I'm here.  It was a pretty crazy trip too.  We got to fly from our last training location to a nearby base in a C-17 Globemaster.  That's the workhorse freight hauling plane for the Air Force.  We all sat in jumpseats along the sides of the aircraft and in the middle were two brand-new, desert bound, two and a half ton trucks.  After the captain turned off the seatbelt sign half the passengers pulled out sleeping mats or bags and napped around and underneath the trucks.  Other than being ungodly noisy (earplugs were mandatory) most of us agreed it was one of the most comfortable flights we've been on.  There was so much room it was like flying in a noisy, truck filled gymnasium.  And who wouldn't like that?

Going from the base to my present location was even more fun.  We made the journey in a two vehicle convoy.  Our driver blasted Metallica the whole way.  Add to the soundtrack the fact that we're dodging slower vehicles (and everything was slower moving than us), donkey carts, potholes, kids filling potholes, pedestrians and more potholes all while flying along at 70 mph, weaving in and out of oncoming traffic and you get something akin to an amusement park ride on speed.  I felt like I was in the next Jason Bourne movie.  The convoy drivers get extensive aggressive driver training.  I think the Metallica comes with the course it was so appropriate. 

The whole idea is to be a difficult target to hit.  Since I've been here there have been a few SVBIED (suicide vehicle-borne improvised explosive device) attacks on coalition forces.  They have all been in the news by now.

We were supposed to watch out for a particular make and model of vehicle during the ride so for yucks we counted them for about five minutes and came up with over 50.  Sure enough though, three days later a vehicle by that description detonated alongside a bus filled with local nationals.  A day prior to that another had tried to insert itself into a coalition convoy and detonate.  It didn't penetrate the convoy but did blow, disabling one of our vehicles.  That nobody was killed other than the suicide bomber was a testament to the skill of the drivers and the armor on the vehicles.  The vehicles we drive around come from the factory weighing 3500lbs.  They leave the up-armor plant weighing over 9000lbs.  And you would never know by looking at them.

I've got a lot to write.  Finally being in country has brought a lot of new experiences I can't wait to share.  Thanks for your patience during my hiatus.  To add interest I'm going to try to load some pictures.  I haven't been able to figure it out yet.