In a few more weeks I will be home. I'm very excited to get back to Minnesota and the cold. Its kind of weird to think that soon this will all be over; no more sand, no more little metal house, no more thirteen hour days. Soon I will be home. It will be sad leaving some of the friends I made here, especially the guys from Wisconsin but it will be great to be back home with family.
Family makes everything a lot better. In fact I just got back from the dentist in which I had a filling replaced. The last time my mouth was numb and teeth drilled into I went home and Ana took care of me. I know I'm probably a baby about it, but I hate the feeling after the dentist. I thought I was done with the dentist for awhile. Last week I had my teeth cleaned so I thought I wouldn't be in the dentist chair for at least another 6 months. I just had to go and get a toothache yesterday...ugh.
I'm going to go to bed now. My dreams have been weird lately because I'm dreaming about home. I must be thinking about home a lot because for the past few months I've dreamed about Army stuff here in Iraq. Its a nice feeling though, knowing I'll be home in my bed soon.
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Next Month!!!!
A new month and another holiday to go. It's almost time to come home. I was reminded of that fact last night when I turned all my bags in to be shipped home. A few of my bags I had never even touched and had collected dust under my bed. It was a pain to inventory every item, writing down how many tubes of toothpaste I had, but now its all behind and my bags are on their way. My room is practically empty. All the possession I have left can fit in one duffel bag.
I'll be leaving Iraq sometime next month. Its just a matter of weeks now. Everyone is getting really excited but also really anxious. Its just a matter of keeping focus until the end. There is the positive side of being here and avoiding the mess that I hear the first snow has brought back home, but I'd much rather be home shoveling snow than here scraping mud from my boot.
I'll be returning back to work on the 22nd of February. It still seems like a long time but I need some time to get used to being home once I get back. The military life is a little strange and everyone, even people as well adjusted as me need some time to unwind. Its going to be weird going back to work though; a few of my coworkers including my boss have been let go by the company. I guess with the economy that's the way things go but things look like they are getting better.
In other news I'm just about finished with this semester of school. I should be looking at a 4.0 this semester. I registered for next semester too. It will be nice to have a few weeks off but I enjoy school and it makes the time go by a little faster.
Time to get to bed now. Feel free to email me.
I'll be leaving Iraq sometime next month. Its just a matter of weeks now. Everyone is getting really excited but also really anxious. Its just a matter of keeping focus until the end. There is the positive side of being here and avoiding the mess that I hear the first snow has brought back home, but I'd much rather be home shoveling snow than here scraping mud from my boot.
I'll be returning back to work on the 22nd of February. It still seems like a long time but I need some time to get used to being home once I get back. The military life is a little strange and everyone, even people as well adjusted as me need some time to unwind. Its going to be weird going back to work though; a few of my coworkers including my boss have been let go by the company. I guess with the economy that's the way things go but things look like they are getting better.
In other news I'm just about finished with this semester of school. I should be looking at a 4.0 this semester. I registered for next semester too. It will be nice to have a few weeks off but I enjoy school and it makes the time go by a little faster.
Time to get to bed now. Feel free to email me.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
A Little Closer
Its November now! Just a few months left. Things are finally starting to wind down. I never imagined it 9 months would go by as fast as they have. Soon, it will be Thanksgiving, then Christmas, then New Years and hopefully I'll be home by Valentines Day.
Besides time going by quick, not much has happened. I am no longer going to Qatar. About a week before my flight they decided to tell me they were not going to fill the position. It's okay though. If I would've went there I would have to be away from home for a few weeks longer. This way I'll be home sooner. Besides I'm having a lot of fun beating my friends in video games. It would have sucked being away from family for the holidays, then throw in being away from the friends I've made here, it would have been horrible.
School's going okay. I have a couple more tests and 2 final projects to finish but besides that everything is going well. I'm excited to finish this semester because once its over the 30 day countdown should be almost ready to begin. I also have been slacking in the gym since I use a lot of my free time on homework. I've also been eating a lot of snacks lately. Specifically a 2.5 gallon bag of caramel corn courtesy of Gretchen. My coworkers sent me a box full of diabetes and hypertension. I have a sweet tooth and once its satisfied I need something salty to balance it. Needless to say the treats have been a real temptation.
Last night we had a Halloween party. It was pretty fun. There was a BBQ, music, dancing and all that. There were tons of people dressed up in really outrageous costumes. I didn't really partake in the events all that much. I was signed up for the Halloween Poker tournament, which I took 1st place in. I won a GPS system. I have an Iphone so I didn't really care about the prize, the bragging rights were worth it.
Other than that not much is new.
Besides time going by quick, not much has happened. I am no longer going to Qatar. About a week before my flight they decided to tell me they were not going to fill the position. It's okay though. If I would've went there I would have to be away from home for a few weeks longer. This way I'll be home sooner. Besides I'm having a lot of fun beating my friends in video games. It would have sucked being away from family for the holidays, then throw in being away from the friends I've made here, it would have been horrible.
School's going okay. I have a couple more tests and 2 final projects to finish but besides that everything is going well. I'm excited to finish this semester because once its over the 30 day countdown should be almost ready to begin. I also have been slacking in the gym since I use a lot of my free time on homework. I've also been eating a lot of snacks lately. Specifically a 2.5 gallon bag of caramel corn courtesy of Gretchen. My coworkers sent me a box full of diabetes and hypertension. I have a sweet tooth and once its satisfied I need something salty to balance it. Needless to say the treats have been a real temptation.
Last night we had a Halloween party. It was pretty fun. There was a BBQ, music, dancing and all that. There were tons of people dressed up in really outrageous costumes. I didn't really partake in the events all that much. I was signed up for the Halloween Poker tournament, which I took 1st place in. I won a GPS system. I have an Iphone so I didn't really care about the prize, the bragging rights were worth it.
Other than that not much is new.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Trip to the Bazaar
So I finally took a step off the beaten path and headed over to the bazaar today. Tonight is my night off so I decided I would venture over and see the camel and the shops. I have to say I was pretty impressed. I walked in the entrance and was immediately greeted with samples of the various goods that the Iraqi grocery store sells, as well as some freshly made kobus along with the honey topping.
Once I stepped into the complex I realized it was actually a nice looking place. I was expecting a couple of shops and a camel, but I was surprised to see almost a strip mall of small shops selling various goods. There was a fountain as well, along with not one but three camels. It was quite a change of scenery from the rocks and dirt I'm used to seeing on my walk to work everyday.
My friend Rembalski and I stopped by the grocery store and drank a couple bottled cokes. The good stuff, with real sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup. After that we walked the strip and peered into the shops. A lot of the stuff looked interesting, but I like to window shop first and buy stuff later. Besides, I was too excited to shop because I was thinking about the camels. After we looked at all the shops we went over to try some fresh bread. It was a dollar for 3 huge pieces of bread. Who says the dollar isn't worth anything anymore? I had half a piece and ended up giving the rest away.
After all that, it was finally time to ride the camel. As we approached them we could sort of smell them. Plus, as we got closer, instead of being greeted by the happy camels that smile and want to give people rides on their humps we were greeted by an angry, tired camel that didn't like people. It kept on growling/wailing/snapping its mouth at us. The Iraqis had firm control but I wasn't very sure about it. After watching someone else ride the camel and not get mauled, I decided it was my turn. I approached the camel slowly, I was obviously a little nervous so the Iraqi grabbed me, impolitely I must add. I would've said something, but there was the fact I was surrounded by three of his angry, vicious camels. So I jumped on and the camel roared to life. It almost bucked me off it stood up so fast and at and such an awkward angle.
The whole ride I was thinking not of the camel I was riding, even though it stopped several times to itch itself with its hind leg that almost touched mine, but instead I was preoccupied with its two buddies that walked next to us. I suspect it was for the effect of riding a camel with other camels right next to you, but instead it just made me nervous with the camel snapping its mouth open and closed right next to my leg looking at me like I was committing an injustice to his friend. I tried to tell the camel sorry, but I think it understood Arabic and not English because as I mouthed the words, the camel just snapped its mouth at me. It was a short ride, but in my mind it was way too long. When we got back, the camel dropped its front legs and I was almost thrown over the camel like a kid over handlebars, at that point I decided I had enough. I jumped off and moved very quickly to a camel free area.
Rembalski took a ride after me and after he finished we decided that the camels were not very happy being ridden and that we would probably not partake in that experience again. Overall, I'd have to say that the bazaar was pretty fun and was a nice change of scenery. It was definitely worth a few hours of not sleeping, I'll probably go back next week to buy a few things, but no more camels for me.
Here is a pic to sum up my fun day:
Once I stepped into the complex I realized it was actually a nice looking place. I was expecting a couple of shops and a camel, but I was surprised to see almost a strip mall of small shops selling various goods. There was a fountain as well, along with not one but three camels. It was quite a change of scenery from the rocks and dirt I'm used to seeing on my walk to work everyday.
My friend Rembalski and I stopped by the grocery store and drank a couple bottled cokes. The good stuff, with real sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup. After that we walked the strip and peered into the shops. A lot of the stuff looked interesting, but I like to window shop first and buy stuff later. Besides, I was too excited to shop because I was thinking about the camels. After we looked at all the shops we went over to try some fresh bread. It was a dollar for 3 huge pieces of bread. Who says the dollar isn't worth anything anymore? I had half a piece and ended up giving the rest away.
After all that, it was finally time to ride the camel. As we approached them we could sort of smell them. Plus, as we got closer, instead of being greeted by the happy camels that smile and want to give people rides on their humps we were greeted by an angry, tired camel that didn't like people. It kept on growling/wailing/snapping its mouth at us. The Iraqis had firm control but I wasn't very sure about it. After watching someone else ride the camel and not get mauled, I decided it was my turn. I approached the camel slowly, I was obviously a little nervous so the Iraqi grabbed me, impolitely I must add. I would've said something, but there was the fact I was surrounded by three of his angry, vicious camels. So I jumped on and the camel roared to life. It almost bucked me off it stood up so fast and at and such an awkward angle.
The whole ride I was thinking not of the camel I was riding, even though it stopped several times to itch itself with its hind leg that almost touched mine, but instead I was preoccupied with its two buddies that walked next to us. I suspect it was for the effect of riding a camel with other camels right next to you, but instead it just made me nervous with the camel snapping its mouth open and closed right next to my leg looking at me like I was committing an injustice to his friend. I tried to tell the camel sorry, but I think it understood Arabic and not English because as I mouthed the words, the camel just snapped its mouth at me. It was a short ride, but in my mind it was way too long. When we got back, the camel dropped its front legs and I was almost thrown over the camel like a kid over handlebars, at that point I decided I had enough. I jumped off and moved very quickly to a camel free area.
Rembalski took a ride after me and after he finished we decided that the camels were not very happy being ridden and that we would probably not partake in that experience again. Overall, I'd have to say that the bazaar was pretty fun and was a nice change of scenery. It was definitely worth a few hours of not sleeping, I'll probably go back next week to buy a few things, but no more camels for me.
Here is a pic to sum up my fun day:
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Its been a while
Its been a while. Not much new for me. Its cooling off a lot. It hasn't been above a hundred for a week or so now. Steady in the high 90s during the day and 60s at night. Besides that I'm just working away on my online classes. Not much else to do. Its getting pretty close to the end. I'm getting excited. We are finally below 4 months and pretty soon we'll be below 90 days.
I should be hearing about Qatar soon. I'm excited. It will be nice to get some new scenery and something to finally write about. I mean there isn't much to do here so my blogs have been few and far between. I work, sleep and repeat. I've changed up my workouts a little bit, instead of lifting weights a lot, I've started running. Its tough getting back into it, I hadn't ran much since last fall so I was a little rusty.
If you wonder what I actually do for work, here is a little blurb that they wrote on the Red Bull website. http://www.theredbulls.org
I should be hearing about Qatar soon. I'm excited. It will be nice to get some new scenery and something to finally write about. I mean there isn't much to do here so my blogs have been few and far between. I work, sleep and repeat. I've changed up my workouts a little bit, instead of lifting weights a lot, I've started running. Its tough getting back into it, I hadn't ran much since last fall so I was a little rusty.
If you wonder what I actually do for work, here is a little blurb that they wrote on the Red Bull website. http://www.theredbulls.org
CM&D – Collection Management and Dissemination
| Posted by Public.Affairs on Mon Aug. 10, 2009 10:53 am CDT | |
In collection management, we do exactly what it sounds like we do; we manage the collection requests in MND-South, Iraq. Located in the Analysis and Control Element (ACE), the CM&D cell is driven by a team of seven Soldiers. The collection manager is MAJ Kevin Schooler. MSG Scott Buchanan is the collection Technician. The CM&D NCOIC is SFC Tim Erdman. The Intelligence Request for Information (RFI) manager is SGT Jeremy Hemsworth. SPC Matthew Barnard and PFC Eric Jenson are the CM&D analysts. Our Air Force Liaison Officer is Capt. Tom Nipper.
The main portion of CM&D deals with imagery. When people need an image of their area of interest, they come to us with a collection request. The type of collection request depends on what the supported unit is looking for. CM&D can collect from many types of sensors including Full Motion Video (FMV), Coherent Change Detection (CCD), Ground Moving Target Indication (GMTI), Electro-Optical (EO), Infrared (IR), and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR).
FMV is like having a video camera on an airplane. CCD measures the changes from one picture to another. GMTI measures movement on the ground. EO is like a digital camera in the sky. IR creates an image from heat signatures. SAR creates an image using microwave energy. There are other types of sensors, but these are the most commonly requested. All of these sensors are mounted on airplanes or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), which are basically large remote-controlled airplanes.
CM&D helps guide units to the correct collection capability to fill their intelligence gaps. CM&D then will help build a collection request, which includes the targets, what to look for, and when they need it collected. We then pass this information on to CORPS (our higher echelon) to be processed. When the image is collected, it is then passed to CM&D, and it is disseminated as seen necessary.
CM&D also manages intelligence Requests For Information (RFIs). Any requests for intelligence related information are directed to CM&D. We send the requests to the appropriate cell or section to fulfill the request. When the request is fulfilled, it is sent back to the original requestor. CM&D does run 24 hour operations, and is always ready to help out with any collection requirements you may have.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Life in a Sauna
Its been a few weeks since my last post. Not much has changed besides the weather. For the last two weeks the winds have been coming from the south. The wind from the south brings wet air from the Persian Gulf. It is very uncomfortable. The humidity has been as high as 90% couple that with 120 degree temperatures and I am living in a sauna.
In fact, yesterday the humidity caused a buildup of water in my A/C; as a result my A/C shorted out and I had to attempt to sleep in the Sauna for 3 hours until the maintenance guy showed up, only by then I was in my buddy's room, sleeping on his spare bunk. When I went back to my room I found that I was locked out. I had to track the maintenance guy to open my door.
The winds are supposed to change tonight so hopefully life becomes a little kinder to us soon. There is another problem circulating though, "intestinal difficulties" is how I'll phrase it. It involves several visits to the bathroom shortly after every meal. It has spread like wildfire. I'm now on week two and hoping that my stomach will return to some semblance of normalcy soon.
I don't have all bad news though. I've been selected for a position in Qatar starting November 15th. This position should run until the end of the deployment. Things can always change so I'm not counting on it too much, but if I do go it means 2 beers a day and a pool! I don't know what I'll be doing there, but I'm hopeful that I'll at least get a day off to enjoy the amenities offered.
Here are a few pictures I took of my living arrangements here in Iraq. I was talking to Ana a few days ago and she informed me that she didn't know what my room looked like so here it is:
In fact, yesterday the humidity caused a buildup of water in my A/C; as a result my A/C shorted out and I had to attempt to sleep in the Sauna for 3 hours until the maintenance guy showed up, only by then I was in my buddy's room, sleeping on his spare bunk. When I went back to my room I found that I was locked out. I had to track the maintenance guy to open my door.
The winds are supposed to change tonight so hopefully life becomes a little kinder to us soon. There is another problem circulating though, "intestinal difficulties" is how I'll phrase it. It involves several visits to the bathroom shortly after every meal. It has spread like wildfire. I'm now on week two and hoping that my stomach will return to some semblance of normalcy soon.
I don't have all bad news though. I've been selected for a position in Qatar starting November 15th. This position should run until the end of the deployment. Things can always change so I'm not counting on it too much, but if I do go it means 2 beers a day and a pool! I don't know what I'll be doing there, but I'm hopeful that I'll at least get a day off to enjoy the amenities offered.
Here are a few pictures I took of my living arrangements here in Iraq. I was talking to Ana a few days ago and she informed me that she didn't know what my room looked like so here it is:
Friday, August 7, 2009
Settled Back In
Hey Everyone,
I'm back in Iraq. Relatively safe and sound. I had a great 2 weeks back home. It was way too short. I had too many people to see and things to do. It went better than I had imagined. I got a lot of rest and relaxed most days. I ate a lot of good food, had a few beers, and had lots of good company. The weather was kind of a drag though, but hey, 78 beats 118. I probably slept through a lot of the sunshine as most days I woke up around 1pm. The fun and no sun didn't last for long though.
As quick as my vacation started I am now back to groundhog day in Iraq. Same work, same heat, same food as before. Nothing more really to say. Now that I'm back feel free to email me or send me letters. Its always appreciated.
I'll start posting a little more, I've been slacking, sorry.
Jeremy
I'm back in Iraq. Relatively safe and sound. I had a great 2 weeks back home. It was way too short. I had too many people to see and things to do. It went better than I had imagined. I got a lot of rest and relaxed most days. I ate a lot of good food, had a few beers, and had lots of good company. The weather was kind of a drag though, but hey, 78 beats 118. I probably slept through a lot of the sunshine as most days I woke up around 1pm. The fun and no sun didn't last for long though.
As quick as my vacation started I am now back to groundhog day in Iraq. Same work, same heat, same food as before. Nothing more really to say. Now that I'm back feel free to email me or send me letters. Its always appreciated.
I'll start posting a little more, I've been slacking, sorry.
Jeremy
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