Deployment to Sather AB, Iraq - 6

Well its a little after 3am here in Baghdad. I've been on my normal 3 shifts in a row type deal. Seems like joining the military means there is no need for sleep anymore! LOL! People have asked me many times on past deployments what a "typical day" is like here. I'll try to tell you, but it varies a little each day. All times are approximate and this may not be an everyday thing:

0800: Roll call. Most of us are on shift anyway, so we sit through the pass ons and such.
0830: Run patient labs and do wound care.
0900: Meeting with the Commander and his senior staff on something I am unable to discuss right now. Its a secret.
1100: People start going for lunch breaks so I do admin duties such as charting, filing, returning phone calls, etc.
1300 (1pm): If the Commander has meetings and such, this will be the area of time her has them.
1600 (4pm): start doing medications, more wound care, dictations, meetings with enlisted personnel.
1800 (6pm): Break people for dinner and prepare for shift change. Patient care, sick call, and ambulance/vehicle checks.
2000 (8pm): Shift change, Laboratory essentials, charting, filing, dictations, vaccinations, sick call,
2200: Start over for the night shift. All the above just slower and more at our pace.

Depending on the activity, many things carry over from shift to shift and we stay at it until its all done. Other things come up such as patient transfers to other bases, ambulance calls, etc. So by the end of a day, we are usually pretty backed up. Eventually, I want to start adding eating and gym and sleep time into this schedule, LOL! We'll see how that works!

I should expain how things look around here as far as what's in the area without saying HOW its all layed out. First, know that there are several bases around this area we call BIAP (Baghdad International Airport). Its also called the VBS (Victory Base Complex). There are several places such as Camp Liberty, Camp Victory, Camp Slayer, Camp Stryker, Camp Cropper, Sather AB, etc. All of it is Army except Sather AB where I am. Each camp has its own function which I won't go into for security reasons and such or how its all specifically laid out. Just know its all in the area around here. Also in this area is the Green Zone and the IZ (International Zone where the UN offices sit and so forth). Its quite the area. Then, in the same area, is downtown Baghdad. One wrong turn off this base and you CAN find yourself there, LOL! If you start driving down crazy ass streets and passed guys on the side of the road smoking and holding AK-47 assault rifles, you'll know you are in downtown Baghdad! Its happened here before, just not to me yet. The last clue you will get is if they start pointing those rifles at you. Then, if the lightbulb hasn't gone on, you have bigger problems than being about to die. But you have to be an absolute moron to turn down that wrong way. Its marked "WRONG WAY" and "DO NOT ENTER BAGHDAD". So, Im not sure what clues you need. If you stay off that road, you can't get to Baghdad from the base. Its really hard to make this mistake!

We have our weekly BBQ's on saturday nights. Tonight will be our second since being here. I was ok with this happening as long as I didn't have to organize or shop for it. Others had to step up and take ownership of it cuz I have way too much to deal with! Everyone does, for the most part, but if others want that extra duty, let em have it. But they are a good time. We invite other areas, like the gate guards, communications, firefighters, and such to these functions. Its a good way to network and get to know the folks we work with on a daily basis and build a relationship that pays off if we or they ever need something. Its also where we celebrate birthdays for the week, special events such as reenlistments, new births in the family (our commander is about to be a grandfather again, and he is tellin everyone!), etc. We buy premium, really high priced cigars for cheap as hell (Im talking Cubans and such), sit around a bonfire, cook up some burgers and dogs and so forth, and chill for a couple hours. Its a nice break from the ordinary, and the crazy. It goes over pretty well!

Well, I just re enlisted here this past week. I will be in for another 6 years at least, probably more. I plan to make a career out of the Air Force. Its a good career and I still enjoy it, most days. I guess with anything, you hold onto something like a job or a car while you still enjoy it.

Better run. Have a few things to do this morning. Its closing in on 4am and Im sure the medics are wondering where I escaped to! Ya'll take care and be well! I'll send more later. Peace!

SSgt Ricky Tiernan