One more down, another to go

   I know, I know... I haven't been as forthcoming with the blogs this trip. Well, there are several good reasons for that. But the main reason is, we have been way too busy doing things with people that 99% of you will never know about and I will never be able to repeat. As a result, trying to get enough interesting information about being here and enough photos that I can actually show is quite difficult so I save it up. 

  Now for what you're really here for, what has been happening. Well, to be honest, not a lot. This new base is very quiet. No shots fired in a really long time here. The folks stationed here must travel to go out and get the baddies. And believe me, I am not complaining one bit. Yes, I love the adrenaline rush of it all, I am sick and twisted like that. But I am also getting to where I like the peace and quiet. If the only noise I must deal with is the helicopters flying overhead on approach and the generators running, I am as happy as if I had good sense. 

  We have just been keeping our communications operating and rewiring buildings and gutting old wiring out. As the CO put it to our CO back home "I don't know what they're doing half of the time so that's a good thing." It's a true compliment for a commo guy when the boss says that. Explanation - if they have to actually talk to us... that means something is broken and without commo, people die here. It's a true testament to the caliber of people I have on my team. I couldn't ask for anyone better. These guys work hard and bust their humps to do whatever is necessary. I'm proud and honored to be here leading them and serving with them. A smart man once said "Successful people are successful because they surround themselves with the right people" or something to that effect. And when you do that, it's easy to lead because they almost lead themselves. 

   It's also been a true blessing that I haven't once had to post the death of one of our teammate this whole trip *knocks on wood*. There have been some losses with the other groups but I never got any details on those as we weren't supporting them directly. However, we do feel it and pray for their families and thank them for their sacrifice. 

   We will be home soon hopefully. On the downhill slide. I get to go back to working at at&t and all the fun that goes with it. And looking forward to getting back to normal and being with my Andrea. Woohoo!! I do miss her so much. And getting to hear about my girls and their final years in high school directly from them. I'm so proud of them both and miss them terribly. 

   I want to thank everyone for the emails and support and those who've sent care packages for my folks, it's much appreciated. You all rock. Fortunately we haven't needed a lot and this has been a short trip but it's all appreciated more than we can ever express. 

I have posted several photos for you all to enjoy. 

http://picasaweb.google.com/drjones2005/OIF2MorePhotos

I'll try to write another post in 2 weeks. I should have something more interesting about the actual job by then ;)

D

A whole month gone by

    

    Wow, I didn't realize how much time has gone by since my last post. And entire month and it has just flown by for me in many ways. We finally got a new mission to support a new area and had to move. The new facilities, while filthy and a spaghetti factory of wire and cables, are much nicer than what we left. We have had a couple of dust storms but the buildings are better sealed and the storms weren't as noticeable. AND we don't have the stupid little biting bugs here. If we do they haven't got me yet (knocks on wood). 

Over all it's been a good thing. Of course I haven't been able to get on here as much due to the extra work but actual physical work makes the days go by so much faster. I don't have any photos ready from here. I must sort through and find stuff I can actually post. But we're doing well and have no complaints and really have no immediate needs for anything that hasn't been taken care of by a few wonderful people already. 

I'm still looking forward to getting home and seeing everyone again but especially my 2 lovely daughters who I miss terribly and my Andrea, I miss her badly. 

Thanks to everyone for your support. 

D

Fake tans and orange sky

Been here in Iraq a little over a week now... I think. The days and nights run together already. I wake up around 10 am for my shift. When I open the door I never know what to expect. Some days it's bright and sunny and hot as the face of the sun. Other days the wind is blowing and jerks the door out of my hand and then I get a face-full of dirt. Another thing that happens, like this morning, I go out, it's hot and shiny. I walk the 1/4 mile to the shower, then by the time I'm out, the sky is orange again with dirt and sand blowing and blotting out the sun. The only good thing about the blowing dirt is it does cool things down. However, by the time I get back to my room, I have a nice tan. Not a real one mind you, but one that washes off. 

I've attempted to wear my contacts twice. It's no use, the dust is so fine it wreaks havoc with them. Good thing I brought several extra eye glasses for when I need them.

There's also little sand fleas that can't be seen. They eat you alive and there are bigger insects as well that bite the crap out of us. After only a little over a week here, I now understand why these people are so angry all the time. This part of Iraq is desolate and dreadful. 

The only true upside is, they aren't shooting at us or trying to blow us up here. I've only heard distant machine gun fire a few times and no mortars or rockets. It's boring as hell here but that's a good thing I suppose. If you're a girl it is!!! I never thought I'd say this but I miss riding around Baghdad and cruising around on UH60s. 

Ok, enough of my perspective and whining. I just wanted to paint a bit of the picture here. Dirt, dirt and more dirt... It just goes to show that every place is home for someone. I can't wait to get back to mine. :D

Photos from Venice and my current location (close anyway)

 http://picasaweb.google.com/drjones2005

Enjoy and thanks for the support!

D

Over here again

Well, I'm back, doing it one more time. It was a helluva trip getting over here this time. I reckon I will start with Memorial Day...

We reported in at 0700. Families and friends showed up, the 1st Shirt brought sausage biscuits for everyone.. it was a great send-off. We mounted the bus, drove to Jacksonville International where we caught our flight to Baltimore with a 2 hours layover in Atlanta. We had a few hours layover in Baltimore. I received my seat assignment, asked for a window seat and was given one. I went on my way to hang out in the USO and drink coffee, and then went through security to wait to board the plane. Now here’s the funny thing, I showed my boarding pass to the TSA folks along with my identification, was waved through then paged to the gate shortly thereafter. When I got to the gate, we found that I had somebody else’s boarding pass. Great security… Anyway, what really made me angry was I had been put into the inside aisle seat where the cart continued to bash my knee and arm for 12 hours….

Anyway, we traveled to Ramstein AB, Germany, stayed there for about an hour and a half, and then flew to Aviano AB, Italy. When we arrived there, we found a greeting party from the residents of the base and it was truly amazing. They grilled out enough food and provided enough drinks for all 187 people on the plane. Then the terminal makes the announcement that weather has rolled in and the plane cannot take off due to heavy fog over the mountains. At this point everyone is cheering but a select few including myself. What this means is all our scheduled flights to get us to our destination are now shot. Whatever, nothing I can do about it but report it up the chain and enjoy myself. The base didn’t have room for us so they called every hotel in the area to put us up and the only one with room was the Hilton in Venice.

After a 2 hour bus ride and ferry ride to Venice, we were finally checked in and fed and bedded down at around 1am. Of course, we were all up in time to eat and catch a water taxi to San Marco Square. Since we didn’t have to be back for the ferry until 10 am, we had plenty of time to get lost. And lost we got but the cool thing about Venice, you can always spot a landmark to guide yourself by we found.

Back to the Air Base and back on the plane, we finally took off around 6pm and arrived at Al Udeid, Qatar around 1am. Once there, we received the usual hassle we get for not travelling on normal Air Force orders and threatened to be arrested and deported. We just laughed and said “Ok, sure thing”. I mean really, what kind of threat is that to some people going into combat?

Of course, our connecting flight into Iraq was long gone and no way to schedule another. So we got a couple of hours of sleep in a tent full of Brits, got up, headed to the PAX (passenger) Terminal and waiting Space Available (Space A). We finally caught a flight into Balad AB Iraq and once again had to spend the night in an open bay building. While there we found that just that morning 2 of our troopers had been KIA by an IED in a convoy. I don't have the links to the press release but please keep their families in your prayers. And no less than 2 or 3 mortars came into Balad. It was just enough to make it feel like we’d never left and be just as irritating as before. The next evening, we get carried to the terminal for rotary wing transportation (Helicopter).
Once there we’re informed that we’re on a waiting list and must wait around until 5am to catch a flight Space A. No problem, we wait…. And wait…. And wait. Then about 11pm they call up “everyone wanting to go where we’re going, grab your shit and let’s go!” Out we go into the dark… dragging our stuff for several hundred yards down the flight line to an empty spot. There the guy tells us that we have to wait. Then about the time we catch our breath, we are told that our bird is actually at the OTHER end of the flight line… so off we go again! We charge up onto a CH-47 Chinook and moments, later off it goes. Two hours later, we land at our new FOB out in the middle of nowhere and of course the bird parks at the far end of the LZ (landing zone). So we’re dragging our bags again.

But it’s all good, we’re finally here and this place is so desolate and quiet and boring. I know most of you at home love to hear that but for us who like to be doing something, it’s a nightmare. But at the same time… it’s nice to catch our breath for the moment. I’ll have pictures up in a day or so and all will be right with the world.

Thank you everyone for your support and if you’re looking for ways to help and support us all, please keep in mind that the USO is always looking for volunteers and check out http://desertwarriors.org/

Almost time to roll

So, I've been holed up in a hotel room for a few days. Just sitting here waiting to get on with the mission. I'm drinking the last of my Crown as I won't be having any more for a long time. 

The teams trained hard as hell. Harder and longer than the last trip. We underwent a Mission Readiness Evaluation (MRE) and passed it in 2 days.. technically 3 but the 1st day one team had trouble that was beyond their control. The fact that they worked around it and still accomplished the test mission was astounding but for me expected ;-). We passed the inspection with the highest grade to date. Even rated higher than the Active Duty squadrons so far. I'm so proud of these teams and it was truly an honor to lead them through their training. Now we deploy and we'll be split. One team is already gone and the rest of us are waiting for our flight. I don't have a lot of pics due to the mission and the such but should have some doctored photos up soon. All the tactical training was accomplished during the 1st two weeks so there's nothing to add to that. We are ready and well trained to do our mission and get back home. Woohoo!!!

Thanks for the support from everyone. I'll be seeing you all soon. 

D

Updates and developments

I’m going to go ahead and let you all know now… this trip won’t be as eventful with the blog as before. Due to mission requirements and the OPSEC (operations security) that goes with it, there will be very few if any photos.. and the blog will be more vague than usual.
We have been training. Everyone is doing quite well and I’m very pleased so far. I have posted some photos of some training on my Facebook. This training has been much more detailed than the last trip and much more extensive in the weapons and tactics.

Photos:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=15878&l=5e7ae&id=592634360

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=16501&l=f907b&id=592634360

On another note, yes, my wife and I are separated and getting divorced. Please don't send a million questions about it and don't send your condolences. I have moved on and met a wonderful, beautiful woman. Andrea makes me happier then I ever thought possible and I hope you all can meet her one day.

Enjoy and once again, thank you all for your support.

D

A new trip, new mission.. more good times

So, I have been home, taken my leave. Enjoyed time with my family. And now it's back to business... again.
Right now our full training has not begun. The entire team is not here yet. Just a few of us from last trip are deploying again and we're out here getting a head start where we can. Some of us are doing our PT in the mornings, taking care of medical appointments and other paperwork. Nothing exciting to report and no pictures to post. I'll post another blog when something starts happening and the real training begins.

D

Home at last!

Yep, I'm home and happy and my schedule is so screwed up it's not even funny. Having been on night shift over there, it was almost in line with being home but not quite. Then I had to switch to days to get ready and out-process but still couldn't sleep at night (No idea why).
So, the day finally comes, we go the PAX (Passenger) terminal at 2000 and wait. Our flight doesn't leave till 0100 and we don't go thru customs at this point so all we can do is sit around and.... sleep? HA! Who needs sleep?

0100 finally comes and we actually board a completely packed C17, uneventful trip to Kuwait follows.

Get to Kuwait and find that the Air Force LNO (liaison officer) is not in nor were they expecting us. Go figure. She finally shows up and figures out what to do with us. They drop us off at a tent and point to a building and say "there's the shower and over there's the DFAC". Now keep in mind, it's 0300l (3am local) and we've been driving through this maze of roads and buildings. We have no choice but to say "OK".
Now we're told we have to store all our weapons in the Armory so the woman drops 3 of us off there during the middle of their Guardmount. Which means, we have to stand outside in the freezing cold until the security folks are done. grrrrrrr. When they are finally done we get inside and start to check them in and mention that we're only gonna be there a few hours. The Security Forces guy informs us we DON"T have to store our weapons there!!!! So we're happy but in the mean time, we have no clue where our tent is. By now it's 0430. We're so pissed off at the AF LNO people but what can you do but laugh. So the 4 of us start marching across the base with our 13 rifles and pistols till we finally find the tent. We get the weapons stowed, come outside and find that it's turning daylight. That's when we see the armory is right across from the tent and took 3 minutes to get to lol. Oh yeah, the building the lady pointed out as the shower, not the shower... grrrrrrr. We found them at the far end of the row of tents... ahhh life is good.
So now, our next flight isn't until 0130 out of Kuwait International Airport and we also find out, can't take weapons through there. So we have to find TMO and ship them all that way. Didn't break our hearts, just that much less crap to drag around.

Kuwait International was a real pain in the ass but it all had to do with security so I wasn't complaining. I did find the Kuwaitis extremely rude but I reckon those that have the gold make the rules right?

Flew out of there finally and landed in Amsterdam 6 hours or so later. A 4 hour layover there, just enough time to get some food and a couple of shots of vodka... mmmm. And then we're back in the air, straight to ATL baby!!

Landing at ATL, we run through Customs with no incidents, get out to re-check in area and there are 7 of us that want to get off here at ATL as opposed to the rest who were going on to Brunswick, GA. Well, the Delta folks finally get what we're trying to do and re-tag our baggage. When they retag mine, they put both tags on the same bag so that when I got to the carousel, only one showed up.

A little side note, I was really cool as myself and Steve came up the stairs to the Baggage claim area. As soon as we topped the stairs, everyone started clapping and saying welcome home. Of course what was odd for me was the fact the we were in uniform and I didn't see my commander there at 1st so I had to look around for a second to figure out they were cheering for us. It was a really good feeling. Steve, Larry and Jason's families were all there so it was nice. We actually did a promotion ceremony for Steve to promote him to MSgt finally.

Now I'm home, been hanging out with my awesome daughters and hearing about all their exploits in my absence.

Thanks to everyone for your support. It has been appreciated more than we can ever hope to express. Overall my trip has been a really good trip. I've met some wonderful new friends. I've experienced events and feelings that are really difficult to describe in words or pictures, some I hope never to experience again, and others I hope never go away.

The folks that are still out there doing the deed, both in the support roles and the active roles... I salute you all and I will stay in touch. I wish you all a safe return and I'll see a lot of you again in a few months when I return.

Godspeed and thanks again

*OUT*

Last one from here... hopefully

I'm so happy about this particular post for several reasons. The title gives one of them away I'm sure. Yep, it's getting that time. Soon soon soon!!!!!

Second, I have no deaths to report from our team. Woohoo!! We've been kicking ass and staying safe. I love it. Not to downplay the others here. They are remembered and their families. But it's just awesome when our team can really do good stuff and nobody gets hurt for a change.

Third, I just survived another trip into the "weeds". We made a whirlwind trip around B'dad consisting of a MH-53J Pave Low helicopter with our own USAF folks. Of course it was dark and no photos. Sorry folks. Every ride we took either was dark or in an area where no cameras could be used. I did a few shots when I could safely and legally. Took another UH-60 ride. That was the roughest helicopter ride I've had since working in Southern Command. Nobody was shooting at us, (that I know of) it was the wind that was beating us down. Imagine a roller coaster coming off the track and you can imagine the sensation of riding in this thing. Oddly enough, I had a blast with it. I'm pretty sure I had a grin the whole time that swung from "Yeehaw!" to "Holy Shit!!"
Then we couldn't get a rotary ride back to where we were supposed to be so we ended up waiting it out with the USAF at the fixed wing terminal at BIAP (Baghdad International Airport). Waiting it out there, we ended up on a C-130, flew to Kuwait, then back to Iraq.
So you have the air travel story. While on the ground, we did a convoy that was pretty uneventful with one exception. We were escorting a couple of trucks when the load on one started shifting so we had to stop in a less-than-ideal location. The young man I had with me got a real kick out of having to pull security on the convoy outside while we fixed the load. 10 minutes, which is a lifetime in an unsecured area, and I was back behind the wheel and we were rolling.
I have to make a note here. While we were puling security we couldn't help but notice the Iraqi civilians driving by. The look of fear in their eyes. I can't imagine having to live like that. You have to keep in mind, they weren't scared of us so much as afraid to be around us while we were stopped. That was evidenced by the fact that when I could make eye contact, I would smile and usually get a smile back. A small wave, and they would wave back. Amazing. It's the same when were were driving, a smile and wave at the folks on the streets was almost always returned.

And all of this happened in 72 hours. What a good time. Now for the ironic part. During this trip, I got the only set of civilian clothes I have filthy, we were smelly and dirty as hell when we got back to our FOB to find that the showers are all closed as well as the laundry. Yippee!! And all the baby wipes that people had been sending to us, we had given most of them away to folks who travel out a lot. So, unless they turn on the showers and laundry soon, we are going to come home smelling like a bunch of goats. Man I love this lol!! You have to laugh at these things. Doesn't do any good to get angry or bitch and whine. That just gets everyone all down and who the hell wants to live like that? Suck it up and move on... that's what we do.

I feel like I'm leaving something out but this has to be enough for now.

New photos posted - http://picasaweb.google.com/drjones2005

getting really really close.... maybe

Time is running out, we should be going home soon. I'll believe it when I get on an aircraft and land somewhere besides this god-forsaken desert.
Speaking of desert, the movies are all full of sh*t! There are no rolling dunes of sand, no burning temperatures by day and cool at night. No camels everywhere either. Lots of sheep and some scrawny cows. Now this doesn't mean that it's a bad thing that these things aren't true. I've been told that it does get hot as hell here in the summer. However, it doesn't mean that what is really here is any better. LOL. It's been raining most of the night making a total mess out of everything. But things have warmed up a bit which is nice. It actually snowed here last week which for me was absolutely horrible. I hate snow and everything about it but I can't seem to get away from it. I've heard all about the snow at home... and I know the kids are all happy about it so they get out of school.

Well, enough of my mindless whining about the weather. If you haven't figured it out by now, there's nothing really for me to talk about over here. Nothing that I can talk about that is. It's been busy. I'm really tired but I'll get over it. Gonna go to the gym again in a little bit and that'll wake me up again.

Once again I have to end on a sad note. We lost another of our guys. Once again, please remember Justin and his family in your prayers and such.
While we're praying, let's all pray for justice and death to the gd terrorists who keep this shit up. Yes, I'm a little cranky and tired but this is my forum and this is how I feel. :->

http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=11632

RIP warrior

It's not over...

Well, the New Years has come and gone. We came to work, we went to bed.... pretty much the extent of it. No big holiday party or fireworks or shooting off our weapons in celebration. Sent a few emails, tried to make some phone calls but the trunks were pretty much jammed.

It did warm up finally to about 50 at night and 75 or so during the day. Then about 2 days ago we went in the gym around 9:30 and it was nice out, a little cloudy but warm, came out at noon and it was raining and freakin cold! It has been cold as crap since. Even tonight since I've been on shift it's dropped from about 28 to about 18. And the wind is blowing. But at least we aren't in tents. That's about the only thing that could make it worse I reckon.

Looking forward to getting home.. not sure when that's gonna be but soon. I can't give you any dates so please stop asking. Most of you reading this have been in the military long enough or around it long enough to know better. When I'm home you will all know it. :)

Finally, we end this on a sad note. I decided not to start off as I've started the last couple off this way. This doesn't take away from the respect for the fallen in anyway, just changing things up.
We lost a friend and fellow warrior to a non-combat related accident on Jan 2nd.
http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=11600

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/cityregion/s_546003.html

Please keep his family in your thoughts and prayers.

Thanks all for your support.

Sorry, no new photos or videos.