Thus, in order to catch up rapidly, I will be using a string of 1000-word substitutes with only minor explanation. We left off at canal water chai…
Yet another whirlwind. The dust is ever-present, and the wind blowing it around is pretty much mesmerizing.
Note the extra rocker: That’s right, its SFC Moncree now!
Doc reinlisted.
Then doc went home. Due to a degenerative condition (vascular necropathy) caused by a training accident, Doc needed surgery. He’s a tough, tough dude, and just ‘sucked it up’ for longer than he probably should have. We took him to Anaconda to get what he thought was a muscular pull checked out, just to find out that he needed surgery and had to be Medevaced immediately. God speed, Doc. Get better. Surgery recovery is a bitch, believe me, but I know Doc’ll be fine.
A local handyman’s mobile workshop out at one of the checkpoints:
A local motor-cop:
The local “Mookie-shack”. (Offices of the political party headed by Moqtada al Sadr). Though the Sadirist movement has gained some political legitimacy recently, I still find their leader to be somewhat of a caricature of himself.
Down the street from the above, I got served more chai. Note the amount of sugar in a serving roughly the size of a shot-glass.
We fixed the fire-pit. CPT Stangle, SFC Shuck, and I built up the brick, but didn’t mix the mortar with sand. Since it’s everywhere here, it’s understood that people will mix it themselves. We didn’t know.
Of course Walt got us squared away, and finished the exterior. It’s covered in rags that we kept soaked because otherwise it would dry way too fast and crack everywhere. I’ll get a picture of the finished product later…
More joint range-time. This time the company commanders came in from the checkpoints to shoot as well. Some of the jundis that came in with them could really shoot!
Last two. Local wildlife, found over on the IA side. I was considering building a cage and keeping the cute little bugger, but instead I let it go just outside the front gate.
Isn’t it cute?
That’s all I’ve got. I realized I was kinda deficient in taking photos for the first week and a half of June, so pickings are kinda slim. However, I am now up to date with regard to the timing of stuff (week to week-and-a-half lag). To any of the guys reading this, if I’ve missed out on one of your big events in this catch-up post, I apologize. However, I think you all understand, as we’ve all been pretty busy.
Too cute!