Sand In My Boots: May 2005

Toby Keith Concert

Hi folks!
Yes, I know it's been a little while since I've updated the blog. Things get busy around here from time to time, so I don't always have the opportunity to send stuff specifically for the blog. But I'm making the time, Ann told me that a lot of folks were asking about it, so...I'm updating! If you saw the Country Music Awards recently, you probably saw Toby Keith in Bagdad, not here! He was here the next day, though. He came in and started his concert way after I go to bed. I have to be on duty by 4:30 am local time (0000 zulu time), so I was asleep before he ever got started. I was told later that it was only a 30-45 minute show, but that it was pretty good. Oh well, maybe I'll catch something else another time. We'll see!

I know a lot of people, my wife in particular, wanted to see people in the photos. So I have two. Neither one is me. Sorry, Honey! This is SGT Stenger and SPC Sanchez being goofy. This is nothing new to be sure! We had a great conversation about bats the other day, speculating on how great a weapon they would be if we just atached grenades to them and sent them into the caves, it would be 'The Bats of Death'! It was really funny at the time, of course.

Thankfully the construction group has stopped working on this monstrosity while I nap after my shift. You get 3 guesses as to what this is.
It's a porta-john! Of course that's the 'nice' term for it...I'll leave you to speculate on that one.

This is another shot of the small minefield/junk pile right outside of our compound. When the Soviets left, they also left all their junk! Most of it was actually scavenged by the Afghanis before we got here. This truck, for example, has nothing left on it! Even with it in the middle of a minefield!

This is from the same minefield. This is tail section from an Su-7 or Su-17 fighter. You'll also notice all the junked jet engines in there. I've counted at least 4.

This is a building that the 367th, the group we replaced here, started and never finished. Major Vollert told me that the 'Automatic Building Machine' was broken. I thought that meant it wasn't going to build its self.

Nope! THIS is the Automatic Building Machine, and it IS broken!

This is our flag at half mast. We lost 2 marines last week, and this is for them.

This is right outside the coffee shop and the Dairy Queen. We also have a little clothing and tactical gear shop there, and there is a Subway theoretically coming to this same spot as well.

This is a sunset behind the mountains, it was very beautiful. I had to take another picture though because my first shot had the porta-johns in it!

This one is a big machine. I'm not even sure what to call it! You can't call it a crane or a forklift. All I ca n tell you is it picks up those big connex boxes. Considering the vast quantity of connex boxes here, it's a pretty important machine.

This is an example of the old soviet buildings that are all over post. You'd think they built this place or something!

This is my room from the bed. I had to get all the way back in the corner to get this shot.

This is a humvee and the beast next to it is an RG-31. Sorry, this one doesn't have any cute animal name. But I think it may be the next phase of the SUV craze! This thing is massive! It's designed to take mine strikes, so it's very tough.

This is my room, cleaned up, from the doorway. Please, no fainting.

This and the next one are the same Pepsi can. Collector's item maybe? Probably not.

This and the last one are the same Pepsi can. It's canned in Saudi Arabia.

This is just a goofy sign someone had made a long time ago, I think. It's on the side of one of our huts.

This pic is an old anti-aircraft gun that A co has right outside their company TOC

Allen spent a afternoon at the bazzar and sent Ann these pictures to go shopping! They have all kinds of neat stuff and are set up right on the airbase. Enjoy the photos!