Travel Blog
10Sep2009
Prep Day
At least one set of civilian clothes, shoes, and sandals, check. Another PT uniform set to lounge in, check. Computer, camera, and medical books, check. Body Armor, helmet, rifle, and night vision goggles, check. A rustle is heard in the partitioned off room nearly one foot away, “Hey Doc, are you going to the trucks anytime soon?” Time is 1150 Hours and we leave at 1215, I got to hurry up! Grab gear, go. Hustling down the dirt and rock strewn path to the familiar diesel rumblings of our MRAPs. (These are mine resistant trucks that resemble the architecture of star wars walkers.) Thank goodness for good friends sleeping four feet away for insightful reminders. Arrive with plenty of time to hang out and joke before we load into the trucks.
Arriving at another base after an uneventful convoy to a neighboring base, I unload my gear and make a bee line for the “transient “ tents, where soldiers coming in and out of country for mid tour leave and emergency leave bunk down overnight waiting for their Blackhawk rides to freedom.
Handing over all my important and accountable gear, called sensitive items, felt like a weight was lifted off my shoulders. Immediately, a smile swept over my face.
In 2.3 seconds I strip down and put on shorts, lay down for some after dinner shut eye, only to be woken up by a soldier with a nervous stutter, who we shall call M. Slow down M, who wants us and where? From the gobbled words one can only assume is English, we were to report to the office immediately.” SGT, what can I do for you?” “You are not leaving tomorrow evening.” Great, like everyone else’s story about leaving Iraq, they were delayed. “Instead, report here at 0630 Hours for a brief, you leave at 0815 tomorrow morning.”
Yes, so far so good.
11Sep2009
BIAP
You hear em’? Yeah, Ok the birds are inbound. Smile and grab your gear today we fly to BIAP. BIAP, short for Baghdad International Airport was one of the first strategic locations at the beginning of OIF. It is here that a logistical powerhouse and ballet of coordination comes together to outfit the Army with supplies, personnel, and the oh so very important, flight to Kuwait. The crew chief raises his visor, and waves us in under the still turning prop blades, and we squeeze into the Blackhawk and buckle up in a harness. The crew chief slides the thin skinned door shut, no windows. We begin our ride with a slight jerk and lurch off the Helipad and soon our cameras begin to take in the Iraqi countryside, our respective AO, or area of operation in which we conduct all of our missions. Seeing it from the air makes everything seem so effortless, deceivingly.
Hungry off the bird, it is lunchtime, and we have nowhere to go. I arrive with five other men from my unit to go on leave; we are the last bunch going on leave, after nearly ten months in country. Stumbling into the largest DFAC, dining facility, in Iraq was an eye opener. Panini Sandwiches, yes. Stir Fry that can compete against Benny Hana’s, yes. More than eight types of ice cream, fresh tuna, crab, and occasionally I hear they serve lobster and steak. Suffice to say, I stuffed myself and wore the title of a glutton with pride. After buying a few more hygiene items for the trip, I strip down to shorts, and lay on my hot cot, and drift to sleep.
12Sep2009
BIAP Day 2
Nature is calling me at 0430 and I do the Army 3 S’s… Shit, shower, and shave. Hit the bus stop nearby, this place is so gigantic; there is a fleet and array of buses to travel around BIAP and the adjoining bases. Get on the bus and two friends of mine and I take the hour ride, stop, and walk another twenty minutes to get our ID’s updated. Turns out, the Louisiana National Guard has taken over the task of updating our sophisticated ID cards. After learning how to pronounce Laisez Les Bon Temps Roules or Let the Good times Roll, they take my picture, which, inevitably even after smiling and laughing before the flash, I get a scowl that resembles a hangover headache picture plastered on my ID. Se la vie. Once back at the tents, I hear, “Doc, we got twenty minutes to pack up and head to the flight line.” It just got better, this means I get out of here even earlier.
As this is being posted, it is 8 PM in Iraq, and I board the flight to Kuwait at 10PM.
Stay tuned!
