Week 1

After getting settled in and doing my best to get my sleep schedule back to normal, I actually got some work done. While I am still awaiting my GPC to be able to make the purchases myself I have done everything else for several buys. I got in a nice routine until...

Alarms started going off and I was jolted from my sleep. Obviously having no idea what to do I followed the lead of my two roommates. Having just got my body armor the day before I rushed to put it on, not knowing which way was front/back or even how to secure it to my body. Putting the gas mask/canteen/IFAK on was a whole other story and I eventually ditched the IFAK to get done quicker. Donning 30+lbs of gear is no way to have to walk to work in the morning, especially wearing it incorrectly. I tried my hardest to not have to go to the bathroom or even eat because that would mean having to go outside and into the danger. Before the attack was over I was able to snap this dark picture:

Ok, maybe it was just an exercise and there was no danger or alarms at all but the body armor was a pain in the ass and I cut my water consumption down tremendously so I wouldn't have to go outside. Sitting in a chair/eating lunch/going to the bathroom/even getting a pen from the ground was extremely difficult and I don't know how anyone does it for extended periods of time. After work, as a civilian I was able to take off the gear and wear just civilian clothing- going to the BX and dinner in civies made me stick out like a sore thumb and I'm sure everyone wasn't happy with me since I was no longer taking part in the exercise and they had to wait until midnight to end their exercise.

On New Years Eve I had my second and final drink of my deployment. There was a lot planned for NYE but nothing could've surpassed the Michael Jackson impersonator. Mr. E-Cassanova had the moves, the voice, the look of 1980's MJ. Even though I missed the moonwalk, it was a pretty good performance and if he had dangled a baby out of a window, no one would have known the difference.

I went into the city for the first time to pickup a MSgt returning from leave and while I was trying to figure out where we were going instead of looking around the city, I can tell it is a very wealthy and beautiful area. We drove by the Grand Mosque and I hope to be able to tour it at some point.I have signed up for a sunset safari in a few weeks, where we go over the sand dunes, ride ATVs, see falconers hunt, and other activities- I am extremely excited for it and can't wait for a little bit of action off base.

-SITS