Thursday, September 25, 2008
What a Long Strange Trip it's Been...so far
As I sit here in the Bahrain airport I am finally putting down my thoughts from the last few days. It has taken me a bit to get away from all the emotion of everything so now I am ready to write.
When me and my merry band of Navy Journalisnts left Iraq we found out that we werent given travel arrangements per say as we just had to get to the airport and sort of "catch a ride," down to Kuwait. Apparently, the Navy Indivdual Augmentees are not given seats...we have to catch what's left on the plane.
So we sat up all night and I had to find us a flight...of which I finally did and we made it to Kuwait!
Next...
We make our way to the Navy desk and are told we are only going to be at this base for a few days and then we will be moved to Camp Arifjan...when are we going. Hmmm...dont know. When will you know...just check back in the morning we will let you know then.
Next morning....
Come back tomorrow morning...
Next morning...
OK get your gear your leaving at 1300!
So then we bus for two hours across Kuwait...I didn't think Kuwait was big enough to bus two hours across...but we did.
Welcome to Camp Arifjan!
We were welcomed by fellow Navy who had our tents ready, and a schedule of events for the next few days. At last someone with a clue!
So we settle in and wait for about five days so we can turn in our gear and take some classes on not going home and killing our families...that blog is for another day.
So we hang around Camp Arifjan for five days and then the fun starts. We spend the day cleaning our filthy M-16's and giving them back all the gear we were issued. Much of which was still in the plastic it was given to me in!
Then we take our two hour class...ok I know not to kill my family when I get home.
Everyone is then told they are leaving then following day....everybody but Robbie.
Yup, Apprarently, there are only two planes a month that go to D.G. from this end of the world and the next one wasent for a week and a half....so I have sat at Camp Arifjan all this time. I called and bothered my brothers, cousin Michelle and kids to keep my sanity.
After all this I am put back on a bus and sent back to Ali Base. The bus driver rode the gas and brake...gas and brake. I felt like I was on a two hour ride at Universial. I was feeling so car sick....
I didn't hurl...but it was close.
So I am in another tent...that night all I dreamed of was leaving Kuwait, and how it could go wrong. As I tried to sleep people were coming and going in and out of the tent all night to come from and go to thwir flights...didnt sleep too well.
Next morning back on the bus...
Kuwaitti International Here I Come!
I get to the plane and I am immediatly accosted by the curb attendants...apparently they work in a rortation and this guy was assigned to me as they jumped on all of us as we left the bus.
I told the guy that rolled up on me I was fine and he seemed to go away. I then thre my bags on the metal decetor to get in to the airport. I then made my way through the detector and guess who was waiting for me on the other side with my bags neatly stacked on a little cart...yup my assigned curb attendant. He then rushed me away fromt the counter so fast I almost forgot my glasses that I had to remove for the metal detctor.
I made it to the ticket counter...they releived me of my luggage and curb guy releieved me of five dollars.
When I was handed my boarding pass I noticed it said my flight is boarding in twenty minutes.
"Excuse me, I think you put me on the wrong flight. I am supposed to leave in two hours."
"No. I put you on earlier flight. You leave now."
"Shouldn't you ask me before you change my flight?"
"No. I put you on earlier fight. You leave now."
Fine whatever.
So I am out of Kuwait.
Neat fact...everyone on the flight had computers out and i-pods on from the moment we sat down to the moment we landed and none of the flight attendandts said a word...intresting yes?
So now I have a 15 hour layover in Bahrain...I catch a ride with some other Sailors...and eventually I end up on base and then sent to a hotel out in town as there is no room at then Inn.
I slept...I showered...I ate Chili's.
Now I am waiting on this flight...the I/A experience that began all these months ago is over. I am spent. I want to sleep in my bed on D.G. tonight, in the privacy of my own room.
It is so near!
What's more a cold beer awaits as well.
When me and my merry band of Navy Journalisnts left Iraq we found out that we werent given travel arrangements per say as we just had to get to the airport and sort of "catch a ride," down to Kuwait. Apparently, the Navy Indivdual Augmentees are not given seats...we have to catch what's left on the plane.
So we sat up all night and I had to find us a flight...of which I finally did and we made it to Kuwait!
Next...
We make our way to the Navy desk and are told we are only going to be at this base for a few days and then we will be moved to Camp Arifjan...when are we going. Hmmm...dont know. When will you know...just check back in the morning we will let you know then.
Next morning....
Come back tomorrow morning...
Next morning...
OK get your gear your leaving at 1300!
So then we bus for two hours across Kuwait...I didn't think Kuwait was big enough to bus two hours across...but we did.
Welcome to Camp Arifjan!
We were welcomed by fellow Navy who had our tents ready, and a schedule of events for the next few days. At last someone with a clue!
So we settle in and wait for about five days so we can turn in our gear and take some classes on not going home and killing our families...that blog is for another day.
So we hang around Camp Arifjan for five days and then the fun starts. We spend the day cleaning our filthy M-16's and giving them back all the gear we were issued. Much of which was still in the plastic it was given to me in!
Then we take our two hour class...ok I know not to kill my family when I get home.
Everyone is then told they are leaving then following day....everybody but Robbie.
Yup, Apprarently, there are only two planes a month that go to D.G. from this end of the world and the next one wasent for a week and a half....so I have sat at Camp Arifjan all this time. I called and bothered my brothers, cousin Michelle and kids to keep my sanity.
After all this I am put back on a bus and sent back to Ali Base. The bus driver rode the gas and brake...gas and brake. I felt like I was on a two hour ride at Universial. I was feeling so car sick....
I didn't hurl...but it was close.
So I am in another tent...that night all I dreamed of was leaving Kuwait, and how it could go wrong. As I tried to sleep people were coming and going in and out of the tent all night to come from and go to thwir flights...didnt sleep too well.
Next morning back on the bus...
Kuwaitti International Here I Come!
I get to the plane and I am immediatly accosted by the curb attendants...apparently they work in a rortation and this guy was assigned to me as they jumped on all of us as we left the bus.
I told the guy that rolled up on me I was fine and he seemed to go away. I then thre my bags on the metal decetor to get in to the airport. I then made my way through the detector and guess who was waiting for me on the other side with my bags neatly stacked on a little cart...yup my assigned curb attendant. He then rushed me away fromt the counter so fast I almost forgot my glasses that I had to remove for the metal detctor.
I made it to the ticket counter...they releived me of my luggage and curb guy releieved me of five dollars.
When I was handed my boarding pass I noticed it said my flight is boarding in twenty minutes.
"Excuse me, I think you put me on the wrong flight. I am supposed to leave in two hours."
"No. I put you on earlier flight. You leave now."
"Shouldn't you ask me before you change my flight?"
"No. I put you on earlier fight. You leave now."
Fine whatever.
So I am out of Kuwait.
Neat fact...everyone on the flight had computers out and i-pods on from the moment we sat down to the moment we landed and none of the flight attendandts said a word...intresting yes?
So now I have a 15 hour layover in Bahrain...I catch a ride with some other Sailors...and eventually I end up on base and then sent to a hotel out in town as there is no room at then Inn.
I slept...I showered...I ate Chili's.
Now I am waiting on this flight...the I/A experience that began all these months ago is over. I am spent. I want to sleep in my bed on D.G. tonight, in the privacy of my own room.
It is so near!
What's more a cold beer awaits as well.
Labels: Diego Garcia, I/A, Iraq, Iraqi Freedom, Navy, rob Kerns
Friday, September 19, 2008
Mission Complete
This afternoon and this evening I stood outside and watched AFN Team 3 board busses and SUVs and drive off. The members of this unique band of indivduals job is done and it is time for us all to head back t our duty stations.
What started as a group of Sailors meeting in a classroom back in Febuary has come to its end on a curb side in Kuwait.
During this nearly eight month period we trained together in the Pine Barrens of Fort Dix, N.J., and desert of Kuwait and eventually told the military's story from the lines in Baghdad, Iraq.
Was it all good times and laughs...not by a long shot. We were thrown into a environement we knew nothing of in New Jersey with Army training. Several of us like me had very little experience with the M-16 or with land navigation but we made it through.
In New Jersey and then in Iraq we were treated as second class citizens by our leadership of different services. However, we once again sallied forth and made it through.
Whats more is we did not only make it through but in the end we excelled! I think AFN Iraq is a better flowing machine after we left and I know those who have replaced us in Team 4 will contiue in the path we set.
So now I sit in Kuwaitr for another week as my plane back to Diego Garcia dosent leave for a few more days.
As I sit here and ponder I want everyone to know they can be damn proud of the work that those over here are doing and that those who served in my group led the charge of excellence in the desert.
So now...its just me and the desert...guess I'll hit the gym.
What started as a group of Sailors meeting in a classroom back in Febuary has come to its end on a curb side in Kuwait.
During this nearly eight month period we trained together in the Pine Barrens of Fort Dix, N.J., and desert of Kuwait and eventually told the military's story from the lines in Baghdad, Iraq.
Was it all good times and laughs...not by a long shot. We were thrown into a environement we knew nothing of in New Jersey with Army training. Several of us like me had very little experience with the M-16 or with land navigation but we made it through.
In New Jersey and then in Iraq we were treated as second class citizens by our leadership of different services. However, we once again sallied forth and made it through.
Whats more is we did not only make it through but in the end we excelled! I think AFN Iraq is a better flowing machine after we left and I know those who have replaced us in Team 4 will contiue in the path we set.
So now I sit in Kuwaitr for another week as my plane back to Diego Garcia dosent leave for a few more days.
As I sit here and ponder I want everyone to know they can be damn proud of the work that those over here are doing and that those who served in my group led the charge of excellence in the desert.
So now...its just me and the desert...guess I'll hit the gym.
Labels: I/A, Iraq, Iraqi Freedom, Navy
Saturday, September 06, 2008
Leaving Iraq
Well it's time. Time for me to say goodbye to this country. This all started for me about a year ago when I returned to Diego Garcia after my mom passed away.
I was told that by my boss that he had to submit all the names of the first classes that hadent been on an I/A yet and my name was going to be on the list. He then asked if I had any objections to going. I thought for a few minutes and said with my mom gone I guess not.
That was all it took. By Thanksgiving I was told I was most likely going and by Christmas Day I had orders in hand.
For those of you that have followed me through all this you know about the training and flights and at times being scared to death. Now it is quickly drawing to a close.
After being here do I still believe this war is just? Yes I do. Do I believe we can win here in the end? I believe at this point this war isn't ours to win, it's the Iraqi's and if they want to keep a Democratic Iraq they need to make it happen, not us.
So by this time Tueday, hopefully I will be at Camp Arifjan going through what I have to dot the i and cross the t's to head back to D.G.
This year I will be home for Christmas. Can someone plz get me at the airport??
I was told that by my boss that he had to submit all the names of the first classes that hadent been on an I/A yet and my name was going to be on the list. He then asked if I had any objections to going. I thought for a few minutes and said with my mom gone I guess not.
That was all it took. By Thanksgiving I was told I was most likely going and by Christmas Day I had orders in hand.
For those of you that have followed me through all this you know about the training and flights and at times being scared to death. Now it is quickly drawing to a close.
After being here do I still believe this war is just? Yes I do. Do I believe we can win here in the end? I believe at this point this war isn't ours to win, it's the Iraqi's and if they want to keep a Democratic Iraq they need to make it happen, not us.
So by this time Tueday, hopefully I will be at Camp Arifjan going through what I have to dot the i and cross the t's to head back to D.G.
This year I will be home for Christmas. Can someone plz get me at the airport??
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