Boots On Ground, Baby!!!

So, there we are sitting in the plane awaiting departure, when we were told that there is a delay in departure due to some weight issues. Oh, OK. No worries. I guess it wasn't too big an issue since the Space A people are still on board...we'll get to that later...

Rota, Spain was a great layover. My very good friend, Rachael, from a previous mobilization met me at the terminal and we sat down for a cup of coffee to catch up. I'm lucky. I've got great friends who are willing to go out of their way to see me just for a little while. It means the world to me!

Everything else about the trip was uneventful...until...we got to Bahrain...like I said we'd get back to the weight issue. We got stuck in Bahrain because of some yucky stuff going on downrange and the terminal management agreed to offload out baggage so we could get some stuff out like a change of clothes and toiletries. Out come the baggage containers and the workers pulled the bags off an laid them neatly on the deck. I wandered from one pile to another and nothing. No bs with Pacheco on it and no guitar case. Hmm, perhaps they forgot to offload a container...NOPE! After some deep digging we come to find out that someone at the AMC terminal at Norfolk Naval Station decided that they would solve the weight issue by simply removing baggage. Oh, it doesn't matter whose baggage it is, right? Don't worry about the fact that you could have left Space Available baggage or even the passengers themselves behind. SPACE AVAILABLE!!! If there's no SPACE AVAILABLE, they don't go!

Two straight days traveling and I'm left to marinade. Well, not quite. After practically a while day trying to coordinate lodging, we were bused over to The Westin. This airline did an outstanding job of takin care of us. Rooms and meals were taken care of...and they were some nice rooms...And we ate some great meals! So, everything almost balanced out. I was just wishing I had my guitar with me to unwind.

After this detour we made it to Djibouti without incident. I took my first ride on a C-17, which is a big Air Force transport plane. Lots of seats, lots of floor space. Once we were airborne and at cruising altitude people zonked out. I put on my sweater and my headphones, threw my travel pillow behind my head, and plopped down on the metal deck to get some sleep. I actually went into a pretty deep sleep because I was awoken to take my seat for turbulence and forgot where I was!

So, now I'm in Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti. The sun is STRONG! Definitely sucking down lots of water. The food is OK. It going to be a bit of a challenge eating healthy and lean

in order to maximize my dechunkification. Not to mention I've got some sort of stomach bug...I eat and two hours later it's already on its way out the back end. Not fun! 

I'm living in a temporary CLU (Containerized Living Unit) with one of my buddies from Out stay at Ft Jackson. It's not bad. The area where all the CLUs are is known as CLUville. Some, like mine are single stacks. Others are triple stacked. Pretty interesting setup. Well, the AC works...everything after that is gravy! 

Well, I hope no one gives me grief for showing up to my first day of work tomorrow in civvies. Fingers crossed for a solid first week.

New Experiences!

So, we are done with our training at Fort Jackson. Holy Smokes! I gotta tell ya, I've always respected my brothers and sisters in green but after a two-week rate of what they go through, I gotta give y'all props! What you go through, the stresses that you experience on your deployments, and the dangers that you face are incredible! Folks, Soldiers are a special breed. I love you guys!!

The training they gave us on weapons was top-notch! Let's just say the drill sergeants helped me get from decent to expert on pistol and I came only a couple of points short of expert on rifle. We did a lot of shooting in preparation for our qualification so by the time the day came it was just a matter of getting on the line and remembering what they taught us.

Let me tell ya, lugging around all that gear was NOT fun. Those tactical vests are pretty damned heavy and there were days we wore the all day...well , I did anyway. They were a pain to take off and put back on so you had to decide whether you wanted to deal with that or with the weight. We learned to deal with it and not complain. After all, it could be gear that saves our lives.

MREs. What can be said about them...they're actually not bad. The Southwest Chicken was my favorite.

Anybody ever been in a vehicle roll-over? We went through a roll-over simulator that was kind of like the dunk tank for you aviators out there. It rolls you over somewhat gently. It let me tell ya, it is a very disorienting experience. Finding the door latches was challenging because we were upside down...and the drill sergeants kelp yelling at us, "Get...Out...Of My...Vehicle!" and "Where Is Your Boom Stick!" Yes, we had to remember to get our weapons out of the vehicle...gotta set security!! It was a really fun evolution, though. Trying to get out of the back seat of that Humvee when it was upside down was comical. From trying to contort myself so I can get upright to sticking the entire lower half of my body in the front seat, we were laughing hard in that thing! Here's the team I "rolled" with.

The guys in my barracks were all pretty cool. Lots of teamwork going on there. We all did our part to watch each other's weapons and help each other get gear strapped on. I'm gonna miss those guys going to Afghanistan. I hope they come home safe.

There were some wonderful folks that came out the Sunday before we left to give us a great send-off. Since 2006 this group of volunteers go out of their way to make sure that we know that we will be missed when we go downrange. There was a Cub Scout pack that made para hoed bracelets for us. One lady brought loads of Mary Kay sunscreen and lip balm. We each received a Dang-It doll. What's a Dang-It doll?

When you want to kick the desk

or throw the phone and shout,
Here’s a little dammit doll

you cannot do without,
Just grasp it firmly by the legs

and find a place to slam it,
And as you whack it’s stuffing out

yell, "Dang-It, Dang-It, Dang-It!!"

Well, all that training is past and opening. The real journey is starting today. Gonna be a tiring plane ride but once we're done with that I can get started with what I'm being sent out there to do.

Navy to Army Lickity-Split!

Six days in Norfolk was six days too many! The only saving grace was being able to reconnect with one of my old Shipmates. You know who your true friends are when you can go twelve years without seeing them and pick up the conversation as if you saw each other just yesterday. I could definitely have done without the cold, though!! I've been spoiled living in the wonderful warmth of Phoenix, AZ. I miss my home. Mainly, I miss my wife and son.

So, yes. Norfolk was quick. They stuck me with a couple more vaccinations and loaded me down with a HUGE bag of gear. More than I was issued when I went to GTMO. I felt pretty good helping out the Sailors who were experiencing all this for the first time. We've got a Petty Officer from Phoenix who had a million and one questions and I really enjoyed helping him out with advice on what to bring, what to leave, etc.

The bus ride from Norfolk to Ft Jackson was a nice long one. Good thing I didn't get a wink of sleep the night before so I could zonk out during the trip. We're over in some remote corner of the base where no one really bothers us so it's interesting. Kinda weird for a city boy to be out in the middle of nowhere like this. Living conditions? Well, it's clean. Spartan is the best way I can describe it. They we're in open barracks. Thankfully, they spread us out enough where we were all able to take bottom racks. All the guys are really upbeat and, thankfully, they seem to be tolerating my joking and humor. After the long days we've had here so far, we NEED to laugh.

Battle Rattle. That's what the Drill Sergeants...yes, I said Drill Sergeants...call our full battle dress. I was told by multiple sources that I look like a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle when I'm fully dressed out. Stuff's heavy, but it saves lives so I'm willing to deal with it. I must say, with each day that goes by here, I gain more and more appreciation and respect for my infantry brothers in the Army and Marine Corps who have to carry all this stuff around all day, day in and day out.

It's certainly a different world while I'm down here. Great training and fun to be learning new things...I pray I never have to use it but if I do, I'm glad they're exposing me to it.  With every day that passes I get closer and closer to making it to Djibouti. I'm looking forward to putting training behind me and getting on with my mission.

My arms and hands are kinda sore from holding our rifles all day and my body is sore from wearing the battle rattle. More of the same tomorrow. Yippee!!! Time for some Aleve, a shower, and some rack time.

Good night.