Stacking Conexes

Here's what sunrise looks like in Kuwait. Very dusty.



And here is a pictured of the construction they are doing around Eggers. Basically they are adding a third stack to any set of conexes on base.

Time Keeps Dragging On

I've been back for a couple of weeks now. It was a difficult trip back. It took about 6 days. For some reason they were running fewer flights between Bagram and Kuwait so there was a backlog.

Many things changed while I was out. They started construction all over over Eggers stacking a third story of conexes on many structures. The DFAC lines are getting ridiculous. There have been no diet drinks on base for a while. Supposedly due to the problems in Pakistan. ISAF has Diet Coke though and Walter has been stashing them for me. I got a third roommate who doesn't want to move in until billeting puts a new bunk-bed in the room. However, our dorms have been closed during the day for construction so this hasn't yet happened.

It's been hard to get back into the battle rhythm. I have my redeployment orders which say I leave in about 2.5 months. I don't have a replacement scheduled though so they can extend me 14 additional days. We'll see.

Work is the same for the most part. Contract crap. Briefings. Optimistic planning.

The Elusive Bottom Bunk

Bah. After being on lockdown most of the day and my flight being delayed several times, they finally just canceled it. The thing to do when that happens is to head to temporary billeting asap (before you grab your bags back off the pallet) so you can beat the crowd and potentially get a bottom bunk.

Returning from R&R

I'm in Kuwait at Ali Al Salem waiting for a flight back to Bagram. My Sato itinerary put me back in Atlanta too late to take the Kuwait flight for that day so they put me up in a hotel and I took the Tuesday flight. The flight across the Atlantic wasn't as full as last time and I was fortunate to not have someone sitting immediately next too me. However I didn't get much sleep on the plane - only enough to leave a crick in my neck.

Kuwait is about what I remember. It is busier than a couple of weeks ago and they switched to be a salute-base which is annoying. We have to leave the lights on in the tents, presumably so you don't sleep deeply. They are constantly making base-wide announcements that you have to listen for. For example, my flight was canceled so I don't have to wake up as early. However, since they are constantly blaring announcements I can't sleep anyway. Some people must be sleeping though because they keep calling their names over the intercom.

With any luck I'll make it to Bagram tomorrow and back to Kabul the next day. It was over 100 degrees here when we landed and the sun had already set. I'm wondering how hot it will be when the sun comes up. Hopefully they don't make us wait around in formation like when we were outbound R&R.