After a week at JBB, we were planning to travel by helicopter up to COB Speicher, but we ended up doing a ground move.
There were five of us going, and we loaded into two armored Ford Excursions. The lead and follow vehicles were Armored Toyota Land Cruisers. Each of the Excursions had a driver and team leader who was also a medic.
We convoyed up the road to Speicher at a pretty good pace. The Iraqi civilians pull over when a convoy is coming through. If things up ahead were moving too slow, we drove on the other side of a divided highway, into oncoming traffic which was all pulled over. We did this because these convoys do not stop.
It was a pretty exciting ride, and we got to see a little of the country side. Of course it was desert for the most part, but there is still a good amount of agriculture. This shouldn’t have been surprising to me (but it was), because we were in the Fertile Crescent, and pretty close to the Tigris River.
Speicher is a larger base than Balad, so things are spread out a little more. It is also pretty much in the middle of nowhere, so they don’t get the attacks they used to get at JBB. Everything at Speicher was relatively quiet. After about four days there we were supposed to go back to Balad by helicopter. However, a dust storm kicked up and nothing was flying. The next day we were going to try to get out by fixed wing, but the dust storm continued and nobody got out that night either. We ended up going back to Balad by convoy again the next day.
The dust storm was not a really bad one, but it was still pretty nasty. You can actually taste the clay in the air, and you end up with a nose full of dirt. You really end up with pretty much everything full of dirt. Everything there essentially has a layer of dirt on it.
The temperature there never got much above 120, but I don’t think it got any cooler than 90 or so. There is no need to turn on the hot water in the bathroom, because the only water that is cool (relatively speaking) is the water that is in the pipes within the air conditioned building. You turn on the cold faucet and get tepid water for a few seconds before it heats up again.
It WAS a dry heat, and would have been miserable if it was humid. It was hot like the inside of an oven, and when the wind blew it was like the inside of a convection oven.
I was warned not to use one of the Port-O-Lets during the afternoon. It just gets too hot and smelly in them. Also in the event that one would use them during the heat of the day, they definitely run the risk of backsplash with near scalding water (and whatever else is in there). The thought of having blue-green welts on my ass from the splash, just did not appeal to me.
We stayed in Containerized Housing Units (CHUs – pronounce choose), which are mostly remodeled shipping containers. We stayed two to a room and each room had it’s own bath. These are known as Wet CHUs. If you come here for a lengthier visit, you may get a single Wet CHU.
The Army gave us safety goggles (sunglasses) before we left. Since I wear glasses anyway I needed to get prescription inserts. They gave me an eye exam and my distance vision had not changed. However, old age is apparently catching up to me, so they prescribed bi-focals. Not being used to wearing bi-focals, when I did put them on I ended up staggering around like I had too much to drink. Which I didn’t, because there is no alcohol allowed there. That means that I spent two weeks without beer (just in case you're counting).
We came back via a military flight into Kuwait, and then flew on to Frankfurt commercial.
All in all, it was not a bad experience, and I would definitely consider doing a tour over there if the job and the situation were right. Now that they are talking about pulling all the troops out, most of the projects were worked on will probably never even come to fruition.
3 comments:
T.
Good post.
I can't even imagine 120 degrees, let alone 120 degrees and no beer!!!
I think I now have an insight into suicide bombers. The solution to terrorism is beer and lots of it.
If these wingnuts could kick back in an air conditioned bar from time to time and hoist a few ice cold brewskis, they would not be inclined to blow themselves up.
My theory may fly in the face of anecdotal evidence gathered in Ireland during the hay-day of the Irish Republican Army.
Maybe the key is moderation. Not enough beer, bad. Too much beer, bad. But, with just the right amount of beer we will achieve nirvana.
Bill
Bill's beer theory is a good one!
My Brother in Law is over in Bagdad for 6 months - the last couple of weeks selling tanks to the Iraqis - we give them aid, they pay 5 million for a tank - go figure!
Tony,
In response to your email query:
I did not peruse the commie's website. I have read some of the works of Mr. Marx and Mr. Engles and these CPUSA clowns haven't had an original idea since those two turds went off to meet their maker. (And, given the considerable amount of hate and discontent that was stirred up by their collective works, I'd like to think that that was not a pleasant meeting.)
Expensive??? Do you mean to tell me that joining the CPUSA is not free?!?!?!?!?!???? WTF??? How dare they charge a fee whilst expecting everyone else to offer their services gratis??? Seems downright "capitalist" for them to charge a fee. Health care should be free. Gasoline should be free. Housing and food should be free. But you have to pay good cash money to join the Communist Party of the US of A. Unlike those commie turds, I like to apply logic when I can. Which is a big part of the reason I don't have much use for commie turds or anything they may have to say on their web site.
That's all I have to say about that.
Bill
(a.k.a. W.)
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