March 2009 Archives

The Face Of Iraq

First, I need to blow some life into this poor blog. I am doing some interesting stuff and I really do want to write about it. So, this is a first attempt.

I'm trying to get as many photos as possible up on my Flickr page. I have been uploading all the pictures from this deployment into a single set. However, I discovered Collections and now even understand how they work. So, I've deleted the set that I was using and have divided the photos out into sets that give you some clue as to what they are about.

On The Fob contains photos taken on FOB Hunter, usually of soldiers doing silly stuff. Al Faw Palace contains pictures that I took during my recent visit to Baghdad for a class. I had time to go and visit Saddam Hussein's old residence. The Face of Iraq is all about pictures that I have taken while out on mission of the Iraqi people. I am posted in the Maysan province in southern Iraq, about 10 miles from the Iranian border.

All of these sets are contained in the Collection titled A/445 CA BN 2009 Deployment.

I enjoy photography so all the photographs are fun but my personal favorite is The Face Of Iraq project that I'm doing. I really like getting out among the people here. I like to see the face of Iraq. To realize it as a community of people with real lives that they are living. I hope you'll enjoy it, too. Please leave comments if there are photos that you like or cause you to think. I love feedback.

aloha

I've been meaning to mention this for a while. I was talking to a friend of mine here on FOB Hunter. I tell pretty much everyone that I am a US Navy sailor serving in the Army under duress as a result of draconian Navy up or out policies. My friend, SPC Chin with 1-9 CAV then mentioned that his sister is in the Navy. He went on to tell me that her ship - I don't remember the name - is part of an anti-piracy task force off the coast of Africa.

"The problem of piracy is and continues to be a problem that begins ashore and is an international problem that requires an international solution," Vice Adm. Bill Gortney, commander of the Combined Maritime Forces, said in a news release from the Fifth Fleet in Manama, Bahrain. "We believe the establishment of CTF-151 is a significant step in the right direction."
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It is cool to see the US Navy involved in real freedom of the seas missions, keeping the sea lanes open. Over the past six years the Navy has felt somewhat forgotten and left out, with all the attention going to ground wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Fighting piracy in off the coast of Africa is the truest of Navy missions. As a sailor, I think it would be interesting and exciting to be going after these modern day pirates in an area of the world that has a long history of association with pirates and naval battles.

I am often in the right place but seldom at the right time.