A friend of mine is headed back to Afghanistan and while he is gone he is going to attempt to keep in touch with folks back home and by sending back reports from time to time. He does have his own blog, but given the fact that internet connections in Afghanistan are not as reliable as ones in Iraq he will be sending back some of his dispatches via email, and when he does I will post them.
Take care Kudzu
First off, Qatar Air Ways rocks. Even in economy class I felt like in first class. and that shows you the difference between the level of customer service between American and foreign carriers. I had video on demand and even video games to play with while in flight. I also got free food and a warm towel during the flight... without being charged. You can't take a trans-America flight on United, American, Delta, or whatever without paying $3 for peanuts! Oh well, flight went well and I raked out quick after two movies. First rule of the Army and deployments I learned early nine years ago? Sleep when you can, wherever you can.
On to the dispatch. Qatar is heaven for support personnel. This place has it all and I am taking every advantage of it while I'm here. I'm sitting on a free wi-fi connection in a gym that is well stocked with great machines and weights. There's an internet cafe behind me and to my front is an Orange Julius where you can gain all the weight you just lost on the 20+ cardio machines. Spa, barber, movie room, and massage also keep people unaware that there's a war going on this theater. If I get R&R during my time, I want to come through here, I'll save the ice cream for that time.
The desert is just as I remember it. I couldn't see through the cloud of dust from the air and I couldn't see through it from the ground. Woke up around 7am I managed to see the sun but hardly needed glasses because the dust. Went back to sleep because my flight isn't for a while and when I got up that time I found the sun in pretty much the same place... just hotter. Spent the day in gym and after the fat pills in the chow hall I came back to write this and check email. What kills me is that the food hasn't changed in four years, when I was last in CENTCOM's hands. If we spend all this money on comfort items how about some new food? Just saying.
But More hurry up and wait for me and the crew that I'm traveling with. We're from all over and different parts of the military. For many of them this is their first deployment and I'm afraid they're getting a taste of the good life with little perspective of the crap that could be awaiting them. They are mature and I'm learning from them and hopefully vice versa, chances are I won't see any of them at all during my tour because our jobs are so different but I wish them the best
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