Here are a few photos from my last days in Kuwait and my first weeks in Iraq.

First, a view of the bar at the Hard Rock Café in Kuwait. They serve mocktails, which is akin to ordering oysters sprinkled with saltpeter.

Next, a view of the LP in the ceiling of the Hard Rock Café. It spins around. Kind of nutty!

This is the plane that took me to Baghdad. I sat at the very back and was fairly squished by the cargo. Suprising how nimble a cargo plane can be!

Brian and Rick’s porch built from scrap wood. Here it is set up for cigar night.

Another snap of the porch showing the movie screen on the T-wall. Like the doughboys of WWI we have a trench system, except ours is built on top of the earth rather than dug into it. It is a bit surreal watching a movie as tracers fly overhead and the occasional IED explodes in the distance.

Me and Saddam’s head in the IZ. I was on my way to the US embassy to have a bit of lunch.

Here I am at the embassy. Too bad I brought my gun! The pool is nice, but I didn’t get a chance to swim either.

This is the Iraqi Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. I wasn’t able to get in this time, but I may have another chance.

Here I am at the crossed sabers. It is around the corner from the Tomb. They celebrate the “victory” over Iran. The hands are allegedly cast from Saddam’s and the metal for the blades is from captured Iranian rifles that were melted down. They are being taken down by the new government.

Mark & John on top of the Ibn Sina hospital. There is a dustoff helo landing behind John’s left shoulder and the smoke from an IED just behind Mark’s head. Hard to believe they get four birds at one time on such a small pad.

It is 25 March and this is my seven month anniversary of stepping foot in SE Asia. Only five more months until I can be with my family! I have moved to the night shift and I like it a lot. I’m working out when the gym is empty and in the office I work at my own pace and distance ;o)
There seems to always be someone shooting small arms at us, but today was a bit more exciting as we had some incoming while I was asleep. The events were pretty awesome really, once you get over the fact that you are the target downrange. It happened at about noonish and I was sound asleep. I awoke to the sound of the Big Giant Voice announcing “INCOMING, INCOMING, INCOMING...” I was still half asleep when, a few moments later, I heard the sound of the C-RAM spitting explosive rounds at whatever was inbound. A few minutes later the Big Giant Voice announced, “All clear.” No idea what it was, but the sailors seem to have dispatched it with relative ease. I have vowed not to make fun of the Navy for three days.

I went down to the IZ on 19 Mar. It was an interesting trip. I left Victory Base Camp (VBC) on a Rhino in the morning. It is escorted by some heavily armed HMMWVs. In order to ride on the Rhino one must have their body armor, helmet, shoulder armor, nomex gloves, and eye protection; I also had my side plates on. Nevertheless, one still has the sense of vulnerability when you cross the wire into “Indian Country” and the TC gives the “weapons amber” order. The trip is about 12 miles and takes about 20 minutes, unless the convoy is rerouted. This happens with some regularity and is usually due to an IED.

I arrived mid morning and walked a few blocks to the Ibn Sina Hospital, aka Baghdad ER. It was a nice day and a pleasant walk, in spite of all the gear we were humping. There I met some of the local national linguists. Many of them are taking one hell of a chance because they live in the Red Zone and come to the IZ every day for work. These are the guys who really believe in the future of Iraq and I wish them all the best. It must be all the more foreboding since they witness the carnage as it comes into the hospital. That night I did a short walking tour of the IZ and had dinner in the US Embassy. Not like other embassies, mostly a bunch of guys with guns. I did get a picture of myself near the bar, too bad I had a gun. That night I slept in Murray’s room as he was home on R&R.

The next morning I had some more work with the linguists, and then I had lunch in the CSH DFAC. Then I happened to be on the top deck of the hospital when they had an “Angel Flight.” This happens every time a US service member dies in Iraq. All hospital personnel who are able line up on both sides of the roadway as the body is brought to the helipad. Once loaded, the helicopter and its escort rise into the air in unison and everyone executes a salute as they fly off. It is a difficult thing to witness.

I went down to the Rhino stop that evening and headed home.

I got a bit lost on Victory Base last night. I spent 45 minutes traipsing around with a full duffel bag, but I eventually found my way to Brian’s hooch. He is letting me borrow Rick’s bed while he is on R&R, which is very nice because I’m stuck in a tent with a bunch of Marines. Not that there is anything wrong with the USMC, but they got there first, so I have a top bunk. I definitely had more living space in Basic!

They were test firing the C-RAM this morning. It is basically the Navy’s Phalanx Gun System mounted on a trailer. It is a missile defense system and it sounds like a table being dragged across a wood floor when it fires. Kind of neat and I really hope it works!

I arrived in Iraq yesterday (14 Mar). My first flight on the 13th was cancelled at 0200 on the morning of the 14th, but I finally hopped on a C130 at 1200. The aircraft struck a bird on the mission down, so we were delayed a bit while they inspected the aircraft.

I found a nice place on the tarmac to nap while that went on. When I boarded I was in the last seat of the aircraft, right next to the baggage. A rather uncomfortable and uneventful flight, but as we neared BIAP we did a combat landing. Kind of fun, if one could forget reasons for the evasive action. I have a picture of the plane, but I'll send it later.

When I got off the plane I could hear the chatter of the "fiddy" in the far distance. I was picked up from BIAP and came to the Desert Medic Headquarters. I don't have a room yet, but one of my buddies is on R&R, so I stole his bed.

I'm in the G9 shop (civil-military affairs) as their operations officer. Not sure how much travel I'll be doing, but I'm happy to be out of Kuwait!

It is 13 Mar 2007 at 1730, the eve of my movement into Iraq. I have spent the last three days packing all my crap up and shipping it home or to Baghdad. I am amazed at the amount of stuff I have accumulated in six months. I’ll be working in the G-9 AKA Civil Affairs. Not sure what I’ll be doing, but it will be a welcome change of pace. My living arrangement will be less opulent, but my new boss is a great guy! I feel badly for leaving by little band of merry men and women, but it is for the best. I hope they will be OK without me.