There are few times in your life you will get a standing ovation, unless of course you are in the entertainment business. The morning after my arrival to FOB Caldwell my analysts and I walking out of the S2 office shortly after everybody else on staff had arrived. There was an immediate shout of "that's the patch we want to see!"
Followed by everyone in the operations center getting up and clapping. You have to love moments like that. They were not cheering me, I realize that, but these tired soldiers were cheering the concept my two analysts and I represent...freedom from the Hell that is a year long deployment.
Flew into Iraq in usual glorious fashion on a C-130 crewed by the Flying Vikings. Not sure how the Vikings of old would feel about their name being used by a group of what is essentially a flying bus service. Flying Greyhounds would make more sense...and be a bit more amusing.
Landed at one of the massive bases in Iraq and then after a short time boarded a "Catfish Air" Blackhawk flight that would take me and my two guys on a ring route to multiple smaller FOBs to our final destination at FOB Caldwell in between the cities of Balad Ruz and Mandali. Unfortunately, it was night so I couldn't see too much from the Blackhawk, although illumination was pretty good. I also grabbed the worst spot on the bird...rear right. Stupid prop blast.
Currently chilling at COP Cobra in between Sadiyah and Jalula checking out how the unit here conducts operations before I (hopefully) head back to Caldwell and greet the rest of my Squadron as they arrive.
I've missed riding hatch in a Stryker seeing a whole other world close up. Even saw the mountains of Iran today. How many people can say that?
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