Going back to the desert and the war....

Well, here we all are a year later. For some of us it seems like Deja Vu.  Looks like a very good certainty I will be headed back to the sand. Different place this time. Hope all of those who followed in the past will continue to follow.. Thank you for your support in the past and the coming days ahead. It means much more than I can say...

I will update this post as best I can along my journey.

Father's Day

We were pleased to have Rob home for Father's Day.  He was planning on being here for his vacation anyway, we just got to have him home 3 weeks early.  Even though is still feeling not so good, it is good to have him in the good ole' United States for treatment.  We should know more after his tests that will be run on the 30th of this month.  We thought of those dads over in Afghanistan and Iraq that were not able to be with their families.  Keep sending good vibes and saying those prayers.

Lisa

Memorial Day

Take pause today and thank all of those who have made sacrifices to protect and defend our freedom. This means (among many other things) being able to spend time with family and friends without worrying about being killed by an IED or rocket attack. Thank everyone you see who has served our country. It means a lot to them.

Made it home

Finally made it home. It has taken a few days to adjust to the time change, clean air, and quiet. It is nice to be home with family and friends. I will be seeing a doctor here next week for further evaluation on my condition. My prayers are still with those over there serving our country. Stay safe!

Leaving Salerno

Feeling like crap being transported to Bagram, then on to Landstuhl http://www.healthcare.hqusareur.army.mil/landstuhl/index.cfm for additional treatment. I somehow developed an abdominal infection which could be potentially life threatening. Very bummed out about it! I do want to thank all of the medical personnel who took good care of me throughout the entire process. Army, Navy, Marine (Semper Fi!), and Air Force. You are awesome! I managed to hit Bagram when the base was attacked right next to where we were housed. My prayers are with those soldiers who were wounded. I want everyone to know that there are brave soldiers here fighting this god forsaken "war". Let's not forget all of the civilian contractors who are putting their lives on the line as well. My hats off to all of the personnel at Landstuhl hospital! You take excellent care of our fighting men and women. My special thanks to Lt. Blair! You were so kind and made my stay bearable. Also, thank you to the army specialist who helped me immensely by helping with transportation and carrying my bags for me. You sir, are a true soldier and gentleman.

I am now in Kelsterbach germany resting in a hotel awaiting my flight back to the states. I am feeling better but may need additional treatment when I get home. Whenever you see a soldier, stop and thank them for their service! It is not a fun time over here. They all make incredible sacrifices (the next time I hear someone bitch about their Mc Donalds order being screwed up or not getting something the way they want it, you better hope I am not there). They seem to be forgotten. If the politicians would let the soldiers do their jobs and fight this war we would be better off. Politicians have no business running a war, or government for that matter. Remember this when you go to vote next time. Your vote does count. America needs to get back to the basics and stop all of this "pc" bullshit. Terrorists are just that, terrorists! They are cowards.

Pondering the universe

Sitting outside work after the night shift. It is a beautiful day, starting with a beautiful sunrise. Off to my house to catch a few episodes of X-Files and sleep.

Hey SA

Picture of the great engineers I work with in front of the PAX. The guys to my left are CIA? We actually look more like a retro 70's rock band. Keep checking back for more pics...

Two months to go

   My apologies for not keeping up on the blog. My hours have now changed to nights. It has taken about a week to adjust. I like the night shift. It is quiet. I do work with a great bunch of guys (and gals) here. That does make the time pass..  Walking around the FOB at night is sometimes a little spooky though.

   Less than two months to go before I leave for vacation! Of course I cannot wait. The weather here lately has been a mixture of rain and very warm weather. The thunder storms here at night are spectacular.  Of course every time I try to catch them on video, they stop. I will keep trying though. Rocket attacks are becoming more frequent. I guess the enemy likes the warm weather.

   Other than that, it is life as usual. Trying to get in shape and lose another ten pounds. I want to thank everyone for  your support and sending me emails and packages. It really means a lot. Well that is it for now. I will try to post more pictures.

Some shots in Bagram

Haji working on the fob

Local nationals helping with a construction project

3 months down - 3 to go

Today is the 3 month mark since Rob left Boise.  We have 3 more to go until he gets to come home for vacation.  If you can't tell, I have been marking the days off the calendar. 

Lisa

Meeting the president

I was in Bagram for three days to take an CISSP exam. I had taken my exam that morning and was at the air terminal attempting to leave and get back to my FOB. As it so happens it also coincided with the President's surprise visit. After watching him live on TV in the air terminal, I decided to go to the DFAC (dining facility) to grab some late night chow and a cup of coffee (three days in a transient tent going on 10 hours of sleep over the course of three days).

To my surprise as I was eating I noticed a lot of secret service agents and the press in the DFAC. Sure enough, in walks the President 15 minutes later.  I just happen to be sitting in the area that was quarantined off. He walked through and personally spoke with everyone.  When it came my turn, I greeted him by saying "It is an honor to meet you Mr. President".  After giving him my name, he asked where I lived. I just happened to be wearing my Boise State shirt. I said to him "I just came here to get a grilled cheese sandwich, you didn't have to make a special trip to come see me". He thought that was quite humorous.

For those of you who will say BFD. We may or may not agree with his politics (I don't), as Americans we should respect the office. Remember, politicians get ELECTED.  We still live in the greatest country on earth. If you don't agree, move to Haiti.

I must have smelled like the south end of a northbound mule. Three days of living in a hot tent with 200+ men will do that.

He is photogenic, I am not. 

Back in Salerno

Thanks for the all the prayers and good wishes.  Rob made it back to his "home" safe and sound.  I think he very happy to be back in Salerno.

Lisa

Bagram

Rob made it safely to Bagram.  He said it is really hot and he is crammed into a tent, but he is there.  He said he was able to get some really good pictures while in flight so I am hoping they will be posted here next week sometime. 

Lisa

Big bugs

Check these bad boys out!  They appear larger than what they really are, but they are none the less nasty. They can move up to 10 mph! They also make a hell of a mess when you step on them.  Imagine waking up in the morning to find one staring you down...

Two Months Down - Four To Go

As of today, Rob has been gone 2 months.  Four more before he gets to come home for a very well deserved vacation.  Some days it feels like eternity.

Lisa

New Work Hours

FYI -- Rob has switched his work hours to 2:00 pm to 12:00 am.  From speaking with him, it appears to suit him better :)

Lisa

Using my spare time..

Studied for and passed two exams (SCNS, SCNP). Hoping to gain a Level III ranking with DOD. And also add zeroes to my salary. ITT is paying. You are never too old to learn.  It just takes longer. I will be flying to Baghram next month to take another exam. Wish me luck!

What we do for fun

Knife throwing

Lunch time

Yum, yum. Today is meatloaf and potatoes.

The dfac (dining facility)

Sunday on the FOB

Drinking plenty of water is essential

Sundays are different because I am used to working every day. My routine gets broken. I took my laundry in, and took a walk. There are still parts of the fob I have not seen. I will use my time to study and cleanup my house.

One Month Down - Five To Go

Well, as of today, Rob has been gone from Boise one month.  The countdown is on for the next five, when he can come home for a well deserved visit. 

Skyping

Finally, Rob and I were able to connect via Skype again!  I have spoken to him a couple times via telephone, but it usually just a quick check in and then he has to go.  This morning it was good to not only hear his voice, but get to see him again.  Morgan was also able to talk with him, but unfortunately he called when Ty had already left for school.  We obviously need to work on a schedule so we don't miss each others' calls.  He looked and sounded really good.  Yeah - thank you to whomever created Skype :) 

Lisa

A News Reporter's documentary during his time at FOB Salerno

I found this site while searching the internet regarding FOB Salerno.  I think it gives some good insight into the daily lives of the military and contractors living on the base.  The only thing I found incorrect is the time change.  He states that FOB Salerno is 8 and 1/2 hours ahead in time, but for those of us that live in MST it is an 11 and 1/2 hour time change - ahead.

http://indianapublicmedia.org/news/cultivating-afghanistan-a-day-on-fob-salerno/

Lisa

The food

The food here is actually pretty good. Although you will hear guys constantly complain. The selection is good with lots of variety, fresh fruits, juices, etc. One thing you want to stay away from is the macaroni and cheese. This is one of my favorite dishes when prepared properly. I had a helping yesterday for lunch along with a salad and chicken. Twenty minutes later, I felt as though I had eaten a soccer ball. It seemed to morph into something hard. A lot like when you mix epoxy together. It was equally as difficult to expel the next day.

My days are starting to become routine:
0500 wake up
0515 drink 2 cups of coffee (I bought a coffee maker)
0530 Nature call
0545 workout at the gym (the place is packed, pt is serious here)
0700 shower and get dressed
0715 Morning chow (eggs and ham, oatmeal, bannana, fruit, and juice)
0730 off to work
1300 Lunch
1800 Work day ends
1800-2100 watch movies, study, etc.

I am becoming more familiar with my duties here and have carved out some projects to keep me busy. Everyone is great to work with. Military and civilian alike. Very relaxed atmospere. No micromanagement. As long as you do your job, don't break security protocols, or take the network down, you have nothing to worry about. Fox news and the O'Reilly factor are favorites here.

Good night from FOB Salerno

My house 2

Living quarters are not bad. My personal space is 10x12x10. It consists of a bed, closet, and shelves. Internet access is $70/mo. Which is slower than molasses. But, it is a sat link. Better than nothing. Showers and latrine are about 100 yards away. At least I can hang my clothes up! Living out of a duffle bag sucks.

My house

Sunday at fob Salerno

Caught up on my sleep. Slept in until 0700! Had a cup of coffee and my usual handfull of pills to start my day. Went to the Haji bizarre (flea market) here on the fob with my armed escort (see photo). Everything from a-z here. The movie and game selection is unreal. I picked up Rosetta Stone (all language pack), Law and Order (first three seasons), Boston Legal (all seasons), and all 4 seasons of Dexter, complete X-files. All for $150. You have to haggle them down, since most or all of this stuff was probably hijacked. It is a beautiful day here in the upper sixties. Will spend the rest of the day cleaning my house and laundry. Then off to the gym. That is going to hurt! That's it for now. I miss you all! Even you Joe Mikitish :)

First Day of Work

Rob emailed and today is his first day of work.  He cannot wait!  He was able to get some sorely needed sleep last night and was up and ready to go this morning.  Remember - there is a 12 hour difference - so in Afghanistan it is 8:14 a.m.  Saturday the 23rd.  He will see about getting his mailing address set up, so as soon as he lets me know I will post it here.  He appears to be in very good spirits.  Just missing family and friends. 

Lisa

Made it to Salerno

Finally arrived! Never thought I would get here. Our flight from Baghram was delayed due to an early morning rocket attack. I can hear automatic gun fire throughout the day. They seem to become more frequent in the summer months. I can finally unpack my stuff! Living quarters are good. I share a building with 4 other guys, but have a section of my own that I can lock up. I have already met most of my co-workers when I arrived. I feel very welcomed, and I am looking forward to getting started. If you look at the picture below, the mountain range in the background is Pakistan. I will make it a habit to flip off the taliban every morning. In spite of the rocket attacks, this is the best FOB to be on. The weather here is similar to Boise due to the location within the mountain ranges. Will send more pics as they come.

Leaving Ali Salem to Baghram

This is what I flew to BAF in. Flying in a C-130 is an experience

More fun. Attend roll call for a 0100 flight that actually leaves 5 hours later, then 4.5 hours to Baghram, Afghanistan. Did fly on a C130. You could fit my house inside this aircraft. Simply amazing. Another all-nighter. Sleep is for wimps. This base is huge. dirty, and busy. Holy shit is it busy. Glad this is not my final destination. See pic of th Pat Tillman memorial USO 

He Has Arrived in Camp Salerno

Well thank the good Lord he arrived at his destination.  We tried to skype several times however the connection was bad.  Oh and evidently he decided to go from a "top knot" to a completely shaven head.  There is no hair on the top of his head . . . it was quite a sight to see -- very briefly . . . so he looks like Yul Brynner.  No Hair!  Oh but still very handsome :)  I am just thrilled he his now on a military base being protected.  We have a mighty military force and I am so ever thankful.  I am sure I will hear more as the night goes on.  I am just thankful our prayers were answered.   Yippy Kay Yai Eh !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lisa

Still Waiting

Still waiting to hear from Rob that he made it safely to Camp Salerno.  I'm sure he will post or email as soon as he can.  However, he is very sleep deprived . . . Keep him in your prayers.

Lisa

Sleep deprivation

If the enemy doesn't kill you lack of sleep will. I am on my final journey to fob Salerno. This started sometime yesterday morming (or was it the day before?) at 0600. Waiting for a flight and getting on it are two different things. Flights were cancelled due to bad weather at Ali Al (Kuwait). This meant staying up until three in the morning only to find out you weren't gpoing to fly and needed to be back at 0700.  Hurry up and wait is a fact of life here for everyone. By the time I reach my final destination it will be three plus days with two hours of sleep. Hoowah..... Word is that accomidations are pretty good at Salaerno. I can stop packing this heavy shit around, amd stop living out of a bag. Our soldiers have to do the same thing. Give a prayer for them. We are all in this together.

Camp Salerno

Rob is leaving at some point today/tomorrow for Camp Salerno, Afghanistan.  Another prayer request to keep him safe.  Thanks everyone :)

Day 4 at Ali Al Salem

It is now day 4 at Ali Al Salem. I am awakened at 0600 by the sound of Quail of all things... Off to the shower and then to the shack for a triple shot of coffee. Thank god for coffee! We went to Kuwait yesterday for company training (ITT)> An all day affair that started at 0400 and ended at 2100. You have to be a NASCAR driver to get around. Those people are nuts! 100-180 mph on the freeway is common. They have a lot of fatalities. Business is good for body shops though! Did not get to see much of the city, we were inside most of the day. This morning we are checking the manifest to see when we can fly out to our FOB's. That's it for now have to go.

Tent City

Here are some pictures of what Rob sees every morning . . .

The Bunk

Below is Rob's bunk.  See his nice BIG pillow :)

Ali Al Salem

Me in front of my living quarters which I share with 12 other guys. Not bad all in all. I seem to be feeling a little better today, really felt like crap yesterday. I may be here for 3-4 more days waiting on a transport to Afghanistan. We have internet but it is sloooow! It will take 15 minutes to finish this post. They are having a USO show tonight. I will be sleeping though, have to be up at 0400. All for now.

Skype

Thank the good lord for whomever invented Skype! I believe it will be the main mode of communication with Rob. I wanted to take a picture of Rob skyping with us, but the picture was horrible. I could barely see him. He seems to be doing well. As well as can be expected in a sand box. He plans to send a package - wouldn't tell me what was in it, but said it was very interesting "stuff". So, I will be looking forward to receiving that! He is going to send some emails with pictures, so once he does I will post them. He said Kuwait was definitely not a tourist destination . . . hmmmm . . . really?

Lisa

Kuwait

I received this email from Rob - he asked that I post it. He tried to post it but part of the Explorer window was in Arabic and he couldn't sign in. I guess instead of learning Spanish while he is over there, maybe he should take up Arabic.

It is Sunday at 1300. Finally got to sleep at midnight last night. It was a long ass flight. Plus we all had to unload 3000+ duffle bags drom the trucks. After that I Took some nyquil (I caught the Kuwait crud), put in my ear plugs and slept 9 hours. Tent city here. Very dusty and LOT;s of sand!! I feel like I am in a movie. Fighter planes and choppers coming and going all hours of the night. Of course our AC unit is broken so it is hotter than hell. Going from 20-30 degrees to the 70's screws you up. The threat level is high here. Everyone is on alert. It may take 4-5 days for me to catch a transport to my base in Afghanistan. So yhis will be my home for a few days. I am sending this email from an on base inyternet cafe. So I may not be able to reply. I miss you all. I am just looking froward to getting to my finall destination and starting work. Sorry for the mispelled words, the keys are worn down and my typing skill is as little lacking. Thats it for now

I was so tempted to correct his spelling errors but then thought better of it. Another request to keep him in your prayers.

He has arrived in Kuwait

Just talked with Rob and he has arrived in Kuwait.  It is 1:36 am Sunday his time -- he is very tired and I think he has the Kuwaiti Krud.  The air is very dirty (full of fine sand) and he said he is in a tent with 14 other guys.  He gets until Monday afternoon to sleep and he needs it.  His next destination is Camp Salerno.  Keep him in your prayers.  As soon as he can post to the blog he will.

Lisa

Bangor Maine

Rob sent me this photo - they flew to Bangor, Maine.  He said that there was a group of people (a couple of WWII vets) that greeted them at the airport while they stopped for fuel.  He is now headed to Germany - an 8 hour flight - I am sure we will see more photos from the Germany airport.  Then off to Kuwait

Leaving post

At Liberty hall awaiting transport to Kuwait

Off to Salerno, Afghanistan

Packed and ready to go. Awaiting a flight briefing, then off to the Kuwaiti Hilton, then on to FOB Salerno Afghanistan. Salerno, Afghanistan

Will post more after I am in country. To my family, I thank you for your love and support.

Battle ready

Ready to do mean battle with terrorists or Dell servers. Whichever comes first. Seriously, just a formation to ensure everyone as their gear properly fitted.

Early morning

Up at 0400, shower at 0430, breakfast at 0500. Days are long. There is a tremendous amount of effort required to depoy troops and civilans alike. Today was a trip to the med shed and CIS for protective gear.

Briefing

Rob sent this pic to me via email of briefing on Monday.  Doesn't he look happy :)

The Chow

The chow is great here. Tonight's meal (my personal favorite) was Lasagna and mashed potatoes/grav. Yum, yum. Oh, and carrot cake with milk. I have to note that the Lasagna did not hold a candle to my wife's. It's the best (you go lisa!). Finished a day long briefing with the CRC unit commander and all of the military and contractors alike getting ready to be deployed. I have to say without reservation, that the respect and courtesy shown by everyone here is beyond reproach. My hat is off to our troops. Everyone here is ready and willing to do what needs to be done without question. That's all for tonight. 0530 comes early.

Ft. Benning

Living quarters are actually quite good. The weather is unseasonably cold however. No one is too happy about that. Spirits are up. Lot of contractors here. Some first timers and some are veterans. Overall a great bunch of folks to work with. The chow is great too!

Living Quarters at Ft. Benning

Rob sent me this photo of his living quarters during his stay at Ft. Benning.  I am sure we will see more as the week progresses.

Rob hanging at Ft. Benning

CRC

He has landed in Atlanta and is heading to Ft. Benning.  Oh, and he says it is freakin cold in Georgia!

Ft. Benning here he comes

Rob left for Ft. Benning Georgia this morning at 10:44 a.m.  I should be hearing from him once he lands in Atlanta. 

Here we are at the airport