Love and Hate
The mornings have been cooler. 70F feels chilly. That’s relatively the highs back home. Maybe I’ve gotten too use to100F.
I’ve been pulling duty through the night. Monitoring the Iraqi Security Force, checking our parameter and observing things in general. The Jundis are doing as their told; several of the Warrant Officers over them have been mentoring them as we check them. I go around with an interpreter, and an IA Warrant Officer (which performs much like an American NCO). I make suggestions, ask if all is alright and spot check equipment.
Iraqi’s have a tolerance for obnoxious noises. I get frustrated every night when their Motorola’s are blaring and they are talking excessively on posts and over the radio. Then they stand in the open and turn on a light to log the visit. “Stand inside the tower”, I tell them. Their oblivious to harm. One of the interpreters spent eight years fighting the Iranians and lectures them more than me. Tonight I will take one by the hand and lead them into cover so they can shine that damn light! I tease them about the talking.
A lot of the time the Iraqis get their channels confused and you hear them calling for one another on your channel. “Naqeeb who ever Nejib”…Captain who ever answer. Not all Motorolas have channels numbered, like mine. They figure it out and move on. They steal each others channels too. It’s a trip.
Yet, they do speak in codes, their own codes. They reacted to one situation the other night with great vigor. I told myself I would stay away from love/hate relationships…Well, I’m in one now and I'm only getting kissing noises on the cheeks from skuzzy guy’s.
Alli Babba
Only in Iraq will you hire some one to put up a fence and he steals your neighbors fence to do it. You see, there are lots of little camps on the Iraqi side of Taji. A contractor took wire from one camp to do a project for us. One of the MP Advisors caught him red handed. What will Alli Babba do next? Trust me, he's already up to something.
Stay tuned and find out…
The Appalachianist
I’ve been pulling duty through the night. Monitoring the Iraqi Security Force, checking our parameter and observing things in general. The Jundis are doing as their told; several of the Warrant Officers over them have been mentoring them as we check them. I go around with an interpreter, and an IA Warrant Officer (which performs much like an American NCO). I make suggestions, ask if all is alright and spot check equipment.
Iraqi’s have a tolerance for obnoxious noises. I get frustrated every night when their Motorola’s are blaring and they are talking excessively on posts and over the radio. Then they stand in the open and turn on a light to log the visit. “Stand inside the tower”, I tell them. Their oblivious to harm. One of the interpreters spent eight years fighting the Iranians and lectures them more than me. Tonight I will take one by the hand and lead them into cover so they can shine that damn light! I tease them about the talking.
A lot of the time the Iraqis get their channels confused and you hear them calling for one another on your channel. “Naqeeb who ever Nejib”…Captain who ever answer. Not all Motorolas have channels numbered, like mine. They figure it out and move on. They steal each others channels too. It’s a trip.
Yet, they do speak in codes, their own codes. They reacted to one situation the other night with great vigor. I told myself I would stay away from love/hate relationships…Well, I’m in one now and I'm only getting kissing noises on the cheeks from skuzzy guy’s.
Alli Babba
Only in Iraq will you hire some one to put up a fence and he steals your neighbors fence to do it. You see, there are lots of little camps on the Iraqi side of Taji. A contractor took wire from one camp to do a project for us. One of the MP Advisors caught him red handed. What will Alli Babba do next? Trust me, he's already up to something.
Stay tuned and find out…
The Appalachianist
posted by Hill Billy Rave | Sunday, September 17, 2006
15 Comments:
I can't believe you just skipped over the fact that you are in a love/hate relationship with a scuzzy guy who gives you air kisses. What a sordid tale that must be and welcome to something that all females have endured throughout the years. ;-)
That was low, Murf
What was low about it? You wrote it. If it was about females enduring it, I wasn't referring to you. Any woman getting air kisses from you is one lucky girl. :-)
I want air kisses from you!
I don't really understand them wanting to shine a light to log it...but apparently that is not a bright move.
Does it put you in danger?
Ugh..I honestly don't know how you do it! God bless you and all of our soldiers.
70s, huh? That's gotta beat the heck out of the temps you've been operating in since you got there. Does your quarters have heat?
Murf, I imagine your right. Now don;t let it go to your head.
Pucker up Lee Ann. No, standing in the open shining a light gives something to shoot at. Well, it's not like I'm outside the wire. How we do it is we just go out there and do it.
Your not kidding, Gunner. No, we don't have heat. I was told there were heaters in the PX, that's BX to you. I don't have a TV or Frig like many. I do have a radio and a cooler.
T&A - If there is one thing I've learned about you over the past year is if for some strange reason it should go to my head, you will quickly correct that.
Okay, henceforth we'll just use AAFES or *X, whichever you prefer. I just had a flashback - Our slogan for CONUS was "The land of the Big BX"
Do you have AFRTS there? Well, dumb question, I'm sure you do. Where do they broadcast from? Kuwait? Dubai? Do they play any cowpunk or psychobilly?
Seems we have a mutual friend in Brevard, she suggested I say hello. So, HELLO! God Bless and keep you well. Smiles.
Murf, someone has to keep your brilliance in check.
Gunner, here at Taji wehave two AFN feeds. One the AFN variety thing, I don't listen to it and a rock station feed from stateside. They did have a Planet Station feed, the so called new rock. Now it's a classic rock thing. Either one didn't have enough variety...I'm so damn picky. I don't know where they come from. Baghdad get's a UK armed Forces feed.
Anon, Yes, we do have a mutual freind. We go back a way's. She's a great person. It's sweet of you to say Hello. Thanks
How odd that the job is usually done by two North Carolina boys - you and Sage. :-)
Hey! It is almost Thursday!
I think I need more air kisses!
~xo
Keep yourself safe for the mountains. They are still there waiting on you to return. I'm going down to the Dillard House in Georgia with my family in October. I try to read every thing you write. God bless you.
It's a confederacy, Murf.
Lee Ann...I mean LEE ANN, I can only smile.
Anon...I will...I'm not sure who you are.
Be wary of the Dillard House. I have known people who have worked there and what they had to say was not good. I have lived in Franklinstein all my life and never once ate there.
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