Not too much going on

Ok so it's been awhile since I've written anything but to tell the truth not much of import has happened recently. You will notice that my posts get shorter as the life becomes routine. As it get less exciting to me, it gets harder to believe you all out there might be interested.
A few days ago I was lent to a different battery because they're short on people and came out to this little outpost with few less of the comforts of home :) Not much doing. Just guard shifts every day and routine patrols now and then. I took advantag of being up during the day for once to take a few off-the-fob pictures. They're not the greatest, but better than none. Today we're headed back to Taji, hopefully to stay back with my rightful battery and decent internet and food =)

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Hey everybody. Just sitting here at work waiting to head out on another mission and thought I'd post something quick since I haven't in a while. This is our first mission in 5 days. Things just kept not working out so they'd call it off. We're definitely going tonight though.
Beth, the cell is a great idea but I don't know the number.

Good Night

Ok this is me very tired and muddy so this might be kind of short. I just got back this morning from my second mission outside the wire. We walked through several fields and there are lots of irrigation cannals and since I'm the new joe, I carry this big pack which throws me off balance so I fell in the mud a few times. Plus, walking with NVGs (night vision goggles) messes with your depth perception cause they stick out six inches in front of your face.
Both missions were uneventful with not a shot fired which seems to be the norm. We brought back six detainees from each mission which then of course have to be guarded continuously until they're done questioning them and pass them on to someone else. Tonight we used the Blackhawks for the first time in a real mission. That part at least was fun. I love how they take off when they come get us after the mission. They don't want to be on the ground any more than they have to be cause we might have pissed somebody off. They go straight up like a really fast elevator then bank and get out of there. If you'd have told me a year ago that I'd be riding in a Blackhawk with the doors open and a detainee acros my lap, I'd have said you were crazy. Hmm, life is funny. I gotta go. Toodles.

Pictures

Camels in Kuwait
In the Sea-Tac airport
These are on Camp Liberty. Look like Haiti, don't they?

Our tent at Liberty.

Hey finally huh? I got internet in my room now and it's much better. I am very tired so this will be short. It's 0506 and I've been up for 18 hours because we're changing to reverse cycle. It will probably be about 3.5 more before I can crash.
Today we were at the range so my weapon is now zeroed and the bullets will go to the little red dot. Tomorrow? More tactics training.

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Mortar repellant? Sporty? You people have issues and should contact a psychiatrist immediately. Good to hear from you though. Puff, I can't wait to come down there and see you and that other nutcase brother of mine. I'll have to give you both a good pounding just for old times' sake =)
Today was struggling to stay awake through several classes and sweating my you-know-what off practicing mounting/dismounting the Blackhawk. Oh, I got to sit in the gunner's seat of an Apache! If I stay in the Army, I'm going to put in for warrant officer and fly choppers. That's got to be the coolest job in the Army.
Tomorrow we have two more practice missions. One during the day and one at night. This time we'll be using the Blackhawks for the first time so it should be a little less boring than usual.

Yo

Well, it's definitely gotten more interesting. The last few days, we've been going out on practice missions here on the fob, including one at night. I want to try to take some pictures through the night vision goggles. We also had some mortars hit on the fob yesterday and the day before. I think there were a couple injuries but nothing serious. I'm perfectly all right. I tried to post a couple days ago but it the internet burped and I lost it and I didn't have enough time to rewrite it. We've been very busy with all the training and I haven't been able to write like I want to. I'm going to look into getting internet in my room. I gotta get up early tomorrow so I'm going. Toodles.

Blah

Hi. Nothing new here. It's hot, we're training. Eat, sleep and do it all over again. When something cool or significant happens I'll tell you about it, but for now I'm drawing a blank.