Balad Redux
Back to the Desert

Archive for March, 2008

drop in casualties

March 21, 2008

Though my opining that ”all is well” below has a hint of sarcasm, my replacement does indicate that the downward trend I saw in casualties is continuing.  The 4-month rotation before me moved several hundred more patients than my rotation did (nearly 3k v. just over 2k), and the one after mine is moving even fewer [...]

news from the old flight

March 21, 2008

I get emails from my replacement every few days.  I thought this one was fairly amusing (posted below).  I think if these are the present concerns of our deployed, then all is well.
—–Original Message—–
From: Sanders James C Lt Col 332EOSS/EAEF
Sent: Friday, March 21, 2008 4:18 PM
Subject: Fitness+
Importance: High
Good afternoon everyone,
I just got word that we [...]

mortar attack and defense

March 13, 2008

this video shows a C-RAM (counter rocket artillery and mortar system) knocking out a mortar before it hits balad air base…then the alarm red can be heard here.

a fitting end: meet the president

March 12, 2008

today was my last day of making up drills after coming off orders for the deployment to balad, and i got to meet, and shake hands with, president bush.  i thought this was a fitting conclusion to to my second deployment to iraq.  now it’s time to play civilian lawyer again.
here’s my right shoulder on [...]