Left Behind

So I got left behind on the current mission for my squad. I was supposed to be sent to Baghdad for a while but that plan was changed. Have to admit I was a bit annoyed as it made the reason for being left behind a bit pointless. However, it has given me more time than usual to work on my Public Affairs duties which until this point have been largely neglected having taken a back seat to truck driving.

Not much going on in this little corner of the world. The unit is quite busy with missions, our motor pool currently almost empty and quite the contrast to our sister units'. I've been busy as well. In addition to smaller tasks around the company area I've been working on news videos and written reports. Currently I am about 1/8 of the way done with a 20-minute or so video for KIMT, should they want it, that I will also be posting on here (although slightly edited to be different from the KIMT version). By far this is the most extensive video project I have done to date but the efforts will be well worth it even if only 1 person ever watches it. From what I have been told from quite a number of sources back home the unit has pretty much dropped from the media radar. I'm not surprised as I heard through the grapevine that this being our second tour we are no longer news-worthy. Can't say that surprises me given the results of the embedment idea back in '06.

I had an interesting experience on my last mission. After using the computer to check some email at one of the bases we frequent I went to the smoking area (yes Sweetie, I am working on quitting) and found it was already occupied by four nationals and a US service member. I couldn't follow the entire conversation the nationals were having, but given the speed of their speech, facial expressions, hand gestures, and a few of the words I do know in Arabic I would have to say they were comparing the conditions of different towns in Iraq. Turns out they were all Iraqi military (some current, some former) and chatted with me for a while as well as our partial knowledge of each other's languages went.

It was a fun conversation! Turns out at least some Iraqi enlisted members dislike officers just as much as their American counter-parts. Also, like most soldiers, each had his own reason for enlisting but we were all united by a common desire to serve our respective countries. Overall it was a nice chance at some cultural exchange. Found out they preferred cigarettes from London over ones from Syria. They were also impressed when I greeted and parted from them per their customs over our American ones...thank goodness for "The Middle East for Dummies" as they weren't things I learned from the military before deployment. With luck before I return to the States I'll be able to talk with those gentlemen again as interacting with the Iraqis isn't something I often have the chance to do, much less with my counter-parts.

On a closing note, and purely for personal reasons, if anyone out there knows where I can get a motorcycle trike (manufacturer not essential) please use the "Contact Me" link and drop me a line...oh, and if anyone reads this who knows my parents, don't tell them I'm looking. ;)

Everyone be safe.

~~~