Day 4- Off to Iraq!
posted 10.20.10 at 12:00 am
This is Day 4 of our drawing tour of Kuwait and Iraq. To start at the beginning, click here...
Another early morning awaited us today, as lobby call was at 6:45.
My jet lag was starting to finally wear off today, and by now the super early mornings weren't too much of a problem. I'm usually a really light sleeper, but during this trip I slept like a baby. Our days really wiped us out.
Ray, waiting for our next C-130. Hurry up and wait!
We hopped in the bus headed for the base, where our flack jackets and helmets were waiting for us. We all thought this would be cool, but once you put on 30 pounds worth of hot, uncomfortable equipment in the desert, that thrill wore off real quick. Luckily we didn't have to wear them much, just on the flight lines to and from the planes. There's still threats in these areas on base, so better to be safe than sorry. Besides, sweating is good for the pores.We then loaded onto our first C-130 (military transport) for the hour or so flight to Iraq.
Mason and Dave looked much more comfortable in their gear than I did.
Pictures aren't allowed on the flight line, but they made an exception for us.
Cool shot from the interior.
This makes you appreciate the luxury of the drop-down masks on a commercial flight. Each of these bags has a little gizmo in them that, when activated, produces enough oxygen for a couple minutes. Juuuuuust in case...
Tom and Jeff, excited for our first C-130 flight. That thrill also wore off quick; the flights are noisey, bumpy, and the lack of windows does nothing good for the claustrophobics.
Which brings us to these: all of those little yellow envelopes contain a barf bag! Ha! Nobody had to use one, but we all came close.
Turbulence on Delta's got nothing on a C-130.
Cool!
During takeoff and landing, each side of the C-130 has a lookout, looking for any RPGs (rocket propelled grenades) that might be shot at the plane.
**Note: to his left is the toilet. For #1, there's literally a little hole below a makeshift fold-down toilet seat, that opens to the outside. If anybody had to go, they'd literally be peeing on Iraq! #2 is a different story, one that involves a bucket, garbage bag, and you holding said garbage bag until the plane lands.
We landed in Talil, Iraq, at Camp Adder. We had our busiest day yet, and got right down to business as soon as we got off the plane.
The outside of Camp Adder. That sign is an ad for a local pizza place.
Bombed out bunkers, framed by the awe and magesty of the Iraqi wilderness.
The base. All of the bases in the country are reoccupied Iraqi military bases. The Americans have built no buildings: we just move into existing ones.
That way no taxpayer dollars are spent on new construction.
We brought our luggage to our rooms (no frills... more like dorms, without the luxury), and the group was treated to tours of an Apache helicopter and the unmanned (drone) aircraft and it's command center.
Super cool!
They let us draw on the bombs!
I drew a barking turkey. I couldn't think of anything else to draw.
The unmanned aircraft.
Despite how strong and powerful I am, that crack in the floor was actually from an allied bomb dropped here when this was still Iraqi territory. There's a corresponding big hole
in the roof, that had been patched up.
That trailer back there is the drone command center.
That was awesome to see, but no pictures allowed.
in the roof, that had been patched up.
That trailer back there is the drone command center.
That was awesome to see, but no pictures allowed.
Evidence that these were Iraqi buildings: This is a No Smoking sign.
This is some Iraqi graffiti in this same building. Some sort of creepy faces.
Click for a closer look...
Click for a closer look...
We were then split again into two groups, and ours headed towards the rec center. We drew there for an hour, after which we were corralled into the medical clinic (CSH, or Cash). Four of the guys headed into a main area to draw, I was asked to head to the nurses station to draw those who couldnt get away from work.
This is not a nurse.
Outside the hospital.
From there we headed to the DFAC to draw for another hour, then chow time.
After dinner we headed to the PX for some window shopping (kinda like a big Target), then off to the barracks for an early night, preparation for our 6:30am meeting time in only a few hours.
Next Post: Basra!
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1 Comment so far...
Unique pictures Ed.
Posted by hugo Freutel on October 20 at 11:50 AM
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