Needless to say, still in Iraq. Almost a month deployed.... 11 to go. Somebody gave me an excel file the other day, it's called the Missery Meter, where you plug in the date you deployed, the length of the deployment, how much you make a month, and then breaks it down. It tells you how long you've been deployed in days, hours, minutes and even seconds. It also tells you how long you got left in the same way. At the time I write this, I got aprox. 29,213,832 seconds left in this deployment! I'm moving right along with a solid 2,379,767 seconds deployed! Take that TITI and your lame day by day countdown! (just kidding, you know I love you!). The meter also breaks down how I make my money... which is probably why it's a MISERY meter. Taking into consideration that I dont get to go "home" every night, and that I also work 7 days a week. I currently make just over $6/hr (assuming I work a 24 hr day, it's an Army thing... I'm a Soldier 24/7 kinda deal). My lowest ranking Soldier probably makes somewhere in the $3 to $4/hr vicinity. I know Felipe primo probably makes somewhere in this ballpark!
Today was maintenance day, which means we got sort of a break. We the most badass set of vehicles in our batallion, mostly because of the nature of our job. We set the route... nobody drives anywhere without us going first. We set our own schedule and other companies adjust to that. Can't really talk specifics about the vehicles on an open blog, for obvious reasons, but know that they are the best the Army's got to offer. We're currently working with some new technologies that supposedly work better in this counter-insurgency type of war we got ourselves in.
I finally got some pictures, although they aren't very special. Our AO (area of operations) is in what used to be a marsh. It's right by the Tigris (one of the olders rivers in the world kinda deal). From all the classes that i've taken on this area and culture and what not, I can tell you from memory that the population has gone down from 400,000 to just under 20,000 in less than 80 years. The place is pretty much a big dump, literally, trash everywhere. I think that's what we're trying to help with the most. Providing some sort of sewer system, hospitals, roads, water, electricity... they need a lot of help... it's sad. And they call this the birthplace of civilization (if you ask me, I think civilization moved out when he was old enouth to live on his own).
Pictures... ok. That's all I got for now. Oh, thanks for the care packages. I got the rum cakes and the trail mix Titi sent. I kept the rum cakes to myself and gave the trail mix away to my Soldiers (not really, but it sounds funny). I think we get packages once a week or something like that. I'll post next time something comes in. I know there's other stuff on the way... i.e. coffee! Either way, thank you, thank you, thank you. Really appreciate it!
I'm posting this one for a reason. Gotta love the earpiece coming from my mp3 player discretely to my right ear :)
Last picture of the day. My internet is not the fastest, and it takes a pretty long time per picture. But this one will give you a good idea of what I'm looking at every time I roll out. It's a dessert with some grassy spots and smells like shit everywhere. One last thing. Because of the heat and also because there aren't any barbershops out here, I decided to buzz my head. My guys have had a good time making fun of my new look... I keep telling myself they only do this because they like me, but i'm starting to have second thoughts! (just kidding).
Well... like my blog-mentor told me, I can finish my blogs any way I want. Till next time. Thank you, come again (with an Apu accent, from the Simpsons)
