10 Months in the Zone!
Tomorrow represents the end of the 10th month of my deployment in the combat zone. And the beginning of the 11th month. I officially got to Kuwait on the morning of August 23rd, 2006. It was really, really hot. In fact, heres what I wrote the day after arriving:
The last 24 hours have been the longest I can remember since basic
training. It began late Monday night when we were rounded up and bussed to a gym on Fort Hood and went through the final stages of paper work and inprocessing before we got on the plane. This was also the last chance that family members and friends had to see their soldiers off. It was pretty emotional and I was feeling for them and for myself as well. Just before midnight we got back on the bus and headed to the airfield where the huge plane was waiting. There the USO was there and gave us nice care packages and we hung out until it was time to load. A short time later we got on the plane and took off. We stopped off in Maine first, where we were greeted by USO volunteers and veterans from WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. It was nice to know that they supported us...if not the war. Back on the plane and off to Germany, we we changed planes and headed to our current location somewhere in the middle east. (can you guess where?...) I will be here for a for a week or more and then head to Iraq. Damn it is hot. I don't think anyone can fully appreciate how hot....and its not humid but it doesn't matter. Haha. Sand is everywhere. I am tired and worn out but my spirits are high. Its weird to think that 24 hours ago I was in Texas...and now....not. Haha. I will keep you all posted. (original post date August 23, 2007)
Kuwait is an interesting place. More desert then anything else. And hotter then it should ever be anywhere. Today it was 110 degrees. But in late August, this was the headline of my blog one day: "133 Degrees". I then penned this entry:
You know why there will never be peace in the middle east?...cause its too @@@@ing Hot! Thats right its was 133 degrees some time today. At night I use a blanket because it gets down to 100. Ha Ha. Its like in February and March in NY when we wake up to that first 50 degree weather and people want to start wearing shorts after a long winter. Crazy. Yep. I have never seen heat like this before. Oh its a dry heat too. The wind blows the heat and sand around and it get everywhere. Mostly in your mouth and nose. Next time you go out for a slice of pizza after drinking ask the guy if you can put your own slice in the oven. When he gives you the slice, stick it in along with your head. Keep it there for about 5 minutes. THATS HOW @@@@ING HOT IT IS!!!..Sorry Sherry. The heat is getting to me. We are not doing much except laying around and some classes now and then. There is a couple of big tents that have lots of movies, internet, books, and other stuff to do. There is a theater where they show lots of good movies. Mostly we go there to cool off. Happy Birthday to Christa! I hope her surprise party was wild and crazy. I know she and my peeps drank a little bit of wine. The only thing we have here is "Near Beer". Thats the non-alcohol stuff. I was hoping they would come up with the NA version of Grey Goose. But I doubt it. Well this week should be exciting. I understand that there is a big ass sandstorm heading our way! Yep. Sand and 80 miles an hour winds. These things are nasty and can last up to 5 days. We have to get plastic bags and seal up all our shit. Oh and we have to go out to the px and get our goat milk and eggs in case we get stranded. There will most likely be a mad rush for those things once the weather channel issues the storm warning....lol. Woo Hoo...maybe we will get a sand day...no school! At any rate, I guess things are going ok. Everyday I spend here is one more day I can cross off the calendar." (original post date August 27, 2007)
Iraq, I have to say, has been much better. There is a least a little vegetation and trees here. Kuwait?...just a lot of effin sand. In late July, I will make a return trip there on my way home. Somehow, I won't mind the return trip much. I'll be going home. At any rate, I am happy the time is going by fast. 10 months down...two to go!
The last 24 hours have been the longest I can remember since basic
training. It began late Monday night when we were rounded up and bussed to a gym on Fort Hood and went through the final stages of paper work and inprocessing before we got on the plane. This was also the last chance that family members and friends had to see their soldiers off. It was pretty emotional and I was feeling for them and for myself as well. Just before midnight we got back on the bus and headed to the airfield where the huge plane was waiting. There the USO was there and gave us nice care packages and we hung out until it was time to load. A short time later we got on the plane and took off. We stopped off in Maine first, where we were greeted by USO volunteers and veterans from WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. It was nice to know that they supported us...if not the war. Back on the plane and off to Germany, we we changed planes and headed to our current location somewhere in the middle east. (can you guess where?...) I will be here for a for a week or more and then head to Iraq. Damn it is hot. I don't think anyone can fully appreciate how hot....and its not humid but it doesn't matter. Haha. Sand is everywhere. I am tired and worn out but my spirits are high. Its weird to think that 24 hours ago I was in Texas...and now....not. Haha. I will keep you all posted. (original post date August 23, 2007)
Kuwait is an interesting place. More desert then anything else. And hotter then it should ever be anywhere. Today it was 110 degrees. But in late August, this was the headline of my blog one day: "133 Degrees". I then penned this entry:
You know why there will never be peace in the middle east?...cause its too @@@@ing Hot! Thats right its was 133 degrees some time today. At night I use a blanket because it gets down to 100. Ha Ha. Its like in February and March in NY when we wake up to that first 50 degree weather and people want to start wearing shorts after a long winter. Crazy. Yep. I have never seen heat like this before. Oh its a dry heat too. The wind blows the heat and sand around and it get everywhere. Mostly in your mouth and nose. Next time you go out for a slice of pizza after drinking ask the guy if you can put your own slice in the oven. When he gives you the slice, stick it in along with your head. Keep it there for about 5 minutes. THATS HOW @@@@ING HOT IT IS!!!..Sorry Sherry. The heat is getting to me. We are not doing much except laying around and some classes now and then. There is a couple of big tents that have lots of movies, internet, books, and other stuff to do. There is a theater where they show lots of good movies. Mostly we go there to cool off. Happy Birthday to Christa! I hope her surprise party was wild and crazy. I know she and my peeps drank a little bit of wine. The only thing we have here is "Near Beer". Thats the non-alcohol stuff. I was hoping they would come up with the NA version of Grey Goose. But I doubt it. Well this week should be exciting. I understand that there is a big ass sandstorm heading our way! Yep. Sand and 80 miles an hour winds. These things are nasty and can last up to 5 days. We have to get plastic bags and seal up all our shit. Oh and we have to go out to the px and get our goat milk and eggs in case we get stranded. There will most likely be a mad rush for those things once the weather channel issues the storm warning....lol. Woo Hoo...maybe we will get a sand day...no school! At any rate, I guess things are going ok. Everyday I spend here is one more day I can cross off the calendar." (original post date August 27, 2007)
Iraq, I have to say, has been much better. There is a least a little vegetation and trees here. Kuwait?...just a lot of effin sand. In late July, I will make a return trip there on my way home. Somehow, I won't mind the return trip much. I'll be going home. At any rate, I am happy the time is going by fast. 10 months down...two to go!
posted by An Army of One at May 22, 2007
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