Update: Desert Life

Hey everybody. I finally got a chance to sit down and update this blog. I really had intentions to do this much earlier, but I've gotten in such a routine here and really haven't made the time to do it. Luckily, our base still allows us to check hotmail and our normal work email. Usually, the Air Force squashes the use of email accounts like hotmail or yahoo on government computers. Also, internet access has been relatively abundant. I can use the cpu's at work or in the "morale tent" which is about 100yds from my "hooch" (my house/trailer).
I recently bought a laptop online for use on Air Force trips/schools/deployments etc., so typing in my spare time and just saving it to a usb drive will probably be the future method of emailing and typing these blog entries.
I can't really sum up our experiences so far in just a few words. There is a lot of the good and the bad.

The good:
I actually do less work here than at home. Crazy, but we go to war to have time off. This is because there are a lot less additional duties and the flying schedule is pretty much fixed/set.

I've had time every day to work out. Sometimes it's a real pain to make it to the gym (which is a big tent on the air force side of the base). After a 5-6 hour sortie you really want to go home and crash--but you just grit your teeth and do it anyway. Either way, my schedule is much more firm than the Aviano standard and it makes it easier to budget your time.

The weather is nice and calm at night--which is when I fly. We've had some thunderstorms in-flight...but the temperature on the ground is nice--compared to the day flyers..who are really starting to get hot when they step out on the flightline.

The companionship with my squadron mates has been great. Although you only see about 1/4 of the squadron daily, you really get to know the guys you fly and work with well. Usually, this takes place at dinner/midnight chow/the gym or at the squadron building. Good times to tell stories and do some of that "philosophy talkin'". There's no alcohol, no restaurants, no nothing......it's sort of like summer camp...only we're at war??

The A/C in my hooch is cold. Really cold. It allows us to sleep well..but sometimes you're "damn near froze out" as one of my friends remarked.

The flying is good. An ample amount of the time is spent just droning around looking at points of interest or supporting an army raid on the ground--but it's a lot of time to just really get to know the jet. It's not all high-intensity...but when the time comes the adrenaline really gets flowing. Some of the missions have been really cool. I'm talking about multiple agencies: Navy seals, marines, army, etc....all using US as the eyes and firepower above. It's really appreciated and there's nothing like watching history being made from 10,000ft. People ARE shooting at us. We take off with no lights. We are constantly vigilant. Insurgents have more technical expertise and support from other countries than CNN or the news would lead you to believe.

The Bad:

The food is getting gross. This is partially due to the fact that I have a weird diet anyway. Nonetheless, you can only eat so many powdered eggs. My friends seem to like it more than me. I guess I just can't compare it to good ole' Italian cuisine!

The mortar and rocket attacks. Alarms sound and you hear the explosions. You have to get in a protected structure. They are deadly and they happen on a daily basis. It's a reminder that you ARE in the war zone.

Walking to the bathrooms. I hate that...Especially in the middle of the night.

Non-potable water. Brushing your teeth with bottled water is weird.

The dust and sand. It gets in your eyes and mouth. Makes you question why people inhabit areas like this.

Constant smell of burning trash. This is a huge base--the AF is a small component...there are about 18,000 Army and Special Forces personnel here. All of the trash and waste is burned...and the logistics behind operations like this are mind-numbing.

General lack of conveniences you would have at home. This is pretty much expected. Not necessarily a bad thing.

Well, that's about all I've got for now. I really appreciate the packages and letters people have been sending me. It means so much. I hope things are going well wherever you are...and I look forward to seeing you all again sometime soon.