48 Mondays

New Year's Eve!

2009-12-31T13:34:00.002-05:00

Wow. December 31st already. Just like everyone else on the planet, I am surprised at how quickly this last year has gone by. On January 1, 2009 I never would have guessed that I would be sitting in Baghdad, Iraq on December 31st, 2009. Life is full of surprises, isn't it?

Looking back on the last year, I realize that many of my dreams and goals have been fulfilled. I have a deep and happy, loving relationship with my husband and son, my parents and brothers and sisters are all healthy and happy, my friends continue to be my friends; supporting me with unspeakable acts of kindness on a daily basis. How lucky am I?

Actually, I'm one of those people who believes (drum roll for a Vince Lombardi quote) that "luck is the residue of design." I'm not happy because I am lucky, rather I truly believe that I am happy because I choose to be happy. It's a choice.

So, despite my whining and bitching about porta-potties, mud and being far from home and family....I am still quite happy. New friends, new experiences and the calendar moving closer and closer to my redeployment date certainly help.

On to my goals for 2010: in no particular order

1. Come home safely

2. Run a trail 50k by Fall

3. Do 30,000 situps and 15,000 pushups for the year

4. Play golf at St. Andrews

I'm sure I'll think of others, this is just what I came up with off the top of my head.

Tonight was certainly one of the more interesting nights of my life. Our little group grabbed a few minutes to eat and decided to go check out a different chow hall than we have been going to for the last several months. Not too far from where we normally eat, but on a different side of the base. We really enjoy each others company and had a great conversation about life and love and where we all want to be next year...great conversation until the IDFs (indirect fire/rockets) started rolling in. Before we new it, we were on lockdown at the chow hall and the sirens were going off. Apparently, several rounds hit the base, with 2 of them extremely close to the building we were in. I felt the earth shake, but I never felt as though I was in any danger.

How's that for a way to ring in the New Year? So, 10 years ago I was at a Jimmy Buffett concert in Los Angeles celebrating the new millennium, this year I celebrate with a rocket attack. I have a knack for memorable New Year's Eves, don't I?

So...Happy New Year to everyone out there. Thanks for reading my blog for the last few months, I hope I can continue to entertain you.

Christmas Eve....

2009-12-24T13:22:00.000-05:00

Never in my wildest dreams ever think that I would spend a Christmas Eve the way I have today.

I am 51% Finnish, and as such have always celebrated more on Christmas Eve than on Christmas Day. As we speak, my brothers and sisters, husband and son are driving up to my parents house to spend the afternoon hanging out, setting the table, eating a GYNORMOUS traditional Finnish meal (ham, salt herring, rhudabegas, etc.) before opening ALL the presents. Thankfully, now that we are grown, we have moved past the requisite and painful Story of Jesus reenactment. (I mean really, does ANYONE believe that a dachshund is a camel?)

That's right. We open all of our gifts on Christmas Eve...now that I am married, with a child of my own, I appreciate this family tradition even more. No scurrying from house to house on Christmas day.

I'm missing this year. For only the second time ever in my life. I am oddly okay with it; I feel much better than I ever expected. Maybe because today was so busy.

We worked all morning, then this afternoon attended the promotion ceremony for Major General Joe Anderson. He pinned on his second star today on the 3rd floor balcony of Al Faw Palace. It was beautiful, the temps were in the 70s with a slight breeze. The morning trash burn had ended and the skies were crystal clear. I stood there among my fellow service members, Iraqi generals and several Ambassadors and thought: how did I get here?

After dinner, three of my friends and I attended the Christmas Eve Candlelight service in the rotunda of the palace. It was really moving to sit there, among so many different sorts of people realizing that we were all probably thinking the same things. Family. Home. Love.

The acoustics in the rotunda are amazing and singing Hark! The Herald Angels Sing! at the top of my lungs was certainly one of the highlights og my deployment so far.

I am so lucky that I have become friends with the three people in this photo with me. Each is remarkable in their own way and I couldn't have survived the first 2 months of this experience with out them. The only downer is that our 5th sidekick, Tom Gordy, wasn't with us...then again, he's home on R&R, so good for him!

I'd like to thank everyone who sent letters, cards and care packages during this holiday season. I shared most of everything with my shipmates here, and all of it was appreciated. Thank you for taking time out of your lives to think about me. The support has been unspeakably kind. Thank you.

I'll leave you with a funny Christmas card we received in our office this week. Funny doesn't even begin to describe it. This is the GOLD MEDAL World's Best Christmas Card Ever awardee of the year.

Dear SolDier,

It sucks you have to be over there with all of the iraqui People over Christmas. I'm sorry that Sucks. But Look at the Bright Side Your helping your Country. Thank you.

Sincerly,

Waylon

===================

Priceless...and 100% authentic.

Merry Christmas to you all....Much Love and I hope you all have a Joyous New Year.

How Many Mondays???

2009-12-22T14:08:00.000-05:00

Bizarro moment number 8,367 during lunch today. As I was sitting outside grabbing a bite to eat, I was momentarily transported back to the Hula Hut in Austin early last summer. The slight wind and balmy temps, no doubt brought this on. Susan and Glenn were across from me, a Shiner Bock and a delightful seafood quesadilla, the lake shimmering….

Sometimes while I sit here, I have slivers of intense memories of friends, family and other places that are so at odds with my current reality. It’s very much like waking up from a dream where you swear you were having a conversation with someone like Audrey Hepburn…only to realize, that you’ve never met Audrey Hepburn. (I had a dream about Nick Faldo like that several years ago, but that’s clearly a topic for someone else’s blog.)

Again, many apologies for not having written anything on the blog in quite some time. For the last two weeks I have been suffering from horrible jet-lag. I’ve been averaging about 4-5 hours of sleep per night, with two full nights where I did not sleep at all. This unfortunate condition was brought on by a most fortunate and lucky circumstance; I came back to the Washington DC area for about a week of TDY!!!!

I was able to spend 8 days at home with my family while working during the day up at the Pentagon and Cap Hill. Not only did I get to spend precious and unexpected time with my husband and son, brothers, sisters, parents and friends…it also meant that I was able to take showers for 8 straight days without shower shoes! I also didn’t see a porta-pottie the entire time I was home. It’s the little things, people.

There are a great many things I realized while on the trip and during the epic journey back to Baghdad. First, I have the most amazing family and group of friends. Of course, I knew this on an emotional and intellectual level already. But seeing them after three months was visceral. It frightened me. It unnerved me to the point that I went out of my way to NOT see most people. It was overwhelming at times. My joy at seeing them brought on intense anxiety as I knew I didn’t want to say good bye again. I overcame some of it, but not all of it. I am sorry if I offended anyone. Truly.

There were two occasions on the trip where the ‘large group of people/anxiety rule’ was ignored and muddled through. First, on the Sunday that I got back my parents had everyone over to their house for lunch and Christmas tree decorating. It was so much fun seeing all my nieces and nephews scramble to get the ornaments up and the lights on the tree. I was able to spend several hours with my parents and brothers and sisters; it was divine and very restorative.

The second occasion was the roughly 90 minutes I was able to spend with a group of girlfriends one night after work. We went to a bar in Chinatown and visited for a little while, reminisced about silly things in the news business and generally reconnected. These ladies mean a lot to me and I am so grateful I could spend time with them.

There were also a few surprises when I came back. When you are deployed you have this vague notion that the world sort of pauses or even stops when you are gone. Your reality is what you can see, touch and feel. Emails, skyping and Facebook go a long way towards connectivity, but there is still a massive chasm.

My son had a BIG surprise for me; Toby. A small orange and white kitten. Ummmm. WHAT????????? I am soooo not a cat person, but what can you do? Conor wanted the cat and the neighbor gave it to him. Our golden retriever/mutt (Cooper) loves him, so there doesn’t seem to be any discord in the house, nor any turning back.

I was shocked and a little irritated that this had happened while I was away. My husband and son know that I don’t particularly care for cats, yet they still brought one in to the family. I suppose the cat can be considered the symbol of my absenteeism for the last 16 months. While I was in my bed, making coffee in my kitchen and generally interacting as though no time had passed; Toby was the physical reminder that I feel like a guest in my own home. Strange. Not devastating, but certainly disconcerting. One of many things I’ll have to work through if I ever come home.

One of the other things that sort of took me by surprise (but I think can be paired up with the “anxiety about seeing people” thing) was my discomfort in the grocery store. Everything was so bright and shiny, there were so many choices. It was overwhelming. I’ve only been in Iraq for a hair over two months, but have grown used to the monochromatic surroundings and lack of choice. Being at home was like starring in a Technicolor movie in surround sound!

Back at work now, I've come to realize how much I enjoy the folks I work for and with. As much as I don't want to be here, I do enjoy my job and I am learning a tremendous amount. I also deeply believe in what we are doing to help Iraq move towards democracy. Is that alone worth the trade-off of being away from home? We'll see.

Finally, I'm sure traveling for 48 hours had something to do with it, but I could NOT wait to get back to my little room. My own slice of privacy and space in this crazy environment. But some things never change....like dreading the porta-pottie at 3am.

Monday Number 7

2009-11-30T13:09:00.000-05:00

Sorry, dear readers, about missing Monday Number 6, I was out on another trip with a group of Senators who were here learning more about our military and how we can finish the job here in Iraq correctly. More importantly, they were able to spend a fair amount of time with their constituents who are here serving. I never get tired of seeing a Congressman or Senator interact with the young servicemen and women here. They are truly awed by the amount of responsibility bestowed on our youth.

One of the great things about my job is never knowing exactly who you are going to bump in to at the airport! Y'all know I am a huge golf nut, so I was giddy when these two gents sauntered off the same plane as the Senators. Good thing I always have my camera with me!

Tom Watson has been one of my heroes for as long as I can remember. Such grace and dignity on the course, a great gentleman and a wonderful example of how to behave as an athlete and a celebrity. We chatted for a few moments and he looked me straight in the eye and said: "You play golf?" "Yes, Sir, I do..." "What do you shoot? 100s, 90s, 80s?" "Well, Sir, I've played in the 90s for quite a while now..." "What do you think you need to do to improve your game, Karen?" "Well, Sir...I need to improve my putting." He looked at me ruefully and said "So do I, Karen...so do I." At that point, I thought is best not to bring up the British Open....

I still can NOT believe I had a face to face with Tom Watson...Corey Pavin was great, too! Very quiet and sort of in awe of everything around him. He graciously agreed to have his picture taken and we chatted briefly about Shinnecock Hills. These guys have more than 10 Majors between them. Amazing!!!

I also celebrated Thanksgiving with my new friends. I am very lucky to work with several other O-3s who are sort of my age. Actually, they are all about 10 years younger than me...but that's part of what makes it fun. They are so young!!! We ran a 5k Turkey Trot, played a little football...ate our faces off at the Chow Hall (SHOUT OUT to the Indian and Ugandan contractors who decorated everything and make absolutely DELICIOUS food for us....it was really special)...then capped off the holiday with the mandatory kick off to every Christmas season: watching The Christmas Story.

The next few weeks will be interesting. A lot of the staff has tried to schedule R&R during the holidays so there are a lot of people coming and going. The Elections may or may not happen in a couple of months, and the Iraqi's (as well as the rest of the Muslim world) are finishing up with the Eid holiday.

More as it comes....

It's not allll bad....

2009-11-21T12:39:00.000-05:00

Seriously, it's not all bad here. I have a unique job which allows me to travel quite a bit and see parts of this country that few Americans will ever see. I surely never thought I would see some of these things...

Last week, I took a group of folks out to the Ziggurat of Ur. It's over 4,000 years old and was built next to Abraham's house. Yes, all you bible readers...that Abraham. After we left, I thought: "George Washington Slept Here" really doesn't have the same ring to it anymore.

I picked up some of the bricks, all of which have words carved/stamped in to them and realized that they were probably the oldest man made thing I would ever come in contact with. Amazing. The stuff in the near distance is Abraham's house, or what's left of it.

This is me at the base of the Ziggurat...not the most flattering uniform, as if I needed any help with big hips. Just in case though, my M9 is always handy on my belt to make those birthing hips look that much bigger!!

Switching gears to another bizarre encounter. A couple of days ago, we got a nice "surprise" visit by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. I am pleased to tell you that the man could not have been nicer. I had the opportunity to meet him, I stuck out my hand and said: "Governor, thank you so much for coming to visit us." He looked me straight in the eye and said "Vhat....I don't get a hug???" He then promptly embraced me in a great big bear hug and we chatted for a minute or so. He repeatedly thanked US for being here. He gave a heartfelt speech in the Chow Hall and spent a lot of time with the troops. He even went to the gym the next morning to work out with some of our guys.

Thankfully, an AP photographer was nearby during my time with him, so there is evidence!!

So, while I am apart from my family and friends...honestly, not every day is a bad day.

Monday Number Five!!!

2009-11-16T12:45:00.001-05:00

Wow. I've been here just shy of a month now. Strange.

Lots of exciting stuff this past week, hard to know where to start. I finally came back among the living and seem to have kicked the chest/throat cold right in the ass. It's sort of settled in to my right eye, but I can live with that. It's a little swollen and sore in the mornings, but by mid-afternoon it's all back to normal. I can't imagine it will last much longer.

Earlier this week I received a package from home. I love mail. We all live for mail call. My Mom baked me 6 mini-loaves of Finnish Pulla bread. Heaven. For those of you who aren't familiar, it's a little dense and quite sweet. I love it. When I opened the package I almost started to cry. A little bit of tasty home in a card board box. My Mom's handwriting, the jelly, everything...it was exactly what I needed at that moment. For a split second, I thought about sharing some of the bread with the folks in my office....then I shook my self and said "what they hell are you thinking, you crazy woman!?" So, I shoved in back in the box and hid it under my desk. I have now (gleefully) had it for dinner and breakfast several times. I am evil. I know.

I am starting to settle in to a pattern at work and am starting to get to know some of my co-workers a little better. I don't really hang out with anyone, but we do go to the chow hall a few times a week together. They are an interesting group of people....some of them have been here for 2 years. One Army O-5 left this afternoon....she has been here for a total of 54 months since the start of the War. Ummm. I've been here for like 28 days and I can't believe it. She's been here for YEARS!....I am such a pansy. I have a tremendous amount of respect for some of these service men and women. I don't know how they do it.

Most of the people I meet are very nice, but in this environment it's often hard to keep it in check. I am tired a lot, I'm in a strange place, and I'm a Navy Officer being forced to wear an Army uniform for the next year. In short, my Face Punch List is growing. (I promised you all in a previous posting that I would explain the FPL, so here goes.)

The FPL is full of people I think should be, well.... punched in the face. They are usually lazy, selfish, and ignorant....and too obtuse to realize that my amused expression is not really all that friendly. It's a mask over my condescension because sometimes I just can't really believe these morons can function. How do they get to the grocery store? How do they even remember how to brush their teeth? It's defies logic!

I'm not suggesting that I actually punch them in the face, I'm just saying they DESERVE to be punched in the face. I know at least one of us would feel better afterwards.

Okay, on a happier and less acerbic note:

The weather has changed here, and we are definitely experiencing fall. The temps during the days are in the lower 80s, and it's quite cool in the morning. It's pouring rain out right now, if you can believe it. It's supposed to rain for the next 36 hours...which means lots and lots of mud. At least the air quality will be better, right?

I've also started running again, there isn't much else to do here. My friend Holly pushed me towards it, gently nudging me back to the emotional place where I actually wanted to do it again. Inspired by my friends Caren, Steph, the aforementioned Holly, but most importantly my husband Jack I decided to take the plunge again. So far, so good. Camp Victory is great for running....it's wide open and safe. I've signed up for a 5k on Thanksgiving morning, so I'll be doing a Turkey Trot just like lot's of my peeps back home.

Here's a picture of the Palace where I work. Can you believe that I walk in to this building everyday???

On that note...time for sleep!

Monday Number Four

2009-11-09T14:12:00.000-05:00

Another week down. I hosted another visit from folks coming from the US. Lots of helo rides, plane rides and convoys to get to all of our meetings.

I won't say the week flew by, but I am starting to understand the phrase "the days take forever, but the weeks fly by." As I told a friend today, I can't wait to hit my stride so I can wake up one day to realize that 4 months are gone in the blink of an eye.

This is me at the infamous Crossed Sabres parade ground in the International Zone. The day was dusty and hazy, which makes it difficult to see the matching pair of sabres in the distance.

This is also parade ground where Saddam Hussein would work the crowds in to a dither and fire off his rifles in to the air. I imagine at some point it was quite impressive, but years of neglect and non-use make it a shell of what it must have been.

It's in the heart of the IZ and the Iraqi equivalent of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is near by. I'll try to grab a picture of that the next time I am in the area.

Here are some other pictures of my adventures this week....

Helo ride...love it. I love helicopter rides!

I have taken dozens of photographs, but the bandwidth here is so bad that it took almost an hour just to upload these photos. I'll have to figure out how to post them some other way.

More adventures await me this week...can't wait to fill you all in on them down the road....

Monday Number Three

2009-11-02T13:39:00.000-05:00

You know, I was thinking (and maybe, in the interest of mental self preservation, I shouldn't think this way) that while the subject line says I'm on the 3rd Monday, I've really only been in Iraq for less than two weeks. Which means, I have a really long way to go.

I'm pretty good at fooling myself....whenever I run marathons, I trick myself in the same way. I hit mile marker number 22 and I tell myself: just a little over three miles to go, because I know that every step takes me away from that 4 mile demarcation line. I think these sorts of mental tricks are going to come in handy over the next 11+ months.

So, you all might be wondering what it looks like where I live. Well, I thought I'd show you a picture of Dodge City North (left), which is the CHU (Containerized Housing Unit) 'neighborhood' I live in. Our CHU's are also referred to as Hooches. I swear, I am not making this stuff up.

This picture is exactly what it looks like just about everywhere. There are T-walls everywhere you look to protect us from incoming fire. Thankfully, there hasn't been any since I've been here. The little sections that are a further out are 'doorways' in to the space that is set aside for each CHU, which is really just a trailer. With no running water, but they do have electricity and access to wireless internet. The CHU I live in has three side by side rooms design to house two people per room. Again, thankfully, I do not yet have a room mate.My fingers are crossed that it remains that way as long as possible.

As you can see, it's pretty sparse....except for the gravel. It is everywhere. Deep, chunky gravel. It is incredibly irritating. But I'm told I'll appreciate it when it rains, because everywhere else that is just covered in sand with turn in to deep deep muck.

This last week was pretty exciting. I hosted my first delegation from Washington DC, rode in two convoys while driving on the infamous Route Irish on my way out and back to the NEC (New Embassy Compound) in the International Zone. Full Battle Rattle and loaded weapons...these security guys do NOT mess around. So, I guess all that training I went through in South Carolina was really worth it. I was alert, yet comfortable.

Now, sadly, I have settled in to the other "rite of passage" in Baghdad, which is illness. I am battling the Baghdad Crud. It's nothing terminal, but it is strength sapping and irritating. I wish I could crawl in to my big king sized bed back home and sleep for hours. Instead, I have another early wake up call and miles and miles of gravel....

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

2009-10-31T13:58:00.000-04:00

For Halloween this year, (as in allllllll year) I decided to dress up as an Army Captain. Combat boots, uniform, the whole thing. I think it's going well. (Could have something to do with the gun, though.) So far almost NO ONE has realized that I'm really a Navy Lieutenant!

As many of my friends have told me...while you are in Iraq: It's an Army world, you're just living in it. How true, how true.

Speaking of guns, my new holster arrived today. It's one that I can have looped through my belt, under my uniform blouse, with a quick release for putting it on my kevlar vest when I need to get ready in a hurry....woo-hoo!

It's much more practical than the holster that strapped to the side of my thigh. I basically lost the use of the pockets on my right leg because of that damn thing. (We aren't allowed to carry bags in to the dining facility (DFAC) here, and since I only go there on the way to and from work, it was starting to be a pain in the butt not having the use of that storage space.) The only down side is that I no longer resemble Han Solo; my nephew William will think I am the coolest Aunt on the PLANET when he sees that thigh holster.

There is a Halloween party at the Palace tonight, but I have opted to stay in my 'hooch' (no, that's not a dirty word...it's the nickname for the little trailers we all call home) and watch a little college football and surf the web.

If I can ever get some bandwidth, I'll upload some photos and perhaps a video.

Monday Number Two!!

2009-10-26T15:17:00.000-04:00

Well folks, Monday Number Two is in the books...the last week went by in a blur, believe me.

Last Tuesday, I was sitting in the USO in Kuwait having just finished my training evolution for the day when I got an email from LT Tom Gordy, the officer I am relieving. He needed me to call him ASAP as they were moving me out of Kuwait early. After speaking with him and some of the Navy admin folks in Kuwait I rushed back to my tent and had exactly 12 minutes to pack my gear to rush to the military airport so I could report in to Baghdad.

That 12 minute goat rodeo turn in to 20 hours of hell. I got to the airport only to be told that I had been bumped off the flight that I was slated to be on. MILAIR is not like calling the reservations desk at American Airlines. There is a lot of waiting around, and quite frankly the moving of equipment and supplies often trumps the ability to move bodies.

I 'slept' in a chair that night because I kept being told that I needed to be there for roll call every couple of hours just in case I was able to get on a manifest. I was Little Miss Grumpy...full on! Finally, at 9:30 in the morning I was able to secure a seat.

About 90 or so minutes later, I was sitting on a military plane with my back pack on my lap, my IBA and helmet on, ear plugs in....waiting to take off for Baghdad. And waiting. And waiting. Let me tell you folks, it was hot and stuffy on that plane sitting out there on the tarmac. The air is stuffy and smells of jet exhaust and that back pack was just getting heavier and heavier by the second.

We finally took off and aside from the incredibly steep descent in to the airfield, it was uneventful.

Tom met me at the airport and drove me straight to Camp Victory where I will be spending the better part of the next year. Plans changed a bit, so while I will travel in and out of the International Zone, I'll really be based elsewhere.

The first day was a blur, I was tired and for Christ's sake....everything is tan, so it all looks the same! I love khaki as much as the next preppy, but enough is enough, People.

I was placed in a temporary housing trailer, got a few hours sleep that first night and hit the ground running Thursday morning.

As I mentioned earlier, I am the Legislative Affairs Officer for the Commanding General. This means that I will track legislation on the Hill and act as the escort for Congressional, Staff and Governor delegations (for GEN Odierno) when the delegations are here. I am slowly learning the job and I think that I will really enjoy it. I feel a bit like Forrest Gump. I am sitting in meetings with world leaders. I am certainly witnessing history, and in a very small way I am a part of it. Pretty heady stuff.

GEN O is amazing. I've spoken with him a couple of times this week (my desk is about 15 feet from his office)....he is even bigger in person than he seems on TV.

Okay...I have to get some sleep...I'll write more later this week. Can't wait to tell you all about the food and my permanent housing situation.

Monday Number One

2009-10-19T03:24:00.000-04:00

The clock is ticking!!! I have arrived in Kuwait and am now on day number 2 of my 350 day tour.

I woke up at 4am on Saturday to start the long and strange trip to the Middle East. I didn't really wake up as much as I just got up. I slept fitfully and not at all soundly.

Bag drag at 5am, chow, lots of waiting around, and then finally the short ride to the airport. Once we got there, we were surprised by a group of roughly 100 vets and volunteers who came to see us off. Perfect strangers taking time out of their busy lives to make sure we had a friendly face and a handshake or hug before we left the U.S. for the our journey oversees. This is just one example of why America is so great!

We boarded the plane and flew directly to Leipzig, Germany arriving about 8pm EST. We had about 2 hours to stretch our legs and fire up our computers. My time was a little bit shorter because I volunteered to have the first weapons watch on the plane.

I was able to call Jack quickly and fire up facebook for a bit. It's really amazing how restorative a quick conversation via FB can be. It lets you know that no matter where you are in the world, as my good friend Beth Klatwitter said, you really aren't alone.

Back on the plane, I knew I had to get some sleep or I would be in horrid shape once we got to Kuwait. I popped a tylenol pm and fell asleep almost immediatly. It wasn't straight through deep REM, but it was enough over the ensuing 6 hours to ensure that I wasn't entirely comatose when we finally landed in Kuwait at 4am EST.

Nearly 24 hours after I crawled out of bed at Camp McCready in South Carolina I stepped on to the tarmac in Kuwait City. It was like being on another planet. A surprisingly humid, bright and very dusty foreign land. (It became much MUCH drier as we traveled away from the airport which is very close to the coast.) We waited while our bags were unloaded and got on buses for the one hour drive up to Camp Virginia, my home for the next several days. The Navy puts us here so we can have a few days to acclimate to the temperatures and time zone. We have a few briefings to attend the first couple of days and some more training out in the desert at the end of the week, but for the most part no real responsibilities for the next 72 hours.

We are being housed in 60 man tents, but thankfully there are only 29 women in my group so we have a little bit of space. The hike to the Dining Facility, Starbucks, PX and Taco Bell area is about a half mile (I swear they put us as far away as possible on purpose)...there is no internet in the tent area, so anytime I want to fire up my web connection I have to make it out here. That's a blessing today as I am avoiding my cot like the plague. I really need to stay awake all day today so I can sleep through the night tonight.

Not much more to report here...here are a couple of new pictures: The first one is when I stepped off the plane in Kuwait...the second just goes to show that no matter where I am on this planet, I can find a little taste of home.

Packing....

2009-10-16T17:32:00.003-04:00

No more time to dilly-dally folks. I have been packing over the last couple of days and am just about set. I am authorized 4 sea-bags when I leave and with all of the mandatory equipment and gear I've been issued that means I have about 3/4 of one sea-bag that I can fill with my own creature comforts. I am pleasantly surprised by how much crap I am able to stuff in to these things. Good tips and scoop from my shipmates who have gone before me has made the packing list much easier. Besides, Amazon.com ships to Iraq, right?!

It's been cold and rainy here in South Carolina for the last several days and I very glad that my combat boots are waterproof. We did our big Convoy Exercise in the pouring rain, and I must admit...while I was nervous about 'doing all the right things' (meaning: not letting my team get ambushed and killed), I actually had a really good time. The IBA was incredibly heavy after wearing it for several hours and jumping in and out of the HUMVEE and running around in the woods just about did me in. We performed fairly well and I sank in to a deep slumber at the end of the day. (Here's a picture as we got back to base after the exercise.)

By far, though, the highlight of the day was when my entire platoon surprised me by singing Happy Birthday to me. I NEVER in my wildest dreams thought I would spend my birthday in the backwoods of South Carolina, in full body armor, a 9mm strapped to my leg and an M16 in my hands. Very very surreal. (Here's to hoping that I birdie the Road Hole when I play St. Andrews on my next birthday!)

As I stated in my last post, my room mate left and we have spent the last 36 hours finishing up medical tasks and getting our gear in order. We'll be leaving soon, but I can't really say much more than that. There have been moments of extreme anger and deep laughter over the last month. It's been worth it. Every second of it.

Winding Down...

2009-10-13T19:10:00.003-04:00

We have been running at full steam for almost 3 weeks now, it's starting to wear me down. As I am fond of saying: I am irritated.

It was bound to happen at some point. So many people, so many personalities, so little sleep. I have kept to myself most of the day, when possible. It's sort of hard to ignore your shipmates when you are doing convoy and IED training, but I managed not to punch anyone in the face. (I'll explain my Face Punch List at a later date.) A good night's rest and a hot shower should set me right.

I realized while eating dinner (alone, of course) that one of the reasons I am out of sorts is that my room mate leaves tomorrow for her next destination. We've only known each other for 2 weeks, but we hit it off immediately. She's pretty amazing and I know that she is going to be incredibly successful when she gets to her ultimate duty station. We have laughed A LOT.

People are starting to go on to other training and our little group is starting to fall apart. Our forced support group is splintering and the hard reality that we are going forward is setting in; at least with me it is. We still have a few days of training, and then I, too, will get on a plane and head to the Middle East.

I am sooooooo not looking forward to Kuwait, but then again...God willing, next Monday or possibly the Monday after will be Monday Number One. Then I'll only have 47 more until I come home.

Navy Individual Augmentee Combat Training....

2009-10-11T08:24:00.005-04:00

I feel like I am living a different life. The last two weeks have been incredibly challenging, exhausting, exhilarating, frustrating and thrilling all at once. I miss my family, I miss my friends and I really miss my king sized bed.

When I arrived at Camp McCrady, (a small training center on the outskirts of Ft. Jackson in the area of Columbia, South Carolina) I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. The bus ride from Norfolk, VA was uneventful yet long and most of us were just plain ready to get this started.

We were assigned berthing, given our bedding and told to go pick out our ‘rack’. I opened the doors to the barracks and quickly realized that I would be sharing a large room with about 30 other enlisted and officer females. Wow. I was able to find a rack in a quiet corner and set up my stuff.

The first week of training was a lot of briefings and gear issue. Four sea bags later I had enough equipment to last a lifetime on the North Pole. Interestingly enough, I am going to be stationed in Baghdad where the average winter temps are somewhere in the 70s. Hmmm.

Part of the gear we were issued was a Kevlar helmet, weighing approximately 8 pounds and body armor (IBA), which weighs somewhere in the neighborhood of 40-50 pounds. Throw in the full camelback and the M16 and what you have is a sight to behold. Let me tell you folks, it’s heavy. Nearly 50% of my body weight. Right about now I’m really wishing I had taken Coach Debi’s advice about core work outs seriously. Having all of this, plus knee pads (shout out to my Log Cabin peeps), elbow pads is what we call “Battle Rattle”. (I look like a mean ninja killer….except that I have alligator/dinosaur arms because the IBA vest is so big.)

Weapons. We were issued our M16 rifles and M9 pistols and given instructions on how to clear them and clean them. I have had those weapons next to me every second since then, aside from when I was able to sneak away to the Post Exchange to buy a new camera and other necessities. We’ve done all of our weapons training “heavy” (in full battle rattle) and I am proud to say that I qualified on the M16 and was actually able to shoot Expert on the pistol. We were also given training on heavy weapons and we were able to shoot the .50 caliber machine gun. That gun will knock your socks off.

We also trained in first aid, IEDs, and basic cultural awareness. There was much less "white space" than I had heard, but that may be because our Drill Sergeants were able to set up rotating training so that there was really very little down time.

The training that our Cadre has given us has been long, hot and tiring but it’s also been outstanding. Two weeks ago I never would have imagined that I could hold a M16, much less clean it OR shoot a bull’s eye shot on a target 300 yards away while wearing all of the equipment. THAT, my friends, is a testament to how good the training is if you take it seriously.

Anywhooooose, after 3 nights of suffering in the open bay barracks hell with little to no sleep, I won the billeting lottery. Most of the female Lieutenants were moved out of the barracks in to a small ‘dorm’. I now have one roommate (she’s awesome) and even though our muster times are incredibly early (Friday morning’s muster was at 0345) it’s so nice to actually be able to sleep through the night. Incredibly restorative. The only minute downside is that we don’t have an internet connection in this building which is why I haven’t been able to update the blog recently. (When I am able to sneak to one of the common areas to fire up my computer, the bandwidth is so third world that I can't even really upload photos.) Still, it’s more than a fair price to pay.

I really wish I had been able to write daily about what I’ve been doing, I can’t possibly do justice to all of the things I’ve been experiencing. Things that seemed so foreign and out of the ordinary just two weeks ago now roll off my back. I promised myself when I came here I wouldn’t complain out loud and I would be early for everything. So far, I haven’t been able to not grumble a bit here and there, but I have been able to maintain a positive mental outlook most of the time. It has really saved me. There are some people here who have succumbed to the bitterness and they are not pleasant to be around.

Make no mistake: while the training is outstanding, this place sucks. I swear they design it to be so miserable that you actually look forward to being in a war zone. But you know what? This training is also designed to save my life. I have no idea if or how I will be in danger once I get to Iraq, but I truly believe that I know have a good foundation for survival.

At some point in the next few days or weeks I will transition away from South Carolina and over to the Middle East. We are a bit in limbo right now, and further to that I am really not allowed to talk about how or when I will leave here. I'll keep y'all updated once I am able.

Goodbyes and Hellos

2009-09-27T13:08:00.009-04:00

Yesterday, after one week of processing in Norfolk, VA I got on a bus at dawn and headed down to Ft. Jackson, South Carolina (Camp McCrady, to be specific) for two and a half weeks of training.

The last week was a good way to transition away from loved ones towards this new strange military life I will be living for the next year or so.

We were fitted for uniforms, went through endless rounds of medical (where I received every shot known to mankind....even though I already had most of them), got fitted for gas masks and sat through many many many briefs. All in all, it wasn't too bad, but I can certainly think of better ways to spend my time.

My good friend Bill Salvin surprised me in Norfolk for a few hours, as did my twin sister. It was really special to be able to see both of them, even if just for a couple of minutes.

Leila had dropped Conor and Jack off in the morning, so as soon as I was done checking out of the processing center we were able to spend time together as a family. We went to the PX so I could get a few last minute things and then went to the hotel in downtown Norfolk to spend the evening together. Great Mexican food and lots of laughter. I was amazed at my ability to sleep soundly! At 5:20, the wake up call came and it was show time.

When we got back to the processing site, we were delighted to be greeted by a bunch of civilians who had made us goodie bags for the ride. The fact that these folks got out of bed at the crack of dawn to greet us and wish us well was incredibly nice. There was also a group of Harley Davidson riders with American flags greeting us, they also led the caravan as we left the base. What a great send off!

Saying good bye to Conor and Jack was emotional, as I knew it would be....

Conor was great. All smiles and very supportive. He kept asking for groups hugs and was just very upbeat about the whole thing. When it came time to say good bye to Jack, I handed him an envelope with my diamond earrings and my engagement ring. It's been 15 years since I've taken that ring off...it wasn't easy. (There is no way I am parting with the wedding band, though. No way. No how.) Jack and I hugged and quickly said good bye....it was just easier, because I could just tell that we were both about to lose it.

Then I got on the bus and hit the road. 8 hours later, or thereabouts, we arrived at Ft. Jackson. The bus ride really wasn't that bad. I had a good book to read and plenty of time to think.

I thought a lot about how much I love my family, and how lucky I am to have the world's greatest child and husband. They've been with me every step of the way and shown enough humor and levity to make things a lot easier. How lucky am I??

Arriving at Camp McCrady was like stepping back in time. Seriously. This camp is circa 1942, as is the bedding I was issued for my 'rack'. We are living in mixed rank open bay barracks, just like boot camp for those of you who have gone through that. I think I lucked out, as I seem to be on the quiet end of the building. In a stroke of near genius, I packed an eye mask and ear plugs...they came in very handy last night.

I'm still adjusting to everything and am sort of on sensory over load. I'll have more to share tomorrow, once our training starts in earnest.

In-Processing in Norfolk

2009-09-21T20:15:00.003-04:00

Well, the first day of processing is in the books! Lots of briefings, lots of paperwork, and surprisingly...a lot of my questions were answered. Not a bad way to start this whole experience.

I was fitted for new uniforms, because apparently the $5,000.00 worth of uniforms I have in my closet at home aren't the right kind or color. As you all know, I am in the NAVY but today I was fitted for ARMY uniforms. Welcome to the NARMY.

For about 2 blissful moments, there was a good chance that I would be in SMALLS! Then reality set in....it settled in right around my Big Ass Birthing Hips (BABHs) and the gig was up. I officially wear Medium Extra short tops and Medium Short trousers. It was sort of like the opposite effect of shopping at Talbots...where everything has been sized down in order to make us feel better. I don't think anything about the NARMY is designed to make us feel better.

That said, the folks at the Processing Center have been really good. Sure, there is a lot of down time or things that don't pertain to me, but with 200+ people to move through, it's understandable that not all of us will have the same issues. Having done this for several years, these people have it down to a science.

In other bizarre news, all day long I sat next to a super tall super skinny LCDR. Only to find out in the afternoon he is from Fredericksburg!! (Well, not really from there, but he has lived there for the last several years while working at Dahlgren.) I know I'm only a 2 hour drive from home, but still...isn't that strange?

First Day

2009-09-19T06:24:00.002-04:00

I got up at the crack of dawn yesterday to make the 2 hour drive down to Norfolk to start this strange yearlong road trip. I took a shower, put on my uniform, grabbed a cup of coffee, kissed Jack and got in the car. It was all very matter of fact. No drama. No jitters. Just another day. Huge difference from earlier this summer.

Two months ago I was so freaked out about this impending deployment that I couldn't eat or sleep, now I just can't wait to get it started. I'm not saying that I can't wait to leave my friends and family for a year...what I'm saying is that I am soooo ready for this to get started. The anticipation is awful! I want to clock to start ticking already!!!!

I got to the Reserve Center, got my new ID card, went through out-processing and was able to hit the road to drive home by 11am. My first day as an active duty officer was a piece of cake!

Because I only live a couple of hours from Norfolk, I am able to drive home for the weekend. I'll leave to go back late Sunday afternoon to start the week long administrative boondoggle at the Navy Marine Corps Processing Center. Medical, safety briefs, uniform issue...in true Navy fashion, 8 hours of briefings stretched over one week! I'm lucky, actually. There are people flying in who have no where to go this weekend and no rental car...they are stuck and have already said good bye to their friends and family. I get one more weekend. Woo-Hoo!

The last week has been filled with spending time with friends and family, packing, re-packing, crossing things off lists, writing new lists, etc.

Basically, everything I will need for the next year needs to fit in a medium backpack. Isn't that strange? The last year of living alone in Houston has made me more of a minimalist, but still....no loafers? No extra sweater? What do you mean I can't bring any Crazy Pants?

Then I remember that I will be issued endless amounts of gear I will never use...and that I will need to haul that crap from here to Kuwait to Baghdad and back! I've run through too many airport terminals with too heavy carry on bags to repeat that mistake. So I am paring down, big time. Running kit, Kindle, laptop, bathroom kit, jammies, one pair of jeans and a couple of shirts. That's it. I swear.

Anywhooooose, I am okay. Really. I am sleeping well, eating well and not terrible anxious. I may still have a meltdown before I leave, but I'm betting not. I have drawn an enormous amount of strength from Jack and Conor and from my friends and family over the last several weeks; it is sustaining me. It will get me through whatever comes my way. I know it.

Last Day.....

2009-09-10T18:33:00.002-04:00

Today was my last day working for my civilian employer...as if I'll really be able to ignore the emails and meeting notices I get. I am so addicted to my blackberry, it's hard to imagine really letting go of it all.

It was a bitter sweet day, one of many I've had lately. For the last year, I have been a Director for Public Affairs for BP (large oil company) and have loved every single minute of it. When I told my management team that I was being mobilized they worked out a plan that allowed me to come back to Virginia for my last 6 weeks at home. I was able to work out of the DC office, travel for the company, and work from home if it made sense. BRAVO BP for looking out for me! I could not have asked for a better situation. They made it very clear to me that my well being was their primary concern and to take as much time as I needed to get ready for the next year.

I've always had great bosses at this company and I can't wait to work for and with them again. I truly believe that I won the job lottery.

Anywhooose, back to today: As I've made a habit of doing the last several weeks, I finished work, turned in my badge and snuck out the back door. No drama, no speeches, just a graceful and quiet exit.

So, consider this a formal and public apology. I've told many friends and colleagues lately that I will go to lunch, dinner or drinks with them before I leave. Ain't gonna happen, folks. It's getting harder and harder to say So Long, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, Good-bye! (Come on....you had to know that a Sound of Music reference was coming at some point...) I'd rather that we'd all just pretend that I'm going on another work trip....and leave it at that.

Let's save the parties and the hugging for when I get back. Capice?

10 days and counting....

2009-09-08T12:27:00.000-04:00

Well, folks. Here it is. Ten days until I report for active duty with the Navy. It seemed very esoteric a couple of months ago, but reality is starting to settle in.

I know the next several weeks will be challenging beyond any thing I can imagine, but I also know that thousands and thousands of soldiers, airmen, sailors and Marines have done this before me. Many of my friends and Navy colleagues have done this. I can do this.

I will write about my experiences, my observations (many of you know me as a keen people watcher) and, of course, my opinions. My facebook page will stay very active, so please consider this just one more ego-centric platform for me to exploit!

(A special thanks to Patrick Evans for the inspiration for the blog title. His blog, which I followed regularly, was titled 48 Sundays. I hope to continue the great Navy PAO tradition of interesting and fun blogs.)