GOLF!!

I got a chance to sign up for golf today.  We play tomorrow at 6am. We will only get in 9 holes because it will be too ho tto play 18. We meet at 5am that means I am up by 4:15 in time to get out there. I am excited about playing in Qatar and can't wait to buy a shirt at the club house that says I was there. Wish me luck!

---

Wanna slim down for summer? Go to America Takes it Off to learn how.

Turn off the oven

This is ridiculous! You want to know how hot it is?! I washed my sneakers today after my run. I ran really strong but sweated from everywhere. The sneakers were wet and on the edge of turning...place where you can no longer take them off in public without people getting sick...so I needed to wash them. Anyway, you are supposed to remove the souls and wash seperately from the sneakers then air dry the sneakers. My sneakers were completely dry in 20 minutes after leaving them outside. No, not just the upper part the inside toe box area. It is ungodly hot here. It is hotter than Iraq. You need shades here too because the sand is white so that sun beating down on that hot sand makes for alot of heat!! I had planned to do a boat tour today but I am thinking I will wait until the sun goes down and join the group for volleyball or something.

Day 1

Day 1 of my 4 day pass. yesterday was day 0 so it did not count. I regret not bringing my laptop as the whole place is wireless. I listened to someone who came before me and he said there are plenty of computers and he is right but you have to go to them which is a pain. There is stuff to do and normal food to eat. (Chili's, Olive Garden) I am still not convinced it was worth the trip yet but hell I guess it is better than staring at the TV in my room. If you get a chance look up Doha to see the sites. I will have pictures as soon as I get them from the chick that promised last night. I will bring my camera when I go tonight.

More on Qatar

So I signed up for a tour today of downtown Doha. I managed to buy some stuff and go to a 4 story mall. I saw teenage kids running around in the mall like always just that the boys were in those "man dresses" they wear here and the girls were covered except for their eyes. It was like a mall anywhere in America. Of course I forgot my camera but the agent with us (we get a babysitter) took plenty of pictures and if she lives up to her word I will have some to post in a few. It was really interesting checking out downtown Doha. There is plenty of wealth here. It was fun. I am still moving a little slow because of the lack of sleep from early this morning but I am getting better. I am still not convinced it was worth the trip but the fun sucker (PA I work with named Jerry) tells me everything is going fine back at the clinic. More later...

In Qatar

Just got in last night and they kept us up telling us all the stuff we could not do and all the stuff we could do. We were released at 05:30 so I crashed and then had to get up for a formation. I just had to show my ID so it wasn't too bad. Some folks were freaking out but they must have been Air Force (sorry Jim and Cas-LOL)

There seems like a ton of stuff to do but it gets nice and hot here so we will see what I end up doing. I plan to play golf and go to the mall to buy some gold for "mi lady" but it is 120degrees by 10am so I am not sure just yet. She may only get an email -LOL

thanks for all the emails!!!!!!!! Loved being sent all teh email on Memorial day.

Right before I left my highschool sent me packages. All of the juniors wrote me letters in these 4 big boxes. Of course I went through each and then put the stuff on the free table where the Soldiers attacked it. It was more fun for me to read the kids' letters. One of my old home room teachers apparently organized it with my Mom. I don't recall any of the teachers names. I remember the principle but I saw her in detention so not the fondest memories --LOL. I will have to write them all. Fun stuff.

Memorial Day tmrrw (UNCLASSIFIED)

Nice to get all the emails and FB notes from everyone wishing me a Happy Memorial Day and thanking me for my service. I hope all of you have a great weekend and take the time to enjoy your families/friends. I want to hear all about the fun you had in an email.

Just added this pic from my camera today 4 June

Another suicide

It's a shame these guys/gals aren't thinking through before they commit these permanent acts. This latest one was not really young so it s not a generation thing. He was 35, married, 3 kids. He had only been here a week. I don't get it. What would be so bad? Imagine his family and his unit's pain...not understanding/wondering what was he thinking? Craziness - as my friend Ellen would say. The Army is really attacking this problem with mandatory training at the unit and individual section levels. I hope they turn the corner soon.

I am going to go run now. I don't really have anymore to say. More tomorrow or from my desk I am sure.

The burn pit is active

We are located right next to the Taji burn pit. Yes, part of the charm that is Taji is an active burn pit that blows the smell and smoke right over where I work. I am sure I will end up getting the "black lung" when it is all said and done but yesterday it stunk so bad I swear I wantedto throw up. One of the new sergeants of a unit just arriving this last week came in my office and said he couldn't believe how bad the smell was and believed the carcinogens will hurt us. All I could do was give him the party line and tell him it is tested every other day. I was told it is tested but truth is I don't know that it is. I can see theWashington Post breaking this story. "DoD places Soldiers at risk by exposing them to daily smoke pit."

Wonder if I will get to meet Solidad O'Brien or Katie Couric or Robin Meade in the interview (smile)

What a horrible story - hit the link below (UNCLASSIFIED)

Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

UNCLASSIFIED

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30678715/

I read in the Stars and Stripes newspaper, someone wrote, "In war you
expect to lose brothers but you don't expect to lose them to siblings."
I couldn't think of a better way to put it. I feel bad for the families
of these victims.

Later,

CHRIS AMAKER
LTC, MS
TIFRC Hospital OIC
CAMP TAJI, IRAQ
NIPR: 834-4184
SIPR: 243-9552
DSN:318

Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

The joys of trail mix - from my desk (UNCLASSIFIED)

Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

UNCLASSIFIED

My Dad sent me a care package full of all kinds of goodies to include
trail mix. I was just sitting in a marathon meeting and was getting a
little hungry and it was nice to have some trail mix...Thanks Dad you
kept my head in the game with your snack. Some people have emailed me
and said I did not sound as happy in my emails. If anyone else has
sensed that all I can say is "I have been here a year!" I will get
happier in like 78 days!! I feel great just ready to come home.

Sad about that Soldier shooting those people at Camp Liberty.

CHRIS AMAKER
LTC, MS
TIFRC Hospital OIC
CAMP TAJI, IRAQ
NIPR: 834-4184
SIPR: 243-9552
DSN:318

Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

Mother's Day statue

Okay so you know they are big into making statues on holidays. This was from Mother's day. Very interesting...I wonder how long it takes to make this stuff?

"4 years and I am out of here."

240 months ago those words came out of my mouth, that is 20 years ago for everyone that counts normally(smile). Today is my 20 years in the US Army anniversary. I have had countless number of people tell me that the 20 years would fly by so quickly. They were right, the time did fly. I can't believe I have been in that long. I remember thinking Lieutenant Colonels knew it all. Turns out we do know it all (smile) or at least think we do. It is a fun ride that I would recommend for just about anyone.

So will I retire and move on to my next job or do I stay in for another few to pin on Colonel? stay tuned...

Tanks and Cigars

More of Taji to love. This is a pic of me at the front of the Tank Graveyard. It is a field with about 300 tanks that are out of commission. Bombed out by the Allies and too old to move, the Iraqi Republican Guard was overmatched from the beginning. Look how the Soldiers have spray painted them with messages to home.

This is Major Holtzclaw one of our new providers . She is a nurse practicioner from Fort Benning and here to finish out with my unit. She is a real spark and we are happy to have her here. She runs one of the most important sections in the hospital and appears to have a handle on it all. She is a Atlanta Hawks fan and since they just beat my Miami Heat this year - she has a strike against her (smile). She was enough of sport to smoke a cigar at the Mudd House though so that makes her better in my eyesight.

1st post from my desk (UNCLASSIFIED)

Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

Great run this morning on the treadmill. It started my day off well.
They have broke ground on the spot for the CT Scanner for my hospital.
We are going to be the sexy option in town when it comes to healthcare.
I also wrote the thank you letter to those kids that sent the cookies
and cards. It was a busy day but every day is a day closer...Hell
Yeah!!!!!!!!!!

CHRIS AMAKER
LTC, MS
TIFRC Hospital OIC
CAMP TAJI, IRAQ
NIPR: 834-4184
SIPR: 243-9552
DSN:318

Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

test

I can now write to my BLOG from my email accounts...No telling what I will write now that I can access it anywhere. LOL

Goodbye Dr.Cole

We said goodbye to CPT (Dr.) Cole today. She has done her 6 months and is headed home to her husband and Ft. Irwin. I am sorry to see her go but I know because she is gone I am not far behind.