Some intial impressions
Dear Reader, this blog did not exist before September 2006. What follows is an email I sent my family on the day this post is showing.
We’ve flown into our new home here in Iraq, and we’ve begun to scope out the landscape. Some observations:
- The camp we are at is relatively safe. In the last year, they’ve had only three rockets launched at them, and only one of those rockets actually exploded in the compound. The second was a dud and the other failed to even reach the fence line.
- They don’t have much in the way of American-style amenities. There’s a small PX, and Hajji-mart similar to a 7-11, and that’s about it. (Hajji-mart - a store run by “Hajji’s”, a term used by American soldiers for all Arabs - including the bad ones. The term is derived from the Arabic word “hajj” which is the pilgrimage to Mecca. Any Muslim having completed the hajj is a hajji. Of course, we Americans don’t think about that - it just reminds us of the Indian kid with the turban in the Johnny Quest cartoon. Often you’ll hear soldiers refer to insurgents/terrorists as simply “Hajj”, as if it’s their proper name. Example - “On the way back to camp, Hajj took a pot-shot at us from the village.”) There’s talk of a Subway coming in, but that hasn’t materialized yet. Compared to what we had while we were in Kuwait, that’s some slim pickings.
- On the up side, we expect to have small rooms of our own soon - including Internet connection (which I’ll have to pay for).
A couple of the more affluent guys are actually buying big, thick gold jewelry over here - and it’s not for their wives. Frankly, I just can’t see walking around the Middle East with $1400 in 22k gold hanging off your wrist. You are asking to lose it, or having someone lose it for you. Besides, we’ve been told by more than one OIF veteran to keep the jewelry to a minimum because it can get caught up in things you don’t want it caught in, during situations you really don’t want anything holding you back.
While we were still in Camp Buerhing, Kuwait, the camp had a “bazaar” in a big tent. Basically, it was a hajji swap meet. Every little touristy trinket you could imagine was there, plus clothes I couldn’t imagine anyone I know would wear, the usual computer and electronics gear from companies you never heard of, and t-shirts with lame slogans. Thankfully, none of it included a Calvin cartoon pissing on something or someone. I guess they haven’t picked that up yet.
The flight up here was rather interesting. The aircraft was an Air Force C130, in which you ride backwards in these webbed jump seats (not particularly comfortable). We had to wear our helmet and body armor (IBA) for the final approach, in case someone took a shot at us. Nice. Thankfully, it was uneventful.
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