Starting Over

COB Basra (Iraq) is a lot different than Camp Virginia. Up until a few weeks ago this was a coalition base run by the British. The security here is much tighter; ID checks at the DFac and PX, coming into the yard at the USO and when we enter the gate to our living area. There’s a balloon with a camera in the sky watching me in my room right now. I understand the cameras can read what I’m typing through the roof and ceiling. There are Hesco barriers everywhere. See picture of my front yard and my path to the ladies’ room. I have a room to myselfand I share a bathroom (toilet and shower) with my Center Manager. There’s a lot less sand (paved roads) and a lot more indoor plumbing.

The USO is in a huge building that was previously DFac 1. We have about 2/3 of the space and the brand new gym has about 1/3 of the space. There are no walls yet, so I hop on the treadmill for 10 minutes here and there throughout the day whenever I get a chance. No excuses! We have . . . INDOOR PLUMBING!!!!! So far the USO consists of 18 phones and 14 computers. The Center Manager and I are the only two paid USO employees, although we have a lot of really nice and extremely helpful volunteers. Hopefully the contractors will be approved and construction of the new USO will start within days.

Life’s been little challenging. I don’t know anyone except a couple of people I recognize from LSA and our plane ride to Basra. I haven’t seen a Marine in 3 days. The base seems a lot bigger and although I’ve taken the continuous bus all the way around and looked at maps, I’m still getting lost on a regular basis. One evening I walked home from the USO and ended up at the front gate. Hali Wali! (Oops! in Arabic.)