Sunday, February 19, 2006

Hello from Balad, AFB, Iraq

So I did arrive.  After a day in Spain (beautiful weather there) I arrived in a rain storm here in Iraq.  This resulted in lots of mud and not too much fun...  But we got our entire C-5 unloaded, and started working.  Worked the entire day, and then found out about our living quarters.  The tents we were supposed to be in sucked.  Dirt floors, which had been swamped in rain, and there were already people living in them.  So we all just slept in a shelter in our work area - 25 guys just sleeping on cots.
Waking up weird times during the day to F-16s taking off via afterburners is fun.  Yesterday I saw an Apache.  Friday night we had an 'Incoming' warning in my work area, and I had to wear body armor + helmet the entire night.  Stupid morters.  I'm maybe a half mile from the base perimeter...  Oh - and that night I was up until after 1 working in the 35 degree weather. 
Anyways, I'm good.  I'm currently posting via email, so no pics.  Hopefully I'll find a way around that...  but I kinda doubt it because of base security.   Hope everyone is doing well.  I'll be updating more often now, hopefully with some crazy stories....

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

So much for the "top secret" status of your location.

Sounds like you don't need to be an adventure hunter as you're in the midst of plenty of it.

Ken Leek said...

hey Ry it sounds like you are doing good . I still can't over you leaving here. I have been a mess without you. I think when you get back we should get an apartment together...oh wait we do. Well anyways things are good in Proviso, people keep asking about you and what not. You are missed. Peace!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Hey Ry Ry,
Ken is right you are missed. I've had people ask too. I sounds a lot like girl's camp out there :). Kidding, sounds brutal. But I'm still looking forward to the insider insights that I've been missing out on. Stay strong man.

jimwraith said...

You are such a spineless sissy Ry... ;)

Glad you're alive and hope conditions improve. if it's any consolation, it sounds similar to the conditions I found myself in on the side of the road in my hopelessly damaged 'Stang...

Keep your chin up and write often. You are The Man.