The Ditches and the Mud

When I think of Minnesota and of the many lakes it has, I am amazed at what rain can do to this area of the world. COB Basra is a network of ditches which throughout the summer months were dry as could be. Ever since the rain came, the ditches are a cesspool of bad smelling water and God knows what. I’m thinking about my ECO job when I had to inspect the ditch.

With the rain came a couple stories. I don’t have firsthand experience seeing these events but I thought they were too good to pass up:

Soldiers will sometimes do the most interesting things to keep themselves entertained. Case in point, Specialist Shane Gunlock was challenged by another Soldier on Christmas day to jump across one of the ditches. This particular ditch was approximately 2 feet deep and 5-6 feet wide. Specialist Gunlock had to take a running start but he made it across. Now you would think if you were lucky enough to make it the first time, why try again? Not the case with Gunlock, he went for the jump again and hit the edge of the ditch. The ground wasn’t solid and he slipped into the nasty water. Nice Christmas present!

Our platoon leaders witnessed an Iraqi guy squatting down by the water, cupping his hand and drinking the water from the ditch. Now for the best part….another Iraqi guy was just down from him bathing with bottled water. Go figure!

With the rain also comes the mud. Our command was extremely diligent about bringing in gravel before the rain came, but there are still spots where the mud is easily accessible. My roommate got back from an errand and her running shoes were totally covered in mud. I just had to laugh especially since it happened to me about a week prior. I decided to cut though an area I usually don’t walk in at night, it was poorly lit and my boot sunk right into the mud almost to my ankle. Nice.

For me, the worse part of the rain is the mud in the showers. Most of the females wear their flip flops to the shower trailer and wear the same shoes in the shower so all that mud gets deposited inside the shower. It wouldn’t be so bad if they’d rinse the shower when they were done but it’s not uncommon to see muddy shower stalls. This goes along with the hair they don’t clean out of the drain or around the sinks or the used paper towels they leave on the counter. I can’t wait to get back to my own bathroom! Just to shower with as much hot water as I want and no flip flops will be a treat!


One of the many ditches!



My Roommate's shoes!


My Roommate!

Santa Visits Basra, Iraq!

Christmas in Iraq…as one friend emailed me; I will probably never be closer to the birth place of Christ. It’s interesting to reflect on that aspect, however, I hope this is the last time I ever spend any time in Iraq. I guess, only time will tell.

I have been looking forward to this holiday since Thanksgiving made November fly by. Unfortunately, this has not been the case this week. Time came to a screeching halt and I felt like I might as well be watching paint dry. As everyone was preparing for the big snowstorm at home, we were enjoying 60+ degree weather. There are some good things about Iraq. Only a few.

I figured the busier I made myself the easier it would be to not miss my family and friends at home. So with that, I decided to host a Christmas party with the help of Sergeant Groeneweg and Santa. After going to Christmas service in our new Chapel, I got busy preparing for the party. Thanks to family and friends, I had enough cookies to feed an Army – literally! Lots of great cookie choices and the most symbolic were the Red Bull cookies made by our friend, Scott.

We held our Christmas Friday at 5 and my roommate even made an appearance. She wore the princess crown, well! One of our Chaplains, who regularly attends, commented that this was his last Friday at 5 since he is leaving on ADVON; lucky guy to be leaving this place so early.

The Christmas party kicked off at 7pm and between socializing, a visit from Santa, Karaoke Christmas songs and National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, the night flew by and ended with me falling asleep during the movie. I know, for those of you that have socialized with me in my home, you find this hard to believe! But, I have to plead my case; I was visiting with our night crew the previous evening and was running on only 4 hours of sleep.

One of the typically questions asked of each other is; “Is this your first Christmas away from home?” For some Soldiers, they have spent quite a few Christmases away from home. For me the answer is; yes. Even though I was glad I had my military family to celebrate this holiday, I longingly wished I was at home with my family.

Merry Christmas to my family and friends back home! Soon, very soon, I’ll be seeing you in 2010!



Chaplain Lotzer at the new Red Bull Chapel!


The 34th ID Band


Chaplains Lotzer, Bheling and Rittmaster and SGT G!


Inside the new chapel


The Christmas tree that Hubby and Lyndsey sent to me!


Our office Christmas tree with our stockings!



Christmas Friday at 5!


Roomie, Chaplain Lotzer and Sergeant First Class Jacobs


Desserts


More Desserts!


Red Bull Cookies


Chaplain Lotzer and Sergeant Thorson


Roomie, Santa, the elf (Staff Sergeant Cornwell) and I!



Captain Markgraf!


Major Riha!


Lieutenant Oman!



Chief Jensen!


Staff Sergeant Wilder and Santa!


My Christmas socks!



BC and I singing Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer!



Lieutenant Dietrich and I


BC and Lieutenant Colonel Kintop

Serving Our Troops

Where does one go for a great steak dinner? Basra, Iraq, of course! Or at least last night! Serving Our Troops hit the COB and with them they brought St Paul Business owners, GB Leighton and over 4000 steaks to serve the Minnesota Soldiers and other service members stationed here.

Not only were they serving us here in Iraq but they had the same meal in St Paul for all the families of deployed Soldiers and at Camp Buehring, Kuwait where more Minnesota Soldiers are stationed. What a treat for us! They even grilled them to perfection, not like the steaks the DFAC normally serves; very well done!

I met GB Leighton in person and he obliged my request of an autograph not only for me but my good friend and neighbor, Carla. Carlie: I’m looking forward to us going and seeing him when I get back!

Inside the DFAC, the public affairs office had a live video feed of the event going on back in St Paul with all of the families. I was even able to see my family over the video. Brian, Lyndsey, Dad and Mary Lou attended the event and just as I knew they would, had a really good time.

This past week was a flurry of packing activity. All that “stuff” I received back at Fort Lewis, which has claimed space under my bed, was repacked, inventoried and placed in the CONEX for the slow boat going home. It’s surreal to think we will be leaving here in a few short weeks. At times it seems like we have been here FOREVER and other times not that long. It really depends on the day or week which perception is the reality. Packing up has really been the highlight and lifted my spirits.

Something else that really lifted my spirits this week was decorating the office. When we decorate at home, there has always been quite a bit a discussion surrounding the Christmas tree. Brian and Lyndsey like the trees which are so full you can hardly hang the ornaments and I like the Charlie Brown trees. That way, you can see all the ornaments. Once we get the tree in position, Brian kicks back with a coffee and Baileys while Lyndsey and I decorate the tree. On our tree, we have very few matching ornaments as I like individual ornaments. I quiz Lyndsey on who gave us what ornaments and the stories about them if there is one.

One of our favorite ornaments is of a clown, playing a violin, who is only about an inch tall. Ever since Lyndsey was little, we take turns hiding the clown and then trying to find him. One year I almost lost him since we were taking down the decorations and the tree got tossed outside. Luckily, he wasn’t lost and saved before the tree was taken away!

Well, our tree in Iraq is about 2 ½ feet tall and as fake as they get but we had some handmade ornaments and even an angel for the top. Mom sent me a beautiful stocking and mittens…not sure what I’m going to use the mittens for here in Iraq but they sure are nice. We hung our stockings by our tree and have Christmas lights hanging around the room.

What a great week in Basra, Iraq!



St Paul business owners cooking our steaks to perfection!




In this picture I look like a giant! My roommate (2nd from the left) is the same height as me. I think she was squatting down in the picture.


Me and GB Leighton!


The stocking and mittens that Mom sent me.

Another Run

Most of my family knows this but I've thrown in the towel on running. I'm absolutely tired of running and I figure I can finish running my 1000 miles on the next deployment...did I write that...

Anyways, I did do this 5k fun run with my running partner, Coach. He claims he beat me by a second but what he didn't realize is I let him!

My time: 23:45
Coach's time: 23:44

Funny, since I haven't been running as much, I dropped over 15 seconds off. Go figure.




Chief Jensen and I




With my running partner, Coach!


I loved this picture of Chaplain Rittmaster. Now I have to figure out how to get rid of the antenna on his head. It reminds me of a wedding picture where the cross is coming out of Bri's head.


Chaplain Rittmaster and Sergeant G


My roommate winning 3rd place!



Sergeant Anna Gillen from our company coming in 1st place with a time under 20 mins!

Gumby and Duck

During the course of this deployment, I have received a lot of care packages; mostly from family and friends but quite a few from people I have never met. One of the more interesting gifts in a care package was a rubber duck from my mother. Everyone liked the duck so much that it even got taken hostage by Second Lieutenant (2LT) Oman. As the story goes, 2LT Oman was waiting for his promotion to 1LT. Shortly after duck went missing, I received a note stating the duck would be returned upon the promotion of 2LT Oman. Pictures were attached to communicate the seriousness of the threat!

Gumby was another interesting gift from my friends, Donny and Robin. Gumby was taken hostage too. As shown in the pictures, he was treated as a terrorist by the platoon.

Once 2LT Oman was promoted to 1LT, Duck and Gumby were returned, only to take a trip to Qatar with Specialist (SPC) Swenson. They hit the beach and from the sounds of it on Swenny’s blog, they had a great time. http://swennyadventures.blogspot.com/

Qatar is a country where some of our Soldiers have had the opportunity to take a 4 day pass. The troops that have had the opportunity have lots of great things to say about this getaway. At Qatar, they can go to the mall, the beach, play golf and a variety of other activities. They even can drink 3 alcoholic beverages per day that they are there.

When I went to Arifjan, Duck and Gumby joined me and hit the pool with 1LT Meeusen. Who would have thought…toys in Iraq would carry such a story.

In November, I received 200 lbs of candy from an orthodontist in Eagan, Minnesota. I don’t know this orthodontist, but my neighbor and friend, Sheila, certainly must have had a hand in this large shipment. Sergeant First Class (SFC) Pietsch received over 13 boxes of candy from a dentist in Eagan. Certainly interesting care packages coming from people in these professions! I only hope my teeth don’t fall out by the time I get back!



Duck as a hostage.


The waterboard treatment


Gumby


Taliban Gumby


Taking aim on Taliban Gumby



Geography Lesson: Qatar


Gumby and Duck in Qatar.





Getting ready to check out the pool in Arifjan, Kuwait.


Testing the water.


Sitting in the pool.


LT Meeusen


Duck and Gumby being held by the flight chief during the trip back to Basra in a C130.


200 lbs of candy!


SFC Pietsch and SPC Bruneau. Pietsch showing how rotten his teeth are becoming from all the candy!