So I hear from some of the guys on the team that there are actually people out there reading this! That’s great! And to all of you who have sent thank-you’s, you’re very welcome. This weekly reflection on what’s going on around here helps put perspective on things, and also lets me know that I’m one week closer to getting outta here. The focus of this week’s update is again good stuff going on. As I alluded to before, we recently had an event where our IA counterpart showed good signs of the progress they’ve made.
What I’m talking about was the 2nd iteration of a local IA MEPS (Military Enlistment Processing Station). We got the FRAGO from higher to be prepared to support the inprocessing and testing of local CLC/SOI (Concerned Local Citizens/ Sons of Iraq) for their applications to the IA and IP (Iraqi Police). The pictures tell some of the story, so I’ll explain each in turn. First, we have a look out our front gate at 0730 on the first morning of the 3-day event:
About 200+ showed up on the first day, about the same on the 2nd day, and then more than 300 showed up the final day when they opened up the application process to locals not already in a SOI group. Our second picture shows a local SOI group, most of whom brought their ‘uniform’ consisting of a construction vest, assembled outside the gate waiting to inprocess.
Next we have a group arriving at the IA side of the FOB after processing through the gate via one of the ‘uparmored’ IA 5-tons.
There were some hiccups with coordinating the transportation process at the very beginning, but by about the 3rd run on the first day everything was running smoothly. The application process for the IA and IP are exactly the same with regard to paperwork, but the IA application requires a PT test. Definetly a case of “Iraqi good-enough”, but since it was their event we just observed. The PT stations were well organized, consisting of a 1 mile run (probably more like 1k, tops), a 100 meter sprint, pushups, pullups, and situps. As you saw above in the first picture, not everyone was dressed in what we would consider appropriate PT gear, but that didn’t stop them from getting the job done. Thus, for our next two exhibits we have …. da da Daaaa! Dudes running in man-dresses! (more appropriately called disdashas)
For our final PT picture, we have yours truly in the front leaning rest encouraging some test-takers:
In team internal news, we did some CHU area cleanup and construction and have done some improvements on the AO. We all helped get the area cleaned up, and got some storage built for all the spare lumber. MSG Jones hammered out (pun intended) the walkway upgrade, and SFC Shuck got the washing machine plumbed in from the spigot across the yard and fixed the drainage so it runs out to the driveway instead of under the CHUs. Much better than hauling buckets, and less mosquito breeding area.
Good stuff all around. Even the boss got involved:
I enjoy getting the weekly updates. Love ya lots! Stay safe.
-Lil Bit