Kinda sad

The best news heard here recently - US troops in Iraq get to drink beer for Super Bowl.

American troops in Iraq will be allowed to drink beer without fear of court-martial for this year's Super Bowl — an exception to a strict military ban on drinking alcohol in combat zones.
[SNIP]
A copy of the waiver said the consumption of alcoholic beverages will be allowed only Feb. 1-2 and service members will be limited to two 12-ounce beers each.

OK - it's two beers, and there's always that little voice in your head that says it's unseemly for an adult to be giddy over two beers, but still..

Current popular opinion holds that will be the most heavily guarded convoy in memory. I am sure the locals will be amused.

Ahmed, the Americans they are doing their convoy with eight tanks, four Apache gunships and what looks like an AC-130. Is it the President?

No, Mohammed - it is the beer for the football game.

[scratches head]

I had a simple mission today and got back shortly after noon. I had a message from the Bossman to check my email ASAP, so I trudged over to the MWR and logged on. The email from said Boss read (and I quote), "nevermind - I found it."

Oookay. Another crisis, narrowly averted. What other email dragons needed slaying? I scrolled....an email from the first sergeant! Subject: M9s

I clicked on it and scanned. The CA battalion is having a shortage of 9mm ammo...blah blah blah...no projected resupply date...blah blah blah...don't fire up our combat loads on the range. Try to get ammo from our manuever units.

OK. Got it. I ran my team through a range a few days ago to clear out the magazines they've been carrying. I then gave them new combat loads, so we're good. I clicked on to the next email, making a note but deciding that one required no action.

Well. I was wrong! My roommate came trudging to our hooch a little later.

I just got off the phone with First Sergeant, she said. He was all fired up about ammunition -

For the nines, I cut her off. Yeah. I got his email. We shot, we have ammo, we're good, right? Or did I miss something?

She stomped her foot. No - you're right. We're fine. But he called to tell us not to have any 9mm ranges.

Like we were going to go out and shoot up our combat loads? I asked. And then stand around with empty magazines in a war, looking confused and waiting for the Ammo Fairy.

I don't know what he thought, she grumped (thoroughly irked). But you owe me for talking to him!

True 'dat, roomie. True 'dat. I guess that means that disposing of the next person who shows up at 0100 wondering if some contractor has been paid is going to be my problem.

So there I was...

in deepest, darkest Eye-Rak. Sure, some folks were worried about IEDs, suicide bombers, and random small arms fire. But I knew we were in trouble when, standing in a quiet village, I turned and saw...

one of our MRAPs being attacked by turkeys.



We survived the turkey attack. Narrowly.

It ended up being, oddly, a productive day. The high point involved digging around in the bottom of a ditch looking for a water pipe. And there's always someone helpful around with a camera when you're digging around in a trash-filled ditch.



We finally found the pipe about three klicks down the road. Because the locals tend to know these things, but they like to watch us flail around for a while first.

I love this job.