Sorry for the delay, but with travel, paperwork, and limited internet access I am just now able to post. I will include here two posts that were written while waiting to leave the states, and first arrival in Kuwait. I hope to post at least every other day from here, but training and access will dictate. Please read these last two posts, and I'll have more for you tomorrow.
9 June 07
The faces stare back at me from the 20x24 photographs on the wall. The pictures were taken over 60 years ago, paratroopers on the way to another war, but the faces could just as easily be those of the young men headed to this war.
I am sitting on the cool tile floor of the headquarters of the 2nd Bn. 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment (2/504 PIR) at Ft. Bragg. The unit, known as the “White Devil’s” is gone, and I will join them shortly, meanwhile I spend these last few hours passing along some observations to my readers.
For the un-initiated, a “unit” such as a battalion, regiment or division, is an immortal entity. It is constantly infused with fresh blood in the form of new soldiers arriving to add their own chapter to it’s life. The walls of this building are adorned with the photos and trophies from past conflicts this battalion has been engaged in. Bunting draped over galleries commemorating WW II, Panama, Iraq, and Afghanistan gives them a hallowed feeling. Next year, after a long , hot deployment, the “Iraq” section of wall will be added to with photos and mementos, and will serve as a reminder to future “White Devil’s” of their units proud history As a unit lives on, each member who serves gains a small bit of immortality also.
Headed “down range”, next post will be in theatre.
12 June 2007,
After a long trip, mine was a bit longer due to media requirements, we are in the dessert of Kuwait. My unit arrived without incident earlier this week, and have begun their training and preparations for future missions in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. From time to time I will repeat that I will only describe certain things in generalities for the sake of operational security.
I will try and describe as vividly as possibly the conditions here and how the men and women deployed here live.
We’ll start with the obvious, it’s HOT! I don’t mean Chicago in the summer, which is bad enough, I mean it is like a blast furnace as the breeze hits you. Its difficult to decide if the breeze is good or bad, on the one hand its at least moving the air, on the other, it whips up the sand and dust that fill your nose and mouth. Heat your oven to about 300 degrees, then open it and put your face in close so the waves hit you, that is what the breeze feels like in Kuwait.
However, in the evening and early morning, the heat is tolerable, settling in the upper 80’s or low 90’s. Many soldiers get their morning run in to take advantage of the relative “cool” at that time of day.
To go along with the heat, you have the extremely important task of constantly hydrating. The service men and women here have no shortage of bottled water, there are stockpiles in every building and at points through out this post. Boxes of gatorade packets are in the living quarters of the troops in case they tire of plain water.
As for food, I don’t remember anything like this when I was in the Army! The food is very good, both in quality and quantity. Fresh fruits and vegetables, salad bars, ice cream, and just about anything else you could want.
Living quarters are large rubberized tents with a rigid frame making them semi-permanent. The men sleep on cots with their gear arrayed around them. Its somewhat crowded, but comfortable enough as there are three large air-conditioners to keep it cool.
I took a walk around, until the heat told me to head in, and it seems like the troops are very well taken care of here. On my tour, I saw something that made me laugh,, and shake my head, a Starbucks here, in the middle of the dessert! Well…….that’s all I’ll say on that.
All in all, not a bad place to be in a time of war, but it’s still not home.
9 June 07
The faces stare back at me from the 20x24 photographs on the wall. The pictures were taken over 60 years ago, paratroopers on the way to another war, but the faces could just as easily be those of the young men headed to this war.
I am sitting on the cool tile floor of the headquarters of the 2nd Bn. 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment (2/504 PIR) at Ft. Bragg. The unit, known as the “White Devil’s” is gone, and I will join them shortly, meanwhile I spend these last few hours passing along some observations to my readers.
For the un-initiated, a “unit” such as a battalion, regiment or division, is an immortal entity. It is constantly infused with fresh blood in the form of new soldiers arriving to add their own chapter to it’s life. The walls of this building are adorned with the photos and trophies from past conflicts this battalion has been engaged in. Bunting draped over galleries commemorating WW II, Panama, Iraq, and Afghanistan gives them a hallowed feeling. Next year, after a long , hot deployment, the “Iraq” section of wall will be added to with photos and mementos, and will serve as a reminder to future “White Devil’s” of their units proud history As a unit lives on, each member who serves gains a small bit of immortality also.
Headed “down range”, next post will be in theatre.
12 June 2007,
After a long trip, mine was a bit longer due to media requirements, we are in the dessert of Kuwait. My unit arrived without incident earlier this week, and have begun their training and preparations for future missions in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. From time to time I will repeat that I will only describe certain things in generalities for the sake of operational security.
I will try and describe as vividly as possibly the conditions here and how the men and women deployed here live.
We’ll start with the obvious, it’s HOT! I don’t mean Chicago in the summer, which is bad enough, I mean it is like a blast furnace as the breeze hits you. Its difficult to decide if the breeze is good or bad, on the one hand its at least moving the air, on the other, it whips up the sand and dust that fill your nose and mouth. Heat your oven to about 300 degrees, then open it and put your face in close so the waves hit you, that is what the breeze feels like in Kuwait.
However, in the evening and early morning, the heat is tolerable, settling in the upper 80’s or low 90’s. Many soldiers get their morning run in to take advantage of the relative “cool” at that time of day.
To go along with the heat, you have the extremely important task of constantly hydrating. The service men and women here have no shortage of bottled water, there are stockpiles in every building and at points through out this post. Boxes of gatorade packets are in the living quarters of the troops in case they tire of plain water.
As for food, I don’t remember anything like this when I was in the Army! The food is very good, both in quality and quantity. Fresh fruits and vegetables, salad bars, ice cream, and just about anything else you could want.
Living quarters are large rubberized tents with a rigid frame making them semi-permanent. The men sleep on cots with their gear arrayed around them. Its somewhat crowded, but comfortable enough as there are three large air-conditioners to keep it cool.
I took a walk around, until the heat told me to head in, and it seems like the troops are very well taken care of here. On my tour, I saw something that made me laugh,, and shake my head, a Starbucks here, in the middle of the dessert! Well…….that’s all I’ll say on that.
All in all, not a bad place to be in a time of war, but it’s still not home.
4 comments:
Rock on, Mr. Carlson! Keep it coming. Tell that turd Andrew Harper (he's in Alpha) I said Get some! Tell him to look for me in the sandbox in Jan/Feb.
Semper Fi!
Trace Johannesen
SGT/USMC, 0311
I just looked at your photos on World Picture News. They are awesome. Good job baby!
...btw to anyone who doesn't know, you can look at his new photos at www.worldpicturenews.com by searching for Eric Carlson in the site's search tool.
Love the new pics, babe!! Keep em' comin'!!
Trace, Thanks for checking this out. I'll let him know.
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