So, after I got off last night, I walked back to my tent, shaved and did all that bs, and went to morning formation for guard duty. It was kinda stupid since they tell you what you’re going to be doing, but since I did it all last week I already knew. Blah! Oh well. After that I slept for about six hours when I was rudely woken up to awful rap music. It sucks staying in a tent with 30+ other guys! *sigh* Anyways, unable to get back to sleep (due to the heat mainly) I got ready for guard duty.

Guard duty today was actually pretty interesting. First of all, we had a bunch of little kids come by and start swimming in the canal in front of our tower. They swim there because while they’re swimming they beg for food and water. (We gave them a water and stuff, since they are only about 10 years old.) Then we had the girls come and do their laundry in the canal… I guess the canal waters the best they have… I think they drink it too since they filled up containers (including the empty water bottle we threw) to take with them… *shudder* Different ways of life I guess. After they did their laundry, they came and bathed in the canal as well. (When they bath, they don’t remove all their clothes, which I’m sure was due to our presence. They keep on one robe like cloth.) After that they gathered their laundry, and grabbed stuff from their fields and drove off. (This one family owns all the fields right in front of our tower, hence the reason for them bathing and etc there…) One thing they asked for that I’ll prob throw them tomorrow is soap. I figure if you want to beg for soap, I’ll give them some. (Besides, we have a ton leftover from the platoon that left.)

Well, after that family left, we had a guy down the fence a little ways, walk right up next to the fence… well, this is a big no-no. Lets just say that if someone started climbing the fence here, I would be authorized to shoot him, As it was, I was ready to do so at any time. (I was already given authority to fire a warning shot if he didn’t move away from the fence, but he did so without my insistence.) We are the first line of defense for our base, and if someone came and put an explosive by the fence, they could remove the fence and get in and hurt alot of people, so we take this job very seriously.

So anyways, after my shift I went back to my tent and met with my friend Shawn, whom I agreed with earlier to go over to the Air Force Rec Tent, and we made our way out. We had this choice to make… the Miller Light Cat Fight Girls (along with Joe Millionaire, whoever the hell that is) decided to grace our base with a visit. So we had a choice of going to the pool and seeing two scantily clad girls (and some nobody) do unmentionable (and in Iraq, prob illegal) things to each other, or go the Air Force rec tent and bring death and destruction upon each other in counterstrike. Well, we did what any real man would do, and opted for the death and destruction. I was actually pretty happy today since my name was usually on the top of the list on kills for my team. I guess I’m getting some of my skill back. *grin* Or maybe it’s my real life training with my M4 rifle that makes me so deadly with the same rifle in the game… who knows. Either way, I’m learning the maps better and was kicking some serious ass 😉 (Playing it straight all night will do that for you.)

So after all that, I had to come to the computers and say hi. (Also, my wife purchased a webcam, so I get to see her now! Mega w00tage!) She still looks beautiful and sexy! It’s nice being able to see her. Now, if there wasn’t so many people around… ermm.. yea.. nevermind.

Anyways, I guess I should be working my way back so I can get six or so hours of sleep before my next shift. (I’m just glad we don’t do what the army does. We have 12 people, six shifts per day, two people per shift. The army has 6 people… work 4, 8 off, work 4, 8 off. That would suck! Major suckage! MAJOR! So, one w00t for Air Force! And sorry for you army people… should have joined the AF 😉

Anyways… off to the px (need to buy cushioning for my helmet… it hurts after wearing it a while) and sleeeeeeep.

Oh yea… My birthday is in like two weeks, and I don’t know what I want. I mentioned anime and japanese cd’s, but I doubt my parents even know what those are… As for computer books, I have no computer to play around with… As for japanese books, I have alot out here already, and they would prob send me one I already have… So, if you can think of anything I would like (books… ie: fantasy novels I haven’t read yet, or anything I would like but can’t think of because my brain is so cooked from the sun…) please let me know.

Ok, that’s it for me…
Strider, out.

[Update: You might notice I didn’t mention a mortar attack today. Well, we went to alarm red once, but it appears that it was an explosion about 2 clicks off base… whoever was doing guard reported it wrong, so it wasn’t necessary for them to set off the alarm. I think this makes my first day here with no attack… maybe tomorrow will be my first day with no alarm red! Lets hope.]

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Filed under: Uncategorized - @ August 17, 2004 5:36 am