Raining Fire

Yesterday was a very interesting day. One of our contractor helos took off from our LZ and just started to head out when the external fuel tank erupted in flames. It may have been shot at by a sniper or something.
Well the quick thinking Russian chopper pilot cut the tank loose right over the edge of our camp. so it was literally raining fire yesterday. when the fuel tank hit the ground, it went off like a roman candle and we all thought the whole chopper went down.
Almost landed on our heads.
Nobody injured, so that was a good day.
We are working so much and there is so much action here, that we all barely get any sleep anymore.
We're all stoked up on 'Rip-Its' for the caffeine rush, we all drink about 10 of them a day, but it is tearing me up inside.
I go from feeling like there is a brick on my stomach, to the other extreme, which is unmentionable.
I am still walking all day long, marching and hiking between camps through the desert. It sucks.
This desert heat here is nothing like Baghdad was, it is more unforgiving, and will eat you alive and the wind will blow sand over you when you drop. I keep thinking that all the sand here should really be in China by now for as much as the wind blows it through the air.
My feet are swelling, hurting, and getting any and all kinds of athletes foot (Yes, I know, too much information, but this is my sounding board here, danggummit!). I spray every chance I get to keep it to a minimum, but some guys are really stupid; they don't take care of there feet at all.
Many have to get their toenails yanked off when the leave here from the extent of their infections.
We are now sharing a very severe bronchial infection that has run through the camp. It is pretty serious, men are dropping out (passing out) and ending up in the Cash (combat area support hospital).
Last month it was pinkeye, affecting half the camp.
Luckily, I did not get that one.

So far this summer, we have had 3 heart attacks, 1 stroke, and over 20 heat strokes from healthy men of all ages. A few marines have dropped out from the heat too.

They tried serving us ice cream a few times and it was more like soup when we got it, but we all appreciate the efforts

I am missing ice and cold drinks so badly that I have taken to using the scraps of ice they have at the lunch line to keep the veggies from spoiling. It is non-potable, but I just don't give a crap anymore. there is nothing better than a cold Coke after walking about 10 miles in 120 degree heat. I'm pretty sure I'll be taking antibiotics for that when I get home. lol

Well, thats about it. More to come.

Summer in the Desert

HI everyone.

Sorry I have not written in a while, but it has been hectic over here. We have gone from a little hole in the desert to this base becoming a small city with over ten thousand soldiers.

The temperatures get up to about 120 degrees in the daytime, but the nights are almost human, coming in at about 100.

We had one day of overcast skies and the temp hovered under 100, so we all had to pull out our mountain gear and put on the Gore-Tex. I mean we were shivering!!! BRRRR!!!

The winds have died down over the last month; even the wind is smart enough to stay out of the heat.

All week long the choppers we use have been crashing. 3 this week alone. 'No indication of enemy fire'..., read between the lines.

The food goes from being moderately stale, to absolutely adobe brick. I have been thinking for a week about Chicago pizza when I come home in 2 weeks. I cannot wait for some real food. Sometimes they have decent chow at the DFAC, but that is not too often. We stand in line outside in the sun waiting to get in for about a half an hour at every meal.

I have been watching many rocket launches going into the mountains, and I have to admit, it is an adrenaline rush just hearing it and seeing it.

We still are sleeping in a group tent on cots, and we hear constant choppers, howitzer cannons shelling outbound, and a few sporadic small arms fire outside the gates. I will not be able to sleep when I get home without all the noise.

I still laugh when a new guy comes in, because they are always terrified when they hear the first bomb go off. LIke deer in the headlights. We had a few pops tonight, and a couple of 'tough-guys' started talking about de-mobing (Going home). The funny part of it was the shells were outbound, not inbound, so there was no danger, just a lot of noise.

Nothing like a good mortar attack to take all of the testosterone out of those kind of guys. Big shots!

Hmmph!

8 more days then I get to lay on the beach in Dubai for 5 days and come home.

I cannot wait. but I will probably have to bring my jacket.

More later.