Today some of the locals came to the base that I'm staying at and gave us kabobs.
They butchered a couple of sheep right then and there and cooked it up for us. They also played a bunch of local music for us. It was pretty cool, a little weird mind you, but neat.
The last week or so has been pretty neat. We've been extremely busy, but that actually helps the time go by faster.
Oh, one piece of bad news. The man in charge of lodging and logistics at the base I'm staying at may have received serious brain trauma today. He was riding around on a little four-wheeler that we use for light duties on the base and rolled it. He was sent to a bigger base with a hospital by helicopter. We're all hoping that he'll be all right.
When people think of soldiers injured while overseas, they usually don't think of the simple accidents like this one that happen. It's too bad, but they happen too; maybe more than than the bloody gory war wound incidents that we hear of on the news.
Anyway, accidents aside, things here are going great. One thing's for sure: it's just plain nice to be doing my job.
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
20 May 08 - I'm here!!
Sorry I haven't updated this for a few days. I've been really busy. I've finally arrived at my home for the next few months. I dare say that it's a good place and that I'm excited to be here. The best part of it all is that I'm finally able to go to work and do my job. If there's one thing that will make this deployment go quicker, it's being busy.
I'm really excited to be working with the units that are stationed here. They're all really great guys and are quite cooperative. I was honestly a bit nervous about being assigned to a difficult unit, but these guys aren't bad.
The food sucks though. (I guess you can't have everything.)
Anyway, more updates will follow.
I'm really excited to be working with the units that are stationed here. They're all really great guys and are quite cooperative. I was honestly a bit nervous about being assigned to a difficult unit, but these guys aren't bad.
The food sucks though. (I guess you can't have everything.)
Anyway, more updates will follow.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
13 May 08 - Waiting
If there's one thing that the military does to soldiers, it's that it teaches them to hate waiting. It's not just that soldiers wait a lot more than civilians, but that we're rushed into it (if that makes sense.) In the army there's a saying, "hurry up and wait", that is an extremely accurate description of what a soldier goes through more often than not.
Case in Point
Yesterday I was told that at 4:00 a.m. today I would be leaving for the area in which I'll be working for the next 8 - 12 months. Today at 3:00 a.m I awoke and packed my bags to board a helicopter. After packing my bags I put them outside and waited for a truck to take them and me to the local airstrip. At 6:00 a.m. two hours after I was supposedly "leaving", the truck arrived. I and the other soldiers who were leaving put our bags on the truck to the near musical accompaniment of our first sergeant who was hollering for us "hurry up" because we were "already two hours late!" As if it was our fault the truck came late.
At 6:30 a.m. we finally arrived at the airstrip, where we promptly waited another hour for a chopper that would arrive at any moment.
At 7:30 a.m. we took our bags outside to the airstrip because the chopper was ready.
At 8:00 a.m., after waiting a half hour for some random guys approval, we loaded the bags on the chopper.
At 8:30 a.m. we were told that the flight was canceled and we'd have to wait until another time to leave. So we unloaded all our gear and waited another hour for a ride back to the tent that we're waiting in.
Hurry up and wait.
The good news is that at least I'll get hot food for a couple more days.
Case in Point
Yesterday I was told that at 4:00 a.m. today I would be leaving for the area in which I'll be working for the next 8 - 12 months. Today at 3:00 a.m I awoke and packed my bags to board a helicopter. After packing my bags I put them outside and waited for a truck to take them and me to the local airstrip. At 6:00 a.m. two hours after I was supposedly "leaving", the truck arrived. I and the other soldiers who were leaving put our bags on the truck to the near musical accompaniment of our first sergeant who was hollering for us "hurry up" because we were "already two hours late!" As if it was our fault the truck came late.
At 6:30 a.m. we finally arrived at the airstrip, where we promptly waited another hour for a chopper that would arrive at any moment.
At 7:30 a.m. we took our bags outside to the airstrip because the chopper was ready.
At 8:00 a.m., after waiting a half hour for some random guys approval, we loaded the bags on the chopper.
At 8:30 a.m. we were told that the flight was canceled and we'd have to wait until another time to leave. So we unloaded all our gear and waited another hour for a ride back to the tent that we're waiting in.
Hurry up and wait.
The good news is that at least I'll get hot food for a couple more days.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
08 May 08 - Arrival
I arrived in my country of service on the 5th of May. The flight over lasted almost a day and a half, so I actually skipped May 4th. There was a lot of hype about landing in a combat zone, but the landing was actually kind of tame. We were told what to do if we were under fire while landing, how to react and all sorts of stuff, but the actual landing went as smooth as any commercial jetliner.
For now I'm at a temporary duty station. I'm basically getting some last minute training and am filling out paperwork and listening to briefings while I wait for my flight to my actual duty station. It's boring most of the time, honestly, but I know that once I get to my final location that the pace will pick up and things will start moving.
For now I'm at a temporary duty station. I'm basically getting some last minute training and am filling out paperwork and listening to briefings while I wait for my flight to my actual duty station. It's boring most of the time, honestly, but I know that once I get to my final location that the pace will pick up and things will start moving.
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