Turnover ... complete

Well, that’s it folks, my turnover with Kenny is finally complete. It got to the point near the end where I didn’t know which FOB I was on, or where I had recently come from. The travel arrangements became pretty painful near the end, so Kenny and I decided to Space-A most of the final legs (this is where you go to the terminal and hope that there’s an empty seat on a flight where you need to go). It worked out pretty well, but it led to some confusion by the folks we were going to meet. When you say you’ll be there on Sunday, and you show up on Friday, it usually means you will be scrambling for a ride or a place to sleep. It didn’t help that one of the flights dropped us off in the wrong spot (right FOB, wrong side of the airfield), we eventually made our way to the other side. This was mostly due to pure dumb luck (a guy who works with us who weren’t going to meet bumped into us and gave us a ride in his spiffy Humvee ambulance). We made it home at 11 PM last night and were surprised that there wasn’t a welcoming party to greet us (I’m kidding, they didn’t expect us home for two more days). We tried to call the guy who had my truck, but his phone didn’t work, so we jumped on the KBR bus back to the office. The bus stopped at the exchange, and the driver notified us that he wouldn’t be departing until midnight for the next run (it was 11:15). When we finally did arrive at the office (after just over an hour on the bus) we discovered that the guy with the truck, had left it for us at the helicopter terminal … where we were an hour ago. Needless to say, the trip ended on a painful note. Between that, and all the E-mail I had to catch up on all morning, I don’t think I’ll be traveling anywhere soon (our travel coordinator informed me that my license to travel has been revoked for an indefinite period – we owe her a great deal of thanks, she got us to almost ten different FOBs in just over a weeks time). With that I’ll sign off with some pictures from my travels. Until tomorrow.

-Grease out

Where'd you get that suit? London ... Hong Kong ...Noooo, you got it from a Conex box at Warhorse!

Endless terminal waiting.

Finally a day helo ride.

I'm not the only one stuck here.

Greetings from scenic Kirkuk!

Even on the nicest day, there's always a reminder.

All the comforts of home ... compete with sandbags!

Fair winds and following seas, Kenny ...

Your time here is complete, we have the watch.

P.S. I received my first non-solicited care package today. Was it from my wife and kids ... nope. Family ... nope. It was from Tom and Becky, and the cookies are delicious. Thanks guys.