DAY 24 / DEC 22

DAY 24 / DEC 22

            I had an unusual wake up call this morning.  At around 645, the 1SG of the outgoing unit knocked on my door.  Still half asleep, I rolled out of bed and plodded to the door, digging out my key from my ACUs and finding the slot where it goes.  When I opened the door, he told me that we needed to get 100% accountability of our Soldiers and then report it back to the Company.  I, of course, said, �Ok, no problem,� and began getting the rest of my PT outfit on.  No sooner had I done that then an alarm goes off over the post loud speaker system and I hear the PA announce something to the effect that, �FOB Warhorse is receiving indirect fire, incoming, incoming.� 

            �Well, shit,� I thought as I grabbed my Kevlar helmet and laid on the ground in my CHU.  My heart beat a little faster as I laid in the dust on my floor for the inevitable impact and concussion of mortar fire.

            *** A side note ***

            As I mentioned previously, a CHU has HESCO barriers around it that are filled with dirt and sand and rocks, etc � anything to slow down or stop bullets or fragments from a mortar or bomb.  These HESCO barriers are about chest high, and are certainly higher than me when I�m laying in my bed, so I probably would have been just as safe lying there, sleeping as I was laying on the floor.  But, I was on the floor � out of instinct, I guess.

            ***End of Side Note ***

            The inevitable impact and explosive concussion I waited for never came.  I waited, and waited, and still nothing.  Then I ventured a peak outside and noticed that there were people walking around like nothing was going on, heading to the shower, the bathroom and wandering around.

            I went out a little further and, convinced it was safe, went to my 1SGs CHU and told him that we needed 100% accountability of our personnel.  I had debated whether or not to put my IBAs on, but decided that if the 1SG that had been here for a year didn�t have his on, than I was probably alright without it, too.  Once I got to my 1SGs CHU he was up and getting dressed when I got there, and he of course, went to take care of the issue.

            Back at my CHU, I had a minute to stop and think about what had happened.

1.  Knock on door � asking to get 100% accountability BEFORE the alarm.  Why?

            The mortars had already landed somewhere on the FOB and it is standard procedure to get accountability of personnel after an indirect fire attack.

2.  1SG of outgoing unit NOT wearing IBAS.  Why?

            He KNEW that the attack was over and clear.

            So, in all reality, by the time I knew that there was danger, it had already passed.

            After finding everyone (one in particular took longer to find because he was out at the coffee shop and didn�t think he needed to report back in), we reported the info back to the outgoing company and to our BN.

            Personally, I think this was just a scheme to get everyone out of bed early and get them to do some PT.  Not really, but the timing works out just right.  I can go and get some PT in and then get a shower and be up and around by 0900.  I can�t say that my schedule is packed with things to do, but I�m sure I can find something.

            A morning like this brings everyone back to reality that we really ARE in a war zone and that bad things can happen.  There ARE people out there trying to lob mortars in on us from time to time and clearly their intent is not benign.

            I�ve hear that Iraqis get paid decent money to land mortars inside a FOB and I�ve also heard that there is a hefty monetary reward for killing American Soldiers.  I can�t say that I like having a price on my head.  So, I guess I better keep it down and be ready to kill anyone that thinks of collecting.

            So, now I�ve been gotten up earlier than I expected and should probably get some PT in.

           

            Yup, I went for a short run and then hit the gym for a light work out.  After lifting some weights and realizing that I don�t do that very often, I started walking back to the CHU.  I felt like crap (having not done anything for so long) and thought I might throw up.  Thankfully, I didn�t.  I took a nice shower and got ready for the day.

            Not an exciting day.  Once again, the plans for how everyone else is getting here changed again � back to the original plan.  Go figure.

            I sent four people out on the Convoy to the JCC and Government Center and they returned safely, with nothing interesting to report.  Baquba is a dirty place, with little done to help it by the locals.  They live in filth and debris and don�t do much to improve their situation.

            The clouds rolled in again today, so we could have more rain tomorrow and it made the night darker than usual.  No stars, no moon, just blackness.

            All in all, a regular, do nothing, or at least not much day.  Until our equipment gets here, the only thing we can do is wait and improve our CHUs.

            Although, I did manage to go the whole day without going to the Haji mart.  I resisted the urge to search through their bootleg DVDs again looking for something new, or something I need.  I just saved myself a walk down there, I guess.