Al Asad Arrival

Back in the sandbox. Arrived just before midnight on Monday, after three full days of air travel from San Diego to Dover (where we overnighted in a terrible motel – all the good ones were full owing to a reserve weekend – I think my hooch here in the sand is better) to Newfoundland (to refuel) to Germany (where we changed flight crews) and then finally Iraq. We flew in the back of an Air Force C-17 cargo plane, squeezed in alongside our pallets and containers of gear, supplies and weapons. Cramped and cold at times, but I'd brought my sleeping bag and hammock (like a good sailor) and so swayed myself across the Atlantic.

Arriving at night was less of a shock than a daytime arrival, but the same smell of baked dust hit you in the face as we got off the plane. Even a little cold at first, it being early March. I was very lucky and managed to get through in-processing quickly, got out of the Logistics Detachment and made it across base to my permanent camp, and my permanent hooch, that morning. I didn't get my bags til the next day, but a far cry better than the three weeks of transient living I suffered through the last time I was here in 2006. It also helped that I was on the advance flight with all the HQ elements – gets me there early but I'll be ahead of the game when the others arrive.

The camp is small, with a few wooden huts serving as our office spaces, alongside a gym, a garage for vehicles, two bathroom compartments and a dozen or so shipping containers converted into berthing. Since I'm a Chief, I get my own container, which is nice – though still pretty small, roughly 9 feet by fifteen feet, with an eight foot ceiling. I'm sure inmates in U.S. prisons have more room. I've got a fridge, water kettle for tea, a wardrobe and a bed, so all is good for now.

Still getting all our systems up and running but I did start my job right away. As the saying goes, it is like “drinking from a fire hose.” So much to learn in a few days. Once again I am in a liaison position, this time with an Iraqi security battalion. I meet with them every day to talk about their operations, help coordinate training and partnership missions and help them improve their internal administrative processes. Kind of like being a Lean Six Sigma or outside webpage contractor (two groups of people I was familiar with at NHHC), except this job is not at the Green Belt level (like the archives improvement project), it is definitely a Black Belt project!

Al Asad itself is kind of empty now that the Marines are gone. And the Army is only in a small portion of the base – lots of people here still: base security, logistics, supply, etc. but most people are definitely oriented toward getting stuff shipped out of Iraq and drawing everything down. The elections were a huge win – very little violence and the political arguments aren't going to keep us here too long.

Hot and dusty too. Leaves a fine coating of talc over everything.

If anyone feels like sending a care package, I could use some quality instant coffee, some good ground coffee and any spare light reading you have hanging around, like science fiction or cheesy thrillers. I'll leave them here in our library, so you won't get them back.

Timothy Francis

NSW SOTF-W

TU-ISOF

Unit #73437

APO AE 09333-3437

Pics included below

Tim

Fair Winds and Following Seas from a Brown Sand Box Sailor!