You know, I didn't think it could get any hotter than Iraq, but, oh no, I was wrong! Yesterday we had a heat index of 126 degrees! I just can't get enough water. I feel really sorry for the guys who are on the flight deck in this heat. Some are there all day and into the night. Night time isn't much better. Plus, they have the heat from the jets to contend with. 
    Iran is messing around with us. I don't know if you are seeing this on the news or not, but they have been sending planes out to buzz our ship. We scared one away, the first one made it past us. That one was on the news for sure. The second one happened today, but we launched an F/A-18 after them and it high-tailed back to Iran. We think that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is trying to start something. Things are starting to get exciting around here!
    I have a picture of the Burj Khalifa building which can be seen by clicking here. Now keep in mind that the three buildings to the left are about 40 stories tall. That roundish building is really close, so it kind of throws the picture off. I found out that it has over 160 floors! When we go back to Dubai next month, I will be going to the top to the observation tower! That ought to be interesting! This building is literally twice as tall as the Sears Tower, or whatever they call it now.
    Well, I hope everyone is doing well. I will post again in a couple of days. Until then, here is a little bit of IT humor. Until next time...

                                                          

                                                       

    It was an interesting time here in the "sandbox", but we must depart and get back to work. I have added a couple of pictures to my photo page. My Facebook friends will recognize one of them. The other is a picture of the flight deck that I took right after flight ops. I tried to make it up there before it ended, but I couldn't. I will try to post a video of flight ops, bandwidth willing. 
    I went into Dubai, to the Dubai Mall. I got to see the new tallest building in the world, and let me tell you, that thing is a monstrosity!! Pictures of it are coming soon to a blog near you! I could not believe how big that thing was. It looks like an upside down icicle. If you can't wait for the pictures I post of it, (which has a nice sunset behind it) you can Google The Burj Khalifa skyscraper. It is literally twice the height of the Sears Tower, if that tells you anything! I just sat there with my mouth hanging open in amazement. When we come back to Jebel Ali later on, I want to go up to the observation tower. I didn't have time this trip. They say that it is open now.  That ought to be a great Kodak moment! Video also! The funny thing is that there are no other buildings that even remotely come close to its height, so it really stands out, even from 15 miles away.
     Well, I need to get some rest because tomorrow will be a busy day. Until next time...
    

    Hello again everyone! It's great to be back, well, sort of! If you are reading this, it must mean I am back on deployment. Well, at least it gives me a chance to communicate with everyone the things that I may be going through out here as the Ike makes its way around the Persian Gulf. The last time I posted, I wasn't in such good shape. Well, I feel much better now and am back to good health again! I am back in the gym again, in case you didn't know, but don't worry, I am being careful. So far so good. I am back to where I was before the injury and then some. On top of that, I get constant cardio being on an aircraft carrier. It's 17 stories tall, so it's like Stair Master hell! 
    This next week or so, I will be checking in and going to the command indoctrination. I won't actually start my job until that is all over with, but when I do, I will hit the ground running! I found out that I will probably be put in a leadership position right off the bat. They are wanting to put me in as the Assistant Leading Petty Officer, or ALPO (hee hee, ruff!). It ought to be an interesting experience. I will be working with a great bunch of people. 
    Sleeping has been tough at first considering that the mattresses are like sleeping on concrete slabs! I will have to go into town at our next port and try to find some egg crates or something. I can't tell you where the next port will be, but I will give you a hint, it's hot and sandy! That describes most of the ports in the Persian Gulf!
    I went up to watch flight ops yesterday to take a picture for an updated Facebook profile photo. If you are wondering why I wasn't smiling, it's because it was friggin' hot and humid, plus I was the only one up there and I didn't want the people on the bridge to think that I was some sort of nut job!
    Well, that's it for now. I will be back in a couple of days with an update after the port visit. As a reminder, you do not have to create an account to comment. Just comment as a guest. Until next time...
    

    This is going to be a short post to notify, that due to my recent injuries, I can't post anymore to the blog. I hope you have enjoyed it over the past few months, but I can''t type as well anymore. Although I am putting up little one handed updates on my Facebook page, as the medication allows. Just so everybody knows, I was diagnosed with a subarachnoid hemorrhage. My FB page is http://www.facebook.com/robcarey2112, or look up Rob Caudle Carey. I'm at Landstuhl Medical Center in Germany now and I will be in the states tomorrow at Bethesda Naval Hospital. Thanks for reading!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                                 
                     
     First, I want to say thank you to everybody for the birthday wishes, cards and gifts! I eventually had a good birthday. But, I do have to say it did get off to a bad start. Night before last, two of our guys were killed in action. It was a little personal for me because I was monitoring the battle along with a few others. I was listening to one of the guys as he was shot 3 times. Next, I heard as they tried to save his life on the helicopter. Lastly, I heard as they pronounced him dead on arrival. Last night my boss insisted that I go to the Fallen Comrade Ceremony. I wanted to go, but I didn't think that I would be able to because I was on watch. My boss told a coworker much senior to me that he was to cover me so I would be able to go. I'm still not quite sure why that was, but I didn't ask. I went to the ceremony and about 200 to 300 people were there. They lined us up from the back of the plane, so there was a lane to walk the caskets down with us on either side. The members of the team that they were with them were in the front. There was a small brass band off to the side, and I remember them playing "My Country 'Tis of Thee" as they were parading the caskets down the lane. I also remember a tear streaming down my face as both were taking place. But the one moment that I will never forget, is after they placed the caskets onto the plane, the Soldier who tried to save his friend, kneeled down and laid his arms and forehead on the casket and wept. I don't think there was a dry eye in the group. I know mine weren't. I'm getting a little choked up now as I write about it. I've been to memorials before. I went to one the second day that I was in Iraq, but none had quite the effect that this one had. It was a little more personal, because I was listening to it unfold.  My thoughts and prayers go out to the families who had to meet that plane back home. If I have learned one thing about this whole experience, Iraq and Afghanistan, is that people should not take life for granted. One day, like these Soldiers, it could end just like that. Granted, they were in a much more dangerous environment, but anything can happen to anybody. Live life to the fullest. That's all I have to say about that. Was that a Gumpism?!
    Today was much better! After seeing all of the birthday wishes and being able to open some presents, I was really happy! It turned out to be a good day after all. It's gonna be a good day Tater! Anybody who has seen Ron White will recognize that one. 
    Well, hopefully I will have some info about when I will be coming home pretty soon. You guys will know as soon as I do! Oh, also, I have officially been labeled! Click here to find out what! Until next time...

  Something happened yesterday that I want to share with you. I got a call from the secretary of the General. She said that he wanted to present a flag to a Soldier that was shot in battle. This Soldier is not on this base, so it had to sent by plane. Well, she asked me if I had a flag, and it just so happens that I have a few of them here with me. I took one of them and took it down to the guard and had them fly it on the flagpole over the compound. I had about 30 minutes to get all of this done. Flying it and getting it to the plane. The plane was used because it was getting ready to go to that area anyways, and it had people that were going to meet him also. Fortunately, it all worked out smoothly. I didn’t think too much of it, it just seemed like the appropriate thing to do, but I got an email from the secretary today. This is what it said:
         
"Petty Officer Carey,
    Just wanted to drop a line and tell you a great big THANK YOU for your assistance yesterday. Day in and day out we are seldom recognized for what we think is a small task in the big picture…but yesterday you most certainly achieved a great deed. Your actions will definitely make an impact in one of our service member’s who sacrificed a lot. Thank you for making this command a success!”

     I have to withhold the sender’s name for obvious reasons. But this made me feel really good. I’m glad I was able to make a difference!
    Other than that, it's business as usual, keep watching the news though! Until next time...

    Yep, it's another one of those days! I'm feeling a little homesick the closer my birthday gets. At least I don't have to be here on my 40th. Knowing my luck, I'll be on a ship for that one! Speaking of coming home, there is a slight chance that I will be back in October. The reason is that there was already a relief for the person that I relieved. They are going to send that person here to replace me. I would finish out my time in Ft Bragg. At least I hope that is what happens! They can't really ship me anywhere else, except for Djibouti maybe. I better not jinx myself. Of course, I don't have the right uniform for that place anyways. 
    I forgot to mention the toilets here. I know what you are thinking, "why is he writing about the toilets?" Well, they are backwards! The hole that the water goes down when you flush is in the front! Use your imagination to figure out why that is a problem! The stalls have shower curtains instead of doors. A stiff breeze and everybody can see you do your business! Yes the windows are open because they are not air conditioned. Also, the water that we shower with is non-potable. It's disinfected for washing only. You can't drink it or you'll get sick. I can't wait to take an American shower! Chlorinated tap water doesn't sound so bad now! We have to brush our teeth with bottled water. It's not so bad though. At least the gym is nice! Oh speaking of getting sick, there has been a case of cerebral malaria reported here. Luckily I have been taking my Doxycycline since I got here. That medication is required to come here since malaria is very common in this area. But I haven't seen any mosquitos since I got here. 
    You would not believe the weather here. The highs have been around 103, which is no big deal since I just came from Iraq, but the lows have been in the low 50s. Around 52 or so. It drops 50 degrees in about 2 hours! From sunset until about 2 hours after that. That is nuts! I'll tell you though, the nights feel great here. I still haven't seen a drop of rain in almost 4 months, not even a cloud! The first rain I see when I get home, I'm going to just stand in it and let it soak me. I've learned that rain is a good thing. If it is always sunny and clear, it'll start looking like Iraq, and that place is depressing!
    Well, I guess that is all for now. Unless something out of the ordinary happens, I will post again day after tomorrow. Considering how this place is, what is ordinary anyway?! Everybody take care and remember, wherever you go, there you are! Until next time...

    First, check out the update to the last post... I didn't include this in the update below, but the unit that was hit only had 30 days left before they went home. 
    I put a couple of pictures on the photo page. One is of the manly muscles I am trying to build. Sorry if the lighting is a little weird, but using a flash in such a small space makes them look washed out. So I had to pretend I was in a photography studio and started to mess with the lamps for lighting. I do the best with what I've got!
    There is actually not much going on tonight due to the elections over here. The elections are why a lot of the action over here has been happening. Maybe I will have more to report later. Until next time...

Update to this post: I am sad to report that the suspected capture was not a capture. That Soilder was killed in the explosion.

                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                          
 I really hate to keep having to post this type of stuff, but I feel I need to. We lost one of our guys today, which is why the flag at half-mast is up. This one will definitely be on the news. They think one was captured, the other definitely died. They were in their vehicle when they were hit by an IED. That's not all, they sent people to look for them and one of the search team stepped on another one, but fortunately he will live. A broken leg is what they said he had, and some shrapnel. He got lucky. Oh, I didn't mention that I heard and saw that happen. But, we are making a lot of progress though. Also, there were four rocket attacks today. I was in the bathroom when one of them hit. I was standing next to this other guy washing my hands when we heard it. We both looked at each other, and said "holy crap!" I don't remember grabbing any paper towels before we took off out of there back into the building!

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    On to the lighter side of things! I may not get a roommate after all. They are making accomodations for those new people that are coming. In other words, I think they just got a new shipment of plywood and blankets! Oh, and 2x4s! That will be nice not having a roommate. You guys know that I am a people person, but that would be pushing it! 
    I have actually been to the chow hall a couple more times. When we tried to go yesterday, we got turned away because we didn't have our weapons! I mean, I don't make it a habit to argue about rules, but what on earth do I need a weapon for while I am eating? I don't have to carry it anywhere else. So why the chow hall? Talk amongst yourselves... Ok, that's enough. So, now I carry my pistol around with me just in case I might need it to get my haircut or something! Ya gotta love it! 
    We've started a kind of joke around here, and if any of you have seen the movie "Dodgeball", you'll know what I'm talking about. It refers to the rockets and mortars. It's "Just remember the five D's of dodgeball: Dodge, Duck, Dip, Dive, and...Dodge!" Hey, you have to laugh! That's funny, I don't care who you are!
    Wow, I've rambled on today! Well, I need to go by the mail room. I heard that I have a package in there! I wonder who it could be from?! Oh, by request, I will have an updated picture of my "manly muscles" :) on the next post. Until next time...

    I don't even really know what to say, but I will give it a shot. I'm not going to have my usual humor, or attempt at humor on this post. Last night and this morning was a real I opener for me. You can say, "that Soldier (Sailor, Marine, Airman) is a true American hero" for what he does, but you have to see it with your own eyes to actually understand why that is. I saw the actions of true American heroes in the field last night. When you think of heroes, think of those guys. Although it was from a video screen and speakers, I saw and heard the most jaw-dropping experience of my Navy career. I wish I could explain more, but I think you understand what I am saying. I think a lot of people get desensitized by the news and the reporting that they do, I'm not saying the people that will read this are, but the average person is. You guys know the deal. But when you see it and then realize that this is really happening right then, at that moment, it really brings it to another level. Part of me is glad that I am here, because I can see first hand and appreciate who some of the real heroes are. I feel privileged to have the opportunity to help them do what they do. I will be glad when I can share this and other experiences with you. Until next time...

    Things are probably going to heat up even more pretty soon. Big events have been happening. It has been extremely busy here. It seems to never stop until I am off, and then the day brings a silence. Not much happens during the day. That's when the rogues are out. I have only been to the chow hall once since I got here. In Iraq, I at least got breakfast everyday, mostly by choice, but here I can't go if I wanted to. Luckily there is stuff to munch on in the building. So it's been protein shakes and trail mix for most of my meals. They call it the "Bagram Weight Loss Program"! I still get to the gym though. I don't miss out on that. That's why I keep a steady flow of protein shakes going. The gym here is actually really nice, I may have mentioned that before, but I think it is nicer than the one in Balad. It is definitely bigger. The guy that I am relieving is really into running and weights, so we have some things in common to talk about. He is only into weights for the toning though. Not me, I want big, manly muscles! Imagine me saying that with my best "Arnold" accent! Well, I guess that is it for now, duty calls. Until next time...

    Ever been in a place where nobody likes you? I went to the PX yesterday to get an alarm clock and the guy running the cash register was in no big hurry to ring anything up. And gave a look that was pretty scary! They hire locals to work around the base in a place where a decent paying job is hard to come by. I would be pretty enthusiastic about it. What do you think? Feel free to comment on the subject! 
    I pretty much had to hit the ground running here, since it is so ramped up. It's non-stop from the time I go on watch until the time that leave. Trying to train for the job has been interesting. I'm not really doing the same job as before. It's similar though. This job has a lot more responsibilty that goes along with it. Like I have become accustomed to, this place has it's fair share of "fireworks". A little bit more frequent than Iraq, but not to worry. 
    I have put some new pictures on the photo page for your viewing pleasure. Ha! This will get a chuckle! There is one picture though that is pretty cool. It's a picture of the mountain range. Too bad there is razor wire in the picture. Oh, that reminds me, we are in the Hindu Kush mountains, not too far from the Great Himalayas. We're right where they border each other. Well, time to get to bed. I will post again soon. Until next time...

    I thought it was bad in Iraq. I got here and actually saw the recent effects of the madness that is Afghanistan. Remember the post where I told you about the 4 that died in a rocket attack over here and that a friend of mine was first on the scene? Well, I saw that friend this morning and he seemed very happy to see me. Probably because I was somebody he knew and had some stuff to get off of his chest. Well he did. He told me all about it, and I think my jaw was on the ground the whole time. I could see something in his eyes that made me think that he will have a hard time forgetting that day. It was on Father's Day. He commented on how that day won't be the same. I saw where it happened. I got really choked up when I saw it. Then later on into the night, which was last night, a mortar hit right outside the compound in front of the gym. I nearly wet myself! But amazingly enough, that will not keep me out of the gym! Nobody was hurt. 
    My room is a little bit bigger than a shoe box. I can't believe the size of this place. I put a picture of it on the photo page. I will have more later. To make matters worse, I am probably getting a roommate pretty soon. Two people living in a place too small for even one person. If two people stand right in front of each other, one's back would be touching the bunk bed and the other's would be touching what they call a closet. I'm ok with it by myself, because I don't mind small spaces, but two? That is pushing it a bit. There are people already going through this. 60 million dollars are being spent to improve the living conditions of detainees, why can't they throw some our way? Maybe I am missing something. I will be alright. Three months and it will be all over with. My job here will make time go by really fast. I thought I was busy in Iraq, but nothing compared to this. I can't believe the things that I have heard with my own ears already, and I've only been here two days! It will make an interesting story when I get back. One that I can't wait to tell. Well, duty calls. Until next time...

    I had some time so I thought I would post again. Oh my gosh, it's hotter here than in Balad! This place makes Iraq seem like a ski resort. The temps are the same, but tack on abut 60% humidity. The white sand everywhere makes it worse. The wind doesn't help either. It just blows extremely hot air in your face. The UV index is maxed out at 11+, which means I am staying inside as much as possible while I am here. I looked up the temp in Bagram and it is 85 there right now. At least it is cooler there. That's the only thing better about it! By the way, I will be taking off at about 9pm my time. I wish I could take a picture of this place, but cameras aren't allowed anywhere here on base. The Qataris are extremely strict. Bridal magazines are considered pornography here. Anything that shows female skin is. You can be deported because of it. And to add to it, they hate Americans, so they really look hard when we go through  customs. We had to go through 2 different customs offices just to get the base. It's crazy. Well, the next time I post will be in Afghanistan. Until next time...

    I just wanted to post and let everyone know that I made it to Qatar. There is nothing but white sand as far as the eyes can see. I will be staying the night here. The flight here was pretty much awful. We had to wear our body armour the whole way. We even had to stop in Baghdad, with it still on and having to carry all of my sea bags and weapons too. I haven't slept since I woke up for work yesterday. It's a little after 6pm now, which means I have been up for 26 hours now. I tried to sleep on the plane, but the attempt failed miserably. It was shoulder to shoulder on a C-130, everyone had their body armor on, so nobody could get comfortable. To make matters worse, it was a 4 hour flight. A C-17 would have been quicker, but I guess there wasn't enough people to justify using it. C-130s are prop planes, so they're much slower. The chow hall here is really nice though. I had a good dinner, and now I am washing my sweat soaked uniform. Then, off to see the Sandman. Afghanistan, here I come. Until next time...

    I know that I said that I would post again in Afghanistan, but I will throw one in real quick before I go. I just wanted to let you guys know that I will be flying out at 7am my time. I think that is midnight your time. I will be in Qatar for a day or so. Then off to Bagram. I'm taking my stuff to the plane in just a little bit. I may post in Qatar, if the opportunity arises. Until next time...

    I wanted to wait until I knew for sure, and now I know. I have some bad news. I will not be coming home like I was told I would be. There has been a last minute change. I will be leaving for Afghanistan on the 6th. It is definite. I have been manifested for the flight already. I'm not sure what time I will be leaving. They will tell me shortly before it takes off. I won't fly directly there. I will be flown to Qatar, and then to Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan. I will still keep the blog going. I apologize for the delays between posts. There has been a lot going on here. Once I get settled in over there, I will keep it updated. The good news is, no more dust storms! Just a few earthquakes. Not bad ones though. They say there are a few rumbles now and then. That ought to be interesting! I also get to experience the "spiral of death"! Bagram is located in kind of a "bowl". It is surrounded closely by mountains, so the planes that fly in have to spiral around, down to the runway and then land really quickly! And you know me, I've always loved flying! I'm a wannabe pilot, so this will be an experience!
    My address will change. So I will get that out as soon as possible. The mail runs the same over there as it does here. It takes about the same amount of time, I am told.
    Well, the next time that I post will probably be from Afghanistan. Again, I'm sorry to have to break the bad news, but it's just another journey. Remember, it's not just a job, it's an adventure! Oh, and the comment box has been fixed, you shouldn't see any errors, or anything like that. I am receiving them in my email again. I even got the old comments back! Well, until next time...

    I have got some great news for everybody! Just listen to this... Click here.

    I don't know how it happened, but the HTML code for my comment box got deleted. It should be back now!

    Sorry that it has been a few days since I posted. There were two rocket attacks here yesterday! One was a little too close for comfort, but nobody was hurt. They both landed where there are usually people located, but fortunately, it was not crowded at the time. 
    I have a couple of new pictures, like I promised. I took a "before" and "so far" picture of my progress. I say "so far" because I'm not done yet! I'm addicted to the irons! 
    We had a very important guest today. I can tell you now that he is gone. General Petreus paid us a visit today. Too bad I was asleep when he came... Oh well. We had to clean this place from top to bottom!
    Just so you know, I'm going to start putting new pictures at the top of the photo page from now on. That's all for now. Until next time...

                                                                                                            

    I recently discovered that "marhaba" is hello in arabic. Now you know. Things haven't really slowed down yet, but changes are going to come. I'm not really sure what those changes are yet, but  there 'a comin'. 
    There were a couple of attempts today, but they were waaaaay off. We had to hear about it through email! That's how far off they were. Must be the newbies. For the new readers, "they" are the locals who aren't very appreciative of our help. And "they" like to send us "presents" often, to show that lack of appreciation. But, these people are new to the freedom thing, so only time will tell.
    I know I said that I would have some pictures, but I promise on the next post, I will have some. But for now, I have to get back to work. To update you on the critically injured soldier, he didn't make it. The flags have been at half-mast for the past few days, that's why I have mine up. There were four total. Also, keep the recently captured soldier in your thoughts. Until next time...


                                                                                                            

    I learned recently that I have a few new readers, so I just wanted to welcome you. The purpose of this blog is to document my experience in Iraq and generally try to keep you guys updated on events here, if I can discuss them. And, who knows, I might even write something interesting! If you have any questions, feel free to ask. Thank you for your interest!
    There was an attack on one of the posts in Basrah, you may have seen it on the news, but it killed 3 soldiers and wounded another, but is not expected to make it through the night. Please keep them and their families in your prayers. The good news is, the person responsible for the attack was captured. 
    So far, we are still dust storm-free. We can actually see some stars tonight! That doesn't usually happen. I think that's it for now. Until next time...

    Sorry that it's been a few days since I last posted, but it's been crazy around here. Well, I found out that I was going to Afghanistan, but then, suddenly, that was changed. I don't have to go now... at least for the moment. I think I will be here for the rest of my tour. As it turns out, the way the rotation is with everyone, it made no sense to send me there. So, unless something drastic happens, I will remain here.
    Yesterday we got hit 5 times. It sounded like the 4th of July outside! None of them were really close, but close enough to hear them. They also had some controlled detonations, which added to the noise level. Those are weird because they happen in 4s, one right after the other. 
    I will have at least one new picture for the next post. I have been really pounding the weights lately. There are a few weightlifting documentaries on our share drive, so I have been getting some good pointers. Watch out!
    Well, time to hit the gym! Until next time...

    It's been a quiet Sunday, thank goodness. Not much to speak of. We do have another dust storm on the way though. I think they said in two days. Not as bad as the last one. We'll see. I have added a couple of pictures to the photos page of myself. The weight lifting is coming along well. Check out the bicep! Sorry this one is not very exciting. Until next time...

    Today was surely exciting for us, we got us an arms dealer! Woo hoo! Good stuff. They've been keeping us busy for a while.
    I have new pictures on the photo page. The grassy patch I talked about in the last post, plus some others. We are doing alright these days. The Mongolian BBQ parking lot got hit again. I've decided not to go there anymore. Somebody's trying to tell me to stay away from there! I guess the locals don't like BBQ! Maybe it's the whole pork thing. Nobody was hurt, thank God. Well, I've got work to do. Until next time...

    I'm sorry if sometimes it takes me a couple of days to post, but it has been really busy here. We have been going and going and going. Plus, my mission to get buff is in full force! I've even written out a schedule. But I tell you what, these 12/7s are really starting to take it's toll. I'm determined though. 
    Something I saw this morning made me laugh. I went to the PX and just for the fun of it, I went exploring and found a big patch of grass that someone had mailed in a little at a time,apparently. I'm wondering how they have been watering it, because it's the greenest thing out here! There is even a sign posted that says, "Do Not Walk on the Grass!" I'll go back out in the morning and take a picture of it and post it on my next entry. Well, it's going to be a busy night tonight, I have to go. Until next time...

    Everything is pretty much the same around here. Local activity has picked up a little bit. I'll just say, I'm glad I didn't go get Mongolian Barbeque on the 4th like I had planned! I'm sorry I don't have any pictures prepared at this time, but I plan on having a few tomorrow though. I have to cut this one a little short due to certain activities. Until next time...

I finally have pictures! Just go to my photos page and check them out! If you want a video tour of my humble abode at the Hotel Balad, click here. I will let the pictures speak for themselves. Until next time...

    I was thinking about something today. Call me crazy-insane, but when did the Iraqis declare their Independence Day? Was it April 9, 2003, when we rid Iraq of Saddam Hussein? Was it October 25, 2005 (I have to double check that date) when they were recognized as a democratic government? No, they declared their Indepence Day to be June 30, 2009, when we left their cities! Now, let me know if you think I am out of line or if I am misinformed, but I can't be the only person who thinks this. Maybe I am looking into it too much, I don't know. 
    Maybe I am still a little annoyed by the fact that I had the crap scared out of me this morning when I left the gym and was greeted with the sound of the warning siren then an explosion, it was distant, but I could hear it. Actually, the siren scared me more than anything, because I was right underneath the speaker! But anyway, I'm done ranting. 
    I've been asked how many dust masks need to be sent. There really is no set number, just whatever you can send will be greatly appreciated. We can't really have too many. We do have the manly men who say "I don't need no stinkin' dust mask!", but most of us value our lungs, so they will get used eventually. I'd like to see the military provide them for us, but as of now, they don't. 


                                                                Predators are a big part of what I do, here's what they look like,
                                                                                        


                                                                                           Here's what I look like!

                                                                  

                                                                                        Me after a 12 hour watch!!

    Absolutely nothing! Yeah Obama! We're still heeeeere! But seriously folks, it really doesn't mean anything. Yeah, there are no troops in the cities, but from where I'm sitting, and what I do, my job just got busier. I'm in a whole other world of stuff. The other guys get to sit back and watch the show. The pullout just made our guys' job more dangerous. Sorry, I can get any more detailed than that. I'm still behind a mountain of monitors though.
    The temperature has cooled off though. It's only been around 112 today. That 11 degree drop makes a big difference actually. I still haven't seen a drop of rain though. Believe it or not, they say it rains here during the winter months. Can't tell from where I am sitting though. You'll see pretty soon what I am talking about, when I get my camera. It must not rain enough to grow things, like grass. Not unless dirt actually grows in some way. There's a lot of that.
    I want to mention that if anyone has any non-operational questions they want to ask me, go right ahead. I have a question for you, can you tell by this picture that I have been lifting weights? Be honest! Until next time...