COB (Contingency Operating Base) Adder, near the ancient city of Tallil, lies about 100 miles north of the Kuwait border and is my new favorite vacation destination in Iraq. Surely a future four star venue on the yet to be published LT Bob's Tourist Guide to Iraq, only missing that fifth star due to pesky rockets that landed my second day there. More on that later, though, let's hit the highlights first.
Getting There
Although Quantas does not offer service from Baghdad to Adder, fortunately for me, my new mates in the Australian Royal Air Force do! Our travel, the most civilized yet in country, was on a ARAF C-130. They take your bags and palletize them. They provide bus service directly to the terminal. They have a dedicated waiting tent with a TV that works. You even get a neat little bag tag (this one for my return trip).
Sadly, the national flag on the tag was not indicative of my final destination . . . .
In stark contrast to our own Air Force, the Aussies can actually tell you WHERE their plane is so if it is running late, you don't have to sit at the passenger terminal waiting for a plane that is still 1,000 miles away. The USAF requires you to be at the terminal three to four hours ahead of time, regardless of the location of your plane. As always, lets compare and contrast.
Aussie conversation:
Crikey mates! The bird is still in Kabul and will be a few hours late. Don't bother going to the pasenger terminal until 1430 hours. We'll get that bugger over here as soon as we can.
USAF conversation (imagine this conversation happening over and over again across hours, and in some cases, days as we wait for a plane:
Me: Hi, I'm LT Kurkjian, checking in for the Train 72 Mission to nowhere.
Air Force person (AFP): Okay, please wait in Tent 5.
Me: Is the plane on time?
AFP: Yes sir, it could be here any moment.
Me: So where is it right now?
AFP: It's almost here, it could be here anytime.
Me: Right, I know but do you know where the plane is now?
AFP: Yes sir, it is on its way here.
Me: "On its way here" as in it is down hard for maintenance in Qatar or "on its way here" as in currently in the sky above Iraq stopping here next? [Because the USAF definition of "on its way here" does, infact, encompass that range of possibilities]
AFP: It could be here any minute.
Me: You have no idea where your own plane is, do you?
AFP: We'll come over to Tent 5 to let you know.
If you think I am kidding, come on over to Iraq and find out yourself.
Accomodations
As a guest of the Base Garrison, the fine men and women of the 871st National Guard Troop Command of Arkansas, I was given VIP quarters and my first private bathroom in over six months. A brand new containerized housing unit (CHU), complete with linens, snacks and bottled water. Although the bathroom (or "head" as we call it in the Navy) was very small, it seemed large to me, especially when you consider that I was the only one in it.
Room 8005B at the Ritz Adder
Fierce fans of their home state team, the 871st exemplified Southern hospitality as well as the fact that every other person in Arkansas has "Bobby" as a first, middle or last name. These guys were a blast and some of them were right out of central casting. The base Terrain Manager was the primary contact and his assistant, a staff sergeant, who everyone just called "Bobby" sat in the same office. At one point I asked the staff sergeant if I could use his computer to check in with the office. In a long Southern drawl, he replied "sure thing sir" and with an added smile, continued, "just don't go looking at none of that porn or nothing." His boss quickly noted, "Aint nothing to worry about LT, Bobby aint never figured out how to work that computer to begin with."
Almost as if I was back in Fayetteville for USC's 2006 season opener . . . except not
Fine Dining
After months of DFAC food, which now tastes the same to me, regardless of the food item, I would like to sing my praises for the Italian Army! While I cannot attest to their warrior prowess or tactical aptitude, they do know how to eat. Prior to their withdrawal from Iraq, the Italians were one of the primary occupants of this base (along with the Australians and now the Romanians). Longing for some home cooking, they installed not one but THREE Italian restaurants here. The menu is limited and there is no table service, but it was not the DFAC. I didn't even care that this calzone with tomato sauce cost me $12.
Although it might appear as though this delicious pepperoni calzone has been mortally wounded, it is only an extra large portion of tomato sauce . . .
Australian Charm
The large Australian contingent on base was always noticeable and fun to talk to.
An Australian Striker armored vehicle rolls back into base after a patrol.
Sights and Tourist Attractions
Within the perimeter of COB Adder is the largely reconstructed Ziggurat at Ur, reportedly a very similar design the the biblical Tower of Babel. The base Religious Affairs Center sponsors weekly guided tours of the ziggurat and surrounding archeological sights, including the home of the prophet Abraham who is said to have lived here for 72 of his 170+ years.
Our tour guide was an Iraqi named Dyif who was able to boast an impressive pedigree - he is a third generation archeologist at this site. His grandfather was part of the original excavation, led by the British in the 1920s. He works for the Iraqi Ministry of Culture and Antiquities.
Ancient writing could be seen on a spattering of the bricks used to build a nearby town center.
Rebuilt based on the excavated foundation on the order of Saddam, this is said to be the home of Abraham. He lived large in a home with over 20 rooms.
Shop Ziggurat seemed to have an inventory from a time past, as though left out in the desert for years only tobe retrieved and put on sale. But from small beginnings there is great possibility. Iraq has a wealth of historical sites and if the current conflict ever ends, the country could easily become a top tourism destination, particularly for religious groups.
A walk down the steps that ancient denizens of this area believed would allow them to get closer to God.
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