I'M BAAACCCKKK!!! IN IRAAAQQQ!!!!!!!

Returning into the theater in Iraq was a difficult time and adjustment for me. Leaving home this time was harder than I thought it would be. The job here has become a dragon of King Authur size and may be impossible to slay. The pressure to complete inspections as fast as we can must also be balanced with the highest quality standards. There in lies the balancing act. The daily required completed inspections is all KBR cares about, the daily total met. If we don’t reach that total, we in QA have to answer as to why.

On other notes, ITS HOT!!!!! 110 degrees has been the average for the month of July and August, and there is no promise of cooling down, with the possiblility of hotter days in the near future. Sand storms can pop up any day, making everything covered in dust so fine its like talcum powder. This dust can find any crack and get in anywhere. It took me 2 days to clean up my room and get rid of some of the dust. I can’t get it all, it’s just to fine, my vacuum filter can’t collect all the dust. The food is still the same, greasy and salty, the conditions has have improved with my new room I share with a my friend John. I am now in an actual hard structure, not a tent. And in a week or so, we should be moving into double wet units, where there are 2 rooms with a common bath room. These will be like having a small suite. I can’t wait to not have to walk 200 feet in the dirt to use the bathroom or take a shower. Hopefully, these rooms will be ready by the end of the week. And that I will for sure get one. Here thing change like Ohio weather.

I have taken several photos and videos of things here, some of sand storms and helicopters flying around here. The Marines are slowly leaving and being replaced by regular Army, which is a good thing. This means the area is more and more stable and safer for us to be here. Please remember the boys who are going to Afganistan.

Well, that’s about all for now. WORK, WORK, WORK. Its all I know, long hours and reports. Movies and TV shows that I watch on my laptop is my entertainment. I keep working on my writing, however its hard to concentrate after a long day.

Dan

ps: I can no longer access my blog through KBR internet. All blogs will be posted through Ranel.

Dan's Christmas Wants!

This Marine is from Mansfield Ohio and let Dan play...


My hunk



My Hunk Again!

A Night Out At The Bar-B-Q

A Few Work Buds


Non-Alchololic Beer & Rib Eye Steaks!


A Few More Work Buds

A new mode of Transportation

A Mini-Truck!

Great News Today!!

Today, KBR travel posts this weeks schedule for who leaves for R&R when , and guess what I am scheduled to check out of here next Sunday and begin flying out Monday. WOOO HOOOO!!! I can actually see the relaxing starting to get closer. I can't wait to get home and have time with my WIFE and kids and all the grand kids. Its going to be fun and anywhere away from the sand for a while will be a great time. I look forward to humidity!! And green grass! And my shower, my bed, steak, real milk, etc. So, this week will be exciting and tough at the same time because its going to be more 14 to 16 hour days and lots of paperwork, but the reward will be AWESOME!! See everyone in a few more days. PS. the picture is the lastest in Al Asad Transportation. Fun to drive but really hot when driving through 110 degree air, like being next to a bondfire and your skin is about to melt. Drink Water!!!!

Now I know Why I'm Tired!

Note the color of the flag. This means its a Red warning flag day and the air temp is between 106 and 110 degrees Fahrenheit. It is actually 108.8 at 4 PM today. I think my sweat is sweating!

Our Big Day!

Isn't She Beautiful? This is one of my favorite pictures of Ranel, not because its a great picture, because she said Yes! I love her very much and this is my WIFE!!! Eat your hearts out!

19 Year Annivesary !!

My Wife of 19 years!! Wow, how time flies. We are both looking forward to me coming home in 2 short weeks. I can't wait to just be home and have no pressure this time with work. And I get to spend it with this lovely lady who still occupies my dreams and all of my soul.
"And two shall become one flesh" takes on real meaning after 19 years, I can feel my wife's pain and sadness, her joy and laughter all the way from Ohio to here in Al Asad. Loving anyone is a challenge, but being commited to my wife has always been something that I have never doubted. My parents have been married 50 + years and I intend to be as happy with Ranel as they are with each other. This woman is everything to me, so those of you close to our home wish her Happy Anniversary and give her a hug from me. I will be home soon, my Wife, I love you.

True Heroes

Here is a picture of modern day heroes that so often go unnoticed by those who are in Washington and in the news papers. Everyday they strap on their weapons and body armour, suffer through the desert heat, and follow convoys throughout the country side. These convoys are prime targets for attacks from the insurgents and road side bombs. These young men go out into danger everyday and we should remember them in our prayers. From Left to Right (home state): Martinez (CA), Miranda (CA), Hamm (CA), Johnson (CO), Marquez (VA). Fox Company 2 Battalion, 1st Marine Division, Infantry, from Camp Pendleton, CA. Double Clic on the photo for a larger view.

It is the Soldier

It is the Soldier
By Father Dennis Edward O’Brien United States Marine Corps
“It is the Soldier, not the reporter,
Who has given us freedom of the press.
It is the Soldier, not the poet,
Who has given us freedom of speech.
It is the Soldier, not the campus organizer,
Who has given us the freedom to demonstrate.
It is the Soldier, not the lawyer,
Who has given us the right to a fair trial.
It is the Soldier, who salutes the flag,
Who serves beneath the flag,
And whose coffin is draped by the flag,
Who allows the protestor to burn the flag.”

Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you.
Christ Jesus and the American G.I. . . . .
One died for your Soul, the other died for your freedom.

Memorial Day

Memorial Day 2009

Memorial Day is normally for remembering the fallen servicemen and women who have sacrificed for this great nation we call America. However, this time I would like to remember and recognize the men and women who are in the service today, the young men and women who VOLENTEER to come to Iraq and Afghanistan, and risk their lives for the Americans at home. Sand storms, oppressive heat (its been in the 100’s this week), all insects bite and are generally poisonous, snake and spiders, scorpions and other nasty things crawl into sleeping quarters, patrols at night through dangerous neighborhoods and getting shot at or blown up are just some of the hardships these young people have to deal with. I have the advantage of working for a contractor here in Iraq and can spend time with these kids, (most of them are in there early 20’s) and get to know them. All walks of life, country boys to city boys, many married, some with children of their own, all have families at home. Their rooms are barren at first, but soon walls are soon covered in family photos, births and sonograms, wives and girlfriends, moms and dads. Some have pin up girls others don’t really have anything except a simple photograph by their bed. Dust covers everything constantly, wind blows it into the tiniest cracks, and the sweat from the days work turns the dust into mud on their hairless faces. These great young people have witnessed the world in ways you and I would never dream of; the nightly news doesn’t even come close to the atrocities witnessed on the patrols and missions throughout the country. Danger from unknown road side bombs, suicide bombers, snipers and Taliban forces are the “normal” day. You can see the stress of being here when you look into the eyes of a combat soldier, only those who know can recognize it. I personally have not been mortared or shot at, thanks to the Marines here, but I know the stress of being here and share in it. This Memorial Day is special in that I get to be here where history is made and being a part of it will always remain in my memories and these men and women I meet will always have a place in my heart. So this Memorial Day, thank a Veteran for the freedoms that you have and for the lives they have sacrificed for you and me.

Dust Tornado??

It is a 100 degrees outside and this is what the wind will do, a dust devil thatis big enough to slam open doors of vehicles or offices, and pick up dust as high as can be. The weather is sunny and HOT!! upper 80's at night and low 100's during the days. Today (18th) we had a yellow heat index, which means we could only work for 40 minutes in the sun and then get out of it for 20. The temperature at 4pm was 106. Luckily, all my inspections are inside a soldier's room, which is air conditioned, but each inspection only lasts 20 minutes then off to the next room. Every day is turning into a Monday, working 14 hours each day, they all run together and with no days off there is no sense of days of the week. Being so hot here I drink anywhere from 2 to 4 liters of water a day. Trips to the bathroom at least once an hour. And the hotter it gets the more your body craves the water. Well, not much else of excitement gong on here, as I get more photos I will update. Dan

Creatures In The Night

While lying on my bed watching a movie, it flashed upwards on the outside wall of the tent. What was that? I grabbed my camera and this is what I found, a lizard had taken up residence in our tent. Hopefully, there are no snakes following close behind. Never know what we will see here at Al Asad.

View from the Porch

Here is a picture from just outside my tent. The sunset is God's canvas, the dust is a desert curse. Pictures speak for themselves. The wooden door is in place of the flaps to the entry of the tent. It helps with the coming and going, but in a real high sand storm, the wind can open the door and allow the sand to blow in. Then we have to clean everything. My Tent is number 4. Dust is always present, some of the areas here is like moon dust it is so fine and light.

Arrival at Al Asad

Well, I finally made it to Al Asad. Luckily (which is unusual) when we landed in Baghdad, some of us actually caught a connecting flight to Al Asad. This does not happen, connecting flights, very often. Since there have been almost daily sand storms throughout Iraq, the personnel who were retuning to work was so backed up the management concluded they should start using the airport like we do in the states, connecting flights. I was very happy with the results, I got to skip sleeping in the transient housing in Baghdad, which is a 12 by 12 room with 2 bunk beds and 2 cots for 8 guys. Actually its 6 guys but feels like 8. My room in the Taj-ma-tent is covered in dust from all the dust storms in the last 2 months. So, before I fell exhausted into bed I had to do a little cleaning, which is difficult without a vacuum cleaner. Sunday is my first full day back at work and things around here have changed once again. Now the completion date to the corrections to the job I am currently working on is now September 2009, what that means for the rest of the year, I don't know. KBR changes things as much as the weeks change. Nothing is ever the same and is a moving target.
Is it good to be back? I am not sure yet, let me have a week or two and we will see. The fact that I was able to even come back was an act of God. When I left I was basically fired (KBR directive for medical) then KBR legal stopped that process. And when I got here, HR had paperwork on her desk to fire me again because of the 60 day rule was nearly here, I got here just in time. With all the things that have changed around here, I will have a while to adjust and see what the future holds. Congress is still holding hearings on what has happened here with the soldiers and KBR, which in the end could end the company from running the bases. Never know what the future holds. I just have to do my job and keep my ears open for what God is telling me about the future.
Well, the food hasn't changed, the sand and sun is getting warmer, and the job is still requiring a notebook and a clip board. I hope to be home for family camp in June/July when April is here, but we will see. I miss my family and the comforts of home. More next week, Dan

Called at 2:45am

Dan called last night at 2:45am from Dubois. He said the trip was long and miserable, can't sleep sitting up; but he did get and asile seat which is good, when he checked in there were only middle seats left. Each seat has a LCD screen and a selection of movies to watch so he watched several movies over his 14 1/2 hour flight. Talking with him he seemed energized so that is good.

There were about 50 other KBR workers on his flight and they are all grouped together. Dan still doesn't have his KBR badge and was concerned when he left but is is more confident now he will not have anymore trouble at this point. It looks like he MAY stay the night there in Dubois because there is a sand storm in Bahgdad. Who knows.. he had a meeting to go to for an update on thier status.

Back to Iraq!

Just got the call asking.... "When will Daniel be ready for travel".
Dan replies.... "I have been ready".
They said.... "Ok tomorrow 5pm".

This has been quite the roller-coaster ride and here we go for another round.

The ADVENTURE begins again...

"Faith never knows where it is being led but, loves and knows the one who is leading." Dan Thoen

The Return Trip Has Begun

Well, KBR finally called with good news. I am returning to Al Asad to my old ( original ) job. My leave date could be as soon as Monday or shortly there after, depending when travel gets a hold of me. I am glad to have a good job in these times of layoffs and cut backs. Leaving home is very hard, more so on my wife and kids. I return to my friends I have made and Ranel has to do twice the work here at home. I feel happy to still be able to provide for my family but saddened to be leaving again, even though I will be able to come home again in June/July for a vacation.

The trip back will take a couple of days and 20 to 25 hours of flying time. I will need a day to change time zones and flight lag. Then back to 14 hour days 7 days a week. Inspecting the newest version of electrical work.

Well, I hopefully will know the final travel arrangements by today, but so far KBR is a little slow on the "getting back to me" part.

KBR

KBR Huston approved Dan to return to work. Now we have to wait for KBR Bagdad to approve him. Sounds like he is going back! Could leave tomorrow could leave in two weeks. Very bittersweet. ~Ranel

STILL WAITING!

Ok, KBR has not accepted the Doctor's release for Dan to go back to work and the deadline ends this week. Dan could possibly loose his job.

Back to life hanging in the balance!

Good News - Bad News

Good news: Dan is released to go back to work, same Marine Base Camp same position! Yeah! ANSWERED PRAYER! Thanks to you prayer warriors!

Bad news: Dan's leaving for three/four months! Whaa!

Good news: Dan will more than likely be able to join us for Beulah Beach at the end of June! Yeah!

The doctor will be sending him with some medications in case the same issue comes up again. Dan now knows what to expect if it happens again and what to do. This is good! So for now Dan has been talking with KBR in Huston, TX to get things going. Now we just wait for the approval papers and then they will schedule his plane ticket. Whaa!

Still waiting

Workman's Comp is in process of reviewing Dan's case. Dan had a consultation with the doctor last week they proposed a recovery plan for Dan and presented it to Workman's comp to accept. So... back to waiting.

Dan is healing and by the time WC gets the paperwork figured out he will be ready to go back to work and no treatment will be necessary but some education on strengthening exercises. The whole thing has been crazy. The Doctor has looked at the MRI and thought that Dan's condition in his hand and arm may be resulting from carpal tunnel and not so much the neck injury. But at this point there is nothing we can do but wait for approval, may be by Friday?

Dan has been taking it easy and loving his grandson Spencer who is begining to walk. Dan has the camera with him at all times just waiting for the special moment to capture. Video to follow soon.

Dan's Home

Dan got home on Saturday, yeah. We have a bit of hoops and red tape to get through for Workman’s Comp. Dan will be seen by a doctor in Polaris tomorrow. Most of his injury will just take time and it has already been four weeks and he is feeling much better already. He will learn some strengthening exercises and receive some medical procedures to help speed things along as well as help with the pain in his shoulder and the numbness in his hand. None of his injury is permanent and that is very good news.

As soon as the doctor will release him back to work he will see if he still has a job. Being let go by KBR was very difficult to understand and to adjust to but Dan said it is a standard procedure for those who are injured. His supervisor was very upset about the entire process. Dan is well liked and is valued there so it is favorable that he will be returning.

Should be here Saturday.

Dan is coming home on Saturday. We don’t have any flight information but there is a flight leaving at Midnight for Washington DC. They are having Dan quit his job for now because they don’t know how long it will take him to recover. He will have to go back through the re-hire procedures once the Doctors release him to go back to work. For now he will be on Workman’s Comp.

I know God has His plan and we can rest in it but it is a struggle not to think of the what-if’s. He’s coming home; will be able to be treated for the pain, yeah!That IS GOOD!

Maybe this will be a time to re-evaluate everything and to see if the Lord is leading us into a new direction. It’s seems when God makes a door then He closes that door, our choices become clear cut. I guess that is a good thing because it assures you won’t take the wrong path. Now we have to just wait for the next door to walk through, maybe it will be returning to the old one, maybe it will be a new one. Must have an adventure mindset!
Ranel

MRI Report - Good News!

Just took a look at the MRI reports, it’s not so bad. It is an easy fix. The protrusions are mild and will resolve on their own. This will be fixed with physical therapy or strengthening exercises. The symptoms in the arm (numbness, tingling and pain in the arm) will resolve. The sooner treated the better. The buldges are not pinching the nerve; however they are irritating to them and cause the symptoms in the arm. A Medrol dose pack will still be beneficial, and an epidural in your neck will also be beneficial to control the symptoms but exercises to strengthen the neck will be the key to preventing this from happening again. Dr. D said that the shoulder pain is coming from your clavical area and is a result of trauma. (Probably the bullet proof vest) No treatment to fix this area, only time. He said when you come in he will inject some medicine in this area to help with pain.

Katie Klekar,LPN
Orthopedic Spine and Pain Clinic

No word this morning on travel, probably not until tomorrow.

He is coming home!

Dan made it to Kuwait two days ago. He had two MRI's done one on his back and one on his neck area which was very painful to get through. They discovered he has adema which is squished disks (I think)in his neck on his vertibrae. Its between disks C4 thru C6 and they are pinching the nerves. They gave him a pain shot, has him on celebrex and a pain relieving lotion for his shoulder. They are sending him home. He will leave from Kuwait as soon as he get's the approval papers and fly directly home from there. He maybe here by the weekend.

My daughter Katie who is a nurse and works at the Orthopedic, Spine and pain clinic in Polaris and has an appointment already to see a Doctor next week.

Here are some photo's He took yesterday. He is two blocks from the Persian Gulf but his room he is staying in is underground.

Dan in a Sand Storm!

Back in Baghdad

Dan's nerve injury is still a problem. Its'been about two weeks now. It took almost a week for KBR to figure out Dan needed some medical attention then due to the sand storms it been a another week for Dan to get a flight out of Al Asad. I just got a message this morning that he is finally in Baghdad. The next big hurdle is to catch a flight from there to Kuwait. There he will be able to have an MRI and what ever he needs. We are hoping they will be able to figure out what is going on and that it will be treatable. If not they will be flying him home for treatment. It's a manna life!

While he is in Baghdad and Kwait he will have a better internet connection and will be able to access his blog and his facebook plus he should have some time to email everyone.

That's all for now....

The Pain of Doing the Right Thing

The Crew and Gunny Sargent Bolton.

Obviously the title is in irony, because right now trying to type this insert is difficult with one arm being nearly too painful to type. My shoulder was injured, actually a pinched nerve that effects the ulna nerve, and now my right index finger is 75% numb, my elbow aches continuously, my shoulder and chest muscles spasms whenever it is decides to and sleeping is a lot of tossing and turning. Had I not taken the time to get the 100# vest and take it to class like I originally was not going to do , I would not have hurt myself. Class is in the Headquarters offices and since they "required" the vest, I took it with trepidation. I knew the vest would just sit in the corners once we start class, and if anything happened we would go immediately to the bunkers, not stop and put on the vest. I should have listened to that little voice.

Building before Dust Storm

I included a few new pictures of things around here, sunsets, dust storms, and a large view of the base. Dust storm season is upon us here in the land of sand and sun. Its quite interesting when the wind starts blowing and the locals are all wrapped up and we Americans look around and stare. "What's going on"? What's with the mask?", of course, anyone who has been here for a year or more knows what is coming. Suddenly the sun starts to dim, the horizon gets to turning brown and almost like smoke. As the light gets dimmer, you start to think the sun is setting at 10 am, but realize the dust is rising up like a great big wave and is about to drop on your head.

Same Building 5 minute later

Then it hits, just like a thunderstorm back home, with fury and anger. The sand completely darkens the day to twilight, 10 feet of visibility and it really does get in everything. One day so bad you couldn't drive. I live in a tent so you can imagine what my space looked like after it was over. I about an hour it is over, and then the air hangs with suspended sand for days. Moon dust would be a better description of the sand that is blown around, when the wind really gets to moving, it can actually take the paint off a truck, so I am told. Haven't experienced that yet. Remember the scene in "The Mummy" with Brandon Fraser,when the mummy stirs up the sand storm, I'm told those really do happen, they have a great picture of one from a couple of years ago. I intend to take a picture for my self if I am here and capable, I know, I'm nuts. (I love thunderstorms and tornadoes too).

Things around here are really stressful and complicated. Politics and chaos are the daily norm, never knowing what is the change for the day, even the hour. Large corporations tend to be this way, you just have to learn patience and flexibility. Nothing is ever the same, even now, all the work I have done for the past 60 days is now being sent to the shredder because the government and KBR has changed the requirements to fit the situation and now we are starting over. Really the procedures have been completely changed and we start over. Check KBR out in Google and read up on what is going on. Me and my buddy's here are trying to change the way things are done, and now we get to change the whole new way things are done. Frustrating is not the word to best describe the last couple of weeks, on top of being in pain. Even our supervision is doing things that are causing serious acts that are making the three of us consider our options. But, we know things will change tomorrow and I, for one, will have to be dragged out of here kicking and screaming, there is nothing at home for work. So, each day is a challenge in it self just to get through the constant task of trying to do what the job requires, and not think about the fact that tomorrow it may be for naught. My current life in a nut shell.

Dan's shoulder is still bothering him a lot. There is no Doctors at the Al Asad base. There are medic's but they are not allowed to disburse any medications except over the counter dose of motrin. The nearest medical facilities is in Kuwait. KBR would fly him there but he would have to take medical days and we don't know how many days it would take to be seen by a Doctor, etc. Please be praying that God would restore his shoulder. He will be home in 51 days and I will get him in to the Dr. while he is home for his two weeks. Hopefully we can get him fixed up.

This is kind of funny at fist but then the second part, you may NOT want to read it... Just warning you. This is our text messages today.

D: I for got to mention the bus ride was bummy as a bad movie and thats when I hurt myself.
R: You mean it was bumpy?
D: Yep, some of the roads aren't paved
R: Oh, reminds you of the Lucy movie with Ricky in the trailer going over the mountian or "Fools Rush In" where the guy goes to Mexico in the trombia and he is stuffed in with the chickens?
D: Yes that would be a good representation no chickens though.
D: Did I tell you about the Iraqi who pooped in the bushes along the road?
R: Pooped in the bushes. You saw him do it?
D: Yep right out the window of the bus that brought us in from the airport. He walked out from the check point into the tall weeds. Dropped his pants in plain sight had water to wash his butt.
R: Ok? is this a normal thing? Was everyone shocked?. I can't believe that. He must have had to really had to go!
D: Did his thing and got up and shook off his hands. That's how they do it here, muslims dont use toilet paper.
D: This where the dube comes from!
R: (not sure what that means)ewyeeeuk!
D: Truck here time for breakfast got to go!
D: LOVE YOU, BYE

Thought I would share....doesn't sound healthy?

Video Chat

Dan flew over to Bahgdad last week for a week of training. There he was able to finlly get on his own computer onto the internet. Here is is playing with the video chat. This isn't the greatest video but its a start. I'm not sure but he may be flying back to Al Asad today or tomorrow. Notice the hair cut. Yeah! much better.

Yesterday Dan had to wear a 100lb. bullet proof vest from his sleeping trailer to the class room. This was being required by the army base for safty due to the elections. However the elections over there were peacefull so we don't really get it. The weight of the vest caused Dan's shoulder muscles to go in to spasams. Here is his message to me.

"Hey I had to go to medical for my shoulder pain at 6 am this morning. It was so bad it woke me up at 2 or 3 in the am and I couldn't sleep. It is an irritated mucle at the top of the shoulder, so irritated that it is cutting off the nerves and the whole right side of my chest and back and arms are twitching non stop. The medic massaged me twice (I think he is gay, but good massuse) and iced it down twice. They also gave me some anti twitch pills and a pain injection. Hopefully when you get up I will be in much better shape. The cause is carrying around the bullet proof vest I m sure."

A Day at the Office

We usually get up a 4:00 am and go to the gym for our morning workout. At 5:30 am we try and get to the office so we can open our email, which usually has 20 emails in the in box. Most of the mail is from corporate and some is for us individuals. At 6:00 am is the morning meeting here with the electrical department. We go over the plan of the day which has always changed from the night before. This, of course, is frustrating because our paperwork is prepared ahead of time to be ready for the days inspections. Management cannot seem to stick to a plan nor can they organize very well. Our teams do really an excellent job when left to our own, but too many supervisors get excited by changing circumstances and what the Marine Commanders think should happen, plus the added pressure from the super management in Baghdad. Anyway, we have come to the conclusion in the last couple of weeks to wait until we are leaving and then I, the document coordinator, make up the needed forms and off we go. Then the real fun begins. We show up to the site and wait for the electricians to do their testing first then we follow behind and do ours, the whole time waking up sleeping Marines who had night duty, had to fly patrol, etc. The Marines and soldiers are real gracious with us and will allow us to do what we need to do to keep their lives safe at “home”. Usually we find problems with the installations and have to stop until repairs are made, although after 6 weeks of receiving bad reports about their work, the electricians and the quality is getting better. That makes our jobs better and their lives easier. After lunch we keep going until 5 or 6 pm, and then we come back to the office and do the days paperwork. Lots of nights I have been putting in 16 hours, 14 hours a day on average. So, by 9 pm I am exhausted and go to bed only to start it all over again the nest day. If it were not for Saturday’s time card turn in, I would not know what day of the week it is. I use the formula of adding 4 hours to my time to know what time it is at home, then I have to remember it is the opposite time of the day. Confused yet? I really never know either. During our travels we stop and drop off our laundry, run to the store, and any other errand we have to do. So, this is a typical day in Iraq in the QA/QC department.

Mi Ge-ORgeous Husband!

Because Dan works from 5:30AM - 9:00PM, seven days a week, he has no time to get a hair cut. The last photos he sent of him and his boss Loretta I mentioned to him that it was time for a hair cut. He responded "I'm going to let it grow out, beard too! Well that was only a few weeks ago.... He couldn't stand the beard because it got all curly.

So this is Before his shave.


This is after!

I think he looks like Richard Grere; but then I'm his wife and I think he handsome anyhow.

Dan... Doing His Job

Hark, there must be something wrong with this one!

The latest photos of Dan.

Dumpster Diving

Dan's been back at it. Here is his new finds. There was some Marines who were moving out and Dan and his buddies were hot on their tail. They were the first to arrive at the scavenger hunt. Some wooden bookcases, a new headboard covered in fabric-this was great because now he has something to lean against when he reads or is on his compute, you can see in the SUV a couple of rugs and plastic stack of drawers.



.

A soldier Dan was honored to meet

SCP Barclay, James
A Co. 2-142 IN
FOB Al Asad Iraq
APO, AE 09333
email : dualu_23@yahoo.com

This soldier can use some "back home" support. Sending notes or a special gift would be cherished.

Dan's Beautiful Room

His room is 8'x8'. The walls are 6' high with 4'x8' plywood nailed horizontal which hanges from the top of the wall leaving 2' below open. This two foot gap allows huge drafts to blow through the rooms and (moon dust) sand to make its home on and in everything. There is no door and that is why you see a sleeping bag haning on the wall. Dan hoped it would unzip all the way but it didn't so he had to add the sheet to cover the gap. There are eight rooms. One of the other guys in the tent is a carpenter and has access to building materials. He just got back from vacation so Dan and his friends have been keeping a list of needs. I expect some heavy bartering to going on!

Dan recently went "dumpster diving" to retrieve what ever he can find to fill in the two foot gap. As you would expect cardboard is a awesome find. He told me he couldn't believe what people throw away and was excited to retrieve two rugs, a fan, a shelf that he turned into a armour, plywood and cardboard, he also found some 3/4 PVC for towel rack. He checked out a cordless drill and cordless saw from the tool room to build most of his room. He and John had a half day off for the New Years holiday and it was "Extreme Tent Makeover".

Dan is always on the look out to upgrade his space!

Vacation!

Dan put in for his vacation time for April. He should be home on April 8th through 21st. He is getting excited to come home and we are excited he is coming home.

Dan left home on Nov.30th and has been gone 53 day - 80 days to go.

His vacation time will center on every 120 days.
April 9th - Home
August 6th - Europe
December 3rd - Home

THE BOSS!

Here is a picture of Dan's boss Loretta. Sounds like they all goof around a lot because Dan is always joking. I do know they have a ton of meetings and phone conferences, at least two a day! When do they work? Dispite all the confusion and unlimited procedural changes, goofing off, their team seem to be doing good as they got a unexpected "at-a-boy" from the "Chief Kahuna" today.

A Photo of the KBR Clan

Dan and the Crew!. He hangs out with John at the far left and Mike who is in front of Dan with the blue shirt. Notice Dan has a beard and has more gray hair. What are they doing to him!

The trailers in the background are AB units, ie abalution which is military for toilets and sinks in one, and showers and sinks in the other. Dan sent me pictures of the inside of these units and they dinky and extremely trailer style.I don't know how more than one person can even pass each other. I will spare you the photos as Dan and Mike were acting out the life in an AB Unit. Not good for public Viewers.

My Wife Who Loves Me

I would like to take this time that I suddenly have today to write about someone incredibly special in my life. This woman is my lovely wife Ranel. She has struggled at times with me being gone in Iraq, days of uncertainty and emotion, times of doubts and fears. Yet she sends me great things to make my life here in a tent better; little things to remind me of her, making sure I know she cares. All the while keeping things running at home and trying to keep up with all the things I normally take care of when I was home. The love that I can feel is something only one away from home can experience, Emotion rise up in me that make my eyes water, the love I have for this woman of 18 years feels like the first year of our marriage. I can’t wait to come home in April to hold her once again. I can truly understand what Solomon wrote in Proverbs 5:15 – 19, that states:
Never Take Love for Granted
15-16 Do you know the saying, "Drink from your own rain barrel, draw water from your own spring-fed well"?It's true. Otherwise, you may one day come home and find your barrel empty and your well polluted.
17-20 Your spring water is for you and you only, not to be passed around among strangers.Bless your fresh-flowing fountain! Enjoy the wife you married as a young man!Lovely as an angel, beautiful as a rose— don't ever quit taking delight in her body. Never take her love for granted!
(This is the Message Translation)
Now who can say that the institution of marriage is not a sacred gift from God, who continues to keep faithful and true to my wife, my heart desires only her, and my dreams reflect the love we have made for each other God is touching our lives each day. Only He can close this gap we are experiencing through the distance, any His love for us is strong enough to get us through. I thank God for my wife each day and am so happily in love with her even after 18 years and a lot of changes that we have endured. There is no chance that I would take this gift that only God could arrange (if you know how we met) and put it jeopardy. So, if you haven’t figured it out “I LOVE RANEL, MY WIFE!!”.

Inspector Dan

All the tools he needs is a pen and a clip board. He and one other inspector drive around in the white Chevy Tahoe.

PS: Notice the two marines in the John Deer Gator (4 wheeler)behind Dan's right shoulder. The concrete partitions are 12" thick and are staggered so that no vehicle or missile can have a direct access into the base. To get through the base you have to weave in and out of them.

The sand there is so fine that it poofs when you walk and it get all over and into everything. Click on photo to enlarge.

Packages

Dan finally recieved his computer, Yeah. He needs to buy a internet card to gain access and will do that when time allows. I sent him some flannel sheets, bath towels and some clothing he needed. He feels loved!

Photo of Dan

Dan at Flintstone Land. This is one of Sadam Hussain's Castles he had built for one of his wives and their children. The crain in the background and the damage to the castle has been there before the base was set up. (I think that's what Dan said).
An armored bus. Look's comfy!

BUSY, BUSY, BUSY

I have been able to talk to Dan almost every day. Now that he is actually working and not training his life has jumped into high gear with expectations of the impossible, meaning more inspections and paperwork than any human can get done in the time frame they have require. His spirit is good especially for working 7-12's and yes, no days off, even for holidays, we will see how he holds up after a few weeks.

Lately, I have only able to talk to him when he first gets up in the morning which is not a real coherent time for him, so... he is not real talkative. He also has a hard time getting to sleep and remaining asleep and he is not allowed to take anything to help him. Looks like he will be remaining in the eight man tent with the outhouse indefinately. It's getting cold there and all of them are catching cold.

We are hoping his computer will arrive over the next couple of days, that should cheer him up however there is no time to really get on it. Knowing him he will find a football game on the internet somewhere or atleast the highlights. I don't know how they keep up with the U.S. News.

Just thought I would give an update. I think from here on it will be pretty mundain.