A little birdy told me that we can get free prescription inserts and a spare pair of glasses made at the medical shop here. Never one to turn down free equipment, especially stuff I can really use, off I went to the med shed with a copy of my prescription.
Now, I have a pair of prescription sunglasses with ballistic lenses that I bought myself because I was worried my supply system wouldn't get me prescription inserts before I left. Through a combination of working in advance and people back home that were willing to work with me (technically they need paperwork validating a deployment before they can order the inserts, but they know my unit is in and out a lot and so just placed the order before the paperwork flowed), I got a pair of inserts in time.
So my sunglasses work. My one insert sits in my ballistic goggles. And now I'll have a spair insert to keep in my issued ballistic glasses. Outstanding.
I also needed a spare set of glasses since mine are pretty cheap. The lenses have a tendancy to fall out. I did try ordering a set before I left but something got messed up. Problem solved...
Now, I have no idea what the new frames look like. However, the purpose is for me to be able to see the world. I'll worry about how the world sees me later. I already run around in Ranger panties in my off time so if they are the classs "birth control" style frames (so named because anyone wearing them won't have to worry about needing other methods) then who cares?
I also got another installment towards my initial issue of Army stuff. A set of long johns and an infrared reflective/emitting flag patch for ID purposes at night under night vision goggles.
No, I don't need the long johns now. But it's nice to have a few sets in the proper colors when it's cold and I need to be in uniform. Or when it's cold in general.
I also received a surprise package from close family friends containing a lot of meat. I may or may not have swung a string of sausages in a threatening manner (like a set of nunchuks) towards someone asking what was in the box. Thank you.
On a related note, I did find two cases of kosher meals. Unfortunately, they are Passover meals. The accessory packs are great. They have mixed nuts, dried fruit, and other healthy stuff. Unfortunately, the entrees are a little greasy. Well, very. But now I have other better food. And the Chaplains are working on the MREs.
As I sit here drafting this at work, my neighbor is on the phone mentoring a young LT. It's really funny but hard to describe. This senior NCO told the good LT that it's OK and he looks to him for guidance because he is an officer. The translation: stop just forwarding emails to others and make a decision.
He also explained that all officers need training and described to the LT how the weather guy next to him (me) brings him his chow every meal. And how last night I didn't cut his chicken up right for him so he threw it at me. Yes, he told the LT, you need to break officers in right. Especially those weather officers, because they think they are all so smart.
I was picturing this LT nodding along at the other end of the phone no longer sure what was true and what was a joke. Meanwhile, I'm sitting here feeding lines to my neighbor.
I also got teased for my haircut. It had been weeks since my last haircut. My hair was longer than it has been in years. Still in regs, technically, but getting shaggy and annoying. Once it crosses the line from brushable to needing to be brushed, it is too much. When I came back, with what was not a particularly short haircut for me, my Marine buddy looked at me and nodded approvingly. He said it was almost an Active Duty haircut.
Before I forget, I need to wish congratulations to friends of ours who are getting married this weekend. I'm sorry I can't be there. As you can read, I am deeply engaged in making the world safe for democracy one powerpoint slide at a time. My wife will be there. I'll get a full report.
Also, I'm going to celebrate the next couple of days with Cookies and Cream ice cream from the chow hall.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Monday, May 25, 2009
Quick Update
Sorry, no witty title.
So casual day came and went. The Civil Affairs/PSYOP types dressed in civilian clothes for it. A few of the enlisted folks wore civilian clothes. Two junior Navy officers were civilian clothes. The rest of us didn't bother. But we did bounce a beach ball around a little in the office.
To go casual a Marine took of his uniform jacket and loosened his belt. Briefly.
Incidentally, the Marine senior NCO just found out I was a Guard guy. Then he found out my "job" on the outside is as a grad student. So later that day when I made fun of someone for slacking on PT (he fully intended to go the gym after work, he just happened to wake up a few hours later in bed still in uniform after a quick nap) the Marine made sure to point out that it was because the guy was exhausted from having a full time job.
Come to think of it, if the only things I'm getting crap for are generalities like being a Guard guy, being a weather guy, or being an Air Force guy, then I'm doing OK.
Which reminds me... weatherunderground.com does forecasts for Baghdad and many other cities in Iraq. Unfortunately, this does not mean I can go home now, though lots of people point out that I've been replaced by a website just the same.
As for other planned mockery, a senior officer here came up with his own PT plan. That's fine because most of his do that. His mistake was telling people about it as if he'd discovered cold fusion rather than loosely ripping off Crossfit and the old Army PT manuals. So, in conjunction with public affairs, a fake infomercial is in the works extolling the virtues of his program. There is already a fake flyer circulating for it.
My beautiful and thoughtful wife, who is on her last night on call during her advanced rotation in primary care, sent me a package that included a bunch of Tasty Bite meals. They hit the spot. Kind of ironic that given how many South Asians KBR has employed in the chow halls that a pre-packaged Indian meal with a long shelf-life seems so new and different. Odd.
And my dad commented on my post about interrogations. I think there needs to be a distinction between those charged with making policy decisions and the pundit class.
The pundit class can make all sorts of noise with no need to be concerned with the consequences. They aren't in power.
Those in an administration or in congress are in a position of power. Generally I will try to give them the benefit of the doubt and assume they are trying to make a policy that they think is best for the country. I think the memos made some terribly flawed arguments using shaky legal ground from the parts I've read, but I don't think the authors took the subject matter as lightly as too many talk-show hosts do.
I may think that the average member of congress is only as informed as the 22-year old staffer that was supposed to read the bill, but I think as a rule they really do wish to serve this country well. They just aren't particularly good at it and we as a public wouldn't be particularly good at rewarding those who are with our votes.
So that is that. I think Justice Souter is right. Until a pop quiz on Federalism is more than fodder for an old "Jay Walking" bit on Leno, we'll continue to get the government we deserve.
Sorry. Sometimes I can't help myself.
So casual day came and went. The Civil Affairs/PSYOP types dressed in civilian clothes for it. A few of the enlisted folks wore civilian clothes. Two junior Navy officers were civilian clothes. The rest of us didn't bother. But we did bounce a beach ball around a little in the office.
To go casual a Marine took of his uniform jacket and loosened his belt. Briefly.
Incidentally, the Marine senior NCO just found out I was a Guard guy. Then he found out my "job" on the outside is as a grad student. So later that day when I made fun of someone for slacking on PT (he fully intended to go the gym after work, he just happened to wake up a few hours later in bed still in uniform after a quick nap) the Marine made sure to point out that it was because the guy was exhausted from having a full time job.
Come to think of it, if the only things I'm getting crap for are generalities like being a Guard guy, being a weather guy, or being an Air Force guy, then I'm doing OK.
Which reminds me... weatherunderground.com does forecasts for Baghdad and many other cities in Iraq. Unfortunately, this does not mean I can go home now, though lots of people point out that I've been replaced by a website just the same.
As for other planned mockery, a senior officer here came up with his own PT plan. That's fine because most of his do that. His mistake was telling people about it as if he'd discovered cold fusion rather than loosely ripping off Crossfit and the old Army PT manuals. So, in conjunction with public affairs, a fake infomercial is in the works extolling the virtues of his program. There is already a fake flyer circulating for it.
My beautiful and thoughtful wife, who is on her last night on call during her advanced rotation in primary care, sent me a package that included a bunch of Tasty Bite meals. They hit the spot. Kind of ironic that given how many South Asians KBR has employed in the chow halls that a pre-packaged Indian meal with a long shelf-life seems so new and different. Odd.
And my dad commented on my post about interrogations. I think there needs to be a distinction between those charged with making policy decisions and the pundit class.
The pundit class can make all sorts of noise with no need to be concerned with the consequences. They aren't in power.
Those in an administration or in congress are in a position of power. Generally I will try to give them the benefit of the doubt and assume they are trying to make a policy that they think is best for the country. I think the memos made some terribly flawed arguments using shaky legal ground from the parts I've read, but I don't think the authors took the subject matter as lightly as too many talk-show hosts do.
I may think that the average member of congress is only as informed as the 22-year old staffer that was supposed to read the bill, but I think as a rule they really do wish to serve this country well. They just aren't particularly good at it and we as a public wouldn't be particularly good at rewarding those who are with our votes.
So that is that. I think Justice Souter is right. Until a pop quiz on Federalism is more than fodder for an old "Jay Walking" bit on Leno, we'll continue to get the government we deserve.
Sorry. Sometimes I can't help myself.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Soap Box
So I'm jumping up here because even Doonesbury is getting preachy about interrogations and it is annoying me.
I guess it peaked while Keith Olberman gleefully watched some weak conservative talk radio host (I guess weak loudmouth should be a given there) get "waterboarded."
First, since it was on one of the TV's in the JOC, a lot of us paused to watch and critiqued the technique (and not from having been the waterboard-er). Waterboarding is a broad term and what that talk-show host chose to subject himself to appears to have been much more similar to what the Japanese did to prisoners than what was done to some detainees a few years ago--actually forcing water into the nose/mouth vs pouring water over a cloth that covers the nose/mouth.
Next time you are in the shower, if you are really curious, open your mouth into the stream of water and try breathing. See how that works for you. Then try putting a wet washcloth over your mouth and try breathing through that instead. Neither is particularly pleasant, but you will notice some differences.
Or go to a combat diver course: tie your hands behind your back, tie your feed together and then dive into the deep end to recover your goggles with your teeth. But people volunteer for that and know what is coming going in to it. The psychology of expectations and control, or some such thing, plays a role here. I add that to explain that the hullabaloo over releasing memos and pictures actually is deeper than covering the butts of a few shoddy lawyers.
Sometimes during the past few years classification was actually used for security purposes rather than to keep bad ideas from the harsh sunlight. Or here, a bit of both.
This isn't meant to justify anything, it is merely to ask for some integrity in reporting. Not bombast. Not all semi-informed (at best) commentary all the time. Just a tad bit of integrity.
So I propose that if you choose to be a vocal supporter of enhanced interrogation methods, that you experience them first (Rush, Ms. Coulter, etc.). If you are a vocal supporter of subjecting its supporters to those methods (Olberman, Dana Milbank, I'm looking at you), then you should experience them first as well.
I'm pretty sure both groups would be surprised by the results. It would be harsher than some claim and much less bad than some others claim. Really, the effectiveness of the methods are more proportional to your training to resist them than their direct impacts.
If you've taken a principled stand from the outset against anything but gentle rapport-building methodologies, then good for you. You can talk all you want under my system. I hope you do the homework to understand that there tricks in that too and like espionage it is about getting someone to betray their peers in many ways.
The Great Oz has spoken.
///WX GUESSER SENDS
I guess it peaked while Keith Olberman gleefully watched some weak conservative talk radio host (I guess weak loudmouth should be a given there) get "waterboarded."
First, since it was on one of the TV's in the JOC, a lot of us paused to watch and critiqued the technique (and not from having been the waterboard-er). Waterboarding is a broad term and what that talk-show host chose to subject himself to appears to have been much more similar to what the Japanese did to prisoners than what was done to some detainees a few years ago--actually forcing water into the nose/mouth vs pouring water over a cloth that covers the nose/mouth.
Next time you are in the shower, if you are really curious, open your mouth into the stream of water and try breathing. See how that works for you. Then try putting a wet washcloth over your mouth and try breathing through that instead. Neither is particularly pleasant, but you will notice some differences.
Or go to a combat diver course: tie your hands behind your back, tie your feed together and then dive into the deep end to recover your goggles with your teeth. But people volunteer for that and know what is coming going in to it. The psychology of expectations and control, or some such thing, plays a role here. I add that to explain that the hullabaloo over releasing memos and pictures actually is deeper than covering the butts of a few shoddy lawyers.
Sometimes during the past few years classification was actually used for security purposes rather than to keep bad ideas from the harsh sunlight. Or here, a bit of both.
This isn't meant to justify anything, it is merely to ask for some integrity in reporting. Not bombast. Not all semi-informed (at best) commentary all the time. Just a tad bit of integrity.
So I propose that if you choose to be a vocal supporter of enhanced interrogation methods, that you experience them first (Rush, Ms. Coulter, etc.). If you are a vocal supporter of subjecting its supporters to those methods (Olberman, Dana Milbank, I'm looking at you), then you should experience them first as well.
I'm pretty sure both groups would be surprised by the results. It would be harsher than some claim and much less bad than some others claim. Really, the effectiveness of the methods are more proportional to your training to resist them than their direct impacts.
If you've taken a principled stand from the outset against anything but gentle rapport-building methodologies, then good for you. You can talk all you want under my system. I hope you do the homework to understand that there tricks in that too and like espionage it is about getting someone to betray their peers in many ways.
The Great Oz has spoken.
///WX GUESSER SENDS
Comedy Gold
So at lunch today I was sitting with a Marine and a SEAL and we were discussing height/weight standards in the different services and fitness standards. I've been annoyed at the lack of carrots and sticks I can bring to bear in the ANG on people letting their PT slide. I learned the Navy also makes a mockery of PT standards.
The Marines, of course, put the height/weight standards first. Nevermind if you can pass the fitness test. You can score excellent, but if you are too big for your height based on a the official chart (which I was assured was made by some guy in an office in Quantico who has 4% bodyfat because he has nothing to do all day but press his uniforms, work out, and let the good idea fairy make magical rules), then you are in trouble.
So we all have our issues. Nothing is perfect. We discussed this quite passionately over ice cream deserts.
It was good. But yes, I'm going to gym after I finish writing this.
On our way out of the chow hall, the Marine saw a younger Marine junior enlisted walking in. He stopped her to ask where she worked since he hadn't seen her before and likes to know where the other Marines are at. She, being confronted by an unknown senior NCO, was very nervous and answered everything while standing at parade rest. This is after he told her to relax, he was just checking on things, she hadn't done anything wrong. As we walked back to the JOC the Marine declared that she, the scared witless young enlisted troop, looks to him as a father figure.
The SEAL and I looked at him for a minute. He kept a straight face. We could not. It's hard to explain, but the combination of her utter terror at thinking she was in trouble just by virtue of him saying hi, and his self-assured announcement was really really hysterical.
Yes, it was a joke.
And since the hits keep on coming, we got an email today that declared tomorrow would be "Casual Sunday." In that email it specified that no shorts, tanktops, or open-toed shoes were allowed--casual civilian attire. This, of course, necessitated a second email explaining that no shorts, tanktops, or open-toed shoes would be allowed.
Last year, Casual Sundays were cancelled because they went from casual to very very casual very very quickly.
So I guess UDT shorts and flip flops are out.
Personally, I'm just gonna stick with my uniform. It's very simple, really quite comfortable, and less trouble then figuring out what they mean by casual. Casual may require a collar or something. In uniform, I can take the jacket off and chill in my (merino wool) T-shirt and uniform pants.
Like jumping out of planes and scuba diving, the military manages to take something fun and relaxing like Casual Friday and kill it.
- - - - -
And as a follow up, for Patent Bar prep, I chose the Longacre program. It seems well tailored. It is very conveniently portable. The price was right too.
At the JOC we called it the really expensive iPod option since the lectures come preloaded on an iPod.
Just think, last time I was in this country I had no iPod. This time I'll be coming home with two.
The Marines, of course, put the height/weight standards first. Nevermind if you can pass the fitness test. You can score excellent, but if you are too big for your height based on a the official chart (which I was assured was made by some guy in an office in Quantico who has 4% bodyfat because he has nothing to do all day but press his uniforms, work out, and let the good idea fairy make magical rules), then you are in trouble.
So we all have our issues. Nothing is perfect. We discussed this quite passionately over ice cream deserts.
It was good. But yes, I'm going to gym after I finish writing this.
On our way out of the chow hall, the Marine saw a younger Marine junior enlisted walking in. He stopped her to ask where she worked since he hadn't seen her before and likes to know where the other Marines are at. She, being confronted by an unknown senior NCO, was very nervous and answered everything while standing at parade rest. This is after he told her to relax, he was just checking on things, she hadn't done anything wrong. As we walked back to the JOC the Marine declared that she, the scared witless young enlisted troop, looks to him as a father figure.
The SEAL and I looked at him for a minute. He kept a straight face. We could not. It's hard to explain, but the combination of her utter terror at thinking she was in trouble just by virtue of him saying hi, and his self-assured announcement was really really hysterical.
Yes, it was a joke.
And since the hits keep on coming, we got an email today that declared tomorrow would be "Casual Sunday." In that email it specified that no shorts, tanktops, or open-toed shoes were allowed--casual civilian attire. This, of course, necessitated a second email explaining that no shorts, tanktops, or open-toed shoes would be allowed.
Last year, Casual Sundays were cancelled because they went from casual to very very casual very very quickly.
So I guess UDT shorts and flip flops are out.
Personally, I'm just gonna stick with my uniform. It's very simple, really quite comfortable, and less trouble then figuring out what they mean by casual. Casual may require a collar or something. In uniform, I can take the jacket off and chill in my (merino wool) T-shirt and uniform pants.
Like jumping out of planes and scuba diving, the military manages to take something fun and relaxing like Casual Friday and kill it.
- - - - -
And as a follow up, for Patent Bar prep, I chose the Longacre program. It seems well tailored. It is very conveniently portable. The price was right too.
At the JOC we called it the really expensive iPod option since the lectures come preloaded on an iPod.
Just think, last time I was in this country I had no iPod. This time I'll be coming home with two.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Building is fun, Maintenance less so...
So in the big picture, boredom and a slow pace are generally a good thing in a war zone. It's just that boredom can be, well, boring. It's not that we aren't doing anything, it just that a lot of it is quieter as we step back more and more.
This is good. This is very good.
It's just slow.
So I'll bang out my Professional Military Education class for Captains, order some Patent Bar prep materials, and work out. Need to direct my spare energy somewhere healthy and productive.
I'm looking at the Pat Bar program, the Longacre program or the Kayton program. The Kayton program has the reputation going for it, but also more than twice as expensive. The Pat Bar program is cheapest, but relies on CDs like the Kayton program. This is problematic because my CD drive has died.
The Longacre program is intriguing because it offers everything on an iPod. So don't need a CD drive, can listen to lectures while I PT, and there are a lot of on-line resources to go with it. Tempting.
So if anyone has knowledge or experience, I'm open to suggestion. Keep in mind though at twice the price, the Kayton program better not only guarantee passage of the exam but make me smarter, faster, and better looking.
Lest you worry though, I did accomplish a few key things at work today. At the urging of my neighbors, I put a sheet of plexiglass over my desk. We did it. Team effort. Now my maps and charts are under the plexiglass and out of the way. Great.
In order to make our optical mouse/mouses/mice/mices/meese work on the plexiglass, you need a mousepad. So we improvise.
Duct Tape.
It works great. A few strips next to each other, not overlapping, and pressed real flat by rolling a pen over them.
Is there anything duct tape can't do?
To be safe, I marked one mousepad "SIPR" for the mouse that goes to my SIPR (the classified network) computer. The other mousepad is labeled "NIPR" for the unclassified computer's mouse.
I still periodically grab the wrong one.
I also traced a mouse on the mousepad and drew eyes, whiskers, and a tail on it. It seemed like a good idea at the time. The whiskers were my neighbor's idea.
Give credit where credit is due.
Also, at tonight's brief when I got to the part of mention where we are in the lunar cycle I told the commander that the moon has been disappearing. I assured him that our best people were working on it and that it is expected to return as bright as ever in about two weeks.
No response.
But on his way out the commander stopped by my desk and asked if I was sure about the moon. I promised it would come back.
Then he asked for the day's high. 108. He just shook his head because it is only May.
I still maintain that it is a dry heat and that the lack of humidity makes a huge difference. But it is still really really hot.
This is good. This is very good.
It's just slow.
So I'll bang out my Professional Military Education class for Captains, order some Patent Bar prep materials, and work out. Need to direct my spare energy somewhere healthy and productive.
I'm looking at the Pat Bar program, the Longacre program or the Kayton program. The Kayton program has the reputation going for it, but also more than twice as expensive. The Pat Bar program is cheapest, but relies on CDs like the Kayton program. This is problematic because my CD drive has died.
The Longacre program is intriguing because it offers everything on an iPod. So don't need a CD drive, can listen to lectures while I PT, and there are a lot of on-line resources to go with it. Tempting.
So if anyone has knowledge or experience, I'm open to suggestion. Keep in mind though at twice the price, the Kayton program better not only guarantee passage of the exam but make me smarter, faster, and better looking.
Lest you worry though, I did accomplish a few key things at work today. At the urging of my neighbors, I put a sheet of plexiglass over my desk. We did it. Team effort. Now my maps and charts are under the plexiglass and out of the way. Great.
In order to make our optical mouse/mouses/mice/mices/meese work on the plexiglass, you need a mousepad. So we improvise.
Duct Tape.
It works great. A few strips next to each other, not overlapping, and pressed real flat by rolling a pen over them.
Is there anything duct tape can't do?
To be safe, I marked one mousepad "SIPR" for the mouse that goes to my SIPR (the classified network) computer. The other mousepad is labeled "NIPR" for the unclassified computer's mouse.
I still periodically grab the wrong one.
I also traced a mouse on the mousepad and drew eyes, whiskers, and a tail on it. It seemed like a good idea at the time. The whiskers were my neighbor's idea.
Give credit where credit is due.
Also, at tonight's brief when I got to the part of mention where we are in the lunar cycle I told the commander that the moon has been disappearing. I assured him that our best people were working on it and that it is expected to return as bright as ever in about two weeks.
No response.
But on his way out the commander stopped by my desk and asked if I was sure about the moon. I promised it would come back.
Then he asked for the day's high. 108. He just shook his head because it is only May.
I still maintain that it is a dry heat and that the lack of humidity makes a huge difference. But it is still really really hot.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Things we get used to...
So I'm reading an account of life in Kabul, Afghanistan of the infighting amongst the mujahedeen warlords in A Thousand Splendid Suns. It mentions one of the main characters going to sleep to the whistle of rockets in the background and the pop of gunfire and for a moment I smiled.
My hooch is not too far from the range. Last time my hooch wasn't far from a range either. I go to sleep to the constant sound of small arms fire in the background. Fortunately, the whistle of incoming rockets is pretty rare here. Very rare actually.
The last time I heard a warning about incoming indirect fire, I was doing a set on the pull-up/dip tower outside our office and I paused to listen for it. Hearing the warning and no distant boom was a lot like hearing tires squealing but no crash. It may sound like a strange bravado, but the physics of the bad guys hitting me where I am from where they fire are pretty daunting. The ballistics just don't work.
So, really, it's nothing like the hell that was Kabul in the early 90's.
I have to say this book is much better than The Kite Runner. It touches more deeply on the tribal practices within Afghanistan and the strange brew of cultural, ethnic, and religious traditions. I'll finish it soon. We'll see what I think when it's done.
The Kite Runner annoyed me because the ending was too circular and predictable. In some ways it struck more as an Afghanistan created for a Western reader than a completely authentic picture. Maybe that's unfair.
My hooch is not too far from the range. Last time my hooch wasn't far from a range either. I go to sleep to the constant sound of small arms fire in the background. Fortunately, the whistle of incoming rockets is pretty rare here. Very rare actually.
The last time I heard a warning about incoming indirect fire, I was doing a set on the pull-up/dip tower outside our office and I paused to listen for it. Hearing the warning and no distant boom was a lot like hearing tires squealing but no crash. It may sound like a strange bravado, but the physics of the bad guys hitting me where I am from where they fire are pretty daunting. The ballistics just don't work.
So, really, it's nothing like the hell that was Kabul in the early 90's.
I have to say this book is much better than The Kite Runner. It touches more deeply on the tribal practices within Afghanistan and the strange brew of cultural, ethnic, and religious traditions. I'll finish it soon. We'll see what I think when it's done.
The Kite Runner annoyed me because the ending was too circular and predictable. In some ways it struck more as an Afghanistan created for a Western reader than a completely authentic picture. Maybe that's unfair.
Ouch...
So I stepped on it hard today while exploring the boundaries of my position. It happens. In the process though I learned more about some of the bigger picture issues driving our manning and about things coming down the pipe for my position. I may have to smooth things over and keep a slightly lower profile on some things for a little bit, but long term I think it'll be a good thing.
As my boss says, if you never get told to backdown or get back in your lane, you are probably not doing your job. With certain caveats...
I also learned that there is nothing spooky about my location this time around. Apparently we give out certificates to some people with the commander's signature, a flag, and the location where the flag was flown is on the certificate. OK.
So, if you haven't guessed, this time around I am one of the many people at Joint Base Balad. So there it is.
And at the chow hall I saw the epitome if Balad fashion. There was an older contractor wearing a T-shirt and 5.11 tactical pants. Except the pants were shortened into Bermuda Pants. Instead of a gunbelt or even normal belt, he had a reflective belt going through the belt loops. Suspenders were presumable holding the pants up, though they didn't look that loose.
What an odd war.
And someone had an iPod Touch with a "Genius Test." First I passed. Then I noticed it was timed. So I had to get the best time. I got it. Then the guy who owned this particular iPod Touch set a new record. I beat that. Then he beat mine. I have yet to beat the new record.
Again, what an odd war.
As my boss says, if you never get told to backdown or get back in your lane, you are probably not doing your job. With certain caveats...
I also learned that there is nothing spooky about my location this time around. Apparently we give out certificates to some people with the commander's signature, a flag, and the location where the flag was flown is on the certificate. OK.
So, if you haven't guessed, this time around I am one of the many people at Joint Base Balad. So there it is.
And at the chow hall I saw the epitome if Balad fashion. There was an older contractor wearing a T-shirt and 5.11 tactical pants. Except the pants were shortened into Bermuda Pants. Instead of a gunbelt or even normal belt, he had a reflective belt going through the belt loops. Suspenders were presumable holding the pants up, though they didn't look that loose.
What an odd war.
And someone had an iPod Touch with a "Genius Test." First I passed. Then I noticed it was timed. So I had to get the best time. I got it. Then the guy who owned this particular iPod Touch set a new record. I beat that. Then he beat mine. I have yet to beat the new record.
Again, what an odd war.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Tributes
I'd like to start this entry with a tribute the Cantor from my home Synagogue. While I can't be there at the event honoring his many years of service to the community back home, I can at least do this.
In addition to having been a frequent guest at his house growing up, I was also privileged to be among the many students he taught in preparation for my Bar Mitzvah. Although I was traumatized when he made me listen to a recording of myself singing, I ultimately forgave him. I had to listen to it once, though I was probably supposed to have listened to it daily--he had to listen to it regularly. And then my brother. And then my sister.
All of us have gone on to teach others. I know that the skills he gave me are what enabled me to lead at every level of the Junior Congregation program and to tutor others for their B'nei Mitzvah.
Ultimately, if there does prove to be a need for me to act as a lay leader to the small community over here, it will be just another community benefiting from his teachings.
- - - - - -
The role of religion over here is itself interesting. There is a chapel and a Chaplain staff. The Chaplain actually delivers a very universal non-denominational prayer before large staff briefs to the boss. Otherwise people have the opportunity to seek out co-religionists, use the Chapel, use the Chaplains, set up/attend bible studies, etc. Most of it is very subtle.
So it struck me as a very nice gesture to see a little pendant of the Patron Saint of Paratroopers on the display dog tags for all of the Catholic troops who have died as part of this Task Force over the years. For each member who has died there is a plaque in our main hallway to the JOC. On that plaque is a picture with a brief biography. Hanging on the plaque is a set of dog tags. It's very understated but very moving. I've read all of them a few times now.
We have one more being made. I hope it's the last. I know we tend to work in the shadows, but add to that the whole draw down process and focus on Afghanistan and it's like living in a different world.
But to support that drawdown, I'm actually looking at we can downsize w/in my specialty here. We'll see.
Otherwise, I finally got on wireless, but it was real spotty. Maybe not worth the trouble of driving over to the passenger terminal to use it. Oh well.
I also starting reading A Thousand Splendid Suns, by the author of The Kite Runner. So far, a few pages in, I like it better. We'll see.
In addition to having been a frequent guest at his house growing up, I was also privileged to be among the many students he taught in preparation for my Bar Mitzvah. Although I was traumatized when he made me listen to a recording of myself singing, I ultimately forgave him. I had to listen to it once, though I was probably supposed to have listened to it daily--he had to listen to it regularly. And then my brother. And then my sister.
All of us have gone on to teach others. I know that the skills he gave me are what enabled me to lead at every level of the Junior Congregation program and to tutor others for their B'nei Mitzvah.
Ultimately, if there does prove to be a need for me to act as a lay leader to the small community over here, it will be just another community benefiting from his teachings.
- - - - - -
The role of religion over here is itself interesting. There is a chapel and a Chaplain staff. The Chaplain actually delivers a very universal non-denominational prayer before large staff briefs to the boss. Otherwise people have the opportunity to seek out co-religionists, use the Chapel, use the Chaplains, set up/attend bible studies, etc. Most of it is very subtle.
So it struck me as a very nice gesture to see a little pendant of the Patron Saint of Paratroopers on the display dog tags for all of the Catholic troops who have died as part of this Task Force over the years. For each member who has died there is a plaque in our main hallway to the JOC. On that plaque is a picture with a brief biography. Hanging on the plaque is a set of dog tags. It's very understated but very moving. I've read all of them a few times now.
We have one more being made. I hope it's the last. I know we tend to work in the shadows, but add to that the whole draw down process and focus on Afghanistan and it's like living in a different world.
But to support that drawdown, I'm actually looking at we can downsize w/in my specialty here. We'll see.
Otherwise, I finally got on wireless, but it was real spotty. Maybe not worth the trouble of driving over to the passenger terminal to use it. Oh well.
I also starting reading A Thousand Splendid Suns, by the author of The Kite Runner. So far, a few pages in, I like it better. We'll see.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Not the last...
Once again I saw the empty boots, helmet, and rifle of a young soldier on display. Another element held a memorial service for one of their own recently. Some of his buddies who were wounded in that fight were brought over from the hospital to participate. He wasn't from our element so I didn't stay for the actual ceremony. I felt like I'd be intruding.
But the war goes on. The next night his buddies will be ready to go out on another mission if need be. That is the part that I think is hardest to explain. In war movies they cover a battle. Think of the moview Blackhawk Down. That was one mission. What they don't show is that those guys were ready to go out and do it again the next day because that is what we do.
There is that moment of courage people might hear about on the rare occasions that a citation for bravery is mentioned in the news. That moment, however, was one of many throughout a rotation. The day before that moment, the troop in question was out doing the job. The day after, they were out doing the job. A few months after they get home, that one moment that happened to be documented and submitted is memorialized in a citation and they are given the medal. It's just one of those things I think about as I work with these guys every day and do my little part to make their missions happen and as my team mates are on missions in Afghanistan.
It also helps me keep focused while I work in the self-licking ice cream cone that is the JOC. If one of us went nuts one day with a pair of scissors and cut all of our network cables, the teams in the field would still do their jobs. They'd be a little less micromanaged, but somehow they'd survive.
As a disgruntled former team guy who now works on the staff pointed out, we took down the Taleban with a few teams and no giant JOC and no multi-layered planning approval process. We also took over Iraq. Granted, the aftermath may have had some issues, but those problems were in no way related to not enough micromanagament of these particular teams.
And yet... here we are.
So while at lunch with a bunch of the guys, they started to complain about how the Air Force hasn't provided enough of a certain specialty. As the token Air Force guy I felt a need to defend my service, but all I could say was that there just aren't that many people that join the Air Force to be ground pounders.
The Army or SOCOM can demand however many of something from the AF as they want. The AF can even create authorizations for all of those positions. But you still need bodies to fill those positions. I then foolishly used the example of my specialty, Special Operations Weather Team troops.
Most people in the AF don't even understand what we do. Most AF weather people don't really get what we do. So the conversation then became one of justifying my specialty's existence. I answered the initial why. The next question was "Great, but what does that do for my team?"
Fortunately, since no answer would suffice because these guys are suspicious of any AF ground combat capability until they need it, I was saved by one of the Warrant Officers. This particular Warrant Officer told my interragator, the JOC Director, that his team time was over anyway. We then proceeded to make fun of the JOC Director because he was too senior to ever have fun again. Or at least for the next few years.
During this particular meal I learned that our JOC Director earned a commendation for a prank. Really. He apparently created a fake museum exhibit detailing the exploits of an older member of his unit one day. That older gentleman did not find it was funny as everyone else. So, the older gentleman tried to complain to the command and to the JAG that something had to be done. The command agreed.
So, the command, finding the exhibit funny and the old guy's reaction funnier still, they gave the prankster an Army Achievement Medal. The citation mentions how he improved unit morale and esprit de corps. It is real. It is in his personnel file. My faith in the Army was restored.
- - - - - - - - - -
Meanwhile, my wife is enjoying a boondoggle in Miami. Free drinks at a medical conference. That can't be healthy.
It's not that I miss it, it's that it's forbidden. And a foofy umbrella drink would complement the heat real well.
And if you haven't contacted my mother to wish her a Happy Birthday, you are wrong.
But the war goes on. The next night his buddies will be ready to go out on another mission if need be. That is the part that I think is hardest to explain. In war movies they cover a battle. Think of the moview Blackhawk Down. That was one mission. What they don't show is that those guys were ready to go out and do it again the next day because that is what we do.
There is that moment of courage people might hear about on the rare occasions that a citation for bravery is mentioned in the news. That moment, however, was one of many throughout a rotation. The day before that moment, the troop in question was out doing the job. The day after, they were out doing the job. A few months after they get home, that one moment that happened to be documented and submitted is memorialized in a citation and they are given the medal. It's just one of those things I think about as I work with these guys every day and do my little part to make their missions happen and as my team mates are on missions in Afghanistan.
It also helps me keep focused while I work in the self-licking ice cream cone that is the JOC. If one of us went nuts one day with a pair of scissors and cut all of our network cables, the teams in the field would still do their jobs. They'd be a little less micromanaged, but somehow they'd survive.
As a disgruntled former team guy who now works on the staff pointed out, we took down the Taleban with a few teams and no giant JOC and no multi-layered planning approval process. We also took over Iraq. Granted, the aftermath may have had some issues, but those problems were in no way related to not enough micromanagament of these particular teams.
And yet... here we are.
So while at lunch with a bunch of the guys, they started to complain about how the Air Force hasn't provided enough of a certain specialty. As the token Air Force guy I felt a need to defend my service, but all I could say was that there just aren't that many people that join the Air Force to be ground pounders.
The Army or SOCOM can demand however many of something from the AF as they want. The AF can even create authorizations for all of those positions. But you still need bodies to fill those positions. I then foolishly used the example of my specialty, Special Operations Weather Team troops.
Most people in the AF don't even understand what we do. Most AF weather people don't really get what we do. So the conversation then became one of justifying my specialty's existence. I answered the initial why. The next question was "Great, but what does that do for my team?"
Fortunately, since no answer would suffice because these guys are suspicious of any AF ground combat capability until they need it, I was saved by one of the Warrant Officers. This particular Warrant Officer told my interragator, the JOC Director, that his team time was over anyway. We then proceeded to make fun of the JOC Director because he was too senior to ever have fun again. Or at least for the next few years.
During this particular meal I learned that our JOC Director earned a commendation for a prank. Really. He apparently created a fake museum exhibit detailing the exploits of an older member of his unit one day. That older gentleman did not find it was funny as everyone else. So, the older gentleman tried to complain to the command and to the JAG that something had to be done. The command agreed.
So, the command, finding the exhibit funny and the old guy's reaction funnier still, they gave the prankster an Army Achievement Medal. The citation mentions how he improved unit morale and esprit de corps. It is real. It is in his personnel file. My faith in the Army was restored.
- - - - - - - - - -
Meanwhile, my wife is enjoying a boondoggle in Miami. Free drinks at a medical conference. That can't be healthy.
It's not that I miss it, it's that it's forbidden. And a foofy umbrella drink would complement the heat real well.
And if you haven't contacted my mother to wish her a Happy Birthday, you are wrong.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Small World
A few days ago I ran in to a friend of mine from a course I went to in Alabama a few years ago. I told I'd stop by her office here so we could catch up. Last time I was here I ran in to another of my friends from that course. I didn't particularly enjoy that class, I thought the curriculum epitomized the way the Air Force has its head in the sand regarding the current conflicts, but I liked my classmates.
The other crazy small world moment was when I looked up at one of our TVs. As always, AFN News is a funny funny thing. A little bit of all the cable news networks so of course we, the steely eyed killers, are watching Rachel Maddow's show. And I knew the guest. Cool. I'd actually helped proofread for one of his books.
So I emailed him to let him know I saw him on TV again. I guess he's doing more MSNBC these days than Fox, even though he got his TV start as a regular expert on Fox News, because he's not a fan of enhanced interrogation methods. I'll add that he is a former Navy SERE instructor and counter-intelligence expert and not just some overnight pundit.
Anyway, he's working on a new book and sent me the manuscript. Nice. I don't think I'll get paid, but I will get a mention in the acknowledgements and learn a lot in the process. Nice resume bullet too, maybe.
I also heard back from our career field manager at the National Guard Bureau that he may be able to argue for central funding for a list of training courses I sent to him (along with justifications in both fiscal and mission-driven terms). That would be great. My goal is to meet our Active Duty counterparts where they are going in terms of training rather than try to just catch up to where they are now. Ironically, due to the crazy operations tempo, it may be possible for us Guard guys to pull that off since we have a slower deployement pace. We'll see what happens.
Today's other big even was wearing a clean uniform. My other uniform wasn't dirty or smelly really, just dusty. But it was my only Army uniform so it was the only uniform I'd worn up until this point. Not ideal. Fortunately I got some spares from a buddy.
Unfortunately, the spares came in a variety of sizes. I was able to piece together one set that was almost right. The pants fit fine. The shirt is a medium extra-long. We may joke about being knuckledragging Mongo-types, but my sleeve is apparently not that much longer than my inseam. It wears more like an ACU tunic than a normal ACU top. Close enough for now though.
Usually I only wear the uniform jacket when walking to and from work and to and from the chow hall anyway. Otherwise I'm happier in my t-shirt. Especially cause now I have my super awesome merino wool t-shirts in a close-enough-to-work-with-the-uniform color. Good times.
I also had to cut off my first callus of this trip. They form. They get torn off. Once they start coming it can be easier to just cut them off and make it clean. A new one forms and all is well.
I've also been informed that my posts are more interesting this time around. I think I'm a little more relaxed, the environment is a little less spooky, and I'm taking some notes during the day to log things that I think are worth sharing. Maybe that's it. I don't know.
The other crazy small world moment was when I looked up at one of our TVs. As always, AFN News is a funny funny thing. A little bit of all the cable news networks so of course we, the steely eyed killers, are watching Rachel Maddow's show. And I knew the guest. Cool. I'd actually helped proofread for one of his books.
So I emailed him to let him know I saw him on TV again. I guess he's doing more MSNBC these days than Fox, even though he got his TV start as a regular expert on Fox News, because he's not a fan of enhanced interrogation methods. I'll add that he is a former Navy SERE instructor and counter-intelligence expert and not just some overnight pundit.
Anyway, he's working on a new book and sent me the manuscript. Nice. I don't think I'll get paid, but I will get a mention in the acknowledgements and learn a lot in the process. Nice resume bullet too, maybe.
I also heard back from our career field manager at the National Guard Bureau that he may be able to argue for central funding for a list of training courses I sent to him (along with justifications in both fiscal and mission-driven terms). That would be great. My goal is to meet our Active Duty counterparts where they are going in terms of training rather than try to just catch up to where they are now. Ironically, due to the crazy operations tempo, it may be possible for us Guard guys to pull that off since we have a slower deployement pace. We'll see what happens.
Today's other big even was wearing a clean uniform. My other uniform wasn't dirty or smelly really, just dusty. But it was my only Army uniform so it was the only uniform I'd worn up until this point. Not ideal. Fortunately I got some spares from a buddy.
Unfortunately, the spares came in a variety of sizes. I was able to piece together one set that was almost right. The pants fit fine. The shirt is a medium extra-long. We may joke about being knuckledragging Mongo-types, but my sleeve is apparently not that much longer than my inseam. It wears more like an ACU tunic than a normal ACU top. Close enough for now though.
Usually I only wear the uniform jacket when walking to and from work and to and from the chow hall anyway. Otherwise I'm happier in my t-shirt. Especially cause now I have my super awesome merino wool t-shirts in a close-enough-to-work-with-the-uniform color. Good times.
I also had to cut off my first callus of this trip. They form. They get torn off. Once they start coming it can be easier to just cut them off and make it clean. A new one forms and all is well.
I've also been informed that my posts are more interesting this time around. I think I'm a little more relaxed, the environment is a little less spooky, and I'm taking some notes during the day to log things that I think are worth sharing. Maybe that's it. I don't know.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Entertainment
Apparently there is a band called "Dos Gringos" that consists of a bunch of F-16 pilots that actually have a sense of humor about themselves. They have a song called "I'm a Pilot" that makes fun of all the pilot stereotypes such as having no regard for the maintenance personnel.
If you've worked with fighter pilots, it's really funny. If not, then it makes no sense.
I was also showed a video where Quentin Tarantino asks "How Gay is Top Gun?" Based on how they cut and edited scenes... very. Looking back, I feel the same way watching the volleyball scene in "Topgun" that I do when I see He-Man cartoon re-runs. Funny in ways I didn't see when I was five.
Other mature things that we do to pass the time including making "Your Mom" jokes on our internet chat program. Many are horribly obscene. I had a great one but couldn't laugh because it was the middle of a big update brief for the boss. Somehow not being able to laugh and show it off to people made it funnier.
I am also happy to report the Yussuf Islam, the artist formerly known as Cat Stevens, is back in the game. I'm looking forward to hearing his new stuff. Last time out I discovered that not only do I enjoy his music but "Peace Train" is the best soundtrack to an airstrike being watched live via surveilance video.
There was a song on the network credited to him that sounded like him that was a call to jihad in Afghanistan (from the 80's) that was actually very moving and haunting. I have no idea who actually recorded it.
In any case, supposedly on this new album he has a song about being turned away by TSA because he was on a no-fly list. It was a mistake, incidentally, as his alleged radicalism has been way overblown from what I can tell.
I haven't really been that up on new music. Something about this return after so many years intrigues me and I want to hear what he has to say.
In other news, as a sign of the dark humor pervasive in the military, or at least in my experiences of the military, we have added jokes about stress. It is not that we take the concept of stress lightly since many of us have had friends cope with PTSD and other bad situations before, during, and after deployments. It is that everything is fair game and nothing is sacred.
I was being given a hard time by the others in my row for not wanting to put a thin sheet of plexiglass on my desk. The idea is that you can put a bunch of common reference sheets under the plexiglass without your desk being a mess. I don't have that many reference sheets and didn't feel like messing with my set up. So they gave me crap for it because that is what we do. I said they should be nice cause I'm feeling stressed. One guy pretended to duck. The other jumped toward the (unloaded) sub-machine gun on the shelf. Then we all laughed and debated whether rules would now come down mandated full armor all the time just in case.
I debated about sharing that little incident, but figured that is what this little blog is about. A little window into the mundane and sometimes absurd routine of a staff officer here.
I will also point out that whenever updates on the shooting incident in Baghdad come on AFN news on one of our flatscreens, everyone pretty much stops to watch/listen.
She'll be embarrassed that I mention this, but tomorrow my wife is heading off to present a poster at a medical conference. People are paying to fly her to a major tourist destination in order to hear what she has to say about her research findings. As well they should.
Tomorrow is also a big day for my partner. Test scores are being released and he finds out if he is getting promoted. Wish him luck.
One of the other guys in my little Iraq team is officially being promoted later this month. I'm hoping one of his can get to him and make sure some kind of ceremony is performed. I'm not sure, however, if that hope is more driven by the need to support a friend or the desperate need to get out of the JOC for just a little bit.
If you've worked with fighter pilots, it's really funny. If not, then it makes no sense.
I was also showed a video where Quentin Tarantino asks "How Gay is Top Gun?" Based on how they cut and edited scenes... very. Looking back, I feel the same way watching the volleyball scene in "Topgun" that I do when I see He-Man cartoon re-runs. Funny in ways I didn't see when I was five.
Other mature things that we do to pass the time including making "Your Mom" jokes on our internet chat program. Many are horribly obscene. I had a great one but couldn't laugh because it was the middle of a big update brief for the boss. Somehow not being able to laugh and show it off to people made it funnier.
I am also happy to report the Yussuf Islam, the artist formerly known as Cat Stevens, is back in the game. I'm looking forward to hearing his new stuff. Last time out I discovered that not only do I enjoy his music but "Peace Train" is the best soundtrack to an airstrike being watched live via surveilance video.
There was a song on the network credited to him that sounded like him that was a call to jihad in Afghanistan (from the 80's) that was actually very moving and haunting. I have no idea who actually recorded it.
In any case, supposedly on this new album he has a song about being turned away by TSA because he was on a no-fly list. It was a mistake, incidentally, as his alleged radicalism has been way overblown from what I can tell.
I haven't really been that up on new music. Something about this return after so many years intrigues me and I want to hear what he has to say.
In other news, as a sign of the dark humor pervasive in the military, or at least in my experiences of the military, we have added jokes about stress. It is not that we take the concept of stress lightly since many of us have had friends cope with PTSD and other bad situations before, during, and after deployments. It is that everything is fair game and nothing is sacred.
I was being given a hard time by the others in my row for not wanting to put a thin sheet of plexiglass on my desk. The idea is that you can put a bunch of common reference sheets under the plexiglass without your desk being a mess. I don't have that many reference sheets and didn't feel like messing with my set up. So they gave me crap for it because that is what we do. I said they should be nice cause I'm feeling stressed. One guy pretended to duck. The other jumped toward the (unloaded) sub-machine gun on the shelf. Then we all laughed and debated whether rules would now come down mandated full armor all the time just in case.
I debated about sharing that little incident, but figured that is what this little blog is about. A little window into the mundane and sometimes absurd routine of a staff officer here.
I will also point out that whenever updates on the shooting incident in Baghdad come on AFN news on one of our flatscreens, everyone pretty much stops to watch/listen.
She'll be embarrassed that I mention this, but tomorrow my wife is heading off to present a poster at a medical conference. People are paying to fly her to a major tourist destination in order to hear what she has to say about her research findings. As well they should.
Tomorrow is also a big day for my partner. Test scores are being released and he finds out if he is getting promoted. Wish him luck.
One of the other guys in my little Iraq team is officially being promoted later this month. I'm hoping one of his can get to him and make sure some kind of ceremony is performed. I'm not sure, however, if that hope is more driven by the need to support a friend or the desperate need to get out of the JOC for just a little bit.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Moving on...
My neighbor in the JOC is having a flag flown on a mission as a thank you gift to some friends of his for all their help during this trip. In addition to sending packages and the like, they did one thing that is particularly inventive.
They took his wife out for her birthday. Nothing crazy there. But waiting for her at the restaurant was a blown up life size picture cut-out of him. A flat-him if you will. Flat-him had dinner with everyone. Flat-him went to the bar with everyone. I suggested they send flat-him on his next deployment instead. Everybody would win w/no degredation to operations.
He's actually pretty busy some of the time. Things come in spurts at the JOC. He also has some additional duties that take more of his time and attention than his primary duties. Funny how that can work.
He was nice and gave me a couple extra sets of the Army uniform he had lying around. I'm waiting for the second set that I had on issue to come in and so have been making due with the one I bought before I came out here. Now I have one more set close to my size and an extra that would fit two of me. Technically, I'm not supposed to be wearing the Army uniform anyway, but I like it better and it's more comfortable. No one here cares.
One of today's amusing adventures was roaming around the conventional side of the base. They salute and stuff over there. It's like they forgot we're in a war zone. We have to carry a weapon, but it must be unloaded. What's the point?
So I grabbed my pistol. I put it in a concealment holster for convenience and it was kind of like being back home. Except back home I am treated like an adult and can carry my pistol loaded. I guess if anything happened I could seek cover, take the magazine out of my pocket, load the weapon, chamber a round, and engage the threat. Seems like it save time and lives to just be able to draw and engage, but apparently it is unsafe for members of the military to carry loaded weapons when prosecuting a war.
Sure some people will bring up yesterday's incident where apparently the shooter did not kill himself as originally reported but instead killed five of our comrades. Actually, the current policy of carrying unloaded weapons is due to an institutional fear that Joe will shoot himself in the foot and so rather than train people we take away their bullets. The individual that killed his brothers is a special case.
Maybe the Brady campaign will come and take all the guns away and then we'll all play nice together.
Anyway, the whole point of going to the conventional side of the post was to pick up the supposed stash food. But, as I should have expected, it was all Halal meals.
Of course.
My other funny moment was talking to one of the senior guys here about terminology during my briefs. There are only so many ways to say that due to X weather condition, asset Y will be unable to operate or whatever. The terms my predecessor used were favorable, unfavorable, and marginal. Apparently go and no-go are the desired terms. Works for me. I'm briefing the ground guys. They don't need the details of what will impact things, they just need to know what they can use and what they can't on any given day. Drive on.
I was also told that I should explain that when I discuss impacts to certain communications equipment, that I'm referring to the impact of activity in Space on our radios. He said there are maybe 4-5 people in the JOC that understand the technical details, but I should clarify which aspects of the functionality I'm covering. I made sure he understood that I'm not one of the 4-5 people that knows all the technical details, but that I could give a quick overview so people know what it is I'm referring to when I brief impacts to communications.
They took his wife out for her birthday. Nothing crazy there. But waiting for her at the restaurant was a blown up life size picture cut-out of him. A flat-him if you will. Flat-him had dinner with everyone. Flat-him went to the bar with everyone. I suggested they send flat-him on his next deployment instead. Everybody would win w/no degredation to operations.
He's actually pretty busy some of the time. Things come in spurts at the JOC. He also has some additional duties that take more of his time and attention than his primary duties. Funny how that can work.
He was nice and gave me a couple extra sets of the Army uniform he had lying around. I'm waiting for the second set that I had on issue to come in and so have been making due with the one I bought before I came out here. Now I have one more set close to my size and an extra that would fit two of me. Technically, I'm not supposed to be wearing the Army uniform anyway, but I like it better and it's more comfortable. No one here cares.
One of today's amusing adventures was roaming around the conventional side of the base. They salute and stuff over there. It's like they forgot we're in a war zone. We have to carry a weapon, but it must be unloaded. What's the point?
So I grabbed my pistol. I put it in a concealment holster for convenience and it was kind of like being back home. Except back home I am treated like an adult and can carry my pistol loaded. I guess if anything happened I could seek cover, take the magazine out of my pocket, load the weapon, chamber a round, and engage the threat. Seems like it save time and lives to just be able to draw and engage, but apparently it is unsafe for members of the military to carry loaded weapons when prosecuting a war.
Sure some people will bring up yesterday's incident where apparently the shooter did not kill himself as originally reported but instead killed five of our comrades. Actually, the current policy of carrying unloaded weapons is due to an institutional fear that Joe will shoot himself in the foot and so rather than train people we take away their bullets. The individual that killed his brothers is a special case.
Maybe the Brady campaign will come and take all the guns away and then we'll all play nice together.
Anyway, the whole point of going to the conventional side of the post was to pick up the supposed stash food. But, as I should have expected, it was all Halal meals.
Of course.
My other funny moment was talking to one of the senior guys here about terminology during my briefs. There are only so many ways to say that due to X weather condition, asset Y will be unable to operate or whatever. The terms my predecessor used were favorable, unfavorable, and marginal. Apparently go and no-go are the desired terms. Works for me. I'm briefing the ground guys. They don't need the details of what will impact things, they just need to know what they can use and what they can't on any given day. Drive on.
I was also told that I should explain that when I discuss impacts to certain communications equipment, that I'm referring to the impact of activity in Space on our radios. He said there are maybe 4-5 people in the JOC that understand the technical details, but I should clarify which aspects of the functionality I'm covering. I made sure he understood that I'm not one of the 4-5 people that knows all the technical details, but that I could give a quick overview so people know what it is I'm referring to when I brief impacts to communications.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Let your balilaika sing what my guitar longs to sing...
The Scorpions wrote a song in the late 80's called "The Winds of Change." It was a German band writing about the end of the Cold War. They actually performed it on the remains of the Berlin Wall soon after it came down. Maybe it's cheesy but the live recording of it is one of my favorite songs and always gives me chills.
I mention it because at the end of a briefing where all the sub-elements updated the commander, a little video/slideshow of recent events was played. It showed clips of Iraqi soldiers working with the Iraqi people, delivering supplies, running medical clinics, and taking on a lot of little daily functions that we used to do here alone. "Winds of Change" was the soundtrack to it. Fine, it was propoganda, though only for internal consumption. But it fit.
Theirs is now an Army of volunteers that for all it's issues and continuing growing pains has braved unimaginable personal and family risks to get where they are now. It is actually becoming a trusted civil institution.
I read a story in I think the Washington Post or NY Times about the Iraqi Security Forces stumbling. Of course. And they will continue to for a while. But they are making huge steps forward and the training wheels really are coming off and are completely off in many ways.
- - - - - - - -
I heard a lot of people were worried when they heard about the one troop that chose to kill himself and four of our brothers today. We're fine. We are angry. We are saddened by the loss of four of our own in this way. As for the shooter, I don't care how rough his situation was, how distraught he was, or anything else. There may have been signs in his command about his worries and maybe some kind of intervention would have prevented this. I don't know and do not have the information to judge it. I do know that the shooter crossed the line from suicide to murder suicide and I can no longer recognize that person as having been a peer.
We are here to take care of each other. We failed that troop. But that troop unforgivably betrayed us.
It reminds me of a CNN story about the animal that raped and killed a young Iraqi girl and killed her family when he was in the Army and deployed here a few years ago. The article was actually sympathetic to the convicted criminal and tracked with the sickening narrative of the Army turning people in to monsters and this war making the poor veterans go mad--with the obligatory references to President Bush and Vice-President Cheney being the cause of this crime somehow (beyond President Bush ultimately being responsible for the deployment).
When patronizing and insulting tripe of that nature is written about today's murderer, do not believe it. When it continues to be written about any criminal that happens to disgrace the uniform, do not believe it. You, the civilian that may stumble upon this, owe us that much.
- - - - - -
On a lighter note, I was able to Skype with my Dad. He took a grainy snapshot of me through my webcam.
And we may have found a stash of meals. I'm going to run over there w/a truck and just grab them.
There's only one thief, the rest of us are just trying to get our stuff back.
I mention it because at the end of a briefing where all the sub-elements updated the commander, a little video/slideshow of recent events was played. It showed clips of Iraqi soldiers working with the Iraqi people, delivering supplies, running medical clinics, and taking on a lot of little daily functions that we used to do here alone. "Winds of Change" was the soundtrack to it. Fine, it was propoganda, though only for internal consumption. But it fit.
Theirs is now an Army of volunteers that for all it's issues and continuing growing pains has braved unimaginable personal and family risks to get where they are now. It is actually becoming a trusted civil institution.
I read a story in I think the Washington Post or NY Times about the Iraqi Security Forces stumbling. Of course. And they will continue to for a while. But they are making huge steps forward and the training wheels really are coming off and are completely off in many ways.
- - - - - - - -
I heard a lot of people were worried when they heard about the one troop that chose to kill himself and four of our brothers today. We're fine. We are angry. We are saddened by the loss of four of our own in this way. As for the shooter, I don't care how rough his situation was, how distraught he was, or anything else. There may have been signs in his command about his worries and maybe some kind of intervention would have prevented this. I don't know and do not have the information to judge it. I do know that the shooter crossed the line from suicide to murder suicide and I can no longer recognize that person as having been a peer.
We are here to take care of each other. We failed that troop. But that troop unforgivably betrayed us.
It reminds me of a CNN story about the animal that raped and killed a young Iraqi girl and killed her family when he was in the Army and deployed here a few years ago. The article was actually sympathetic to the convicted criminal and tracked with the sickening narrative of the Army turning people in to monsters and this war making the poor veterans go mad--with the obligatory references to President Bush and Vice-President Cheney being the cause of this crime somehow (beyond President Bush ultimately being responsible for the deployment).
When patronizing and insulting tripe of that nature is written about today's murderer, do not believe it. When it continues to be written about any criminal that happens to disgrace the uniform, do not believe it. You, the civilian that may stumble upon this, owe us that much.
- - - - - -
On a lighter note, I was able to Skype with my Dad. He took a grainy snapshot of me through my webcam.
And we may have found a stash of meals. I'm going to run over there w/a truck and just grab them.
There's only one thief, the rest of us are just trying to get our stuff back.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Package!
8000 calories of M&Ms! 48 OZ of peanut butter! 48 Zone Bars! What are zone bars?
And 5 packages of beef jerky in 5 different flavors.
Nice.
Today's big adventure for everyone was scrambling to find working phones and internet to call their mothers. A bit of a scramble, but I did manage. The call of course dropped when we were about to say good bye. I tried calling back so we could properly hang up, but it wouldn't go through.
Skype is where cell phones were a few years ago. Not too shabby.
And 5 packages of beef jerky in 5 different flavors.
Nice.
Today's big adventure for everyone was scrambling to find working phones and internet to call their mothers. A bit of a scramble, but I did manage. The call of course dropped when we were about to say good bye. I tried calling back so we could properly hang up, but it wouldn't go through.
Skype is where cell phones were a few years ago. Not too shabby.
Mundanity
So, my neighbor got the iPod Touch he ordered today. That was really fast. He wasn’t there when it was dropped by our desk so I grabbed it and hit behind our growing stash of Rip Its. That involved rearranging the Rip Its some, which drew more attention to them. A little while later, someone asked about the mass of Rip Its, and as my neighbor proudly explained how we grab two from the chow hall each time (and how he won some bets that were paid of in Rip Its), he noticed a box there.
He was very happy to have his iPod. He showed it to everyone in the JOC. I threatened to draw all over the touch screen with my Sharpie, but decided it would be a bad idea. He has some great prank war stories and that would escalate real fast. I don’t know if you’ve ever seen the fight scene from “Anchor Man,” but something like that. Except we really do have grenades.
After my shift I hung out for a while chatting with my partner. He was telling me about his son who went from driver to general manager of a store for a pizza chain in 9 months. He scored a 99 on the management exam. When asked by one of the larger division managers if the son was gunning for the regional manager’s job, the son responded that he was after the division job. The son is being flown to a large corporate event where he is being recognized for running one of the most successful locations. He was recently moved to a new poorer performing location, which is either a vote of confidence in him or a sign that the regional manager really was feeling threatened by this young fast burner.
I also learned that my partner was the first Air Force Weather guy at Baghdad International Airport during the initial invasion. He flew in with the initial SOF assault force and fought his way in with them. He’s a quiet guy and said that by the time the follow guys from a more prestigious unit arrived, he had already transmitted a bunch of hourly weather observations from the secured field. But those guys got the credit as the first in. It happens. He knows and has some great pictures back at home from those early days before there were rules.
I was in my Junior year at Michigan bored in some engineering class while my partner was invading Iraq. When that hit me I realized in a new way just how long we’ve been at this. It also gave me a new respect for all the young lieutenants, junior NCOs, and junior enlisted. It can’t be said enough that they knew exactly what they were signing up for when they raised their right hands. They volunteered anyway. I don’t care what your politics are, I hope you realize how lucky we are to live in a country that can produce such people.
We had a promotion ceremony for one of the young troops today. That Private First Class is now a Specialist-4. Still pretty low on the totem pole, but one promotion away from being an NCO. All of us, from the lower enlisted to the senior offices, stood at attention as his promotion order was read aloud. We all clapped and let him say a few words. Then back to the war for all of us.
I’m definitely feeling more confident in my little contributions to the war. I’m picking up on subtle forecasting issues and it’s almost second nature again to consider all the moving pieces when analyzing weather impacts. Over our internet chat tool that we use to coordinate weather forecasts and observations across the various locations here I saw a minor mutiny by some of the conventional weather guys here in country against the forecasters back in the states. The guys in the states were arguing that certain forecast conditions clearly imply certain impacts while the guys here said that nothing is clear and that aircrews in particular need to be spoon-fed the details. I watched amused and fought the urge to type that if they wear pajamas to work (e.g. flightsuits, one piece uniforms worn by pilots) then they need to be spoon-fed everything.
I was annoyed at flyers at the time because there were some that apparently tried blaming non-existent weather issues on why they didn’t want to fly. Ordinarily I wouldn’t care, but that could have impacted my guys. I had some choice words that while said aloud, were not typed into the chat tool. The demonstration of my vocabulary did get a shocked look from a female officer who was walking by though. I looked at her and said, “pilots,” and she just nodded back knowingly.
Unfortunately, internet and phones have been spotty lately. I'm trying to call home for Mother's Day but may be late. I will email.
He was very happy to have his iPod. He showed it to everyone in the JOC. I threatened to draw all over the touch screen with my Sharpie, but decided it would be a bad idea. He has some great prank war stories and that would escalate real fast. I don’t know if you’ve ever seen the fight scene from “Anchor Man,” but something like that. Except we really do have grenades.
After my shift I hung out for a while chatting with my partner. He was telling me about his son who went from driver to general manager of a store for a pizza chain in 9 months. He scored a 99 on the management exam. When asked by one of the larger division managers if the son was gunning for the regional manager’s job, the son responded that he was after the division job. The son is being flown to a large corporate event where he is being recognized for running one of the most successful locations. He was recently moved to a new poorer performing location, which is either a vote of confidence in him or a sign that the regional manager really was feeling threatened by this young fast burner.
I also learned that my partner was the first Air Force Weather guy at Baghdad International Airport during the initial invasion. He flew in with the initial SOF assault force and fought his way in with them. He’s a quiet guy and said that by the time the follow guys from a more prestigious unit arrived, he had already transmitted a bunch of hourly weather observations from the secured field. But those guys got the credit as the first in. It happens. He knows and has some great pictures back at home from those early days before there were rules.
I was in my Junior year at Michigan bored in some engineering class while my partner was invading Iraq. When that hit me I realized in a new way just how long we’ve been at this. It also gave me a new respect for all the young lieutenants, junior NCOs, and junior enlisted. It can’t be said enough that they knew exactly what they were signing up for when they raised their right hands. They volunteered anyway. I don’t care what your politics are, I hope you realize how lucky we are to live in a country that can produce such people.
We had a promotion ceremony for one of the young troops today. That Private First Class is now a Specialist-4. Still pretty low on the totem pole, but one promotion away from being an NCO. All of us, from the lower enlisted to the senior offices, stood at attention as his promotion order was read aloud. We all clapped and let him say a few words. Then back to the war for all of us.
I’m definitely feeling more confident in my little contributions to the war. I’m picking up on subtle forecasting issues and it’s almost second nature again to consider all the moving pieces when analyzing weather impacts. Over our internet chat tool that we use to coordinate weather forecasts and observations across the various locations here I saw a minor mutiny by some of the conventional weather guys here in country against the forecasters back in the states. The guys in the states were arguing that certain forecast conditions clearly imply certain impacts while the guys here said that nothing is clear and that aircrews in particular need to be spoon-fed the details. I watched amused and fought the urge to type that if they wear pajamas to work (e.g. flightsuits, one piece uniforms worn by pilots) then they need to be spoon-fed everything.
I was annoyed at flyers at the time because there were some that apparently tried blaming non-existent weather issues on why they didn’t want to fly. Ordinarily I wouldn’t care, but that could have impacted my guys. I had some choice words that while said aloud, were not typed into the chat tool. The demonstration of my vocabulary did get a shocked look from a female officer who was walking by though. I looked at her and said, “pilots,” and she just nodded back knowingly.
Unfortunately, internet and phones have been spotty lately. I'm trying to call home for Mother's Day but may be late. I will email.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Dirty Laundry
I dropped my laundry off today. Also dropped of my hand me down towels and sheets that have been loyally serving me and my predecessors in my trailer for a few years now. We will leave many things to the Iraqis when we leave, but I suspect that these sheets will no longer be of much use to them after a few more rotations. They are fine now, really, lest anyone worry. I'm just thinking ahead.
But on the topic of dirty laundry, I'm not going to air my specialty's dirty laundry in public but will talk about how we handle it. A little while ago one of the troops came back from a rotation and wrote down his thoughts about where we've been and where we are going. He sent it out to everybody in his unit.
I had heard about this particular paper but only recently got to read it. It is very well written and mainly says that we as a career field are spending too much time learning small parts of everybody else's jobs, which is depriving us of the time and opportunity to become true experts in our own jobs. Many of the guys out there doing the job nodded their heads in agreement.
Apparently the senior leadership did not take kindly too it. I'm starting to ask around my peers in middle management what their thoughts were. We'll see.
I suspect that their is more to it than just clueless leadership. They are getting directives from above that they have to fill which are driving our high deployment rates. This in turn limits time to train and may force a focus on basic combat tasks in place of the more complicated technical environmental characterization tasks. I'm not sure what latitude they have to push back on the taskings for bodies downrange in order to improve how we train.
In the mean time, the requirements downrange seem to be increasing. Guys are getting frustrated at the growing difference between what we do, what we are training to do, and what we are supposed to be mastering.
The smart troop that wrote the paper is going on to officer training. Unfortunately he has chosen to be an officer in a different specialty. In any case, the loss of that troop represents a leadership failure in my opinion.
But on the topic of dirty laundry, I'm not going to air my specialty's dirty laundry in public but will talk about how we handle it. A little while ago one of the troops came back from a rotation and wrote down his thoughts about where we've been and where we are going. He sent it out to everybody in his unit.
I had heard about this particular paper but only recently got to read it. It is very well written and mainly says that we as a career field are spending too much time learning small parts of everybody else's jobs, which is depriving us of the time and opportunity to become true experts in our own jobs. Many of the guys out there doing the job nodded their heads in agreement.
Apparently the senior leadership did not take kindly too it. I'm starting to ask around my peers in middle management what their thoughts were. We'll see.
I suspect that their is more to it than just clueless leadership. They are getting directives from above that they have to fill which are driving our high deployment rates. This in turn limits time to train and may force a focus on basic combat tasks in place of the more complicated technical environmental characterization tasks. I'm not sure what latitude they have to push back on the taskings for bodies downrange in order to improve how we train.
In the mean time, the requirements downrange seem to be increasing. Guys are getting frustrated at the growing difference between what we do, what we are training to do, and what we are supposed to be mastering.
The smart troop that wrote the paper is going on to officer training. Unfortunately he has chosen to be an officer in a different specialty. In any case, the loss of that troop represents a leadership failure in my opinion.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Shenanigans
Today the JOC director told us to cease all shenanigans. He did so while walking around with imaginary lats syndrome. It was quite a sight.
The two other guys in my row looked up remote control helicopters and asked the Sergeant Major if they could get them and have them fight each other over the skies of the JOC. He said no. However one of the reviews of the model helicopter they wanted was from a dude in Iraq. Apparently he got it stuck in a T-barrier (big concrete wall, shaped like an upsidedown T) and so was disappointed with the maneuverability but satisfied with its durability. One of the guys here has experience with that model and said it was hard to keep it flying straight.
I was going to explain to him the physics of helicopter flight and why he was having trouble keeping it straight. But I thought better of it. It wouldn't necessarily make it easier to fly. And he probably knew already.
At one point, two guys started bombarding one of the senior officers with post-it note bads. They were aiming for his bald spot. He returned fire with tiny easter eggs. He continued until one was caught in the target's mouth.
We have the fun row.
We also teased a young officer about the mustache he is growing. It actually isn't as ridiculous as some, but mustaches are often pretty ridiculous. Especially in the growing stage.
Lest you think it is all fun and games, we also did a lot of real work. But I can't post that here. Sorry.
Per my father's recommendation I clarified certain comments about the people of this region. I would also like to add that after testing the wild boar at the Baghdad Zoo for swine flu and determining that they were not infected, the Iraqis killed them. Yes. Not infected. Killed anyway. I'm not sure if that's a local quirk or our influence.
The chaplain was able to find two meals for me on post. Ordering more and still looking too. Babysteps.
I also met our Command Sergeant Major and operations director. It's a little different than last time where I had a lot of face time with the commander, the ops director, and the senior enlisted for the command. The structure here is different. I'm not sure if that is because of the difference between the elements I'm working with or the evolution of the war. It is what it is.
It is nice though that when people redeploy the commander is given a little index card with some notes and makes a public presentation. If he knows the person, it is a little more personal. He tries and adds something funny or nice each time. Then the person get's to say a few words.
It's kind of funny though how routine some things have become. Unless I either screw up royally or single handedly save the planet, I will be leaving this rotation with a command coin and a Joint Commendation Medal. I'm not here to add to my coin collection (they sit in a bag on a shelf in my uniform closet, I think) or to collect uniform bling. No one is here for that. But I just find it a little odd.
The two other guys in my row looked up remote control helicopters and asked the Sergeant Major if they could get them and have them fight each other over the skies of the JOC. He said no. However one of the reviews of the model helicopter they wanted was from a dude in Iraq. Apparently he got it stuck in a T-barrier (big concrete wall, shaped like an upsidedown T) and so was disappointed with the maneuverability but satisfied with its durability. One of the guys here has experience with that model and said it was hard to keep it flying straight.
I was going to explain to him the physics of helicopter flight and why he was having trouble keeping it straight. But I thought better of it. It wouldn't necessarily make it easier to fly. And he probably knew already.
At one point, two guys started bombarding one of the senior officers with post-it note bads. They were aiming for his bald spot. He returned fire with tiny easter eggs. He continued until one was caught in the target's mouth.
We have the fun row.
We also teased a young officer about the mustache he is growing. It actually isn't as ridiculous as some, but mustaches are often pretty ridiculous. Especially in the growing stage.
Lest you think it is all fun and games, we also did a lot of real work. But I can't post that here. Sorry.
Per my father's recommendation I clarified certain comments about the people of this region. I would also like to add that after testing the wild boar at the Baghdad Zoo for swine flu and determining that they were not infected, the Iraqis killed them. Yes. Not infected. Killed anyway. I'm not sure if that's a local quirk or our influence.
The chaplain was able to find two meals for me on post. Ordering more and still looking too. Babysteps.
I also met our Command Sergeant Major and operations director. It's a little different than last time where I had a lot of face time with the commander, the ops director, and the senior enlisted for the command. The structure here is different. I'm not sure if that is because of the difference between the elements I'm working with or the evolution of the war. It is what it is.
It is nice though that when people redeploy the commander is given a little index card with some notes and makes a public presentation. If he knows the person, it is a little more personal. He tries and adds something funny or nice each time. Then the person get's to say a few words.
It's kind of funny though how routine some things have become. Unless I either screw up royally or single handedly save the planet, I will be leaving this rotation with a command coin and a Joint Commendation Medal. I'm not here to add to my coin collection (they sit in a bag on a shelf in my uniform closet, I think) or to collect uniform bling. No one is here for that. But I just find it a little odd.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Uniform? I don't need no stinking uniform!
Well, I do have a stinking uniform. Or at least it will be soon. I have one set of the Army Combat Uniform (ACU), the Army uniform. I do have a two sets of the Airman Battle Uniform (ABU), the new Air Force uniform, that I could wear. But I don't want to. I'm proud to be in the Air Force. Proud of what we bring to the fight. But our uniform sucks. It is made of a thick material that might be nice in the winter, but it is almost summer here. The ACU is much thinner.
Fortunately, I have one more set of ACUs on order through supply. It just isn't here yet. I went to two supply offices to see if they had any extras lying around, but no joy. They probably do, but Army supply people are notorious for hoarding their supplies and so they definitely won't hook up an Air Force guy any more than they have to. So ABUs will have to be my laundry day uniform. Not a big deal. I'm mostly sitting in an air conditioned facility anyway.
As it is, I was given an order sheet and a price limit and told to get whatever I wanted on the list for my official supply issue. So I picked out some cold weather layers, a boonie cap, and another set of ACUs. I won't really need the cold weather layers during this trip, but it will be nice to have official uniform cold weather layers for when I need them. When we actually go in the field, we're not picky about uniforms as long as our stuff works, but at home we need to be all pretty and professional.
Back at work, where the magic happens, the guy who sits next to me has been talking about all sort of weapons parts and where to get the best prices on various pieces of equipment. This could be dangerous. A lot of free time, an internet connection, and an enabler... but I won't. I may be tempted, but now my wife knows I am tempted. It's a great way to avoid making needless purchases. Though there were some screaming deals.
At one point I was sitting there when he slammed a can of Rip It on my desk. He had one and two other guys had one. I was then told that the last one to finish was a, well, something that need not be mentioned in a family blog but would get me an instant discharge from the service under current policy if it were told... if you are tracking. Well, a Rip It is a carbonated energy drink. It may have over taken Red Bull as the fuel that powers the Global War on Terrorism. Anyway, I'm not usually into energy drinks or carbonated drinks. It was my first Rip It. But I was the last to finish mine. I should mention I didn't realize it would be carbonated, but this is a no fail environment and I failed.
As an epilogue to that story, a minutes afterwards, I made a sarcastic comment to a senior non-commissioned officer. They declared it must be the Rip It speaking.
I will also admit that while I'm not big in to energy drinks, I do start my day by stealing a Shocker from the snack bar of another Ops Center. Shockers are just canned ice latte things. Nothing too fancy, but a nice start to the workday. One guy asked if I could get him one too, but then I got a little worried after that young Navy officer said "I love you" when I gave him the can. There is a standard inter-service joke in there somewhere, but I am above such petty things. Well, that and I'd think its funny, my wife will roll her eyes, and most other people reading this wouldn't get it.
As a last little vignette from today, we cleaned out some of the shelves and cabinets in our workspace this morning. There was a salami that someone had received in a care package that we didn't know what to do with. So we put it in one of the community candy plates on the Ops floor. So there it is with a bunch of Brach's mint type things and Jolly Ranchers.
We also found a bible. A lot of groups send bibles. It's a very nice thing to do and is appreciated. However, there are now a lot of bibles in theater. Most bible-reading troops bring their own on top of that. So, when we leave, or at least move forward with the impending draw down, we will either be taking a lot of bibles back with us or bequeathing a lot of Christian bibles to the Iraqis along with some very nice facilities that they may or may not be able to maintain. We are not particularly confident that, if left, these bibles will be disposed of or otherwise treated in anything resembling a respectful manner. Fortunately, there is a double standard when it comes to Arabs in this region showing respect for such things so it won't create much of an uproar if it happens. I said it.
Low expectations, even when very very warranted and proven, are a prejudice too.
And I was trying to keep it light.
Everyone congratulate my wife and getting to deliver a baby all by herself on her first day of her advanced family medicine rotation. And she's biking to work. I'm very proud.
OK, off to the gym.
Fortunately, I have one more set of ACUs on order through supply. It just isn't here yet. I went to two supply offices to see if they had any extras lying around, but no joy. They probably do, but Army supply people are notorious for hoarding their supplies and so they definitely won't hook up an Air Force guy any more than they have to. So ABUs will have to be my laundry day uniform. Not a big deal. I'm mostly sitting in an air conditioned facility anyway.
As it is, I was given an order sheet and a price limit and told to get whatever I wanted on the list for my official supply issue. So I picked out some cold weather layers, a boonie cap, and another set of ACUs. I won't really need the cold weather layers during this trip, but it will be nice to have official uniform cold weather layers for when I need them. When we actually go in the field, we're not picky about uniforms as long as our stuff works, but at home we need to be all pretty and professional.
Back at work, where the magic happens, the guy who sits next to me has been talking about all sort of weapons parts and where to get the best prices on various pieces of equipment. This could be dangerous. A lot of free time, an internet connection, and an enabler... but I won't. I may be tempted, but now my wife knows I am tempted. It's a great way to avoid making needless purchases. Though there were some screaming deals.
At one point I was sitting there when he slammed a can of Rip It on my desk. He had one and two other guys had one. I was then told that the last one to finish was a, well, something that need not be mentioned in a family blog but would get me an instant discharge from the service under current policy if it were told... if you are tracking. Well, a Rip It is a carbonated energy drink. It may have over taken Red Bull as the fuel that powers the Global War on Terrorism. Anyway, I'm not usually into energy drinks or carbonated drinks. It was my first Rip It. But I was the last to finish mine. I should mention I didn't realize it would be carbonated, but this is a no fail environment and I failed.
As an epilogue to that story, a minutes afterwards, I made a sarcastic comment to a senior non-commissioned officer. They declared it must be the Rip It speaking.
I will also admit that while I'm not big in to energy drinks, I do start my day by stealing a Shocker from the snack bar of another Ops Center. Shockers are just canned ice latte things. Nothing too fancy, but a nice start to the workday. One guy asked if I could get him one too, but then I got a little worried after that young Navy officer said "I love you" when I gave him the can. There is a standard inter-service joke in there somewhere, but I am above such petty things. Well, that and I'd think its funny, my wife will roll her eyes, and most other people reading this wouldn't get it.
As a last little vignette from today, we cleaned out some of the shelves and cabinets in our workspace this morning. There was a salami that someone had received in a care package that we didn't know what to do with. So we put it in one of the community candy plates on the Ops floor. So there it is with a bunch of Brach's mint type things and Jolly Ranchers.
We also found a bible. A lot of groups send bibles. It's a very nice thing to do and is appreciated. However, there are now a lot of bibles in theater. Most bible-reading troops bring their own on top of that. So, when we leave, or at least move forward with the impending draw down, we will either be taking a lot of bibles back with us or bequeathing a lot of Christian bibles to the Iraqis along with some very nice facilities that they may or may not be able to maintain. We are not particularly confident that, if left, these bibles will be disposed of or otherwise treated in anything resembling a respectful manner. Fortunately, there is a double standard when it comes to Arabs in this region showing respect for such things so it won't create much of an uproar if it happens. I said it.
Low expectations, even when very very warranted and proven, are a prejudice too.
And I was trying to keep it light.
Everyone congratulate my wife and getting to deliver a baby all by herself on her first day of her advanced family medicine rotation. And she's biking to work. I'm very proud.
OK, off to the gym.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Breakthrough!
So I'm walking back from the gym and decided to check to see if the Chaplain was in. Our chaplain was not. But another chaplain for a related command was there. So I checked with him about my food situation. He and I walked over to the chaplain's assistant to verify the process and current availability.
I asked for two a day until my scheduled departure. They said that wouldn't be a problem but that it would take some time. However, they think there is a stash around here somewhere with the conventional folks and they will see about picking it up very soon. They need to go there anyway. They'll also follow-up with the bulk order.
So that's that.
I also mentioned that given the duration of my stay and the timing of it, I can help as a lay leader for part of the community here. It just so happens that one of the chaplains returned home recently and they just might be in need. So I'll help how I can. Should be an interesting and enlightening experience.
More to follow.
I asked for two a day until my scheduled departure. They said that wouldn't be a problem but that it would take some time. However, they think there is a stash around here somewhere with the conventional folks and they will see about picking it up very soon. They need to go there anyway. They'll also follow-up with the bulk order.
So that's that.
I also mentioned that given the duration of my stay and the timing of it, I can help as a lay leader for part of the community here. It just so happens that one of the chaplains returned home recently and they just might be in need. So I'll help how I can. Should be an interesting and enlightening experience.
More to follow.
Pocket full of dreams...
Well, a pocket full of 9mm ammunition anyway. One guy had to unload his magazine to go somewhere and just handed me the bullets. I threw them in my pocket. A few hours later I heard a rattling as I walked and couldn't figure out what it was. All my magazines are full so I guess I'll just hold on to these as extras. I can fire them off at the range, pass them on the new guy, or save them for the odd chance I need them.
You never know when the zombies will attack, but I'm ready.
Even in the deployed environment the silly ancillery training requirements must be kept current. Our command had yet another mandatory suicide prevention training session. It is a serious issue, but the military method of teaching this material (repeat, repeat, and repeat... show cheesy video and complete with powerpoint again) may be having unintended consequencs as we desperately try to avoid the more annoying events. I escaped because although we were all told we had to go, it was actually just an Army event. I was glad because we got our annual--semi-annual? bi-annual? monthly?--suicide prevention brief back in January. Well, my unit did. I missed that because I left that drill early because my wife was sick. So don't have suicidal thoughts around me. I'm no longer current in my training and may do the wrong thing and negatively impact your personal record or scare you from seeking help.
I now have my correspondence course for my Professional Military Education set up here on my work computer. I need to finish this in order to get promoted. Granted I'm not eligible for promotion for a while, but have the time and opportunity to bang it out real fast here.
I've also gone through reports written by that last few people to sit in my seat to learn what has worked, what hasn't, and what still needs fixing. I'm working with my partner to create a to-do list of things for us to improve. We're going to scrub all of our products to see what is working, what isn't, and what is/is not needed. No change for the sake of change, but things can always be better. As we make the list, we'll check it with people in the JOC to get their inputs. We'll also check it with some of our peers for a common sense edit. I'll check the bigger picture issues with some trusted folks before raising them up the flag pole.
Otherwise, I am getting my routine set. I liked what I did last time of PTing twice a day. I'll try to keep to that. I'm easing in to it. So I'm pretty sore, but in a good way. I worked hard, but I'm not injured.
I also found out that we can take some limited pictures here. My wife will probably ship me my camera so I can take the obligatory cheesy hero shot. I'll get all kitted out on the range so people can see me in action slaying evil jihadi paper.
Speaking of kit, I saw one of the guys had a few morale patches on his armor/load carrying vest. Morale patches are velcro patches with logos, pictures, quotes, etc. Sometimes they are inside jokes. Small ones can be funny. Going overboard or having one that is really bright and attention getting is just silly. Quiet professionals. That's what we are. We're not supposed to advertise. Leave that for playing at home and airsofters. Just my thoughts on the matter.
...a tasteful small Calico Jack or Spartan shield in a subdued color, however... but no I don't have any on my kit. Just some IFF (identify friend or foe) material to identify me to good guys.
You never know when the zombies will attack, but I'm ready.
Even in the deployed environment the silly ancillery training requirements must be kept current. Our command had yet another mandatory suicide prevention training session. It is a serious issue, but the military method of teaching this material (repeat, repeat, and repeat... show cheesy video and complete with powerpoint again) may be having unintended consequencs as we desperately try to avoid the more annoying events. I escaped because although we were all told we had to go, it was actually just an Army event. I was glad because we got our annual--semi-annual? bi-annual? monthly?--suicide prevention brief back in January. Well, my unit did. I missed that because I left that drill early because my wife was sick. So don't have suicidal thoughts around me. I'm no longer current in my training and may do the wrong thing and negatively impact your personal record or scare you from seeking help.
I now have my correspondence course for my Professional Military Education set up here on my work computer. I need to finish this in order to get promoted. Granted I'm not eligible for promotion for a while, but have the time and opportunity to bang it out real fast here.
I've also gone through reports written by that last few people to sit in my seat to learn what has worked, what hasn't, and what still needs fixing. I'm working with my partner to create a to-do list of things for us to improve. We're going to scrub all of our products to see what is working, what isn't, and what is/is not needed. No change for the sake of change, but things can always be better. As we make the list, we'll check it with people in the JOC to get their inputs. We'll also check it with some of our peers for a common sense edit. I'll check the bigger picture issues with some trusted folks before raising them up the flag pole.
Otherwise, I am getting my routine set. I liked what I did last time of PTing twice a day. I'll try to keep to that. I'm easing in to it. So I'm pretty sore, but in a good way. I worked hard, but I'm not injured.
I also found out that we can take some limited pictures here. My wife will probably ship me my camera so I can take the obligatory cheesy hero shot. I'll get all kitted out on the range so people can see me in action slaying evil jihadi paper.
Speaking of kit, I saw one of the guys had a few morale patches on his armor/load carrying vest. Morale patches are velcro patches with logos, pictures, quotes, etc. Sometimes they are inside jokes. Small ones can be funny. Going overboard or having one that is really bright and attention getting is just silly. Quiet professionals. That's what we are. We're not supposed to advertise. Leave that for playing at home and airsofters. Just my thoughts on the matter.
...a tasteful small Calico Jack or Spartan shield in a subdued color, however... but no I don't have any on my kit. Just some IFF (identify friend or foe) material to identify me to good guys.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Back in the Saddle Again
I think I'm getting the hang of it. It's an odd and in some ways redundant job since my forecast is good for the commander's situational awareness but someone else's forecast controls the assets supporting his people. My job is too coordinate and communicate. And to make sure my partner on the nightshift does the same. He's been out here before so he knows the drill as well.
If all goes well the guys we replaced will be drinking beer soon. Wish them a safe and quick (maintenance delay free) trip home.
Both because of how the war here has evolved and because of who I am working with the tempo here is a bit slower and more relaxed than where I worked last time. In part, we have caught or killed a lot of the worst actors and driven many of the others deep underground. Also, with the new agreement with the Iraqi government, there are more restrictions on who and how we target. It is interesting to watch.
The people I work with are fun to hang around. We were teasing one young butterbar officer fresh from his Specialties very intense qualification course about his age and the fact that he still lives at home. He doesn't, but he did grow up very close to where he ultimately trained and was stationed. So he did live at home for a bit and his mom did, in fact, drop him off at work a few times.
It is a funny atmosphere because a lot of the people are experienced Special Operations troops who are frustrated to be sitting in an Ops Center rather than forward with a team. So a lot of jokes and healthy complaining. There are a lot of movies and TV shows on one of the network drives. I had to promise that I would watch Boondock Saints before I left. The whole place fell silent when they found out I had never seen it.
They are adding a wireless hot spot to our compound. I'll have to check the range and speed of the connection to see if it will really be worth the monthly fee. Probably.
As for food, since people will want an update, there is no news. The Chaplain is dealing with the casualty and tending to the casualty's family and peers. That is and must be the priority.
With that, a good week to all of you. I'm out.
If all goes well the guys we replaced will be drinking beer soon. Wish them a safe and quick (maintenance delay free) trip home.
Both because of how the war here has evolved and because of who I am working with the tempo here is a bit slower and more relaxed than where I worked last time. In part, we have caught or killed a lot of the worst actors and driven many of the others deep underground. Also, with the new agreement with the Iraqi government, there are more restrictions on who and how we target. It is interesting to watch.
The people I work with are fun to hang around. We were teasing one young butterbar officer fresh from his Specialties very intense qualification course about his age and the fact that he still lives at home. He doesn't, but he did grow up very close to where he ultimately trained and was stationed. So he did live at home for a bit and his mom did, in fact, drop him off at work a few times.
It is a funny atmosphere because a lot of the people are experienced Special Operations troops who are frustrated to be sitting in an Ops Center rather than forward with a team. So a lot of jokes and healthy complaining. There are a lot of movies and TV shows on one of the network drives. I had to promise that I would watch Boondock Saints before I left. The whole place fell silent when they found out I had never seen it.
They are adding a wireless hot spot to our compound. I'll have to check the range and speed of the connection to see if it will really be worth the monthly fee. Probably.
As for food, since people will want an update, there is no news. The Chaplain is dealing with the casualty and tending to the casualty's family and peers. That is and must be the priority.
With that, a good week to all of you. I'm out.
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