Happy Easter

Happy Easter Everyone, hope you all got your fill of yummy candy. I know I did thanks to my family back home, thanks again Mom and Nana.

I have a few interesting stories and events that have occurred the last few days. The first that jumps to mind is that I went to Church on Easter Sunday. It was interesting seeing passages being read by people wearing side arms and whose job is killing people for a living (an oxymoron that I don’t wish to get into). The service was nice, the Priest was funny and intelligent, and the message generic. And it also gave me an hour to sit down and relax with my radio off (Heck, I might no next week).

Easter Sunday on base is like any other holiday here. Everyone goes to work, but no one actually does any work, it is sort of an accepted thing. I just realize that it was the last holiday that I will experience on base; the end is near my friends.

On a somber note my buddy demobilized (went home). The management here is getting funny due to the reality our contract is winding down. They have started to make up ridiculous rules and many people are just tossing in the towel and heading home. JG is one of those people. Three and a half years here is enough and he decided to head on home to be with friends and family. He stayed long enough to pay off a house, car and to live it up for a few years (got his “bling” on, for lack of better terms).

I am already missing him. We ate breakfast, lunch and dinner together, and he taught me things that I couldn’t have learned from anyone else. He grew up in a NYC ghetto during the 70ies and got out. He couldn’t read or write well due to the fact his schooling was probably subpar at best, but his people skills were amazing. The way he received respect from these racist, bigot, Southerners still astounds me. He can walk into a group of people who make it obvious that they already hate him because he is black (and from the North) and still get his ideas and needs across. In no time at all he earned these guys respect and had them doing the work he needed them too. To add to the amazement, New York Ebonics is his first language I think.

I learned a lot of life lessons from him; everything from how to read people’s interactions to bullshitting like a professional. I could write pages of funny stories he told me about growing up in NYC, and leaving to join the military. I have already written down a few for my own records so that I don’t forget, ask me sometime and I’ll tell you one.

Other then that, I am just trying to keep my head above water. like I said before the management for my company is getting ridiculous. They are pulling every trick in the book to get people fired (it seems). One of the rules being enforced now is how to properly back you vehicle up. Everyone working for KBR has to “combat park.” Which simply means you back into parking spots, not pull in. But now you have to have your passenger jump out and guide you into the spot using hand signals which isn’t so annoying to do. However, if you are alone in the vehicle you have to:
Swing out and line up with the spot
Put on your hazard flashers
Get out of the truck
Lock the truck
Walk completely around the truck checking for hazards
Unlock the truck, and get in
Then put your seatbelt on
Honk Back the truck up slowly into the spot

Yeah, I know, a bit ridiculous. I think I have heard every curse word in every language on this base while blocking traffic to do this “back up from hell.” Anyone caught not doing that exactly as stated gets seven days off work with no pay and if you are caught a second time you are fired. Not to mention, no hat=fired, no lanyard=fired, caught taking lunch to long=fired. Also, if you truck is in a hit & run you get five days off work with no pay, how the heck are you suppose to control that? If you don’t like someone, you could kick in a headlight on there truck when no one is around and they would get penalized.

But I just have to last 70 something days, a walk in the park *knock on wood*

No elaborate decorations for Easter

They won't eat Peeps for some reasonCandy from Nana

Letter from Polish PenPal (Three months Travel time)

Me and my homeboy JG

Emergency Tank Empty Job

Krishna

Hey mom, ignore those danger signs. It's cool, It's cool.

Grrrrrrrr

AC

Well yesterday was the day I switched from Heat to Air Conditioning. The Iraqi summer heat is coming and I already hate it. It gets into the 80s during the day now and I very much miss those 35 degree mornings. On the bright side, the days have gotten long enough for me to catch the sunset on my ride home from work. I love tossing up my hammock for an hour at the end of the day before I go to the gym.


I’m down to 80 something days until I leave here and I already know I am going to miss this place. I have wanted to go home since I got here, it was weird when I realized that I am going to miss it here. I have a close group of friends that I will probably never see once I get outta here. Heck my roommate called my house when I was on R&R because it had been so long since we talked.


I have started a list of things I want to do when I get home, when I finish it I will post it up on here. But until then I want everyone to know I am looking forward to seeing each of you. I apologize for not calling or writing some of you guys back, I’ve been crazy busy here.

Happy Easter everyone!

Hey Mom, I'm thinking about a new job...

Photoionization (Fuel Sinffer)

Computer

Hey everyone, sorry I haven't written in a while, I haven't had computer access until now. Today I got a brand spanking new HP laptop issued to me, It is pretty freaking sweet.

That isn't the only thing I have been issued. I ended up with a nice F350 full cab pickup truck with an extended bed and a lift gate. I think it is a 2005 model, it is almost brand new. Almost no one on base has their own truck, I am very lucky my job requires it. Otherwise I would have to take a bus around base. This way I can go were I want after work, and explore.

I have been on base now for 11 days, and time is flying by. I have to say I am set back by how large this base is. It is 30 square miles and each acre has something going on, on it. They have a movie theater here, that is free! I saw the incredible Hulk the other night, pretty cool experience being one of 15 people in the entire theater not holding an m16. It is nuts seeing black hawk helicopters on the screen and then see them fly over when you walk out after the movie.

I am impressed with the environmental consciousness of the base. To be truthful I though my karma was going to have to take one for the team for this job. Everything, and everyone is held accountable for their action on base. I reported to a spill the other day that was less then 3 gallons of acid, no one would have even bothered in the States for that. I figured they were digging big holes to dump trash and oil in and then covering it up. Instead they go though every piece of trash here by hand a recycle everything that can be recycled. Once everything is out, they toss it into an incinerator that has emissions tracking equipment on it. This base is cleaner, and has stricter regulations then most of the United States.

The weather isn't as bad as I thought it would be, 110 feels like 110, but 100 feels like 70 when compared. It is a nice day when it is 100. My truck also has kickass AC so it makes driving around nice.

My job, my job entails driving around to my list of departments and looking at their hazardous waste/hazardous storage areas to make sure they are up to par with the standards set for them. If someone isn't compliant, I just tell them, I don't get them in trouble. The QAQC(quality assurance quality control) department gives out the punishment, I just consult people on how they should do things. Other then that, if someone spills any materials on the ground that could be harmful to the environment I am called on my radio to go check it out. I deem how it is to be cleaned up and call for digging permits and heavy equipment on my radio. I don't do the cleaning, I tell them how they have to clean up. All and all the job isn't to bad, 12 hours a day is kinda hard.

I am very much looking forward to coming home in October! It will be nice to see fall in Chester County again.

Keep it real guys, sorry it took so long to put this up.
Andrew B.