In Iraq Waiting for Transportation

I am now here at BIAP, and am amazed that here at BIAP they finally started investing in setting up a decent air and helo terminal. Before it was just 3-4 tents where operations and waiting areas were and now they have a couple of new buildings which are high speed, with ample waiting area room and accessible LNO and flight counters so those of us who are travelling can get the info we need in a quick manner. To top that off they actually have a MWR (Morale Welfare and Recreation) sponsored internet cafe which is where I am at while I wait for the last leg of my return flight up north. At least now some of us can check up on our emails or update our blogs instead of sitting in the shade on a picnic table with our fingers stuck up our fourth point of contact waiting for our flights showtime.

It is hard to fathom that less than 48 hours ago I was sitting the Frankfurt airport eating my a nice schnitzel sandwich washing it down with a nice Hefeweizen on tap and then 5 hours later I was in Kuwait and after an hours drive at the Air Base in Ali As Saleem, where with the cold and wind felt much colder than Garmisch. I had forgotten after all these years how cold it really is out in the middle of the desert where the wind pierces through most jackets or fleece. All night long in the sleep tent you could hear the tents outer panels flapping with the winds. As I sat earlier today at the air terminal in Kuwait you could see in the eyes of some of the Soldiers that coming back from their R&R was hard on them. I got a chance to speak with a couple of Soldiers and they said that it was hard for them to leave home again especially with young kids. I now understand why when we return from R&R there is a Chaplains briefing since for some coming back to Iraq or Afghanistan is not pleasant nor something they can digest easily.

I was glad that we linked up in Europe, as I had told Carmen from when I got mobilization orders that I had no intentions of coming back home until my mob was over with. I did not want to sleep in my own bed or get used to all the comforts of home, to then have to leave and go back to what we currently have. At Fort Riley the family came out to spend the four day pass with me and the same here in Europe. I do have to admit it was nice not having to use flip flops to take a shower, that there was always hot water, that toilets only needed to be flushed once and you could throw the toilet paper in the toilet instead of the waste basket. That there were at least 5-7 channels in English to watch on the TV. That there was always wine or beer in the fridge when you opened it up. That the bed was actually larger than the dorm size twin we sleep on over here, and the best part was when I rolled over Carmen was actually in the same bed and it wasn't a dream! Ascension got to give me the standard rendition of the good night kiss 3-4 times in a row before as usual I told her to go to her hotel room and leave me alone. I can also confirm that Javi is officially related to me based on the similarities of some of the pranks and antics he was doing during the trip, I somehow remember doing some of the same things. Plus it gave us a chance for the four of us to be together for a fair amount of time, back home the only time we are together is on the weekends that Ascension comes home from College and I hopefully don't have Reserves that weekend.

I did not think about work at all while I was out and except for the one doc that I had asked the folks at the Depot to send me for final review while I was on R&R, the was the furthest thing from my mind. That being said I am looking forward to going back to the Depot and finish up what we are working on. The Depot Integrator Contract was finally awarded on 25 December and I know that the folks back at the Depot already had their first face to face meeting last week. The AMC Commanding General was there last week also and it gave Major Young the Deputy a chance to do the honors and give him and his entourage the tour of the Depot so that he could see for himself all that has been worked on since his last visit in August. I am curious to see if the last 4 buildings or sites have started construction, what the status of the equipment installation is for the first three buildings, etc. Now that the Depot Integrator is beginning to mobilize things will be very busy at the Depot and the sooner they can begin to train the Jundi in the Depot related skills and purchase and install the equipment then the sooner the Iraqi's can begin to conduct initial depot related repairs. I still do not know will be replacing our group later this year when our tour is up here in Iraq. I obviously want to know so that I can get in touch with that Colonel to let him/her know what's going on and provide them with the info they need to read up on so that our transition can be smooth one. From the discussions that I have had with my boss we expect the transition to last about 30 days due to the complexity of the project. Most transitions here take 10-14 days in a sort of left seat right seat format. They arrive watch and shadow you, you explain then you let them start to do the work and assist them, answer questions and then one morning you wake up and run like hell to that chopper that is taking you to BIAP and don't look back!

They say the Army is a small world and indeed it is, while I was in Frankfurt when I finally got to the departure gate I heard someone saying "TS over here". It was COL E who is the Red River Army Depot Commander and who has been over to Iraq twice working with our crew regarding the Depot and AMC's support of the depot. We got a chance to talk about Christmas, our vacations and then some shop. When it come time to board the aircraft Doug is sitting in the same row and I was. Then at Kuwait I ran into the Senior Lawyer for MNSTC-I who was heading home on his R&R and got some updates on a couple of our projects from the legal standpoint. Based on these discussions as usual it looks like some things keep moving to the right on the timeline.

Well that is all for now my next blog will be from the friendly confines of Wrigley Field ooops I mean my hootch.

The Colonel