Iraqi Tour

I'm on my way home

2006-11-04T07:40:00.000-08:00

Well,
I left Ft Lewis on Thursday for my cross country trek. My goal is to do this in four days. It is hard to do when your hiney keeps falling asleep!

Here is a summary of my trip so far:

There was snow in the Snowquamie pass in WA. It was cool seeing snow again. In Idaho, I passed a potato chip factory and it smelled like frying potatoes. In Wyoming, there was snow and wind (gusts up to 45 MPH)! When I passed a ridge (ele 8600) I realized that it was all down hill to VA! I am now in Ft Collins CO, and will try to reach ST Louis today. It will take about 12 hours, but I think I can do it. All I can say, is that I am grateful that the Army is picking up the tab on gas and hotels.

I made a resolution in Iraq to eat at every Hooters on the way home, but I haven't seen any yet. I will continue to look for one!(ha)

Well, off to the Jeep!

My last post from Theater

2006-10-25T08:59:00.000-07:00

Well, barring anything drastic, this is my last post from theater. I have already left Iraq and I am getting ready here in Kuwait for the 20 hour flight to Ft Lewis.

This past year has been a blur, looking back at it. I am currenlty in the camp I was in a year ago getting ready to move north to Iraq, and it seems like yesterday.

I have learned much, like most people do in a year. I have learned things to do to help my career, and what not to do as well. I have seen some pretty amazing things and some pretty dumb things.

I remember Christmas with the stocking of stuff that Laura sent. I was actually good and did not open it until Christmas. I looked forward to the mail that Laura sent, especially the pictures for the photo album that I kept. Yes, I think part of the scrap book cult is in me.

I liked all the comments that I recieved on the Blogg. They all made me laugh. I am looking forward to see everyone here in the next few weeks. I have to clear at Ft Lewis, and then drive back to Ft Lee. Don't forget about Turkey day at our house this year. The more the merrier.

Again, thanks to everyone for keeping me in their prayers. I will be back in the good old USA in the next 48 hours!

Wild Card 6, out.

Mind dump

2006-10-20T03:13:00.000-07:00

I just finished clearing my unit from theater, so basically the only responsibilty I have is to get on a plane. I am now starting to transform from Company Commander, man who cares about all, to CPT Joe Shmoe who doesn't really care what time it is. I am down in Kuwait currently and the rest of my unit is still in Iraq. They will be flying down here soon. So until then, I will hang out at the Starbucks, or the pool and work on my tan!

I am looking forward to seeing everyone back home. Toby, we will have to lose our selves in several barley pops, Luke and Annie-->Monopoly will be hardcore this year, Dave and Donna-->We will try drink all the brew that you made!

I am still debating on what upgrades to do to my Jeep. The bumper is a definite, so is new doors. I want a cold air intake, but Household 6 is fighting me on this. I want to get a grill guard for her jeep, and KC daylighters for my new bumper. New tires would be nice, someday, along with headers, cat/back exhaust and maybe a throttle spacer...

As you can see, I am not doing good of making my mind.

Homeward bound

2006-10-03T14:25:00.000-07:00

Well, here we are…

I am less than a month left in country here! I am busy packing, and mailing stuff home, and getting the unit ready for redeployment. I am excited to get my in my Jeep again, and eat pizza. I might be out of touch with American reality though.

How much does gas cost now? What is the big political discussion of the day? I heard there was a twist on Survivor. Did the TV lineup change? Laura picked up for me a new cell phone—will I be smart enough to use it? Is drinking coffee still in? What is the favorite song on the radio right now? How much does a stamp cost? What is the office joke of the day being passed around? Will I be able to pick out my own clothes instead of a uniform? Does anyone understand the phrase: “More cowbell”?

What about food? Is there a new chain restaurant that everyone must go to? What is the trendy beer now? Can I still use the grill to the perfection I once mastered? Can I still cook at all in the kitchen? Can I remember how to eat with real flatware on real plates, or am I cursed to a life of plastic ware?

Can I take the military jargon out of my vocabulary? Will I replace the word “home” with “LSA” (Life Support Area), or “post” with “FOB” (Forward Operation Base)? Will I top of the vehicle or go get gas for the Jeep? Will I hold night court for Molly or give her a time out? Will Laura and I have a staff meeting or a discussion? Will I coordinate with Toby or will I ask him? Will I use the phrase: “Did my SH$T fall off?” Referring to my rank to Laura ? (If I know what is right I will never say that to her!) Will I review the force protection measures, or make sure I lock the house before I leave? “Will this reflect” for Molly? Will I convoy to the PX or will I drive to the PX?

Can I live without doing a cyclic inventory (a monthly inventory of 10% of all property accountable to the Army)? What about sensitive items (weapons, night vision, secure communications equipment), I am not sure how they are accounted for back home. What is the basic load back home (amount of ammo to carry on hand)? Will I be checked for ammo and a weapon before entering the DFAC (kitchen)? Will I need to wear a Kevlar in the Jeep? Will I have to wear my IBA (Individual Body Armor) when I leave the FOB (Post)? Will I have to do a convoy brief before I leave for work? Will I have to do 100% personnel and weapons count twice a day? Are there any commo black outs back in the rear?

It will be fun transitioning back to the “normal” lifestyle with the Army back in the States. I know I will feel naked without my weapon and ICOM radio on me. I know that I will be lost trying to pick out clothes for me to wear. Paying for fuel (gas) will be new for me again. I just can’t pull up and fill up at the tanker. It will be hard for me not to write a counseling statement with the magic bullet (a legal statement stating that further behavior may result in you being kicked out of the military) for Molly when she misbehaves. It will be hard for me to not find 1SG when I have an issue with a Soldier (Molly). I have had a change of responsibility with 1SG and Laura . Sorry top!

The first step is admitting that you have a problem

2006-09-18T18:23:00.000-07:00

I have a problem. I am an addict. I really can’t remember when I started. I remember experimenting as early as sixth grade. We had a Columbian exchange student live with us, and he would get some “good stuff” sent to him once a month. Man was that some potent stuff. Then I joined the Army. We have random drug screenings, and banned smoking from most buildings, but still this problem is running rampant in the Army; even more so in the deployed environment.

I can’t see a way to stop it. Some soldiers live on this stuff, and I can understand why. It picks you up when you’re down. It is always there for you. It is versatile in the way you can take it.

I can’t start a good day without it, and sometimes, I use it throughout the day. You can over do it, just ask Laura about the one trip to Seattle. I almost ended up divorced over my use of it. I’ve tried to kick the habit, but it's on my back like a 100 lb ruck on a 20 mile road march. I feel so alive right after I use it. When I have a good hit of it, I need more. You know the feeling when you have…

COFFEE!

Canned Air

2006-09-08T19:20:00.000-07:00

Only in modern times are humans mesmerized by “Canned Air”. What is canned air? Is it air? No, so why call it that. Why not call it what it is: Tetrafluoroethane I guess it is hard to think of a marketing campaign for it, so they came up with canned air. What do you use it for? Do you breathe it? Only of you want to knock your IQ down by 50 points! Out here in the desert, there are many uses for “Canned air” formerly known as tetrafluoroethane:

1) Clean the dust out of the computer keyboard: the standard use for this stuff

2) Freeze warts off: yes this actually works, I will not post here how to do it; It does cause frost bite!

3) Fill balloons instead of blowing them up: hey, work smarter, not harder!

4) Dust off the desk: Americans are a lazy bunch of people

5) Clean your weapon: only for dust, not for carbon

6) Scare people when walking up behind them and spraying their head

7) Cleans your desert suede boots: this is my favorite, and it works better than a brush!

8) To see how cold you can make the can: Americans love to waste stuff, even air!

Well, there is the latest news from the front. I will be traveling to Kuwait over the next few days to start ordering planes to get my unit home. Yes, I am on the downward slope of this deployment and now we are adding grease to the slope!

Photos from Kurdistan market

2006-09-06T07:51:00.000-07:00

A trip into Kurdistan

2006-09-04T10:14:00.000-07:00

Recently I was given the chance to travel north from Mosul to Dahuk , Iraq (using the guise of covering medical missions with two doctors). It is in the heart of Kurdistan . The area looks amazingly like the Yakima valley, with the town in the valley surrounded by brown hills. The area is known for apples no less either! Hmm, I think there is a sister city connection in the works…

Anyway, Dakuk is in Kurdistan, a semiautonomous region in the north of Iraq . We protected the Kurds from Saddam with the no fly zone in the 90’s. After passing several checkpoints, we realized that we were in Kurdistan , and could put our guard down.

Up in Kurdistan , they look upon the coalition forces as liberators. We hooked up with our “Safe house” family(For security reasons, we had to keep our location secret, as well as the family’s name), through several changing of vehicles so no one knew where we were goingànot even my unit! We stayed with a lovely family who lived for some time in Denmark . The husband owns an electronics company, and the wife a day spa in Denmark , and a beauty shop in Dahuk. They had a 10yr old son who loved America and wanted to join the American Army and become a general. The doctors and I were immediately served some tea and given a whole hearted welcome. We were to consider their house our home as well. The house was of European standard with a western bathroom (which means a lot in this part of the world), a big living room, bedrooms, and a fully equipped kitchen. I could not have been happier with our accommodations.

We soon went to meet the Mayor of the city. He was a gracious host. He welcomed us to the city, and took us to dinner! We had lamb, chicken, beef, salad, soup, bread, and the list goes on and on. That evening we also met a Peshmerga General. (The Kurdish Army) When traveling through Kurdistan , you realize it is a country inside a country. The only thing linking it to Iraq is the currency. They have their own laws, own military, own police, own parliament. They are our closest alley in the region outside of Israel . Back to dinner, dinner usually lasts from 9:00 pm to midnight. Because of the heat, not much goes on during the day, but the city is alive at night. The markets are open, the streets are full. We made it back to our house where there was tea and fruit waiting for us. I did not get to bed that night to well past 1:00 in the morning. I slept like a log, with my 9mm under my pillow!

Oh, I forgot, after dinner, we went to an amusement park! Yes, you read that correct, I am in uniform with a weapon, in a worn torn country riding a Ferris wheel! I even ate ice cream! It gets even weirder! A few days prior, we sent some doctors and nurses to make contact with the hospitals up there. There I am getting off of the Ferris wheel, and we bump into the doctors and nurses! What are the odds of running into Americans from you unit in a city of 300,000+!

The next day we traveled to the hospitals. The doctors did their evaluations while I evaluated the medical supply system and equipment, and facilities. The hospital we visited was better than some state side facilities. One of our missions was to hand out wheel chairs. We started having a “clinic” at the safe house. We saw five people there with a range of injuries and diseases. We issued out two chairs, and went to visit others in town. In town, we issued out a few more.

We then went to dinner. Here is a treat: we arrived at a hotel, and told this is where we were to eat. The hotel was small and the lobby no bigger than a small living room. We took the elevator all the way up, and then continued on the stairs. We eventually arrived on the roof. Placed in a corner of the roof was a table set for us. We had a beautiful night time view of the city with a superb meal with great new friends. We ate for hours, talked about anything and everything. We gave our unit insignia to the hotel as a gift. It was all we had, but they cherished it!

We finally made it home, and I don’t remember my head hitting the pillow! The next day, I was able to break away from the formal clinic visits we still had to do to get some sight seeing in. I wanted to buy Molly a dress. The family and interpreter decided they would find a few for me to look at and I would decide which one to buy. When I hooked up with them later, they already bought it! Thanks! They also bought Laura a necklace! I had such a good time running through the market taking pictures. The ones here are of the little boy I took in a carpet shop. He was about four years old. He saw us walk in and asked his dad for some money. His dad thought he would buy some candy, but came back with Pepsis for everybody! He was an angel. The next is a typical market street. Imagine city blocks of this! I loved it, the sights, sounds and smells of the food, the children playing, the people haggling over prices! The last is of one of the many gold shops! I like this picture for some reason.

Well, there is more I can write about, but I must write a story or two for Uncle Sam. I promise, there will be more! Blogger's not letting me post pictures right now, so I'll try and get them put up tomorrow.

Wow, it seems my Dog comments have stirred the pot. Let’s see if I can add a little gas to the fire:

2006-08-23T06:17:00.000-07:00

Yes, I want a dog, with the doggy smell, the whining, the kennel problems, the vet bills, dog food messes, and every other negative thing you can think of. I also want a dog to play with; help teach responsibility to Molly, and some one to blame the barking spiders on. I also want the doggy kisses when I’m feeling sad, or when I am sick. I want to fight over the best seat in the living room with a dog. Heck, he might even win that one sometimes. I grew up always having at least one dog. We usually had two. I think Geocaching would be fun with a dog, as well as herding up Molly when it’s time for dinner. Besides, a cool dog like an Australian Shepherd will look so good in the Jeep. It is always about looking good now isn’t it?

No, I don’t want that mutant thing Stu has. He says it’s a dog. I think it is a biological warfare experiment gone awry. (I’m sorry Metro!) I don’t want Andy who is allergic to his own shadow. 1100 is not too early to drink beer if it is with a meal, like brunch. Alone, I think you would turn heads, but a good Weissen in the morning would be OK, I think. The Margarita is a little too salty for a morning drink. But if you are into girlie drinks, why don’t you put an umbrella in it? (Sorry Toby!)

Lately, I have been listening to Jimi Hendrix. It can be on the same level as Floyd. I can see a lot of medicinal similarities between the two! Speaking of which, we caught a soldier on a whiz quiz who had every kind of finer pharmaceutical product (that are usually made in a central American jungle, or an old tenement basement) in her system. I did not know that you could do all that and still have a pulse!?

Well, the dust is blowing, the sky is brown, and my lungs have about two pounds of sand and dust in them! I haven’t smoke a cigar in a week or two because of it. Why add crap to my lungs when there is all of Iraq in them already! We are on the downward slope to go home. We are all getting excited. I can’t wait to get home, and have real pollution in my lungs, not this natural sand stuff.

I'm still here

2006-08-21T06:01:00.000-07:00

So, I have been a little busy here lately. The hospital was super busy about two weeks ago, and we were busting at the seams with patients. We have now taken care of that. I then have had many Soldier issues. Near the end of a deployment, people want to leave early. Now, every Red Cross message known man comes in requesting a service member to be home for whatever. It is not that simple in a war zone. There are requirements that must be met in order to send a soldier out of a war zone. I have also had some soldier misconduct too, which sucks up a lot of time.

Speaking of time, I have been surfing the net looking for pets to get. Molly wants Casey to return when I do. I personally want something a little bigger. I have been looking at Australian Shepherd dogs. They are extremely smart, and cool looking too. They would look so good in the back of the Jeep while we go Geocaching! Laura is acting like the entire web links I send don’t work, but I know she is just ignoring them! I even found rescue agencies in our area that have some of these cool dogs. I would like to teach it to track in the woods, and maybe herd Molly and her friends!

This morning, we were awoken to indirect fire. It was extremely close. We are talking that we were watching the flashes from our bunker! It was a friendly reminder from the insurgence in the area that they were still here. I bet it would be cool if I had a dog here! Yea, an Australian Shepherd, and my Jeep!

I know I am rambling about the dog, but right now, that is what my interests are in. To be honest, I don’t know if I am up to the task of being a dog owner again. I want to be. We had a blast with Casey, and he was a good little dog. I also remember fostering all the puppies about a year and a half ago. It was a lot of work with the puppies, but a lot of fun too. That is why I like the rescue idea. These dogs are older, and trained. I think Molly would love a dog, and I know Laura would too!

OK, I’ll stop with the dog. To recap: a lot of indirect fire this morning which has thrown my whole rhythm off today. No injuries, but a lot of noise. I have been busy with soldiers and the hospital. I am still safe and sound!

I'm on vacation!

2006-07-03T22:14:00.000-07:00

Well, I am starting my travel for leave. It is about time too! Here is a travel tip boys and girls; Kuwait is hot! It is easily 20 degrees warmer here than up north where I am stationed. Also, Kuwait is nothing but SAND!

I will post more once I am home and hung over! I have so many plans: Getting drunk, getting my groove on with my wife, having a drink or three, getting my groove on with my wife, BBQ, getting my groove on...

I'm on vacation, I'm on vacation!

By the way,

2006-06-28T20:40:00.000-07:00

do you know it is hotter than balls here today? I mean hot. Have you ever drunk something that was hooter than piss, like the soda that was on the porch all day? Here, you can literally drink something hotter than piss. If the human body is 98.6, the hottest that urine can get is 98.6. However, if it is over 120+ outside, and your bottle of water is sitting there acting like a solar collector on a Martian spacecraft, the water will be close to 120 making it hotter than piss. Let me tell you that it is not pleasant.

2006-06-13T09:33:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to me!

Today started out great. I walked to my office and found my office door looking like this! Thanks to those soldiers of mine that did this! It was a good, hot day here. I also learned a new trick, one that I have been trying to learn for years. I learned how to do a wheelie on a wheel chair. I know, such a big accomplishment. I was so proud of myself; I had to show my commander!

No day is a good day for a death; however, I might make an exception for this. Last night, in the middle of the darkness, two men were implanting an IED in Iraq when, BAMM!, it goes off. One of the men dies instantly, while the other lay in the road for over 18 hours before being discovered. I saw this guys femur bone from the ball joint at the hip to what was left of it about a foot below being tossed into a plastic pail in our OR today. His body looked like a heap of ground beef. I was amazed how the team of surgeons knew what was what in the pile of stuff. There was the occasional fountain spewing artery here and there. There was a lot of blood on the floor, bloody surgical sponges all over the place, and the smell of gang green in the air. The team of surgeons and technicians worked liked a well oiled machine to save this man’s life. I asked if he would live, and the prognosis was not good-he lost a lot of blood, and the total amount of injuries was still not known. If he doesn’t make it, I might make the exception to agree to that!

Well,

2006-05-30T12:31:00.000-07:00

We are having the 101 division band play here at the hospital tomorrow night. We are doing it outside on a flatbed truck with a BBQ! I'll try to post pictures.

It was a little warmer than usual today. It was so hot that I was all sweaty from walking to dinner. For dinner I had ham, rice, carrots, and jell-o with oranges in it! Yummy!

For lunch I had a steak sandwich with Swiss cheese, tomato, lettuce, and ranch dressing!

I wish there was more to say, but it is mostly ground hog day here every day! I can’t wait to go to Busch Gardens when I am home, and to go eat Pizza somewhere! I really miss Pizza! Good Pizza, with Pepsi. Pizza always goes good with Pepsi at a pizza restaurant.

2006-05-21T12:12:00.000-07:00

Sorry it has been awhile since my last posting, but I have been busy doing many things. First, I had a Danish TV reporter embedded with us for about a week. His focus of his story was the low mortality rates that we have here. During his stay, I was able to get him and I on a patrol to a small town called Hammān al ‘Alil. It is the supposed home of Ali Babba. How true is this, I am not sure. However, all the children there were proud of the myth!

Our trip involved a Stryker convoy that was fun, excited and HOT! The temperatures here are averaging around the 100 degree mark daily now. Once we got into town, we hooked up with the Iraqi Army that had secured the clinic the night before. We brought all sorts of supplies to hold a walkin clinic day there. We saw a variety of ailments from normal sniffles to birth defects and war injuries.

It was so nice to see children running around, playing and making jokes. At the hospital where I work, I only see children that are victims of the war here. Out in the countryside, I see children doing what children do best. It was a welcome relief for me. I am convinced that every Iraqi boy can say in good English: “Please sir, football.” Every boy wants a soccer ball.

Rural Iraq is completely different than the cities. They are poor, but not living in slums that you would see in the cities. There is also a lot of inbreeding. Iraqi society is mostly tribal, and people marry in their tribes. You end up with people marring their cousins and such. This results in high number of birth defects. Some might argue with this, but this is my observation of one trip to one village.

Here is a photo of me winning the hearts and minds of some young boys convinced that I have some soccer balls!

Now I sit here...

2006-05-07T09:11:00.000-07:00

Well,
It's a nice Subday evening. I just had my T-bone steak, potatoes, mushrooms and gatorade dinner, and now I am enjoying a Blondie cigar under some Camo netting. I took half the day off today to relax, and charge the batteries (to quote wedding crashers, which has become my new anthem on life).

A good friend here had to leave early to PCS for a school, and he relinquished Command to another officer. Let's just say there is a lot of growing pains in the forecast for that new Commander and Company.

My garden is growing well. The pumpkin and watermellon plants are growing really well. I stared a bunch of peppers today. They should sprout here in the next three days.

Toby, I have a soldier here who knows Floyd songs better than you or I. She gave me a copy of the Wall since my CD is back at Lee.

It is official, I am on the down hill side of this deployment. I am so excited. My leave splits up this half too, which means after leave, it is only a short little sprint to the finish.

I want to say congrats to my cousin on their upcoming addition to their family. I want to say hi to Luke, and tell him that we need to go surfing again. I also want to thank Laura for sending me the JC Ehitney catalog that started me spending all that hard earned deployment money on the Jeep. Smooches!

That's it for now.

I'm hurt!

2006-05-01T19:01:00.000-07:00

I'm not whining or anything, but I hurt my hand playing vollyball. I slammed my left thumb into something. At first they put a cast on my hand, but I couldn't do much work. Now I have a splint on it and it will be on for about 6-8 weeks. Sucks.

Picture of the day

2006-04-29T07:11:00.000-07:00

Here's a picture of me at one of Saddam’s palaces in Mosul. The mural was made honoring Saddam taking care of the elderly. If you notice, he is clutching a grenade. Once Saddam saw this, he had the artist shot.

2006-04-25T19:37:00.000-07:00

Well, not my story, but I'm quoted!

Boston Globe Story

and a link to the story on Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Nice day

2006-04-25T08:09:00.000-07:00

Today is nice. The weather is warm, but not hot, around 80 today. The best thing about today is that my watermellons are starting to sprout! Yes, I said watermellons. I also have pumkins, cherry tomatoes, and regular tomatoes too. I traded some tomatoe seeds for peas, and started them as well.
I talked to the MWR lady, and with all the folks around here growing stuff, we are thinking about having a farmer's market in about 2-3 months. She has raddishes, peppers, and lettuce. I told her I wouild trade some tomatoe plants for pepper plants.

I hurt my right thumb Sunday, get this, playing volleyball. It is not broken, but I will be wearing a brace for the next 3 months or so. I sent Laura and Molly the x-rays, and Molly just loved them!

Lately, we have been smoking cigars here like crazy. If a bullet or mortar round doesn't get me, black lung disease will.

Well, enough for now.

2006-04-23T18:32:00.001-07:00

I so slept like a rock last night! I needed it. And today for lunch, guess what I had. I steak sandwich! Yumm!

Here's a picture from my flight yesterday. This one is of the edge of the Euphrates river valley. You can see the edge of the desert, and all of a sudden, it is green. I mean green. We flew over goat ranches, and farms. It was nice to see kids waving at us. Most of the villages we flew over were waving to us. That made us feel good. All we ever hear on the new is how this is blowing up and nobody wants us here. Out in the country, rural folks are rural folks wherever in the world they are. I was amazed how some areas were lush green, and then across the street it would be barren. I was also amazed at the irrigation and farming that seemed to be in the middle of nowhere.

We also flew over some mountains that I still can’t find on a map. They were awesome. I hope to make the same flight again sometime.

It's hot here! And I mean HOT!

2006-04-20T20:23:00.000-07:00

Here's me at the pool with one of the palaces in the background. Life is so rough. Oh, I have sunburn on my feet and toes! On my toes, can you believe it? I think that is a first.

PS time for coffee-is it good for sunburned toes?

Article about the recent tragedy

2006-04-11T06:16:00.000-07:00

MOSUL, Iraq (April 3, 2006) -- Saving lives is part of the job of the 47th Combat Support Hospital Medical Staff based out of Logistical Staging Area Diamondback, Mosul, Iraq.

Recently, after a suicide bombing at AL Kisik, their medical knowledge and skills were put to the ultimate test.

“We received a call at 11:33am from 1st Armored Division that an improvised explosive device exploded and the CSH would be receiving 15 Iraqi Army cadets that had been wounded with multiple injuries,” said Master Sgt. Shawn Romero, tactical operations center, and native of Seattle, Wash.

According to Colorado Springs, Colo. native Col. James Polo, commander, 47th CSH, at 11:45am we called a mass casualty and activated all medical resources, not only the ones at the hospital, but Forward Operating Base Marez, and Courage.

“Over the course of the next 30 to 40 minutes it became apparent that is was going to be a major event,” said Polo.

According to Lt. Col. Karen Dunlap, assistant chief nurse, from Fort Lewis, Wash., the wounded started arriving by helicopter and they just kept coming.

“We were told at first we would get 15 individuals, but they just kept coming and we ended up with a total of 33 wounded Iraqi’s,” said Dunlap.

Dunlap said once off the helicopter, the wounded were triaged by two Army doctors who decided which wounded needed immediate attention. The wounded that needed immediate medical attention were rushed into the trauma door. The ones that could bypass EMT went to the ward or intensive care unit.

According to Dunlap every individual person in this hospital, no matter what unit they worked in, played a very important role in saving lives that day.

“To the casual observer it is sheer chaos, but it was a well organized chaos, there was never a loss of control,” said Polo, “everyone did a magnificent job that day and as their commander it was a humbling experience to see everyone work together as a team.”

According to Rikkina Pulliam, head nurse from Lexington. Ky. There was a huge communication barrier, but they took care of their injuries and did an excellent job in doing what needed to be done to treat them.

“I have the greatest staff in the hospital, everyone did exactly what was expected, they treated patients, did what they were supposed to do,” said Pulliam, “they did a perfect job and I am very proud of them.”

According to Lt. Col. Thomasine Howard, operating room chief nurse, most of the patients operated on had extremity wounds, wounds on their arms, legs, some with really bad facial wounds. Howard is from Montgomery, Ala. and is stationed in Hawaii.

“We operated on patients for about 16 hours,” said Howard.

Howard also said that it was one of those days that required lots of teamwork, and that is exactly what we got.

“People worked all day, barely got breaks or meals, and just continued to work with no complaints,” said Howard.

“Our job at this hospital is to provide trauma care for Army Soldiers, and Coalition Forces Soldiers, that’s our job,” said Polo. “The day of the mass casualty my staff went above and beyond what was expected and they performed an outstanding job.”

Hi all!

2006-04-06T06:10:00.000-07:00

This chair was given to Sadaam by Yasir Arafat from the PLO. It is now a major tourist attraction at one of the palaces in Baghdad that all soldiers sit in at least once!
Here's a picture from inside Uday palace. This is one of many palaces that Sadaam had constructed, yet he only visited it a few times. He also had this lake constructed. Crazy amounts of money being spent at the cost of his 'people'.

Check out what I saw today, an eclipse!

2006-03-29T06:02:00.000-08:00