Back from the IZ

Just got back in tonite from a quick two day visit to the IZ with my replacement DJ. We should have left Taji early on Monday but someone screwed up on our Aviation Movement Request (AMR) so when we called up and asked what's going on, and they realized that there were two Colonels who were stuck in Taji because of someones mistake we were able to get another lift out of Taji on our CG's birds and headed over to BIAP where there was a crew change. It gave us a chance to grab a nice cold frapuccino from the coffee sh0op, shoot the breeze with the pilots and crew and then head to the IZ where we arrived in the early afternoon. After getting our rooms squared away off we went to Phoenix Base so that DJ could meet the folks who he will be dealing with going forward.

For me it was a bittersweet visit as many of the faces that I knew were no longer there as they had been replaced by the new crew and more importantly they were already home with their families. So yesterday we hit I believe most of the key offices and groups so DJ could get points of contact and associate names with faces which is very important since we are out in the boonies and it's tough to get the folks in the IZ out to Taji to visit and discuss issues. We spent a good hour with the contract folks to go over our Depot Integrator project and the project from hell which is the new generator and fuel tank project for the generator farm. Most of you know about Seinfelds "Soup Nazi" episode, well we have a contractor Nazi who never heard about the customer is always right and instead just shoots us off some of the most bizarre emails I have ever seen in my life, blaming us for all his troubles etc. This guys can't get from A to B and that is why we want to end the contract before he screws up anymore and as my dad would say "he's a worthless as a tit on a boar pig"!!

We got to brief our boss about the project and he was happy with where we are at, although we have to make a few minor tweaks regarding equipment receipt and installation on the plan. At least we got final buy in to the class schedule and facility readiness date. With that DJ now has the road map that he needs to get from here to there during his tenure as PMO.

As you all have read lately the IZ has been getting rocked by rockets and it had been a long time since I had to get into my IBA and seek cover, and we got a chance to do that at various times during our two day visit. Awareness and the seriousness of these attacks and drills was obviously heightened since our MNSTC-I crew lost two officers several weeks ago (one from our Division back home) when the building they were in was hit by a rocket. It's as if they know there is a new crew coming in because the same thing happened last year when our Division Soldiers arrived in the IZ in late April and early May. We were getting hit all the time and it puts a whole new perspective of being stationed in Iraq.

The bus ride back to the temporary hootch before we headed to the helipad was full of 104th Soldiers who were heading to BIAP that night on their way home. The flight home was uneventful and it was nice seeing Baghdad at night and the cooler air felt good. that will more than likely be one of my last helo flights here in Iraq as I am what is called "getting short" and my time to leave here is approaching quickly. When DJ and I got back I told him that we would probably see our folks at the heavy lift pad waiting for their flight to BIAP and sure enough there were a lot of Soldiers either milling around or laying on their rucks playing the waiting game. I got a chance to see Major Young and some of the IASSI folks and we shoot the breeze while they were waiting. We finally said our final "see you laters" and headed back to our hootchs, since their flight was pushed out a few more hours.

Our left seat right seat is now reversed as DJ is now leading the meetings and making the decisions and I am advising and answering questions if he has any. Prior to the IZ visit we were burning some serious midnight oil and I reminded him that the sooner he found his battle rhythm the sooner things would see more natural and that the 0745-2400 hrs stuff will end up kicking his ass as this job is like a marathon with one step at a time and the need to pace oneself is key if you want to survive, stay fresh and get results. Two more buildings the Radiator Repair Facility on the North Depot and the Component Cleaning and Prime paint facility were signed over by us from the Corps of Engineers.

That's about it for now.