Back in the Saddle

So I finally made it back to my home away from home. Clean uniform day brings me no small measure of joy under any circumstances here, but I must say that this clean uniform day was one for the record books. I bagged up my laundry when I got back and handed it to the uniform I had on last week and it was kind enough to walk over to the laundry shop on its own. Can't say I'll miss it, but as disgusting as it was I am mildly surprised at how well it held up given the circumstances - I was far less foul than I thought I'd be after all I put that thing through.

My ride home was absolutely amazing. If you ever have the chance to hitch a ride in a UH-60 Blackhawk, do yourself a favor and jump in. I sat in the back row in a forward facing seat right next to the "window," which is a two foot square of open space. That meant I got 180 mph wind directly in my face the whole ride, but it also meant I got a great view of the countryside and some very intriguing things that were going on below us. Wild ride - hope I get to do it again.

I'm anticipating being stationary for the next few weeks and looking forward to settling in a grinding out a lot of the paperwork that our Baghdad HQ requires of all OCI types. As an embedded attorney it's a lot harder for us to keep up with that part of the mission because we're invovled in perfecting the finished product, which is the actual investigation, once the initial attorney work is done. I am relieving the other OCI guy here when he leaves for home in July, so much of my time is spent shadowing him and learning the ins and outs of the division and brigade investigative task forces we work with. It's an involved process and there are a lot of administrative wrinkles being thrown on us suddenly, so standby for thoughts on that. It's a delicate balance between keeping the head shed happy by producing numbers and helping the operators I actually work with here. Given the choice, I'll help my operators. It remains to be seen how much longer we'll be given that choice.

I've been in Iraq a full month now and it's been the quickest month of my life. I'm afraid that by the time I get comfortable and really good at this job it'll be time to go home. One of the downsides to a 6 month deployment. I mulled over requesting an extension, but for a number of reasons I think at this point I'll stick to my scheduled return date. New job list came out recently and I'm already in line to leave my current job in DC next year and rotate to something new as early as April. Amazing how it's flown by. The job I want probably more than any other available to a Navy JAG has a spot, but it's in Virginia. I'd hoped to get back to San Diego next tour but I decided a while ago that this was the one job that I'd place at the top of my list over any other and there is an opening in line with my time to roll. Somewhat torn. We'll see if I'm even remotely qualified for it before I go into it any further - could be a pipe dream anyway. I sent my detailer (the person who gives us our assignments) my "dream sheet" and we'll see what he has to say. For now, I'll just plug away in my dusty paradise and hope for the best.

97 steps to work every day at CCCI. At least one trip up and down in full IBA, 2 for lunch and dinner, and as there is no running water in the building, maybe a few more for "incidentals." Good times.

I don't know what this statue in the IZ commemorates, but if it follows the Hussein trend, it might be for a victory over a foe he did not actually defeat.

The essential IZ photo op.

I get older; my instinctive need to climb stuff stays the same.


Little Country and me about to take a walk on the wild side.

FOB Prosperity - just down the road and much nicer than Union III, where I stayed.

LZ Washington... I spent many long nights staring at this sign waiting in vain for my ride home.

This is why it never showed up. Your Iraq-u-weather forecast for today: 115 and muddy.

Eventually made it back to my little box o' heaven. That's right, 1/4 of this baby is all mine.