(MNF-I: Multi-National Force Iraq)
0630: Reveille. No, no bugles, just my own internal alarm clock
0700: Now that it is getting a little warmer (winter is pretty much over here) I run about 4 miles around Lost Lake, former residence of the charming Uday and Qusay Hussein. Their bombed-out former homes sit on an island towards the middle of the lake, complete with a drawbridge. As usual, the Army has come up with a set of rules dictating exercise outdoors. You have to wear a reflective belt, even in broad daylight. As if my pastey white legs were not sufficient. Of course, no reflective belt is required if you are wearing camoflauge, at night, walking down a trafficked street. Makes sense to the Army!
To give you a feel for the view, there is a brief video of the large mosque on the other side of the "wire" or perimeter.
0830: Arrive at work and take-up position at the LT Kurkjian Command Center, or, umm , my desk. I usually have 40 or so emails from headquarters back in the states plus some overnight emails from around Iraq. Another 150 or so will come in during the next 14 hours I'll be at work between the two systems (secret and unclassified).
Since most of us spend most of the time in the office, we keep our IBA (Improved Body Armor) on racks near our desks.
1100: Time for a break on the office balcony to enjoy the tasty sand-filled air during one of our recently frequent sand storms.
1230: Time for lunch and to run some errands. After more than four months here, I know all the menus, and the food is pretty boring at this point. Which is an amazing revelation for me since the variety is immense. There are no ATMs here so to get cash, you have to use a personal check at the finance office. Under the category of everything is more difficult in Iraq - You can only cash a check up to $200, once per month. You have to put pretty much every piece of personal information you have on the check. When I asked why this was required, the Army E-4 at the window told me that the U.S. Federal Reserve REQUIRES this information to process the check. I asked her how many checks she writes in the U.S. and how often she had to include this information. She gave me a quizzical look and told me I could talk to her Major. He was out, which might have been a good thing since my thoughts for him may have been perceived to be disrespectful . . . "Hey everyone! I have an idea, lets blame our own stupid rule on the Federal Reserve!"
1530: Time for a diversion so along with two buddies from the office, I head to the broadcast trailer to be part of a studio audience for a live sports talk show hosted by a guy named Ron Barr (uknown to me, but apparently a legend in the sports radio talk show circuit). He is broadcasting his daily show from Iraq and one of the call-in guests is none other than PETE CARROLL, USC's football coach. So I got to ask the Coach a question, live, all the way from Iraq!
You of course recognize the guy in the photo with me, right? Okay, yeah, I had no idea either until my friend Manny told me it was Brian Belick. I nodded my head with feigned comprehension and tried to duplicate the awe exuded by Manny. Turns out that Belick is the former head coach for the Baltimore Ravens football team . . . and a really tall guy. He was one of the guests that came to Iraq with Ron Barr. Just as the show went live, Camp Victory took a barrage of rocket fire from some of our admirers out in the city. One of the in-studio guests, a former NFL player named Spencer Tilman, took it in stride and said on air - "It's just a real blast to be here."
1700: My favorite time of day - the mail call. Here I am downstairs picking up packages.
I usually go to dinner late and try to not return to the office but a lot of nights that does not work. A few nights ago, Estonia's "Hottest rock band" The Sun performed at Camp Victory so we stopped before dinner to take it all in.
2 comments:
You are a real trooper, Bob. Keep up the outstanding work, and we'll make sure you get a real weekend when you get back to DC! In all seriousness, I'm really proud to have you representing our country over there. But can't wait to have you back in the land of ice storms (not sand storms). Fight on! Melissa D.
It's nice you can begin your day with a little Revelry...sounds very Kurkjianian to me. Perhaps your preparation regimen for Fleet Week?
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