Day 37

Could we have another day of firsts? I have a few. Guess what? It was hot. It was sunny. There wasn't a cloud in the sky. Those things don't seem to change here. I did, though, see a lot of foreign soldiers around the air base today. I'd seen them before but never been saluted by them before. As an officer, I'm saluted no less than 25 times every time I walk outside my building because we're situated along the main artery of the base where everyone is walking to and fro. But, it is very rare, if ever, to be saluted by a soldier not being an American. Another first...a whole bunch of Korean enlisted soldiers passed me this afternoon and all saluted. They probably know or have been trained by their leadership about how to identify U.S. military officers and to render the proper salutes. Totally surprised but totally cool. Of course, I returned the salute. I'll tell you who is easy to pick out of a crowd...the French. Those guys and their bright red berets. They look like exactly what you'd expect...a bunch of pretty boys!  Some of you ladies would love 'em with their accents and all. There are also Egyptian, Polish, and some other countries represented. We are all part of the NATO force here, working together to defeat the enemy.

In the office, it was a day of meetings...too long of meetings. I'm quickly learning which meetings I will go to in the future and which ones I will not. Still trying to learn about Erector Sets as best and as quickly as I can. I have a feeling I'll be traveling to some Theme Parks in the not-so-distant future. I'm looking forward to seeing other parts of Oz...in full body armor, of course. After work...another first. There are a wide variety of galleys/chow halls/dining halls all over the base and serving basically the same thing each meal with some variations. There is, however, a dining hall nestled away in the corner of the base, run by the U.A.E., aka: United Arab Emirates. Ever heard of Dubai? Anyway, it's near Kuwait...south of Iraq, and a very wealthy Middle Eastern country. I actually visited there in the mid to late 1990s. Anyway, for a change of scenery and food, I was invited to go along and check it out. As soon as we walked up to the gate, we knew we were early and had to wait but were offered hot tea by the gate guard. Over here in the Oz region, tea is a major cornerstone in society and often the catalyst by which their culture reaches out in kindness and friendship to others. Even if you don't like tea, it is advisable to never reject the offer of it as it would be seen as an insult. So of course, we accepted and tried to engage the UAE soldier in conversation but he didn't understand any English. We thanked him and enjoyed our tea. A bit later, the dining hall opened and secretly, I was praying for hummus. Oh how I would love some of that! No hummus but they did serve beef kafka, a slaw of sorts, some funky lookin' rice, and some other Middle-Eastern-lookin' things that I have no idea of their names. I grabbed a few tortillas and using the beef kafka and their bean dish, made a most excellent tortilla. Certainly not called a tortilla by them but you get the point, right?! They also served bottles of grape juice from Lebanon in a bottle that looked like a beer...but juice. Only "grape juice" and "made and bottled in Lebanon" were in English. The rest was in Arabic. I would've snapped a pic but that would've been one very good way to lose my iPhone. No deal! Afterwards, I enjoyed a wonderful Chai tea. Afterwards, we had to go back to the office for a few minutes since our counterparts back in the States were now at work and a few things had to be done, phone calls made, etc. I think I worked 13 or 14 hours today.  The good part...or justifiable part of those hours is the mission. My "erector set" mission is something that directly impacts our soldiers and allies. They are directly a tool to build bridges with the people and military of Oz. It will help build the infrastructure that they so desperately need. It is then that we can bring our sons and daughters home. I now understand the great importance of my job here and the small part I can play in the overall big picture and goal. Finish the job. Bring them all home.


I am quickly learning a few other things. One is that I have got to set some boundaries or I am going to be in that office from 7am to 7pm every day. I need to establish a routine to better manage my time or I am going to burn myself out, plain and simple, and won't be of much use to anyone. Another thing is that even though I know I'll look back on this and think: "Wow, that went fast," it is NOT feeling that way. I miss Dorothy a lot and am constantly thinking about home. I hope that once I really get in the groove that it'll make things more distracting and move this thing along. For now, though, it's a struggle. I will admit, though, I enjoy coming back to my CHU each night to talk to you all! :-) I know many of you read this but most importantly, Dorothy reads it so it's a very cool way that we can stay connected and she knows what is going on over here. Thanks to Amber for sharing this video at just the right time. Enjoy.

Goodnight, everyone.