My office and Mud House pictures

Here are some pictures of my current office area. I know it looks sad but not to worry the new office is being built. I will probably move into there in mid-March. For now this is where it all happens. 2 computers and screens makes me seem important but I am not. It just means I get more emails. One is for Secret stuff and the other is a standard computer. I share the office with 3 others. Luckily they are willing to listen to Patty Labelle, Prince, and Beyonce. Good to outrank everyone - LOLOLOL!

Here are some pictures from Cigar night at the Mud House. These are the two providers for the clinic.

CPT Cole, who is a funny thoughtful doctor. You should see how she interacts with the patients. She is new to the Army so it is really fun to get her perspective on things. You can tell from the photo she doesn't smoke cigars but I think she was taking the picture that will end up on her Christmas card this year. She joined the Army during a war. How brave is she?

This is Major Rider, the physician assistant. He has been in the Army as long as I have been. I call him the "fun sucker" because he is always thinking about what could go wrong in a situation. He is really funny and smart. His experience gives him the leg up in our office. He has seen alot but is willing to try new things. I told him anytime he comes to Texas he has someone who will buy him a beer.

This is Command Sergeant Major Hunt. She is the top enlisted Soldier in the 115th CSH. Her birthday was in November and as a present I got her the fattest cigar I could find. She flew up to Taji to visit this week and brought her cigar. So I made her climb on the roof with me and light up. It was really funny until I realized she might get dizzy and might have problems climbing back down. That is all I would need is to hurt the CSM. I would be beaten. LOL.

Not a bad week. If I recall I have around 185 days left in this deployment. I just have to stay alive and not get hurt for 6 more months. Not bad as you look at the whole time. I also get about 3 weeks off in about 2 weeks so that will help too. I am beginning to get used to the battery firing the rounds at night...for all my none military readers...firing rockets from really big guns. After the first one goes and I know they are starting I don't jump any more.

later...

Taji pictures

Finally decided to take my camera out again and show everyone stuff that I see every day. That seems to be what everyone who writes wants to see the most.

This is a picture of the temporary clinic that we see patients. I think it was someone's office before? It is very basic with 6 rooms and two bathrooms.

check out the "Keep off Grass" sign. I wonder if our neighbors would mind if I put up concertina wire and a sign in our front yard? I will throw up pictures of my office in my next post so you can see the table I sit at each day.

This is the street I live on. When I leave the gym this is the view I have. My trailer is down on the left. See the trucks way down there that is where my trailer is located. The fence and wire on the right marks the start area for the Iraqi Army compound. Yes we are located right next to each other. Some mornings I can see them out there walking around. I am not sure if the wire is to keep them in or us out of the area. It seems to do both and I have no desire to go visit. The thing I notice most is the inability to move about freely. You begin to notice how restricted you are after you have been here some time.

This is inside the gym. I have to keep working on my swing. I plan to try out for the Q-school when I get back.(smile)

My new Starbucks = The Mud House

So this is where you drink coffee at Taji…It is called The Mud House.
http://www.taji-mudhouse.org/Mud_house/Welcome.html It is run by volunteer Soldiers and it was set up by Army Chaplains. It is such a good place because the Soldiers have adapted this place and all ranks go there to listen to music or sing or smoke cigars. You do what you can to feel normal. They don’t take monetary donations (legal problem with that) they only look for coffee and the extras that go along with it. Cigar night is my favorite! It appears Halloween is fun too but I missed that one. If you have coffee, cigars, cookies, sugar packets, or creamer you are looking to get rid of here is a good spot to send it. Has anyone ever tried Chock Full of Nuts coffee before? That is what I had last week. It reminded me of the movie The Bucket List. It was really some good coffee.

The week that was...

So this week was a good week again. I am 3 weeks from being home and I can barely hold it in. As the clinic OIC I have to be motivated about our job here and all I can think about is getting off that plane in SATX. I think the jet lag will beat me a little for a few days but after I plan to enjoy myself. My first meal has to be either sushi or a good steak. A medium-rare steak or a dragon tail sushi roll!!! Okay enough of the day dreaming back to being serious again...

My Dad sent my newspapers New York Post and the USA Today from the day after the Inauguration. The pictures are wonderful. I think if I was in the States I would have had to convince Bobbi to come to DC with me to be in the mix. All my friends who live in DC I hope you had fun with it. I heard the restaurants were crowded but I also heard the people were real friendly and everyone was happy looking forward to the new President. I hope he does well. If he can just jumpstart the economy he will be a hero. I did my part by doing some internet shopping (smile).

Hey I talked to a few of you this week on SKYPE and via DSN. Thanks for the calls, packages and emails. My man - Harold thanks for the movies. I can't stop watching Sparkle. Anyone who hasn't seen it - get off your butts and watch it. Be prepared to sing. The Chuck and Royce show had me laughing as usual on Friday. For all who don’t recall; these two work at PASBA and are two of the funniest and smartest guys around. They are a pleasure to work with even if they are crazy. They call me every Friday just to see if I need anything and to give me the latest info from MEDCOM. Mandy, Anne, Mark, and Twanda it was good to hear from/talk to you all. Everyone else that sent emails I read them all. Thanks for keeping things normal for me.

I hope all of you got my "200 days left" email. I plan to take some more pictures of my office and stuff and I will throw the pics on the BLOG so you can see what it all looks like for me. I had a good bike ride today. I went different places on Taji today just to see new stuff. I will have the camera next time. Today I just want to ride as hard as I could. Well it is time for me to grab dinner.

So until later...

Another week

I made it another week with no issues. The new place is good. The living conditions are better and the work I am doing is better. This week I received cards, a movie and this book of NY Times headlines as mail. I have been practicing my guitar but I am sounding horrible. I did get a chance to ride my bike today. The rides won't be as good as at my last place but it should be okay. I don't feel as safe up here. You can see the Iraqi highway when you ride. At least it is fun to experience some normalcy again. I also found out my mid tour leave was pushed back about 10 days. So now it looks like the middle of February before I am home. At least I get a chance to go home though.

Home Sweet Home

This is the outside of the new place. I think I showed these earlier but this 1 is mine specifically. TC 76 is my number.
The pic on the left is when you open the door and the rest are me panning around the room. As you can see I have no place for all my movies so they are sort of stacked up. The queen side bed is an upgrade and I have twice the room size. I am the first person to live here so that is sweet.

more photos. I decided to open the shade on the second one.

2nd Convoy in Iraq

So I don't think I want to make this a routine mode of travel but I got the trip over with and I am at Taji with all my stuff. I rode in an MRAP - Mine Resistant Ambushed Protected vehicle. I had sat in one but this is my first time riding in one.

They aren't roomie as you can see from the picture here. The ride is really bouncy and rough but it keeps my ass safe so I am good with it. At the end of each convoy we get out and unload our weapons. We have to lock and load when we travel outside the wire.






As I mentioned above after clearing our weapons I got picture happy. Here is our convoy when we arrived. All my worldly possessions are in the truck 4 in front of me.





Welcome to Taji Sign!! Home sweet home for the next 7 months of so.







pics on the way up just to show you some of the sights of Iraq.








Anyone looking for real estate??

Finally got the cable for my camera.

I am at Camp Cropper for a few days to grab the rest of my crap...boy do I have alot of stuff. Thanks to all you guys (smile). However, I do have the cable for my camera again. Here are pictures from my convoy up to Taji 3 weeks ago. The convoy is kind of nerve racking. The gunner sits in a whole in the roof with his machine gun and he spins back and force doing a 180 degree turns back and forth. The seat he sits in is on ball bearings that make a sound of click..click.click like a loud clock. Here is a picture of the machine gun.

Here are some random people on the street








Road to Morocco? No that says Mosul.






Check out the palace like home behind the tree.









Car next to us. Is it a bomber or are they just headed to the local HEB? That store is it the HEB? HEB = Texas supermarket

2 year anniversary

January 5th is my 2 year anniversary of quitting smoking! I decided to give myself the gift of not smoking. The first months were tough but after that it was easy. I feel better for having quit. So anyone out there looking to quit ask me how. I can help. I am headed back to Camp Cropper today to grab the rest of my stuff. I am excited about getting my bike and movies and books.

2009!!

Happy New Year everyone! I have several followers of my BLOG now. That is great! The new year was brought in by me asleep. They say whatever you are doing when the clock strikes 12 midnight is what you will be doing the rest of the year. I fell asleep reading a book so I will either be very rested or very well read. I hope everyone tips their glasses with a little Scotch in them or whatever you like. Enjoy the time with your family and friends. Thanks for all the emails. I miss you all. Taji is good.