(re-run) So the Adventure Begins
This is from my first tour in Iraq. I am reposting all the old emails so as to archive them. Enjoy!!!
Well, I am presently writing you from Camp Wolverine, Kuwait. We will be flying to Al Asad, Iraq tomorrow. So I have a little time to kill. Here is how the deployment flight went.
0400 Weapons draw. That is where this whole adventure started. Now the best part is that we did not leave Peterson AFB until 2:00PM. In that time we had accountability (15 min), manifest(15 min), bus ride to Peterson(about 25 min), and breakfast(20 min)...the rest of the time??? I cannot account for. I really have no idea where it went too. Odd. Then we get on plane. Within minutes we discover the reading lights, call buttons, the safety lighting in the aisle and video screens are not working. This is not encouraging but not the worst part...no, we make the mistake of asking the flight attendant why. She nonchalantly mentions the machanic mentioned something about a small electrical fire the day before. So we hve not left the ground and it already looks like this is going to be high adventure.
From there we went to Ft. Riley Kansas and picked up some more soldiers. No worries...too easy. From there we were off to JFK for a "two hour" layover...that turned out to be five...we boarded the plane again 3AM and were wheels up at 4AM. Just in case you have lost track, it has been 24 hours and we still have not left American air space. About this time our pilots start landing real hard. Hard enough to knock overheads open. So we start grading them on the overhead criteria. The JFK landing earned the first pilot a 2 overhead rating. Nevertheless we were off to Sigonella Naval Air Station with a new pilot. He earned a 2 overhead rating as well.
It was 7PM (9AM at home)in Sicily when we landed. Sicily was beautiful even in the dark. We only got to venture a little way, but what we saw was beautiful. Then we boarded and were off to Kuwait with a new pilot.
This pilot ended up being our winner for the expedition by acheiving a miraculous 3 overhed rating in Kuwait. It was simply spectacular...I thought I swallowed my tongue.:) I am not sure if he found the runway or it found him. Even the flight attendant got nervous. I am sure we left spare parts on the runway or something. BUT we were at our destination and it only took 38 hours from weapons draw. The time here was 5AM so we were ready to go for a day inprocessing. We got to see the sunrise for the third time in the adventure. A gorgeous sunrise I might add. Now the inprocessing is done and we are waiting to fly into Iraq. Jet lag is starting to kick in so i must go. Ahhhh the joys of military air travel.
I found out just before we left that I am going to First Squadron (Tiger) and will not be stuck in the pergatory that is Regimental headquaters. Of course I will do not know what I will be doing. I will know soon enough.
Well, I am presently writing you from Camp Wolverine, Kuwait. We will be flying to Al Asad, Iraq tomorrow. So I have a little time to kill. Here is how the deployment flight went.
0400 Weapons draw. That is where this whole adventure started. Now the best part is that we did not leave Peterson AFB until 2:00PM. In that time we had accountability (15 min), manifest(15 min), bus ride to Peterson(about 25 min), and breakfast(20 min)...the rest of the time??? I cannot account for. I really have no idea where it went too. Odd. Then we get on plane. Within minutes we discover the reading lights, call buttons, the safety lighting in the aisle and video screens are not working. This is not encouraging but not the worst part...no, we make the mistake of asking the flight attendant why. She nonchalantly mentions the machanic mentioned something about a small electrical fire the day before. So we hve not left the ground and it already looks like this is going to be high adventure.
From there we went to Ft. Riley Kansas and picked up some more soldiers. No worries...too easy. From there we were off to JFK for a "two hour" layover...that turned out to be five...we boarded the plane again 3AM and were wheels up at 4AM. Just in case you have lost track, it has been 24 hours and we still have not left American air space. About this time our pilots start landing real hard. Hard enough to knock overheads open. So we start grading them on the overhead criteria. The JFK landing earned the first pilot a 2 overhead rating. Nevertheless we were off to Sigonella Naval Air Station with a new pilot. He earned a 2 overhead rating as well.
It was 7PM (9AM at home)in Sicily when we landed. Sicily was beautiful even in the dark. We only got to venture a little way, but what we saw was beautiful. Then we boarded and were off to Kuwait with a new pilot.
This pilot ended up being our winner for the expedition by acheiving a miraculous 3 overhed rating in Kuwait. It was simply spectacular...I thought I swallowed my tongue.:) I am not sure if he found the runway or it found him. Even the flight attendant got nervous. I am sure we left spare parts on the runway or something. BUT we were at our destination and it only took 38 hours from weapons draw. The time here was 5AM so we were ready to go for a day inprocessing. We got to see the sunrise for the third time in the adventure. A gorgeous sunrise I might add. Now the inprocessing is done and we are waiting to fly into Iraq. Jet lag is starting to kick in so i must go. Ahhhh the joys of military air travel.
I found out just before we left that I am going to First Squadron (Tiger) and will not be stuck in the pergatory that is Regimental headquaters. Of course I will do not know what I will be doing. I will know soon enough.
posted by Lycurgus at 8:47 AM
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