Birthday #60

Perhaps I should have a bit of brilliance today. Wise words for the young in all of us and specifically for everyone who actually is quite a bit younger than me. I think I might have done that last year.

Certainly I do not feel any older today. It is yet another day of sun, dust, and noise at BAF. The Task Force standard is that everyone gets a down day a week. For obvious reasons, I chose Saturday. The fact that it happens to be my birthday is just icing. Truly lucky.

This year is typical of “0” years for me. Those years that many of us now expect to be milestones. Where we are suppose to celebrate, reflect and wow our friends.

Not for me.

40 – I was newly arrived at Ft Drum. Desert Shield had started. I had a toddler (Ms Soprano) and an unwilling baby sitter in tow and pregnant with The Mole. No party (lots of pity), one flower, a phone call and a card.

50 – Detached to the Germans in Munich, I knew next to no one and the family was wrapped up in their daily life. It just might have been the year that someone decided a fine, stainless steel cooking pot made a great present. Should I mention depression and menopause or just leave it at not a great time in my life?

60 – well – here I am at Bagram sitting in the MWR and typing out this note. I got to sleep in. A card from a friend in the UK arrived several days ago. My day is well planned. Yet to accomplish are a couple of meals and an evening exercise class. I have no cell phone, so calling me is not an option.

Leave me a comment. I like those kind of presents. They endure.

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Fine Dining

Ah, but first – and before I forget – Pat sent me this link. Not all of you may know about my families running flamingo joke. It started the day of our wedding when a present turned out to be a pink plastic flamingo lawn ornament. That flamingo traveled with us and finally got lost somewhere around our first tour in Heidelberg. The joke continued over the years with the occasional stuffed bird, strange pen (courtsey of the Eldest), and a wind chime courtsey of Carmen.  

This is not a hint. I neither need nor want any flamingo anything here in Afghanistan.

On to fine dining. There are three official choices here on base – the Dragon DFAC, Coley DFAC, and 3rd BDE AV. The last is less than 100 meters from the office. It is actually a military DFAC – with real military cooks. It is not big and shiny. It does not have the variety of the other locations. What it does have is a military hard working staff that likes their jobs, does them well, and is dressed in ACU scrubs.

Being smaller, it is less popular. Ice cream is still offered at lunch and dinner. The salad bar had a limited but adequate suggestion. Vartious rumors are flying about them not being replaced on rotation. I hope that is not true – and that it is actually another military unit.

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Door Locks

Now, locking a door is a simple thing, right? pull it shut and you are all set. If you are highly security conscious this might also involve additional keys, deadbolts and security codes.

Sounds familiar?

Not here!

With the number of people transferring in and out, keeping key control would range from extremely difficult to impossible.

The two most common options (leaving out those locations which are undr direct human control) are padlock and number punch. A combination lock is fairly common. It is used by billeting as they own the locks and provide the current resident with the code. When the room turns over, they swap locks around so that a former resident can not come back and empty out a location.

The rest of the locations have a steel box mechanism with a line of verticle buttons which can be pushed. Numbered 1-5 in the case of most of the ones here, if you don’t know the code you are out of luck. The latrines in the billeting areas all use three digit sequences. The more secure offices have four or five buttons required in the correct sequence. If you do the math, it becomes obvious that you are extremely unlikely to be lucky enough to hit the code by standing there all night hitting random number combinations. Adding to the challenge is that some locks require a double sequence as well as single numbers.

I am not sure how easy it is to reset the lock mechanism, but I believe it would not be all that hard.

Right now I only have to remember the entry code for three different doors. It was two at Ft Benning since the latrine there was inside the building.

And the padlock.

My poor brain is seizing…..

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Orientation

After spending more than 10 days one week at Ft Benning, I was not thrilled to learn that Bagram has its own “new arrivals orientation.” Yesterday we proved that our weapons worked.

Duh.

Today it was a number of briefings. Several were word for word repeats of Ft Benning. The one that wasn’t dealt with current manufacture of home made explosive devices. That one was interesting, and probably worth the price of admission (free with water and MREs provided). It also was nice to see a display of mines and UXO that all been turned up here in theater, many on this particular base.

BAF is probably demined – at least those areas on which we live since there has been so much digging and foot traffic….

I still haven’t decided what I am going to do about knitting. I might just get an extra pillow case in which to keep any current project, but things are still dusty. I also have just about decided that I will not sign up for the local WiFi provider. It is expensive and they want to install a software program on my computer. Additionally, a number of people have already warned me about not using that network for any internet purchasing or banking business. 30 minutes a day on the MWR computers is easily available, and we can do the banking part from work. End result? No large files in this direction.

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Dust

This morning I was all set to tell you about the white, powdery dust that infiltrates everything. Sliding in your ears while you sleep, leaving a thin coat on all surfaces and making you decide that towels are best left to dry inside the schrank.

But then we went to the local range to make sure that nothing had happen to our weapons in transport. For the 9mm people it was easy – fire into the berm. The M16 crew all had to rezero since we are at 5000+ feet.

As we are standing there, hanging out, waiting for the rest of those who had been told to show up at 0615 (did I mention that it is now after 0700?) – the sky opened up and the rain came. And came down some more. This was followed by cold wind and a good bit of hail which seriously made a racket on the tin roof covering our waiting area.

Now, let me tell you about mud……..

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around the block

Kuwait had heat and fine tan sand sliding through cracks, nooks and crannies. It was after dark when we took our gear, a good supply of sand and boarded the C17 for Bagram. (skipping three formations, two lineups and a bus ride)

I was one of the last on the flight which means I did not get a comfortable seat along the bulkhead; instead being jammed into the old, not quite falling apart blocks of seats bolted down the center. Actually, it wasn’t all that bad, my gear and the guys on each side of me allowed me to fall asleep with my iPod in my ears. I know I was asleep because I am missing chunks of an audio book.

Landing in Bagram was a cruise, drive and bump followed by stumbling along in the dark. After recovering from a fall, I managed to find my gear, but was not able to find the unit. No phone, no greeting party, no nothing. Kindness from a doc going another unit got me a ride to the AF CASH who had a phone for my TOC who sent a driver.

You will love the final outcome. After 2 1/2 hours, I would up in DVQ billeting less than 100 meters from the baggage drop area. If I had only know….

Meanwhile, munchies from the USO and I slept in.

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waiting for the Air Force

Any of you remember “Waiting for Godot?” That is the LSA (life support area) at Ali As Salem to a T.

Well, here we are, sitting on benches. Large room, steel connected chairs with what was once probably padding on the backs and seats. The blocks of four are doubled into three long long sections. In spite of large signs saying – don’t lay down, hog space or put your feet on the bench, most are doing more than one of the above.

We have our gear, we have dropped bags on pallets. (and some of us spent a lot of time digging combat shirts out of the bottom of the duffle, moving patches around and otherwise getting tired of lugging weapons and carryone.

And we wait. The early flight time has come and gone. Flight cancelled or combined with a later flight, resulting in more waiting. There is plenty of temp billeting and linen packs; I am not worried if we have to check back in and spend another night.

But it is the waiting. No cameras, no pictures. Large screen TV tuned to some football game or another. Free Wifi almost as slow as that in Shannon. Free water and chips, I suppose I should walk over to the DFAC but it is back up to 110 F in the sun and I am not yet completely acclimatized.

Hopefully in Bagram tonight.

-Holly

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Only US

Unlike many of the other flights – we left Ft Benning in the afternoon. Our route has taken us into Shannon Airport. Other than the fact that it is British Isles outlets rather than EU, we could be anywhere in Europe. Ok, and the Gaelic on the signs.

At 03xx in the flipping morning it does not really matter. There is no one other than all my “best friends” from this flight in the airport. That does not mean that it is quiet, there is a plane full and getting up and moving around is more than needed.

We will be here for a number of hours, I am hoping that if I get the phone charged up, I might actually be able to speak to the Germany/Switzerland located members of the family. Of course, Maus may be on her way to Danzig, but at least the DH should be able to talk to me.

It doesn’t look like we will have other stops after this one – so I am about to turn off the computer.

more later if I can manage to log on again.

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Jodys

In military tradition, Jody was the guy who stayed home when all the other young men enlisted/drafted, went to war. He was the one who stole the girlfriend, sweetheart. The one who….

You get the idea.

A Jody is a cadence call used for marching or running in formation. It is usually called by one person. Most commonly the rest of the formation repeats each line or has a standard response.

There are dozens of Jodys, some being relatively universal, others rather specific to branch, specialty or service. Most traditionally were done by men with the expected result of not being fit to call in public places. With the newer/better militaries (and I do not object in this case) most have been scrubbed of the worst sexual language, put-downs and slurs. None of those I learned in the 70s or early 80s pass today’s standards.

There are a few which have stood the test of time –
“They say that in the Army…

with an example being:

They say that in the Army, the coffee’s mighty fine
It looks like dirty water and tastes like turpentine

There had been one rolling around in my brain at the beginning of the week which starts with –
I don’t know, but I’ve been told

with the classic being

I don’t know, but I’ve been told
the streets of Heaven are paved with gold.

Since I have had too much waiting time on my hands – I am working my way down a list of the most common lines and developing a local version. I might just send it to the cadre as a present. We do enough formation marching around here in getting from assembly areas to training classrooms it might just be fun!

I don’t know, but I’ve been told –
the streets of Benning are paved with gold.
Now – here I am at CRC
and all I see are rocks and trees.

I don’t know but I’ve been told
the chow is hot while the beer is cold
But here I am at CRC
and all I get are MREs

I don’t know but I’ve been told
the cadre here is bright and bold
So here I am at CRC
Can’t figure what they want of me

I don’t know but I’ve been told
you live this way you won’t grow old
Training here at CRC
all this gear is killing me

to be continued!

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Ranges and Disarray

“my bags are packed, I’m ready to go
sitting here inside my room
oh yes, its great to say goodbye

for we’ve leaving on a jet plane
don’t know when we’ll be back again
Ft Benning, its great to go……

(with apologies to Peter, Paul and Mary)

Today saw just about the end of the training. And the briefings – seems like you turn around and there is another briefing.

After an entertaining few hours of PMI and instructional materials set to make sure that you can safely take apart a 9mm, trouble shoot potential malfunctions and clean the thing – we headed to the range.

This was my first (and second and third) experience with pop-up targets. Never mind the range was superbly run, all the firing was from the standing position. Standard is to hit 16 of the 30 targets, each group within the allotted time. Whether or not there were supposed to be time limits on the paper target ranges – I never experienced them. What I did find is that crouching, kneeling and prone were all fine and dandy firing positions with me doing well in any situation where I could brace or prop a weapon. The full weight of the weapon in the standing position means that I have muscular fatigue to the point of tremors by 20 rounds.

As you probably guessed, fatigue = not hitting targets. Not qualifying earns a chance to try it again (with even worse results). I will say that the coaches were great and extremely helpful. Especially once they figured out that 1) I wanted to qualify 2) it was not a matter of bad habits or not listening to them but actual physical inability to hold up the weapon/keeping it steady enough to aim. (one of the sergeants loaded my magazines for me after understanding that I simply did not have the hand strength to manage).

The good thing was that I was not the only one who recycled through. and that they exempted the health care providers from having to play with the M16s The down side is that it took hours before the muscle fasciculations went away.

Disarray

What I can’t figure out is how I managed to accumulate stuff while I was here and actually have it take more than 5 minutes to pack out.

Actually, I suppose I can. It has something to do with signing for gear from CIF. Trying to cram two 1/2 duffle bags of gear plus a set of PTs into two duffles so that I have fewer bags to drag and bits of this, that, and the other on the floor. I actually had less for my backpack until I went hunting for a couple of extra books (just in case).

We draw weapons right after breakfast and load gear. After that – we will be banished to the flight line till whenever we leave. Means that I will be off-line till whenever we land in Kuwait and I manage to get to email. Times and numbers are never released in troop movements – not that anyone cares when we leave here except for the inbound people who might like our beds. But who is arriving in theater and when is not open source. .

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reading

And it was a quiet day here at Camp CRC. At least it was after the morning session of IED and UXO training. As a Health Care Provider they exempted me from the first aid training drills for the afternoon giving me a chance to organize, pack u things and read junk books.

There are not many worthwhile books on the swapshelves here – mostly old romances of the “stupid helpless young woman rescued by the older, experienced alpha male” variety. Means that you can read a dozen books in an afternoon. Or, as it more like the case, start a dozen before tossing each aside as not worth the time and effort!

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Stuff

issued gear

Military stuff – new stuff. And, would you look at that – a new pair of Danners! Normally I would not bother with cold weather boots, but they had these beauties only in my size. Thanks to a kind person signing a memo for me, I only had to pick up two duffel bags of gear instead of four. Staying in Bagram, I don’t see that I am going to have a real need for digging either a foxhole or a latrine pit. Since I am not a rifleman (nor a Marine) or a rollerblader there were a number of other items which I also skipped. Still, this stuff is heavy. Really heavy, especially the body armor when all the plates are inserted.

Somethings I get to keep if I am in theater more than 30 days. Others I might/might not get to keep. Then there are those things which I must return (body armor, weapon, you get the idea). I have no clue as to why t-shirts and socks come back, perhaps the rules will change once again before I leave the theater.

Tomorrow I turn back into an officer since I have ACUs, boots, hats, t-shirts and socks. It should stop all the questions of why am I in the military line. My advice to anyone heading this way is to bring one uniform and boots – I had been told I really didn’t need anything…..

Humidity and Temperature

Blue Nose with the shawl in progress

Blue Nose with the shawl in progress

It has been relatively hot here in rural Georgia. The windows don’t really open well. That leaves me with the choice of noisy A/C or even louder fan. I do seem to be spending a lot of time turning things on and off. Ms Blue Nose has been enjoying the start of the second shawl.

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Building Numbers

Blue Nose at the Library

Imagine, if you would, a town without street addresses. Sprawled across an area approximately 5 x 20 miles (hey, not my fault the US persists in using Imperial Measurements). There are hundreds of buildings. Now exactly how do you find your way around?

The answer, for military posts, is building numbers. The numbers are not randomly assigned but are clumped in areas. The end result is that, given a building number, you know exactly where it is. I don’t have to have been there before, I don’t even have to know specifically where. All I have to do is know that the “47xx” numbers are in a particular section. When I arrive at the general location, all I have to do is look for the large numbers painted on the side of the building. Most likely they are also on the sign posted in front to the building.

Some buildings – such as MACH (Martin Army Community Hospital) do have a number but no one bothers since it is the tallest building on post complete with the name writ large near the top. Others, such as sheds, almost have a conflict between number and a place to set the door.

So, when I registered a number of paperbacks prior dropping them off at the bookshelves, I thought about adding the building number – 4716 to the zone, but decided no. Anyone here at CRC could find them from the description of being on the MWR or Chaplain’s Shelves while someone at the other end of the post really doesn’t need to help themselves to some of the few books that are here given the number of people.

Progress

Made it through medical with a few more holes than is particularly fun (took four attempts by four different people – two at CRC and two at the hospital lab) to get blood out of this turnip. Sat through the required JAG briefings.

After dinner (I adore bagels and cream cheese – so much more tasty than MRE scones with cream cheese) I even got off post for a couple of minutes. We are issued uniforms, but not patrol caps. A quick trip to Commando’s, 10 minutes and I had my hat complete with sewn on rank.

Knitting

Dove Shawl


Dove – Sharon Miller
1 skein of Opal Hundertwasser knit on 4.0mm needles.
It proved more than useful on Sat as I sat in the freezing chapel with both woollen blazer and the shawl snuggly around my shoulders.

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Overkill

When the military either gets directed to do something, or takes on a challenge – half way done is just not a possibility.

From a concern over POWs and hostages (besides Somalia there have been several other incidents over the last 15 years) there has evolved a whole system for training, explaining, verifying in an attempt to prepare soldiers/civilians/contractors for the scenario worse than death.

The on-line training was interesting – I don’t like certain types of computer games (Doom, shoot-em-anything in 3 dimensions) so that I found parts of the program nauseatingly difficult. I understand the idea of giving people information about basic survival – but I do not think it is realistic given the MidEast environment.

you can skip this is you want

The idea of sitting down with my family and telling them what to do if I am captured is beyond me. Truth is that all families who talk to the press only further the capturer’s cause by keeping it all in the public eye. The idea of others risking their lives to pull me out of something is not exactly high on my list. Some young troop losing his/her life trying to rescue me would cause me more pain than I am willing to inflict on someone else’s family.

I get to turn 60 in a couple of weeks. Life has been fun, challenging, complete with highs and lows; challenges and opportunities and a family that I love with all my being.

But – and this is a large but – life is a risk and military service is a risk no matter where in the world one is stationed or deployed. Go along passively with a capture? Not a chance. Maybe for the guys – but we know from criminal behaviour that women who “get in the car with the guy” have about the same chance of survival as the dumb teen who goes downstairs in the dark in “Chainsaw massacre 13.”

Doctrine is survive till rescue. I routinely carry meds with me – but I wouldn’t have 3 months, 6 months, 12 months to wait.

No – I am not depressed. I am otherwise listening to audiobooks, knitting after having had two softserve ice cream cones for dinner. Tomorrow I get to hassle the med folks.

Life is pretty fun! Tomorrow you get knitting!

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Yom Kippur Reflections

Being in the military means that I don’t always get a choice about where I am when the High Holidays hit. I have spent more than one away from home. Bosnia (with services at Tuzla Main) and Kuwait with services at Camp Doha come to mind. This year, once again attending with military as my family, at least I did not have to worry about a weapon.

It is easy to be senior in rank and attend services. It is much harder to be in basic and have to ask for an exception. There is always training, exercises, PT tests. One excuse or another for why a young soldier can not be released.

The military preaches religious accommodation but I am not really sure that it happens with all that much frequency. Not when drill sergeants are ordering soldiers to eat and drink. Many of those who attended had one injury or another – it just might be why their units were willing to release them.

Attendance for the Torah service was about 20 – the Rabbi and I being the only two not fitting into the “young, male attending basic training/AIT” category. People drifted in and out over the day. About 40 were present by the time we got to Havdalah including a small contingent from the current OCS class. Even more than the bagels and cream cheese, the Coke was welcomed. New rules prohibit caffeine in basic training. Go figure – I don’t get it.

What I certainly know is that this day is necessary for me – looking back over the past year, figuring out how I can do better. Repeating certain prayers almost endless has them sink in – limiting my ability to avoid issues to which I would rather apply blinders.

Since the day has multiple services and will proceed at its own pace – the absolutely best thing to do is stick the watch in the pocket and not look at it. Not once or twice in frustration at how slowly time seems to be crawling, but not at all. Especially as the sun sinks and there is still part of Neilah to complete.

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waiting for sunset

I have been here for a lifetime – or four days as of this evening. It seems about the same to me. I watched this week’s rotation pack and load all their gear this morning – they are contracted flights this evening.

I did mention that I have my own room, complete with chair, one iron bedstead and a locker so heavy it would take a forklift to move it. Right as I was heading out this morning a couple of nice NCO’s stopped by for a room inspection.

Oh! You are not leaving?

No, sorry about that – see you next week?

Right.

So there I was, just before 0900, breakfast eaten, shower taken, load of laundry done (washed the sheets while I was at it – jeans and turtleneck alone just looked pitiful in the washer), looking for a ride up to main post.

Met some nice NCOs at the redeployment section and a reserve COL who is trying to get his paperwork straightened out. Since he had to go to finance, I hitched a ride to the library. Means that I have almost six hours here on the computer. No excuse for not starting my continuing education and a chance to add about six more audio books to the travel collection.

I like a variety in what I listen to. This time I have both Neil Gaiman and Simon Winchester along with a couple of lovely fluff books. I am also being a good kid – having signed up for my last CME module (in order to extend the recert exam) and downloaded most of the materials. Planning, really, to not leave it to the last week of the year and avoid the crisis.

Said crisis might just not be as much fun without my family around to sympathise.

Time is passing, soon the shuttle will take me back to the base. Sundown will come. I will join others, like Jews all over the world, in hearing Kol Nidre and know that every year – although I will try my best – things can always be done better. Plans succeed, promises more than kept.

May your fast be a gentle one.

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why am I here?

trip mascot

Trip Mascot

My friend Diane in Germany asked an excellent question – what am I doing and why.

The “what” is relatively simple: sitting at a US Army post in Georgia and processing for deployment.

The “why” is straight forward, but not obvious to those who are not military related. The Army does it this way since they are supposed to insure that everyone has completed all the mandatory training on the list, has the proper uniforms, immunizations, and qualifications. They run a one week cycle. As it is set up, people dropping in at odd times just does not work. Units do their training at home and are certified there. Individuals are another matter. It is much more sensible and cost effective to handle all individual replacements in one location. All individual replacements below the rank of general officer come here: Department of the Army civilians, active duty, reserve, National Guard and contractors.

The cut-off for health care providers is 1200 on Monday. Because I was flying from Europe, obviously I did not arrive till well after that time; translates into too late to add to this cycle.

Knitting

Yes, I have not forgotten how to knit even though it has been ages since I have posted anything even remotely related to handwork.

Current scarf in progress is “Dove” by Sharon Miller adapted for fingering weight yarn (Hunterwasser Opal). The pattern is mindlessly simple and comforting – a two row pattern that is repeated six times followed by stitches casted on each end which shift the pattern over by 9 stitches. And repeat.

scarf

100 gm scarf

Images and Spam

For some reason – one image that I added to a post back in early June is still accumulating dozens of spam per day. I have no clue as to why – it is a simple picture of white clapboard houses lining a street in Stavanger.

streets of white board houses

Can any of you see a reason why this picture is a magnet for a repetitive spam relating to health care issues and products? I certainly do not have a clue.

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more of the same

Yep, and it is another sunny day in Georgia paradise.

Rules and regulations do work if you are trying to process 400+ outbound people a week. Exceptions would make them crazy. Since they don’t do crazy; exceptions just don’t happen. There are washers and dryers in the billets (free) so I can wash what I have every couple of days. It also means that my lack of uniforms is their issue not mine.

Perhaps I needed this down day. Most of it has been spent sleeping. Time zones from Melbourne to Germany =8. to UK =1. to Georgia + another 5. That makes 14 hours time change in the past 8-9 days. With heading back to Afghanistan by the end of next week (+8 from here) I don’t really mind waking at 0200 – it just might make the transition a bit easier.

I located the rabbi and have made arrangements to attend Yom Kippur services. Since the chapel at which they are being held is in the basic training area, I expect to see mostly recruits at services. I thought about it, then turned down an offer to find and stay with a family in town. Have neither the clothes nor the desire to spend the time with strangers. Military whom I don’t know are still not strangers.

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Not Flexible at all

As it turns out, the latest sign in time at CRC (Conus Replacement Center) for medical providers is noon on Monday. Since my flight did not leave Heathrow till 1330 on Monday and went

That was Heathrow -> Atlanta -> Columbus -> CRC Bus (which waited for the last flight of the evening) – Ft Benning. CRC is in the way back 40 and is a 25 minute drive on lousy roads from the front gate – you can just about guess that I did not make that deadline.

Which means that they want me to wait and join the next class on Sunday. I am being cheerful, I am being nice. I may just try stuborn next. I really hate the idea of sitting here and doing nothing for 3 1/2 days.

Never mind I could have filled out paperwork this morning and gone to CIF today and the range on Thurs and finished up all the briefings on Sun and Monday.

They are having major concept problems with the idea of Yom Kippur, not traveling on Friday night/Sat and otherwise not automatically falling in line. The Veggie MREs proved much less of a problem.

I managed to catch the shuttle bus (White painted Blue Bird. Here I am again on the contract bus to nowhere) to the PX, found the commissary and the clothing sales store. Currently at the library getting extended minute by minute on the computers there.I found the hospital. I am hoping to be able to track down Rabbi Huerta this afternoon, make arrangements for this weekend and finish off the rest of the stupid courses.

I should not have a problem getting on email here tomorrow as well. There is also potentially computer access in the dayroom at CRC. I will do the online courses that were not do-able on my computer. I might just also be able to do my updated course for Family Practice. Now there is a thought – finished before screaming in pain on 30 Dec!

PS – if you want to be on my direct email distro list like the last time leave me a message or send me an email and I will add you. There may be occassional pictures here. None there. Or you can have both. I am really, really flexible.

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Columbus Georgia

Well, I have made it through London and this far. Sitting in the airport waiting for a couple more people to show up fr the bus.

Yes, it is a white Blue Bird. Contracted service by Ft Benning to bail us lost and wandering out of the airport, dropping us off where we need to go.

I had thought about renting a car and might yet do so in a couple of days. But I am way too tired tonight to be safe driving.

The driver is waving –

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