Complete Buffoonery

This will be somewhat of a rant...but a clean one.

The last I checked, there is a war going on over here. There is an Air Force run base to the north of us called Balad. They have the responsibility to oversee every AF person deployed to Iraq.

Okay, Administrative control is fine...as long as they stay out of our way. Not so lucky.
When not working on keeping Coalition Forces protected from certain types of IED's, I have to deal with threatening emails from the admin glorified clerks up north telling us what uniform we have to wear. "That's so incredibly insignificant and stupid", you must be saying to yourself. I know I did!

The picture to the right shows me in the Army Combat Uniform. I have it written in my orders to wear the Army ACU for duty. A 3 star general signed off on us wearing these while assigned to the mission we are doing. The clerks from up north are saying we have to wear the desert battle uniform - the usual brown one you see on TV.

They sent an email threatening us that if we don't change our uniforms, they will send us home with administrative reprimands (Article 15) for failure to obey orders. Kids are dieing every day and these ___clowns are worried about whether we're dressed properly for the fight. Aaaaaggggghhhhhhhh!

The fellows with stars on their shoulders are being pulled in to this quagmire. I am hoping for quick resolution (in my favor).

= = = = = = = = = end rant = = = = = = = = = = =

So I am at the coffee shop the other day called the Green Bean. I was one of many to be entertained by an enterprising young enlisted fellow playing guitar and harmonica. He can actually sing too. He's pictured below. He walked away with a guitar case full of tips...not bad for a couple of hours doing what you like to best. He plays every Tues and Sat if you want to come over and listen!?



I have been remiss in adding pictures of my surroundings. Here are a few:

This is a mosque we have on base and sets about 100 meters away from where I work.



Side view of the Al Faw Palace. Once used by Saddam to host the Arab League of Nations. 3 levels, lots of rooms, and where we all originally slept shoulder-to-shoulder, toe-to-toe when we first rolled in 2003 before Tent City and trailers were brought to the base.


Thanks to EWODAD for writing. Thanks to JJ's and Suz for continuing to read and comment. Hi Gramps. Thanks to my folks who are helping my family out right now. Thanks to all for prayers. Pastor Mike - I am working my way down the Lent list from the Lent package.