Center Of The Earth

One of the boys favorite Backyardigan's shows is about the group going to the center of the earth to retrieve a lost penny. So the boys will re-create going to the center of the earth as often as they can. This picture shows how many cars they think it takes to dig through our potted plant to get to the center of the earth :-)

And It's Only June

126.9 degrees...in the shade...'nuff said.

Yum Yums

If anyone can get me a couple of bowls of instant Pho, please hook a brotha up (I'll take a hot pot if you got one to spare, too). I'm getting tired of the same DFAC vittles they're feeding us. Don't get me wrong...the DFAC feeds us well and plentiful, but its the same thing every week. I'm getting tired of the rubbery crab legs and steak on surf n turf Sunday. Tired of the collards and fried chicken on soul food Wednesday. Tired of the many days of chinese beef and soggy veggies. Tired of the mini pizzas and sandwich bar every day for lunch (especially since I don't eat the bread they bring in for us...straight off the shelves of Kroger's I would say). And if you're one of the few other readers with a soldier here, hook him/her up with some good snacks (don't forget candy so they can hand it out to the kids here...um, no chocolate...doesn't fare well in 120 degree heat). All the DFAC has here for snacks are honey buns, cake muffins, beef jerky and pop tarts (there are a few other options, but they're all straight sugar). Don't get me started on the drink options.

Quite frankly, I look forward to the lunches out at the local Sheik's house...they always have interesting dishes such as lamb or beef kabobs, baked chicken, homemade bread, dolma (if you like Greek, you've had dolma) and lots of rice (perfect for this Chinaman).

Riding Around In Southern Baghdad Province

Wonder what it's like driving around Iraq? This will give you a sense.


This pic is interesting as you can see the man standing on the right. That's an Iraqi Army checkpoint right off the road. I feel for these men b/c they have to sit out in the heat all day. But then again, when you're born and raised in a place whose heat rivals Hades, you're used to it.




These three pics I took while outside the wire yesterday while there was a huge duststorm. Duststorm is misleading...apparently, when it gets hot enough, the fine sand gets heated up enough that it drifts upwards into the atmosphere. Eventually, it cools enough up there that it drops back down and voila, instant sandstorm. Makes it difficult to see any distance.


This pic was taken as we were driving into Baghdad. Note the amount of traffic on the left. That was traffic on its way out of Baghdad around 1400 (guess it was end of the work day). We ended up coming back through that traffic, and it was seriously like driving the beltway in DC...everyone driving 70mph, and not wanting to get the heck out of your way (when we travel, everyone moves out of the way to let us pass). Some people are so impatient if you're in front of them, they jump the median and take the other side of the road to pass you. There really are no rules here it seems.

You'll see that the typical roads we travel on are backroads that are either dirt, gravel, or broken up pavement. Most paved roads are major arteries and/or the local Sheik knew someone high up to get his road paved. The dirt roads are the worst. If you've ever driven on a dirt road, you know that you kick up all kinds of dust behind you. Well, that dust circulates back, up, and forward, which is why you get dust in your car if you have the back windows open. Same here. Except we don't open the windows, and there are all kinds of unsealed crevices on a humvee for the sand to circulate into the cab. It's almost choking. I usually have to put my hands over my mouth to be able to breathe because it feels like, well, like you're taking a big breath of fine dirt.

Guess What This Is

Can anyone identify which major corporation owns this plant on the south side of Baghdad?

Goes to show that even big companies were here at one time and just simply need to come back so we can leave.

Welcome Guest

This young man is 2LT M. He's assigned to a company attached to our battalion. He's also an artilleryman, so he has a dirth of duties assigned to him. I found out from him that his mother stumbled across this blog, and wanted to say hi. Thanks for reading, Mrs. Mother of 2LT M. We always have a good time when 2LT M. comes into our office and I felt it appropriate to put his picture up here. He's a great guy and I enjoy working with him. He's doing well, Mrs. Mother of 2LT M.



2LT M. and CPT H. "working" together.

Pics and a Change

Well, I decided to change the nom de pleur of some of these guys here. WO1 Chicken, the one that works at Perdue, is not going to be known as Chief A. "A" is the first letter to his last name, and I felt Chicken just seemed too stupid a name for him. So, henceforth, I will refer to him as Chief A. MAN LAW!

CPT Redneck, who is a redneck only in the sense that he's got light colored skin and burns after 10 minutes in the sun will now be CPT H. Redneck just has a negative connotation. So, henceforth, I will refer to him as CPT H. MAN LAW!

WO1 Muy Thai will be Chief W. This guy is the nicest guy we have here, and a crappy nickname like that just doesn't do him justice. So, henceforth, I will refer to him as Chief W. MAN LAW!

Aw Hell, everyone's name is going to change. Nicknames are just too hard to keep clear. I'll start calling everyone by their rank and an initial. That should be sufficient. I'll just block out their names on their nametapes when I post their pic.

I got a package from Abbie today with her old Canon camera (its got some problem that causes it to click when the lens opens) and she bought another for her use. So I now can take pictures. I haven't really used my video camera, but when I do, I'll post some short videos. In the meantime, enjoy these pictures.





This is our P90X plyometrics day. CPT H and XO weren't there because of work, but me, Chief A and John Malkovich were working hard. We commandeered this empty tent for our workouts and the days we do Yoga, Kempo, and Plyometrics, we use the tent. We're seriously thinking about telling the Mayor's Cell that we need a new building built just for P90X and maybe opening it up to everyone else. We even have the new Engineer Major, who I'll call MAJ A, joining us.



This is a view of the French Quarter from Chinatown. This row of CHU's belongs to the staff officers and senior staff NCO's. At night, its a foreboding site because there are no lights in our little area. One of the captains said it looked like the French Quarter in New Orleans, and hence, a name it was given. Chinatown came soon thereafter with the Chinese jokes. Note all the wires hanging off the one CHU. That's our Internet lines. It really is shanty looking.



These are opposite side images of my CHU. Luckily, I have my own CHU. I'm about to get a hammer and tear apart the spare bed and put up a table instead. It takes up a lot of room.


This is the front door to my home...my CHU...COP Meade's Chinatown! Someone send me a chinese menu. Better yet, someone send me some Pho in a bowl or some Ramen.


The Iraqi children here crowd around when we come by, waiting for candy or to take our pens or whatever they can grab. They especially love it when the camera comes out.


This is the typical Iraqi home in our OE. Very poor.


CPT H. and Chief W. This is actually a picture from NTC, but its the only one I could get with them in it that you could see their faces.


Chief A. He's a good friend and I think very highly of this guy.


This is the Starbucks I mentioned in my first post about Camp Buehring. I just thought it was funny to have such a fortified Starbucks that I had to post this.