Friday, October 29, 2004
Court Orders DOD to Stop anthrax shots
Judge rules madatory program 'illegal', says FDA wrongly approved vaccine
A headline in today's Stars & Stripes.
Judge rules madatory program 'illegal', says FDA wrongly approved vaccine
A headline in today's Stars & Stripes.
Tuesday, October 26, 2004
Question
[T]here was a photo in the Time Magazine ... of American soldiers buying cooked food off Iraqis. Have you done this? Where do you usually eat? Mess tent? MRE's? You mentioned rest camps (I think...) in the blog - do you eat MRE's, say, for a week while deployed at a satellite camp, then in to a rest camp for a weekend with hot food, or some such arrangement?
The article stated that the troops preferred fresh food (obviously) to MRE's - I remember this myself from my time in the SADF - I know just how boring and bland MRE's (we called them "ratpacks" - "rations packages") get after a week or even less.
My actual questions are is this actually permitted? Or sensible? We were sometimes offered food when on patrol here which I personally never ate or even smelled at - some of the areas we patrolled in were not necessarily friendly to the Defence Forces and it struck me as the perfect way to get rid of a few troops - what is easier than to poison some food and sell it to them?
...
Come to think of it, how does your rationing (i.e. food supply) work? I am guessing that Iraqi civilians are semi-starving and there is very little food available (but enough to be sold to troops by civilians?) even if you have money - so the US Army must be self sufficient in this?
Answer
When we were in Falluja, and during the first few weeks here in the I Zone, we ate two MRE's a day. We return to our FOB every day/night after our mission, and every FOB has food prepared on site or, in our current situation shipped from a commissary in insulated containers, so we have always had it good.
The situation you suggest is like what the Marines had in Falluja. They would eat nothing but MRE's, and whatever they bought at the PX, on their week long rotations. The just had boxes of MRE's and water next to the revetments in which they slept on the ground with feral dogs. Then for a week they would go back to the FOB. They wouldn't get to relax for a week. There was skills training - including knife fighting, vehicle and weapons maintenance, and physical fitness training.
Lately, we've been getting every meal from a DFAC, which is usually built from a bunch of trailers put together. Where we are now, it's in a permanent building rumored to have been a morgue during the last administration. Even if we have to be out on a mission for the whole day, we have a truck bring us chow, many times from the Al Rasheed. Lane Filler's Desert Dairies series has an article titled, like, "Would you Like Some More Bologna with Your Bologna?" which covers some of what chow is like.
Food supply and preparation is contracted to KBR and other companies. Pretty regularly, we get quality, name brand, products: V8 vegetable juice, Coca Cola soft drinks, Kellogg's cereal, Pop Tart toaster pastries, Power Bar energy bars, Gatorade drink mix, and my favorite, Otis Spunkmier's chocolate, chocolate chip cookies, though they've only had the oatmeal, raisin of late. Milk and ice cream are provided by the Danish Dairy of Kuwait. There's no Madison Avenue on these labels. Whole milk is called 'Full Fat' and 2% is 'Half Cream'. Just like in the US, the taste of Coke varies a lot by origin. The DFAC serves Coke with Arabic writing on it, which is referred to as Hajji Coke. There is also German Coke, Turkish Coke, and American Coke available at the PX and Iraqi stores. To me, Turkish Coke tastes the best.
We can eat at Iraqi restaurants, but we are strongly advised not to. Our command estimates that 50-100 service members per week are becoming ill due to eating food not prepared by US authorized facilities. On our FOB, theres a restaurant which sells mostly chicken and kabobs and has fresh vegetables that are much more appetizing than what we get at the DFAC.
Iraqis seem to eat well; rarely have I seen anyone skinny. I've only seen one malnourished child since I've been here. It was outside the PX, here in the I Zone. I didn't know what to do; I think next time, I'll see if we can go to the hospital and inquire if we can bring them in.
[T]here was a photo in the Time Magazine ... of American soldiers buying cooked food off Iraqis. Have you done this? Where do you usually eat? Mess tent? MRE's? You mentioned rest camps (I think...) in the blog - do you eat MRE's, say, for a week while deployed at a satellite camp, then in to a rest camp for a weekend with hot food, or some such arrangement?
The article stated that the troops preferred fresh food (obviously) to MRE's - I remember this myself from my time in the SADF - I know just how boring and bland MRE's (we called them "ratpacks" - "rations packages") get after a week or even less.
My actual questions are is this actually permitted? Or sensible? We were sometimes offered food when on patrol here which I personally never ate or even smelled at - some of the areas we patrolled in were not necessarily friendly to the Defence Forces and it struck me as the perfect way to get rid of a few troops - what is easier than to poison some food and sell it to them?
...
Come to think of it, how does your rationing (i.e. food supply) work? I am guessing that Iraqi civilians are semi-starving and there is very little food available (but enough to be sold to troops by civilians?) even if you have money - so the US Army must be self sufficient in this?
Answer
When we were in Falluja, and during the first few weeks here in the I Zone, we ate two MRE's a day. We return to our FOB every day/night after our mission, and every FOB has food prepared on site or, in our current situation shipped from a commissary in insulated containers, so we have always had it good.
The situation you suggest is like what the Marines had in Falluja. They would eat nothing but MRE's, and whatever they bought at the PX, on their week long rotations. The just had boxes of MRE's and water next to the revetments in which they slept on the ground with feral dogs. Then for a week they would go back to the FOB. They wouldn't get to relax for a week. There was skills training - including knife fighting, vehicle and weapons maintenance, and physical fitness training.
Lately, we've been getting every meal from a DFAC, which is usually built from a bunch of trailers put together. Where we are now, it's in a permanent building rumored to have been a morgue during the last administration. Even if we have to be out on a mission for the whole day, we have a truck bring us chow, many times from the Al Rasheed. Lane Filler's Desert Dairies series has an article titled, like, "Would you Like Some More Bologna with Your Bologna?" which covers some of what chow is like.
Food supply and preparation is contracted to KBR and other companies. Pretty regularly, we get quality, name brand, products: V8 vegetable juice, Coca Cola soft drinks, Kellogg's cereal, Pop Tart toaster pastries, Power Bar energy bars, Gatorade drink mix, and my favorite, Otis Spunkmier's chocolate, chocolate chip cookies, though they've only had the oatmeal, raisin of late. Milk and ice cream are provided by the Danish Dairy of Kuwait. There's no Madison Avenue on these labels. Whole milk is called 'Full Fat' and 2% is 'Half Cream'. Just like in the US, the taste of Coke varies a lot by origin. The DFAC serves Coke with Arabic writing on it, which is referred to as Hajji Coke. There is also German Coke, Turkish Coke, and American Coke available at the PX and Iraqi stores. To me, Turkish Coke tastes the best.
We can eat at Iraqi restaurants, but we are strongly advised not to. Our command estimates that 50-100 service members per week are becoming ill due to eating food not prepared by US authorized facilities. On our FOB, theres a restaurant which sells mostly chicken and kabobs and has fresh vegetables that are much more appetizing than what we get at the DFAC.
Iraqis seem to eat well; rarely have I seen anyone skinny. I've only seen one malnourished child since I've been here. It was outside the PX, here in the I Zone. I didn't know what to do; I think next time, I'll see if we can go to the hospital and inquire if we can bring them in.
Sunday, October 24, 2004
Here’s an article on the guy who ran Jump Start International. They had sites all over the Green Zone and did a good job, from what I saw. I think their contracts may have ended with the return of Iraq’s sovereignty.
Comment from a Reader
…the folks back home hate the war / disapprove of it, the local US supported government is corrupt and ineffectual, there is no clear exit point or strategy, etc. etc. - guess you get the idea.
I would really appreciate to hear what your think of this [quote]: "If you give a soldier too many verniers and gauges to read during a fight, someone armed much more simply, say, with a stone axe, can easily sneak up on him and bash his head in." - Robert Heinlein
Reply
I think things are going well. Fighting a guerilla war is very difficult. Why does that make it unpopular? I think it's because the goals are abstract. What combat arms calls "movement to contact" is something very easy for our military and something well understood by the American people. I tend to tilt at windmills, so maybe I'm in the minority.
(A bit tangential, but it’s an election year.)
It's funny that American liberals want to put intellectual elites in power to run our own country and make our decisions for us, but if we put them in power here, somehow that's bad. But, I have to take a lesson from the liberals in this area: all things being equal, the more educated someone is, the less likely one is to fight before considering alternatives. There's something to this well rounded business in the American secondary education system: understanding different ways of life and different ways of thinking. The problem is that it has gone too far, as the book, "The Closing of the American Mind", reveals. Understanding has given way to acceptance and if one can't accept certain ideas that are taught, then, obviously, one has not learned and merits a failing grade.
Good quote! That's why I don't use a red dot sight on our current mission. If anything happens, it's going to unfold very quickly and at a close proximity, so there's no time to fool around with one of those things.
…the folks back home hate the war / disapprove of it, the local US supported government is corrupt and ineffectual, there is no clear exit point or strategy, etc. etc. - guess you get the idea.
I would really appreciate to hear what your think of this [quote]: "If you give a soldier too many verniers and gauges to read during a fight, someone armed much more simply, say, with a stone axe, can easily sneak up on him and bash his head in." - Robert Heinlein
Reply
I think things are going well. Fighting a guerilla war is very difficult. Why does that make it unpopular? I think it's because the goals are abstract. What combat arms calls "movement to contact" is something very easy for our military and something well understood by the American people. I tend to tilt at windmills, so maybe I'm in the minority.
(A bit tangential, but it’s an election year.)
It's funny that American liberals want to put intellectual elites in power to run our own country and make our decisions for us, but if we put them in power here, somehow that's bad. But, I have to take a lesson from the liberals in this area: all things being equal, the more educated someone is, the less likely one is to fight before considering alternatives. There's something to this well rounded business in the American secondary education system: understanding different ways of life and different ways of thinking. The problem is that it has gone too far, as the book, "The Closing of the American Mind", reveals. Understanding has given way to acceptance and if one can't accept certain ideas that are taught, then, obviously, one has not learned and merits a failing grade.
Good quote! That's why I don't use a red dot sight on our current mission. If anything happens, it's going to unfold very quickly and at a close proximity, so there's no time to fool around with one of those things.
What is your take on the statement that Iraq is merely "Vietnam-in-the-sand"?
I don't think so. Casualties are very low compared to other conflicts and we are making progress. The "Iraqization" of the armed forces is coming along and I think we will prevail - as long as Kerry doesn't win. The Bush campaign has been criticized for making an issue of it, but the terrorists do want Kerry to win. That's just how it is. What intellectually honest person can argue with that?
I don't think so. Casualties are very low compared to other conflicts and we are making progress. The "Iraqization" of the armed forces is coming along and I think we will prevail - as long as Kerry doesn't win. The Bush campaign has been criticized for making an issue of it, but the terrorists do want Kerry to win. That's just how it is. What intellectually honest person can argue with that?
Comment from Reader
I think Bush is going to loose. You probably didn't watch the recent debate? I read a synopsis in Time and it seems Bush couldn't quite defend his actions (especially in Iraq) as well as Kerry could attack them.
Reply
I hope Bush wins. This war on terror, as he said from the beginning, is going to be long and hard. I don't think Americans can stomach it. Our Code of Conduct states, "I am an American Soldier, serving in the forces which guard my country and, our way of life. I am prepared to give my life in their defense." The "our way of life" sticks in my craw. Americans are a very spoiled: they want their freedoms and their consumer goods and anything that threatens either is anathema, so many times, inaction is the preferred choice.
I think Bush is going to loose. You probably didn't watch the recent debate? I read a synopsis in Time and it seems Bush couldn't quite defend his actions (especially in Iraq) as well as Kerry could attack them.
Reply
I hope Bush wins. This war on terror, as he said from the beginning, is going to be long and hard. I don't think Americans can stomach it. Our Code of Conduct states, "I am an American Soldier, serving in the forces which guard my country and, our way of life. I am prepared to give my life in their defense." The "our way of life" sticks in my craw. Americans are a very spoiled: they want their freedoms and their consumer goods and anything that threatens either is anathema, so many times, inaction is the preferred choice.
Questions from a Reader
Q What's your take on the whole war?
A I think we are doing a good job in general, but, as you know, winning the peace is much harder than winning a war. We are trying to finesse it a bit too much.
Q You seem to come out pro-Bush and pro-war in your blog - is this assumption correct?
A Yes, I voted for President Bush and I think our being here is a good idea.
Q I have seen many photos and looked for M-16's but what are those small guns with the telescoping-looking stock? It looks almost like the Colt Commando - i.e. 5.56 NATO, but the stock and handgrip looks different as well as the flash-hider on the barrel. Or is it an M-16 variant? It seems to have a separate gas tube below the barrel that on the M-16 is above the barrel?
A Those are M-4's there are an M-16 variant as you suggest. The receiver is all the same; the gas tube is in the same place, just shorter.
Q What rifles do you guys carry?
A We carry the M-4, the M-16 w/ M203 grenade launcher, and the M249 SAW.
Q: [The SAW is the] Squad Automatic Weapon, right? It looks a -lot- like the Belgian FN 5.56 "Minimi" - is this correct or is it an indigenous American developed weapon?
A: Yes, it's the Belgian design, though it might be made in the US. I had a SAW, which I found deceptively heavy, for a while but traded it in for an M4. Having one machine gun, the .50, is enough for me.
Q What's your take on the whole war?
A I think we are doing a good job in general, but, as you know, winning the peace is much harder than winning a war. We are trying to finesse it a bit too much.
Q You seem to come out pro-Bush and pro-war in your blog - is this assumption correct?
A Yes, I voted for President Bush and I think our being here is a good idea.
Q I have seen many photos and looked for M-16's but what are those small guns with the telescoping-looking stock? It looks almost like the Colt Commando - i.e. 5.56 NATO, but the stock and handgrip looks different as well as the flash-hider on the barrel. Or is it an M-16 variant? It seems to have a separate gas tube below the barrel that on the M-16 is above the barrel?
A Those are M-4's there are an M-16 variant as you suggest. The receiver is all the same; the gas tube is in the same place, just shorter.
Q What rifles do you guys carry?
A We carry the M-4, the M-16 w/ M203 grenade launcher, and the M249 SAW.
Q: [The SAW is the] Squad Automatic Weapon, right? It looks a -lot- like the Belgian FN 5.56 "Minimi" - is this correct or is it an indigenous American developed weapon?
A: Yes, it's the Belgian design, though it might be made in the US. I had a SAW, which I found deceptively heavy, for a while but traded it in for an M4. Having one machine gun, the .50, is enough for me.
Friday, October 22, 2004
We’ve Reached Critical Mass
At dinner, the Commander asked for a link to my site; he said he heard there were some good stories on it. That dashed my hopes that I had just slipped up and mentioned the site off hand to someone and that no one had actually seen it. After chow, I asked Harold if he knew about it, he said a lot of people did. I asked my roommate about it and he said he just heard about it today. When I asked who told him, he said he just heard someone quip, “I better watch what I say or I’ll end up on Judge’s website.” People here say I should just keep on writing it, but I can’t write it the same. A friend said I should have used a pseudonym…
At dinner, the Commander asked for a link to my site; he said he heard there were some good stories on it. That dashed my hopes that I had just slipped up and mentioned the site off hand to someone and that no one had actually seen it. After chow, I asked Harold if he knew about it, he said a lot of people did. I asked my roommate about it and he said he just heard about it today. When I asked who told him, he said he just heard someone quip, “I better watch what I say or I’ll end up on Judge’s website.” People here say I should just keep on writing it, but I can’t write it the same. A friend said I should have used a pseudonym…
Thursday, October 21, 2004
One Soldier answered this question in a perpetual context: I gave up my job; I gave up my family...
Tuesday, October 19, 2004
I've Been Outed
Well, just a couple of posts after I quote a DoD spokeswoman about how I can say any darn thing I want, somebody in the unit has found out I have a blog. Right now, it’s a rumor, but I’m sure people will find it soon. This is not a big deal, I’ll continue writing, but I can’t be as brutally honest as I was going to be.
Before, when it was just you and me, dear reader, there was complete anonymity; I was letting you all on the inside and anything critical I said wasn’t personal, it was just an abstract story about the deployment and what it’s like. But now our new viewers will know exactly who I am talking about and that’s not fair to them. So, no stories about the Wolf and no stories that might embarrass people.
Well, just a couple of posts after I quote a DoD spokeswoman about how I can say any darn thing I want, somebody in the unit has found out I have a blog. Right now, it’s a rumor, but I’m sure people will find it soon. This is not a big deal, I’ll continue writing, but I can’t be as brutally honest as I was going to be.
Before, when it was just you and me, dear reader, there was complete anonymity; I was letting you all on the inside and anything critical I said wasn’t personal, it was just an abstract story about the deployment and what it’s like. But now our new viewers will know exactly who I am talking about and that’s not fair to them. So, no stories about the Wolf and no stories that might embarrass people.
Sunday, October 17, 2004
Some KBR employees on their way to the pitch.
Sing along! "And it's 1 - 2 - 3..."
Dates
September 8th: Six months down, six months to go. Someone posted a note: “Happy mid deployment day. You are now officially a short timer.”
September 11th: The company held a short memorial service and someone wrote on the message board “September 11th - We will never forget.”
September 12th: Several attacks in and around the International Zone. Another guy and I had the first shift guarding an internal opening in the wall that morning. I looked at him with a grin and said, “We are going to get smoked.”
September 22: The Autumnal Equinox. It’s been getting cooler at night, but it was 112 F the other day. September 22: The Autumnal Equinox. It’s been getting cooler at night, but it was 112 F the other day. GQ said that this was not normal, but eventually, it will get cool and cloudy.
October 1st: Daylight savings time ended. This seems to make the evenings even longer. It’s also a hassle because after dark, we need to take along a “battle buddy” whenever we go somewhere, including the DFAC and the internet.
October 8th: Seven down, five to go.
October 14th: Two bombs explode here, in the International (I) Zone. These are the first bombs go off in the I Zone, though we receive regular rocket and mortar attacks as well as car bombs going off at the checkpoints.
October 15th: Ramadan begins. Our Chaplain did a briefing on this. You could tell he was the real deal, using terms like "faith groups"
October 16th: We went to the PX and found out that it, along with the MWR, is closed until further notice. The PX and MWR, as well as the café and bazaar which were bombed are not on a FOB or other controlled area. I guess they will put up a fence and limit access.
We received the First Cavalry Division patch.
Their chaplain – not their commander or command sergeant major (CSM) presented it to us; this was no accident. We made bets on who would be the first to wear theirs. The front runner dropped his uniform off first, but another guy sewed his on himself. So far, only those two have worn theirs. The 1st Cavalry Division isn’t the same as the Airmobile, “We Were Soldiers”, Viet Nam days; now they are like another Armored Division. Most of us want to wear the 1st Marine Division patch and though we have permission from the Marines to wear it, we still need permission from the Army. A few weeks later we are told that no one should have a combat patch on until we return to the US and if we had to pay to get it removed and have the American Flag (which it displaces) resewn, we should take the cost out of our incidental allowance. Advising us to spend our $3.50 per diem incidental expense allowance to fix the problem is another way of saying somebody screwed up, but there’s not going to be accountability for it.
September 8th: Six months down, six months to go. Someone posted a note: “Happy mid deployment day. You are now officially a short timer.”
September 11th: The company held a short memorial service and someone wrote on the message board “September 11th - We will never forget.”
September 12th: Several attacks in and around the International Zone. Another guy and I had the first shift guarding an internal opening in the wall that morning. I looked at him with a grin and said, “We are going to get smoked.”
September 22: The Autumnal Equinox. It’s been getting cooler at night, but it was 112 F the other day. September 22: The Autumnal Equinox. It’s been getting cooler at night, but it was 112 F the other day. GQ said that this was not normal, but eventually, it will get cool and cloudy.
October 1st: Daylight savings time ended. This seems to make the evenings even longer. It’s also a hassle because after dark, we need to take along a “battle buddy” whenever we go somewhere, including the DFAC and the internet.
October 8th: Seven down, five to go.
October 14th: Two bombs explode here, in the International (I) Zone. These are the first bombs go off in the I Zone, though we receive regular rocket and mortar attacks as well as car bombs going off at the checkpoints.
October 15th: Ramadan begins. Our Chaplain did a briefing on this. You could tell he was the real deal, using terms like "faith groups"
October 16th: We went to the PX and found out that it, along with the MWR, is closed until further notice. The PX and MWR, as well as the café and bazaar which were bombed are not on a FOB or other controlled area. I guess they will put up a fence and limit access.
We received the First Cavalry Division patch.
Their chaplain – not their commander or command sergeant major (CSM) presented it to us; this was no accident. We made bets on who would be the first to wear theirs. The front runner dropped his uniform off first, but another guy sewed his on himself. So far, only those two have worn theirs. The 1st Cavalry Division isn’t the same as the Airmobile, “We Were Soldiers”, Viet Nam days; now they are like another Armored Division. Most of us want to wear the 1st Marine Division patch and though we have permission from the Marines to wear it, we still need permission from the Army. A few weeks later we are told that no one should have a combat patch on until we return to the US and if we had to pay to get it removed and have the American Flag (which it displaces) resewn, we should take the cost out of our incidental allowance. Advising us to spend our $3.50 per diem incidental expense allowance to fix the problem is another way of saying somebody screwed up, but there’s not going to be accountability for it.
Friday, October 15, 2004
KBR employees load some salvaged equipment on a truck. I advised a nearby Soldier not to help as he could be charged with looting per the Geneva Convention.
I Almost Asked to Drive
The gunner/driver rotation went by the wayside so after it was enacted as the rest of my truck went on leave. I prefer to gun anyway; you get to see everything going on. Driving is done with the windows up, so not only are you limited in what you can see, you also can’t hear the sounds of the place, like music and kids yelling as you drive by.
But the other day, I seriously thought about asking to drive. Our "plus up" (a substitute for a Soldier who is on leave, detail, or sick call) made me nervous taking turns in our top heavy vehicle. After driving for many years, I’ve learned to be smooth, saving the clutch, brakes, and tires, fuel, and passenger’s drinks. But with what we do, it’s gas – brakes – gas – brakes. The younger guys, of course, excel at this. I decided not to ask to drive because once you give up your spot like that you can find someone else in the turret, with the TC saying, "Oh, I thought you liekd to drive."
At the end of the mission, we rolled up to the FOB gate and the Cav gate guards decided to institute a rule having all gun turrets point to the right. Since they were such stylish people, they decided to be subtle with their instructional signals, like a third base coach telling me to bunt. When I wasn’t getting it, the gate guard standing next to the vehicle yelled, "Turn your turret to the right!" I complied, and then our driver put the vehicle in neutral, gunned the engine. The up armored humvee has a turbo charged 6.5 liter diesel with an exhaust output like a leaf blower, so the guy who yelled at me got covered in dirt. I’m glad I didn’t ask to drive, I never would have thought to do that!
The gunner/driver rotation went by the wayside so after it was enacted as the rest of my truck went on leave. I prefer to gun anyway; you get to see everything going on. Driving is done with the windows up, so not only are you limited in what you can see, you also can’t hear the sounds of the place, like music and kids yelling as you drive by.
But the other day, I seriously thought about asking to drive. Our "plus up" (a substitute for a Soldier who is on leave, detail, or sick call) made me nervous taking turns in our top heavy vehicle. After driving for many years, I’ve learned to be smooth, saving the clutch, brakes, and tires, fuel, and passenger’s drinks. But with what we do, it’s gas – brakes – gas – brakes. The younger guys, of course, excel at this. I decided not to ask to drive because once you give up your spot like that you can find someone else in the turret, with the TC saying, "Oh, I thought you liekd to drive."
At the end of the mission, we rolled up to the FOB gate and the Cav gate guards decided to institute a rule having all gun turrets point to the right. Since they were such stylish people, they decided to be subtle with their instructional signals, like a third base coach telling me to bunt. When I wasn’t getting it, the gate guard standing next to the vehicle yelled, "Turn your turret to the right!" I complied, and then our driver put the vehicle in neutral, gunned the engine. The up armored humvee has a turbo charged 6.5 liter diesel with an exhaust output like a leaf blower, so the guy who yelled at me got covered in dirt. I’m glad I didn’t ask to drive, I never would have thought to do that!
Wednesday, October 13, 2004
I received the DVD of our television interview.
I’ve watched it about ten times so far, and since there’s no need to watch it alone, I get others to watch it with me.
Colin: “Lance, come watch the video.”
Lance: “I saw it on the internet.”
Colin: “Yes, but it didn’t have sound.”
Lance: “Yes, it did.”
Colin: “Get in here!”
Everyone howled when Mary and I kissed and many of the guys wanted more information on Alicia.
Stars and Stripes Article on Blogs
Cheryl Irwin, a Defense Department spokeswoman stated, “They have every right under the First Amendment to say any darn thing they want to say unless they reveal classified information, and then it becomes an issue as a security violation.” I’m going to open things up a bit more. You’ll be hearing about a guy we call “The Wolf” as well as other tales. Stars & Stripes is published by the DoD, but there’s not much of a slant either way. Most articles are from the AP, as well as the Washington Post. Stars & Stripes reporters do a few human interest stories on deployed troops.
KBR Delivers
When we were in an isolated area on an expansive FOB, visits to the ice trailer were a chore. One day the KBR guys rolled up to our company area in their articulating lorry and started handing out bags of ice. They said they were in danger of having their contract cut back and had to show FOB management that there was indeed a demand. So they took their business on the road and demonstrated they could easily empty a load of ice.
KBR also provides laundry service. Most of the guys in my building prefer to do laundry in our washing machine and line dry it. This results in people knocking on every door asking, “Is that your stuff in the washing machine?” I like the KBR laundry; they wash, dry, and fold. It’s no problem finding a laundry drop off point on any particular FOB, there are signs stating, “Free Laundry”.
I’ve watched it about ten times so far, and since there’s no need to watch it alone, I get others to watch it with me.
Colin: “Lance, come watch the video.”
Lance: “I saw it on the internet.”
Colin: “Yes, but it didn’t have sound.”
Lance: “Yes, it did.”
Colin: “Get in here!”
Everyone howled when Mary and I kissed and many of the guys wanted more information on Alicia.
Stars and Stripes Article on Blogs
Cheryl Irwin, a Defense Department spokeswoman stated, “They have every right under the First Amendment to say any darn thing they want to say unless they reveal classified information, and then it becomes an issue as a security violation.” I’m going to open things up a bit more. You’ll be hearing about a guy we call “The Wolf” as well as other tales. Stars & Stripes is published by the DoD, but there’s not much of a slant either way. Most articles are from the AP, as well as the Washington Post. Stars & Stripes reporters do a few human interest stories on deployed troops.
KBR Delivers
When we were in an isolated area on an expansive FOB, visits to the ice trailer were a chore. One day the KBR guys rolled up to our company area in their articulating lorry and started handing out bags of ice. They said they were in danger of having their contract cut back and had to show FOB management that there was indeed a demand. So they took their business on the road and demonstrated they could easily empty a load of ice.
KBR also provides laundry service. Most of the guys in my building prefer to do laundry in our washing machine and line dry it. This results in people knocking on every door asking, “Is that your stuff in the washing machine?” I like the KBR laundry; they wash, dry, and fold. It’s no problem finding a laundry drop off point on any particular FOB, there are signs stating, “Free Laundry”.
Clothesline
Washing machine in water closet.
