My Deployment to Balad Iraq was from June 19, 2006 to Aug 10 2006
Pod Sweet Pod-
Simple but comfortable (very cold A/C setting). I would usually sleep from 1300 to 1900 which was the hottest time of the day(between 109 and 117 deg). From 1900 to 0930 I would eat, take or pick up laundry, read Stars and Stripes, Shower, then read my bible before going to sleep again. I would wake up again around 2330 to get ready for work. Work was from 0100 to 1300.
Considering the fact that we had to be fully dressed in our uniform whether it be in our PT uniform or DCU's in order to travel from our pods to the cadillac, it was for the best interest of my bladder to use the porta potty located just a short distance from my entrance to Section T. The Cadillacs were a couple hundred yards away.
As you can see our compund was pretty well fortified to protect us from RPG's, mortars, or missle attacks. My pod was in T section. The above picture to the right shows the entrance thought the 14 ft barriers. Just past the next entrance was my emergency bathroom (porta potty) in liu of traveling to the Cadillacs (regular bathrooms and showers).
Cadillac
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Corner of my Pod
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My Pod
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Porta Potty
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My Room
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Several pictures of me in my DCU's (Desert Combat Uniform) with my IBA (individual Body Armor on. This particular day we were required to carry our M-16 around. No ammo and the barrel had a plastic cap on it.
My room mate Joe K. who I only saw at work or at the bus stop. He worked the opposite shift from me.
A couple more pictures of me in my PT Uniform. We were not allowed to wear any civilian clothing. This was the coolest option when not at work.
HAS 33 (Hardened Aircraft Shelter)
An Example of our attacking Iraq during Desert Storm
Bombed
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This double HAS was bombed in two locations, once on the side and once in between the two A/C entrances. The center picture was taken in a room between the two entrances to the HAS. There is a fake bomb planted just below where the real bomb penentrated the concrete outer shell, dirt filled layer, and the concrete ceilling of the room.
Temporary Living Quarters
We had to move out of our cozy pods a couple of days before our depatrue so that the new unit replacing us could move in. I only had to sleep here one night. These tents were just a short distance from the Cadillacs which we used.
This was the HAS that I worked out of the 45 days that I was in Balad Iraq. The temperature may have been 109 to117 degrees during the day, but in the morning right at sunrise was the coolest time of day. The temperature would be between 87 to 98 degrees. Believe it or not I sometimes felt chilled in the morning. It would be pretty warm by 0900 in the morning.
