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Robert's Trip Into Iraq | |
To My Family and Friends, My adventure started at the Ramstein Air Base (AB) passenger terminal where I said goodbye to Davina and Corinne (they would not fit in my bags)...see the photos here. For the flight from Ramstein AB to Kuwait International Airport I flew on a DoD chartered aircraft from North American Airlines. We left around 1500 hrs on the 29th of July. Our aircraft is pictured here:
On the way to Kuwait we could not fly direct. We had to fly around certain countries, through Turkey, through Iraq, and into Kuwait. We arrived around 2130 hrs. While in Kuwait we were transported via a military convoy to Ali Al Salem Kuwait Air Force Base. We finally went to bed around 0430 hrs, 30 July. Within this Kuwaiti base there is a camp run by the US Army and an air station run by the US Air Force. We spent time on both sides before leaving there. We first stayed on the AF side for 4 nights then from there we went via convoy to 1 day of training at an Army camp in the middle of the desert. It was interesting to see a herd of camel crossing the road on the way there. After the training, we moved to the Army side of the Kuwaiti base to wait for a flight out...I ended up staying there 6 nights for a total of 10 nights in Kuwait. Yes, I had to go to the Army side to catch a flight on an Air Force C-130 aircraft...it did not make any since to me! Click here to see photos from my time in Kuwait.
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 I finally left Kuwait on the 8th of August at 0300 hrs in the morning on a C-130 heading for Al Asad Air Base, Iraq (an old Iraqi Air Base that Australia captured and the US took over). However, the plane broke down along the way at Camp Taqaddum, Iraq. Here we sat until 2000 hrs that night until they were able to get another C-130 there to take us to Al Asad. It was fun boarding an aircraft from the rear with all our gear while the engines were going full throttle--not! The plane landed, unloaded passengers, loaded our group, and took off all in 20 minutes. Click here to see photos of Camp Taqaddum. After we finally left Camp Taqaddum we landed at Al Asad AB at 2230 hrs. Since arriving here, I have moved into my "can" (what we call the trailers we live in), settled into my office, toured the base, come to find 90ºF to be like spring weather (the days can reach 120ºF), and become tired of cafeteria food. The base is controlled
I will post more photos for future months during my time here until I return to Germany in February 2009...when I get to be back with Davina and Corinne, my loving family. Though August will have the most photos, since it is my first time here, I will try to find new things to take pictures of. God bless and take care, Robert
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This site was last updated 01/31/14
by the US Marines who just simply think and see life differently than the Army, Navy, and Air Force. The Marines are responsible for mission related operations that happen outside the fence from Al Asad AB. I am the senior communications officer on the Base Command Group, a Navy organization working for the Marine General responsible for running and maintaining the base. There are a few Army personnel here that are like us AF personnel, displaced on a base populated by Marines. This will be another fun Joint experience. I am spending my non-work hours working on the family web page and watching the complete 10 seasons of Stargate SG1 and 4 seasons of Stargate Atlantis with all 3 Stargate movies...yes, I like Science Fiction. 
I am happy to be doing my part here to help establish the seeds of democracy and freedom here in Iraq. So, please do not feel regret for me. What I look for is understanding and support. This is why I joined the US Military..."to support and defend the Constitution of the United States" and to help defend, in other countries, these same freedoms that we enjoy in the US. Fortunately, it has been a long time since Americans have had to experience/remember what it sometimes costs to defend freedom. But, that is what we in the US Military are called to do and we do it proudly "without any mental reservations or purpose of evasion" when we are called to do so.