no more living in a tent, but dust storms rage on

nandu lost his internet! we don't know why. it's a mystery. but for now, that means no more iphone posts... i still don't have a laptop out here, so until i get one it's going to be tricky to upload photos or videos. but i'll find a way.

so i'm not working at the detention facility. there are only 3 of us not working there and i'm one of them. actually they have me doing the exact same job i was doing the last time i was in iraq. which is managing the maintenance of every piece of gear, every radio, gun, truck, special force equipment, even printers. this is actually a pretty complex job, but it's what i did during my first 4 years, and it's what i know, so i'm fine with it. there's basically two main things i'm concerned with regarding maintenance management, and that is 1: make sure all orders pertinent to maintenance are being followed, and 2: make sure those above me (my battalion commander, the company commanders, the maintenance management chiefs on the regimental level and higher) understand what is being done. in other words, i brief them on the combat readiness of their battalion.

also, i am finally moving out of the tent today and into a "can"! a can is just a box with barely enough room for two small beds. yes i will have a roommate, but it's better than living with about 50 roommates in a giant tent on a cot like i've been doing for that past 3 weeks or so.

oh and the sandstorms have been insane. dust storms actually. i've never seen anything like it. there will be so much dust in the air sometimes that we can only see about 15 or 20 feet in front of us. and it gets in your eyes and nose. eyes are the worst, because the wind is blasting it into me.