Well I'm gonna try and do my best to explain this place without breaking military rules or putting someone in danger by giving other things away.
With that said as the first thing, let me know try to explain my first month of deployment, to me..
If the heat wasn't shock enough the culture will get you as well. The moment that you get to the deserst after stepping off the last comfy plane you just notice a totoally different atmosphere compared to a home station. You can really see it in people's eyes that there is a different tone, a different pace, a different feeling. That feeling is you pushing your wall every day, the idea of being tierd seems to be a lingering feeling in the back of your head that you fight every day. But you keep going because this is your job, this is your core task, and something even as simple as me fixing plumbing. To the way that people get there water and just flush there toilets makes an impact. To think of the Armed Forces to America would be looking at a well greased and oiled machine. I throw the greased in there because its that old and you have to tinker with it to work right. You have to be gentle with it to move in the direction or get the hours of operation out of that you need to finish the job. Just remind you because this machine really does have a face, actually many of faces from many of branches and walks of life.
This base in its self...
Just imagine a a small island in the middle of the desert though. Completely ran by generators. The black smoke bellowing out top of the field. All around you see nothing but a mix of T-walls and concrete buildings with blast roofs over them. The ARMY walking around at the ready of moments notice. The Air Force manning the buldings and taking care of the grounds. The sprinkle of a Navy or Marine here and there. Third Country Nationals and Local nationals all over, also doing there roles while being watch by Force Protection. Wether it be manning a post, or fixing a toliet right along with us. The presence of the Iraqi people and surrounding nations is huge on this base, and is only getting bigger. This base is going to close as Obama does say, I will not be here for that day. But I'm part of the process of making this happen. I am part of one of the last teams that is handing this base over to Iraqi military. Probably the last group of plumbers from the military that will be handling these systems, after this it should be gone to contract. With a small group of Civil Engineers to just maintain and make sure the contract is still seen threw. This is Joint Base Ballad.
I invisioned to see nothing but dirt when I got here. But where we are as I peer threw the chain link and C-wire to see nothing but farmland. I mean were surrounded by mostly farmland. Later in the day you see kids playing in the irrigation river, doing there best to stay cool in this extreme heat. The days feel like that one scene from the Chronicles of Riddick, when there on that one planet that catches fire and the guy walks outside to his death. How that when you have a window open in the day, you feel as if the air alone is going to burn your face off. But don't get me wrong this is the desert and there are dust storms.
Overall though this place is interesting to say the least.
So lets see what I can make in the next 5 months to come and what I can learn.
But enough of my idealism.
What have I done so far. As my mom would ask what shit holes have I been in.. Well sorry mother I haven't got in any wet one actually yet. And the one I got in I didn't get a picture of. I was in a communications box but it was on the flight line and there is no flash photography there unless permitted. But I'll get some before I leave.
I have done many of small jobs in indoor plumbing. Lets just say that this is what I see all the time. Well not this bad but this is indoor. A lot of European shit all over the place none of it is the same. So your always just fiddling with shit to make it work..
Outdoor is a little different story.
Replaced two tanks now, a pump, and built a whole system for the Iraqi Chow Hall..
Thats pretty much it for this first month of excitement. Haha.
5 more and I'll have the stories to tell when I get home.
Oh yeah and one small joke.
Army learning colors.
It was outside there finance office. Now that is a reassurance
and Random
