1 Month In

So we have been here for 5 weeks and 5 days so far and I can honestly say its not going to bad. The first flew by which is a good thing and I can only hope that the next 11 go just as fast. One of the hardest parts of being out here is the heat yesterday it almost reached 120 and today the forecast was 114 when you factor in the heat index it actually feels like its 130 sometimes, and most of the work we do is outside so we always feel it.

I had to switch teams again and I was really upset about that, when the teams were formed back in Hawaii each team had 5 people on them but so many people didn't come for medical reasons. So they had to be evened out and my team was the only one still with 5 so I had to move to a team with not as many people. I have no problem with the people on the new team, its just when you get comfortable with a group of people its hard to change but its part of the job and nothing I can do about it.

We are still waiting for a mission so we can go "outside the wire" to a smaller FOB (Forward Operating Base) and actually do what we were brought here to do. So far one team has left and another one is scheduled to leave on Tuesday. On the order of precedent we are team #4 to leave. It could be a week from now, a month, or four months, nobody really knows you just have to be ready when you are called.

This month there have been a lot of rocket attacks, way more than last month I think we are to 18 or 19. This place is so big that you don’t hear the impact from most of them but one of them landed less then 200yds from the tent we live in and that was scary.

I've received a few care packages and would like say thank you to those who have sent. I never knew how happy simple things such as pringles or jolly ranchers  can make you. I always share though because there are some soldiers who haven't received any yet. I’ve received my box so there are some things that I packed way too much and will have for the rest of the year. I’m good on toothpaste, toothbrushes, shaving cream, babywipes, hand sanitizer, and a few other things.

I recorded the video at the top today while they were testing the alarm system so you can hear all the different alarms.