, only it was painted in its signature military gray. The flight down to Kandahar took about 1hr and 20 minutes. There wasn’t much to it, just looking around at all the different types of landscape, from mountains to desert. We landed about 6:30am and proceeded to the Palace that is the Fluor compound in Kandahar. I must say that all the folks in Kandahar have an easy assignment when it comes to living conditions!! Their compound is new, they share a room with one other dude, the A/C actually works, all the amenities that you could ask for! We stayed in Kandahar for 2.5 days. We left out at about 6:30 Saturday night after having a really nice cookout for the 4th of July at the compound! We had chicken, potato salad, potato chips, ribs, rolls…you name it we had it, except for the all important 4th staple…COLD BEER!! I tell ya, that if I could have just one cold frosty cerveza, I’d be a happy man. I can’t forget to say that Kandahar may have one of the nicest gyms I’ve been to in a while. It rivals most Lifetime fitness’!!
Anyhow, once we got to the Pax (passenger) terminal, we made our way in and scanned all our stuff…weird to me, but yeah we did. Once all our stuff was palletized, we sat around for about 30 minutes, when we boarded a bus that took us out to a C130 that was waiting on us. This was 2nd experience flying in a military big boy plane! This time it was much different. What you sat in was like a mesh for your back, and then it was a type of nylon that supported your seat….NOT COMFORTABLE!!! Luckily the flight to Leatherneck wasn’t long! We landed about 10pm after a war zone landing; however, nothing like the take off from DC that started my whole journey. It was actually pretty fun! Almost like a rollercoaster of sorts. I got to my newest cot about 11pm and got right to bed in what was a really nice cot! I’ve slept on this cot for what will be 3 nights and it’s almost as if I’m sleeping on a super plush mattress complete with a feather mattress pad….even though I haven’t ever slept on one! Camp Leatherneck, LTN, is actually very convenient having everything I need in a city block, office, latrine, shower, PX (store) and the dining facility. The past two days have been pretty hot with 111 and 125, respectively. It sure doesn’t seem this hot, but I guess that it’s due to the dry, desert that surrounds us! Other than that, the food here isn’t all that great although I do somehow eat the most well rounded meals that I ever have on a consistent basis!
Many of you have asked about the food and up until now I would say that it has far exceeded my expectations with all the variety you get, not to mention you pick how much you want. Well, Camp LTN isn’t like this in that the variety just isn’t there. We are just too remote to have the variety that Bagram or Kandahar has, but I tell you that it won’t be too long before they do! I would bet after looking at our schedule, we have about as much variety by Christmas. Work has gotten off to a great start and I’m soo encouraged by Cassandra’s strong project mgmt stills coupled with her schedule background, that I can’t wait to get my day started, knowing that we will be making a daily impact in getting our shit together, and making these Marines more comfortable and able to enjoy their free time while having to be so far from home, fighting for us! Next week, I’ll have a brief update on my living conditions with the showers, and bathroom (thrown room) and such…..Sorry, but this is something to be seen!!!
On another note, I’ve pretty much decided on my first trip which will take place at the end of September. I’ll be going to Munich for Octoberfest for 4 nights followed by a stop in Strassburg, then on to Amsterdam for 3 days or so, then the train to London for like 5 days. If you’re up for it, you’re welcome to try and coordinate with me so we can see some of the things that the world has to offer!!! I am already pumped and counting down the days til that first beer in Dubai before I begin my trek!
I hope that everyone is doing well and had a great 4th!!
My journey south began last Thursday at about 2am, when I went to take a shower. That night marked the first time since the Kuwait hotel that I was able to actually sleep on a mattress. I tell ya since this whole thing began, it amazes me the little things that become important, things that you would’ve otherwise overlooked and not thought much of. Last Wednesday my overlooked item was a mattress. It had been a whole 16 days since my last time on a mattress, and I was soooo thankful even though I only slept on it for 3 hours. Anyhow, the travel folks picked me up at 2:45 am and we headed to the Pax terminal. Me and the person whom I will spend the most time with over the next year, Cassandra (pictured above), piled up all our stuff and got it palletized, which is the military’s way of checking baggage. You go out to the flight line and put your bags on the palet at which point baggage handlers proceed to strategically place your stuff on the palet. In Cassandra’s case, the handlers had their work cut out for them with having to place about 8 pieces of stuff, including a TV. You see Cassandra is queen of comfort, and as long as she has that, she is ready to go to work! I had the best time watching military jets take off going out into the distance, watching the day start around 4am. I tell ya there hasn’t been an overcast morning here yet, each day is beautiful and totally peaceful!
We made our way on to the dash plane about 5am which is the equivalent of a commuter jet, only it was painted in its signature military gray. The flight down to Kandahar took about 1hr and 20 minutes. There wasn’t much to it, just looking around at all the different types of landscape, from mountains to desert. We landed about 6:30am and proceeded to the Palace that is the Fluor compound in Kandahar. I must say that all the folks in Kandahar have an easy assignment when it comes to living conditions!! Their compound is new, they share a room with one other dude, the A/C actually works, all the amenities that you could ask for! We stayed in Kandahar for 2.5 days. We left out at about 6:30 Saturday night after having a really nice cookout for the 4th of July at the compound! We had chicken, potato salad, potato chips, ribs, rolls…you name it we had it, except for the all important 4th staple…COLD BEER!! I tell ya, that if I could have just one cold frosty cerveza, I’d be a happy man. I can’t forget to say that Kandahar may have one of the nicest gyms I’ve been to in a while. It rivals most Lifetime fitness’!!
Anyhow, once we got to the Pax (passenger) terminal, we made our way in and scanned all our stuff…weird to me, but yeah we did. Once all our stuff was palletized, we sat around for about 30 minutes, when we boarded a bus that took us out to a C130 that was waiting on us. This was 2nd experience flying in a military big boy plane! This time it was much different. What you sat in was like a mesh for your back, and then it was a type of nylon that supported your seat….NOT COMFORTABLE!!! Luckily the flight to Leatherneck wasn’t long! We landed about 10pm after a war zone landing; however, nothing like the take off from DC that started my whole journey. It was actually pretty fun! Almost like a rollercoaster of sorts. I got to my newest cot about 11pm and got right to bed in what was a really nice cot! I’ve slept on this cot for what will be 3 nights and it’s almost as if I’m sleeping on a super plush mattress complete with a feather mattress pad….even though I haven’t ever slept on one! Camp Leatherneck, LTN, is actually very convenient having everything I need in a city block, office, latrine, shower, PX (store) and the dining facility. The past two days have been pretty hot with 111 and 125, respectively. It sure doesn’t seem this hot, but I guess that it’s due to the dry, desert that surrounds us! Other than that, the food here isn’t all that great although I do somehow eat the most well rounded meals that I ever have on a consistent basis!
Many of you have asked about the food and up until now I would say that it has far exceeded my expectations with all the variety you get, not to mention you pick how much you want. Well, Camp LTN isn’t like this in that the variety just isn’t there. We are just too remote to have the variety that Bagram or Kandahar has, but I tell you that it won’t be too long before they do! I would bet after looking at our schedule, we have about as much variety by Christmas. Work has gotten off to a great start and I’m soo encouraged by Cassandra’s strong project mgmt stills coupled with her schedule background, that I can’t wait to get my day started, knowing that we will be making a daily impact in getting our shit together, and making these Marines more comfortable and able to enjoy their free time while having to be so far from home, fighting for us! Next week, I’ll have a brief update on my living conditions with the showers, and bathroom (thrown room) and such…..Sorry, but this is something to be seen!!!
On another note, I’ve pretty much decided on my first trip which will take place at the end of September. I’ll be going to Munich for Octoberfest for 4 nights followed by a stop in Strassburg, then on to Amsterdam for 3 days or so, then the train to London for like 5 days. If you’re up for it, you’re welcome to try and coordinate with me so we can see some of the things that the world has to offer!!! I am already pumped and counting down the days til that first beer in Dubai before I begin my trek!
I hope that everyone is doing well and had a great 4th!!
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
The Tobaggan…
Ok, so a couple of ya’ll know but I decided to write this blog about a couple of the nuances of living on a military base; overseas no less. I figured that I would try and lighten the mood somewhat, and not be so heavy because this really ain’t that bad! Anyhow, as most of ya’ll are aware I’m living in a tent with anywhere from 40-60 other doods! So just for the laid person, that’s about 200-300 other smells that aren’t my own!! I mean imagine going hiking all day with 50lbs of gear on your back, meanwhile there is no cover and it’s a balmy 90 degrees most days!! Oh, and you only do wash about once a week! So you can imagine what some of these guys smell like after a long patrol! That’s not to say that no one showers, cause everyone does…it’s just there are some odors you can’t help or get rid of….especially in your pack! So you have the bodily smells, and then it’s time to go to sleep! Some of you know that I’ve been known to saw a couple of logs and even frame up a house as I sleep, but this is nothing compared to the noises that permeate throughout the tent at night beginning around 9pm or so. The best description I can provide is the 3 stooge’s episode where they’re all snoring, each in their own little way. If you haven’t seen this episode, I would recommend looking it up on you tube! The big top (tent) is quite a thing to experience! You not only have many civilian contractors, but young servicemen and a sprinkling of older servicemen who appear to be reservists? It makes for some interesting nights, but it is home and for some odd reason I’ve grown accustomed to it! All I’m wondering is when I get out of here, and get my own house if I’m gonna have to put revelry on continuous play when I go to bed at night?!?! I guess that only time will tell!
That’s pretty much the atmosphere of the tent, but that ain’t all…we’re merely scratching the surface….unfortunately! Almost directly across the street from my tent is what is called the MWR (Morale Wellness, and Recreation) or the gym! The MWR, affectionately known as the clamshell (because of its similar shape) has a theme night every night of the week. I especially enjoy hip hop night, or as I like to call it….”wake up every 15 minutes night because my head is bouncing from the base shaking the tent!” In case ya’ll couldn’t tell, there was an aire of sarcasm to that! But seriously, the clamshell has a karaoke night, a country night, a salsa night, you name it…chances are they have it! I must say that it is pretty cool to see that the Army thought enough to put something like this together for the troops! Pretty cool if you ask me! Well, other than the fact that I haven’t had an uninterrupted night of sleep in over 2 weeks! I guess this would be something like my preparation for the day if I ever have kids??
Enough about the tent, on to what I consider to be a unique thing to living overseas on a military base….the bathrooms! Some of you may know, but Bagram used to be an old Soviet base way back when until it was taken over as a NATO base that is mostly run by the Air Force. The bathrooms were built back in what I assume was the early 2000s/ late 1990s, in that their relatively new but with all the moisture and climate, it makes for a quick withering away of the facilities! The bathroom is usually located in the bottom of a connex box (think of a container compartment on a ship), with another connex box stacked on top it for the shower room. Generally, there are about 3 urinals, with 4 toilets in the bathroom and about 6 showers on the 2nd floor. Pretty normal if you ask me until you have to make a #2. To look at these toilets initially you would think that you have to straddle the toilet because of where the water drains. In the states, the drainage is at the back of the bowl closest to the mechanics of the toilet. Oh and there is water in the toilet in the states…..NOT HERE! Once you get over the straddle, you wonder how things will make its way down the bowl??? Well, my friends this is where the “toboggan” comes into. Before you “sit” you make what’s called a TP Toboggan. This involves laying down some TP in the bowl so as to make for a smooth transition to the sewage tank! I gotta say that it is a fine innovation of foreign ingenuity, but at the same time….why didn’t they just put the F’N drainage at the back of the bowl??? I just don’t get it! If all this weren’t enough, about 20 gallons of water rush down from the tank to expedite the whole process! I mean really, it’s quite an ordeal for the first time! Oh and to top it off, all the stalls are made private by shower curtains, so if you’re lucky someone will come into the bathroom which will inevitably cause a breeze, throwing the shower curtain out about 2 feet and thus revealing you and all your glory during “private time”! Kinda makes ya wanna come for a weekend excursion, don’t it? This may have been too graphic for some, but most that know me, know that I’m not one for skipping any of the details…haha!! I couldn’t pass this story up….no way!
Before I go, I would like to just say that the project is going through a restructuring of how Fluor would like to run the project. That being said, I’ve been told that I’ll be leaving for another base on Wednesday, which is in the south at Tombstone (a.k.a. Camp Leatherneck). I’ll be sure and let everyone know that I’ve made it safely and things are good, once I get there.
Take care and Talk soon!
That’s pretty much the atmosphere of the tent, but that ain’t all…we’re merely scratching the surface….unfortunately! Almost directly across the street from my tent is what is called the MWR (Morale Wellness, and Recreation) or the gym! The MWR, affectionately known as the clamshell (because of its similar shape) has a theme night every night of the week. I especially enjoy hip hop night, or as I like to call it….”wake up every 15 minutes night because my head is bouncing from the base shaking the tent!” In case ya’ll couldn’t tell, there was an aire of sarcasm to that! But seriously, the clamshell has a karaoke night, a country night, a salsa night, you name it…chances are they have it! I must say that it is pretty cool to see that the Army thought enough to put something like this together for the troops! Pretty cool if you ask me! Well, other than the fact that I haven’t had an uninterrupted night of sleep in over 2 weeks! I guess this would be something like my preparation for the day if I ever have kids??
Enough about the tent, on to what I consider to be a unique thing to living overseas on a military base….the bathrooms! Some of you may know, but Bagram used to be an old Soviet base way back when until it was taken over as a NATO base that is mostly run by the Air Force. The bathrooms were built back in what I assume was the early 2000s/ late 1990s, in that their relatively new but with all the moisture and climate, it makes for a quick withering away of the facilities! The bathroom is usually located in the bottom of a connex box (think of a container compartment on a ship), with another connex box stacked on top it for the shower room. Generally, there are about 3 urinals, with 4 toilets in the bathroom and about 6 showers on the 2nd floor. Pretty normal if you ask me until you have to make a #2. To look at these toilets initially you would think that you have to straddle the toilet because of where the water drains. In the states, the drainage is at the back of the bowl closest to the mechanics of the toilet. Oh and there is water in the toilet in the states…..NOT HERE! Once you get over the straddle, you wonder how things will make its way down the bowl??? Well, my friends this is where the “toboggan” comes into. Before you “sit” you make what’s called a TP Toboggan. This involves laying down some TP in the bowl so as to make for a smooth transition to the sewage tank! I gotta say that it is a fine innovation of foreign ingenuity, but at the same time….why didn’t they just put the F’N drainage at the back of the bowl??? I just don’t get it! If all this weren’t enough, about 20 gallons of water rush down from the tank to expedite the whole process! I mean really, it’s quite an ordeal for the first time! Oh and to top it off, all the stalls are made private by shower curtains, so if you’re lucky someone will come into the bathroom which will inevitably cause a breeze, throwing the shower curtain out about 2 feet and thus revealing you and all your glory during “private time”! Kinda makes ya wanna come for a weekend excursion, don’t it? This may have been too graphic for some, but most that know me, know that I’m not one for skipping any of the details…haha!! I couldn’t pass this story up….no way!
Before I go, I would like to just say that the project is going through a restructuring of how Fluor would like to run the project. That being said, I’ve been told that I’ll be leaving for another base on Wednesday, which is in the south at Tombstone (a.k.a. Camp Leatherneck). I’ll be sure and let everyone know that I’ve made it safely and things are good, once I get there.
Take care and Talk soon!
Monday, June 22, 2009
That’s Mr. Afghanny!!
Well, I’ve been here 5 days now, and I’m settling right in! I said that I would be updating every Sunday, but with the Traveling entry, I felt the need to hold on a bit and post as much as I could about my living conditions/ eating habits/ daily life. Before I do that I would like to address one issue…Mortars or Rounds as we here call them.
Saturday night I went to bed without much of a clue about what would transpire that in the next 8 hrs. About midnight we got a call over the loud voice that there would be a fallen comrade ceremony which generally takes place in a certain location on base. The ceremony was to be held about 1:30 am. In these ceremonies, all personnel on base are asked to show their respects and hold at attention as the convoy passes by carrying the fallen soldier on their way to transport. Not knowing how this affected me, especially at 1:30am on a Sunday morning, I thought it best to get up and show how grateful I am that these men and women put their lives on the line for us civilians. About 1:50am or so, right as the convoy was about to pass, a large boom echoed throughout the base in a certain direction, about ¼ mile away. Usually, there is an announcement that there is a “live” area, but none was made before this sound. Me and my coworker looked at each other and then at all the soldiers as if to seek their reassurance that this was “normal”…it wasn’t too long before another loud boom came, this time followed by the commands of “GO TO THE BUNKERS!!” Well, me and my coworker darted to the nearest bunker and since we didn’t know where that was, we followed the troops. It was literally mass chaos! We made our way to the bunker in about 5 minutes time and waited patiently amongst many announcements to see what our next move would be. After about 30 minutes ( now 2:30am) we came out of the bunker and stood around for a bit waiting to hear anything further. Fifteen minutes passed and we decided to call it a night and walk back to our tent where we went to bed about 3am. A lot of excitement and adrenaline for our 3rd day on base, and I must say a much needed reality check to further make us understand exactly where we were and how aware we need to be! Now that I’ve cleared the air about what happened, let me say that we are coming into the summer time here in Afghanistan and this is the “busy” season for the terrorists or those farmers that get hopped up enough on poppys to shoot off a mortar or something homemade resembling one. Generally, anywhere from 2 to 4 mortars will hit, probably occurring every week or two. This past case was rare, here, at Bagram as injuries, let alone, casualties don’t happen. In fact, mortars are rare to make it in the base at all. This marks the 3rd time or so that a mortar has landed in the base within the past 18 months!! So everyone, RELAX, as an extra precaution patrols have now begun to take place around the clock so that no further incidences occur! Ok…I think I’m good on this topic, so to my new daily life….
As I said, I arrived here at Bagram last Thursday morning about 8:30am. Our HR rep picked us up and we headed straight for what would be our temporary but not so temporary accommodations…and I use that term very loosely! We pulled up to a tent that houses roughly 80 cots. We made our way in and parked our luggage by a cot that seemed to be most suitable. We headed off to yet another couple of tents where our office is housed! So I guess that the joke does hold true…”I’m two tense!” I’ll leave it up to ya’ll to decide if I’m a wigwam or a teepee or maybe something cool that I’ve never even heard about!!
My daily routine usually consists of waking up around 6am or so (by this time the sun has been up 2hrs…it rises at 4-4:30am). I make my way down the rocky slope to a shower room that has 8 showers and 4 sinks to take a shower and get ready. After putting clothes on, I walk about 15 minutes to the office and drop my bag off and head to the DFAC ( that’s Dining FACility for the laid person). Many of you have asked and I’ll say there is a large selection available for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I’ve been eating really healthy, getting both my veggies and fruit at every sitting. As a matter of fact, this morning I had an egg white omelette with some veggies and fruit! I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the food as I thought that it would mainly consist of pasta and meat….anything to keep the soldiers energy levels up for their patrols! Aside from the meals, my days are currently 12 hr shifts of work. Right now we putting together an MS Access database to show us 3 to 4 different types direction from the client which will be able to cross reference each other and give us all the data we need….I know boring, but it has to be done. I’m assuming that one of the biggest undertakings to follow will be managing the changes that occur along the way and documenting them. On this project the saying is, “if you didn’t document it, it didn’t happen!” Apparently, the gov’t is known for paying for the services rendered and conducting an audit 3 years later, only to take back millions of dollars where there wasn’t proof of a valid change!
I’m posting pictures to show the various items I’ve discussed, some of my tent, some of my work tent, and some of the base. Like I said in my previous post, this area is some of the most beautiful landscape I’ve ever seen. Mountains that surround more than 80% of the horizon, and most of those are snow covered! The temperature continues to be mid to high 80s, with about 30 to 40% humidity. We sit at about 4k ft above sea level and so with that the sun is on you in no time and can feel hotter than it is! I compare the climate and landscape to northeastern Nevada, or even the foothills of Scottsdale with the patches of green you can see in the distance at the base of the mountains. Time is already beginning to fly by and I’m beginning to find myself right at home as I make friends at work (we laugh all day) and I take up my free time by reading, or going to the MWR (Morale Wellness and Recreation center…gym). As you can imagine, working 84 hrs per week doesn’t lend itself for a lot of free time so I would say that currently my other hobby is falling asleep with a book in my hand! As least now I have gotten over my jet lag and am not feeling those afftects too much now!!
Anyhow, I hope that everyone is doing well, and I’ll talk to ya in 6 days (that’s next Sunday this time)!
Saturday night I went to bed without much of a clue about what would transpire that in the next 8 hrs. About midnight we got a call over the loud voice that there would be a fallen comrade ceremony which generally takes place in a certain location on base. The ceremony was to be held about 1:30 am. In these ceremonies, all personnel on base are asked to show their respects and hold at attention as the convoy passes by carrying the fallen soldier on their way to transport. Not knowing how this affected me, especially at 1:30am on a Sunday morning, I thought it best to get up and show how grateful I am that these men and women put their lives on the line for us civilians. About 1:50am or so, right as the convoy was about to pass, a large boom echoed throughout the base in a certain direction, about ¼ mile away. Usually, there is an announcement that there is a “live” area, but none was made before this sound. Me and my coworker looked at each other and then at all the soldiers as if to seek their reassurance that this was “normal”…it wasn’t too long before another loud boom came, this time followed by the commands of “GO TO THE BUNKERS!!” Well, me and my coworker darted to the nearest bunker and since we didn’t know where that was, we followed the troops. It was literally mass chaos! We made our way to the bunker in about 5 minutes time and waited patiently amongst many announcements to see what our next move would be. After about 30 minutes ( now 2:30am) we came out of the bunker and stood around for a bit waiting to hear anything further. Fifteen minutes passed and we decided to call it a night and walk back to our tent where we went to bed about 3am. A lot of excitement and adrenaline for our 3rd day on base, and I must say a much needed reality check to further make us understand exactly where we were and how aware we need to be! Now that I’ve cleared the air about what happened, let me say that we are coming into the summer time here in Afghanistan and this is the “busy” season for the terrorists or those farmers that get hopped up enough on poppys to shoot off a mortar or something homemade resembling one. Generally, anywhere from 2 to 4 mortars will hit, probably occurring every week or two. This past case was rare, here, at Bagram as injuries, let alone, casualties don’t happen. In fact, mortars are rare to make it in the base at all. This marks the 3rd time or so that a mortar has landed in the base within the past 18 months!! So everyone, RELAX, as an extra precaution patrols have now begun to take place around the clock so that no further incidences occur! Ok…I think I’m good on this topic, so to my new daily life….
As I said, I arrived here at Bagram last Thursday morning about 8:30am. Our HR rep picked us up and we headed straight for what would be our temporary but not so temporary accommodations…and I use that term very loosely! We pulled up to a tent that houses roughly 80 cots. We made our way in and parked our luggage by a cot that seemed to be most suitable. We headed off to yet another couple of tents where our office is housed! So I guess that the joke does hold true…”I’m two tense!” I’ll leave it up to ya’ll to decide if I’m a wigwam or a teepee or maybe something cool that I’ve never even heard about!!
My daily routine usually consists of waking up around 6am or so (by this time the sun has been up 2hrs…it rises at 4-4:30am). I make my way down the rocky slope to a shower room that has 8 showers and 4 sinks to take a shower and get ready. After putting clothes on, I walk about 15 minutes to the office and drop my bag off and head to the DFAC ( that’s Dining FACility for the laid person). Many of you have asked and I’ll say there is a large selection available for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I’ve been eating really healthy, getting both my veggies and fruit at every sitting. As a matter of fact, this morning I had an egg white omelette with some veggies and fruit! I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the food as I thought that it would mainly consist of pasta and meat….anything to keep the soldiers energy levels up for their patrols! Aside from the meals, my days are currently 12 hr shifts of work. Right now we putting together an MS Access database to show us 3 to 4 different types direction from the client which will be able to cross reference each other and give us all the data we need….I know boring, but it has to be done. I’m assuming that one of the biggest undertakings to follow will be managing the changes that occur along the way and documenting them. On this project the saying is, “if you didn’t document it, it didn’t happen!” Apparently, the gov’t is known for paying for the services rendered and conducting an audit 3 years later, only to take back millions of dollars where there wasn’t proof of a valid change!
I’m posting pictures to show the various items I’ve discussed, some of my tent, some of my work tent, and some of the base. Like I said in my previous post, this area is some of the most beautiful landscape I’ve ever seen. Mountains that surround more than 80% of the horizon, and most of those are snow covered! The temperature continues to be mid to high 80s, with about 30 to 40% humidity. We sit at about 4k ft above sea level and so with that the sun is on you in no time and can feel hotter than it is! I compare the climate and landscape to northeastern Nevada, or even the foothills of Scottsdale with the patches of green you can see in the distance at the base of the mountains. Time is already beginning to fly by and I’m beginning to find myself right at home as I make friends at work (we laugh all day) and I take up my free time by reading, or going to the MWR (Morale Wellness and Recreation center…gym). As you can imagine, working 84 hrs per week doesn’t lend itself for a lot of free time so I would say that currently my other hobby is falling asleep with a book in my hand! As least now I have gotten over my jet lag and am not feeling those afftects too much now!!
Anyhow, I hope that everyone is doing well, and I’ll talk to ya in 6 days (that’s next Sunday this time)!
Friday, June 19, 2009
Traveling....
Well, on Monday I began my travels across the globe with a connecting flight to Washington Dulles. There me and my coworker had a 6 hour layover where we spent most of the time in the red carpet lounge calling and texting people to keep them up to date about our status. I remember walking up to the gate in DC thinking that this is the beginning of a whole new chapter of my life and one that I won’t ever forget! I finally got to the point of excitement and let all the anxiety subside..probably helped out by the 4 or 5 crown and gingers!? All was well in business class as I stretched out straining to tap the seat in front of me which was just undoable…can you believe that?? Anyhow, we took off and about 5 minutes into the 13 hr flight, we hit some turbulence and dropped us about 300ft in a split second….ugh, if there was ever a time for depends or at least a baby wipe….can somebody say SHART??? The remainder of the flight went off without a hitch as we landed in Kuwait the next day at 4:30pm Kuwaiti time, about 30 minutes early! We stepped off the plane where we as Americans were stared at as if we were the INFIDEL!! I’ve never been looked at like that before and it made me uneasy to say the least! We got our Visas and made our way to the Hotel.
When we got to the hotel, I must say that it felt like a compound tucked away in this middle eastern city, probably because of the police parked out front, complete with a mirror that when around the truck to check for bombs! We checked in and I was given probably the best glass of freshly squeezed orange juice ever!! I made my way up to the room and was greeted by a room that was fit full of luxury for my last night of an actual bed? I must say that there is something to be said about the hospitality of this hotel, even though it was a Hilton! That night I experienced my first sand storm as I walked back from dinner.It is similar to a fine powder, with a touch of grit…too bad cause that could have been some great baby powder, haha...
Anyhow, the next day (Wednesday now), we loaded up at 2:45pm and headed to the base where we would take a C17 cargo plane to Bagram. This is probably the most nervous I had been for quite sometime, and it showed. We got to the base and got checked in by about 4:30…then we waited, and waited, and waited. The passenger waiting area was quite something with the AFN (Armed Forces Network) playing non stop live sports…pretty cool!! I sat down having walked around in the 110 plus heat, and immediately stuck to the seat which was made of a fine pleather!! Man, I think that I left about 10lbs of water weight in that seat as I sat there for about 5 hrs, feeling the heat build in the pleather! Geesh! I was a bit embarrassed every time I got up, thinking that everyone would see the gigantic amount of sweat I had built up! Oh well, that’s the way it goes.
We ended up leaving for our flight at about 1:30 in morning, some 9 hrs later and didn’t actually leave the base, wheels up, until 3am…I am very humbled to be scared the way I am and here are these young men and women going off to fight for their country while I sit around and track numbers.. In the bus on the way to the plane you could hear a pin drop, even for the time that we waited in the bus once we got to the plane. There was so much tension and anxiety that I, too, felt like I was defending my country? In this whole process of walking to the C17 and walking on board in the wide mouth of the back of the plane, I felt soo many things! All those emotions faded; however, as I sat there looking around at all those kids, a sort of calm came over me…for some reason I was soo at ease! I stared up at the carcass of the plane and listened to the props run full steam ahead and we lifted off! This flight was actually more calm than the commercial flight from a day earlier…..a welcome change! We landed some 4.5 hrs later in Bagram and walking out of that plane was so surreal. It was almost as if we flew to Nevada’s north eastern tip and got dropped off! I can’t tell you how pretty it is here and the weather on Thursday was in the high 80s and just beautiful with the mountainous backdrop that surrounds about 80% of the base…pictures to follow! I’ve finally made it to what will be my home for the next year….
Hope all is well!!
When we got to the hotel, I must say that it felt like a compound tucked away in this middle eastern city, probably because of the police parked out front, complete with a mirror that when around the truck to check for bombs! We checked in and I was given probably the best glass of freshly squeezed orange juice ever!! I made my way up to the room and was greeted by a room that was fit full of luxury for my last night of an actual bed? I must say that there is something to be said about the hospitality of this hotel, even though it was a Hilton! That night I experienced my first sand storm as I walked back from dinner.It is similar to a fine powder, with a touch of grit…too bad cause that could have been some great baby powder, haha...
Anyhow, the next day (Wednesday now), we loaded up at 2:45pm and headed to the base where we would take a C17 cargo plane to Bagram. This is probably the most nervous I had been for quite sometime, and it showed. We got to the base and got checked in by about 4:30…then we waited, and waited, and waited. The passenger waiting area was quite something with the AFN (Armed Forces Network) playing non stop live sports…pretty cool!! I sat down having walked around in the 110 plus heat, and immediately stuck to the seat which was made of a fine pleather!! Man, I think that I left about 10lbs of water weight in that seat as I sat there for about 5 hrs, feeling the heat build in the pleather! Geesh! I was a bit embarrassed every time I got up, thinking that everyone would see the gigantic amount of sweat I had built up! Oh well, that’s the way it goes.
We ended up leaving for our flight at about 1:30 in morning, some 9 hrs later and didn’t actually leave the base, wheels up, until 3am…I am very humbled to be scared the way I am and here are these young men and women going off to fight for their country while I sit around and track numbers.. In the bus on the way to the plane you could hear a pin drop, even for the time that we waited in the bus once we got to the plane. There was so much tension and anxiety that I, too, felt like I was defending my country? In this whole process of walking to the C17 and walking on board in the wide mouth of the back of the plane, I felt soo many things! All those emotions faded; however, as I sat there looking around at all those kids, a sort of calm came over me…for some reason I was soo at ease! I stared up at the carcass of the plane and listened to the props run full steam ahead and we lifted off! This flight was actually more calm than the commercial flight from a day earlier…..a welcome change! We landed some 4.5 hrs later in Bagram and walking out of that plane was so surreal. It was almost as if we flew to Nevada’s north eastern tip and got dropped off! I can’t tell you how pretty it is here and the weather on Thursday was in the high 80s and just beautiful with the mountainous backdrop that surrounds about 80% of the base…pictures to follow! I’ve finally made it to what will be my home for the next year….
Hope all is well!!
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