A Couple Pics...

I thought I would post a couple pics. Still haven't had the time to figure out how to post a slide show on here. So for now, here are three pictures. The first is of my rifle during weapons cleaning, pretty cool shot all disassembled. The second is a picture of the trauma/BAS that we built at our new Joint Security Station. The last is of me with a PSF soilder down by the canal. All is well here. Soon to be teaching a full fledged Combat Trauma Course to the PSF. They are going to designate something like 25-30 as their "medics" and I will be doing a seven day course for them. Will be an interesting experience. Two months down and something like four and a little more to go.

Doc

Teaching the Iraqis.....

Starting this coming Saturday, I will begin basic first aid classes for the units we are partnered with, the PSF or Provincial Security Forces. When we came aboard our new base, or JSS, called a Joint Securtiy Station I wanted to somehow contribute to our mission. Our primary mission here is to teach the PSF how to provide their own security, do searches of houses, look for weapons caches and handle detaniees. One piece I thought we needed to add was combat lifesaving classes so that they could save their own. I have been given the green light to develop a basic course of instruction that I will teach this coming Saturday. I will be doing that probably every four days on a rotational basis. I am also beginning to learn basic Arabic, so this will be a great opportunity for me to learn more of how to speak the language and interact with our locals. The good thing is that I will have an interpreter with me, we call them a terp, to help with the class. Looking foward to the new challenge.

Doc

Finally Settled in to our new home....

Well, once again Weapons Company has moved. We are split up between a couple locations, I'd have to say that this has to be the best move yet. We are actually located at a historic site. The place we are occupying used to be a resort that was used by Saddam's Baath party. It is beautiful here. We are next to the largest lake in Iraq and never thought I would see blue here in the sand box. Looking out at the lake everyday kind of reminds me of Lake Michigan, yet with palm trees. Down by the damn that leads to one of the big rivers is an area where there used to be cottages. They are all bombed down now, but you can see that this area was amazing at one time. There is even a huge boat launch and buildings that are still standing by the waterfront that have huge patios overlooking the water and what used to be big picture glass windows. We are walking in a place that Saddam and his high ups once walked.

What is our purpose here you ask? Well, we are partnered with the Iraqi Security Forces basically providing overwatch as they do their own missions. And these guys are very good. Were trained by Marines prior to us, so their tactics are good. They love what they are doing and hate Al Queda and any insurgency taking away their way of life. Historically we are supposedly the first platoon size element to hold an AO, or area of operations. So once again 2/24 is making history.

Other than that have been working long days. I am the senior Doc on board this site. I took over an Army Aide Station and of course it didn't match my requirements. So, me and two of my Docs that are here with me, took over one of the buildings. We constructed walls, a floor and set up a basic trauma room with our quarters in the back. Pretty impressive from what the Army had before us. In addition to those duties, I have been doing maintenance on the generators on camp, adding wiring to some of the houses and just doing things to help improve our way of life here. Not too bad living for now. The Marines are healthy, I'm good and we are just over our half way point.

That is all.

Doc

Pretty Awesome PT run the other day....

I have finally been able to get into a PT routine for the last couple of weeks. I try and get a good 3-4 mile run four to five days a week. Well yesterday, I had just finished doing runs up and down the bunkers and began running down the side of the air strip. I had Bob Seger playing "Against the Wind" in my ear and overhead just behind me was approaching two CH-53's. They are the dual rotor USMC helos. As I was running and listening to Bob they were coming in to land and drop off personnel. What a rush it was to be running down that air strip, listening to some good music with my heart pumping and the feeling the thumping of the rotors overhead as they were literally maybe a couple hundred feet above me flying ahead to land. In the distance the sun was just setting. That had to be the best run I have had yet.

Doc