Ku-Wait a Minute . . .

No one carries weapons here at Camp Arifjan. And I was amazed to see much of the post in civilian attire after 1700 hours. The personal hygiene and beauty products section of the PX was actuallyLARGER than the tactical gear section (items like holsters, knives, ammo pouches, etc), which occupied a single lonely rotating display. There are regular passenger vehicles, like Nissan Sentras and Chevy Malibus. No armed guards at the PX and the DFAC . . . The DFAC looks like a regular restaurant and tables are not so close that you have to climb over other people to get to an open seat. And I am not seeing a single helicopter in the sky. Like Christopher Walken in the classic SNL "cow bell" sketch, "I just need more helicopters." All this made me think how boring would it have been to be stationed here.

The trip to Kuwait began on the military tarmac at Baghdad International Airport where it was a lovely 97 degrees before you too into consideration all the body armor you are required to wear on a C-130 flying in Iraq. When the plane arrived, we all dutifully, in single file, followed the guide out, safely around the plane's spinning props and to the aft ramp. And that is where, for unknown reasons, progress temporarily stopped. At this point, we all became human rotisseries. Between the heat and the even hotter exhaust gushing from the four props, you literally had to rotate yourself a few degrees every three seconds to avoid being burned while we vainly attempted to hold our breaths. So that will be my last C-130 ride for a while. We'll fly back to the states on a chartered jet.

The warrior transition program is well run, if not a little drawn out. Looks like I appear normal enough for them to let me come home. I should be back in the U.S. on Saturday.