On the way(UPDATE)

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Ed Novak		#81	[-]
Posts: 2053 (07/27/09 09:56 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Eric: 21 cards on the way as of midday today. How are things for y'all? Sandy/dusty/hot I am certain. Trust that everyone is doing reasonably well. Let me know if and how the cards work. NRA Endowment member LECS #2
eb in oregon		#82	[-]
Posts: 976 (07/28/09 11:15 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Ed, My appreciation of your generousity knows no bounds. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I'll make sure to get them distributed. There are free phones here, but during the eveningings there can be quite a line for a few minutes on the phone to home, as well as the MWR (Moral, welfare & recreation) computers. Apparently internet access here in Tallil is $85.00 month for service slower than my dial up was. I'll have to see how things shake out this week. Oh yea, we flew into Tallil in a C-130 on the 25th. Only a 45 minute flight. Packing all that gear to the truck just about did me in I'm telling ya. It is hot, today 122 in the shade, with a slight wind of 22 mph. I'm learning my new job from a really nice guy from the Texas guard who will be going home with his unit soon. Bless those guys, they've been doing a great job. I think my poor "mature" brain will be a little overwhelmed at first with the details and paperwork, but I'm ready to embrace my new function. And my "battle buddy" hitched a ride North to Balad with a convoy where he will be the LNO there for my battalion, so I'm feeling a little lonely right now. The food is very good, the base pretty large, and I'm constantly amazed at the blatant waste that I see every day. Bottled water left all over to be squashed or thrown into dumpsters (there is another pint/quart that'll be out of circulation for 10,000 years), wasted food, trashed equipment, etc, etc. I guess someone that re-cycles everything should stay away from a combat zone. Any way, I'll stay in touch when I can. eb "We must all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately." Benjamin Franklin, July 4 1776
zeebill		#83	[-]
Posts: 3684 (07/28/09 11:33 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Wow hard to believe you're halfway around the world! Keep them spirits up! Do your best and know we are proud as hell of you guys! God Bless You All! Bill
WVchuck		#84	[-]
Posts: 12307 (07/28/09 02:17 PM) Forum Site Moderator Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	At least you don't have to mow grass there...... You'd think that something could be done about the waste of resources. Be safe!!!
Ed Novak		#85	[-]
Posts: 2054 (07/28/09 08:20 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Eric: Always good to hear from you. 122F! That and the 22mph "slight wind" will suck the water out of a guy. Wasted food and trashed equipment... I will guess that the situation there is not conducive to conservation nor to a clean deck. Stay safe! God bless all of you. NRA Endowment member LECS #2
FLAPJACKHAPPY		#86	[-]
Posts: 227 (07/28/09 08:21 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	I was going to say "STAY COOL!!" but a 122 degrees, Cool can only be a state of mind Last Edited By: FLAPJACKHAPPY 07/28/09 11:35 PM. Edited 1 times.
eb in oregon		#87	[-]
Posts: 978 (07/29/09 11:46 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Oh man, I almost had a hernia laughing! I go into a "building" (I use the term loosely here as I've seen better mobile homes) air-conditioned to 75 degrees and I'm freezing my buns off! It's supposed to be a mild summer here as it hasn't topped 125 yet, so we're waiting for the "other shoe to drop." The "official" weather report keeps saying high 90's to low 100's, but the thermometer says 122. Go figure. The MWR building is about an eight minute walk from my "CHU" (pronounced CHOO, I think that means cubical housing unit) so I may get over here a little more often than I thought. But then again once we have taken over and Texas leaves I'm thinking my days will be getting a little long. And this little tidbit just about made my eyes roll to the back of my head. Theres a water purifying/bottling plant on base, several months old. Water is shipped north to Bagdad (who has their own bottling plant), protected by our convoy security, then shipped back here for consumption, again protected by our convoy security. Who is the contractor? Why KBR of course. This is an amazing war/place I'm here to tell ya. Dazed and confused, eb "We must all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately." Benjamin Franklin, July 4 1776
Ed Novak		#88	[-]
Posts: 2055 (07/29/09 07:50 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	KBR seems to have its "hand" in a lot of "funny stuff". In VN, such contractors were known as "feather merchants" (and worse). Would be a sincere shame were troopers to lose their lives or be injured convoying water with no need to do so. The worst aspect of such things is that people can and do lose their lives and it is only when a congress-person sees an opportunity for inflating his/her importance on behalf of a complaining family does any action take place, after the fact and with little impact other than on the politician's resume' for future political life. I never did like lawyers in general but I always respected the military IGs/JAGs I knew of - people with the interest and the drive to set things right. NRA Endowment member LECS #2
eb in oregon		#89	[-]
Posts: 979 (08/16/09 11:56 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Ed, Your gift is appreciated, I'm giving them to the "little guys," I have a phone in my office (yea, I have an office) that I can use just about anytime I want to call home. Will wonders never cease. I've been learning all the details of the EWO (Electronic Warfare Officer) for the last few weeks. I took a class in Kuwait before getting here and spent about a week and a half with the guy I was relieving. I basically check their equipment, give a briefing to each convoy about it's use, maintenance, and particulars of operation. I've got tons of reports to wade through, 152 or so vehicles to track (maybe more, I've been afraid to count), and several reports to higher and a portion of a briefing to deliver to the BN commander every Wednesday. I've spent my whole military service avoiding the upper end of the food chain, now I'm smack dab in the middle of it. oh boy. The weather is really freaking hot, the wind a killer. Still good food and a decent bunk so I've got no gripes I guess. I figure it'll be another week or so before I go on a convoy myself. Everyone will go at least once a month, orders from the BN CDR, no free rides. Fair enough. Just wanted to say "Howdy." eb "We must all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately." Benjamin Franklin, July 4 1776
Ed Novak		#90	[-]
Posts: 2075 (08/16/09 12:49 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	eb: Good to hear from you! Paperwork; "the job is not done till the paperwork is in". Bet that was first said at Valley Forge, or maybe thousands of years earlier. Glad to hear that you are doing reasonably well; as well as circumstances permit. Now, you be really careful out there on convoy - we know that you are trained and prepared for the event but it never hurts to say "Be Careful". Thanks again, as always, for doing this work for us. God bless and keep you and your troopers safe. NRA Endowment member LECS #2
zeebill		#91	[-]
Posts: 3694 (08/17/09 01:06 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Hey Eb in Oregon! Guess where zeebill is right now and will be for awhile? Gold Beach, Oregon! I will be here for a few weeks and was wondering if we have balanced the population in Oregon versus the rest of the world or what. I mean you left and I showed up for awhile to balance things out I guess. Any errands you want run close by me and the trike are here to serve you sir! Just let me know and I will try and do them! Email is sharps2448@hotmail.com if you have private requests Sir! We aim to please if possible! Take Care! Bill
m1 talker		#92	[-]
Posts: 6911 (08/17/09 01:50 PM) Veteran member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Bill- did you ride your trike across country? That would be quite a trip. Now while he is fighting the enemy, he will be worrying about all his honey holes being discovered! Curt
zeebill		#93	[-]
Posts: 3695 (08/17/09 10:25 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Yeah I took the trip 3417.4 miles in 55+ hours on the bike. It took a week and a day. I took one day to look around the city ot Cheyanne and toured the UP steamhouse and saw the old roundtable etc. Had a great trip and time now I am enjoying Gold Beach and thinking about a route home different from the way here. Still got some of the old fire in me now if I could only get the young body back instead of this old one! Bill
m1 talker		#94	[-]
Posts: 6914 (08/17/09 10:42 PM) Veteran member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	I would suggest taking the northernmost route home. Head up to Seattle and parts north till you get to Sedro Wooley or whereabouts and get on the North Cascades Highway, or Highway 2, which heads east and west. You will be in for some of the most beautiful scenery you have ever seen, bar none. I went thru there back in October of 1984 and ended up taking two days just to take in all the scenery. Washington has a lot of good scenery and it ranges from the Olympic rain forest of the Olympic Peninsula to the arid wheat country of the Palouse mid state. Then you come into Northern Idaho. Drop south about 45 miles after going thru Sandpoint, where I live, and hit I-90 and you then have a clear shot all the way home to the east coast, with the exception of the only traffic light on that coast-to-coast highway, which is in the old silver mining town of Wallace. Or you can stay on 2 and head over thru Montana and go thru Glacier National Park. Thirty seconds after passing the city limits of Sandpoint, give a honk and I might hear you, as I live only about 150 feet off Highway 2. Curt
Mountain Doctor		#95	[-]
Posts: 3694 (08/18/09 11:36 AM) Forum Site Moderator Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	PLUS 100 on the North Cascades Highway!!!!! Just did it last week on the Wing and of all the places I've ridden 49 states that was tied for the most beautiful. Great twisties and hardly any car traffic at all. Combined it with a run through the San Juan Islands. Washington rocks! (On a sunny day, that is...)
zeebill		#96	[-]
Posts: 3696 (08/18/09 11:41 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Much against my better judgement I am going back somewhat a southern route this time. I had a week and a day of little or no rain but went through some hellacous temperatures and wind. Like 104 degrees in Kansas with a sustained wind of 39 MPH and gusts to 48 MPH. I am going south and probably going to fry my butt off and get wet too but such is life I guess. Got plenty of time to think about it though so I am just laying back enjoying the view of the Pacific Ocean breaking on the beach with a nice breeze all the time and 60's and 70's. Got a couple of good books and a puppy to keep my feet warm under so what more could one want? Bill
Mountain Doctor		#97	[-]
Posts: 3698 (08/18/09 12:39 PM) Forum Site Moderator Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Life is good.
eb in oregon		#98	[-]
Posts: 980 (08/18/09 01:35 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Zeebill, Will wonders never cease. My wife and I spent a few days down there on a bird watching trip just before I left. Beautiful, huh? Man, I'd give a bunch to see some trees and a mountain right now. This is the most desolate place I've ever been, including Death Valley. At least there was something to look at there. Of course we do have the Ziggurat of Abraham out on the horizon (when you can see it) but I'm not really planning on going to go visit it, at least not at the present. I don't really do much other than work, eat, play on the laptop, or read a book before going to sleep. My days are pretty long, and by the time I finish for the day I'm pretty bushed. I usually start at 0700 and work on scheduling or reports until 1200, then spend 3 to four hours on the "CET lanes" (staging lanes for the escort trucks), then make contacts with maintenance shops and such until around 1800 or so. Last couple of days I've spent a bunch of hours making a pretty "PowerPoint" presentation for the BC tomorrow. Seems I've got to be at the Commanders Brief every Wednesday whether I want to or not. No more getting vehicles in for upgrades or repair at that time for me. Rats, I thought I had a good excuse to duck out. Sigh. Oh, and today I had to change my office. Better office, but also more central and on the "main drag." Shoot, I really liked my out of the way, stuck in the back, hard to find office. I do have to say though that I've got the full support of the BC for what I'm doing and all the field grades are always asking what I need and is there anything they can do to make the whole thing go better. Again, will wonders never cease. Any way, I'll try to get back in a day or so. eb "We must all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately." Benjamin Franklin, July 4 1776
Mountain Doctor		#99	[-]
Posts: 3699 (08/18/09 02:11 PM) Forum Site Moderator Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Everything you are doing matters, Eb, and we are grateful for the time you are spending away from your family and your beautiful state. I'll have to look up the Ziggurat of Abraham. don't know what that's all about.
Mountain Doctor		#100	[-]
Posts: 3700 (08/18/09 02:13 PM) Forum Site Moderator Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Is it the same at the Ziggurat of Ur?

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