Football

I could post links about poverty in Iraq, wounded soldiers or Medevac evacuations, but I am sure you would rather read stories about football fans. Not that these stories don't touch on other themes. Whether you love the game or not you can surely sympathize with people who are away from the things that bring them those fleeting moments of joy.

http://www.kval.com/news/69803357.html

http://www.kval.com/news/69809212.html

http://www.kval.com/news/70037827.html

TQ

The Medevac unit I have been embedded with is now working in several other bases in Iraq. Here are a few pictures from a base they were stationed at for a brief time.



A view of Charlie Company's parked Blackhawk from behind the camo-netting covering the Medevac compound's treehouse at Al Taqaddum, Iraq.



The Blackhawk circles in the air for a training flight at Al Taqaddum, Iraq.

Nothing to Report

I am counting down the days, can't tell how many days because it's classified, can't tell you how I really feel, that's classified.
I will tell you I am here on my own accord, no one is keeping me, although I do suspect I have been brainwashed by the military, why else would I choose to stay when I can easily leave? If you've tuned into any of my earlier posts you know the story, I'm staying with my unit, even though it is not my unit and I am not a soldier. I'm staying until we can all leave together.
The madness of my situation seems to increase and decrease at a regular rate. I am either making the greatest sacrifice or wasting a year of my life. One of my friends, back home, has a point about the latter. "What would you be doing back home?" he asks. Probably nothing as exciting as Iraq, but this place lost its shine about six months ago. I'm in a forest and can't see a single tree and all that.

Here's a link to a recent story about Iraqi Police and Military Police
http://www.katu.com/news/69484632.html

Halloween

Holidays in Iraq come creeping up without recognition. Without the autumn chill, brown leaves strewn underneath you feet and decorations crowding grocery store aisles there is no sense of Halloween. The chill here is mild, lost in the roasted dirt and the smell of warm water in stagnant ponds left on the concrete recesses after the last storm. The DFAC has paper pumpkins hanging from the ceiling, but there is no excitement from kids getting ready to trick-or-treat. There are no nights off, no wild abandonment as you dress up as someone else and pretend that life is sweet.
So to get into the spirit of celebration I solicited help from one of the Medevac soldiers. We made some masks, a cat, a bat and a bunny. The magic was lost inside the rooms of blinding white fluorescent lights.
So I went down to check on the Infantry soldiers.
“Is anyone dressing up tonight?” I asked. “Yeah, as soldiers,” one replied with a chuckle. “We can’t wear anything, we’ll get yelled at for being out of uniform,” another soldier chimed in.
At night the soldiers barbecued and waited with wild enthusiasm for the Oregon vs. USC game. Their only costumes there were an Oregon jersey and a hat with an O. One soldier lounged on a bench with his robe over an Army shirt and shorts. Everyone sat outside for a while. They laughed, pitched some shit and chewed on their steaks. Happy Halloween.