First Time Out of the Pond

Well its is now 7am on the 8th and I am posting about what has happened on yesterday. Well I went in at midnight and as was well for only having a few hours of sleep and then morning came and one of our techs was going out to a site that has been down for a 2 days now. Well I was suppose to go out in the field today, but internal conflict has pushed that back but before I knew that I thought it would be better for me to get my feet wet the day before rather than be thrusted into the field just like that. Besides I would be going with a tech to do the work not going by myself.

First there was the briefing in which the our security leader explained the travel route for the job ahead. He began explaining the exits and entrances to our location and the passenger seating arrangement. The he went into explaining the actions taken if one of our vehicles are disabled. First we would try to fix it if possible and if that wasn't possible then we would commandeer a vehicle from a LN (local national). Which believe it or not is within the guidelines of what we can and can not do. If it gets to a point that we can not get out we have the right to take a car from someone driving by to escape. The interesting thing about this is the Iraqi who just lost there automobile can report to there point of contact (I believe its the minister of transportation) and then receive that car back fixed for free, or get a brand new car on our dime (ours being the US tax payers).

I was a little bit nervous at first and didn't know what to expect. The site I went to was Dawodi which only happens to be 4 miles away from where we are, but it is worlds apart when you leave past ECP1 (exit control points) or Check Point 1 is what you may here on the news. That is the Gate from airport to the other side heading to Baghdad. I will admit I was somewhat in amazement not because I like the risk or wish for imminent life threatening situations, but because all of the Iraqi people were carrying on like there wasn't anything to worry about. There were women driving their kids to school (or what it looked like anyway) people driving to work, carpooling, driving alone you name it. I was in complete disbelief that I was in the same universe that they were in. Here I am in my vest along with everyone in the car with 8 armed security personnel with fully automatic weapons ready to take on anything that came their way. All the while here were other people that lived in this situation everyday with no protection for them other that their belief in their savior.

After a very quick drive up the highway, which looked like any other normal highway, we quickly exited onto a side street where the sidewalks were poorly maintained and there was trash all over the place. Rock and debris cover parts of the street making them hazards to go around. Not many people covered the streets which made it very eerie to drive down just to think what could happen. My eyes were wide open and I looked in every direction for something or someone suspicious. When we got there we had to wait for them to open the gate which only intensified my anxiety (if that is the right word to use). Once inside our security detail spread out and covered the area and there were at least 2 guys within 10 feet of us at all times. We were surrounded by a ten foot wall which made me feel a little bit more secure.

Once we got started I soon learned what I already knew, when it comes to something that involves a computer I can do it. We sat there for longer than I would have wished, but it was because of my instructor that we did. I personally would have left an hour or 2 before we actually did, but that's just me. As much as I have gone thru trouble shooting with computers, Xboxes and everything else electronic I know when to say when. You can only beat your head on the wall so many times before you knock yourself out.

I can't even imagine what it would be like to live under a gun for most of my life. And the worst part about it is to think that there was someone in a car ready to kill someone all for what they believe in and to die trying, or kill themselves to obtain that goal. And again all the while normal everyday people go to work, school, or whatever they do knowing full well that they may be at the receiving end of an insurgent attack. Casualties of war is what they call it. Pardon me for saying so, but there just isn't any other way to describe it other than it's a damn shame. None the less I made it there and back and as much as my fam does not want me to leave the safety of my cave (nor do I) I will be leaving again to do more work outside the BIAP. Have faith in the MAN above and stay prayerful.

Love Always,

K3