Keeping Clean June 29, 2007

One of the most commonly used items by troops in Iraq is baby wipes. The dirt… dust… and heat induced sweat makes such moist towelletes very popular… especially this time of year. However… when returning to the larger FOBs (Forward Operating Bases)… there are facilities available for a more traditional manner of personal [...]

Some Evening Tunes June 28, 2007

To pass any free time that troops have available while in Iraq… most have picked up hobbies or activities of their choice. For some… it involves working out at the gym… taking a college class on-line… or hanging out at the MWR (Morale, Welfare, and Recreation) centers. One evening… at a base in [...]

Rise And Shine June 25, 2007

A while back… quite a while actually… I showed a picture of a sunset around Baghdad. Here’s a picture of a sunrise a few weeks ago near Balad, Iraq. The early morning is usually the most comfortable part of the day. By mid-morning… the temperature is already climbing quickly… with afternoon highs currently pushing 115 [...]

Keeping Warriors Safe June 24, 2007

Like any small city… the larger FOBs (Forward Operating Bases) in Iraq have a variety of services for those who live and work there. You can regularly see garbage trucks… folks picking up mail… and even some people who can adjust the American Forces Network (AFN) cable in your room (if you’re someone who [...]

Woof… Woof ?!? June 23, 2007

Now I’ve seen quite a few wacky things in Iraq… and one of those was found in the mud outside my sleeping quarters several weeks back. As I was returning to my area for some rest one day… I gazed down upon the earth beneath my feet and detected the tracks of what appeared [...]

A Field Of Dreams June 21, 2007

While soccer doesn’t have the popularity of football, baseball, or basketball in the United States… it is widely recognized as the most popular sport in most of the world. Outside of our base… I saw evidence that Iraq is one of those places. The field looked a bit worn down… of course we [...]

A True Nebraskan June 19, 2007

There are some people in this world that it’s difficult to find a bad word to say about. We have quite a few in our platoon… and one of them is Schutzie. As one of our sergeants… he’s proficient on any task you can send his way. He’s also quick to pick [...]

Easy Going June 19, 2007

Being one of the (if not THE) oldest lieutenant’s at my base… I take great comfort in having other soldiers in our platoon that are more “mature” in age than myself. One of those is a fine NCO (non-commissioned officer) we’ll call Sergeant Weich Man (SWM). Of course… he likes to point out [...]

Nice Set Of Wheels June 17, 2007

Fitting the aura of a small city… the larger FOBs (Forward Operating Bases) in Iraq have more personal forms of transportation… in addition to the previously mentioned buses. For the many civilian contractors… personally borrowed (as opposed to owned… due to the temporary nature of the use) vehicles are the norm. While those folks also [...]

Public Transportation June 13, 2007

The buses that run around base aren’t fancy… but they’re not too bad either. The larger bases have networks of buses… with multiple “routes”… depending on your destination. Most buses have air conditioning… which has become very welcome the past several weeks. They usually play American Forces Radio as well… which leads to a funny [...]