I’m just now able to sit down and go through my emails. Sorry about that. I got a bunch from your friends and banker/friend!!! That’s really cool. Thanks. I’m not sure yet about what I need. I was only at my new home (Camp Fallujah) for 2 days before we had to start traveling again to get an inventory of all the gear I own around the Al Anbar province. We have been flying c-130’s, CH-47 (Chinooks), CH-46 (Sea Frog), CH-53’s (Super stallions). If this wasn’t a combat zone, it would be a kick in the pants, but it is and it’s still fun (once you get passed the pucker factor)!!!
I’ve been thinking about what I want to do to the suburban quite a bit (tires, small lift, wheels, some paint (just to touch up), and a grill guard. It keeps my mind busy… Other than that, I’m just doing my job (Supply, Logistics, camp commandant (of our area inside the camp), etc) and waiting for my Marines to get here (a couple of days).
Thanks for being there.
I will be safe. I love you.
Jonathan
Sorry for not calling or emailing in the past couple of days. I have arrived at my destination and won’t be traveling for a while. Well, where do I start? Pictures would tell a lot more than I can say in words, but I will try.
Traveling steps and explanations:
Check in - You have to go to an office to get a flight. It’s a lot like going to the ticket counter. This office is right on the side of most “flight lines.”
Waiting - We have to check in about 2 hours before the actual flight. We sit in a waiting room with terminal type seating and a couple of magazines or a tv. The room sizes range from warehouse size to the size of my apartment living room. They take a role call to make sure you are there. Then you sit for another 15 minutes.
Go time - The Marines that work on the flight line will either get on a loud speaker or come into your waiting room to tell you the flight will be there soon. You put on your flak and Kevlar and grab your gear. The sea bag drag begins… The bird lands. You wait for the flight line Marine to tell you when it’s time to go. We walk quickly to the bird, get in, sit down, and hang on. Being in the helo on the ground is a little nerve wracking because you are an easy sitting duck. Then it lifts off. As it gets off the ground, it rolls from side to side while the pilots get the helo adjusted to the weight difference. If most of the weight is on one side, it rolls to that side to start, then back again. They tilt forward and go. The only thing you see are the city lights until you get out in the middle of the desert.
Landing - As you get close to the destination, the bird starts to sway, dive, climb (defensive flight to make us a hard target). It lands. The pilots don’t like to be on the ground long, so we gotta get out quickly.
Arrival - we go to a check in building (same as the ticketing building). The Marines that we are going to see will be there waiting on us to give us a ride. The camps are not huge, but big enough to make it a heck of a walk to your destination.
Terrain/Environment:
There are international security guards everywhere.
I’m in a place where we have mostly Marines.
The cities are beautiful…the old palaces and such. There is civilian traffic (cars and trucks) that just started back up. The desert is just that, the desert. Looks the same as Arizona.
The camps have cement walls and bunkers everywhere. The old Iraqi barracks are riddled with bullet holes and holes in the walls big enough to walk through (from rockets we put through the walls).
ME:
I have a lot to learn. I know my job and know what I have to do, I just don’t have points of contact yet. That will come in time.
There is the constant feeling that a mortar is going to come through the ceiling at any moment, but that is just that… a feeling.
There isn’t much that I am longing for (material wise). I do miss everybody deeply.
I have been bad at keeping my journal up to date, but I have been traveling quite a bit. I have been keeping little notes throughout the day. I just got a couple of disposable cameras.
Right now I am busy all the time. That should calm down quite a bit in about 2 months or so.
I work out and run if I’m not working or sleeping.
Edwards 1st Lt Jonathan H
(Mass 3 Supply Officer)
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I got you packages (3) today!!! What a morale booster! The pig…simply hilarious!! All that stuff is good. i think i have enough wipes to last me a while. They are nice to have. I will try to take as many pictures as possible and send the cameras back to you. Tell everbody thank you for me.
Edwards 1st Lt Jonathan H
(Mass 3 Supply Officer)
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seems his time as a tech at motorcars has saved the nation….
We had (3) generators go down the night before last. these are the generators that power all of our comm assets… we have been working on getting them up and running. we got them going…I was the main “trouble shooter” since we have very junior mechanics… It was cool to be able to help/teach the Marines. We got them fixed last night, then I found 3 new ones that were sitting on another unit’s lot. they were sending them back to the states. we swapped our old ones for their new ones…we shouldn’t have any problems with the new ones…this morning we are working on the paperwork and getting the new ones checked so we can put them to work.
Edwards 1st Lt Jonathan H
(Mass 3 Supply Officer)
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That’s cool! Cpls run the Marine Corps! They are the blood of this “gun club.” Tell him good job for me and thanks for being there. Getting shorter every day!
I love you
Edwards 1st Lt Jonathan H
(Mass 3 Supply Officer)
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Boxes - no special requests besides the jerky (if you have any). That stuff is awesome! Other than that, everything else is good.
Door seal - if there is time, that would be great. It has leaked since I bought it… I don’t think I’m going to recognize the suburban! I’m really excited about that! The chow hall cooked steaks for dinner all day today…if you closed your eyes, you could almost think you were at the ranch…not soon enough!
I love you
Jonathan
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That is badass about the jerky that Jim made! Have you made any on the food dehydrator we have? I know that stuff was sent by Julie. I don’t have her email address and I always forget to ask for it…so, do you have it?
I will be on IM tonight. Our internet has been pretty shitty, so no promises. Also, the weather is getting better after about 5 days of dust storms…that means convoys will start pushing out again. They will leave if they have air support and if the weather is bad, they don’t… Over the past 4-5 days, the badies have had time to place IEDs… It sucks to say, but “River City” status C is definitely a possibility today and tomorrow… I pray it’s won’t happen.
The Marines won’t be there. The camera is in my room and it will be 1-2 am… I really don’t think they are going to want to stay up…we’ll see.
I love you
Jonathan
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