Life at the palace

Well we're (I should explan the we is 9 people from across the AF who are part of the same tasking. 3 majors, 3 lieutenants, 3 Master Seargents - we are all traveling together and experiencing the same stuff. Of the officers...we are all on our first deployment. The enlisted have some prior deployments, but none of them recent.) at Camp Victory which is situated around one of Saddam's old palaces. The unit we are assigned to is HQ here. We've been meeting in a smaller structure off the main palace grounds. This pic is the view off the balcony from that building. We got some training today on what the larger process is for the review boards and how they are conducted and how they fit into the iraqi criminal system and they kind of stuff. It was interesting. I think I could have gotten the same info reading the briefing from somewhere else...but it was good to see.

Turns out I just missed my favorite Christian Music band - Third Day. They did thier first ever USO tour through here and I missed it by just a day or so. GRRRRR.

Here's some insight into daily life...generators. Everything is run by large generators. They make a ton of noise and eventually go out. Water. It's the desert and so the govt has bottled water everywhere....and I mean everywhere. It's not that big a deal in the winter but I can see how it will be in the summer. Dust - fine sandy dust - everywhere.

Supply and demand - it's a large area and alot of people trying to get around. Many have cars to perform official functions across the bases, but not everyone. Bicycles are the obvious choice to help solve the problem on how to get a few miles away...but where do you get the bike. At the BX they had a rack of already used ugly looking bikes all for $169. I took a picture becuase I thought it was comical (i tiried to upload - but my $26 a week internet is not cooperating). I'll try tomorrow.

It is really crowded here. In my opinion. There are service men/women all over - in cramped spaces and offices. I assume it is becuase there area within the secured zone is tight. There are "civillian contractors" everywhere. They obvisoulsy do lots of jobs to help make life stable here both inside and outside the wire. Most people work many many long hours here. there is not much else to do besides work, gym, eat, sleep. and the offices are usually bigger than your living qtrs so people work more. I wonder if that is what life is like on a navy ship....hmmm. All branches of service here and working together. Truly a joint Coalition. Time for me to brush up on those ranks...senior master chief petty officer....hmmm.