You Nam E?

Ha ha ha. Actually its UNAMI, United Nations Assistance Mission to Iraq. This is another of the many organizations that it is my job to help support. If you are really interested in what UNAMI does check out http://www.uniraq.org/aboutus/aboutus.asp

I went over to their compound to meet the staff and discuss some issues. It was a very productive visit. I learned a great deal about the UN and the kind of people who do it's work out "in the field". I have to say the folks I met were an eclectic mix of nationalities and backgrounds. The common thread that bound all of them was their commitment to the people of the places the go to work and their courage.

It was really good to meet these folks for work related reasons. It was amazing to get to hear their stories about the places they had been. I wish I could tell the stories here, but having only heard them I fear I'd not do them justice. We are talking about places that rarely make the US news and stories that make crime in the US look like a kindergarten outing. Then there were the "good news" stories. Again, never heard of some of these places. What impressed me most was the cool demeanor of the folks I met. They weren't boasting, just retelling some of the more interesting events.

So it was a good trip. I got to see a little more of Kuwait City. In some respects it is just like any other city with highway signs and buses. I thought the pic of the advertisement on the back of the bus turned out funny. I have no idea who that joker is or what the script says.

Think

11 September 2007

EVERYBODY here is very focused today.
Where were you 6 years ago today? There is a lot of talk and effort given to that.
More importantly where do you want to be 6 years from today.
I know right where I was, I know right where I want to be. Which is why I know it is right to be here today.

Ukranians?

Never would I have believed it. I am in a picture with soldiers from the Ukraine! So what? Well, only that up until about a decade ago these guys were our mortal enemies. Crazy. I gotta say though these are some cool guys. They were pretty laid back. Real friendly and very knowledgeable. It was kinda funny though, they have a classic Hollywood eastern European accent. It's really just the way they talk. The senior of the three just cracked us up. We met with them for a bit on business and to introduce me as the new guy. At one point one of them passes around a paper so we can right down our contact info. One of the officers hands this senior guy the paper and he didn't like how he had it done because there was just like a name no info, so he says a few things in Ukrainian to him. Then in a perfect Hollywood movie accent he says "Who's 'dis guy, here. Yeah 'dis guy. Who's 'dis guy?" So were sitting there all trying not to laugh, and he looks over and says something like. " Yeah. like movie huh? 'dis guy". Man we just start cracking up. , it was hilarious.The right three guys on the top row are Ukrainian Officers. They came down to give one of our soldiers an award for all the help he has given them while he was here. The "awardee" and I are on the left of the first row. He's is going home soon, so we will probably see more of this, which is cool.

Goodbye Tent!

Woo Hoo! Like Christmas in September. I have moved into my relatively palatial accommodations in the barracks.

Now, really it doesn't seem like much, a mere 160 square feet for two guys. I have a bed, complete with lumpy mattress and all. I have a desk, fridge, TV, and a wall locker. My roommate and I share the TV and the fridge. Fortunately, we don't have to share the bed! Ha Ha Ha.

I got a pretty good roommate. He's a real good guy, been here about 8 months. He works in a completely different part of the organization than I do which is nice. It's good to get different perspective and get to be around different people. I spend about 12 hours a day at work, so I really have no desire to hang around those guys after work. Not that they are not good folks, it' s just that after 12-15 hours everyday you really just want to see somebody else!

So these are my digs. Complete with my MacBook! We have wireless. $35/month with an average rate of 52 kBps! For those that aren't geeks, that's slower than US dialup. Yeah shitty, but way better than those guys in the tents where I used to be who have nothing.

Really that's what it's all about now. "This sucks Felix. Yeah Jeb. But it could suck so much worse. I got a buddy, he...blah blah blah." Really makes me appreciate just how much I had at home. By God when I get back I am going to take advantage of it. Really. I'm proud of America. We have a lot, and we should. My great uncles didn't all go trough this same stuff, and worse, so we could be second best. They went and did, as I am doing, because they believed in America. I'd like to think they also subscribed to the higher moral cause of believing that people should be free from tyranny and oppression. If they didn't and they went and fought just because they wanted America to be on top, that's good enough for me! I feel a real connection to those men now. When I get back I am damn sure gonna enjoy America and all that comes with being American!

1 week down!

Alright! I knocked out the 2d hardest part of a deployment. The first few days suck for all the obvious reasons; jet-lag, new environment, new people, policies and procedures, etc, etc. Same as it sucks to be any place new you don't really want to be. Oh, if this is the 2d worst what is the worst? In my opinion it is the last few days. You rarely know exactly what day you're leaving. When that day comes you might get stuck, aircraft break, weather, and all the other bullshit that can occur. So there you sit all done, nothing to do but get home and your stuck. That to me is the suckiest.

Life here has gotten quite a bit more eventful. There is a lot to do. My day is pretty full, but I rarely feel like I have gotten anything done. My mission here is basically a staff officer. Briefings, slides, research, policy, problem solving. We are doing non-doctrinal stuff because it deals exclusively with coalition partners (foriegn countries like Australia, Georgia, etc.) That part is cool, but the staff work sucks. Don't get me wrong, I have clear indicators that we do accomplish the mission, it's just I am on the planning and resourcing end of it and I would really rather be on the execution end. These are a few pics of us getting soldiers from the nation of Tonga some equipment. These were cool guys and this is the part of the job I like, but I rarely will be "doing". Mostly I plan this event and then check to make sure it goes OK.

We work a pretty good schedule. I can't complain, the "boys" at my last unit were so good at what they did I got a fair amount of time off. I am paying for it now. I am getting up at 0530 and going to work by 0630. I leave for lunch about 1200 and usually take about 45 min (it's a 5 min walk to eat). I get back and work until about 1900 (7 p.m.), except for Thursday. Thursday Mass is at 1800 so I get out early and go because I have to work Sunday. This schedule is fairly the same Mon-Sat. Sunday I come in a little later and leave a little earlier.

I need to start doing some PT. I am going to try and hit the gym/run at lunch. We'll see how that works out. It's tuff to want to do anything but work, sleep, and eat. I think as my body continues to adjust to the heat and tempo I'll get better. The heat should start to break here in a few weeks. I really think that once we get down into the 90's during the day I'll be a lot better. We are still hitting 115-120 during the day. It gets down into the 80's at night and that actually is a bit chilly in the morning! Imagine that, 85 being chilly.

Still living in the tent. That too is not as bad as it could be. There is only 4 of us left in tent that sleeps 14, but was set up for only 7, so we have lots of room. When I move I'll be going to a room that is 8x10, WITH a roommate! Yep that's right, Soldiers, Sergeants, and Commissioned Officers of the most powerful nation on earth living in a space smaller than what many convicts live in. Yeah, I am pissed. But heah you can only do so much with a couple Billion per year to fight a war with right? Aw anyhow, we have a pool here. I haven't seen it, but it exists. What the hell do we need a pool for? Good question. All things for you to ponder until my next post!

Austrailian's Rock!

Let me just say that if I ever get the chance to go to war with an Australian unit, you probably wouldn't even have to pay me! I got to work today and found out that we had been invited to a BBQ being held by the Australians on their camp. Cool I thought, but man I had no idea.
Before I get into the the Australians I need to explain a few things about being over here. I am extremely lucky to have the job I have. Working with all the different nations provides me a lot of unique opportunities most soldiers don't get. For example, this BBQ was held on another camp, so we had to travel. Even here in Kuwait that is a big deal. We are not so worried about IED's like up north, but you still don't just go driving off into Kuwait. In fact a fair number of soldiers on this camp will not leave it, except to go on R&R or if it is a sponsored trip to a cultural event.

We went through all the steps to get permission to go, got our weapons and ammo and off we went. The great thing about my job is I get to go off base a lot. We need to deal with our coalition partners that are spread all over Kuwait, so getting permission to go wasn't tuff. We get up to where the Aussie's are and pull into their camp, Billabong Flats they call it. Man it was cool! They have a little grassy area where they flew their flag, real nice patio type setup, a real decent place to be. Do you know how odd it is to see grass here? We go walking up and turn the corner and we see a real live BBQ happening. Music, food, people all chillin out. Check out the pic. It's a real BBQ, minus the alcohol.

They did have a bar, complete with pool table and all. Non Alcoholic beer, Beck's actually, it was 50 cents a bottle! We had burgers, streaks, all the fixin's. Man those Australians know how to fight a war! Me being me I mingled around. We had a pretty good time but didn't stay long. We had a mission to go check on over on the other side of the camp so we headed out after about 2 hours.

As if having a BBQ after being in a war zone for a few days was not weird enough, I ran into my former Battalion Commander's daughter! Yeah really crazy. I was eating with my two Sergeants and talking to some Korean Air Force guys when this soldier walks by. I saw her name tag and it was my BC's last name, not a common name. I knew it had to be her because she looks just like my BC's wife. Just before I left he told me to keep an eye out for her if I got up to this camp. So I got up and went up and asked her, sure enough it was her! She was like, " Oh yeah he told me one of his commander's was coming here!" We were both like "weird". Anyhow I snapped the pic to send to her mom and dad. She asked me not to tell them she was hanging around a bunch of Australian guy's. Hope they don't read this ;)

Life at Camp Arifjan

I wanted to post a few pics of my tent. I'll post more pics to this entry as I get them. I can't really show a whole bunch of stuff for security reasons, but I think you'll get the idea. Well enjoy. I am off to have Starbuck's. Yeah, crazy. I still can't get over the fact that I can get Starbuck's 24/7. Hell It is easier for me to get a cup of coffee here than it is in DC! Go figure!

The tent pics are where I live. You'll know when I move becuase I will definatly write about that day! The soldier at the tent is not me!