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.



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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.