I Say Hello

Hello, Hello...

I'm still working at the clinic. Myself and the other medics have been putting in some very long hours. We're implementing a new schedule that should lighten the load a little, however.

I have quite a few pictures to post now, but the connection is too slow at the moment. We should have a faster connection at the clinic soon. I would like to get them up before I have too many to post.

Not much new to report. I've been spending time familiarizing myself with the clinic. Being a "line medic," I'm not used to all of the documentation and protocol of the clinical setting. I've been learning a great deal, and I'm grateful for this unique opportunity.

I have had a chance to get out on a few convoys. I visited Baghdad last week, and that was very cool. The mosques and other cultural and historical buildings are amazing. I wish I didn't have to observe them only in passing, though.

Workin' Man

I'm all settled in now. I've unpacked and organized, and now I'm ready to rock.

Today I started at the clinic here at camp. I will be doing 12-hour shifts. They're going to be long days, but I think it'll make the time here go faster. I'll also be riding with convoys now and then.

I will try to get some pictures posted as soon as I'm able. I do have other things to get done on after-hour time, so it may be a little while.

Finally There

After many short-notice alerts for flights, cancelations, much packing and unpacking and repacking, we've finally arrived at our final destination. We linked up with our company after spending a night at the camp we flew into and then convoyed to this one today. We're staying in a small camp that is fairly isolated. Apparently, there isn't much to do here, but it is safe. It sounds like everyone is kept busy working most of the time anyway.

I'm doing well and I appreciate the cards and packages that were waiting for me here when I arrived. "Thank you" to those that sent them. I will be posting more soon.

PS: I apologize for the vagueness, but we must follow "OPSEC." This is the Army's acronym for "operational security." We don't want the enemy to know who we are, how many strong we are, or where we are. Thus, I cannot give too many details about modes of travel or the camps that we stay at.

False Alarm

...two of them actually. We've been scheduled for two different flights out of Kuwait since last night. Both of them have been canceled. Nobody is certain when we'll get out of here, but I'm sure it'll be very soon after I unpack again. Most of the guys are worried that we may be in transit while the Super Bowl is on.

Moving Again

Tomorrow afternoon we will be leaving here. We'll be flying into Iraq where we will most likely be picked up by our unit to convoy to our final destination by the end of the day. We may have to spend the night at the base the plane brings us to, but I hope this is not the case. I'd like to unpack my things and set up residence somewhere finally, if only for a year.

Starting to Get Bored...

Apparently they don't have camel rides and fun runs around here every day. We've been working out a lot, running and going to the gym, to fill some of the time. However, most of the time we watch movies or play video games. I've also been going through the tutorial in Photoshop and playing with that quite a bit (thanks to cousin Nathan for hooking me up with that). I'm starting to look into online/correspondence courses that I can take while in Iraq as well.

I've been playing with Photoshop... 

Desert sunset.