I'm Here
Well, I'm here at beautiful FOB (Forward Operating Base) St. Michael near the thriving metropolis of Mahmudiyah Iraq. For a paltry sum you too can have your own tent, along with thirteen other guys, and miles and miles of lush desert landscape. And, if the cooks aren't on guard duty, they might even have food for you.
Actually I love it here. It's like the real Army. Tents and cots and MREs. Best of all, no changing spaces into underscores. We got here a few days ago and have been working non stop to set everything up. The first day we took it easy and only worked 15 hours. Yesterday we hit it hard and worked 17. Now that it's all set up we'll fall back into our 12 on 12 off schedule, but there aren't enough guys to have days off here. I haven't stopped smiling since we got here though. Satisfaction is found more in your work environment than it is with comforts. I love it here.
The tents do have a heater/airconditioning unit in them. The first night got down to about 40 outside, but we couldn't figure out how to turn the AC off so it was probably in the thirties inside. Good thing I brought my sleeping bag. The contractors came to fix it last night but I guess it'ss all the way broken now. Oh, there are two internet cafes here. One is run by the Army and is free to use, the other is run by a Local Guy and costs $2.00 an hour. I thought I was in the free one but I, just at this moment, found out I'm in the $2.00 one. Oh, well, live and learn. This place is starkly different than Camp Victory. Camp Victory is bigger than some cities in the States. I could probably throw a baseball from one corner to the other here. Along with the small size comes a proportionate lack of amenities. However, there is a place to sleep, a place to eat, a place to shower, and internet service, a place to play my guitar, and my old boss is nowhere to be found. What more could you really ask for. We should be here for 6-8 weeks and then we'll go back to Camp Victory. My hope is that someone else will be sucked into my old position and then when I get back I can do my real job. We'll see what happens. I'll post some more pictures in a few days. Now that I'm understanding this internet cafe it looks like you can bring your own computer and hook it up. Good thing I brought mine.
Well, I better not run up a tab so I'll post another bolg and some pictures in a few days.
Actually I love it here. It's like the real Army. Tents and cots and MREs. Best of all, no changing spaces into underscores. We got here a few days ago and have been working non stop to set everything up. The first day we took it easy and only worked 15 hours. Yesterday we hit it hard and worked 17. Now that it's all set up we'll fall back into our 12 on 12 off schedule, but there aren't enough guys to have days off here. I haven't stopped smiling since we got here though. Satisfaction is found more in your work environment than it is with comforts. I love it here.
The tents do have a heater/airconditioning unit in them. The first night got down to about 40 outside, but we couldn't figure out how to turn the AC off so it was probably in the thirties inside. Good thing I brought my sleeping bag. The contractors came to fix it last night but I guess it'ss all the way broken now. Oh, there are two internet cafes here. One is run by the Army and is free to use, the other is run by a Local Guy and costs $2.00 an hour. I thought I was in the free one but I, just at this moment, found out I'm in the $2.00 one. Oh, well, live and learn. This place is starkly different than Camp Victory. Camp Victory is bigger than some cities in the States. I could probably throw a baseball from one corner to the other here. Along with the small size comes a proportionate lack of amenities. However, there is a place to sleep, a place to eat, a place to shower, and internet service, a place to play my guitar, and my old boss is nowhere to be found. What more could you really ask for. We should be here for 6-8 weeks and then we'll go back to Camp Victory. My hope is that someone else will be sucked into my old position and then when I get back I can do my real job. We'll see what happens. I'll post some more pictures in a few days. Now that I'm understanding this internet cafe it looks like you can bring your own computer and hook it up. Good thing I brought mine.
Well, I better not run up a tab so I'll post another bolg and some pictures in a few days.
posted by GWM at 1:56 AM
2 Comments:
So good to hear from you! It sounds like you are in your element! I'm glad that you were able to bring your guitar. I was wondering about that. Will you still get mail where you are? Do we send it to the same place as before? I look forward to hearing more of your adventure.
KSW
So glad to "see" that smile again. I was going through a box of pictures and found some of Papa when he was probably in Basic training and one when he was in Desert Storm. Cute cot and all. Glad to see some things stay the same. CnH
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